, 1874-10-04
The Indiana yearly Mcotins 9.
i Dcdy Representing Tie Largest Existing
Constituency Of " Friends"
Proceedings CT the 11ccting---Tllc
London General Epistlc.

E1cuI2Sp, Ind, Oct. ], 1874.
This meeting represents tho lar.ezt con
; stitucncy of Friends in tho world, and is com
posed of decidedly tie ncst progressive aud ~
grcssivo style Of QuakerB ant, hence, according
to my judgment, it il Tho E1cst i'm portant body
OF the Society ct Friends with which an &C.
! quainted. Il is ct prcEent composed OF Friends
who hre in Southwestern Ohio and Southeastern
1nd!aua,-thcro ocing another Yearly Meeting
in this State, krown as ':Weetsrn," which is
held at IGiuieid. TITO 1lont1ly Meeting OF
Friends in C!l'c,so was formerly attached to
this body, bat was TRANSFERRED to tho otAcz and
aboYc-nancd }carl; Meeting two or thrce years
ago. III order to create new Quarterly Meeting.
Ut Which they aow form part, which is Le1l It
Onarga, ILL.,, and il known by tha: name.
l presume there arc many readers OF The
TRIBUNE, who I,aro very little knowledge of tho
organization and methols Of tho Society OF
Frieucs, who will 10 mich interested iu some
details that might ordinarily be omitted iu aoy
report OF the proceedings OF t!:is body. Tho
! various meetings OF tie Society arc all sub
ordinate 10
THE YEARLY MEETINGS,
| OF which tLcro Gro thirteen. in tho world. in
ciudlng that Of Philadelphia, and including all
| otlors which are considered unorthodo1. Each
| -~%~A~A- %AA$AANAg
o'hcrD, and has separate discipline, and might
| l:9vo separate Confession OF Faith. In fact,
| the Friends of tho various Yearly Meetings Go
very considerably in their apprehension OF Scrip
tural doctrines, and much norc widely still in
their opinions in regard to TIC forms and prac-
ticcs which are required by the spirit and tradi-
t'ons OF Qnakeris!n. It t,lus happens that the
discipilnes are much at variance in Some points,
.ha. Of tho 1ndia:la Yearly lIeeing fer in
stance, being very lioe-al on tic subject OF mar
rage, aud allowing its members to marry whom
they please, without any SOFT of iuquisition or
poaal::; while others still hold Earria2o with
non-menber to be disownablo otTcnse.
Each ono Ct thesa Yearly Meetings il CON-
posed Of several Quarterly Meetings: and these
last are the real executive branches Of ihe
ago composed Of cnc or E:oro churches or sepa-
rate meetings for worship: aad e:ch QUO Of
these particular congregations forms what is
called q Ife1arat.ye Meeting.
THE OFFICIAL MEMBERS
among Friends consist Ct Oycr=ce7s, CIetta. I
Ellcrd and Ministers. Tao first ara charged !
with tho execution OF tho d,*ciE.,ao C the |
Church ae it apples to iuly:.ual, in their re- /
lations 10 each ether and tho world Tie duties
OF the Clerks Of the various meetings scarcely
need explanation; as, With the execution, rer-
hap5. Of tao CLERKS Of Yearly Meetings.. they
caunot be sa!d to preside. Thc7 t:ercly record I
exercise great influence. EIdcrs arc rcsDou-
sible Tor the care OF The rplrl.ua1 interests of !
tho Society. and aro supposed particularly to ez-
efcse goIly vatchfuiuees over tho Ministers, |
aoua Yearly Meetings tLeT aro appointed for
life. In the Indiana Yearly Meeting they ara
chosen for three yca;s. There is meeting
having degree If authority, composed OF Min !
ihtcI3 u.d EIder$ and called
'"T.E SELECT EoDY"
Ptoposa!s, officially to recognizes tie sifs in the
ministry of suy member, originated with this
body; but. as It's sessions are all strictly secret: |
it nll4lt be deemed an inlpe-tncace for en out
side. to profess too much about vha. trsnspircs
in them. TIera is strained quality OF inforIna-
ton OF tho donGs of tais mysterious meeting .
however, which 1lay be extracted by gentle pres
aad, to tell the truth, onco blum :,
dered into ono OF these meetings by accident. !
and busled myself iniustrlously for a full half
hour III taking no:e3 in the most ocnci,alaut ,
manner Imaginable L. last began to suspect
that, for some uE@ccountabo reason, l WIS an
object o: anxious soiiei:;1!o; and, heslice, thcro
was degree OF sirargencs5 2boat tho proceed
ngs that some" Lat puzzled ne. So finally in
what meeting is this:" .in2 his sns"er in two
yorda, which were ho2rscls WHISPERED back, set
led me "Sciect Mect;2'." I WASN'T in ar
particular hurry. oat I suppose most OF those
:eoE:e th5usEt tla: had 10 maize train.
