Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-21


parnc uiar meetings. quarterly meetings, EN-.
bracing q number OF monthly meetings and
yearly meetings, some Of which extend over
several states. The Friends are divided into
four bodies in. this country, popularity distin-
guished as the Orthodox, the Hicksite, the
Wiiburite and the Primitive.
orthodox Friends are evangelical in doctrine.
ihey believe In mans utter ruin in the fall.
the vicarious atonement the deity Of Jesus
Christ. the resurrection of the body. eternal
rewards and punishment and the inspiration OF
the Scriptures In theology they are Armin-
ian. They do not use the outward rites of
baptism or the Lords supper, but accept the
spiritual meaning Of both. They accord to
woman full liberty in the ministry and every
other position in the church, the same as to
man.
Hicksite Friends are go named from Elias
HICKS, minister who was foremost in preach
ing the doctrines which led to the separation.
They do not own the name Hicksite. Elias
Hicks vas born in 1749 and died in 1890 He
was understood to deny the deity Of Jesus
Christ, the vicarious atonoEient the person.
aity OF Satan and eternal punishment promul-
eating views generally held by Unitarians re-
speeding the fall of man, the authority and
inspiration OF Scripture, &C. The separation
took place in the Philadelphia yearly ting
In 1927 and in New York, Baltimore, Ohio and
Indiana IN 1928 There was no separation In
New England or North Carolina. The Genesee
IN western New York, and the Illinois yearly
lie Wilburite Friends are thus called be-
cause John Wilbur Of New England was their
principal leader in opposing Joseph j. Quincy
and ms teaching. They seeded from the or
thodox body in the New England yearly meet
ing IN 1916. in the Ohio in 1854 and in the west
ern Iowa and Kansas IN 1877 They are very
conservative and were unwilling to adopt the
new methods OF reform the church became
aggressive in eyangel:stic and missionary work
Iney MAKE much OF the doctrine of the light
within, holding that every man, by reason of
'ne atonement. has M inward seed, or light,
given him. which, as 1t is needed. will lead him
70 salvation. They deny instantaneous CONVEX
sion ana the resurrection Of the body. The
controlling portion of the Philadelphia yearly
meeting hold to the views OF Wilbur but have
never separated from the body OF the church
lurther than to decline epistolary correspond
ehce with all branches They are counted as
orthodox, though not affilating.
Inc Primitive Friends are in faith and prac-
tice Wilburite. They separated from the Phil
adeiphia yearly meeting because that body re-
fused to correspond with the New England and
Ohio (Wilbur) yearly meetings, and they do
not affiliate with the latter because they recog-
ME the Philadelphia meeting by ministerial
visitations and by exchanging certificates of
membership.
THE sPIRrTUALIsTs.
What Is known as modern spirituaiism began
with demonstrations in the Fox family in
Hydesville, N. Y. in March. 1s4s The same
phenomena had been common in Shaker COM
munlties before that date and, indeed, in
almost all ages and among many different
peoples. but II was then that these demonstra-
hons, generally in the form of rappings began
70 be interpreted as communications from the
ulsemoodied spirits of men and women who
had. III the ordinary course of nature. passed
away, but whose spirits were still in living
and active state. From this time individuals
N loot thnG g..
nons. circles began to be formed mediums
were discovered, lecturers recognized and a
literature established.
Spiritualists claim that the miracles of Christ
are explained by the central doctrine of their
belief, and they regard the demonstrations of
spiritualism as establishing by evidence the
TACT Of future life. They do not hold that
God is personal being, but that he exists in
all things. Eternal progression is the law OF
the spirit world and every individual will at
tain supreme wisdom and unalloyed happiness.
few spiritualist societies employ perma-
nent speakers, but usually they appoint lee
turers for limited terms, varying from week
to several months. A large proportion of the
lecturers are mediums, who are believed to
speak under the influence direction OF the
spirit who guides controls them. They
follow the scriptural injunction: Take no
thought of how or what We shall speak, for it
shall be given you in that same hour what We
shall speak. When lecturer appears before
an audience, therefore, he asks that a subject
be given him and when he receives it begins to
speak upon it without hesitation. Summer
gatherings or camp meetings, which continue
from one to ten weeks, have become prominent
among the spiritualists. In 1891 twenty-five
such meetings were held.
The spiritualists report 1874 organizations,
with thirty regular church ediices, not In
Guiding halls. pavilions and other places owned
or occupied by them. There are 900 men,
beers, and the value Of the property reported,
which includes camp ground as well as church
editices, pavilions, DC, is s573,6oO. Not many
OF the halls are owned by them. There are
members In thirty-six states, besides the Dis
trict Of Columbia and the territories of Utah
and Oklahoma. Among the states Massachu-
sets has the greatest number, 7.345; New York
stands second with 1851, and Pennsylvania
third with 1863.