USA > Ohio > Miami County > West Milton > Centennial anniversary of West Branch Monthly Meeting of Friends, 1807-1907 > Part 8
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2. Western Yearly Meeting set off from Indiana Yearly Meeting was opened at Plainfield, Indiana, in Ninth Mo., 1858, composed of five Quarterly Meet- ings, Blue River, 1818, White Lick, 1831, Blooming- dale, 1836, Union, 1849, and Thorntown, 1852. It now has sixteen Quarterly Meetings and 15,709 mem- bers.
3. Iowa Yearly Meeting, set off from Indiana Yearly Meeting, was opened at Oskaloosa, Iowa, Ninth Mo., 10th, 1863, composed of five Quarterly Meetings, Salem, 1848, Pleasant Plain, 1854. It now has twen- ty Quarterly Meetings and 11,090 members.
4. Kansas Yearly Meeting set off from Indiana Yearly Meeting, was opened at Lawrence, Kansas, in Tenth Mo., 1872, composed of four Quarterly Meet- ings, Springdale, 1862, Cottonwood, 1868, Spring Riv- er, 1869, and Hesper, 1870, and about 2,500 members. It now has fifteen Quarterly Meetings and 11,249 members.
5. Oregon Yearly Meeting, set off from Iowa Year- ly Meeting, was opened in 1893 at Newberg, Oregon, with two Quarterly Meetings, Newberg and Salem. It now has three Quarterly Meetings, Newberg with six Monthly Meetings, Salem with five and Boise Valley, Idaho, established last year, with four. This Yearly Meeting has 1890 members.
6. California Yearly Meeting, set off from Iowa Yearly Meeting, was opened at Whittier, California, 1895, with two Quarterly Meetings, Pasadena and Whittier. It now has three Quarterly Meetings, Pasa- dena with 948 members, Whittier with 1270 and Berke- ley with 396 and in Alaska, 1100, making 3714 mem- bers.
A very important branch of work, the educational. carried on at West Branch in the early day deserves a brief notice. Schools and academies suited to the wants of the new meetings established, received en- couragement from the zeal and success of educational work done at West Branch. And schools and the
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cause of education have prospered and increased till now there are numerous academies of high standing, and fine, well established colleges in the six Yearly Meetings west of the great Miami River. There is Earlham College, Richmond, Ind., for Indiana and western Yearly Meetings; Penn College, Oskaloosa, Iowa, for Iowa Yearly Meeting; Friends University, Wichita, Kansas, for Kansas Yearly Meeting; Pacific College, Newberg, Oregon, for Oregon Yearly Meet- ing, and Whittier College, Whittier, California, for California Yearly Meeting. And even the Friends of the new Yearly Meeting to be, in Nebraska, already have their Central City College, at Central City, Neb
The foregoing furnishes an outline of the develop- ment and expansion, that has taken place in the So- ciety of Friends, west of the Great Miama River, in the one hundred years that have passed since the open- ing of West Branch Monthly Meeting. There is no one of the Yearly Meetings established west of us, and but few, if any, of the near three score Quarterly Meetings composing them, but have in them members descended from some who have been identified with West Branch Monthly Meeting in its early days. And thus the influence of this meeting has been a factor, small though it be, in the various branches springing from it, in bringing about what has been accomplished. Let us thank our Heavenly Father for His favors and blessings in the past and seek a continuation of them by ourselves becoming willing and glad co-laborers with Him in His great work in the world.
POEM. A RECORD ACCEPTABLE ALLEN C. MCDONALD, DAYTON, OHIO.
God knoweth the hearts of the children of men, Each thought is recorded by the Divine pen ; Church Pharisaism, irreligion and strife
Will all be revealed in the great Book of Life.
"Tis not they who boast of their own righteousness, Or broadest phylacteries seek to possess,
The choicest of mansions shall be given above, Indeed should they e'er reach that haven of Love.
But those meek and lowly, the true and the pure, The trials of life who with patience endure, In spirit and truth who have worshipped their Lord Shall wear the bright crown of glorious reward.
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When Gabriel shall trump at the last great day, And peoples of earth to God's throne wend their way, -- The sifting shall come 'twixt the dark and the light,- The goats to the left and the sheep to the right.
