The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-13
WORK OF THE FRIENDS
History and Achievements Of the
Society Reviewed by Its Local
Representatives.

The valuable contributions of the Qua
kers to the cause Of personal, political and
religious liberty were recalled last might
by speakers who addressed a social gath
ering of the local Society of Friends at
their meeting house, First avenue and
Fourteenth street.
Telling of George Fox, the founder of
the society, DR.. j. Harlan Stuart said that
Fox was natural evolution Of the renais-
sance and the reformation. he was much
more than a peculiar" man, wearing a
certain dress and using certain phraseoO-
gy George Fox was revolution1st. FOX
was more especially the author Of modern
religious liberty. He also founded a sect,
but that was not his intention. He stood
only for the freedom of the gospel. Yet
so numerous were his sympathizers that
before he died no less than 100, 900 Friends
had agreed to be bound by no creed but'by
| the Bible as interpreted by the spirit Of
God.''
| Bancroft, added DR.. Stuart, had said Of
the Friends that they fulfilled the asplra-
| ton of the human mind for perfect spir-
itual liberty after the long reign Of bigot-
| nv and superstition" A recent bishop of
| Durham had testified in Westminster Alb
hey that "Cieorge~Fox was able to shape a
| character in his followers which for truth
| fitness, integrity, independence and purity
is unsurpassed in Christian records.
| some dCn1oNcuolllS VI Illc IIllS
Friends were touched upon by Mrs. Eliza
J. Lindley. She spoke of the long contin-
| ued and triumphant struggle maintained
by the Friends, under Thomas Clarkson
against the slave trade. Elizabeth Frye
had made the name of Friend famous by
work that had had widespread result II
reforming modern prisons. Not the leas
Of the English Friends had been Johr
Bright, the first Quaker in British cabi
net.
r. J. Mendenhall. in paper upon THE
Work of the American Friends" recount
ed the prosecutions suffered by Quaker
} in most Of the American colonies. Thu
most noted of the colonial Quakers, Viii
liam Penn, had been called by the histo
rian, Fiske, 1.-The greatest Of the proprie
tary governors A Friend Of later date
who, by the way, was an ancestor Of tn
speaker-was Benjamin West, the painter
who founded the Royal Academy Of Eng
, land. Throughout the revolution "Phia
delphia was the center of colonial opposi
ton, for there was more freedom o
thought and action In that city than Their
was in Boston,
B. H. Truman had begun the exercise
by reading poem upon Peace" the rul
ing spirit of the society. He followed MI
Mendenhall with a paper upon 9TH
Friends of Minneapolis The first O
j.. these was William w. Wales, who settle
l at st. Anthony in 1851. Daniel Basset
, arrived from New Hampshire in 1855
5 when the first meeting house was bull
by Minneapolis Friends at Hennepin ave
4. nue. and Eighth street. Among the best
known of the local Quakers had been Dan
iel Bassett. Jr., William Wales, DIR. Hill
DR.. Llndley and r. J. Mendenhall. Tru
e man-explaining that he was not himse
E Friend-pointed out the important plac
that the Minneapolis Friends have alway
. occupied in the commercial and philan
thropic activities of this city. r
Several numbers were sung by quartz
Refreshments were served to introduc
IAN hour of social intercourse" .~