,,the ,,life ,,and ,,labors    ,,of     
,,elias ,,hicks      ,,by    ,henry ,w4 
,wilbur      ,introduction by           
,,elizabeth ,,powell ,,bond             
,,philadelphia    ,published by         
,friends' ,general ,conference          
,advancement ,committee    #aiaj        
,,copyrighted #aiaj ,,by  ,,henry ,w4   
,,wilbur          ,,contents4           
,,list ,,of ,,illustrations             
#e      ,,author',s ,,preface           
#g      ,,introduction                  
#aa      ,,chapter ,i1 ,ancestry and    
,boyhood                            #ag 
,,chapter ,,ii1 ,his ,young ,manhood    
#bb      ,,chapter ,,iii1 ,first        
,appearance in the ,ministry            
#bh      ,,chapter ,,iv1 ,early ,labors 
in the ,ministry                   #cb  
,,chapter ,v1 ,later ,ministerial       
,labors                        #ch      
,,chapter ,,vi1 ,religious ,journeys in 
#ahbh                     #df           
,,chapter ,,vii1 ,ideas ,about the      
,ministry                      #eg      

,,chapter ,,viii1 ,the ,home at ,jericho
                          #ff           
,,chapter ,,ix1 ,the ,hicks ,family     
#ga      ,,chapter ,x1 ,letters to ,his 
,wife                             #gf   
,,chapter ,,xi1 ,the ,slavery ,question 
#hd      ,,chapter ,,xii1 ,various      
,opinions                               
#ie      ,,chapter ,,xiii1 ,some ,points
 of ,doctrine                     #ajg  
,,chapter ,,xiv1 ,before the ,division  
#aba      ,,chapter ,,xv1 ,first        
,trouble in ,philadelphia               
#abf      ,,chapter ,,xvi1 ,the ,time of
 ,unsettlement                     #aci 
,,chapter ,,xvii1 ,three ,sermons       
,reviewed                      #aeb     
,,chapter ,,xviii1 ,the ,braithwaite    
,controversy                #afa        
,,chapter ,,xix1 ,ann ,jones in         
,dutchess ,county                 #aga  
,,chapter ,,xx1 ,the ,experience with   
,t4 ,shillitoe              #aha        
,,chapter ,,xxi1 ,disownment and        
,doctrine                      #ahh     

,,chapter ,,xxii1 ,after the ,separation
                      #aie              
,,chapter ,,xxiii1 ,friendly and        
,unfriendly ,critics             #bjb   
,,chapter ,,xxiv1 ,recollections1       
,reminiscences and ,testimonies #baa    
,,chapter ,,xxv1 ,putting off the       
,harness                       #bah     
,,appendix                              
#bbf      ,,transcriber',s ,,note       
,,list ,,of ,,illustrations4            
,,elias ,,hicks 7from bust1 by          
,partridge7       ,frontispiece         
,,hicks ,,house ,,and ,,jericho         
,,meeting ,,house1 facing         #eg   
,,children ,,of ,,elias ,,hicks1 facing 
#ig      ,,facsimile ,,of ,,letter1     
facing                          #aje    
,,elias ,,hicks 7from painting1 by      
,ketcham71 facing      #aba             
,,surveyor',s ,,plotting1 ,,by ,,elias  
,,hicks1 facing          #add           
,,burying ,,ground ,,at ,,jericho1      
facing                    #baf          
,,author',s ,,preface4      ,elias      

,hicks was a much misunderstood man in  
his own time1 and the  lapse of eighty  
years since his death has done but      
little to make him  known to the passing
 generations4 ,his warm personal        
friends1 and of  them there were many1  
considered him little less than a saint2
 his  enemies1 some of whom were        
intensely bitter in their personal      
feeling1  whatever may have been the    
basis of their judgment1 believed him to
 be  a man whose influence was          
malevolent and mischievous4 ,it is no   
part  of the purpose of this book to    
attempt to reconcile the conflicting    
estimates touching the life and         
character of this remarkable man4  ,on  
the contrary1 our hope is to present him
 as he was1 in his own  environment1 and
 not at all as he might have been had he
 lived in our  time1 or as his admirers 
would have him1 to make him conform to  
their  own estimate4 ,in this           
biographical task1 ,elias ,hicks becomes
 largely  his own interpreter4 ,as he   

measured himself in private             
correspondence  and in public utterance1
 so this book will endeavor to measure  
him4    ,we believe that it is not too  
much to say that he carried the         
fundamental idea of the ,society of     
,friends1 as delivered by ,george ,fox1 
to its logical conclusion1 as applied to
 thought and life1 more clearly  and    
forcibly than any of his predecessors or
 contemporaries4 ,not a few  of those   
who violently opposed him1 discounted   
the position of ,fox  and ,barclay      
touching the ,inner ,light1 and gave    
exaggerated importance  to the claims of
 evangelical theology4 ,whatever others 
may have  thought1 ,elias ,hicks        
believed that he preached ,christianity 
of the pure  apostolic type1 and        
,quakerism as it was delivered by the   
founders4 ,it  should be remembered that
 the conformist and non-conformist      
disputants  of the seventeenth century  
talked as savagely about ,fox as the    
early  nineteenth century critics did   

about ,hicks4 ,in fact1 to accept the   
theory of ,fox about the nature and     
office of the indwelling spirit1        
necessarily develops either indifference
 or opposition to the plans and         
theories of what was in the time of     
,elias ,hicks1 if it is not now1 the    
popularly accepted theology4    ,no     
attempt has been made to write a        
comprehensive and detailed history  of  
the so-called separation4 ,so far1      
however1 as the trouble related  to     
,elias ,hicks1 it has been considered1  
and as much light as possible  has been 
thrown on the case4 ,necessarily this   
does not admit of very  much reference  
to the setting up of separate meetings1 
which followed  the open rupture of     
#ahbg-bh1 or the contests over property 
which  occurred after the death of      
,elias ,hicks4 ,even the causes of the  
trouble  in the ,society only appear as 
they seem necessary to make plain the   
feeling of ,elias ,hicks in the case1   
and the attitude of his opponents       

toward him4    ,in dealing with the     
doctrines of ,elias ,hicks1 or his views
 about  various subjects1 we have       
endeavored to avoid the one-sided       
policy1  and to discriminate between the
 matters which would be accepted by the 
majority of those ,friends to-day who   
are erroneously made to bear the  name  
of ,elias ,hicks1 and the theories which
 they now repudiate4 ,on the  other     
hand1 his most conservative and peculiar
 ideas are given equal  prominence with 
those which more nearly conform to      
present-day thought4    ,in stating     
cases of antagonism1 especially where it
 appeared in public  meetings1 we have  
endeavored rather to give samples1 than 
to repeat and  amplify occurrences where
 the same purpose and spirit were       
exhibited4  ,the citations in the book  
should1 therefore1 be taken as types1   
and not  as mere isolated or            
extraordinary occurrences4              
,references to the descendants of ,elias
 ,hicks1 and other matters  relating to 

his life1 which do not seem to naturally
 belong in the  coherent and detailed   
story1 will be found in the appendix4   
,this is  also true of the usual        
acknowledgment of assistance1 and the   
reference  to the published sources of  
information consulted by the author in  
writing the book4                       
,,introduction4      ,now and again a   
human life is lived in such obedience to
 the heavenly  vision that it becomes an
 authority in other lives4 ,the         
unswerving  rectitude2 whence is its    
divine directness8 the world has to ask4
 ,its  clear-sightedness2 how comes it  
that the eye is single to the true      
course8 ,its strength to endure2 from   
what fountain flows unfailing  strength8
 ,its quickening sympathy2 what is the  
sweet secret8    ,the thought of the    
world fixes itself into stereotyped and 
imprisoning  forms from which only the  
white heat of the impassioned seer and  
prophet can slowly liberate it4 ,at last
 the world ceases to persecute  or to   

crucify its liberator1 and lo6 an       
acknowledged revelation of ,god6  ,this 
came to pass in the seventeenth century1
 when it was given ,george  ,fox to see 
and to proclaim that there was an       
anointing within man to  teach him1 and 
that the ,lord would teach him1 himself4
    ,the eighteenth century developed   
another teacher in the religious        
society of ,friends1 whose message has  
been a distinctly leavening  influence  
in the thought of the world4 ,it is not 
easy to account for  ,elias ,hicks4 ,he 
was not the son of a prophet4 ,nor was  
he a gift from  the schools of the time 
in which he lived4 ,in the ,journal of  
,his  ,life and ,religious ,labours1    
published in #ahcb by ,isaac ,t4        
,hopper1  there is no reference to      
school days4    ,there is one clue to   
this man that may explain much to us4   
,of his  ancestry he says in the        
restrained language characteristic of   
his  writings1 ,my parents were         
descended from reputable families1 and  

