USA > New York > Queens County > Flushing > Bi-centennial anniversary of New York Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends at Flushing, Long Island, 1695-1895 > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
West Lake Quarterly Meeting, Canada, comprising West Lake and Adolphus, Monthly Meetings, was organized before 1821.
30
Yonge Street Quarterly Meeting in Canada was organized before 1821, and comprised Pelham, Nor- wich and Yonge Street Monthly Meetings.
Friends in Canada were organized into a half-year's meeting early in the present century. By 1821 New - York Yearly Meeting comprised 12 Quarterly, 46 Monthly and 168. Preparative Meetings and meetings for public worship.
No mention is made of the appointment of Clerks to the Yearly Meeting until the year 1763, when Edward Burling was appointed. He served until 1774, when he proposed that the clerk be appointed annually, to be nominated by the representatives from the Quarterly Meetings.
George Bowne served in 1775.
Oliver Hull served in 1776.
Wm. Rickman served in 1777.
Oliver Hull served in 1778 and 1779.
Silas Downing served in 1780 to 1783 inclusive.
Edmund Prior served in 1784 to 1786
George Bowne served in 1787 to 1789 66
James Mott served in 1790 to 1792 66
George Bowne served in 1793 to 1797
Richard Mott served in 1798.
John Murray, Jr., served in 1799 to 1800.
Richard Mott served in 1801 to 1803 inclusive. John Murray, Jr., served in 1804 to 1806 "
Richard Mott served in 1807.
John Barrow served in 1808.
Richard Mott served in 1809 to 1816 inclusive.
Samuel Parsons served in 1817 to 1828, and after- wards in the Yearly Meeting to which he belonged until 1841.
The records of the Yearly Meeting and Monthly Meetings contain many entries of great interest, some of them upon subjects of much importance. The ear- liest general concern of Friends upon Long Island
31
seems to have been upon the use of tobacco, which the influence of their Dutch neighbors probably tended to increase. Under date of Eighth month 13th, 1685 we find the following : " This Meeting hath drawn up a paper concerning the disorderly smoking of tobacco, and have left the care of it to John Bowne, Wm. Rich- ardson and Francis Richardson, to see that copies of said paper be sent, according to the desire of Friends, to the Meeting of the neighboring Province, and said paper be recorded in a book." The neighboring prov- ince was New England, to whose Yearly Meeting, the meetings on Long Island then belonged. On the second page of the records of the Yearly Meeting of Friends for New England we find the following under the date of Fourth month 14th, 1686. " At a general Yearly Meeting at the house of Wm. Coddington, R. I. The several meetings, to wit : Sandwich, Scituate Salem, Piscataqua, Oyster Bay being called, the testi- mony of Friends at Oyster Bay against the immoderate use of tobacco being read in the meetings having unity with it, have agreed that copies of it be sent to the several meetings in New England, and all Friends are desired in the love of God everywhere to take heed of it." Friends steadily continued to oppose the use of tobacco. The Quarterly Meeting on Long Island recorded in 1774, " Friends are clear of chewing tobacco in meeting."
There are a great number of minutes encouraging the membership to observe moderation in their living, and warning them against " running into extravagance."
Friends early kept a careful record of their mar- riages. The first we find is under date of the 6th of Eighth month, 1663. " We whose names are here- under written are witnesses at the usual meeting-house of Andrew Wright, in Oyster Bay, and in the presence of the public assembly there gathered the day aforesaid, Samuel Andrews and Mary Wright intending marriage, and having given notice thereof before, did then and there according to the practice of the holy men of God,
32
take each other for man and wife, to live together in the fear of God so long as they shall live."
SAMUEL ANDREWS, MARY ANDREWS.
Witnesses :
JOHN UNDERHILL, HANNAH WRIGHT,
ELIZABETH UNDERHILL.
