Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1847-09-28
0uakeriSm.

O iarteriy Review contains n review OF d
popuiur life of George Fox. by JOSIAH
Marsh. The reviewers remark very truly
tina. There is no subject p5rpo.uaiiy Dc.
fore us, less understood than Quakerism.
A nd although this review goes on 10 eA-
| plain some Of the traits 0. QlakerIsin' sc'
| It's accounts are so nlengro as 10 illustrate
! the orco of his own remark as iluch as
| the subject.
! Qmkeris.n is distinguished particularly
| by tho brcvity Of is articles OF faith an
the r!ror Of It's life. Tho merely doctrinal
part Of Quakerism consists of four arti-
cles only; Tho existence of Goo; the au-
! thenticilv of he scriptures; the In>pira-
| ton Of tho Holy Spirit: and tho divinity OF
'csns Christ. Blu: the moral code OF Z "a
lleri~sn, for governing the conduct OF IT'S
members make the most direct and specit-
F., ic war on the grea, bcsettlng evils OF iife
| and society that has ever been Attempted.
/ Luxury of every kind IS prescribed. not
/ only in itself. but in lis Consequence, war
and slavery; for it is clcnr that, wi.hou!
desire for luxury neither war nor slavery
could arise.
! George Fox undertook % cf'ec, rs great
a change in the manners Of his followers
rs Lycurgls or as Loyo.a did. The means
/ he adopted were tho reverse Of iheirs.
! Each of them exlcted oaths or VOWS of
obedience to his coIo. Fox took no such
covenants, bu, forbade them. llo dis
avowcd all exclusive pro.cnsions as an
oracle or loader. anj assorted for the first
entire moral aud intellectual freedom.
teaching tha, every man must HI nsolf took
IL tho light Within" tbs Inspiration OF tho
Holy Spirit, and not DO depondont on o'hor
/ men, whether priests or preachers, Tor q
kno Wedge Of their duties.
Lycurrns enforced his code by the arm
of political power Loyola invoked that
Tremendous engine, tho lnqnisi,ion. Fox
regulated all force, with the most eminent
success. QuakcrIsm has f,oarishet IN those
countries only where the nob'est race of
men and tho highest civilization prevail.
its doctrines are too SPIRITUAL, lis morality
too pure TO be acceptable among any of tho
inferior nations or races of the earth. But
IN Enrland and America the sect number
,breo or four hundred thousand members.
exemp, from crime, from violence, and
from pauparsm. 1t holds on sIavos--It
takes part in no war. The belief of the
Qlakers recognizes the philosophy Of sIa-
/ vorv, and therefore, forbids luxury. II
avoids tho slavery of the white man az we'll
"a black For il Is clca that n life of lndo-
lonce, indulgence aud display on tho part
Of those who have wealth must make slaves
Of those by whose labor Tho excess - pro-
/ Juced which is thus consumed. Whore
man is content with tho comforts Of lifo.
his own labor viii produce them, nnd ex-
emp. him from the dosire Of unJustiy op-
lprnpra.ing the labor of others.
i Bat tho objects Of Qlakerlsm have been
fol, far bovond tho boundary Of tho sect.
ri Pam the n dom
ton Of n pncfic policy with the Indians Of
Penns ylvania, by which that colony lived
for seventy years IN profound peace. whilst
ai tho rest of the colonies were IN con-
linual war, has mado a deep impression on
civilized nations. and has contributed per-
haps more than anything else to tho adop-
: ton of tho pacific policy which our Govern
! ,ncnt has always, until lately, pursued.
1t all events, example is On record
vho,a a powerful people like ours have
pre- fcrred. as Penn did. the policy of buy
: ny Out the previous and weaker occupants.
rather than that of killing them out; and
seldom, indeed, has territory been So easl y
won.
/ To tho Quakerism Of Pennsylvania =" G
faro also indebted for the ponitcEtlary
5, system as u substitute for tho previous
bloody criminal code of England; End to
the Quakorisin of England indebt-
!, Cd for the present system Of mild and
persuasive treatment of lunatics. lrstead
t Of the previous plan of whips and letters.
, Such are the great, benignant practical re-
sull5 Of tho ultra. abstract spiritual faith
: Of which George Fox was tho first croat
teacher of modern times. 1t IS iuii of
instruction and delight TO all philosnphic
minds. Il arrested the attention and c1p-
I .iva.ed the genius Of Carlyle, who has
taxed his powers of praise in presenting
, the claims Of Fox. 1t has furnished {,
theme fpr tho most brilliant chapter of
Bancroft. and tho subject is far from be-
: ing exhausted.
Wherever the Qdakers are known. the
beautiful simplicity Of their lives. their.
froe 10 n from all those strifes and i'll
re-n lated passions tha, destroy happiness,
,hoir storing integrity. their intelligence,
their devotion to truth and right, have ex-
.orled the highest praise even from those
who cntertain longer reig ious craeds nd
. regard fewer commandments. The most
usual objection 10 Quakerism Is that II IS
, by far too refined and spiritual a system
for this world. But lis vo,ares have
proved, through tho vicissiiudcs of two
!. centuries, tina, it is emiaenty practical
and eminenily calculated TO make men
happier. wiser. and better. Tho great
principles which tho carly apostles of tho