Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-08
I The Modern Changes in That
sa Staid Denomination.
Things Considered at the Recent Five
"a = | Year Convention.
=. The Old Days Of Quaker Meetings"
~ Practically Over.

CHePfIullN anu, NlSOIOuSly OH 10 spread
its doctrine. Something quite as re-
markabie as that has happened in the
A.. abandonment by the Quakers of all the
outward signs that once distinguished
them. More than that, they have re-
cognized the need of organization in
modern religious work, and in the Five
Year Meeting recently held at Indian
apolis, the Orthodox and most numer-
Gus branch of the Society of Friends
has become an organized denomina-
tionaI body. g. r..s ---
The Quakers have always had a So
biological importance out of all propor-
ton to their numbers. Never counting
more than 100000 of their faith in the
whole world. they have had. especially
in England. a large share in prison re-
form. the restriction and final abolition
a. slavery and many minor reforms
which all Of us enjoy without knowing
Ier source. In their peace teachings
n their standards of practical morality
and philanthropy, to some extent even
in their ideas of theology, they have
always held doctrines that men of all
sects or IF no sect are now coming to
as discoveries, The surprising thing
is that they could live as a sect while
the world was catching up with them,
forsake their cocoon of Journalism, and
at once adopt the changed methods and
conditions of very modern time.
Dress preserved Quakerism through
its barren middle stages, and the abo-
ltion of dress as a cult marks, its
renaissance. For two hundred years
after the advent Of George Foxs IA
nous leather breeches. the burden of
Quaker teaching is embodied i'm these
lines of Counsel to Friends children;
Dress not to please, nor initiate the
nice:
BE like good Friends, and follow their
advice.
The rich man, galy cloth'a is now in
hell,
And Dogges did eat attired Jezebel' -'
But in modern America there is little
, need of the severity that was just
o.. enough when men dressed more gaily
and ALPHABETICALLY than the most mod
ish woman of today. The Friends Of
today have nothing to object to in the
way men dress Neither do they find it
wise to put themselves in the same cat
egory with the Salvation Army by
making their-ow dress an outward
sign Of doctrines that are now common
enough among all decent people.
You have probably talked to Quakers
right here in Boston without knowing
t. it. They do not protest against the
q, heather names of the months. and
the days of the week by saying first
day" and first MONTH The old
phrases are still used officially, and in
some families. but only for sentiments
sake, and not because they are deemed
essential. Thee" and thou are no
longer a necessary protest against the
kingly plural OF old times although still
used in many cases. If you go to the
Friends Church in Townsend street
YOU will find a minister who bears the
burden of the preaching, and the pas
4, toral work for the congregation of LOO
persons; and you will hear the meeting
sing hymns. There are congregations
in some parts of the country where the
rites of baptism and the Lords supper
are used, much as in all Trnitarian
churches. The Quaker meeting of
fifty,vears ago is a thing almost entire
~ of the past. The Quakers them
selves are quite like folks.
The Five Year Meeting represents
the practical sense of some 5000 Or
thodox Friends. mostly of the middle
West. of which Indiana. the Quaker
Z
the result of three representative con-
ferences held by delegates from the
thirteen yearly meetings of this branch
of the society in 1883. 1892 and 1897. The
, last conference, through a committee,
prepared new discipline. or book oil
D.. regulations, which has been accepted
by eleven out of the thirteen yearly
meetings, And with this acceptance
nF
ing whose constitution, given in the
Discipline. provides for an Incorporated
board of foreign missions. an evangel-
istic and church extension board, ane
committees on education, legislation
philanthropy. work for the Indians and
the Negroes, and authority to work IN
the cause of peace and arbitration
Ohio and Philadelphia yearly meetings
have not yet adopted the new Disci'
pline-both meetings are somewhat
peculiar. Philadelphia is very conserv-
ative, and its isolation since the VIII
burite split some sixty years ago makes
1t slow to accept so marked departure
from old practice.
No creed appears i'm the Discipline;
none has ever been formally adopted
... by the Friends The fact explains
b.. some of their difficulties in the past and
& furnishes a way for the union OF VIVA
are now three distinct parties in the
b society. The Orthodox Friends .inciud-
3 ing the 5000 members of New England
RI Yearly Meeting have practically ths
same theology as the evangelical
churches modified by IA few doctrine.
common TO all sections of the Friends
" The nearest thing to Il creed is con
tanned in Fox's letter to the governor
ri Of asarbados-pract the Apostles
Greed OF the Church of England. Tbs
differences are7the discarding of all th'
established religious rites-baptism
the eucharist ard marriage by a priest
as al best needless. and the theory tina
1.-THE Holy Spirit directs the course of
every true believer. with greater or les:
fulness. This last doctrine, of indi-
Nidual inspiration does away with tn,
need of priests. puts men and womeI
on the footing of equality. and estab
hshes the pronounced democracy of th'
. society. t,t
The old SAYING that you can prove
anything out of the fsible.s' is as clear
n. l. !. y !.