Friends have always exercised a care over their mem- bers in reference to improper marriages. At a Monthly Meeting at Flushing, First month 2d, 1699, " A com- mittee was appointed to visit Daniel Dean concerning his disorderly marriage." At the meeting in Fifth month "the committee reported that he would give satisfaction to Friends, and if he were to do it again, he would not do it." At a subsequent meeting the case was again considered, and the meeting thought that Daniel Dean had not given proper satisfaction in con- demnation of " his disorderly proceeding in going from Truth for a wife." Finally, in the following year, " he sent a paper acknowledging his error and default concerning his marriage, and that he hopes to be more careful on all occasions for the time to come. The which Friends do accept."
Young Friends were educated to exercise great care in reference to marriage. This is interestingly illus- trated in the following letter from Hannah Bowne, daughter of John Bowne, to her parents who were then in England : " And dear father and mother, I may also acquaint you, that one Benjamin Field, the youngest son of our friend Susanna Fieid, has tendered his love to me, the question he has indeed proposed is concerning marriage, the which as yet I have not at present rejected, nor given much way to, nor do I in- tend to proceed, nor let out my affections too much toward him until I have well considered the thing, and have your and friends' advice and consent concerning it." Benjamin Field and Hannah Bowne were married in due time.
33
Friends everywhere took an early stand against slavery. Their position concerning it was one of gradual development. At first Friends upon Long Island held slaves without objection, the meeting some- times assisting members in their purchase. On the 14th of Eighth month, 1684, this record was made. " At our half-year meeting at Matinecock, the neces- sity of John Adams being laid before this meeting for their consideration and assistance for some speedy sup- ply for part of the payment for a negro man that he hath lately bought, the meeting appoints and desires John Bowne to take care in behalf of the meeting to procure a sum of money on as cheap terms as he can for the supply as aforesaid, and the meeting engage to reimburse him."
For many years inquiries were made as to the condi- tion of slaves held by Friends. Some Friends even engaged in the slave trade, as is shown by the follow- ing record made 5th of Ninth month 1765. "Samuel Underhill, of New York, is concerned in importing negroes from their native country. A committee was appointed to treat with him, who produce to the meeting his condemnation as follows : To the Monthly Meeting of Friends at Flushing : Whereas, I have some time past, contrary to Friends' principles, been concerned in the importation of negroes from Africa, which has caused some uneasiness in my mind, I think I can now say I am sorry I ever had any concern in that trade, and hope in the future I shall conduct myself more agreeably to Friends' principles in all such matters. I am, Friends, etc., Samuel Underhill, New York, Nov. 6th, 1765." The Monthly Meeting at Flushing, 26th of First month, 1774 recorded, " John Whitson sold a negro man, and the meeting think he should return the money to the purchaser. As he re- fuses, he is disowned." Same meeting, Tenth month 10th, 1775. " Chas. Doughty sold a negro and justifies himself therein. He is disowned." On 2d of Fifth month, 1776, the Monthly Meeting at Flushing recorded : " The Committee on negroes report that
34
many Friends have them, but seem disposed to free them. Some have manumitted them, and instruct their children in necessary learning. Some justify their bondage. The Committee is to labor with Friends who keep these poor people in bondage, in the ability that truth may afford, for their release, and if insensible. then Friends can have no unity with them so far as to accept their services in the church or receive their col- lections. No Friend shall hire any negro held in bondage, neither take any negro or other slave that is not set free when of age, nor do any act acknowledging the rights of slavery." When the Friends freed their negroes they continued to care for their religious wel- fare as well as their education. At the Monthly Meet- ing held at Flushing, Fifth month, 1784, "Four meetings were appointed especially for negroes at West- bury, Cow Neck, Matinecock and Bethphage." Re- ports from these meetings were received from time to time, and were very satisfactory. Six years after, in 1790, the record says, " The matter of appointing a committee to hold meetings for the black people