Year: 1876




interesting in this community where the
society has held so honorable a place.
There have been indications elewhere of
late years that Friends who believe that
would have to put themselves moro deci
dedly in the line with the spirit of the age
1t is true that it was this very spirit which
the early Quakers sought most to combat,
but the life of this period is widely differ
ent from that which called forth the pro-
test of Fox and his followers against the
social cruelty and licentiousness of a for
mer time. The world has grown better,
and there is not the same reason for exclu-
siveness that there was in the days of
Barclay and Penn. Another point is that
while the early Friends protested against
fashion and social forms, they straightway
environed themselves in system of
Journalism at least as rigid if not as objec-
tionable, as any of those from which they
had withdrawn. This resulted, when the
growing spirit of a better day reformed
society, in leaving Friends in an eccentric
prominence, which the founders in their
desire to live modest and unobtrusive
lives certainly never desired. There being
no longer any refusal to admit the sanctity
Of conscience, and the right of men to
worship as they pleased the distinctive
ground Of Quakerism was measurably taken
away, leaving the forms which were tena-
ciously adhered to standing out in undue
relief. Yet again, Friends made no at
tempt to proselyte, their whole increase
coming from "birthright," or those born
into the society of Quaker parents-this
element being nearly offset by the discard
ing, until a recent period, of members who
married outside the pa!e of the society.
The result of all has been to greatly dimin-
ish the strength Of the Church. Calcula-
tiOns made by an English paper prove that
more interments have been made in a
single burial ground belonging to the
| Friends in London than the whole body OF
| Quakers in Great Britain now amount to
and that the society in England to-day is
less than onefourth az strong as it was in
the days of George Fox. But it is gratifying
to be able to note another and more favor
! able side to the picture. Form is giving
way, and the Emission meetings organized
| by Friends in the English manufacturing
towns, and at other points, are having the
most wonderful results. In doing this
work the Church has had no direct inten
ton of increasing its membership, but
thousands of persons now depend upon the
society in their spiritual need, and the
effect is Of course to make them Friends in
spirit, even if they do not use the "plain'
dress and language. At these mission,
the Bible is read and hymns are sung, and
there is no great difference, in most Of the
methods Of conducting worship, between
them and meetings of other dssenter,
from the Established Church The Sun
day,schools are greatly successful, and a.
readers generally are aware, are being
extensively introduced in the United
States. Now the facts here given are
| certainly ol mucn slgnllcance' Inc Eng
lish Friends relinquish more of their mos
vital testimonies-those concerning til,
power of the Spirit, the opposition to sla
very, war, intemperance, paid ministry
and the like, but they find it possible il
these days to conform to all that was essen
tial in their early declaration of principles
and yet take an even part with other mel
in the worlds work. There is no doub
but the same show of concession woulC
have an equal result everywhere, and ther,
will be an earnest hope that the society il
this country may use all the new helps t.
perpetuate its strength and usefulness
Evening Telegraph.