The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-09-27

The writer of this article is not an
officer in any church. He writes not as
a Quaker, but as one whose father was
he being schooled with the Methodist. he
has always been a great admrer OF the
dignified and stately Quaker OF the old
time, and his long acquaintance with
their methods and membership IN North
Carolina and elsewhere, qualities him TO
write an article concerning Them
In some sections of the country the
Quaker and the Dunkard are thought to
be the same, but they are entirely sh1-
ferent denominations. Sometimes they
are called Friends-a name some like,
but they will always be better known by
the word, Quaker.
In life they are like the Moravians IN
their retired and quiet demeanor. and IN
the fact that they do little to prosellte,
or enlarge their membership and pow
er. Their object and mission IN the world
seems to have been to sow the good SEED,
and nurture it, and let the harvest be
reaped by others, and thus the church
has passed down through the more than
two centuries i'm this State WITHOUT
noise, and without any great CLAIMS, ana
yet the whole State, and even TINS entire
nation owes much to this little factor
known as the Quaker.
AS early as 1872 these people were
coming from New England, Pennsylvania,
and from Europe, and settling IN tAe
eastern part of this State, and 1t Is
said with a good Deal of authority, that
this was the first religious or
ganization formed in the Caro-
linas. Their numbers rapidly IN
creased by immigration and convince
ment, and few years later one ct their
number, John Achdale, became governor
OF the province. His administration was
so liberal and popular, and his interest
in the welfare of the people so marked,
that large numbers of people from abroad
came into the province, and impressions
were made in North Carolina which did
much to give us the religious and civil
liberty which we enjoy today, and to
mould the sturdy character for which
North Carolinians are noted.
Along with this influx of population
came the Baptist, the Methodist and the
Presbyterian, with their admirable meth
DDS, of organization, and the Quaker be-
gan to lose in numbers on account of
the stringency of their discipline and
their views concerning slavery. They
disowned a member, if he in any way
catered to slavery, or if he took oath
and kissed the Bible in court, or if he
married without consent of the church,
o. did not marry a church member, or if
he manufactured spurious liquors, or used
them as a beverage. They discouraged
their members from holding office, be
longing to a military company, or prac-
ticing law, believing the environment of
these occupations and the temptations in
cident to them prejudicial to the spirit
ual life of the individual. Purity of life
and correct living was the only aim of
the society, and hence they avoided world
ly display in dress and manners.
These strict rules of discipline finally
became uninviting to the masses, all
concluded them to be the proper thing,
but few felt willing to abide by its rul-
ings, hence the church ceased TO grow
in membership, and the popularity, of
slavery in the South made that few
see that this was not the land congenial