Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-03-09

lie mas endowed ueT Wltn Cell1lOuS seuli-
ment in its inmost depth and purity. rein-
ed from gross intellectual alloy with which
every masculine theologist-save only one,
who merely veiled Himself in mortal and
masculine shape, but was, in truth, divine
has been prone TO mingle it."
The ministers of the society of Friends
in the palmy days of Quakerism were a
heroic band They would have scorned to
receive salary, and only in the drest
need would they accept of pecuniary aid
from the society. Doubtless this would be
accounted uow.a days mistaken zeal; but
it certainly had the effect of producing
noble manhood and womanhood.
There were men wealthy, educated and
refined who left business, home and
friends to travel in foreign countries, in
the love of the gospel" exiling themselves
; for many years, visiting all classes of
society, kings aud queens, the rich and
poor, the degraded in their prisons or the
slums of the cities, counting themselves
happy if through it all they had the un-
ceasing favor of God.
There were mothers, saints of Heaven !!
who left young children they dearly loved,
because they loved Christ more, to preach
the gospel up and down the earth. If
there is any one hing on earth more effec-
tual than another for saving lost souls, it
is the mother driven from her own safe
little ones, by the sword of divine love to
seek the ones who are lost.
} There were many so poor that a "cal
to the ministry" meant life long toll and
deprivation, but with these life long peace
and unfading hope when hfe's last en-
bers burn"
recall those quarterly meetings-quaint
mingling of he divine and the earthly, of
worship and recreation, communion of the
church with the Heavenly Bridegroom
and carnal love- making. How many ven
erable Quakers can date the first step
which led to life, long union, to a quar-
terly meeting.
As the Jews of old went up to Jerusa.
lem to the Feast of he Passover, so
Quakers. within the quarter" tiocked to
the quarterly meetings, happy if upon
reaching their destination they were told
there were strangers or travelling Friends
in attendance; thrice happy if, after
meeting, they were invited to meet them
at some Friends house, for " strangers
and travelling Friends" generally meant
eminent Quakers, men and women not
only of great spiritual power, but of fine
intellect and education.
The first day Of quarterly meeting was
the meeting for business" begun in
silence, broken by little service and fol-
lowed by closing of the shutters when all
not members retired and the business of
the church was transacted; after which,
home to the Friends houses, where the
most generous of feasts awaited the hun
CRY saints
After dinner the elderly Friends betook
themselves to the parlor where very enioy.
able and not seldom humorous conversation
ensued while the younger in adjoining
rooms made decorous love, holding them.
selves ready to join their elders upon the
shortest notice, for what young Quaker
did not know the signs of Quakerismp
Upon room full of people talking
busily in groups, would fall hush, con-
versation would cease, the ripple of
laugh die away, and that silence which
surely was power with conscience, reign.
Then the slvery voice of some man or
woman sitting quietly in chair, speaking
words OF loving exhortation, comfort or
warning, fell upon the ear, touched every
heart, and perhaps impressed itself with
singular distinctness upon the minds of a
few; for it is said that there were proph
cts in those days. that the Lord gave to
closely following servants of His insight
into other hearts and words for their
especial needs. There are upon record in
the histories of Friends remarkable in
stances of this insight. where the secrets
OF other souls were revealed to Gods min
listers, and even future events foretold
! | nf nnlI hat h,,
bug or the mesmeric principle, the facts
remain. But | am wandering far from
my story.
1t was indeed the last days Of Quaker
ism in the little Quaker community of
which | write. rhe meeting, always
small, had been greatly diminished by the
death of some of its members and the
moving away of others, so that it was i'll
able to bear the schism which crept into it
upon the new departure of the society
The younger members eagerly adopted
innovations. The older Friends protested,
but the young carrying matters with
high hand, the elders gradually Withdrew
from meeting, and stad at home, in a few
instances some removing to Philadelphia,
which is still Il stronghold of Quakerism
lhs LETT the meeting 50 very small that
most of those remaining, in short time
united with other churches and left the
old meeting house empty. The last man
to desert ii was Richard Grayson. He was
not young and had no unity with the new
tangled Quakerism, but he had some
patience with it and did not believe it right
to abandon the society. So every " first
day found him and his family in their
accustomed places. where he sat erect,
silent and grim, while singing went on
around him. 1t is doubtful if he would
have left the meeting house at all, but it
was greatly out OF repair, and hardly safe
from crumbllng stone walls; and so like a
Quaker in George Fox's time, who said
that sometimes he went to church and
sometimes the church came to him." he
held Quaker meeting in his own house.
Here the dsaffected Friends for time sat
down in silence with him, once week,
but only for Il time.
man without a church is liable to
grow Indifferent to religion, and one by
one the small congregation fell off, and
Grayson and his family, consisting of five
persons, kept up the reputation OF a Ouak
er meeting, alone. Every Sabbath found
them sitting down silently before the Lord.
| Iou6'hS Ooi hOooiJ buhJ llt WOulu manifest
Himself TO them as He did to the ancient
Friends, in whose footsteps they tried to
Tread so closely, that perhaps they some.
times lost sight of the footsteps of the
Master.
In this pathetic picture, suggestive of
decay, was one element of youth and
freshness, Kitty, daughter and only child
OF Richard and Anna Grayson.
Richard Grayson was an austere man.
and if he had had sons he might have
ruined them by his severity; but this pref
ty daughter this one eve lamb, had made
the strong man weak, if that be weak
ness for the heart to tolerate what the head
condemns. Kitty was not frivolous girl,
but she wore pretty dresses which were
not very remote from the prevailing style,
and worldly hats which enhanced the
beauty OF her fair face and never rebuke
did she receive from her father; not that
he thought it right, but he attributed it to
her bringing up" and administered to
his wife occasionally the verbal fagella-
tion which belonged to Kitty, and she.
| Opntl woman rapaiuab IL ,y;th,,,, . ,.a.l