The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-01-03
A Quaker Meeting and sword Presen.
tatfon - Fanaticism and FOlly-A
Farce II IL were NOT SO Serious.


Under the above head, the Ma
sonic Review has an editorial, Civ
ing its view of tho extraordinary
incident that took place during the
revival at Friends (.Orthodox' }
Meeting House, that was noticed
at the time of its occurrence in our
paper. We give sufficient of the
article to show that others beside
ourseli, and the Masonic brethren
hereabouts, treat it as gross pub
lie insult to the Order. The RE
view says:
Our neighboring little city of Rich
lnond, Indiana, is largely populated
by the followers of George Fox, other
wise called Friends, or Quakers.
There are several kinds of Quakers:
some are known as "Hicksites and
others as Orthodox. The Hicksites
are the followers of Elias Hicks, a
noted Quaker preacher of thirty or
forty years ago, who advocated some
peculiar doctrines deemed antagonis-
tic to the pure, old fashioned George
Fox Quakerism. Mr.. Hicks, we may
here remark, added to his heterodoxy
in the church. the crime Of being a
Freemason, and was at one time Mas
ter of lodge-an association on which
the Quakers have placed the ban of
their condemnation.
Now WE believe in the Quikers,-
the pure, old fashioned, broad brim-
med, plain bonnetted Quakers, as we
remember them in the days of our
boyhood. We do not agree with SOME
Of their peculiar tenets, especially in
relation to marriage and Masonry;
but their silent charity, their simple
purity of life, and their PRACTICAL
christianity won our respect in early
life and, to certain extent, still re-
tains it.
In the city of Richmond the Qua
kers seem to be Of two kinds, divided
in sentiment as to the progressiveness
of their religion: the one party ~staid
and sober and quiet, following the old
style in conducting their religious
meetings in silence, or only when
moved by the spirit The other
believes in the modern energetic
movements, singing hymns, having re-
vivals, and encouraging spasmodic ex-
elements in securing converts to their
church.
The Review then succinctly details
what took place at Friends C'Ortho-
dox") Meeting House, with which our
readers are familiar. In abiding to
the offerings made at that meeting, the
editor Of the Review, very justly says:
$50 long as only the individuals MAX
ing the offerings were interested, twas
all very well; but when the act involv-
ed an implied charge of wickendess
against others, then the act ceased to
be harmless. If ladies placed so light
an estimate upon the emblems of their
marriage vows, as to deliberately par.
with them, it was no ones business
but their own, unless it was their hus-
bands. If young lady saw proper to
part with little keepsake, the last
token of affection from dying parent
brother, or sister, it was none of the
public's business, and certainly none
of ours; but there was one case, al
least, (the sword presentation) which
involved reflection upon others, and
was downright INSULT, to large
body of men in that city, and else
where -. The editor
continues, 1--WE are personally &C
quainted with but one or two of the
knights Templar of Richmond, bu
will venture to assert that as men ant
citizens, in all the relations of life
they are as respectable and HONORABLE,
as any other men of that city. Asso
citation with them, therefore, would
not injure or degrade, in any sense.
The editor of the Re
view, concludes his article with tn,
course to be pursued to get rid Of Ma
sonic and Templar affiliation, by rela
ting the following incident:
IA brother of good standing becam
convert to the Catholic Church
which does not permit its members t.
belong to any secret society. In du
time he paid his dues and requisite,
an honorable discharge from member
ship. He frankly stated that he ha
united with the Catholic Church, an
desired to conform to its rules, whicl
prohibited his holding a membershi
in any secret society. He held tn
Order of Masonry in high esteem, an
felt warm personal regard for tn
members with whom he had been as
sociated, but he regarded his duty t
the church as paramount. The resul
was that he received an honorabl
dismissal, and he went out with tn
regards and best wishes of the mem
hers