Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-05-06

tried to gain admittance to the meet
ing house, but were refused. The
Hicksites, to the number of IL, next
secured chairs and held a meeting out
side, and although they did not inter-
rupt the meeting in the house, still 1t
caused much sorrow among those
gathered there. The next day the
house was crowded, the Hicksites hay-
ing pushed in. At the opening Elias
Hicks stood up and occupied consider
able time setting forth his doctrines.
After he was seated a Friend arose and
explained the situation in which Hicks
stood with mis- friends at home. Two
Hicksite preachers next rose. one after
another, and expounded. They were
requested to sit down, and this called
forth such violent outbursts from
Hicksites in various parts of the house
that they were suffered to proceed. The
next day printed notices on the doors
warned Hicks and his party to stay
outside, and a number of doorkeepers
were on hands, but the Separatists be-
came so violent that it was seen that
only force could repel them. A con-
ference was held and the doorkeepers
withdrawn, after which the Hickslte
party poured into the house like tor
rent accompanied by the rabble from
the town. Jonathan Taylor, the
pioneer of the society, was clerk and
opened the meeting The Hicksites
stood up and ordered Taylor to give up
his place and allow clerks of their
choosing to have the place. They
shouted from all parts of the house.
That's my mind. Why does not our
clerk come forward?" The Hicksites
crowded about the clerks desk and de-
manded that he quit, but backed by
others he held his ground until there
was cry, "The gallery is falling" ac-
companied by crash. Others cried
The house is falling" and mad rush
was made to get out and many were
thrown down and nearly trampled to
death Many kicked out window
sashes and went out by that route. The
alarm was false one, the cause being
a board broken by a Hicksite in the
gallery Having obtained access to the
door in the rear of the clerks desk,
the Hicksites formed a flying wedge
and got to the table, breaking it and
pressed Jonathan Taylor so hard
against the edge of it that it nearly
resulted fatally to him. After the
riot, tumult and excitement, there was
an adjournment. The next day the
Hicksites took charge of the meeting
house, and refusing to give up possess
sion peaceably, the other Friends open
ed their meeting outside and later adj
journed to Short Creek meeting house.
For five more days the Orthodox
Friends met in the Short Creek meet
ing house and were in deep sorrow over
the occurrences which had separated
them from their brethren.
The division at Saltwater was oc-
companied by disorderly conduct. The
first day the Hicksites were kept out
by force, but they made so much noise
outside by preaching and praying that
they disturbed the meeting inside. The
next day the Separatists became violent
in their efforts to gain admittance.
Blows were inflicted on doorkeepers
and windows were broken in. AS a
next recourse the doors were opened
and the Hicksites surged in with anger
depicted on their faces. Doors and
shutters between the mems and wo-
mems parts of the house were torn off
their fastenings. The Separatists oc-
cupied one part of the room, and the
Orthodox the other, and conducted
their business separately.
Since the Gurney-Wilbur division
nothing has come up to cause divis-
ion and white-winged peace has rested
within the walls of these meeting
houses. Preparations are being made
to celebrate the centenary in an aus
picious manner.