New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-29
ACTIVE WORK BY FRIENDS.
AN IMPORTANT CONFERENCE RECENTLY
HELD IN VIRGINIA.
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE RELIEF AMI
PRACTICE OF THE soCIETY-ADDRESSEs
Avn reports on MANY SUBJECTS.


II ANYTHING can be judged from words. the socieS
O, Friends is again going to become an aesros'
force for good in the world. There can NC ho "o
that during. say the last fifty years, Quakersm as
embodied in n society has been on 'he decii"e' ="
forms originally protest against externaism, had De-
ho a cIo,, which covered the vital principles OF
rho society as enuncated by George Fox Its rules
~, marriage alone may be said 10 nave cos' tno
society half of It's membership; ana Tile resu"io"'
AGAINST music art and kindred subjects ie'ue'o o
that remained In the society less obserVaht Vi 'rue
beliefs BY their protest as'''S' '"'0
arbitrary requirements - -, .,o ,e
,san =, ~. society. samuel NJ. Janney, convention
or conference from August IA {, 20, which oears i
Dictated a regeneration among "the peope 'a
Onatersp which should do much 10 restore the'. oiu
time usefulness Beyond the Importance Oh tp'' n'e
Ing to the Ouakers, 1t was ih'ereeuns i'ou ~
- rn,.r. features. yirginian hospitality Is re-
nowned hut when IL goes to the Length u does heie
+, ,s Astounding This community entersheu VIVA.
out stint all the visitors that arriyeq AN" ""sn
known that the number OF ehter'aiheu .,,na
ceeded me number OF entertainers u'o LUZ. 'r.re
OF this will be evident. Al "ho "'vne -, o,,or
between twenty five andfmrty soc'''' ~ ~
Friends entertained as many.
A this Is a farming community IL was io"ho IN
practicable 10 transact all the business Oh u'e neet
| ing and allow bends living distance \" re'ui"
home betwee. 20 sessions For that reason ia'ee
tent was put up and under Its shelter taoieS anu
| s.ats we're. arranged for about 900 people. Here
d,nr ns snpper were served to between 800 and 700
| A. each meal the young women and men acting as
waitefs.
| rinday and Monday given up 10 religious
! Lettings and sessions OF committees Ihcre "eic
many preachers present, and there seemed 10 DO nc
| lack OF inspiration. At one session on Monday no
less than seventeen exhortaons were delivered Ihee
were many various types OF speakers Johh D.
Cornell formerly Of Mendon Centre, n. Y, who now
lives I'm Baltimore Is solidly built man With a
square face up by pair OF wonderfully brilliant
eyes His forehead Is lofty, and his head OF inc
| symmetrcally rounded form which betokens even
ness OF development. What he said was put In
clear logical manner and illustrated by familiar ex'
amplcs many from his own experience.
| Isaac Wilson, OF Canada IS OF nature which,
under other circumstances, would have developed an
orator Of National reputation. Full OF imagnatioh'
with q seemingly unlimited vocabulary, he pours
forth his thoughts In a tumultuous flood OF words
He seems able to utter old thoughts In way that
makes them new and frequently turns some tre
quotation Into a new form that is striking. In a
sermon on Sunday, he explained the difference be-
tween most Of the religious world and the Friends
by saying that: They thank God that Jesus ded
that they might i've; while we thank Him thai
Jesus lived that might not de Another similar
expression was, "That religion is not to keep men
out Of hell and get them into heaven. but to Keep
hell out Of men and get heaven into them'
Another interesting feature Is John L. Thomas,
Of Indiana, whose principal characteristic seems to
Dc the desire to something actually accomplished
and to draw from the young an expression OF their
views.
Tuesday morning was the first business session Of
the conference 1t was marked by an important step
forward Friends have been using for their Sunday
schools the same OF subjects that the Inerna
tlona system has been publishing. These subjects
are chosen by the International body TO illustrate or
try to demonstrate certain OF their creeds and While
Friends have dealt with the subjects In another
way It has been felt by many for some time that
Instead OF merely teaching the children that what
others taught was not Friends belief. It would be
| much more profitable to train them thoroughly In
the principles OF Quakersm, that being to their idea
the highest form OF Christianity, otherwise We would
not be Friends" remarked. In the report OF
| the Executive Committee this subject was treated
and a recommendation that Friends should prepare
system OF their own was received vita much favor.
Professor Ell NJ. Lamb head OF the High School OF
Baltimore read paper explanatory Of the need OF q
new series, which well received
| on Tuesday afternoon the Young Friends Associa
lion OF Philadelphia gave exhibition ~ Of their
meetings. This body is an organization Tor the study
Of the history and testimonies OF Friends TO prepare
for an active interest and participation In the AFFAIRS
OF the society and intelligent promotion OF It's
principles. Much interest was shown In the pro-
| ceedlngs and a general expression was given that
similar work should be done In all other FRIENDS
localities. The remaining sessions OF the conference
were mainly devoted to reports upon the work done
in the various parts OF the country and TO an eXpos
ton OF the methods used in various places notably
| In Philadelphia.
The Friends Union for Phanthropic Labor held It's
first session on Thursday morning, and after short
address OF welcome by the president. John W. Hutch
lnson in which he alluded to the fact that PhLidel
pha was for the first time officially connected with The
| tha off the Yearly meeting committees
we're read The executive committee reported pro
posed change in the method OF organization. which w;a
unanimously adopted Heretofore the union has ap
pointed subcommittee the various subjects 10 be
considered, such temperance, peace and Arbitration"
prison REFORM etc. Each yearly meeting has likewis,
had similar committees and the tendency has been to
| have the organization committed TO death. In
place OF this cumbersome method superintendent wcrc
appointed by the union, TO have supervision over each
separate subject and report direct to The conference
| their condition.
Joseph Janncy. OF Baltimore gave supplementary
report to the general from Baltimore In which he
alluded to home under the Of some OF the young
women Friends In that city, which is situated short
distance In the country. This Is made the means OF
a charity similar The Tribune frah-Air Fund
| Throughout the summer they have about 200 OF the
DOOR waits Of the city who otherwise would never get
tho benefits OF country life constantly at tho home
s.ndinr them back nfter a few weeks resdcnce re
frtslcl In .body and mind and WIN new IDEAS As 10
what true enjoyment consists or =,
| The whole course OF subjects considered aud the
comments upon each showed an Increased tendency
| io practical work and the necessity OF avoiding
pseudo philanthropy by letting he heart run away NAY
vitn the head. This Indicated IN Inc nrst
subject considered that OF the education OF the coored
people OF the south. William NJ. Jackson. Of New
Iorn read the report OF the committee np N lbal
subject which told OF the work accomplished by TWO
IndI ,trl schools in south CAROLINA under the charge
Of Friends Professor Mars, OF Pblsdelpiia, read
papcr IN which he Indicated the need on attending
more closely the primary education of the colored
nole TO tit them for the ordinary ay0catons suitable
10 hcr position rather than higher education FOR
which they not prepared. .
I'm the afternoon the representative reported lhat
they had agreed upon the names OF john llutchin-
SON OF New York. for president Mercy Griffith Tam
mond OF Kansas, for recording secretary Frances
O. Matthews OF Maryland for corresponding secretary
and Robert NJ Janney, OF Penpsylyanis for treasurer
These people appearing suitable to the meeting, they
were appointed to their respective places for two