National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-08-16
THY HIcXsITE FRIENDS.
A Glance 1t the Ola Mssting- Houss-An
Wan, Au.uo TIA aiisnt worshiusru,

A Glance 1t the Ola Mssting- Houss-An
Hour Among the SLANT worshipsrs.
In the west end OF the city on, street, between
Eighteenth and Nineteenth streets, In secluded
nook, escaping the notice Of the wsyfarer 10 stu.
atsd the meeting house Of the Hickiits Society OF
Friends.
In the beginning Of the nineteenth century the
few Quakers who resided In the District OF %
SnS. united u :SSiy A. h .ass %ss
II rom the s I'm; q u and
sss ss here ss: S: Sss ~ r.
distingul.hed ,ta,.lnsn Of the day were sSsu 2;
worship 70 listen 70 the earnest, eloquent Mords
from tie lips Of wsthersll. Henry CLAY said Of
e re- h :as sss
division was made IN the society on doctrinai
point. An English element had been introduced
arisen. A number Of members accused the rest
Of disoelieying in the divinity Of Christ, ana
% ,Ss form ssSy s sE STp
The leading mind ct that time In the original 80
ciety was that Of Elias Hicks.
band derived the name Of Hicksites, which they
have retained to this day. The Hickntes re-
NAMED in possession o. the old;msssng mouse 1a
Of worship out on Twelfth street. near q, The
Orthodox society did good work during and before
but Afterwards, when the public schools were
opened TO the colored people, they found That
their mission was completed and their school was
have held their meetings In several places, and
have lately asked permission OF their Hicksite
brethren % meet with them: Inc Original AZ society
The QUAKER meeting house is an institution
is very likely to suffer. The calm, restful atmos-
phere that clings about the building, and the
S Secerd Veil with Amsriean hustle and Amsricsn
ostentation, which must build itself gllttering
temple, upholstered with cloth Of gold and
travelling preacher, uttering earnest and rugged
thoughts, has been displaced by the sleek, we'll
paid, college.bred minister, who can talk during
wedge in occasionally forty minute sensational
sermon.
ing. community to a mere handful A few still
gather every Sunday morning In the old meeting
house. The house has been found too large for
lence, and partition has been erected, dividing
the building into two apartments.
A high brick wall shuts of the house from the
noise OF the street. Within the Enclosure are two
old maple trees, planted in front Of the meeting
house entrance. The building is plain and
On Sundays an Old coiored man, In a Well.worn,
well-brushed coat, stands at the gate, looking up
and down the street for Friends. A little after
cease to clang the Friends with their wives, begin
to arrive, walking slowly along the street, and
pause for CHEEKY greeting at the gate with the
colored sentinel and whoever else may have tar
ried at the gate. After stepping over the old
threshold the men and women separate, the
former seating themselves on the LEFT and the
At the back Of the room, opposite the entrance,
is narrow platform, running across the room,
below this are two rows OF benches either side,
softly cushioned, where the old folks Sit and from
these the benches, straight-backed and hard, run
n n n M knnUg whom
ing commences. The men, in straight coats and
broad hats, Sit folding their hands over the heads
revery. The women, on the other side, are drapsd
in simple drab, ornamented with square plaits,
which add serenity 70 the plainness Of their at
conceal the greater part Of their faces. occasion
ally allowing the inqulsitive TO obtain 9 glance
arm r4outh, with an expression Of piety playing
srore ! It; and few frosted locks that may have
strats tied from their bonnet prison house, with
for ths simple beauty Of the face Of the Quaker
ess.
bring with IL an atmosphere Of holiness, and the
Quakers, in their silent meeting. watch Its prog
ress as Il fills niche after niche with the pure
bair in and out through the door and perch on
the noses Of the worshipers, as II surprised that
any men could gather together without more
moved, displaying 9 few scanty locks of white
hair, leans against the end Of the bench and fixes
DIS old eyes on spot on the wall and medttates;
his neighbor, man in the prime Of life, but with
the same expression OF high moral courage
blended with tenderness, leans his hands and chin
upon the head Of his cane and, as he absently
gaZes about the room, his lips move as though he
were seeking words to express some lofty thought
The others are seated, all engaged in noIseless
thought, and the singing Of birds outside, the
buzzing Of ubiquitous flies inside, and an occa-
sional snatch Of melody waited from Q neighbor-
ing church. is all that breaks in upon the stiffness
Of the hour. One Of the Friends rises; all know
that he has something to say, and carefully drink
and after lew moments Of silence perhaps the
same Friend Cffers prayer, his voice rising and
falling as he chants asupplication; and then, after
another silent period, the Friends grasp each
others hands in token Of friendship, and the meet
ing IL over. They pass out, stopping again under
TO utter few friendly "thees" and Sthous, y and
the meeting house is again LEFT to the old colored
man.
There h no regular preacher. The Hicksites
believe In sincerity and IL is absurd to hire man
to be sincere, as well as the old English custom
one Of the Friends, when he feels moved to do so,
speaks his thoughts to the worshipers, Yester.
day one spoke, prefacng his remarks with the
apostles Injunction, Therefore fear ye, lest the
promise beng sent TO us that we shall enter into
the rest, any of US should seem to come short OF
It," He urged from this the necessity Of prepare
ton for the full enjoyment Of promised blessings.
Stating the conditions that were necessary to the
enjoyment Of sound or sight In this world, he
urged that thorough preparation was necessary
to enjoy what Ia promised to the faithful here
after. As he concluded be spoke In q strain of
simple eloquence Of the ioysIthst may be secured
in this world by the heaven that is In man through
Christ. The same Friend concluded the meet
ing by offering fervent prayer, intonsted in the
manner Of chant.