O, where shall the sect and the schism then be found, And creeds of religion that much did abound- Denominations so-called, with diverse views, That charity for others oft did abuse?
Will the church fall short 'mid division and class, Or through the pearly gates be granted free pass? If entrance be given, what the order and place Of religious sects in the region of grace ?
Will some be assigned near the throne of the King, Where close at His feet they may joyously sing, Whilst others will be sent to more distant parts That poor records show in reaching human hearts?
Those organizations that follow strict form, Whose pews are well filled both in winter and storm, Whose service throughout, both in speaking and prayer, Is taken from rituals-they will be where?
Will the Great Ruler as He looks down the line Judge sects by the spiritual lights that may shine? Will doctrine and creed, ceremony and rite Have weight in rewarding the children of light?
If such be the case, where the Quakers who quake With fear at the wrath that will sure overtake The sinner unsaved-ay, Society of Friends- What will their state be when the Judgment descends ?
What were their beliefs and their record for good, In battle for Right on what ground have they stood? O, Judge of the world, pray a moment take heed Before Thou these Friends givst their measure of meed.
In times of religious crises among men, When formalism ev'rywhere prevailed, 'twas then The Society of Friends, through one George Fox, Was brought into being, with views orthodox.
Its founder believed this new Society By manner of life of its members should be Distinguished from all other sects of mankind, Devoted to good, but to wickedness blind.
In plainness of language as well as of dress They counted simplicity for righteousness ; Display of all kinds they carefully eschewed, As well as behavior unseemly or rude.
In doctrine religious-if doctrine they had- They held quite aloof from innovation and fad; Followed the teachings of the low Nazarene, And trusted their lives to the Power Unseen.
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In meetings for worship, their hearts were attuned To list to the Spirit, with whom they communed In silent devotion, till the still, small voice Led to outward prayer or in praise to rejoice.
All ordinances in a spiritu'l sense They viewed with conviction sincere and intense,- Baptism, Lord's Supper, ev'ry one ;- age and youth All strove God to worship in spirit and truth.
Contention and discord they taught to abhor, And strongly condemned all occasion for war; They preached peace on earth and good will to all men,- The Golden Rule standard,-again and again.
Ill speaking of others, deceit, words profane, And use of strong drinks were denounced with disdain; To help the distressed was one of their commands, And rescue the heathen in far distant lands.
In fear of the Lord, in submission of heart, A righteous influence they sought to impart; Possessed all the graces of true Christian love, And justly walked before their Father above.
Their great Church structure, firmly built on the Rock, 'Gainst tempests of evil withstood shock and knock; In size, strength and beauty, the passing of time Its grandeur increased to proportions sublime.
Such was the record announced of the Friends- Like unto a blessing whose goodness ne'er ends ;- A record of service, of accomplishment ; The world has been bettered-glorious event !
"Well done, faithful servants," spake the Judge on the Throne; "You've fought a good fight, true faith you have shown; My laws as laid down in the Scriptures you've kept, The forces of sin from your pathway you've swept,"
"Go forth and enjoy blissful mansions of rest; Your record entitles that you have the best. No part of my kingdom from you I'll withhold- I'll place you over fine palaces of gold."
So they who believed in the spiritual birth, And served God in spirit and truth on the earth; Whose lives were devoted to cause of the Right Were most rewarded in the Kingdom of Light.
But 'tis not alone to the Friends to receive The richest reward, but all who believe- All sects of religion, whate'er be the name, That save lost mankind shall reward have the same.
And let us remember not in group or throng We'll pass to the portals of seraphic song; But each must be judged by his works here below, And thus will determine his weal or his woe,
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And though our names may on the church book appear, Church membership only will not suffice here; Those who serve the Christ-in His footsteps have trod- Alone shall be crowned at the right hand of God.
FRIENDS' AND WOMEN'S MINISTRY. BY DAISY BARR, FAIRMOUNT, INDIANA.
In studying this subject, I find that the Ministry and Worship of Friends are so closely united, that we can hardly consider one without considering both. The great difference between our ministry and other denominations is largely based upon the difference in our form of worship.
ON WORSHIP.