sustained a good character among their  
friends and those who knew  them4 ,here1
 then1 is the rock-foundation upon which
 he builded1 the  factor which could not
 be spared from the life which he       
lived--that in  his veins was the blood 
of those who had sustained a good       
character  among those who knew them4   
,some of the leisure of his youth had   
been  given to fishing and fowling1     
which he looked back to as wholesome    
recreation1 since he mostly preferred   
going alone4 ,while he waited  in       
stillness for the coming of the fowl1   
'his mind was at times so  taken up in  
divine meditations1 that the            
opportunities were seasons  of          
instruction and comfort to him4' ,out of
 these meditations grew  the conviction 
in his tendered soul that it was wanton 
diversion for  himself and his          
companions to destroy the small birds   
that could be of  no use to them4       
,recalling his youth1 he writes3 ,some  
of my leisure hours were occupied  in   

reading the ,scriptures1 in which ,i    
took considerable delight1 and  it      
tended to my real profit and religious  
improvement4 ,it may be that  this great
 classic in ,english1 as well as library
 of ancient history1  and book of       
spiritual revelation1 was not only the  
food that stimulated  his spiritual     
growth1 but also took the place to him1 
in some measure1  of the schools as a   
means of culture4 ,it is plain to see   
that he had  what is the first requisite
 for a student--a hungering mind4 ,the  
alphabet opened to him the ways and     
means1 which he used as far as he       
could1 for the satisfying of this divine
 hunger4 ,a new book possessed  for him 
such charm1 it is said1 that his friends
 who invited him for  a social visit1   
knowing this1 were careful to put the   
new books out  of sight1 lest he should 
become absorbed in them1 and they lose  
his  ever-welcome and very entertaining 
conversation4 ,he even had experience   
as a teacher2 and the testimony is given

 by an aged ,friend1 once  his pupil3   
,the manners of ,elias ,hicks were so   
mild1 his deportment  so dignified1 and 
his conversation so instructive1 that it
 left an  impression for good on many of
 his pupils' minds that time never      
effaced4    ,that he had not the        
teaching of the schools narrowed his own
 resources1  and1 doubtless1 restricted 
his field of vision4 ,but such a life as
  his1 that garnered wisdom more than   
knowledge of books1 is a great          
encouragement to those who have not had 
the opportunities of the  schools4 ,we  
might not know without being told that  
he had missed from  his equipment a     
college degree2 but we do know that his 
endowment of  sound mind was            
supplemented with incorruptible         
character2 we do know  that his life was
 founded upon belief in everlasting     
truth and an  unchanging integrity4 ,the
 record of his unfolding spiritual life 
shows  that      ,so nigh is grandeur to
 our dust1      ,so near is ,god to man1

    ,when ,duty whispers low1 ',thou    
must1'      ,the youth replies1 ',i     
can4'    ,there is evidence that ,elias 
,hicks had not only a hungering mind1   
but  that he had in marked degree the   
open mind1 and that he accorded to      
others liberty of opinion4 ,it is said  
that he was unwilling that his          
discourses be printed1 lest they become 
a bondage to other minds4 ,he  wrote to 
his friend1 ,william ,poole3 ,therefore 
every generation must  have more light  
than the preceding one2 otherwise1 they 
must sit down  in ease in the labour and
 works of their predecessors4 ,and he   
left a  word of caution to approaching  
age1 when he said in a meeting in ,new  
,york3 ,the old folks think they have   
got far enough1 they are settling  on   
the lees1 they are blocking up the way4 
,it does not disturb my  thought of him 
that my own mother remembered a mild    
rebuke from him  for the modest         
flower-bed that brightened the door-yard
 of her country  home4 ,for ,i discover 

in him rudiments of the love for beauty4
 ,a  minister among ,friends was once   
his guest during the harvest season  on 
,long ,island1 and recalled long after  
that1 when the hour arrived  for the    
mid-week meeting1 he came in from the   
harvest field1 and not  only exchanged  
his working for his meeting garments1   
but added his  gloves1 although it was  
hot1 midsummer weather4 ,there was      
certainly  the rudimentary love for     
beauty in this scrupulous regard for the
  proprieties2 but it was kept in such  
severe check that he could not  justify 
the spending of time upon a             
flower-border4 ,the poet had not  then  
expressed for us the sweet garden prayer
 that might have brought  to his        
sensitive mind a new view of the purpose
 and value of the  flower-border3       
,that we were earthlings and of earth   
must live1      ,thou knowest1 ,allah1  
and did'st give us bread2    ,yea1 and  
remembering of our souls1 didst give    
,us food of flowers2 thy name be        

hallowed6    ,from the days in which he 
preferred his hours of solitude in      
fishing  as opportunities for divine    
meditations we can trace his steady     
spiritual growth4 ,while his business   
life was henceforth subordinated  to his
 labors among men to promote the life of
 the spirit1 he was never  indifferent  
to the exact discharge of his own       
financial obligations2  nor was he      
indifferent to the needs of others4 ,one
 incident surely  marks him as belonging
 to the ,school of ,christ3 ,once when  
harvests  were light and provisions     
scarce and high1 his own wheat fields   
yielded  abundantly4 ,foreseeing the    
scarcity and consequent rise in prices1 
speculators sought early to buy his     
wheat4 ,he declined to sell4  ,they     
offered him large prices1 and renewed   
their visits repeatedly1  increasing the
 price each time4 ,still he refused to  
sell1 even for the  unprecedented sum of
 three dollars a bushel4 ,but by and by1
 when his  poorer neighbors1 whose crops

 were light1 began to need1 he invited  
them to come and get as much wheat as   
they required for use1 at the  usual    
price of one dollar a bushel4    ,he    
entered into the life of his community  
and of his times1  anticipating by      
nearly a century the work of ,friends'  
,philanthropic  ,committees of the      
present day4 ,it is related that he was 
much opposed  to an attempt to establish
 a liquor-selling tavern in the ,jericho
  neighborhood--that when he saw        
strangers approaching he would invite   
them to accept his own hospitality1 thus
 making unnecessary the  tavern-keeping 
business in the sparsely settled country
 town4    ,we would expect that1 with   
his sense of justice and his            
appreciation of  values1 ,elias ,hicks  
would place men and women side by side1 
not only  in the home1 but also in the  
larger household of faith1 and in the   
affairs of the world4 ,it is remembered 
that his face was set in this           
direction--that1 strict                 

,society-disciplinarian as he was1 he   
advocated  a change in the ,discipline  
to allow women a consulting voice in    
making  and amending the ,discipline4   
,it must be borne in mind that he lived 
through the ,revolutionary period  of   
#aggf1 and through the ,war of #ahab4   
,so true was he to his convictions      
against war that he would not allow     
himself to benefit by the advanced      
prices in foodstuffs2 and we are told   
that the records of his monthly  meeting
 show that he sacrificed much of his    
property by adherence to  his peace     
principles4    ,neither can we forget   
the testing that came to him in the     
institution  of slavery4 ,for1 according
 to the custom of the times1 his own    
father  was the owner of slaves4 ,his   
open mind responded to the labors of a  
committee of the ,new ,york ,yearly     
,meeting2 and upon the freeing of his   
father's slaves1 he ever after          
considered their welfare1 making such   
restitution as he could for past        

injustice4    ,to his daughter1 ,martha 
,hicks1 he wrote3 ,my dear love to thee1
 to thy  dear mother1 who next to the   
,divine ,blesser has been the joy of my 
youth1 and who1 ,i trust and hope1 will 
be the comfort of my declining  years4  
,o dear child1 cherish and help her1 for
 she hath done abundance  for thee4     
,these fruits of the religious faith of 
,elias ,hicks are offered as the  test  
given us by the ,great ,teacher himself1
 by which to know the life  of a man4   
,they mark a life rooted in the life of 
,god4 ,imperishable  as the root whence 
they grew1 may they feed the souls of   
men from  generation to generation1     
satisfying the hungry1 strengthening the
  weak1 and making all glad in the joy  
of each6 ,thus it is permitted to  be   
still praising ,him4                    
,,elizabeth ,,powell ,,bond4            
,,chapter ,i4    ,ancestry and ,boyhood4
      ,the ,hicks family is ,english in 
its origin1 authentic history tracing   
it clearly back to the fourteenth       

century4 ,by a sort of genealogical     
paradox1 a far-away ancestor of the     
apostle of peace in the eighteenth      
century was a man of war1 for we are    
told that ,sir ,ellis ,hicks was        
knighted on the battlefield of ,poitiers
 in #acef1 nearly four hundred  years   
before the birth of his distinguished   
descendant on ,long ,island1  in        
,america4    ,from the best available   
data1 it is believed that the progenitor
 of  the ,hicks family on ,long ,island 
arrived in ,america in #afch1 and came  
over from the ,new ,england mainland    
about #afde1 settling in the town  of   
,hempstead4 ,a relative1 ,robert by     
name1 came over with the body of        
,pilgrims arriving in ,massachusetts in 
#afba4    ,john ,hicks1 the pioneer1 was
 undoubtedly a man of affairs1 with that
  strong character which qualifies men  
for leadership4 ,in the concerns of  the
 new community he was often drafted for 
important public service4 ,in  ,seventh 
month1 #afdg1 it became necessary to    

