The Indianapolis journal., 1885-05-26

ucPhids WilH headquarters at Cncayo Wnere
ne IS assisted by Charles III. Coffin, his son and
late cashier. Having moved out of the jurisdic-
tlon OF the Indiana Yearly Meeting. he will
longer be eligible to the Office Of clerk, and his
successor will soon be elected Only of
ability and sterling qualities will be considered.
and the contest, in which the principals will of
course take no part. will be interesting one.
Two gentlemen are prominent, and the
other will almost certainly receive the appoint
ment They are Timothy Nicholson and Murray
Shipley
Mr. Nicholson is nervous driving business
man, who came West before the war, and has
been engaged in the book and publishing trade
IN Richmond with his brother, John, the Balti
more cotton factor, for twenty five years. He
is connected by blood or marriage with the
Buffum, Parker White, and other high bloo1ed
Eastern and Southern Quaker families. He
dresses after the fashion of the day, but always
modestly and in good taste, making no preten-
sons to following the cut of coat and hat worn
by ancient Friends In his speech alone does he
betray his peculiar training. He does not preach,
but leads in the temporal business of the church,
IN which his advice is listened to with respect,
his fair mindedness having gained for him the
esteem Of all, although he leans to the conserva-
tive side in his religious faith now the weaker
part of the society. In local politics he fire.
quently appears as the manager of temperance
campaigns or reforms in city and county admin
istrations
Mr. Shipley is more advanced in his religious
views, but he is less impressive parsonage.
He does not look the bold, almost brilliant busi
ness man that he is. Starting with small capi
tai, he has built up the two wel-known Cincin
natl wholesale business houses over which he
still maintains close personal supervision.
For some years he has sat in the highest place
In the Cincinnati meeting, and is the acknowl-
edged leader in it, the honors of first preacher
being somewhat divided between him and that
clearest and tersest of Quaker speakers, DR.. w.
H. Taylor who only occasionally has anything
to say. When abroad eight years ago Mr.. Ship
ley was baptized, In fragrant violation of the ten
cts OF his church, and was called to account for
it; but no action was taken after he had agreed
to confne his teachings to the doctrines of the
denomination.
The Friends in the East and in England are
watching, with no small amount of solcitude,
radical chages that are going on in the church,
much more apparently on this side OF the Allie
ghenies than in Pennsylvania and New York.
The members here do not acknowledge any
change of principle, claiming that they still
cling with love that cannot be shaken to the
truths of Christian doctrine. as laid down by
Barclay; but the world, which has no time to
look into the old authorities, and knows only
what can be seen with eye, discerns great reyo-
luton. The old drab bonnets and shoulder
shawls of the women and the cut away coats and
broad brimmed hats of the men, and even the
plain speech, disappearing No young
Quaker appears with the old wash basin cut of
hair and colarless coat so common before the
war, and, indeed, a Quaker in full regulation
uteSS 10 d curiosity, oei-S seen only among Inc
old people, and not over often among them.
Music. once banshed entirely from church and
home, is now admitted. A young Quakeress
whose father stands high with his people is one
of the most promising vocaists in the Cincinnati
College of Music. Musical instruments are
used in Earlham College, and the fine arts are
taught there by Quaker teachers, while organ
music furnishes a part of its programmes for
many of their Sunday school and praise services.
Even belfries are not unknown, and revivals are
as frequent as among the Methodists. Salaries
are paid in many places, as among other sects,
but an effort is made to keep up the testimony
merically and spiritually, is fourishing under
the innovation, and there is every reason to
believe that it is now making more progress
than before but it is fast losing its distinct
i've character, and in few years more there
will be nothing to distinguish the Quakers from
worldlings.