of the most discerning of its members concluded it might tend to mutual advantage if a union with the Societj' of Friends could be effected. Many Friends, travelling in the line of the ministry, had visited the meetings of the Nicholites, whose hearts were always open to receive them; the\-had read Friends' books, held social inter- course with tliem, and found the two societies were one in the vital, fundamental principle of their profession. The strict rules of discipline adopted by the Nicholites began to be considered too strait for some of their mem- bers, especially their young people, who longed for greater liberty, and indulged themselves in the wearing of dyed garments. At length a proposition to unite themselves with the religious Society of Friends was brought before their monthly meeting, but not then adopted. After more than a year it was again brought forward and met with a similar result. When several montlis had elapsed, it was moved the third time, and afterwards the fourth time, the opposition at each be- coming less. Finally, those who were unfavorable to the measure proposed that such as were prepared to unite with the Society of Friends had better do so; and such as were not prepared would continue as the}' were ; and they added it might be of use to those who re- mained, as it would lead them to a serious examination that might result in entire unanimity. Accordingly a committee was appointed to attend the nearest monthly meeting of the Society of Friends, and lay the matter before them. The proposition for a union being laid before Third Haven Monthly Meeting, was deliberately considered, and a committee appointed to take an oppor- timity with the applicants in a collective capacity, and '• treat the matter with them as way may open as to the grounds of their request; and report of their situation and state of unity in regard thereof to our next meet- ing." The result was that nearly all who had made application (about four hundred in number, including the children who were added) were received into mem- bership ; and most of those few who were not received acknowledged it was quite as well for them to be left at present. Those who had thus voluntarily withdrawn from the Society of the Nicholites, for whose use their meeting-houses were held, conceived that they had for- feited their claims to the property ; but those who re- mained attached to the old order thought diflFerently, and wished that they should all continue to meet to- gether as they had previously done. They accordingly met together on First-days for divine worship in per- fect harmony and mutual love. Their meetings in the middle of the week were held on different days, on ac- count of the meetings for disci[)line held separately by each society, and the Nicholites continued the title of the propert}' in their own name by mutual agreement. After time and opportunity had been given for showing the effect of the union, those of the Nicholites who had remained and kept up their organization, finding their apprehensions were not realized, and that those who had united themselves with Friends continued to be plain, self-denying, and upright in their conduct, concluded to follow their example, and were received into member- ship with Friends. I'rior to the dissolution of their society, the Nicholites transferred to the Society of Friends the three meeting-houses they held in Caroline Co., Jlaryland, \vhich were called Centre, Tuckahoe Neck, and North-west Fork. The first two still remain in the occujiancy of Friends; the meeting-house at Nortli-west Fork was in the year 1818 removed to an- other district, and the name changed to Pine Grove. The condescension and brotherly love manifested by the Nicholites while deliberating on the proposition to unite with Friends, and the subsequent joint occupation of their meeting-houses after a part of them had seceded, arc worthy of especial attention, as an example of Chris- tian charity rarely equalled in ecclesiastical history. See .Tanney, I/istori/ of (he lidiyiuus Sockty of Friends, vol. iii, ch. xviii.
Nichol(l)s, WiLU.VM, D.D., an English divine
of great renown for his learning, was born at Doning- ton, Buckinghamshire, in 1004. He was educated at St. Paul's School, London, whence, in 1079, he went to Magdalen Hall, Oxford, and afterwards removed to Wadham College. He became successively fellow of Merton College in 1G84, and rector of Selbey, Sussex, in 1091. He died in 1712. \\e^ yirij{^,A jiracticul Essay on the Contempt of the World (Lond. 1G98, 8vo) -.—The Duty of Inferiors totmuxls their Superiors, injive j)racti- cal discourses (Lond. 1701, 8vo) :— .4 Conference with a Theist ; containiiir/ an A nswer to all the most ttsual Objec- tions of the Infidels ar/ainst the Christian Relli/ion (1098- 1703, 4 vols. l'2mo ; 3d ed. with the addition of two con- ferences, Lond. 1723, 2 vols. 8vo), intended as a reply to Gibbon's Oracles of Reason, a rationalistic treatise, of which, as Leland has it, " it hath not left any material . . . unanswered" {Deistical Writers [Lond. 1755,3 vols. 12mo], i, 77): — Defensio Ecclesice Anglicance (Lond. 1723, r2mo) ; first written in Latin for the use of foreign- ers, and afterwards translated into English by the au- thor, and published under the title of ^4 Defense of the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of£nf/land(od ed. Lond. 1730, Svo). Dr. Waterland pointed it out as the best exposition of the Church of England view on the sacraments. It was answered, with an exposition of the Remonstrant view, by James Pierce in Vindication of the Dissenters (1718, Svo) : — ,4 Commentary on the Book of Common Prayer (2d ed. ^vith additional notes by bishop Overall, bishop Andrews, bishop Cofin, and Dr. J.Mills [Lond. 1712, fol.]):— .4 Supplement to the Com- mentary on the Book of Common Prayer (Lond. 1711, fol.) : — .4 Commentary on the first Fifteen and Part of the Sixteenth A rticles of the Church of England (Lond. 1712, fol.) : — ]<lotes on the Rubric, on the Place for the Cele- bration of Common Prayer (" Tracts of Anglican Fa- thers," i, 328) : — On Sponsois and Confirmation (ib. iii, 249) : — Historim Sacrce, lib. vii, etc. (Lond. 1711, r2mo), etc. See Darling, Cyclop. Biblioyraphica, ii, 2195; Wood, ^4 thence Oxonien. ; Gen. Bioy. Diet. s. x. (.J. N. P.)