came weightily before the meeting." On the 2d of Fifth month, 1767, Purchase Quarterly Meeting asked the Yearly Meeting to consider the following proposition : " If it is not consistent with Christianity to buy and sell our fellow-men for slaves during their lives and their posterity after them, then whether it is consistent with a Christian spirit to keep them in slavery that we have already in possession by purchase. gift or any other ways." It was decided that Friends could not hold slaves or deal in them. This was twenty years before Wilberforce took his first step in England against the slave trade. Soon afterwards Monthly Meetings were instructed to appoint committees to ad- vise and assist Friends in the manumission of their slaves. The subject received constant attention, and slaves were rapidly liberated. Committees reported from time to time, and the minutes record encouraging
progress, "to the satisfaction of the meeting." In 1778 the following minute was placed upon record:
1667548
35
" The matter respecting those Friends that continue to hold slaves, being now taken under consideration, it is the judgment of the meeting that such Friends as still refuse to frce them, ought to be dealt with as disorderly members." Monthly Mcetings proceeded to disown such members. But the conscience of Friends did not allow them to rest here. They felt that the liberated slaves should be reimbursed for past services, and in 1781 Monthly Mectings were directed "to appoint a number of solid, judicious Friends as a committee to perform a visit to such Friends who have set their ne- groes free, and inspect into the circumstances of such negroes, and afford them such advice both with respect to their spiritual and their temporal good as they may be enabled to do, and also endeavor to find what in justice may be donc to such negrocs as may have spent the prime of their lives in the service of their masters." They were authorized to determine the amount so due when the late masters were willing to leave it to the judgment of the Committee. They were also directed to see that provision was made for the proper educa- tion of the negro youth. Reports were made from time to time of the progress of this work until in 1784 it was recorded : "It appears from the reports of the Monthly Meetings, that they have attended to the set- tlement between the Friends who have set negroes free and the negrocs so set free, and they find that such set- tlement hath been generally made where it was neces- sary." A few exceptions were individually named and these persons were duly dealt with. Thus we find that in the year when American independence was acknowl- edged by Great Britain, the Friends of New York Yearly Meeting had forever cleared themselves of hu- man slavery.
The records give many accounts of the sufferings of Friends from the first occupation of New York by the English until after the Revolutionary war because of their refusal to perform military service, but this sub- ject is too extended for treatment at this time. It is particularly noticeable that Friends were not allowed to
36
elude the military officers, nor to receive pay for property taken for the use of the arnfy, nor to purchase confiscated property.
In 1757 the Yearly Meeting referred to the Monthly Meetings a proposition for uniting the Yearly Meeting held on Long Island with that held in Philadelphia. The Monthly Meetings without exception reported that they deemed it best "to let it remain as it is for the present."
In 1771 the Yearly Meeting directed that £100 be raised and " paid to Samuel Bowne, merchant in New York, to be by him transmitted to the Meeting for Sufferings in London to defray the public expenses of the Society." Flushing Quarterly Meeting raised £60 of this sum, and Purchase Quarterly Meeting £40. Money was raised for the same purpose in other years.
There seems to be no means of ascertaining the number of Friends in the Yearly Meeting prior to the present century.
A feeling was long potent in the Society that the numbering of the people would be vanity, or in some way sinful. From the number of marriages recorded the number of members upon Long Island and in Westchester Connty must have been very great. Upon Long Island whole communities were composed almost entirely of Friends, and some considerable sections contained few other residents.
Not only were there no records of the number of the members kept, but the number who joined the Society by request was not stated for very many years. The records make frequent mention of additions to mem- bership in such words as, " Divers here joined the Society," or, " A goodly number now joined the Meet- ing."