reach a final settlement  with the      
,indians for land purchased from them by
 the colonists the  year before4 ,the   
adjustment of this transaction was      
committed to ,john  ,hicks by his       
neighbors4 ,when1 in #affc1 the ,english
 towns on the island  and the ,new ,york
 mainland created a council whose aim it
 was to secure  aid from the ,general   
,court at ,hartford against the ,dutch1 
,john ,hicks  was made a delegate from  
,long ,island4 ,in #affe ,governor      
,nicoll1 of ,new  ,york1 called a       
convention to be composed of two        
delegates from each  town in            
,westchester ,county and on ,long       
,island1 to make additions and          
alterations to existing laws4 ,john     
,hicks was chosen delegate from the     
town of ,hempstead4    ,thomas1 the     
great grandfather of ,elias1 was in     
#afia appointed the first  judge of     
,queens ,county1 by ,governor ,andross1 
which office he held for  a number of   
years1 with credit to himself and       

satisfaction to his  constituents4      
,the town of ,hempstead is on the north 
side of ,long ,island1 and borders  on  
the ,sound4 ,there ,elias ,hicks1 the   
fifth in line of descent from  the      
pioneer ,john1 was born on the #aith of 
,third month1 #agdh4 ,he was  the fourth
 child of ,john and ,martha ,smith      
,hicks4 ,of the ancestry of  the mother 
of ,elias little is known4 ,there is no 
evidence that the  ancestors of ,elias  
on either side were members of the      
,society of  ,friends1 still they seem  
to have had much in common with         
,friends1  and1 at any rate1 were       
willing to assist the peculiar people   
when the  heavy hand of persecution fell
 upon them4 ,in this connection we may  
quote the words of ,elias himself4 ,he  
says3 ,my father was a grandson  of     
,thomas ,hicks1 of whom our worthy      
friend ,samuel ,bownas#a makes          
honorable mention in his ,journal1 and  
by whom he was much comforted  and      
strengthened when imprisoned through the

 envy of ,george ,keith1#b  at ,jamaica1
 on ,long ,island4#c    #a ,samuel      
,bownas was a minister among ,friends1  
and was born in  ,westmoreland1         
,england1 about #affg4 ,he secured a    
minute to make a  religious visit to    
,america the latter part of #agja4      
,ninth month #cj1  #agjb1 he was bound  
over to the ,queens ,county ,grand      
,jury1 the charge  against him being    
that in a sermon he had spoken          
disparagingly of the  ,church of        
,england4 ,the jury really failed to    
indict him1 which greatly  exasperated  
the presiding judge1 who threatened to  
deport him to ,london  chained to the   
man-of-war's deck4 ,it was at this point
 that ,thomas  ,hicks1 whom ,bownas     
erroneously concluded was ,chief        
,justice of the  ,province1 appeared to 
comfort and assure him that he could not
 thus be  deported to ,england4 ,bownas 
continued in jail for about a year1     
during  which time he learned the       
shoemaker's trade4 ,he was finally      

liberated  by proclamation4    #b       
,george ,keith1 born near ,aberdeen1    
#afci1 became connected with  the       
,society of ,friends about #affb4 ,he   
came to ,america in #afhd1 but  finally 
separated from ,friends1 and endeavored 
to organize a new sect  to be called    
,christian1 or ,baptist ,quakers4 ,this 
effort failed1 and  about #agjj he      
entered the ,church of ,england4 ,after 
this he violently  criticised ,friends1 
and repeatedly sought controversy with  
them4 ,he had  quite an experience of   
this sort with ,samuel ,bownas1 and was 
considered  the real instigator of the  
complaint on which ,bownas was lodged in
  jail4 ,keith looms up large in all    
that body of history and biography      
unfriendly to the ,society of ,friends4 
#c ,journal of ,elias ,hicks1 p4 #g4    
,we are told in the ,journal1 ,neither  
of my parents were members in  strict   
fellowship with any religious society1  
until some little time  before my       
birth4#d ,it is certain that the father 

of ,elias was a  member among ,friends  
at the time of his birth1 and his mother
 must  also have enjoyed such           
membership4 ,elias must have been a     
birthright  member1 as he nowhere       
mentions having been received into the  
,society by  convincement4 ,it is       
evident that his older brothers and     
sisters were  not connected with        
,friends4    #d ,journal of ,elias      
,hicks1 p4 #g4    ,when ,elias was eight
 years of age his father removed from   
,hempstead to  the south shore of ,long 
,island1 the new home being near the    
seashore4  ,both before and after that  
time he bewails the fact that his       
associates  were not ,friends1 and what 
he confessed was worse--they were       
persons  with no religious inclinations 
or connections whatever4    ,the new    
home afforded added opportunities for   
pleasure4 ,game was  plentiful in the   
wild fowl that mated in the marshes and 
meadows1 while  the bays and inlets     
abounded in fish4 ,hunting and fishing1 

therefore1  became his principal        
diversion4 ,while he severely condemned 
this form  of amusement in later life1  
he brought to the whole matter a        
rational  philosophy4 ,he considered    
that at the time hunting and fishing    
were  profitable to him1 because in his 
exposed condition they had a  tendency  
to keep me more at and about home1 and  
often prevented my  joining with loose  
company1 which ,i had frequent          
opportunities of doing  without my      
father's knowledge4    ,three years     
after moving to the new home1 when      
,elias was eleven years  of age1 his    
mother was removed by death4 ,the       
father1 thus left with six  children1   
two younger than ,elias1 finally found  
it necessary to divide  the family4 ,two
 years after the death of his mother he 
went to reside  with one of his elder   
brothers who was married1 and lived some
 distance  from his father's4 ,it is    
probable that this brother's house was  
his  home most of the time until he was 

seventeen4 ,much regret is expressed  by
 him that he was thus removed from      
parental restraint4    ,the ,journal    
makes possibly unnecessarily sad        
confession of what he  considered       
waywardness during this period4 ,he says
 that he wandered far  from the salutary
 path of true religion1 learning to sing
 vain songs1  and to take delight in    
running horses4#e ,just what the songs  
were1  and the exact character of the   
horse racing must be mainly a matter of 
conjecture4 ,manifestly running horses  
did not mean at all the type of         
racetrack gambling with which           
twentieth-century ,long ,island is      
familiar4    #e ,journal of ,elias      
,hicks1 p4 #h4    ,in the midst of      
self-accusation1 he declares that he did
 not give way  to anything which was    
commonly accounted disreputable1 having 
always a  regard to strict honesty1 and 
to such a line of conduct as comported  
with politeness and good breeding4#f    
,one can scarcely think of ,elias       

,hicks as a juvenile ,chesterfield4     
,from the most unfavorable things  he   
says about himself1 the conclusion is   
easily reached that he was  really a    
serious-minded youth1 and what has      
always been considered a  good boy4 ,it 
must be remembered1 however1 that he set
 for himself a  high standard1 which was
 often violated1 as he became what he   
called  hardened in vanity4 ,speaking of
 his youthful sports1 and possible      
waywardness1 his maturer judgment       
confessed1 that but for the             
providential care of my ,heavenly       
,father1 my life would have fallen a    
sacrifice to my folly and               
indiscretion4#g    #f ,journal1 p4 #h4  
#g ,journal of ,elias ,hicks1 p4 #i4    
,there is practically no reference to   
the matter of schools or schooling  in  
the ,journal4 ,there is every reason for
 the belief that he was  self-educated4 
,he may have had a brief experience at  
schools of a  rather primary character4 
,at all events he must have had a       

considerable  acquaintance with         
mathematics1 and evidently he at an     
early age  contracted the reading habit4
 ,books were few1 and of periodical     
literature there was none4 ,friendly    
literature itself was confined to       
,sewell's ,history1 probably ,ellwood's 
edition of ,george ,fox's ,journal1     
while he may have had access to some of 
the controversial pamphlets  of the     
seventeenth century period4 ,the        
,journals of various ancient  ,friends  
were to be had1 but how rich the mine of
 this literature  which he explored we  
shall never know4 ,evidently from his   
youth he  was a careful and intelligent 
reader of the ,bible1 and regarding its 
passages1 its ethics and its theology1  
he became his own interpreter4          
,,chapter ,,ii4    ,his ,young ,manhood4
      ,at the age of seventeen ,elias   
became an apprentice1 and set about     
learning the carpenter's trade4 ,his    
mechanical experience during  this      
period receives practically no attention

