The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1895-07-16
Modern Friends Still Cling.
OLD TIMES ALMOST EXTINCT
guage.

The old-time Friend, or Quaker
as he is known to the worlds people
is almost extinct says the New York
Evening Sun. Down in StuyvesaDt
square or Rutherford place a stray
road-brim or plain bonnet may now
and then be seen upon First Day." or
Fifth Day." but even then and there
they are rarities. The sight of them
in any other part of the city would at
tract a great deal of attention.
1t is the same way in Philadelphia,
so long the stronghold of the sect, The
Society of Friends still exists, but it is
reduced in number, and its members,
even the most stricI, have lost many
of the oId-time characteristics.
For one reason or another Friends
are constantly leaving their own peo-
pie and becoming identified with 9TH
er sects, while there are almost no
new converts to Quakerdom, Prose-
lytizing has never been practice of
the sect. Were it not for those born
INTO society-"birthright member
ship" being condition thrust upon
all children whose parents are "mem-
bers of meeting''-it would have died
out long ago.
The modern Quaker is an interest
ing development. He is wholly diff
ferent from not only Whittier's
Quaker of the Olden Time," but the
Quaker of Whittier's own time," He
is in sort of transition state, having
lost some of the traits of his ancestors
and retaining others. He has taken
unto himseif some of the worlds ways
while others he hasn't. For instance
very few modern Friends wear the
plain dress, and when they do it is
generally modified.
The 'head Of the meeting" nova
days wears a hat brim much less
broad than that of twenty years ago.
His coat tails, too, are more abbreviat-
ed. The capped and handkerchief
clerk of the "Quarterly meeting" is
quite likely to have gown OF brown
or black instead of the once inevitable
gray or drab. .
The old-time plain bonnet had |
neither pucker nor wrinkles. The
modern plain bonnet looks much less
like coal scutte and boasts several
rows of shirs and FUCKERS. The ma
jority of the modern Friends dress just
like other folk. They wear derby hats
and do not disdain Easter bonnets.
They have been known to wear even
ing dress and decollete gowns.
Among them, the scruples of George
Fox and Lucretia Mott have appar-
emily lost all weigh. The emancipa-
ton of the modern Quaker is not con-
fined to dress. 1t extends to customs
aud manners as well. He goes to
hear "hireling priests" if he feels like
it, unperturbed by the fear that he
will be "disowned" as his ancestors
might have been. He waltzes, he lis
tens to Wagner, and he plays whist.
1t was an idea among the old-tim-
ers, that there was something sinful
about removing the hat when within
doors or in the presence woman.
The use of the titles, "Mr." 'Mrs."
and "NIiss" was also serious offense.
All these and many other heresies are
accepted by the Friend of to-day
The modern Friend still clings to
the plain language, however. Even
those who have married out of meet
ing, or strayed into other theological
folds, or are wholly given to the
pomps and vanities of the outside
world are apt to Keep the Friendly
speech. After the German fashion it
Is tthee" and "thy" in the home and
to the family. however, much "you
may be used elsewhere. This fexi-
bility with respect to the pronoun and
Its verb is an interesting trait.
He will say "thee" to member of
his family and straightway turn to an
outsider and address him as ''you,"
and the stricter members still say
'thee" to all persons. "Thou" is al
most never heard The language of
The modern Friend is thus ungramat-
cal. lie habitually uses the objective
form Ia the nominative case, but It
seems hardly likely that the "thou"