The period of the rise and rapid growth of the Society of Friends in England, and its establishment in America, was marked by great religious zeal, by an enthusiastic devotion to truth and by a sincere, conse- crated service in spreading the knowledge of the truth among mankind. It could hardly be expected that
37
these would continue in their early strength and vigor. But time did more than merely weaken 'the forces that had been so efficatious in their operation. The points in which Friends differed from other Christians were distinctly marked in their character, and this caused them to be regarded as a pecular people by others, and to so regard themselves. They gradually magnified the importance of these peculiarities until they became matters of pride, and Friends came to regard their membership in the Society as something that guaranteed
a superiority to others. Under the almost complete religious liberty of England and America, persecution and oppression had ceased, and there were no assaults from without to compact the body and weld it into homogeneousness. Under these circumstances inevitable dissensions appeared. Some differences in doctrinal views had existed in the Society from the beginning. People came to George Fox from every denomination, agreeing upon certain distinct doctrines, but differing upon others according to their previous training or association. So long as they were busy in active work for others these differences lay dormant, and all were eager in displaying and carrying forward their banner for the truth's sake. When this aggressive work ceased and their hands were idle they had both the time and the inclination to criticize one another, and to seek out their disagreements. In the writings of some of the prominent early Friends we find a marked diversity of views in regard to the person and offices of Jesus Christ. At the beginning of the present century these views were brought into general discussion. There seems to have been a lamentable deficiency in scriptural instruction both among the membership and in the general public. The conditions were favorable for strife and dissension. Parties were formed, and much bitterness of feeling was manifested. At length, in the year 1828, further unity had become impossible, and the separation which had taken place in Philadelphia in the previous year was consummated in New York. Since that date two bodies of Friends have existed side by side, each claim-
38
ing to be the true successor of the original organiza- tion, and each using without distinction the original name. Under all the circumstances it is remarkable that the two have got on as peacefully as they have. Very wisely all discussion ceased after the separation occurred. It took long years for each to recover from the shock of the disastrous event. As this recovery took place each body has pursued its own course, has worked upon the lines of its own principles, and we can thankfully believe, has been enabled to accomplish some good for the church and the world. We can indeed rejoice that animosity is now a thing of the past, and that this day, the first in sixty-seven years, brings us together upon common ground to commemo- rate the faithful labors of our common ancestry.
..
1
5.31
39
THE POSITION OF WOMEN IN THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS.
MARIANNA W. CHAPMAN.
Ix speaking of the position of women in the Society of Friends very simple statements will cover the ground, but they are statements which involve a great principle. While we are not here to glorify George Fox, and be- lieve that the end of wisdom rests in no man, yet inso- much as he believed in the God incarnate in his own soul as a revelation more commanding to him than any knowledge asserted of men, so much did he rise head and shoulders above the men around him ; and when he declared that the same spirit moved and directed and must be obeved in the hearts of women, one can realize better his advanced position. It was an age of war and strife,-an age when men thanked God because they had been able to kill so many people, and prayed that they might be made victorious over more. They sung Hosannas to the Highest, peace on earth and good will to men, but found nowhere a man to stand for it,-this universal brotherhood and sisterhood, which is the church of Christ. It was only in this kingdom that womanhood could have its chance, never where might was right. Every great need in the world's history brings forth its man, and we may better realize the startling effect of George Fox's position when we re- member that he attained his majority amidst the public disorders of the reign of Charles the First, and was cog- nizant of the bloody slaughter which preceded the protectorate of Cromwell.
It is, however, in respect to the influence of his position upon the destiny of women, that we are to look at its importance and its results. To-day girls who have been born in the Society of Friends recognize with surprise as they grow older the disabilities of women
40
in other religious denominations. There has been no bar before their doors, no conscious restraint that did not extend to men and women alike. Their fathers never established a school for boys and none for girls. From the first, Friends insisted upon universal educa- cation, "and inquired monthly in both business meet- ings of men and women, whether the children under the care of Society were instructed in such knowledge as would fit them for business." If not, it was a mat- ter for immediate concern.
As early as somewhere between 1650 and 1670, a Friend named Christopher Taylor opened a boarding school at Waltham Abbey, in Essex, for boys and girls, afterward at Edmonton. He came to Pennsylvania in 1683, but whether or not he continued his educational calling, I have not been able to learn.