 in the ,journal4 ,we  know1 however1   
that in those days none of the trades   
were divided  into sectional parts as   
now4 ,in short1 he learned a whole      
trade1 and  not part of one4 ,it was the
 day of hand-made doors1 and not a few  
carpenters took the timber standing in  
the forest1 and superintended  or       
personally carried on all of the        
processes of transforming it into       
lumber and from it producing the        
finished product4 ,the carpenter of  a  
century and a half ago had to be able to
 wield the broad-ax1 and  literally know
 how to hew to the line4    ,it is not  
known exactly how long this             
apprenticeship lasted1 but  probably    
about four years4 ,as a matter of       
course1 there was much moving  from     
neighborhood to neighborhood1 as the    
building necessities demanded  the      
presence of the carpenters4 ,the life   
was more or less irregular1  and ,elias 
says that he received neither serious   
advice nor restraint at  the hands of   

his master4 ,he was brought in contact  
with frivolously  minded young people1  
and was unduly carried away with the    
love of  amusement4 ,during this period 
he learned to dance1 and enjoyed the    
experience4 ,but he considered dancing a
 most mischievous pastime1 and  evil to 
a marked degree4 ,for this indulgence he
 repeatedly upbraided  himself in the   
,journal4 ,in his opinion1 dancing was  
an unnatural and  unchristian practice1 
never receiving the approval of the     
divine  light in the secret of the      
heart4    ,he passed through various    
experiences in the endeavor to break    
away  from the dancing habit1 with many 
backslidings1 overthrowing what he      
considered his good resolutions4 ,but   
finally he separated from all  those    
companions of his youth who beset him   
with temptation4 ,he says3  ,i was      
deeply tried1 but the ,lord was         
graciously near2 and as my cry  was     
secretly to him for strength1 he enabled
 me to covenant with him1  that if he   

would be pleased in mercy to empower me1
 ,i would forever  cease from this vain 
and sinful amusement4#h    #h ,journal  
of ,elias ,hicks1 p4 #aj4    ,his first 
intimation touching the eternally lost  
condition of the  wicked is in          
connection with his experience at this  
time4 ,we cannot do  better than to     
quote his own words3      ,in looking   
back to this season of deep probation1  
my soul has been    deeply humbled2 for 
,i had cause to believe that if ,i had  
withstood at    this time the merciful  
interposition of divine love1 and had   
rebelled    against this clear          
manifestation of the ,lord's will1 he   
would have    withdrawn his light from  
me1 and my portion would have been among
 the    wicked1 cast out forever from   
the favorable presence of my judge4     
,i should also forever have been obliged
 to acknowledge his mercy    and        
justice1 and acquit the ,lord1 my       
redeemer1 who had done so much    for   
me2 for with long-suffering and much    

abused mercy he had waited    patiently 
for my return1 and would have gathered  
me before that time1    as ,i well knew1
 as a hen gathereth her chickens under  
her wings1 but    ,i would not4#i    #i 
,journal1 p4 #aa4    ,his second        
diversion1 and probably practiced after 
he had given up  dancing1 was hunting4  
,while not considered in itself         
reprehensible1  when the sport led to   
wantonness1 and the taking of life of   
bird  or beast simply for amusement1 it 
was vigorously condemned4 ,he says  that
 he was finally led to consider conduct 
like this to be a great  breach of      
trust1 and an infringement of the divine
 prerogative4 ,it  therefore became a   
settled principle with me not to take   
the life of  any creature1 unless it was
 really useful and necessary when dead1 
or  very noxious and hurtful when       
living4#aj    #aj ,journal1 p4 #ac4     
,when the settled conviction came to him
 touching the dance and the  sportsman's
 practice1 he was probably not out of   

his teens4 ,this  conviction resulted in
 victory over the propensity1 probably  
before he  reached his majority4 ,the   
whole experience was an early           
illustration  of the strength of will   
and purpose which was characteristic of 
this  remarkable man throughout his     
entire life4    ,marriage is always a   
turning-point in a man's life4 ,in the  
case of  ,elias ,hicks1 it was so in a  
marked degree4 ,having become adept in  
his  trade1 at the age of twenty-two1 he
 was married to ,jemima ,seaman4 ,this  
important event cannot be better stated 
than in the simple1 quaint  language of 
the bridegroom himself4 ,he says3       
,my affection being drawn toward her in 
that relation1 ,i communicated    my    
views to her1 and received from her a   
corresponding expression2    and having 
the full unity and concurrence of our   
parents and friends1    we1 after some  
time1 accomplished our marriage at a    
solemn meeting    of ,friends1 at       
,westbury1 on the #b;d of ,first month1 

#agga4 ,on this    important occasion we
 felt the clear and consoling evidence  
of    divine truth1 and it remained with
 us as a seal upon our spirits1         
strengthening us mutually to bear1 with 
becoming fortitude1 the    vicissitudes 
and trials which fell to our lot1 and of
 which we had a    large share while    
passing through this probationary       
state4#aa    #aa ,journal1 p4 #ac4      
,the records of ,westbury ,monthly      
,meeting contain the official evidence  
of this marriage1 which was evidently   
conducted strictly in accordance  with  
discipline4 ,from the minutes of that   
meeting we extract the  following3      
,at a monthly meeting held in the       
meeting house1 ye #bith day of ye       
,eleventh month1 #aggj4      ,elias     
,hicks son of ,john ,hicks1 of          
,rockaway1 and ,jemima ,seaman1         
daughter of ,jonathan ,seaman1 of       
,jericho1 presented themselves and      
declared their intentions of marriage   
with each1 and this meeting    appoints 

,john ,mott and ,micajah ,mott to make  
enquiry into ,elias ,hicks1    his      
clearness in relation of marriage with  
other women1 and to make    report at   
the next monthly meeting4      ,at a    
monthly meeting in the meeting house at 
,westbury ye #bfth day    of ye ,twelfth
 month1 #aggj1 ,elias ,hicks and ,jemima
 ,seaman appeared    the second time1   
and ,elias ,hicks signified they        
continued their    intentions of        
marriage and desired an answer to their 
former    proposals of marriage1 and the
 ,friends who were appointed to make    
enquiry into ,elias' clearness reported 
that they had made enquiry1    and find 
nothing but that he is clear of marriage
 engagements to    other women1 and they
 having consent of parents and nothing  
appearing    to obstruct their          
proceedings in marriage1 this meeting   
leaves them    to solemnize their       
marriage according to the good order    
used amongst    ,friends1 and appoints  
,robert ,seaman and ,john ,mott to      

attend their    said marriage1 and to   
make report to the next monthly meeting 
it was    consumated4      ,on ye #cjth 
day of ye ,first month1 #agga1 ,robert  
,seaman reported that    they had       
attended the marriage of ,elias ,hicks  
and ,jemima ,seaman1 and    was with    
them both at ,jericho and at ,rockaway1 
and ,john ,mott also    reported that he
 accompanied them at ,rockaway and that 
the marriage    was consummated orderly4
    ,in more ways than one the marriage 
of ,elias was the important event of    
his life4 ,jemima ,seaman was an only   
child1 and naturally her parents        
desired that she should be near them4 ,a
 few months after their marriage  ,elias
 and ,jemima were urged to take up their
 residence at the ,seaman  homestead1   
,elias to manage the farm of his        
father-in-law4 ,the result  was that the
 farm in ,jericho became the home of    
,elias ,hicks the  remainder of his     
life4 ,here he lived and labored for    
nearly sixty years4    ,the ,seamans    

were concerned ,friends1 and the farm   
was near the ,friends'  meeting house in
 ,jericho4 ,from this dates his constant
 attendance at  the meetings for worship
 and discipline of the ,society4        
,besides the  family influence1 some of 
his neighbors1 strong men and women1 and
  deeply attached to the principles and 
testimonies of ,friends1 made for  the  
young people an ideal and inspiring     
environment4 ,the ,friends at  ,jericho 
could not have been unmindful of the    
native ability and taking  qualities of 
this young man1 whose fortunes were to  
be linked with  their own1 and whose    
future labors were to be so singularly  
devoted to  their religious ,society4   
,jemima1 the wife of ,elias ,hicks1 was 
the daughter of ,jonathan and           
,elizabeth ,seaman4 ,the father of      
,jemima was the fifth generation from   
,captain ,john ,seaman1 who came to     
,long ,island from the ,connecticut     
mainland about #affj4 ,for his time1 he 
seems to have been a man of  affairs1   

and is recorded as one of the patentees 
of the town of  ,hempstead1 on the      
,sound side of the island4 ,there was a 
,john ,seaman  who came to              
,massachusetts in the ,winthrop fleet of
 ten vessels and #ijj  immigrants in    
#afcj4 ,that form of biography which    
shades into tradition  is not agreed as 
to whether ,captain ,john1 of           
,hempstead1 was the ,puritan  ,john or  
his son4    ,running the family history 
back to ,england1 we find ,lazarus      
,seaman1  known as a ,puritan divine1 a 
native of ,leicester4 ,he died in #affg4
 ,he  is described as a learned         
theologian1 versed in the art of        
controversy1  and stout in defense of   
his position in religious matters4      
,the history of heraldry1 and the story 
of the efforts to capture  the holy     
sepulcher1 tell us that ,john de ,seaman
 was one of the first  crusaders4 ,to   
this line the ,seaman lineage in        
,america is believed to be  attached4   
,at some time1 whether in his early     

