Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1845-09-26

| believe none of them profess to follow in
the footsteps of Fox,-as he was a radical
coae-ouier who used to be a great opponent
Of churches and disturber of the peace, and
was accustomed to walk right into the syna-
poques in time Of service and beard the lion
in his den, a la Foster. Indeed Stephen
Foster, in his best moments and before he
rot caught in the network of organization,
was nearer like George Fox than any man
who has appeared since that great man ''tell
asleep" Quakerism in its palmy days in
| stead of harmonizing with the public sentl-
ment used to defy it to the teeth. Then 1t
was noble. Then it was manly. Then 1t
was Christian. Those were the days OF
Mary Dyer, and William Leddra, and Judah
Browne, and Marmaduko Stephenson
There are some among the modern Quakers
who have something Of the same spirit
more among them perhaps than any other
sect. The Quakers in Pennsylvania, for IN
stance,-more particularly the Hickslte
branch,-contain some of the most devoted
and uncompromising friends of Truth In the
land.
Whether the recent division will result in
a general reform of the body, and a CONVEX
sion of it to the doctrines of the original
Friends or, whether it will simply result IN
the substitution of two selfish sects for one,
remains to be seen.
But to the Quarterly meeting. | attended
the public session last Thursday morning,
but nothing occurred of note. The speaking
Tor singing) was quite commonplace, that
sort of 'calm'' prevailing which is the fore
runner Of a storm. John Wilbur, after whom
certain cites alluded to are called, was
present, and chanted a rambling speech con-
tanning considerable in general but nothing
in particular; Nathan Page of Danvers threw
out a wide-awake sentence or two; two or
three of the brothers and sisters calculated
a little; an unfortunate young man with red
hair exploded once or twice; one of the
sweetest voices ] ever heard, sung an adj
dress to Deity; some of the ancient and hon
orable in the high seats joined solemn
hands,-and the meeting was "done."
Then came the business session. This,
not being a member, | did not attend. They
had a sort of a ''long parliament"-result-
ing in a secession. Both the Wilburites
and the G%urneyites claimed to be the Quar-
terly meeting exclusively,-and as neither
could do any business while any per-
sons not members were present, each waited
several hours very coolly, Considering it
was a dog-day) for the other to go out
Meanwhile many am excellent dinner was
cooling on the polished hearth stones of our
little 'Quaker-dom," and many a fine APP
petite ''wasting its sweetness on the desert
air" of the cheerless meeting house.
Friend Wilbur came out into the world
once or twice and made a liberal purchase of
lozenges, and others of more carnivorous
propensities stole homo and swallowed a leg
or two Of mutton; others came out to air and
sun themselves, and a few, sick of the I'M
profitable meeting, went home ''for good"
In this great sitting-match-nearly as in
t~eresting but not quite SO exciting as a trot-
ting-match-though fully as proltable-the
WAburitoe Ndistanoedn thair aemreitars
handsomely. Whether the winners were
less hungry than their rivals, or less patient
only, of course is matter of mere opinion.
The WilbuIites, in possession of the field,
proceeded at a rapid rate to do up their pre-
l~iminary business, which was despatched
with great promptness.
The next day, Friday, the Gurneyites
took possession of the Friends Meeting
House, and the Wilburites went to the Sills-
best Chapel (loaned them by the "Chris-
TAM sect) and both proceeded to finish their
work, which was all completed in course of
the day.
What this work or business was, of course
| an ignorant. OF this thing only can we
be sure, that it was a rain and useless work,
which humanity would gladly dispense with.
Such is the character of all sect-work. 1t
has got to be estate, flat, and Improbable"
1t can be ''nothing else" What a pity that
the men and women who are engaged in it,
many of whom are perfectly sincere, and
really believe all their solemn and stupid
ceremonials tend to the glory of God and
the good of man, were NOT engaged in some
plain and practical reform,-for instance in
devising some efficient plan for Kidding their
country of drunkenness, gluttony, licen-
tiousness, and slavery. 1t is really melan-
choly TO think SO much of moral and intel
lectual power as the Quakers unquestiona-
bly, possess, should be withheld, to so great
an extent, from the radical and christian
movements of the day. In this very town
the Quakers nave it in their power to give
the cause of reform, in all its departments,
an impetus which in one month would be
felt in every part of the country. Why, in
the name of truth couldn't they have done
this at their late meeting, instead of quarrel
ling about mere doctrines, and non-essen-
tails! Suppose that after they had duly
convened, they had proceeded at once to
take action on the great fact that one sixth
of their fellow citizens were enslayed, or
that intemperance is sweeping with such
fearful strides, over the land! Wouldn't
this have been more profitable than their
sitGng-matchl | leave it to their own good
sense to decide.
know they'll reply to all this 'thee had
better mind thy own BUSINESS" but it must
be evident to every man in his senses that a
paper devoted to popular reform would be
sadly remiss if it did not on such occasion
as that under notice, remind the Quakers of
their signal departure from the principles out
of which their denomination snr,nr and