As the Lord Jesus declared, "Without Me ye can do nothing," the Society of Friends holds the doctrine, that man can do nothing that tends to the Glory of God and his own salvation, without the immediate assist- ance of the Spirit of Christ; and that this aid is es- pecially necessary in the performance of the highest act of which he is capable, even the worship of the Al- mighty. This worship must be in spirit and in truth ; an intercourse between the soul and its great Creator, which is not dependent upon or necessarily connected with anything which one man can do for another.
It is the practice therefore of the Society to sit down in solemn silence to worship God; that each one may be engaged to gather inward the gift of divine grace, in order to experience ability reverently to wait upon the Father of Spirits, and to offer unto Him through Christ Jesus, our holy Mediator, a sacrifice well pleas- ing in His sight, whether it be in silent mental adora- tion, the secret breathing of the soul unto Him, the pub- lic ministry of the gospel, or vocal prayer or thanks- giving. These that are thus gathered, are the true worshippers, "Who worships God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."
"OF THE MINISTRY OF THE GOSPEL."
In relation to the ministry of the Gospel, the Society of Friends hold that the authority and qualification for this important work are the special gift of Christ Jesus, the great head of the church, bestowed upon both men and women, without distinction of rank, talent, or learning. This gift must be received immediately from
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Him, through the revelation of his Spirit in the heart ; agreeably to the declaration of the Apostle; "He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangel- ists, and some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." "To another the word of knowledge, by the same spirit ; to another faith, to another the gifts of healing, to another the work- ing of miracles, to another prophecy, to another dis- cerning of spirits, to another divers kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues, but all these worketh that one and the self-same spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."
"If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth : that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ."
View the command of our Saviour, "Freely ye have received, freely give," as of lasting obligation upon all his ministers, the Society of Friends has, from the first, steadfastly maintained the doctrine that the Gos- pel is to be preached without money and without price, and has borne a constant and faithful testimony, through much suffering, against a man-made hireling ministry, which derives its qualification and authority from human learning and ordination ; which does not recognize a direct divine call to this solemn work, or acknowledge its dependence, for the performance of it, upon the renewed motions and assistance of the Holy Spirit.
Friends have a free ministry in many distinct ways. First : It's exercise is not based on any outward attain- ment, nor is it given to us by the cloak of our fathers falling on us.
This being true, it has restrained us from the use of any ceremonies. For the man, who through grace is become truly spiritual, hath no need of ceremonies or outward means to depend upon, but finds himself to rely on the inward divine grace, and to depend upon God alone, walking continually in reverential watchful- ness before him, and so keeping to the immediate teachings of Christ in his heart, he approaches with boldness to the throne of grace, and with a full as- surance of faith, arises to declare the counsel of God.
It is usual among early Friends when they meet together in their religious assemblies, to spend some time in a devout silence and retiredness of mind, in-
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wardly praying with pure breathings to God, which they generally call waiting upon the Lord; and if un- der this spiritual exercise any one feels himself stirred up of God to speak something by way of doctrine or exhortation, he doth so, and sometimes more than one, but orderly, one after another. And that this was usual in the primitive apostolical church, appears from what Paul saith, "If anything be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace : for ye may all prophesy one by one," and what prophesying signi- fieth under the new covenant, the apostle himself ex- plains with these words, he that prophesieth, edifieth the church." Yet let none think this liberty of speak- ing to be so unlimited, that everybody that can say something, may freely do so in the congregation: for he that will speak there, must also by all means be of a good, and honest, and holy life, and sound in doc- trine ; and if in process of time he finds in himself a concern from the Lord to travel in the ministry, and desires a certificate of his soundness in doctrine and or- derly life, he may have it from the congregation where he resides.