manhood is not known1 ,elias ,hicks     
took up surveying4 ,how steadily or     
extensively he followed that  business  
it is impossible to say4 ,it is not     
hard1 however1 to find  samples of his  
surveying and plotting among the papers 
of ,long ,island  conveyancers4#ab ,his 
compass1 and the home-made pine case in 
which he  kept the instrument and the   
tripod1 are in existence4#ac ,the       
compass  is a simple affair1 without a  
telescope1 of course4 ,it folds into a  
flat shape1 the box not being more than 
two inches thick1 over all4    #ab ,see 
cut facing page #ade4    #ac ,they are  
in possession of the great-grandson of  
,elias ,hicks1  ,william ,seaman1 of    
,glen ,cove1 ,l4 ,i4          ,,chapter 
,,iii4    ,first ,appearance in the     
,ministry4      ,there are many         
evidences in the ,journal that ,elias   
,hicks appreciated  the moral and       
spiritual advantages of his environment 
after he took up  his residence at      
,jericho4 ,he confesses1 however1 that  

as he had entered  quite extensively    
into business1 he was much diverted from
 spiritual  things for a number of years
 after his marriage4 ,during this period
 he  says3      ,i was again brought1 by
 the operative influence of divine      
grace1    under deep concern of mind2   
and was led1 through adorable mercy1    
to see that although ,i had ceased from 
many sins and vanities of    my youth1  
yet there were many remaining that ,i   
was still guilty    of1 which were not  
yet atoned for1 and for which ,i now    
felt the    judgments of ,god to rest   
upon me4 ,this caused me to cry         
earnestly    to the ,most ,high for     
pardon and redemption1 and he graciously
    condescended to hear my cry1 and to 
open a way before me1 wherein ,i    must
 walk1 in order to experience           
reconciliation with him2 and as ,i      
abode in watchfulness and deep          
humiliation before him1 light broke     
forth out of obscurity1 and my darkness 
became as the noonday4 ,i had    many   

deep openings in the visions of light1  
greatly strengthening    and            
establishing to my exercised mind4 ,my  
spirit was brought under    a close and 
weighty labour in meetings for          
discipline1 and my    understanding much
 enlarged therein2 and ,i felt a concern
 to speak to    some of the subjects    
engaging the meeting's attention1 which 
often    brought unspeakable comfort to 
my mind4 ,about this time ,i began to   
have openings leading to the ministry1  
which brought me under close    exercise
 and deep travail of spirit2 for        
although ,i had for some time    spoken 
on subjects of business in monthly and  
preparative meetings1    yet the        
prospect of opening my mouth in public  
meetings was a close    trial2 but ,i   
endeavored to keep my mind quiet and    
resigned to the    heavenly call1 if it 
should be made clear to me to be my     
duty4    ,nevertheless1 as ,i was1 soon 
after1 sitting in a meeting1 in much    
weightiness of spirit1 a secret1 though 

clear1 intimation accompanied    me to  
speak a few words1 which were then given
 to me to utter1 yet    fear so         
prevailed that ,i did not yield to the  
intimation4 ,for this    omission ,i    
felt close rebuke1 and judgment seemed1 
for some time1    to cover my mind2 but 
as ,i humbled myself under the ,lord's  
mighty    hand1 he again lifted up the  
light of his countenance upon me1 and   
enabled me to renew covenant with him1  
that if he would pass by this           
offense1 ,i would1 in the future1 be    
faithful1 if he should again    require 
such a service of me4 ,and it was not   
long before ,i felt    an impressive    
concern to utter a few words1 which ,i  
yielded to in    great fear and dread2  
but oh1 the joy and sweet consolation   
that my    soul experienced1 as a reward
 for this act of faithfulness2 and as   
,i continued persevering in duty and    
watchfulness1 ,i witnessed an           
increase in divine knowledge1 and an    
enlargement of my gift4 ,i was    also  

deeply engaged for the right            
administration of discipline and        
order in the church1 and that all might 
be kept sweet and clean1    consistent  
with the nature and purity of the holy  
profession we    were making2 so that   
all stumbling-blocks might be removed   
out of    the way of honest inquirers1  
and that truth's testimony might be     
exalted1 and the ,lord's name magnified1
 'who is over all1 ,god blessed         
forever4'#ad    #ad ,journal1 p4 #ae4   
,still it appears that his concern for  
the maintenance of the discipline  was  
more than a slavish allegiance to the   
letter of the law4 ,more  than once he  
spoke a warning word as to the danger of
 allowing the  administration of the    
written rule to lead to mere formalism4 
,once  begun1 his development in public 
service was rapid1 and his recognition  
by ,friends cordial and appreciative to 
a marked degree4    ,just how long      
,elias ,hicks spoke in the meetings for 
worship1 before  his acknowledgment1 is 

not known4 ,the records of ,westbury    
,monthly  ,meeting1 however1 give       
detailed information as to this event4  
,from  them we make the following       
extract3      ,at a monthly meeting held
 at ,westbury ye #bith of ,fourth month1
 #aggh1    ,william ,seaman and ,william
 ,valentine report that they have made  
inquiry concerning ,elias ,hicks1 and   
find nothing to hinder his being        
recommended to the meeting of ,ministers
 and ,elders1 whom this meeting         
recommends to that meeting as a         
minister1 and directs the clerk to      
forward a copy of this minute to said   
meeting4    ,the acknowledgment of the  
ministry of ,elias ,hicks took place a  
little  over seven years after his      
marriage4 ,from various references in   
the  ,journal the inference is warranted
 that he did not begin to speak  in the 
meeting for worship until a considerable
 time after this  event4 ,it is1        
therefore1 probable that his service in 
this line had  not been going on1 at the

 most1 more than three or four years    
when  his acknowledgment took place4 ,he
 had only been a recorded minister      
something over a year when his first    
considerable visit was undertaken4      
,unfortunately1 the preserved personal  
correspondence of ,elias ,hicks  does   
not cover this period in his life1 so   
that we are confined to what  he chose  
to put in his ,journal1 as the only     
self-interpretation of this  interesting
 period4    ,it appears that the ,new   
,york ,yearly ,meeting was held at the  
regularly  appointed times all through  
the period of the ,revolutionary ,war4  
,previous to #aggg the meeting met      
annually at ,flushing1 but in that year 
the sessions were removed to ,westbury4 
,in #agic it was concluded to hold      
future meetings in ,new ,york4          
,during the war the ,british controlled 
,long ,island1 and for some time  the   
meeting house in ,flushing was occupied 
as a barracks by the king's  troops1    
which probably accounts for moving the  

yearly meeting further  out on the      
island to ,westbury4    ,in attending   
the yearly meeting1 and in performing   
religious visits  to the particular     
meetings1 passing the lines of both     
armies was a  frequent necessity4 ,this 
privilege was freely granted ,friends4  
,touching  this matter1 ,elias makes    
this reference3      ,this was a favor  
which the parties would not grant to    
their best    friends1 who were of a    
warlike disposition2 which shows what   
great    advantages would redound to    
mankind were they all of this pacific   
spirit4 ,i passed myself through the    
lines of both armies six times    during
 the war without molestation1 both      
parties generally receiving    me with  
openness and civility2 and although ,i  
had to pass over a    tract of country1 
between the two armies1 sometimes more  
than thirty    miles in extent1 and     
which was much frequented by robbers1 a 
set1    in general1 of cruel1           
unprincipled banditti1 issuing out from 

both    parties1 yet1 excepting once1 ,i
 met with no interruption even from     
them4 ,but although ,friends in general 
experienced many favors and             
deliverances1 yet those scenes of war   
and confusion occasioned many    trials 
and provings in various ways to the     
faithful4#ae    #ae ,journal1 p4 #ae4   
,,chapter ,,iv4    ,early ,labors in the
 ,ministry4      ,probably the first    
official public service to which ,elias 
,hicks was  ever assigned by the        
,society related to a matter growing out
 of the  ,revolutionary ,war4 ,under the
 new meeting-house in ,new ,york was a  
large  room1 usually rented for         
commercial purposes4 ,during the        
,british  occupation this room was      
appropriated as a storehouse for        
military  goods4 ,the rent was finally  
tendered by the military commissioner to
  some representative ,friends1 and by  
them accepted4 ,this caused great       
concern to many members of the meeting1 
who felt that the ,society of  ,friends 