I;1isters d. no. acquire any special privilege or
authority BY reason of the oilc al recognition ct
heir ~ Glf:s. beyond the liberty (wEirh must 10
1erciscI ny aud with the consent Of tho Month |
y Meetings. to which they LeIons) to appoint
nd llolu meetings.
Perhaps have d;latcl sufficiently upon til,
Quaker petty, il this Ietc. g: uas: .n2 lad b,t-
er tnrn t. tile history Of this particular Yearly
to2ting. WHICH was set OIL " fru.n that CT OHIO
Eons tne year 1870. A. euy rate, the ms: Iul:-
ns Yearly Meeting WAS l.c'l III 1871 and tho
':icutli have continued to assemble here auuu-
lIy ever since. The eitc OF
TIE OLD IGEr!Si-EoEs-.
;Le-a the sota Gra-cai claus llye 30 long been |
u'tt to gather together. is just northeast OF
10 depot, and WAS originally as we'll adapted to
le purpose c5IId have been desired. The
rouplu, which embrace se:ccal acres, ere very
lcasau:. an1 ornauentel by inc ord forest.
ccs: which, together with the structure that
as much tho appearance Of Al over .,royn burn,
las tbs windows, scppo:ta MI eir Of d.anlty |
Il. 'e:; nearly 1p;'1o:ehes or'!ence-
. . n,:'n:nn n:3' Liz; t:!is idea 'utsct, however,
3use. WHICH E1uts; lllva been planned alter tho
sh:on OF eoue ca:oli!uvlan model, und GER
!n1y has 10 counterpart anywhere Ill actual ex-
;encc. II it vcTo boat, should be strongly
cllned to believe it WAS No.!is ark cscapcu
ON Ara-at; and. 81 tho yory thought Of at
mptinG T. description affects my meEtal facu!-
IS most peculiar manier, am forced to
linqu'sl the idra. It has lcny since been de-
arcd unit. ou: Of d..e, aud withal pus:ti7aiy
even going 20 far to de-
arc tl:at it ls in i.n,n'nert danger Of falling
,wn Of lis own weight; but so far it llag s;oo.:
c test OF tiHac, aud successfully rofu.cd tia
andcr. Whatcvcz i: isnt. it is very csma,ot.i-
II, aaI. notwithstanding ths evil relutatiou
iic! it has acquired. and tile near cnc:o..c .s!cl!t
the rallgca'l, tAere a-o Ela:r Friends wI.o
,,ll sized SINCERE tears if compelled to iea:s
q dear old t.:r ard wiio com,to4s ,heMsc!,ca
uealh its shclterin, root s,:cetly aereao III
ei:itl canlit'cs .,seif To It's mothers arms.
L. rety TO AZ we'll to mention t.c.
-:1E FEST SESSION
tho Yearly Na2t:n:: oTeac4 y; y;secrLay mo.nn. {
10 O'Clock. 4 d,vnt:o1al nlcc:iuG WAS held
c evctB. before. alI o,o ves:e-I.y morning ar
$3.50. The meet,!; yesterday morning v*s an
ccclirCy iIterss!!uS occasion. THO attend
ce was not very large for THIS YEARLY Meeting.
tho e1fnc5:Iccs and freedom which wero
Infested ~ tlose who were p-aaen. Was il
sin5. The exercises Ec.e led By DR.. Dou;.sa
ara, Of this pl.ce,-a M::l:s;cr, who read
aia, and commented Dr.ely upon it. and tucn
7.ed ell to participate in tie meeting, in .ny
= that they might bs lcd by the Holy S:,;rit.
season OF payer cusued continuing about
f-2.-hour, when ELL opportunity was given
speaking; hi. 10 orc was urged
asked to do ANYTHING. In fact.