Fox, Barkley and many others have written on this subject in a large measure. Let us refer to Barkley- "For, while the pure learning of the spirit of truth is despised and neglected, and made ineffectual, man's fallen earthly wisdom is upheld; and so in that he la- bours and works with the scriptures, being out of the life and spirit which those that wrote them were in, by which only they are rightly understood, and made use of. And so he that is to be a minister, must learn this art or trade of merchandizing with the scriptures, and be that which the apostle would not be, to wit, a trader with them, 2 Cor. ii. 17. That he may acquire a knack from a verse of scripture, by adding his own barren notions and conceptions to it, and his uncer- tain conjectures, and what he hath stolen out of books ; for which end he must have of necessity a good many by him, and may each Sabbath day, as they call it, or oftener, make a discourse for an hour long ; and this is called the preaching of the word: whereas the gift, grace, and Spirit of God, to teach, open, and instruct and to preach a word in season, is neglected ; and so man's arts and parts, and knowledge, and wisdom, which is from below, are set up and established in the temple of God, yea, and above the little seed ; which in effect is Antichrist, working in the mystery. And
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so the devil may be as good and able a minister as the best of them; for he has better skill in languages, and more logic, philosophy and school-divinity, than any of them; and knows in the notion better than they all, and can talk more eloquently than all those preachers.
"The one essential qualification for the Gospel Min- istry is .Baptism of the Spirit,' second, 'Our ministry is open to all.' In considering the church of worship and true ministry, it is very easy to see how the way has been open for women.'
The question has often been put to Friends from the day of Fox, (who wrote the interesting letter on this subject to the Duke of Holstein, setting forth the scriptural reason for "women's ministry").
Up to this day, the question has been asked, "Can Friends give Scriptural reason for women's ministry ?" Shall we look into the Scripture to answer this ques- tion ?
Aaron's sister sang the songs of Moses and led the women.
We mention also Hannah and Huldah, also Deborah, who was a judge and Isaiah's wife, who was a proph- etess.
These are of the old Testament. Among the early ministers of the Gospel's dispensation was the four daughters of Philip, who both prophesied and preached. Priscilla, the wife of Aquilla, of whom all the churches gave thanks, and to whom the Apostle Paul called his helper and fellow-laborer in Christ.
Upon other occasions, Paul spoke of the women who labored with him in the Gospel. We also have the account in history on the great day of Pentecost, when the spirit was poured out upon the people so abundantly, that there were women there. The Word says that they were all filled with the HOLY GHOST, and spake as the spirit gave them utterance. That also for the remarkable prophesy of Joel, who says, "In the last day, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, the daughters as well as the sons, and the hand- maiden as well as the servant shall receive the heaven- ly Gift and prophecy."
I now quote from John Gurney; upon that often re- markable passage from Paul's epistle to the Corin- thians "Let your women keep silent in church." "Now. on the comparison of these injunctions with the oth- er passages of Scripture already cited, and especially with the prophecy of Joel, and the history of its fulfil-
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ment, the interpreter of the sacred volume appears to be driven into one of two decisions; the first, that the apostles and prophets, whose works must be ultimately traced to the same divine author, have contradicted one another ; and this on a point of considerable practical importance; the second, that the public speaking of women, so positively forbidden by Paul, was not that description of speaking which was prompted by the im- mediate impulses of the Holy Spirit."
When we stop to consider the influence of women ministers in our church we stand amazed at our sis- ter denominations, who through their heathen preju- dice have shorn themselves of this great blessing. That the apostolic church made the ministry free to both male and female is clear to our minds without the least doubt.
In spite of the often asked question by outsiders, why Jesus did not choose a woman for one of the twelve, also why the record of their labors was not given in full as those of Peter, John. Philip and Paul. In the first instant, we must remember the peculiar hardships involved in their mode of living, the in- delicacy in which it would have involved a woman, these are sufficient reasons. In the second objection, when we remember that more than one-half of the apostles named are not mentioned after the day of Pentecost, yet we do not doubt that they were diligent- ly employed in preaching and spreading the Gospel. We must also remember that woman was the last to leave the cross, and the first to the tomb; the first to bear the good news of the resurrection. "Go to my brother," said the Lord, "and tell them that I ascend unto my father and unto your father."
This first resurrection sermon was said to have as- tonished the apostles. The women were sent directly by Christ Jesus himself. The sensitive, love and ten- der nature of women especially fits them to become ministers of the Gospel of Jesus.
When we go back to the early history of the Friends, we cannot help but look with admiration upon the holy women who wonderfully gave their lives to the spread- ing of the Quaker message.
