The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-08-11
The Friends General Meeting at Vassal.
bOrO.
SECOND DAY.
reported for the Press.l

se VAssALBoRo, Aug, s, 1878.
This "General Meetin' - is more successful
than its most sangune projectors dared to hope.
In form it is not unlike prolonged Methodist
PRAYER meeting. The services open with prayer
from one OF more Friends, short exhortations
follow, and finally the celebrities from abroad,
rise amid GREATNESS attention to longer bu.
hardly more formal or systematic discourses.
The preaching of Friends, appeals beyond that
of all other denominations, to the feelings
least of all to the intellect. 1t is rhapsody,
unstudied, often rambling and sometimes inco-
herent, but almost always marked by an inten-
sity of feeling that makes large amends for
contempt of logic. In these meetings of which
l am writing, the fervent responses from differ
ent parts of the house, mark anew the depart
ure from the ancient usages of the society, and
the assimilation to the Wesleyan forms of wor-
ship, though far outsiders have taken back
seats in the assembly. sff --N
To-day, three services have been held-two
at the Friends Westinghouse, and one, in the
evening at the Methodist church. The princi-
pal speakers have been Eli Jones, Allen Jay of
North Carolina and John Henry Douglass of
Ohio. "John Henry" as his associates love to
Cttil WIFI VI Lis AoihA
lily name, is the popular favorite. The Metho-
dsts compare him with their own great Inskip,
whose eloquence at the Richmond campmeet-
ing last year made SO deep an impression on
his hearers. The Ohio preacher, whose broth
er Robert is also we'll known in Maine, was
born in this State. He has the successful revi-
Waists Characteristic smirk and hearty relish
| OF his own achievements. He is sharp
faced, long-haired, full-bearded man of mid
| die age. whose powerful voice carries
| something Of his own unfeigned enthusiasm
! to the most stold of his hearers. He ignores
ALMOST wholly the intonations peculiar to the
Quakers, but in the matter of his discourse
differs little from the rest of his sect, except
that he possesses uncommon vigor and tireless
zeal Jay is also listened to with great atten-
ton and respect, notwithstanding an impede
ment in his speech, that would be fatal to a
preacher of less ability. But I think that Eli
Jones's sound common sense, terse diction and
quaint Illustrations would most commend him
to the people, had he, too, come louGly heralded
from abroad.
Among the preachers present, besides those
we have mentioned, are Joseph Pratt, of New
Hampshire, and Elijah Cook and John Cart
land of Windham. The women who 'bear their
testimony are very numerous, but they have
the good Judgment OF good feeling to cut their
words short. There is one thing in regard to
these women Quakers that cannot fail to impress
any one who hears them for the first time
They uniformly have an exaggerated 'ssing
song" as it is popularity called, but the intona-
tons Of those who have reasonably good voices
are the most pathetic towhich human beings can
give utterance. A woman opened the meeting
at the church tonight with very brief prayer
which would have moved a barbarian to tears.
even if he had not been able to understand
word, her clear sweet voice was so surcharged
with emotion The tones in which this most es-
timable woman uttered the words 20 our Faith
err would make the fortune of any actress ON the
American stage, it is because she is in earnest,
and the actresses are not that she excels them
nnconsciously in the management of her voice.
The exercises have so far been unenliveped
by the singing which is said to have been tole-
rated at General Meetings held elsewhere.