The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-15
Meeting I'm October VIII BE First Time
In Two Centuries All Friends
Have Been United.
CHURCH TO BE REoRaANIzED
NEW DECLARATION OF FAITH AND
CATECHIsM CONTEMPLATED.
Western Quakers I'm Line with Mod
erp Progress-Indiana Is Now the
Quaker Stronghold with $4,000.
The general conference of Orthodox

The general conference Of Orthodox
Quakers will be held in this city
In the latter part OF OCTOBER;
the exact date OF the meeting
will be announced later. The event will
mark an epoch In Quaker history. 1t will
mark the passing away of the old form
of control of the denomination and the
birth of a new religious body having a
central authority and combined agencies
for work. When the delegates to the gen.
eral conference organize in Indianapolis
next month 1t will be the first time in two
centuries that Quakers have been united
for common action. 1t will mean the
recognition by all elements of the old de-
nomination that modern tendencies in re-
ligious work means a getting together IL
anything great or lasting is to be accom-
plished.
There are thirteen yearly meetings of
Quakers in the United States and Of these
ten have agreed to the general conference
in this city. The meetings, which are GER
tain 20 be represented here at the con-
ference. are New England, New York.
Baltimore, Indiana, Western Kansas, Will
mington. California, Oregon and North
Carolina. Iowa's yearly meeting is yet TO
be held, but 1t will probably adopt the con-
ference plan ard send delegates. Ohio
rejected the plan a year ago. but it is ex-
pected that the rejection will be recon-
sidered and hat delegates will eventually
be sent. The Philadelphia meeting is
recognized by all Quakers TO be a law unto
extreme, that IL does nothing and that
few expect IL to do anything. Alone of
the Quaker divisions of the United States
Its members, many of them, cling to the
old Quaker customs, the old dress and the
old speech. These cannot bring themselves
10 believe that there is good in the pro-
the Quakers In the West are good and
Fox.
Quakers have Influenced American
thought. politics and philanthropic as well
as religious life out OF all proportion to
their numerical strength. There are now
$1,000 orthodox Quakers in the United
state. fully 5000 of which live in Indiana.
This State and not Pennsylvania is to-day
the stronghold of the Friends. and is so
recognized by the members OF the denomi-
nation. The old traditions OF the church
are In Pennsylvania, naturally, but the life
and the active. growing spirit is in the
1900 Quakers. Iowa and Kansas each
about 1900. North Carolina $500, New
England $500. the old Philadelphia meet
ing about 4.4o. and New York 300. The
t~arians, are becoming fewer every year.
Their strength is chiefly in Philadelphia.
1nfJ nave competed recently a SncCeSSful
educational conference at Asbury Park, n.
j. The Hicksite branch OF the Friends has
suffered lack OF unity of action, and
growth and progress became impossible.
Each man and woman In the branch is a
law unto himself or herself.
The Orthodox branch Is six times as
strong as the Hicksite branch and is now
20 take action which will prevent the
whole body from falling into the evils
which have overtaken the smaller branch.
At the Indianapolis general conference an
effort will be made TO clear the church
from many old-world barnacles that have
chung to IL and prevented progress.
IL Is probable that a declaration OF faith
win be adopted A new catechism is con-
templated and arrangements will be made,
81 Is understood. for the establishing of a
publishing house for the denomination
similar TO the publishing Institutions main
tanned by the Methodist Church. The con-
ference viii undertake. also. TO provide all
the meetings represented with active work
ing bodies, such as boards of foreign mis-
sions. boards OF church extension and
boards OF education.
Indiana Quakers are taking great inter-
est In the coming conference and recognize
e. 10 be an e~poch-making event in the his
tory Of the Friends.