We look with interest upon the life of Mary Dyer, and those who did the early work in prison reform and family visiting, among them was Elizabeth Fry, of England. Sibyl Jones visited Ireland, Norway, Ger-
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many, Switzerland, Syria and Palestine in the love of the Gospel.
(The remainder of this address was not submitted for publication.)
THE FRIENDS AND PEACE.
BY CYRUS W. HODGIN, PROFESSOR OF HISTORY, EARL- HAM COLLEGE, RICHMOND, INDIANA.
The first peace society was the Christian Church. The fundamental provision of its constitution was pro- vided in the command "Thou shalt not kill." The coming of the founder of that society was foretold by Isaiah, and the splendid results of its working were set forth by the same prophet, and the advent of the Prince of Peace was heralded by the angels in their ecstatic song of "Peace on Earth and Good Will to Men."
The calling together of the twelve original disciples of the Prince of Peace, constituted the first organiza- tion of the first peace society on earth. The Head of this society, not only taught his followers the princi- ples of love and justice, but He illustrated in His life the power of these principles in practice, and when one of the twelve drew a sword in defense of the Master, he was rebuked, and told to put up his sword, "for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword."
After the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension, the little peace society tarried at Jerusalem for the enduement of pentecostal power, and then started out for the conquest of the mighty Roman Empire.
Through three centuries of bitter persecution at the hands of the great military power of Rome. the Chris- tian peace society grew and grew, continually sacrific- ing the lives of its members, but never taking life in return. Perhaps 80,000 Christians had fallen in their peaceful war of conquest. when in 313 Constan- tine issued his famous edict of toleration, and a little later Christianity was proclaimed the religion of the Empire. and the patronage which had previously been accorded to the old pagan faith was now extended to the Christian form of worship. Love had conquered force.
Constantine not only forbade further persecution of the Christians, but he permitted the Christian socie-
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ties the legal right to receive gifts and legacies. "And he himself enriched the church with donations of money and grants of land. This marks the begin- ning of the great possessions of the church, and with these the entrance into it of a worldly spirit. From this moment can be traced the decay of its primitive simplicity, and a decline from its early high moral standard." It was now that the Roman army began to be composed in part of Christian soldiers. The bishops, in particular, out of gratitude for imperial favors, did all they could for the support of the Em- pire, and recommended young men to enlist in the army of the Emperor.
The church now forgot that it had been appointed by its founder to go out without sword or scrip to make the kingdoms of this world his kingdoms; it forgot its opposition to war, and from the Fifth Cen- tury until the rise of the Society of Friends, there was no longer any peace society in the world.
During the Twelfth, Thirteenth and Fourteenth Cen- turies the church became the leader in one of the greatest series of wars in the world's history-the Cru- sades. The church now taught that the highest ser- vice of God was the destruction of his enemies, in- cluding Mohammedans and Heretics.
The rise of Protestantism produced no improve- ment, for Protestants and Catholics waged, for thirty years, one of the bloodiest wars whereof history bears record. It is true that from time to time some voice was raised against the awful inconsistency of Christ's family engaging in deadly strife. Louis, IX., of France, protested against the settlement of internation- al troubles by war, and offered his services as arbi- trator, but he was as a voice crying in the wilderness. John Colet and Sir Thomas More, of England, and Desiderius Erasmus, the greatest scholar of the Ref- ormation period, all by voice and pen strove to in- fluence the sovereigns of their time to cease bloody strife, both for the honor of the church and for the welfare of their subjects; but their protests fell on deaf ears. Hugo Grotius, of Holland, wrote a work on International Law, in which he insisted that the "Golden Rule" should govern the intercourse of na- tions with each other, but he was far in advance of his age.
It is the irony of history that the attempt at transi- tion from brute force to modern diplomacy was made
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through the falsehood, strategy, and treachery of the policy of Louis XI., of France, and Machiavelli, of Italy. While these methods some times averted wars, they were no satisfactory permanent substitute for it, and wars went on.
It was during the reign of Charles I, of England, that George Fox arose and gathered about him a little band of men and women who held to the faith of the primitive Christians regarding war. Charles I. as- serted that the king ruled of divine right; that the king could do no wrong; that the will of the king was law, and that it was the duty of the people to sub- mit in all things to the king's will as law.
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