could not consistently be the recipient 
of money from such  a source4 ,the      
matter came before the ,yearly ,meeting 
in #aggi4 ,the  peace party felt that   
the rent money was blood money1 and     
should be  returned1 but a vigorous     
minority sustained the recipients of    
this  warlike revenue4 ,it was finally  
decided to refer the matter to the      
,yearly ,meeting of ,pennsylvania for   
determination4 ,a committee to carry    
the matter to ,philadelphia was         
appointed1 of which ,elias ,hicks1 then 
a  young man of thirty-one1 was a       
member4    ,he made this service the    
occasion for some religious visits1     
which  he1 in company with his friend1  
,john ,willis1 proceeded to make en     
route4 ,the two ,friends left home      
,ninth month #i1 #aggi1 but took a      
roundabout route in order to visit the  
meetings involved in the concern  of    
,elias4 ,instead of crossing over into  
,new ,jersey and going directly  to     
,philadelphia1 they went up the ,hudson 

valley to a point above  ,newburgh1     
visiting meetings on both sides of the  
river4 ,their most  northern point was  
the meeting at ,marlborough1 in ,ulster 
,county1 ,new  ,york4 ,they then turned 
to the southwest1 and visited the       
meetings at  ,hardwick#af and ,kingwood1
 arriving at ,philadelphia1 ,ninth month
 #beth4  ,elias attended all the        
sittings of the yearly meeting until    
,fourth-day1  when he was taken ill1 and
 was not able to be in attendance after 
that  time4 ,he was not present when the
 matter which called the committee  to  
,philadelphia was considered4 ,the      
decision1 however1 was that the  money  
received by the ,new ,york meeting for  
rent paid by the ,british  army should  
be returned4 ,this was done by direction
 of ,new ,york ,yearly  ,meeting in     
#aghj4 ,it may be interesting to note   
that in #aggi the ,yearly  ,meeting of  
,pennsylvania began with the ,meeting of
 ,ministers and ,elders2  ,seventh-day1 
the #beth of ,ninth month1 and continued

 until ,second-day1  the #dth of ,tenth 
month1 having practically been in       
session a week and  two days4#ag    #af 
,hardwick was in ,sussex ,county1 ,new  
,jersey4 ,it was the home meeting  of   
,benjamin ,lundy1 the abolitionist4     
#ag ,from #agee to #agih1 ,philadelphia 
,yearly ,meeting was held in ,ninth     
month4    ,following the ,yearly        
,meeting in ,philadelphia1 the meeting  
at ,byberry  was visited1 as were those 
at ,wrightstown1 ,plumstead and         
,buckingham1  in ,bucks ,county1 ,pa4   
,on the return trip he was again at     
,hardwick1  after which he passed to the
 eastern shore of the ,hudson1 and was  
at  ,nine ,partners1 ,oswego and        
,oblong4 ,turning southward1 the        
meetings at  ,peach ,pond1 ,amawalk and 
,purchase were visited4 ,from the latter
 point he  journeyed homeward4    ,this 
first religious journey of ,elias ,hicks
 lasted nine weeks1 and in  making it he
 traveled #hfj miles4 ,forty years      
later1 many of the places  visited at   

this time became centers of the         
troublesome controversy  which divided  
the ,society in #ahbg and #ahbh4        
,four years after the concern and       
service which took ,elias ,hicks to     
,philadelphia in #aggi1 he undertook his
 second recorded religious visit4  ,it  
was a comparatively short one1 and took 
him to the ,nine ,partners              
neighborhood4 ,he was absent from home  
on this trip eleven days1 and  traveled 
#agj miles4    ,in #aghd ,elias had a   
concern to visit neighborhoods in ,long 
,island not  ,friendly in their         
character4 ,he made one trip1 and not   
feeling free of  the obligations resting
 upon him1 he made a second tour4       
,during the two  visits he rode about   
#bjj miles4    ,he seems to have had a  
period of quiet home service for about  
six  years1 or until #agij1 when two    
somewhat extended concerns were         
followed4 ,the first took him to the    
meetings in the western part of  ,long  
,island1 to ,new ,york ,city and ,staten

 ,island4 ,this trip caused him  to     
travel #aej miles4 ,the next visiting   
tour covered a wide extent of           
territory1 and took him to eastern ,new 
,york and ,vermont4 ,on this trip  he   
was gone from home about four weeks1 and
 traveled #eia miles4    ,the year #agia
 was more than usually active4 ,besides 
another visit to  those not ,friends on 
,long ,island1 he made a general visit  
to ,friends  in ,new ,york ,yearly      
,meeting4 ,this visit took him to ,new  
,jersey1  ,connecticut1 ,massachusetts  
and up the ,hudson valley as far as     
,easton  and ,saratoga4 ,the ,long      
,island visit consumed two weeks' time1 
and  involved traveling #aae miles4 ,on 
the general visit he was absent from    
home four months and eleven days1 and   
traveled #aejj miles4    ,in #agib a    
committee1 of which ,elias was a member1
 was appointed by the  ,yearly ,meeting 
of ,ministers and ,elders to visit      
subordinate meetings  of that branch of 
the ,society4 ,in company with these    

,friends every  meeting of ,ministers   
and ,elders was visited1 and a number of
 meetings  for worship were attended4   
,on this trip he was at ,claremont1 in  
,massachusetts1 and desired to have an  
appointed meeting4 ,it seemed  that the 
person1 not a ,friend1 who was to       
arrange for this meeting did  not       
advertise it1 for fear it would turn out
 a silent meeting1 and he  would be     
laughed to scorn4 ,the attendance was   
very small1 but otherwise  satisfactory1
 so that the fearful person was very    
penitent1 and desired  that another     
meeting might be held4 ,elias says3 ,but
 we let him know  that we were not at   
our own disposal2 and1 as no way        
appeared open in  our minds for such an 
appointment at present1 we could not    
comply with  his desire4    ,an         
appointed meeting was also held near    
,dartmouth ,college1 but the  students  
were hilarious1 and the occasion very   
much disturbed4 ,still1  the visitor    
hoped the season was profitable to some 

present4    ,in the following year1     
#agic1 he had a concern to visit        
,friends in  ,new ,england1 during which
 he attended meetings in ,rhode ,island1
  ,connecticut1 ,massachusetts1 ,maine  
and the ,massachusetts islands4 ,on     
this trip he traveled by land or on     
water #bbhc miles1 and was absent  about
 five months4 ,it may be interesting to 
note that the traveling  companion of   
,elias ,hicks on the ,new ,england visit
 was ,james ,mott1 of  ,mamaroneck1 ,n4 
,y41 the maternal grandfather of ,james 
,mott1#ah the  husband of ,lucretia4    
#ah ,adam ,mott1 the father of          
,lucretia's husband1 married ,anne1     
daughter of ,james ,mott4    ,the ,new  
,england ,yearly ,meeting was attended  
at ,newport4 ,the meeting  was          
pronounced a dull time by the visitor4  
,this was occasioned in  part1 he       
thought1 because a very small number    
took upon them the whole  management of 
the business1 and thereby shutting up   
the way to others1  and preventing the  

free circulation and spreading of the   
concern1 in a  proper manner1 on the    
minds of ,friends2 which ,i have very   
often found  to be a very hurtful       
tendency4    ,it seems that in those    
days the ,meeting of ,ministers and     
,elders  exercised the functions of a   
visiting committee4 ,accordingly1 the   
,yearly ,meeting of ,ministers and      
,elders in #agie appointed a committee  
to visit the quarterly and preparative  
meetings within the bounds of  the      
,yearly ,meeting4 ,as a member of this  
committee1 ,elias performed  his share  
of this round of service4 ,on this visit
 a large number of  families were       
visited4    ,the visits were made       
seasons of counsel and advice1          
especially in the  select meetings4 ,in 
these1 he says1 ,my mind was led to     
communicate  some things in a plain way1
 with a view of stirring them up to more
  diligence and circumspection in their 
families1 the better ordering and       
disciplining of their children and      

household1 and keeping things sweet  and
 clean1 agreeably to the simplicity of  
our holy profession2 and ,i  had peace  
in my labor4#ai    #ai ,journal1 p4 #eg4
    ,possibly his most extended visit up
 to that time was made in #agih4 ,the   
trip was really begun ,twelfth month    
#ab1 #agig4 ,it included meeting's in   
,new ,jersey1 ,pennsylvania1 ,delaware1 
,maryland and ,virginia4 ,on this trip  
he was from home five and one-half      
months1 traveled #afjj miles1 and       
attended #adc meetings1 nearly an       
average of one meeting a day4    ,it was
 on this journey that he seriously began
 his public opposition to  the          
institution of slavery4 ,on the #abth of
 ,third month1 at a meeting at  ,elk    
,ridge1 ,md41 he says3      ,truth rose 
into dominion1 and some present who were
 slaveholders    were made sensible of  
their condition1 and were much affected4
 ,i felt    a hope to arise that the    
opportunity would prove profitable to   
some1    and ,i left them with peace of 

