USA > Pennsylvania > Philadelphia County > Philadelphia > Extracts from the minutes of the yearly meeting of Friends held in Philadelphia, 1923 > Part 6
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The funds at our disposal are derived from incomes of legacies and gifts, which year after year appear in the financial statements of the Yearly Meeting ; the increased business done at the Book Store also assists in making that enterprise more nearly self supporting.
Were our funds larger, our free grants would be more numerous. The fact, however, is assured that the Book Store and other agencies have stimulated an interest in many quarters for good reading, much of it bearing on Quaker history and biography, but written in a modern style.
The location of the Book Store as has often been refer- red to, is unfavorable for extensive sales being made over the counter, but it has been clearly demonstrated that Friends will use the Store if they know what it has to offer. With this end in view an attractive catalogue has just been issued and given fairly wide circulation amongst the families of the Yearly Meeting as well as elsewhere. It is hoped that the expense incurred by this effort will be justified by sales being still further increased, and that our membership and others will feel at liberty to address the Committee or its Agent on any matter con- nected with the purchase of books.
JANE W. BARTLETT, SUSANNA S. KITE, For the Committee:
PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Third Month 9, 1923.
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Report of Peace Committee
To the Yearly Meeting:
As your Committee comes before you at the close of another year's work, it is with a very deep sense of the crying need of the world for that constructive message of which we feel Friends have some vision, but which we seem almost helpless to express. The menace of hatred, strife and war is more appalling than at any time since the Armistice of 1918.
The message of good will and of our deep sympathy with suffering humanity has been carried effectively in the concrete way of providing food and clothes and shel- ter for some of those in need on both sides of the devastating conflict. It is more difficult to put into words the richness and warmth of the Christian truth that is our inspiration and the underlying principle of our relief work.
The letter to "Fellow Christians and Sister Churches of all Lands" which was issued last Spring by the two Philadelphia Yearly Meetings, was signed by London Yearly Meeting also, and has been endorsed by several American Yearly Meetings, and by the Five Years' Meet- ing held last Ninth Month.
The distribution of the letter has been in the hands of a joint committee composed of members of our Peace Committee and of that of Race Street Friends, one of whom originated the concern. We have greatly valued this opportunity to unite our efforts and to share in financial support of this work. This joint committee has been greatly aided by other organizations and individuals.
The Church Peace Union sent out 20,000 copies to their selected list of ministers, while over 5,000 copies have been sent directly from 304 Arch Street on request of clergymen and others. The Philadelphia Federation
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of Churches furnished a list of some 700 Philadelphia ministers to whom the Appeal was sent.
John R. Mott, General Secretary of the International Y. M. C. A., endorsing the letter as a "strong deliver- ance," asked us to send about 2100 copies to the Y. M. C. A's. in the United States and Canada, to members and secretaries of the International Committee, and to the chairmen and chief secretary of each of the State Committees.
Copies were also distributed to delegates to the Inter- national and National Conventions of the W. C. T. U., held in Philadelphia in the Eleventh Month, twenty-six hundred copies were sent to the Fellowship of Reconcilia- tion for distribution with their Third Month "News Letter," and one thousand copies are being used by Kirby Page of the Fellowship for a Christian Social Order.
Labor organizations have also given cordial co-opera- tion, and the letter was sent to religious journals and daily papers, etc.
English Friends have been very active, having dis- tributed some 150,000 copies of the letter in Great Britian and her colonies.
Of a German translation, prepared with the greatest and most loving care by a small group in Germany, 50,000 copies are being printed and circulated, while 6,000 copies of a French translation are to be used in France, Belgium and Syria.
Translations have also been made into the three Scan- dinavian languages for distribution in Norway, Sweden and Denmark, and will soon be ready in Japanese and Chinese, so that we may hope for some publicity in the countries where these languages are spoken.
We have been active during the year in various other ways in endeavoring to promote peace education. Wil- liam W. Price spoke not only in our Friend's Schools, but in 34 public schools in Philadelphia to audiences aggregating 15,000 children. One hundred and seven peace essays were received through Friends' schools. We
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have printed and largely distributed 35,000 copies of Frederick J. Libby's pamphlet for teachers "What Can I Do for Peace?," which has been very popular and for which requests have come from England and Scotland.
