The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-05-03
THE YEARLY MEETING.

The Most Important Religious Event 81
the Year in Quaker Life.
Often on First Day the Friends as
sembled at the appointed time for
worship and sat for more than an
hour in absolute silence. until one old
gentleman in the high seats would rise
and shake hands with another. this
being the 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 meetng-house door
they seemed imbued with the spirit
Of devotion and were rs grave and
sedate as their elders. They are
gradually discarding tho peculiar
garb which William Penn and his fol-
lowers wore. l have never seen
in any audience 80 many women
OF middle and old age who
have preserved smooth, plump
faces and clear compilations as
here. Their belief that 'peace on
earth and good will to men, should
govern all our lives is surely good
rule to live by. II we may believe the
impress it has left upon their counte-
nances. OF course there were excep-
tions, and here. As elsewhere. were
features distorted by evil passions. or
wrinkled and scanned by sickness and
trouble.
The great ev vent of the summer was
the yearly meeting. The men worked
early and late that their fields of grow
ing grain might be FREQ from weeds
and present beautiful thrifty appear
ance to visiting Friends. Women
secured and scrubbed. although it
seemed impossible to make houses
cleaner than these homes already
were; tinware must glitter like silver.
linen be white as snow. The choicest
young chickens, the finest prod
ucts of garden and fold,
were reserved for this occasion.
and such remarks as these were heard
daily: Sarah. thee must not cut that
ham; will boil that whole for meet
ing day." Samuel bring home a
bag of that finest -four; thee knows we
must have extra nice bread while the
meeting lasts" It seemed ns If an
army with prodigious appetites must
be coming, so generous were the
preparations.
The opening day arrived and the
small edifice would not contain the
people who came. but every window
and both doors were thrown open, so
that all could hear, if the Spirit should
draw near and inspire aHy to speak.
Friends were here from far-away
Maryland and Virginia Soon one Of
these Quaker women, with a lovely
countenance who had come from the
South, and whose drab garments were
of the finest material. showing wealth,
and whose language betokened edu-
cation and refinement began speak
ing. Such eloquence was rarely heard
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 the
other side of the house was moved to
deliver a message. At first his words
were spoken smoothly and distin city.
but soon he glided into a sing-song
tone. putting final ''ah' to nearly
every utterance. 1t is impossible to
describe the sound or its effect; SO
quaint and SO earnest was it that all
were impressed. He finished. and an.
other grave. dignltied gentleman Of
fered up prayer. and soon the first
session closed and the happy crowd
scattered away to the various farm
houses to enjoy the feast prepared for
this time. Such merry, bantering and
joking are seldom heard. such happy.
smiling faces are seldom seen. and
such hospitable lhomes are found no.
where in greater profusiou than in
Quaker settlement. Ella r. Green,
in Detroit Free Press