mind4 ,since then ,i have been informed 
that a woman present at that session1   
who possessed a number of    slaves1 was
 so fully convinced1 as to set them     
free1 and not long    afterwards joined 
in membership with ,friends2 which is   
indeed cause    of gratitude and        
thankfulness of heart1 to the great and 
blessed    ,author of every mercy       
vouchsafed to the children of men4#bj   
#bj ,journal1 p4 #fg4    ,his personal  
correspondence on this trip yields some 
interesting  description of experiences1
 from which we make the following       
extract1  from a letter written to his  
wife from ,near ,easton1 ,talbot        
,county1  ,maryland1 ,second month #ab1 
#agih3      ,mary ,berry1 an ancient    
ministering ,friend1 that ,job ,scott   
makes    mention of1 was with us at the 
meeting4 ,on ,seventh-day we attended   
a meeting with the black people at      
,easton1 which we had appointed    some 
days before4 ,there was a pretty large  
number attended1 and the    opportunity 

favoured4 ,mary ,berry observed she     
thought it was the most    so1 of any   
that had ever been with them4 ,they were
 generally very    solid1 and many of   
them very tender4 ,the white people     
complained much    of some of them for  
their bad conduct1 but according to my  
feeling1    many of them appeared much  
higher in the kingdom than a great many 
of    the whites4      ,some days past  
we were with the people called          
,nicolites4 ,they dress    very plain1  
many of them mostly in white4 ,the women
 wore white    bonnets as large as      
thine1 and in form like thy             
old-fashioned bonnet1    straight and   
smooth on the top4 ,in some of their    
meetings three or    four of the        
foremost seats would be filled with     
those who mostly had    on these white  
bonnets4 ,they have no backs to their   
seats1 nor no    rising seats in their  
meeting-houses4 ,all sat on a level4    
,they appear    like a pretty honest1   
simple people4 ,profess our principles1 

and most    of them1 by their request1  
have of late been joined to ,friends1   
and ,i    think many of them are likely 
to become worthy members of ,society1 if
    the example of the backsliders among
 us do not stumble or turn them    out  
of the right way4 ,there was about #ajj 
received by ,friends here at    their   
last monthly meeting1 and are like for  
the first time to attend    here next   
,fifth-day1 which made it the more      
pressing on my mind to    tarry over    
that day4          ,,chapter ,v4        
,later ,ministerial ,labors4      ,in   
the fall of #agii a concern to visit    
meetings in ,connecticut was  followed4 
,the trip also took in most of the      
meetings on the east bank  of the       
,hudson as far north as ,dutchess       
,county4 ,he was absent six weeks1  and 
attended thirty meetings4    ,fourth    
month #aa1 #ahja1 ,elias and his        
traveling companion1 ,edmund  ,willis1  
started1 on a visit to ,friends in some 
parts of ,jersey1  ,pennsylvania1 and   

some places adjacent thereto4 ,a number 
of meetings  in ,new ,jersey were       
visited on the way1 the travelers       
arriving in  ,philadelphia in time for  
the ,yearly ,meeting of ,ministers and  
,elders4  ,all of the sessions of the   
yearly meeting were also attended4 ,it  
does  not appear that ,elias ,hicks had 
attended this yearly meeting since      
#aggi4 ,practically all of the meetings 
in ,new ,jersey and ,pennsylvania  were 
visited on this trip4 ,it lasted three  
months and eighteen days1  during which 
time the visitors traveled #afcj miles4 
,the personal correspondence of ,elias  
,hicks yields one interesting  letter   
written on this trip4 ,it was written to
 his wife1 and was dated  ,exeter1 #dth 
of ,seventh month1 #ahja4 ,we quote as  
follows3      ,we did not get to        
,lampeter so soon as ,i expected1 as    
mentioned in my    last1 for when we    
left ,yorktown last ,fourth-day evening1
 being late    before we set out1       
detained in part by a shower of rain4   

,it was night    by the time we got over
 the river4 ,we landed in a little town 
called    ,columbia1 where dwelt a few  
friends4 ,although being anxious to get 
forward1 ,i had previous to coming there
 intended to pass them without    a     
meeting1 but found when there ,i could  
not safely do it4 ,therefore    we      
appointed a meeting there the next day1 
after which we rode to    ,lampeter1 to 
,william ,brinton's1 of whom1 when ,i   
went westward1 ,i    got a fresh horse1 
and ,i left mine in his care4 ,i have   
now my own    again1 but she has a very 
bad sore on her withers1 somewhat like  
is    called a 'thistlelon1' but is     
better than she has been4 ,it is now    
just six weeks and four days since we   
went from this place1 which    is about 
#dh miles from ,philadelphia1 since     
which time we have rode    #hac miles   
and attended #ce meetings4 ,much of the 
way in this tour has    been rugged1    
mountainous and rocky1 and had it not   
been for the best    attendant          

companion1 peace of mind flowing from a 
compliance with and    performance of   
manifested duty1 the journey would have 
been tedious    and irksome4 ,but we    
passed pretty cheerfully on1 viewing    
with an    attentive eye the wonderful  
works of that boundless wisdom and power
    7by which the worlds were framed7   
and which are only circumscribed        
within the limits of their own innate   
excellency4 ,here we beheld all         
nature almost with its varied and almost
 endless diversifications4              
,tremendous precipices1 rocks and       
mountains1 creeks and rivers1           
intersecting each other1 all clothed in 
their natural productions2    the tall  
pines and sturdy oaks towering their    
exalted heads above the    clouds1      
interspersed with beautiful lawns and   
glades2 together with    the almost     
innumerable vegetable inhabitants1 all  
blooming forth the    beauties of the   
spring2 the fields arable1 clothed in   
rich pastures    of varied kinds1 wafted

 over the highways their balmy sweets1  
and the    fallow grounds overspread    
with rich grain1 mostly in golden wheat1
 to    a profusion beyond anything of   
the kind my eyes ever before beheld1    
insomuch that the sensible traveler1    
look which way he would1 could          
scarcely help feeling his mind          
continually inflamed and inspired with  
humble gratitude and reverent           
thankfulness to the great and bountiful 
author of all those multiplied          
blessings4    ,this letter constitutes  
one of the few instances where ,elias   
,hicks  referred to experiences on the  
road1 not directly connected with his   
ministerial duty4 ,the reference to     
,columbia1 and his original intention   
to pass by without a meeting1 with its  
statement he could not safely  do it1 is
 characteristic4 ,manifestly1 he uses   
the word safely in a  spiritual sense4  
,the call to minister there was too     
certain to be put  aside for mere       
personal inclination and comfort4       

,the reference to his horse contains    
more than a passing interest4  ,probably
 many other cases occurred during his   
visits when borrowing  a horse was      
necessary1 while his own was            
recuperating4 ,it was a slow  way to    
travel1 from our standpoint1 yet it had 
its advantages4 ,new  acquaintances1 if 
not friendships1 were made as the       
travelers journeyed  and were           
entertained on the road4    ,on the     
#bjth of ,ninth month1 #ahjc1 ,elias    
,hicks1 with ,daniel ,titus as a        
traveling companion1 started on a visit 
to ,friends in ,upper ,canada1 and      
those resident in the part of the ,new  
,york ,yearly ,meeting located in  the  
,hudson and ,mohawk valleys4 ,when the  
travelers had been from home  a little  
less than a month1 ,elias wrote to his  
wife1 from ,kingston1  a letter of more 
than ordinary interest1 because of its  
descriptive  quality4 ,it describes some
 of the difficulties1 not to say        
dangers1 of  the traveling ,friend      

before the days of railroads4 ,we quote 
the bulk of  the letter1 which was dated
 ,tenth month1 #af1 #ahjc3      ,we     
arrived here the #c;d instant at the    
house of ,joseph ,ferris about #c       
o'clock at night1 having rode the       
preceding day from ,samuel ,brown's     
at ,black ,river1 where ,i dated my     
last4 ,we traveled by land and water    
in this day's journey about forty-five  
miles4 ,very bad traveling    over logs 
and mudholes1 crossing two ferries on   
our way1 each four    or five miles     
wide1 with an island between called     
,long ,island4 ,about    six miles      
across we were in the middle thereof1   
the darkest time    in the night1 when  
we were under the necessity of getting  
off our    horses several times to feel 
for the horses' tracks in order to know 
whether we were in the path or not1 as  
we were not able to see the    path1 nor
 one another at times1 if more than five
 or six feet apart4    ,some of our     
company began to fear we should be under

 the necessity of    lying in the woods 
all night4 ,however1 we were favored to 
get well    through1 and crossed the    
last ferry about midnight and after4    
,landed    safely on ,kingston shore    
about #b o'clock1 all well4 ,since which
 we    have attended ten meetings1 three
 of them preparative meetings1 the      
rest mostly among other people4 ,we just
 now1 this evening1 returned    from the
 last held at the house of ,john        
,everit1 about four miles    west of    
,kingston4 ,we held one yesterday in the
 town of ,kingston in    their ,court   
,house4 ,it was the first ,friends'     
meeting ever held in    that place4 ,the
 principal inhabitants generally        
attended1 and we have    thankfully to  
acknowledge that the shepherd of ,israel
 in whom was our    trust1 made bare his
 arm for our help1 setting home the     
testimony he    gave us to the states of
 the people1 thereby manifesting that he
 had    not left himself without a      
witness in their hearts1 as all appeared