Dr. Thomas E. Finegan, State Superintendent of Edu- cation for Pennsylvania, has also expressed his willing- ness to distribute from his office, to the schools of Penn- sylvania, 2,000 copies each of the three pamphlets, "War on War," "Gas," and "What Can I Do For Peace ?"
Many speakers as well as literature have been furnished for teachers' institutes, Normal Schools and other places. We co-operated with local committees who had Peace booths at the West Chester, Wilmington, Mt. Holly and Trenton Fairs, providing posters, flags, leaflets and peace fans.
Thousands of posters and peace pamphlets were dis- tributed for "No More War Day" and Armistice Day, and on the latter, speakers were provided for meetings in Philadelphia and some of our Friendly Centres. We also sent to 2,000 organizations, the Christmas poster, "Christ of the Andes," with an explanation and a peace appeal; and to many Philadelphia clergymen we mailed a letter on peace prepared by the International Relations Committee of the Federation of Churches.
Some thousands of pamphlets and leaflets were also distributed at the "National Conference on Social Work," held in the Sixth Month at Providence, R. I., and a num- ber more at two conferences of Y. M. C. A. and Inter- Racial workers held at Blue Ridge, N. C.
The Committee has contributed funds towards the sup- port of Gilbert Bowles' activities in Japan. Its financial responsibility toward the National Council for Prevention of War has been discontinued in accordance with the judgment of both the Committee and Frederick J. Libby, but cordial interest in the organization continues and a recent contribution was made to its support.
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The report of the Treasurer is as follows :
Peace Committee Treasurer's Report for fiscal year Third Month 1, 1922 to Second Month 28, 1923. Receipts
Balance Third Month 1, 1922. .$ 4,110.06
Yearly Meeting appropriation 1,500.00
Contributions 64,365.82
Interest 151.44
Total. Receipts
. $70,127.32
Expenditures
American Friends' Service Com-
mittee
$50,559.27
Friends' Disarmament Council .. 3,195.03
National Council for Prevention of
War 1,945.00
Gilbert Bowles' Peace Work in Japan 200.00
Salaries, rent, etc. 3,836.45
Other expenses forwarding work of Committee 3,737.58
Total Expenditures
$63,473.33
Balance
$6,653.99
Appropriations
There are balances due :
Peace Education Committee. . .. $ 585.04
Japan Committee 87.75
Distribution of "Appeal" on the
Continent 332.50
Distribution of "Appeal" in China and Japan 500.00
Balance for Domestic distribu- tion of "Appeal" 921.74
Total appropriations $ 2,427.03
Unappropriated balance
$ 4,226.96
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Members of our Yearly Meeting also contributed $23,717.75 direct to the American Friends' Service Com- mittee making a total to the A. F. S. C. of $74,277.02.
Auditors' Report
PHILADELPHIA, PA., Third Month 2, 1923.
We have this day examined the accounts of Henry W. Comfort, Treasurer of the Peace Committee of Phila- delphia Yearly Meeting, Fourth and Arch Streets, for the fiscal year ending Second Month 28, 1923. We have inspected the vouchers, compared them with the entries, and found no discrepancy. The accounts have been kept in a careful and orderly manner and in our opinion they set forth correctly the Receipts and Expenditures for the year.
Balance on hand at opening of business Third Month 1, 1923, $6653.99.
BENJAMIN F. WHITSON, ERNEST J. DEWEES, Auditors.
The Peace Committee asks that the Yearly Meeting appropriate $1,500 towards the expenses of its work for the coming year.
We have keenly felt the loss of our efficient and faith- ful secretary, William F. Wickersham, since serious ill- ness obliged him to resign his position. Our work would have suffered much more had not Florence T. Steere very generously given her services to the office for a number of weeks.
We hope to start on the coming year with greater determination to live up to the possibilities of our ser- vice, although we feel that we have not lived up to our ideals in the work this year.
We believe one of the first things is to realize for our- selves and for our individual and Monthly Meetings the importance of being thoroughly grounded in the Christian
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message on Peace as held consistently by the Society of Friends throughout its history.
We bespeak, therefore, both on behalf of individuals and meetings, a willingness to co-operate in our concern and to stand loyally with us in this time of need for a strong and constructive effort for peace. We desire to cultivate our own field, as a preparation for entering into other wider fields that are whitening for the harvest.
