MEENE
42
MEETING
Meene, IlKiNnicir, a German theoloc^ian, was born at Hremen April 11, 1710, and was educated at the uni- versities of Ilelrastiiilt and Leipsic. In 1734 he entered the ministry as pastor at Yolkersheim, near Ilildesheim, and in 17i57 removed to Quedlinburg, where, in addition to his pastoral labors in town, he served as court preach- er. He was honored at this time with the title of "Con- sistorial-Kath." In 1758 he accepted a call to Jever, and there he nourished until his death, May 20, 1782. Besides many contributions to different periodicals, to Siiicerl's Siuitinliniii llamhiirfiiscLer KanzHraihn. and to Cramer's Siiiiimhi/i'/m ~iir Kirr/ietifjcsch. v. i/ieol. Gekhr- satnk., e(c., IMeene [lublishcd a large number of books in the department of religious literature. His works of special interest are, Die trejfliche Fiirsprache lies heili;jen Geistesfiir die (Jlciubir/en (Helmstiidt, 1745, 8vo; 2d edi- tion much enlarged, 1754, 8vo): — Unpurtheiische Prii- fung dcr Abhandlung : Schrifl und VernunJ'tmdszifje Uebtrkgung der beiderseitigen Griindefiir und wider die gaiiz unendlic/ie Ungliickseligkeit der Verbrecker Gottes und deren endliche selige Wiedei-bringung, angestellt, und zur Rechtfertigung der Gedanlcen des hoclnciirdigen Ilerrn A bts Mosheim von dem Ende der Jlollenstrqfen (Ilelm- Btiidt, 1747-1748, 3 vols, 8vo; also published under the title, Die gute Suche der Lehre von der unendlichen Dauer der Jfdllen^trafen). — During, Gekhrte Theol. Deutsch- landf, ii, 458 sq.
Meerza. See Mirza.
Meeting. The Society of Friends, vulgarly called ( >uakers, have adopted the use of this word to designate their official gatherings for various purposes.
(1.) Meeting fur i^ it fferings.— Its origin and purpose are thus given : " The }-carly meeting of London, in the year 1G75, appointed a meeting to be held in that city, for the purpose of advising and assisting in cases of suf- fering for conscience sake, which hath continued with great use to the society to this da\\ It is composed of Friends, under the name of correspondents, chosen by the several (juarterly meetings, and residing in or near the city. The same meetings also appoint members of their own in the country as correspondents, who are to join their brethren in London on emergency. The names of all these correspondents, previously to their being recorded, are submitted to the approbation of the yearly meeting. Such men as are approved ministers and appointed elders are also members of this meeting, which is called the 'Meeting for Sufferings,' a name wliich arose from its original purpose, and has not yet become entirely obsolete. The yearly meeting has in- trfistid ilic [Meeting for Sufferings with the care of print- ing anil (lisiriliiiiiiig Ixioks, and with the management of its ^iiick: mill, edii^idcred as a standing committee of iho yearly meeting, it hath a general care of whatever may arise, during the intervals of that meeting, affect- ing the society, and requiring immediate attention, par- ticularly of those circumstances which may occasion an application to government." See Friends.
(■-'.; Mduihlg Meeting, a gathering of Friends of sev- eral particular congregations, situated within a con- venient distance of one another. The business of the monthly meeting is to jirovide for the subsistence of the poor, and for the education of their offspring; to judge of (he sincerity and fitness of persons appearing to be convinced of the religious principles of the society, and desiring to be admitted into membership; to excite due attention to the discharge of religious and moral duty ; and to deal with disorderly members. Monthly meet- ings also grant to such of their members as remove into the limits of other monthly meetings certificates of their membership and conduct. It is likewise the duty of this body to appoint overseers for the proper observance of the rides of discipline, and for the disposal of ditH- ciiliies .■imiiiig mcinliers by private admonition, agreea- bly to (lie (idspel rule ([Matt, xviii, 15-17), so as to pre- vent, if iiiis>iiil(. their being laid before the montlily nKctiiig, When a case, however, is introduced to the
monthly meeting, it is usual for a small committee to be appointed to visit the offender, in order to endeavor to convince him of his error, and induce liim to for- sake and condemn it. Time is allowed to judge of the effect of this labor of love, and if neetlful the visit is repeated. If these endeavors prove successful, the person is by minute declared to have made satisfac- tion for the offence; if not, he is disowned by the so- ciety. In disputes between individuals, it has long been the decided judgment of the society that its members should not sue each other at law. It therefore enjoins all to end their differences by speedy and impartial ar- bitration, agreeably to rules laid down. If any refuse to adopt this mode, or, having adopted it, to submit to the award, it is the direction of the yearly meeting that such be disowned. To monthly meetings also belongs the allowing of marriages; for the society lias always scrupled to acknowledge the exclusive authority of the priests in the solemnization of marriage. A record of marriages is kept by the monthly meeting, as also of the births and burials of its members, A certificate of the date, of the name of the infant, and of its parents, is the subject of one of these last-mentioned records; and an order for the interment, countersigned by the grave- maker, of the other.