The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-11-17


November u, lSG3.S
The yearly meeting Of the society o.
Frjrnds OF this state has just concluded 1T
sessions at Deep River mceting-housc, neal
A. the Society in this State is quite large
one. having increased IN numbers during
The mast tour years very materially, nave
Thought that K might not be unlntcres1ln&
10 give 20 Your readers such facts ana mel
dents in connection with II rs ha'c pee"
able 10 gather from those who were IN al
tendance upon its deliberations. Before
,.o;nr so, however, and in order to make
the narrative ineligible, il may be well 10
rive some idea of their business and the
manner in which il is conducted. g.,
The yearly meetings of This Society. haa
their rise in London i'll 1915 and the rlend>
in Great Britain and Ireland have Kept II up
to this day. As the membership OF thc 60
cictv increased, and lis principles We're en-
hyaccd bv others than those living III Eng
land, these meetings were cut OH iEoiil luz
nqrcut stem and transplantcd elsewhere,
uutil now there are yearly meetings III many
If the States, and in some few OF them more
than one.
These meetings are composed of repre-
scutativcS from various quarterly meetings,
.u4 they in turn are made up OF leprcsch-
tatgyes from the different monthly meet
iars Of the Society. Incident to the yearly
meetings there are several Others OF diicI-
uDt claSSes--such rs "quartcrly, monlh-
w." "prcparutivc,' "mccting Tor sulicl ,
ms" ana meeting OF ministers ana
elders" The prcparatiye meeting IS ac-
ro,,niable to the monthly, the monthly TO
the quarterly, and the quarterly TO the
Ths meeting for sullcrings" was iusti
tutcd at very early day in the history OF
The Sorictr, and consists OF members
who are appointed by the quarterly meet
inc 10 represent the Society between us
sessions; TO print and distribute Writings
for the promotion Of the welfare OF the So
rictv: To- inspect all offered for publication;
to attend II all financial matters Of the So
cicty: to receive and report upon all ac-
counts OF sutieringS of Friends. and to eX-
tend TO them such assistance as may be
needed. and, if necessary, 10 apply TO TO-
yc,Gment on their behalf; and TO CORE
-poni with other quarterly meetings OF the
Society. ONLY its own members, approved
ministers, and members OF other similar
meetings are allowed TO attend its SESSIONS.
The meeting Of ministers and elders Is
composed Of the ministers and two or more
elders OF each sex. 1t is 1T these meetings
that candidates Tor the ministry arc consid-
c.cd, and if they are found suitable persons,
ticy are Recommended TO the monthly meet
iug>. who i'll turn. il they approve OF the
choice, forward il 10 the quarterly meeting
Tor their approval. ;,
The "nlceting Of ministers and elders "
is to inquire into the moral and spiritual
character Of its members, and for mutual
Encouragement and assistance in the prlncl-
pies which they profess. j..
The yearly meeting IS composed OF
representatives from It's quarterly meet
i:,,t, ,N4.. ha n
membership Of the district which it repre-
ya.r,. The one which closed It's laborS on
Flday numbered nearly 1900 members,
lc-ilcs 4 large number o. visitors. Deep
Liver, whc@c the meeting was held, Is twelve
mi.", rom this place.
ihc prcparativc meeting Of ministers and
cIl".s was held on Friday the 9Th instant
on tic next day the meeting Tor Slll!crln5>,
and on Monday the yearly meeting proper
uc-0n lis sessions. The business was con,
tuucd until Friday, when il ADJOURNED
sac die.
The inst in order Of business is the APP
y1iutment OF 4 clerk, who also conducts the
meetings ~ president or chairman. Then
The list Of II pre- ~entatiycS was called. ana
- Friends are always punctliGuS III attend
lng their meetings but few abscntccS were
reported, and their absence was generally
satisfactorily accounted for.
The epi>tcS from other yearly meetings
il CORRESPONDENCE were then read, among
which was dcctrinal essay from London,
"ud committees appointed to answer each.
T"o thousand copies Of the doctrtnal essay
were ordered 10 be printed Cor the Use Of
the members.
tu Tuesday petition was received from
: fraternity Of negroes who desired to con-
ncCt themselves With the Society. The pc
Iition was considered, and i committee APP
pointed TO visit them and report 1T the next
WCctin@.
\ committee was appointed to take into
consideration the p.opriety of providing i
larger house in which to hold their meet
in, in future. They reported in favor Of
New Garden.
An Important action of this meeting was
the alteration of the Discipline SO rs 10 allow
"A member of the Society to marry Il person
not member without disownment. This
*. / believe, the first yearly meeting which
has taken action on this subject. Ever since
lis foundation this Society has held as one
II its principles that its members should
-. marry out Of the Society; and if he did,
di>J~nment followed. Under this action
3HiS Yearly meeting has abrogated this rule,
and Friends are allowed to marry at dis
"rcL!on without coming under the DiSIip-
it..c Of tho Society.
These people, who have ever taken a
Yrcal interest in the colored people of the
state, appointed u committee whose duty it
>u,ll be TO attend to the education OF the
freedmen in their several localities.
For some years past the subject OF Sab
bath schools has excited an interest IN the
tnnuS OF members OF tho Society, and a
very interesting discussion arose on this
topic; alter which u committee of four
members was. appointed to attend the
Friends Sabbath-SchoolC Convention, which
will be held in Philadelphia during the
coming week.
The queries were all read and satisflcto-
rily answered. These queries relate to the
spiritual and moral welfare OF the members,
including answers to the questions: W he
tler Attendance at the various meetings IS
regular; whether love is entertained rs be-
come their Christian profession; whether
when differences arise, eDdeavors are used
speedily TO end them; whether children
aud those under the care OF Friends are
brought up in the care and admonlLlon OF
the Lord: Also, in regard TO free gospel
ministry; against distilled spirits whether,
the necessities Of the poor are provided Tor
aud their children educated; If Friends
Iuaintain their testimony against oaths, mill
,,trv service, clandestiEe trade, prize goods,
and lotteries; If members live within their
means are careful not TO dctraud the pub
lie revenue and whether they are just and
punctual III complying with their engage
mgntS?
These questions ere first answered in the
Iaonthly meetings from thence they go to
the quarterly meetings, where a summary
is made up Tor the yearly meeting. On this
occasion the answers showed Il very healthy
condition Of the Society, and much satisiuc-
ton was expressed ut the result.
y large number of visitors were present,
md IL unusually large number Of ministers,
among whom were Robert W. Douglass, OF
Ohio, the talented agent Of the American