For the Committee,
Third Month, 1923.
STANLEY R. YARNALL, Chairman.
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Report of Delegates to Bluffton Conference
To the Yearly Meeting:
The Friends appointed by the Yearly Meeting of 1922 to attend a proposed conference of religious bodies who believed that by following the precepts of our Saviour, war would be impossible, held at Bluffton, Ohio, would make the following report. All the Friends appointed were in attendance. The conference was held in a Col- lege of the Church of the Brethren, located in North- western Ohio, and was very satisfactorily attended by members of the Church of the Brethren and of several groups of Mennonites, Schwenkfelders and by Friends from Baltimore, Kansas, Oregon, Indiana, Iowa and both branches of Philadelphia Yearly Meetings. Bluffton College is very favorably located in the center of a pro- gressive farming community with a populace strongly attached to the Church of the Brethren and mostly of German descent. The Public Meetings were largely attended by local people.
The conference lasted from Sixth-day evening, Eighth Month 4th until Second-day morning, Eighth Month 7th, and much credit is due to Wilbur K. Thomas, of the American Friends' Service Committee and to Elmer E. S. Johnson, a Pastor among the Schwenkfelders, in Penn- sylvania, for their untiring efforts in bringing the con- ference to the high standard that it attained and main- tained.
The addresses delivered were of diverse types, but all of them, whether religious, social, political or economic, harked back continuously to the fundamental basis of all effective Peace testimonies, namely,-a religious founda- tion.
On Seventh-day morning, Eighth Month 5th, the general topic was "Christian Service, its Obligations and Oppor-
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tunities," and addresses were delivered by H. P. Krehbiel, a Mennonite Pastor from Newton, Kansas, J. M. Henry, a minister of the Brethren of Washington, D. C., and Alexander C. Purdy, of Earlham College, Indiana. These were occasions of high spiritual uplift. We have rarely heard these efforts surpassed, either for sincerity of con- viction or intensity of appeal. In the afternoon, methods for developing peace sentiments were discussed : these included work through the Churches, First-Day Schools, Legislation, public agitation, Schools and Colleges. That same evening, Elijah E. Kresge, a Minister of the Re- formed Church of Allentown, Pa., carried the Conference to renewed heights of religious fervor, in his emphasis upon a Christian Approach to World Problems; his address being the more remarkable because he is largely alone in his stand in the church to which he belongs.
On First-day morning the members of our group wor- shipped at different churches in Bluffton and vicinity, en- joying the Christian fellowship of those with whom we had much in common.
Young men who had borne faithful testimony to the principles of peace during the war were chief speakers at the afternoon session: their theme being, "How can young people further the Peace testimony."
Frederick J. Libby spoke forcefully to a large audience in the Mennonite Meeting House in the evening, regard- ing the "World Outlook for Permanent Peace."
We were strongly impressed with the desirability of denominations, so diverse as those represented at Bluffton, meeting together without thought of creed or practise, and uniting as the followers of Christ in a common effort to advance His Kingdom on Earth.
As the months have passed, this impression has deep- ened, and we believe our Religious Society which has the historical background for religious pacifism, owes a peculiar duty to the scattered branches of the Christian Church, having this common principle; a duty which, without presumption on our own part, should combine
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our own efforts and those of these fellow Christians into a more aggressive and more persistent presentation of Christian Truth.
People everywhere are hungering for peace on earth,. good-will toward men, and are groping for the means. to attain it.
No permanent organization was formed, nor is any contemplated, but we feel that Philadelphia Yearly Meet- ing should hold itself in readiness to co-operate in arrang- ing for future conferences which are in prospect, either through its Peace Committee or the Delegates now report- ing.
On behalf of the Delegates,
ANN SHARPLESS, WM. BISHOP.
PHILADELPHIA, Third Month 20, 1923.
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Report of Delegates to the Five Years' Meeting
To the Yearly Meeting:
The fraternal delegates appointed to attend the Five Years' Meeting at Richmond, Indiana, commencing 9th Month 5th, were all present at the opening and all but one remained until the close and were in attendance at nearly every session. We were cordially welcomed, and given places alongside our friends from London Yearly Meet- ing, whose presence was most helpful.
