The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-08-15
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Wednesday, Aug. 15, 1883.
MODERN QUAKER MEETING.
How the society of Friends i. pro9ressin

How the Society of Friends il Progressing
correspondent of the Philadelphia
Times thus describes the people and services
he saw at Quaker meeting House in
Richmond, Indiana.
One-half of an immense barn-like brick
building structure, capable of seating 1000
perons, that had some half-suppressed
evidences of an attempt at exterior orna-
mentation, was partitioned off by heavy
curtain, extending from the ceiling to the
hoor. In front, on raised platform, was
plain, rich pulpit of oiled ash, and behind
it a half dozen benches, occupied by the
older members of the congregation and 9
few middle-aged men and women. The
men did not sit with their hats on, as was
the custom in the olden time, and I saw
none OF the old collarless cutaway coats that
were worn by young and old alike in early
times, but am informed that they have not
yet become entirely obsolete. Their dress
did not differ materially from TINT of other
people that met on the street, except that
there was nothing conspicuous or loud about
1t, and the ladies wore fewer hounces and
frills than their sisters OF the outer world.
few gray or drab dresses with plain skirts,
were worn by the old ladies. The congre-
CATION consisted OF three or four hundred
men, women and children, many of the
latter in arms. They wholly ignored tho
old custom of separating the men from the
women during worship. saw fathers sur
rounded by their families and boys and
girls sitting side by side, a spectacle that
would not have been seen in a body of this
kind quarter OF century ago.
The silence was soon broken by man on
The platform, who rose to his feet and step.
Ding forward to the pulpit, ON which he laid
Bagster Bible that he carried in his hand
and began to exhort his hearers to live life
Of holiness The quaver in the voice,
which gave the nickname of Quakers to
George Fox and his followers, was not
noticeable, but be spoke rapidly and earn.
estly, quoting frequently from the scriptures
and changing his position as he addressed
first one quarter of the house and then an-
other. His remarks were rambling and his
PiuuuuCihitUu buOWeu tnHJ dis CCQGatiOn
had been somewhat neglected. At the end
of zen minutes he sat down and ady
offered prayer. Until recently am told it
was and had been from time immemorial
the custom in Quaker churches to rise and
stand with backs to the speaker in time OF
prayer, but in this instance the audience
merely bowed to the backs of the benches
in front of them. She prayed for an out
pouring of the spirit and her efforts were
much more impressive than the exhortation
preceding them. Then five or six persons
rose In rapid succession and told how happy
they had been since they had become sancti-
fed. A gospel hymn was started, to my
utter establishment, and was Fung by half
a dozen persons scattered through the con.
gregation. There was another prayer, fol.
lowed by some more testimonials about
qualification, or, as some called 1t, higher
life, and the meeting was closed with the
announcement of church social. There
was very little to distinguish II from
Methodist prayer or experience meeting.