The Indianapolis journal., 1902-10-20

SESSIONS BEGIN TOMORROW
DELEGATES FROM ALL YEARLY
MEETINGS WILL COME.

The most important meeting of the orr
thodox Friends since their church was es-
.tablished in America. $50 years ago, will be
held in this city this week. The first ses-
sion will be held Tuesday evening and the
conference will continue through till Mon
day. The conference Is what is known as
the Five Years Meeting of the Yearly
Meetings of Friends in America. 1t Is
delegate body, composed of 40 representa-
tives Of the thirteen yearly meetings in
America. Three five years meetings have
been held. but this one will differ from
others in that new and uniform discipline
and constitution will be adopted to govern
the entire church body. Heretofore each
yearly meeting has retained distinct in
dividuality and has been independent of
any concerted action. but this conference
will cement the yearly meetings together
and make them subject to one administra-
tive body, with perhaps certain provisions
of autonomy.
The history of the Friends Church has
been remarkable in many respects, the
democratic idea of government being the
predominant feature. For ESQ years the
Friends have prospered without any af-
filiation and virtually no communication
with each other except by epistolary docu-
ments read at the several yearly meetings.
The yearly meetings exchanged epistles,
advising each other OF what they were do
ing. but in no way were the meetings Off
cially connected. Since the last five years
meeting forms of uniform discipline and
constitution providing for the unificatiop
Of the church and a consolidated move
fh4
meetings for consideration. The constitu-
ton provided that if seven of the yearly
meetings adopted new constitution 1t
would be placed in effect. Ten of the year.
ly meetings voted to adopt the constitu-
ton and the three remaining yearly meet
ings have taken no action. They will send
delegates, however, and it is expected that
these three will soon be in the federated
movement.
SOME OPPOSITION.
There was some opposition to the pro-
posed movement when it was first pre-
sented, but this has diminished until now
the sentiment is about unanimous in favor
of the federation. The only objection to
the movement was that it might interfere
with the democracy of the yearly meet
ings. Any Objectionable features along
this line will be eliminated by a liberal
constitution, so that no organization will
lose its individuality. The movement is
purely to consolidate the church so that
1t will be under one head
The delegates TO the convention will come
from all parts of the United States and
Canada. They will represent more than
10000 Friends. The largest representation
will be from the Indiana Yearly Meeting,
which is the largest in America and the
next from the Western Yearly Meeting
which includes Indianapolis. and is next 10
the largest. Baltimore Yearly Meeting has
the smallest membership. Besides the
delegates who will attend. large crowds
are expected from over the State. Indiana
being the stronghold Of the Quakers The
meetings will be held In the Friends
Church at Thirteenth and Alabama streets
Seats will be reserved for the delegates
and the remainder of the auditorium and
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8. COL. 81