It is not possible to convey in any report an adequate picture of the business and social atmosphere of this gathering. The Meeting opened on the evening of Third Day, the 5th, with a call by the Clerk for a period of reverential waiting upon God for guidance and help, and the solemn silence which followed was an evidence of a sincere response by those present. One of our number conveyed greetings from Philadelphia saying that we had come with the hope that we might help and not hinder, build up and not pull down, and extend our fellowship of heart as well as of mind. This message was kindly re- ceived and Friends afterwards expressed themselves as glad to hear it.
Every session was opened with a brief period of wor- ship and Friends were united in an earnest effort to promote the welfare of the Church and to help in establishing the Kingdom of Christ. Our hearts were cheered and uplifted as we witnessed the earnestness and deep devotion of these friends in the service of our com- mon Master. Notwithstanding the divergence of our paths in the past there seems now to be some coming together on common friendly ground. Certainly there are enough points of contact in our testimonies and practices for us to work together in many fields of Chris- tian service and to be drawn more closely together in the love of the Gospel.
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We were glad to note, that, for the first time in its: history, all the decisions of the meeting were reached without voting.
The session on Fifth-day afternoon witnessed the adop- tion of a Minute which reaffirmed the declarations of faith contained in the Uniform Discipline, but also em- phasized that "our Christian faith involves more than the adoption and profession of written statements how- ever precious they may be; it stands and lives only in free personal loyalty and devotion to a living Christ and in an inward experience of His spiritual presence and power in the soul."
At the morning session on Seventh-day we were given an opportunity to express our concern for a living min- istry and worship, with a message of affectionate fare- well.
On Second-day morning the meeting took up the sub- ject of Evangelical service and we were baptized into a. living concern : there was due recognition of the influence- of daily conduct and education throughout life ; the irre- sistible power of Love as the means of saving the world and bringing men to Christ was particularly emphasized ..
George M. Warner having to return home before the completion of the business of the meeting, Agnes L .. Tierney was chosen as his substitute in accordance with: authority given to us at the time of our appointment, and' Alfred C. Garrett acted as Chairman of the Delegation: for the remainder of the sessions.
The Meeting closed on the evening of the 11th instant and in looking back over our service we believe that our- Yearly Meeting was right in sending a delegation and we- returned home with the hope that we might all be more- fully united in the Unity of Spirit, in the Bond of Peace,. and in Righteousness of Life.
On behalf of the. Delegation,
GEORGE M. WARNER, FRANCES T. RHOADS.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Ninth Month 25, 1922.
*
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Report of the Yearly Meeting Committee for the Extension of Christian Fundamentals
The Committee for the "Extension of Christian Funda- mentals," appointed two years ago, has, we believe, ex- perienced a deepening of the concern which gave rise to its appointment, and has endeavored to carry on the work for which there seems to be unlimited opportunities. "Truly the fields are white unto harvest."
Within our own Society one phase of our work in co- operation with our teachers and parents has been directed toward a better understanding of the spiritual needs of our children.
To the Young Friends Committee we have given some aid in holding a special meeting for children during the week of our last Yearly Meeting, and another in the Autumn (Tenth Month 28th). A conference also was held at Media, Eleventh Month 25th, one session of which was devoted to the religious training of children. We have given some thought to the mid-week meetings attended by the children in our Yearly Meeting Schools, for whose spiritual needs we feel great responsibility.
We are conscious of much more that may be done under a right Guidance and would ask the interest and help of all who have on their hearts the religious training of children, for our children are indeed "an heritage of the Lord."
A year ago we reported the holding of several con- ferences in different sections of the Yearly Meeting. This year we have been less aggressive in this branch than last, because we have desired not to conflict with the Yearly Meeting's Visitation Committee, and we have felt our various communities of Friends were in large meas- ure able to carry forward themselves, the work previ- ously begun. We recognize, however, that these con- ferences should be of increasing importance among us. We should go to them with a hope that we can be help-
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ful instruments ourselves and we should come from them with the feeling that some problem has had light shed upon it. If these conditions be in some degree realized we have not conferred in vain.
On Ninth Month, twenty-first, a conference was held with several Friends not on the Committee in an effort to obtain additional essay material. We hope soon to add treatments of other Christian topics obviously belonging to such a series.
