St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1888-06-16
THE YEARLY MEETING.


The Most IinP09tant Religious Event -
the Year In Qasksr Life.
Ofton on First Day ihs Friends as
sembled at tho appointed time for
worship and sat for ntore than an
hour in absolute silence. hntil ons old
gentleman in the high scaas would rise
and shake hands with another. this
being tho signal that meeting had
.'broke." as It was expressed among
them. The Quaker young folks were
jolly. happy lot but the moment
they entered the mecting-house door
they seemed imbucd with tho spirit
Of devotion and were as grave and
sedate As their elders They are
gradually discarding tho peculiar
garb which William Penn and his fol-
lowers wore. I have never seen
in any audience so many women
Of middle and old, age who
have preserved smooth, plump
faces and clear compilations IS
here. Their belief thu peace on
earth and good will to men" should
govern all our lives is surely = good
rule to live by. If we may believe the
impress it has left upon thoir countc-
nanccs. OF course there were excep.
tions, and here. IS elsewhere. were
features distorted BY evl passions. or
wrinklod and scanned BY sickness and
trouble.
The great event Of tho summer was
the yearly meeting. Tn men worked
early and late that their fields Of grow
ing grain might be fro from weeds
an.l present . beautiful thrifty appear
ancc 10 visiting Frisnds Women
secured and scrubbed. although il
seemed impossible TO make houses
cleaner than these homes already
were; ,inwarc must glitter like silver.
linen bc white As ssnow. The choicest
young chickens tho finest prod
ucts Of garlcn and field.
were reserved for this occasion.
and such remarks as these were heard
daily: Sarah. thee mubt not cut that
ham; l will boil that whole for meet
ing day." Samuel bring homo 8
bag of that finest flour; thee knows we
must have extra nice bread while the
meeting lasts" It seemed rs il M
army with prodigious appetites must
be coming. so generous wcre the
preparations
The opening day arrived and the
small. cliiico would not contain the
people who came. but every window
and both doors werc thrown open. SC
that all could hear. iftlc Spirit should
draw near and inspire any TO speak.
Friends were here lfcm iar-awaJ
| Maryland and virg.ns~. Soon ono ol
these Quaker women, with lovely
counter amcc, who had come from th<
South. and whose drab garments wer'
Of the finest material. showing wealth
and whose language betOkencd cdu'
cation and refinement. began speak
ing. Such elOque nee was rarely hears
within these walls Her rich. full
tones made the sublime truths she ut
tered seem grand indeed. She con
cluded. when an old gentleman on thu
other side Of the house was moved t.
deliver . message. A. first his words
were spoken smoothly and stinctly
but soon hc glidcd into a sing-son:
tone, putting . final ''ah'' 10 nearl!
every utterancc. It Is impossible 4
describe the sound or its effect; 5,
quaint and so earnest was it that al
were impressed. He finished. and an
other grave. dignified gentleman OF
fered up prayer. and soon the frs
session closed and tho happy Grove
scattered away to the various farm
houses to enjoy the feast prepared TO
this time. Such merry. bantering AM
joking arc seldom heard. such happy
smiling faces are seldom seen. am
such hospitable -homes are found no
where in greater profusiou than in q
Quaker settlement" "-ENa r. Green
in Detroit Free Press.