The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1890-05-23
Notes by the Way-Frfends' Yearly
Meeting.


Meeting.
If the Swedesboro branch of the West
jersey Railroad does not run through a
nice section of country, then we should
like to ask why. We always enjoy this
route to Philadelphia SO much, especially
in this most inspiring season of the year.
Why inspiring? Because it brings to our
mind so wildly THAT glorious gifts God is
ever bestowing upon us for our everyday
| comfort and s~ustenance, n we remember
anew 10 much of praise and thanksgiv-
ing are due Him for these gifts. We often
think If our friends across the Delaware
could in some way take this route to the
sea they would not have such a poor
opinion of this, their vegetable garden,
Spanish though it may be in some respects.
After calling at the Drexel Building,
9th and Chestnut streets, Madam Smiths
agency for lIygienic Dress Reform, 1929
Walnut street, and at Wanamaker's, we
reached Friends Westinghouse, 18th and
Race streets, about moor on the 18th inst,
so had ample time to secure good seats for
the afternoon session. As we sit here in
silence waiting fol the business of this ses-
sion to be taken up, we would like to give
your readers some idea of what a large
number of people the audience rooms of
this building holds. From early Quaker
ism, . by Ezra Kitchener, We quote the
following: sThe building is 1S1 feet long
from north to south, and so feet wide,
with a central projection of eight feet on
the east and west sides, standing 30 feet
from Cherry street. The yearly meeting
apartment, where mems meeting is held,
is 46 feet by so, allowing the dividing line
to run through its north wall. The monthly
meeting room, where women's yearly
meeting is held, is 60 feet by so, and
stands 127 feet from Race street. Both
meeting rooms have galleries on three
sides. The Cherry street house will ac-
commodate 400 persons, the Race street
house 1900. The two apartments are sep
arated by a space of 25 feet, which is di-
yided into three stories, each having rooms
stairways between them, designed to ac-
commodate committees, and for school
rooms, library, ETC."
At 3 O'Clock the perfect hum OF voices
were silenced as if by magic when the
clerk of the woman's yearly meeting,
Margaretta Walton, arose and said:
Third day afternoon" After the minutes
of the morning session were approved,
Robert Haddon and Clement Biddle WIS.,
tied the meeting, and both were moved to
speak messages of love. After their de-
parture the business of the day was re-
sumed, and answers were read from the
different quarterly meetings to the second
query: Are love and unity maintained
amongst you? and tale-bearing and de-
traction discouraged? and when any diff
~fereuces arise, are endeavors used speedily
to end them?'' The summary answer
was satisfactory to all and a great many
excellent comments were made relative to
the query.
Third query: Are Friends careful to
bring up those under their direction in
plainness of speech, behavior and apparel;
in frequent reading the Scriptures, and to
restrain them from reading pernicious
books, and from the corrupt conversation
of the world?'' After the summary an
swer was approved, Margaretta Walton
gave an excellent 'Health" talk relative
to the same, and We wish we could repro
luce it here, word for word, so that all
might know more upon what advanced
ground Friends stand upon these vital
subjects of health and right living. Louisa
J.. Roberts, of Philadelphia, followed and
spoke regarding the dress of infants, and
said, too, thai %plainness of speech does not
necessarily relate to a certain manner OF
pronouns, but that it has a higher mean
ing, and so it is with dress. Elizabeth
Smith, of Wilmington, spoke in regard to
the 'sundress' worn at evening parties.
Another replied that she did not know
such things existed among members of
the Society OF Friends. Lydia II. Price, a
peerless speaker, spoke so truly of the
disuse of the corset, and of the undress
manner of apparel, referring to the Grecian
models which art would follow after.
Hers was a mastery rendering of opinion,
and we could not but compare her to a
goddess ~ofpurity as she stood there espous-
ing the cause of purity. Rebecea Town
send, OF Baltimore. addressed her words
TO those In the '.middle walks of life
IL they would be faithful the Younger
would not go far astray. and for those in
middle life not to be stumbling blocks
to those younger ones who would go for
ward. The JOHN Nj. George legacy re-
Gently left to the Philadelphia yearly Get
ing, was briefly spoken of and the total
amount as it now stands is S229, 1885.
Third-day evening meeting was under
the care of the Y. Ms Temperance
Committee, said committee being one of
the largest and most earnest under care of
yearly meeting. Alter the opening adj
dress by the chairman Of the committee, a
| short programme of recitations, essays,
| etc, was given. Among the rest THE