The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1891-01-30
A QUAKER
lFublished by Reauest.l


part of my life, in a Southern State quite a
distance from any large city, and although
in latter life, l have travelled quite extern
sively in my own and foreign countries,
visiting most of the large cities in my
travels. it was not until | had nearly
reached the age Of thirty years, that | had
been in any larger town than the one near
est my fathers residence, which contained
not over one thousand inhabitants.
A son OF one Of our nearest ~neighbors,
who had been my playmate in childhood,
my schoolma,e in later boyhood and my
confidential friend and companion until the
time of his marriage; when taking with
him his bride, a sweet girl, (also from our
and large city O., where he soon
became so closely occupied in business
that his visits to his native place were
only after long intervals, and were then
very brief. Our friendship. however,
never wavered, and we kept up a regular
correspondence.
After many urgent and repeated invita-
lions (I might say solicitations from my
friend to visit him in dis city home, | finally
succeeded in making proper arrangements,
and made (what seemed to me} a longjour-
ney, arriving safely at my friends house
on a Saturday just after night had set in.
There was a joyousness of greeting both
from my friend and his lovely wife (who
looked somewhat matronly, with her three
little girls about her) which seems as
fresh in my memory as if it were but yes
terday; and then came the questions and
inquiries OF old friends and ~neighbors, and
of the many We had known in child
hood, and school boy days. Alas. there
were some sad tales to tell, of early deaths,
and some of wanderings and misfortunes.
Who, thrt has lived for thirty years can go
back in memory to childhood and not be
saddened hen he seeks to muster all
whom he had known or loved in those
early days? How many links in the chain
Of life will be severed-aye, and how
many hopes. which da Ened as bright and
promising as a May morning, will have
been ruthlessly crushed, or scattered like
forest leaves in Autumn in the whirlwind
of time?
It was late ere we retired, ard | bad
no opportunity to ask of the wonders or
marvels of the great city. The next
morning, however, being Sunday, my
friend. anxious to contribute as far as pos
sible to my epjoyments asked if | desired
to attend any particular church, or would
I like to visit some of the gorgeous temples
devoted to worship, naming some Of the
most noted: or did | desire to hear som of
the celebrated divines, mentioning a mum
Der. of whose fame l was not entirely ig
norant: or would | have the curiosity to
go to a Quaker Meeting, where it was an
nouneed a great preacher was to attend
that day.
GA Qu,ker Meeting. by all means, "
said I; shat will be a novelty indeed" |
had seen a few, and only afew, Of the mem
bers Of this society, as they were pointed
out to NE, distinguished as they easily were
by their antique and quaint attire; but |
never had been at one of their meetings,
though | had heard exaggerated descrip-
lions Of their prosiness.
81 am afraid, " said my friend, you may
be disappointed, for although have never
attended one of tkeir meetings, | am in
formed they are generally very dull; some
times. even, not a word is spoken"
Nevertheless, - said |, "if you and your
wife will accompany me should like to
attend"
1t was the occasion, as | afterward leaTt-
ed. of an annual assemblage Of the society,
or, as they termed is,$Yearly Meeting =
to which the prominent members, aud in
fact all the "Friends," as they style them
selves. who, living within a certain radius
could conveniently attend, were wont thus
to assemble for the purpose OF considering
the general state of their society. The
first day of the week on such occasions is
devoted to public meetings, and the re-
mainder of the meetings during the week
are devoted to the affairs of the society,
and strictly confined to their " mem
| DerS-tue iUeu ny tuSAuSeiNSs. INV
women independently and separately by
themselves.
On approaching the Meeting House, |
was struck with the %plainuess of the
structure, and on entering was no less
surprised to notice the entire absence of
any ornamentation whatever. Across the
extreme end Of the meeting house was a
kind OF gallery of three seats. rising grad
uaily from the main door, and facing the
body of the meeting. Upon these raised
seats, or gallery, the ministers and elders
usually sat, the women occupying one
side of the edifice, and the men on tue
other. My friend parted with his wife a;
the door, ste to fad her way among wo-
men Friends, while We, following the men,
were shown seats quite forward and near
the preachers gallery. The meeting
house, though large, seemed soon to be
filed to its utmost capacity, and in glanc-
ing around over the audience, | saw that
many besides ourselves were strangers,
and drawn there through motives of curl.
.s l.w-,or varu aakn