The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-10-09
AT QUAKER MEETING"
An IutarOstipE Account Of tho Yearly
Meeting at saltwater Meeting House.

An AuturOHtluE Account OF inc Hoafly
Meeting at saltwater Meeting House.
The Ohio yearly meeting OF the soci.
ETY. Of Friends has Just closed its session
at tho Saltwater meeting house, two
miles east OF Barnesvillc.
The meeting calls together represon-
tative Friends from mauy parts OF this
country and from Canada. and is one
Of tho most largely attended And
important gatherings OF the society in
the United States. Al this meeting
there were several hundred visiting
Friends, Pennsylvania and Iowa send
ing the largest delegations.
Their manner OF conducting their
meetings, both for worshiy and for tho
transaction OF business, is unique and
In striking contrast 10 that Of othcr de-
nominations.
Tho meetings for worship in First"
and "Foruth" days arc the only ones
open to the public.
Tho meeting on Sunday, or First
day." is always largely attended, there
being probably fve thousand people
present on that day this year.
The large meeting house. capable OF
seating two thousand people, is devoid
OF ornamentation without or within. In
their homes as in their house OF wor-
ship there is everything for comfort,
but nothing for outward show. Sim
plicitY in manners, dress aud living is
an essential part Of their creed. Their
manner OF conducting worship Is de-
void Of all form aud ceremony.
Tho house Ia divided into two apart
ments by a partition, which on this
occasion Is lowered. throwing both
apartments into one room, the me1 ait
ting on one side OF tho house, the
women on tho other.
Seats In tho gallery gave the writer
good view OF the congregation. Below
are sober matrons and modest matdens
arrayed in tho plain dresses aud bon
nets which are the distinctive gsrb OF
tho Quakcress, aud which remain un-
changed from yoar to year. As rulo
the men are closely shsven and many Of
thom cit with their heads covered
throughout the meeting.
4 solemn silence porvadcS tho place,
which remains uubroken until "movcd
by tho spirit" benjamin Vale, OF Phila-
deIphia, addressed the meeting. Ho was
followed by Harvey Haight and Anna
Crawford, both from Canada; Zebede0
uaines, superintendent oil tho Westtown
boarding school, and number OF others.
Their discourses are without figures OF
speech and flowers OF rhetoric, but are
plain, forcible comments on scripture
truths. Strangers often ask, "How can
YOU tell when meeting is overt" and
one unaccustomed to the simple ways OF
tho Friends might readily be at loss to
know what was the signal for dismissal.
The Friend sitting at "the head OF the
meeting" on the mems side shakes
hands with the one sitting next to him !
with that signal the Friends all over
the house shake hands with each other,
and the meeting is over.
In ono respect they arc stop in ad-
vance Of other denominations, as their
women arc on equal footing with the
men, and both preach the word and
have equal authority with the men in
matters OF church government. Tho
men and women, however, hold busi-
ness meetings Independently OF each
other and publish separate reports.
They give much attention to matters OF
education aud support their own pri-
va,e schools.
The study OF the character Of these
people gives much to admire. Living
at peace with themselves and the world,
they are model citizens. They are in
sympathy with all movements for the
elevation OF mankind. Their homes are
models OF thrift aud comfort
They seem to have reached that con-
dition OF which Bacon said: ut is
heaven upon oerth TO have mans
MUD move in charity, rcst in Provi;;
dence and turn upon the poles OF truth. :"