Offers of co-operation have been made to Friends of the Five Years' Meeting for the distribution of Friendly literature within their borders. A copy of Part One of the London Discipline has been donated to practically each of the pastors of the Five Years' Meeting. We recom- mend that Friends in our local Meetings make gifts of this valuable book to ministers in their localities and to others interested in Christianity as understood by Friends.
Some space has been used in The Nation, The Survey, The Christian Herald and The World Tomorrow to ad- vertise Pennsbury Leaflets, but the response did not war- rant continuance. Advertisements have been carried in The Friend and The American Friend. A beginning has. been made also in co-operation with local Friends to place religious matter as paid advertisements in local county papers. We hope Friends will watch this experiment closely, and that it may prove worth a much wider use by local Meetings.
Nearly 200 members of our Yearly Meeting by written consent are distributing at least one packet of each new Pennsbury Leaflet as published. We ask Friends to use these Leaflets freely at all suitable opportunities for reach- ing the public, such as conventions, county fairs and in boxes at public stations.
We have followed with interest the development of opportunities in Europe for the spread of the Christian message through the printed word. About 15 per cent of our collections have been sent abroad. Small sums were placed directly in the hands of Francis R. Bacon
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and Alfred C. Garrett. In addition most of our foreign contributions have been merged in the Message Work of the American Friends' Service Committee with whom we co-operate closely. There appears to be great need at present for service by qualified Friends in all of the foreign fields.
Probably at no previous time has Philadelphia Yearly Meeting been in such close touch and cordial relationship with so great a number of ministers of various denomi- nations.
The most expensive part of the work of the Extension Committee has been the distribution of Pennsbury Leaf- lets. Protestant ministers have continued to give the best response, of whom over fifteen thousand have received our literature, leaving some sixty thousand in the United States yet to be approached. The following testimonials have come to hand recently.
The Publicity Secretary of the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware distributed Pennsbury Leaflets in his visits among his people and says, "They are always appre- ciated, they are very healthy literature indeed Your little leaflets do have a quiet charm that is unob- trusive and spiritual."
From a Mississippi Episcopal Minister we have the following: "People are tired of a controversial Chris- tianity, and in presenting the indisputable truths of the spiritual experience, you are carrying out a holy mission."
A minister from Pittston, Pa., comments that Penns- bury Leaflets are "excellent, nothing could be more up- to-date for present needs."
From Warsaw, Ind., comes a long letter of commenda- tion including this challenge, "I have felt that the work of the Society of Friends in the distribution of the Penns- bury Leaflets is supplying a great need in Christendom today God has signally honored your Society in placing this task in their hands, and you are to be congratulated in the accomplishment of the work that you are doing so well."
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At Lake View, Maine, the Pastor gets a hundred copies of each of several Pennsbury Leaflets for distributing, he says, "among the lumber-jacks of Maine."
Another minister in Buffalo preaches on the subjects. appearing in these leaflets, and then distributes them to his people as they leave the church. "They are perfectly splendid," he says, "and touch upon many important: phases of Christian life."
A member of the Student Volunteer Union of Tennes- see writes, "I want to express my appreciation for the Leaflets you have sent me this year. They have been of great help to me and to others. Several times lately I. have heard them read or used in talks at Student Vol- unteer Meetings, at Y. W. C. A. vesper services and in Sunday School. They seem to fill a great many needs."
An officer of the Philadelphia Y. M. C. A. voluntarily gave us a very helpful letter recommending the use of Pennsbury Leaflets. This was sent to nearly two thous- and Y. M. C. A's. Nearly seven thousand Y. M. C. A's. Theological Schools, Salvation Army Posts, jails, peni- tentiaries, hospitals, also have been circularized with sam- ple Pennsbury Leaflets. Requests for from 100 to 1000 are not infrequent.
Altogether during the year about 440,000 copies of Pennsbury Leaflets have been used. This is an in- crease of 75 per cent over last year. In many cases we have reduced the numbers asked for on account of lack of available funds.
Our Yearly Meeting through its Pennsbury Leaflets: now has a list of more than 1250 correspondents who depend upon us, to some extent, for the Christian Message ..
The following essays have been produced this year, making a total of twenty subjects treated, viz .:
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