It was a striking departure from worldly ways (or Bible ways, endorsed by Paul) to leave out the promise of obedience from the marriage service, and doubtless there were those who foretold dire disasters from such heretical proceeding ; but we who are their posterity have yet to learn of any dreadful misfortune that befell on account of that omission. Not the less were these women Friends loving wives and tender mothers : and as early as 1655 we find records of women preachers. They were joint workers and sufferers with their brethren. This was only about six years after George Fox himself appeared in the ministry. Elizabeth Hooten is said to have been the first, and she died at an advanced age while on a religious visit to the West Indies in 1671. Their business meetings did not begin as early as those of men, which appear to have originated in the desire to relieve the sufferings caused by religious persecution ; but as the object of these meetings broadened, it was soon found needful to have workers from the whole household. Our early Friends were little disturbed by lack of precedent. Lucretia Mott was not the first to say, "Truth for authority, not authority for truth." In an early book of Epistles from London Yearly Meeting, there is, in one
41
dated the 3d of Fourth month, 1691, a recommenda- tion to the Quarterly and Monthly meetings, "that you do encourage the faithful women's meetings and the settling them where they are wanting and may with convenience be settled, knowing their service, and what need there is also of their godly care in the church of Christ in divers weighty respects proper to them." These epistles begin in the volume with the date of 1675, and are addressed Dearly beloved Brethren until the date of 1707, where we find at the close, " And now, our dear and well-beloved Friends, brethren and sisters," though I think correspondence was for many years confined to the men's meeting, probably because the education of the women, who were co-labor- ers, was not equal to as good letter-writing ; or possibly it was not considered necessary by the women them- selves. In the epistle of 1707 above referred to, there is this mention, "Our Women's Meetings being set up and approved in the love of God, and by his wisdom and power, and of manifest service and helpful in the church ; it is the earnest desire and advice of this meeting that they be upheld and encouraged where they are settled by monthly and quarterly meetings : and that in such counties where they are not, it be the care of the Quarterly meeting to endeavor they may be set up and encouraged in proper and convenient places where they may be most serviceable and helpful." This was the chivalry for which the world had waited. Do not let us assume that it was even then wholly new in thought, for it was as old as Plato's Republic, but here were the first men who stood for it. All honor to their steadfast faith ! It was the opening of a hitherto unsuspected fountain. Shall we not say truly-
The fountains they opened still gush by the way, And the world for their healing is better to-day.
In the United States we can positively date the ex- istence of women's meetings as far back as 1683, when a letter written to Great Britain from Pennsylvania says : " There be three monthly meetings of men and women
42
for truth's service : in the county of Chester one, in the county of Philadelphia another, in the county of Bucks another, and we intend a Yearly Meeting in Third month next."
The first notice of women Friends in New York that I have been able to find is that of the landing of Mary Weatherhead, Dorothy Waugh and Sarah Gibbons at New Amsterdam on the 6th of First month, 1657. Mary Weatherhead and Dorothy Waugh under a feel- ing of religious duty went into the streets and publicly exhorted the people. The magistrates committed them to filthy prisons, and finally banished them to Rhode Island, which Peter Stuyvesant said was a " most fitting abode for Quaker heretics." Such a brave little state was Rhode Island! Sarah Gibbons seems to have gone to Long Island, where she was also persecuted. This offence, in relation to women, is recorded of Gravesend : " Whereas John Tilton, residing at Gravesend, now under arrest, has dared to provide a Quaker woman with lodging ; so, too, some other persons of the adher- ents belonging to the abominable sect of Quakers, which is directly contrary to the placards of the director-gen- eral and council of New Netherlands, and, therefore, as an example to others ought to be severely punished."
Gravesend has another distinction in the " commit- ment " of the Countess of Mordee, who had professed with the Puritans, and is termed " a noble lady." The meetings at Gravesend were held in her house, and Creose says she " managed it with that prudence and observance of time and place as gave no offence to any stranger or person of another religion, and so she and her people remained free from all molestation and dis- turbance."
One cannot help wondering whether there might not have been an extension of this rare wisdom with benefit.
Another entry says : " In 1659 came Mary Dyer to Long Island, and several brave meetings we had together and the Lord's power and presence was with us gloriously." . Jane Haskins, of London, speaks quaintly of a visit to Long Island in 1756. After a meeting
43
with New York Friends she says : " In company with several of them we went to Long Island and attended the Yearly Meeting at Flushing. This meeting was large and favored with Divine authority from day to day ; the people behaved with commendable stillness and quiet, and many Friends remarked it to be more so than usual at some times, the Lord manifesting His power through poor weak instruments." In a later visit to Long Island she was seized, she says, " in a very uncommon manner," and her " understanding clouded," and was taken to Flushing to be most kindly cared for. She is recorded as an excellent preacher.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.