The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-16
THE QUAKER REVIVAL.

THE QUAKER REVIVAL.
AS Philadelphia is widely known abroad by
the S0a6riquet of ''the Quaker City," and as
the first important settlements in this State
were made by colonies of Friends, under the
leadership of their great associate member,
William Penn, the recent discussions of the
rise, decline, and modern revival of Quaker
ism possess q peculiar interest in this
locality.
The Friends or Quakers long since ceased
to display the proselyting spirit which charac-
terized their early history, and for many
years, while they devoted much attention to
the task of disowning or discarding portion
of their members, no serious efforts were
made to secure new converts. AS natural
result, the sect either declined or barely
maintained itself in many sections. Although
one of the oldest of American religious or
ganizations, it is one of the least numerous
A few years ago they estimated their total
membership in the United States at only
about 10O,O 900, and this is, we believe, largely
in excess of the estimate in the census report,
while in Great Britain and ireland their num-
bers do not exceed II, ,0O0 The sect attained
no mean Importance two hundred years ago,
and it was originally organized with great
rapidity; but the enthusiasm which inspired
its early champions perished, to a large extent,
with them. Their leading idea of earnestly
appealing to the eight of Christ within" and
the ''uniyersality of his light" struck re-
sponsive chord in thousands of human
bosoms But after the first organization had
been perfected, and after the sect had suf-
fered discredit and persecution for the extra
VACANT displays of some of its zealots,
large portion of its energies were absorbed
in what friendly writer calls ludicrous
<'attempt to enforce rigid adherence to ira
ditional habits and traditional morality" He
gives, as specifications, the grave discussions
of one meeting over the length of a members
beard, and the lamentations of the elder sis
ters of another meeting over the tendency
of the younger sisterhood to wear green
aprons. The shape and form of bonnets
too, have proved subject of serious contro-
versy, as well as the cut of coat, the breadth
of the brim of hat and the general style of
apparel. Many independent minds instinc-
lively revolt from such restrictions, and thou
sands of the children of Quaker parents have
ignored the faith of their fathers to escape
such trammels.
Meanwhile, however, in spite of the pau
city of their numbers and the absence of ele-
ments of attractiveness in their mode of wor-
ship, the Quakers have exercised deeper in
huence than any modern sect of equal num-
bers upon the mass of their fellow-men.
They were certainly among the first, if not
the first, and the most persistent, to make
earnest and incessant protests against the
worst vices and crimes of civilization, and to
bear testimony in season and ont of season,
against war, slavery, intemperance, litigation,
extravaganza, and profanity. They have
always labored intelligently and effectively tc
reform some crying abuse, or to promote
the well-being of an oppressed portion o.
the human race. They were the central poin
around which the anti-slavery agitation o.
this country moved when it most needed
friendly aid and generous support; and since
the triumph of emancipation they have beer
specially active and liberal in their efforts t.
educate the freedmen. While they have no
succeeded in converting the world to thei
peace principles, they have rendered inesti
mable service by weakening the old passion
for war for its own sake, and by generating
the enlightened public sentiment which nov
regards serious conflict of arms as an evi
which can only be justified by the necessit,
of syerting an evil of still greater magnitude
The decadence of sect which rendere
these and many other important services wa
well calculated to awaken the earnest solici
tude of those who sincerely desired its pei
petuation. Discussions of the causes of thi
decline were accordingly invited some te
years ago, and increased attention has sine
been paid to the retention and increas
of members. Practically, if not theoret
cally, the severity of some of til
old rules relating to dress and persons
habits has been relaxed; and greater pain
have been taken to inspire in the hearts c
Quaker children an interest in the history c
their faith as well as in all matters appel
tanning to religion. Despite their hatred of
''hireling ministry, the Quakers cannot di
pense entirely with religious instruction, an
for long period there was painful ahsen'
of sufficient supply of voluntary teachers
many of their meeting houses. This defe
is to some extent now being remedied, al
through the operation of the causes name
with others not here referred to, we seem
be on the point of having in mild form
N Al .Ako