The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-21
A CHANGE IN QUAKERISM
PROPOSED TO HAVE SOME CENTRAL
CHURCH LEGISLATIVE BODY.
QuinquenniaI Conference Takes Up
Discussion of This Important Topic
IS. Il. Nicholson Presiding.


cradle attention. Both sessions yesterday
were well-attended and last night it was
necessary to throw open all parts of the
meeting house to the visitors, so large was
the attendance.
All Of the sessions of the Friends open
with devotional exercises There is not
much ENTHUSIASTICALLY a verse or two
of a familiar hymn is sung-but the exer-
cises consist chiefly of prayer offered in the
most fervent spirit Yesterday morning. in
accordance with the accommodation of the
nominating committee, Edgar Z. Nicholson.
delegate from the Western Yearly Meeting
and author of the Indiana temperance law,
was chosen permanent chairman of the con-
ference. Edmund Stanley, superintendent
of education of the State of Kansas, was
chosen vice president. Mary c. Woodruff,
of North Carolina, and Caroline Wood. of
New York were selected as secretaries, and
Jasper Hadley OF Iowa, was made treas
urer. The choice of officers by the nomnat-
ing committee was sanctioned by the rising
vote of the conference. The report of the
business committee contained a number of
Recommendations which were adopted. 1t
was determined that all questions that can
not be settled by consent shall be left to
the delegates from each yearly meeting
who will cast the number of votes to which
their yearly meeting is entitled. 1t was de-
cided to limit speakers in discussion TO ten
minutes.
During the morning the question arose as
to whether persons belonging to yearly
meetings, but not appointed as delegates,
should be permitted to act in the absence
of delegates regularly appointed. The
chairman ruled that this should only be
permitted where the yearly meeting had
named these persons as alternates, or had
taken some other action that would per-
nit such substitute representation. Some of
the delegates felt that as the sessions of
the conference are not legislative functions
persons should not be excluded from vote
because they were not formally appointed.
IT was suggested that perhaps the yearly
meeting had overlooked the question The
chair was sustained in mis- ruling. 1t is esti-
mated that n third of the total membership
of the conference represents the two yearly
meetings of this State-the Indiana and
Western. The basis of representation in the
conference is that each yearly meeting is
entitled to five delegates at large and one
for each thousand of membership or frac-
ton over five hundred.
THEORY AND PRACTICE OF QUAK-
ERISM.
The subject for consideration after the
TRANSACTION OF business routine yesterday
morning was "Quakerism It's Theory and
It's Practice" The topic was discussed first
in a comprehensive paper by Dr. James
Carey Thomas. of Baltimore. DR.. Thomas,
after giving a history of Quakerism, said
the Friends constitute republic; but a re-
public of God in which the gifts received
by the head of the church are to be
recognized and utilized as far as possible.
1t is to a mutual cooperation in a common
relation to the whole body that the cause
of Christ must look for rapid advancement
in the future DR.. Thomas said that the
estimate of the public in regard to the posi-
ton of the society is well expressed by a
writer in the Londor Times: And at the
present time a religious democracy like the
Society of Friends-in which freedom and
order are found side by SIDE must, as long
as these development a. e maintained, have
in it the promise and the power of in
creased service 10 church and state, and
to humanity at large" DIR. Thomas went
on to say that it should be the aim to keep
the churches in Christ, in the spirit, in out
snollen testimony of the truth and to so en-
courage and regulate the exercise of all the
gifts of the spirit that there may be mutual
fellowship, cooperation and service for the
DR.. Thomas's paper was followed by a
discussion of his topic. Among those who
took part were Harriet Green, of London;
James Wood of New York; Adelbert Wood.
of Kansas; Rufus Jones, of New England:
Maria Dean. of Iowa: Harry r: Keats, of
New York; Harvey Ratcliff and Francis w.
Thomas of Indiana The closest attention
is paid by the Friends to the reading of the
papers and the discussion which follows.
The Quakers are earnest worshpers and
the intense interest they take in the work
is indicated by the fervent ''amens'' that
come from different parts of the house
when a particularly important point is en-
phasiZed by a speaker.
THE CONCENTRATION IDEA.
The question of having a central organi-
cation whose action will be binding on the
yearly meetings is foremost in the minds
of the Quakers all over the country at this
time The important topic came up for dis
cussion yesterday afternoon. 1t was en-
braced in two papers read and discussed.
One was by Rufus M. Jones. of Philadel-
phia, on tho topic, Should Future Confer
ences Have Legislative Authority" The
other paper along the same line was by Ed
mund Stanley of Kansas. who spoke on
"a Uniform Discipline for Yearly Meet
ings." The conferences of the Friends here
tofore have had only advisory or suggestive
power. There are many Quakers VINO rear
the consequences of concentrated authority
and therefore desire that the old system
shall obtain. Others there are who feel that
a delegate conference will have the effect
of giving greater power to church organiZa-
ton. 1t was this idea that Rufus NJ. Jones
strongly brought out in his paper Mr..
Jones is editor of the American Friend, the
official organ of the Quaker Church. Mr..
Jones in his address pleaded for a closer
unity OF spirit. The question is; Can we
make our church more effective and still
maintain the constitutional right or freedom
under the leading of the Holy Spirit?"
Under the present plan OF organiza-
ton" said Mr. Jones, "all the yearly meet
ings are at the mercy of each particular
one and the whole basis of faith and prac-
lice may be changed completely in one,
while all the others look helplessly on and
simply send epistles of advice. The Society
of Friends in other words, not only is not a
church. but it IS not even branch of the
church 1t is an aggregation of fourteen
branches OF the church, each one independ-
ent of all the others, and possessing full
power to make any system of discipline and
of doctrine which meets its own immediate
desire. Ii is not strange that we have had
two crises in the past but ii is rather sur
prsing that we have had no more, for in
situations which have no head and no GEN.
ter invariably disintegrate in the course of
time. There can be no permanent church
builded out of fourteen absolutely indie
pendent and ever fluctuating bodies, unless
the Holy Spirit have complete and UNI
hindered sway through every one of them,
thus binding them indissolubly into an or
ganic whole"
The speaker declared that it required no
prophet TO see the time when the present
fourishing denomination might be cha
otto wreck. The one hope of the organiza-
ton for permanent continuance is single
ness of eye and heart to the revealed will
of God. But one single period of gross
ness of heart and blindness of spiritual
vision" said Mr.. Jones, such as does oc-
casonally sweep over almost all religious
people, would easily break us into frag-
ments. for there would be no central body
TO meet the situation, to hold the parts
steady and TO illuminate the vision of those
who may grow near far-sighted to the
truth" Mr.. Jones referred to the foreign