The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-26
Annual C0nclave at the Ruther.
ford Place Meeting House.
THE TRADITIONAL RAIN.
Gathering Of the Patriarche
and Matrons.
THE SPEECH OF SILENCE.
Secret Meetings Of the Elders and Minister
The Great Day Of Public Worship.

NcCr6I meetings. vi lllt ElutTN unu MlnlSt6f8--s
The Great Day Of Public Worship.
1.-THE Quakers have come into town." This
last week OF May, accordingly, If we believe time
honored tradition, should be distinguished In the
yearly calendar by the floods of the heavens being
let loose In an unusually profuse manner and de-
scending upon the earth with the refreshing gen
teness that will call forth the climax OF verdancy
In all nature; and in the metropolis win make the
contrast between the array Of architecture and the
bits OF cooling green that cheer the drearness here
and there strongest and most pleasing.
POPULAR SUPERSTITION.
How the notwithstanding this annual event
first 1t might be very difficult to determine
If one were SO disposed; yet 1t could be easily
imagined that the simplicity and cheerfulness Of
those quiet followers of the great George Fox when
they assemble in such great crowds, to subtle
analogy OF thought peculiar to DR.. Quincy, 'might
have pervaded the very soul OF the atmosphere with
that sympathy of instinct that really subsst in
the universe" and the grateful heavens pour bless
ings upon the waiting earth, that wreatheth all
her face In happy smiles and giveth forth the breath
Of incense sweeter than any that perfumed the
altar OF pagan temple. They come with
the spring as If In company with the
early songsters, and, even as guilelesS
as they seem to soften the heart of Nature (and
would 1t were Of mankind too) into showers Of
happy tears But, fortunately for the good temper
of matter -offact human beings, this emotion the
part OF sour common mother" has interludes, even
in the month of May Of serenity in placid contrast
with her gusts of feeling
THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE
The yearly gathering Of the Friends in New York,
which is called by them by the simple name OF the
io for IF
acting the business of the society or Church. The
same sort of an event also occurs once year In
Indianapolis, Philadelphia Baltimore, Providence,
Kingston (Canada) and Des Moines. Each of these
places is the centre of district corresponding for
the purposes of religious government to a diocese
in church under episcopal rule-thus to compare
two types of sectaranism as widely differing almost
1t Is possible. The congregation of staid, placid
looking men and women from all parts Of the cOun-
try near and far, Is an immense and emotional
sight, although the crowd is not great as the one
a few weeks later at Philadelphia.
The church In Rutherford place, Stuyvesant
square, Is crowded to its utmost capacity. The
aisles, which down through the long rows of
plain, cushioned Seats are filed with a throng OF
men standing, and some occasions is the ves-
thule. 1t is one of those warm, softly breathing
days. so often sung in langushing rhymes so that
any description Of them now Is trite, when the
very treesa and plants and earth seem doing In
gentle trance, and only the birds chrp and twitter
dreamy in the seemingly lifeess boughs; the foun-
tain plays uncOnsciOusly with dreamy sheen
ITS sray ama the
scene with welcome grateful KISSES ON the brow
and lips and hands.
LIKENED TO THE GODS.
The doors and windows are thrown wide open,
and through them the green branches of the trees
ring but family and the wee sounds OF dreamy,
vanishing music come placidly IN, ike the FAR on,
whispered canticles or disembOdled spirits OF JOY.
The great assembly sits mute, with scarce the
signs OF being and as II the warm light
Did keep
Sculptures like life and thousht' immovabe deep
with marvellous benevoence and peace depicted
on many face, so that to a stranger whose mind
was in the mood for fancies like those OF Laon 1t
well might seem that this was that same celestial
council into which he was led by the fair woman;
only there was here no hall
Whose glorious roof
In darkness and now poured it through the wool
ofsRell-woyen clouds, hung there to screen
But Shelley might have been inspired in the pic.
turing OF that splendid scene by quiet assemblage
sweet, still quiet and on the Tranquil faces,
wherein "the dove sat visibly broodng."
There Is no doubt tnat the convention or this year
matters of greater popular interest than ever
before. It will be the largest gathering that has
happened in many years. The recent agitations in
the small dissenting portion Of the socety-the
"Orthodox"-would seem to point to the same rest
lessness in the ranks OF the other as like incongru
Gus elements ready for excitement, exist in both.
The desire to moderniZe Quakerism among some
young men of the ministry is the cause OF tho
trouble.
SPEECH is sILvERY, SILENCE GOLDEN"
The most prominent preachers of the Society OF
Friends are now in this city. The elders and min
listers OF both held their secret council Sat
urday-the seventh Day''-and to-day the solemn
convention begins.
Both in the morning and in the afternoon is held
the great public meeting" for worship alone and
not for discussion. On this occasion some of the
gifted men and women, and prompted as they say,
by 'the spirit OF TRUTH other sermons equally
powerful are preached during the week, but more
0p1DpOs of the subjects Of debate To and real
should go to-day, when the audience is immense
and the silence, as Lamb says. hath an eoquence,
and where one Is alone and yet accompanied by
vast multitude, through all of which, by some mys-
tic influence, runs a common, undefnable SYM
patty the waves Of the 1t is not to be per-
ceived proven, but to be felt-a something mex
pcabe yet real, as strong as the thrills Of fervor
which leap from heart to heart when swayed by
the great power OF burning oratory. 1t is the
oratory OF sience-the best after al-fOr hath not
the Prophet said, speech is silvern but silence is
golden.o
The reverend poet Whittier, win be in New York
to attend the Orthodox yearly meeting, which be-
gins in the Twentieth street Meeting House on the
30th OF May. The series of meetings follows the
other closely, and the members OF the two opposing
branches OF the society often mingle together very
socially as II they had never separated in their
walks of faith. They attend the sessions of both
yearly meetings when 1t is convenient The old
SAYING OF .How the Quakers love one another,n
seems not less applicable to-day than In the times
when they nobly chung together under the rod OF
persecution and oppression, and they seem still to
have In them, the world over the making OF heroes
as well as OF saints.
A STEER STAMPEDE.