The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-11-16
The Rise of the Quakers In England.

The early half of the seventeenth Gen.
fury in England was one of the culmi-
mating epochs in its history. For nearly
one hundred years disintegration of So
ciety had been going on, kept in check
only by strong bonds of repression. At
last these bonds we're broken, the popu-
lar will took positive shape, and blow
after blow fell upon TIE social structure
of the old, overthrowing it ard tearing it
away to make place for the new.
The Society of Friends was natural
outgrowth of those times. Taking It's
rise at the period of general upfeaval
and dissolution of existing customs, re-
ligious, social and political, holding in
its doctrines principles similar to those
formulated by the leaders of the period,
but carrying them to far greater ex-
tremes, finding no prescribed check upon
the free and unlicensed expression of its
theories, it reached bound of radical
ism compared to which Puritanism itself
was conservative, and which all classes
combined to oppose with an intense ami
mostly that brought deluge of persecu-
ton and abuse upon the devoted sect.
The Puritans we're willing to decapitate
king that stood in the way of the ad
vancement of progress. They did not
hesitate to tear down an existing relig-
ious institution, but even the most ex
treme Puritan never advocated such
measures as the entire abolition of all
clergy, the: leveling of all classes
whether monarchial or aristocratic, into
a universal brotherhood, or the under
mining of all laws, whether national or
civil. to make place for law OF broth
erly love that alone was to guide all
mankind. But this virtually was what
the new sect demanded. They were
religious Nihilists.
But, they maintained, man must pre-
pare himself to be fit agent to govern
his own actions. He must depend upon
the word of the Lord for guidance,
therefore, he must open his heart to re-
ceive that word, and in such way that
the truth shall not be distorted by the
lusts of the carnal heart. To SO prepare
himself he must abjure all the joys of
this world that else might Tend to turn
his cart toward it and away from the
world to come. He must live upon the
simplest food, and dress in the plainest
garments. He must obey none of the
mandates of the world. even in their
smallest observances, for the ways of the
world were the ways of man, and not of
God. Personal cleanliness and chastity
must be observed, for, said they, if the
outer man is unclean, how can the inner
man be otherwize? Only to the man
who had followed such life as these
principles pointed out could the word OF
the Lord come in all its strength and
purity; but when it came to such q one
it must be obeyed implicitly, no matter
to what it directed. This was the doc
trine of elmer light"
Above all other institutions, the clergy,
whether Episcopalian or Presbyterian,
was most obnoxious to this sect.
However, it was not the clergy alone that
were thus attacked, but all other exist.
ing institutions of the inc. Courts OF
law were entered, and justice such as
they believed in demanded for the
people. Legislators and those in power
received communications calling upon
them to come down from the vanity Of
their pla ,e, and veil their stomachs in
humility. Prominent officers of the
army also were called upon to give up
the ways of blood and wickedness, and
live in peace with all mankind. o.
course persecution followed. swift and
terrible Howard Pyle, in Harper's
Magazine for November.