Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-05-23
THE FRIENDS.
The v,rg,aia nairYearly Meeting.


Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatch.l
SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, VA, May %, 1883.
The Virginia hali.ycarly meeting az
Friends has Just concluded It's spring
meeting at Blgck.Crcek meeting. house, this
county. about seven miles north OF Frank
lin. The occasion was a very interesting
one. there being an unusually large number
OF ministers from other points; amongst
them | noticed Mrs. Anna p. Siabler aud
Samuel r.. Neave OF Baltimore, Nathan
Terry OF Kansas. James X. Jones. Albert
Peel, and William Terry Of North Carolina,
aud Lewis Street OF Ohio.
The meetings for worship on Sunday are
always attended by Verv large number OF
persons. some OF them coming from dis
lance OF ten TO twelve miles. There aie
often from 1900 to $500 persons present,
and they come in every Kind Of vehicle. from
fine carriage drawn by span OF fast horses
Ia an oN-cart OF rude DESCRIPTION. Some
ft their d'uuers with them Ior II Is an
all-dav meeting), but by far the larger num-
Der are fed from large tables under the trees
ia the yard, the provisions beng furnished
hy a few OF tho more wealthy members OF the
society.
sunday morning the weather was unpro-
pitiou., sllght rain falling about the time
for starting to the meeting, and consequent
ly tue crowd vas not 90 large a. usual, but
seod Judges estimated the number at shout
1900. The Westinghouse will hold about
hall Of this number, and It was literally
filed. The remainder repsired To 4 school
house q hundred yards distant. Ia the fore
noon sermons we're preached by Lewis
street, Albert Peel, and Anna ID. Stabler 10
the meeting-houSe, while James X. Jones,
William Terry, and Samuel K. Neaye sd-
dressed those IN the schoOi-bouse.
In the afternoon John =. CTenshaw. OF
Richmond, Albert Peel, and Lewis Street
spoke In he house, and a. the rain had
ceased falling tbe overflow meeting WAS held
In The grove, where stand aud seats had
been prepared. Here James r. Jones and
Nathan Terry addressed the large crowd
which had collected.
several meetings were held at night In the
ueighb0rboOd. to which the various visiting
ministers we're takeu.
MONDAY.
This Is the day on which the main buSi-
ness OF tue meeting Il done.
The business meeting was preceded by
one for public worship. Services began NJ
10 O'Clock, and several short, stirring, ten
der appeals were made-the last by MrS.
Anna Il. Stablor, whose remarks made
deep impression on the audience, after
which the meeting deye oped into testimo-
ny meeting.
A number OF persons from various por.
tons OF the house made remarks on that
linz, during which a deep feeling OF solemni-
" rested upon the whole assembly.
The exercises were closed shortly before
O'Clock, whes the Friends, "a Is their cus-
tom, scpaTated for the business which
1 ba a.,
ing in the church while the men repaired to
the schOOl.hOuse near by.
After a time, when business had been
finished, dinner was announced, and all pre-
sent went 70 the tables, where bountiiul
repast had been again spread, aud where all
" were well supplied"
In the Afternoon Lewis Street, Of Ohio, de-
livered very Interesting lecture on the
lsaad Of Madagascar, where he spent twelve
years as missionary. His description OF
the people, their manner OF life, dress, Gus
toms, and habits, the country and its pro-
duets, were graphic and intensely interesting.
Tn,s closed the exercises OF the day, ex.
cept that appointed meetings were held ttya-
rious points in tho ueighb0rhood as on the
preceding night.
TODAY there was the usual monthly busi-
ness meeting OF the church here, 10 be pre-
ceded by public meeting for worship al 10
O'Clock. Then temperance meeting in the
afternsSu, when the hali-year's meeting OF
1883 will be over.
A heavy rain fell all OF the forenoon, and
by reason thereof the attendance was very
small
The Friends down here are kind and hos
pitsble-nOne more so--and they are always
ready Ia every emergency OF this kind 10
care for oil visitors, and In pripceiy manner.
Ne matter bcw many GENE they are kindly
welcomed and looked after. AfrcH.