    to yield their assent to the truths 
delivered1 which has generally    been  
the case1 in every place where our lots 
have been cast4      ,we expect         
to-morrow to return on our way to       
,adolphustown1 taking    some meetings  
in our way thither1 among those not of  
our ,society1 but    so as to be there  
ready to attend ,friends' monthly that  
is held next    ,fifth-day1 after which 
we have some prospect of being at       
liberty to    return on our way back1   
into our own ,state4      ,having thus  
given thee a short account of our       
journey1 ,i may salute    thee in the   
fresh feelings of endeared affection1   
and strength of    gospel love1 in which
 fervent desires are felt for thy       
preservation1    and that of our dear   
children1 and that you may all so act   
and so    walk1 as to be a comfort and  
strength to each other1 and feel an     
evidence in yourselves that the ,lord is
 your friend2 for you are my    friend  
7said the blessed redeemer7 if you do   

whatever ,i command you4    ,for the    
three following years there is no record
 of special activity1  but in #ahjf a   
somewhat extended visit was made to     
,friends in the ,state  of ,new ,york4  
,he was absent from home nearly two     
months1 traveled over  #ajjj miles1     
attended three quarterly1 seventeen     
monthly1 sixteen  preparative1 and forty
 meetings for worship4    ,the years    
following1 including #ahab1 were spent  
either at home or  in short1            
semi-occasional visits1 mostly within   
the bounds of his  own yearly meeting4  
,during this period a visit to ,canada  
,half-,yearly  ,meeting was made4       
,the first half of #ahac he was busy in 
his business and domestic  concerns1    
really preparing for a religious        
journey1 which he began  on the #hth of 
,fifth month4 ,he passed through ,new   
,jersey on the way1  attending meetings 
in that ,state1 either regular or by    
appointment1  arriving in ,philadelphia 
in about two weeks4 ,several meetings in

 the  vicinity of that city were        
attended1 whence he passed into         
,delaware  and ,maryland4 ,his steps    
were retraced through ,new ,jersey1 when
 he was  homeward bound4    ,from #ahac 
to #ahaf we find the gospel labors of   
,elias ,hicks almost  entirely confined 
to his own yearly meeting4 ,this round  
of service did  not take him farther    
from home than ,dutchess ,county4       
,during this period  we find him        
repeatedly confessing indisposition and 
bodily ailment1  which may have         
accounted for the fewness and           
moderateness of his  religious visits4  
,in ,first month1 #ahaf1 we find him    
under a concern to visit ,friends  in   
,new ,england4 ,he had as his traveling 
companion on this journey  his friend   
and kinsman1 ,isaac ,hicks1 of          
,westbury4 ,during this trip            
practically all of the meetings in ,new 
,england were visited4 ,it kept  him    
from home about three months1 and caused
 him to travel upward of  #ajjj miles4  

,he attended fifty-nine particular1     
three monthly and two  quarterly        
meetings4    ,during the balance of     
#ahaf and part of the year #ahag1       
service was  principally confined to the
 limits of ,westbury ,quarterly         
,meeting4  ,but it was in no sense a    
period of idleness4 ,many visits were   
made  to meetings4 ,in ,eighth month of 
the latter year1 in company with his    
son-in-law1 ,valentine ,hicks1 a visit  
was made to some of the meetings        
attached to ,philadelphia and ,baltimore
 ,yearly ,meetings4 ,many meetings  in  
,new ,jersey and ,pennsylvania received 
a visit at this time4 ,he went  as far  
south as ,loudon ,county1 ,va41 taking  
meetings en route1 both  going and      
coming4 ,he must have traveled not less 
than #ajjj miles on  this trip4         
,visits near at home1 and one to some   
parts of ,new ,york ,yearly ,meeting1   
occupied all his time during the year   
#ahah4    ,in #ahai a general visit to  
,friends in his own yearly meeting      

engaged  his attention4 ,he went to the 
,canadian border4 ,this trip was a      
season  of extended service and deep    
exercise4 ,on this journey he traveled  
#ajhd  miles1 was absent from home      
fourteen weeks1 and attended            
seventy-three  meetings for worship1    
three quarterly meetings and four       
monthly  meetings4    ,the years from   
#ahai to #ahbc1 inclusive1 were         
particularly active4 ,elias  ,hicks was 
seventy-one in the former year4 ,the    
real stormy period of his  life was     
approaching in the shape of the         
unfortunate misunderstanding  and       
bitterness which divided the ,society4  
,it scarcely demands more than  passing 
mention here1 as later on we shall give 
deserved prominence to  the separation  
period4    ,he started on the ,ohio trip
 ,eighth month #ag1 #ahai1 taking       
northern and  central ,pennsylvania on  
his route4 ,he arrived in ,mt4 ,pleasant
 in time  for ,ohio ,yearly ,meeting1   
which seems to have been a most         

satisfactory  occasion1 with no signs of
 the storm that broke over the same     
meeting  a few years later4 ,elias      
himself says3 ,it was thought1 ,i       
believe1 by  ,friends1 to have been the 
most favored yearly meeting they had had
  since its institution1 and was worthy 
of grateful remembrance4#ba  ,during    
this visit many appointed meetings were 
held1 besides regular  meetings for     
worship4 ,on the homeward journey1      
,friends in the  ,shenandoah ,valley1 in
 ,virginia1 and in parts of ,maryland   
were visited4  ,on this trip he         
journeyed #abjj miles1 was from home    
three months1 and  attended eighty-seven
 meetings4    #ba ,journal1 p4 #cgg4    
,in #ahbj a visit was made to           
,farmington and ,duanesburg ,quarterly  
,meetings1 and in the summer of #ahbb he
 visited ,friends in some parts of      
,philadelphia ,yearly ,meeting4 ,on this
 trip the ,baltimore ,yearly ,meeting   
was also visited1 as were some of the   
particular meetings in ,maryland4  ,he  

did not reach ,philadelphia on the      
return journey until the early  part of 
,twelfth month4 ,while his ,journal is  
singularly silent about the  matter1 it 
must have been on this visit that he    
encountered his first  public opposition
 as a minister4 ,but1 with few          
exceptions1 the ,journal  ignores the   
whole unpleasantness4    ,in #ahbd he   
again attended ,baltimore ,yearly       
,meeting4 ,the only comment on  this    
trip is the following3 ,i think it was1 
in its several sittings1  one of the    
most satisfactory yearly meetings ,i    
have ever attended1 and  the business   
was conducted in much harmony and       
brotherly love4#bb    #bb ,journal1 p4  
#cif4    ,on the homeward trip he       
stopped in ,philadelphia4 ,here he      
suffered a  severe illness4 ,of this    
detention at that time he says3 ,i      
lodged at  the house of my kind friend1 
,samuel ,r4 ,fisher1 who1 with his      
worthy  children1 extended to me the    
most affectionate care and attention2   

and ,i had also the kind sympathy of a  
large portion of ,friends in  that      
city4#bc ,the exception contained in    
this sentence is the only  intimation   
that all was not unity and harmony among
 ,friends in the  ,city of ,brotherly   
,love4    #bc ,journal1 p4 #cif4    ,his
 visits in #ahbe were confined to the   
meetings on ,long ,island and  those in 
central ,new ,york4    ,in the latter   
part of the following year he secured a 
minute to visit  meetings composing     
,concord and ,southern ,quarterly       
,meetings1 within the  bounds of        
,philadelphia ,yearly ,meeting4 ,in     
passing through ,philadelphia  he       
attended ,green ,street and ,mulberry   
,street ,meetings4 ,this was within  a  
few months of the division of #ahbg in  
,philadelphia ,yearly ,meeting1  but the
 matter is not mentioned in the         
,journal4          ,,chapter ,,vi4      
,religious ,journeys in #ahbh4      ,on 
the #bjth of ,third month1 #ahbh1 ,elias
 ,hicks laid before ,jericho  ,monthly  

,meeting a concern he had to make a     
religious visit in the love  of the     
gospel1 to ,friends and others in some  
parts of our own yearly  meeting1 and in
 the compass of the ,yearly ,meetings of
 ,philadelphia1  ,baltimore1 ,ohio1     
,indiana1 and a few meetings in         
,virginia4 ,a minute  embodying this    
concern was granted him1 the same       
receiving the  indorsement of ,westbury 
,quarterly ,meeting1 ,fourth month      
#bdth4 ,between  this period and the    
middle of ,sixth month he made a visit  
to ,dutchess  ,county1 where the        
experience with ,ann ,jones and her     
husband took place1  which will be dealt
 with in a separate chapter4 ,he also   
attended ,new  ,york ,yearly ,meeting1  
when he saw and was a part of the       
separation  trouble which culminated at 
that time4 ,the ,journal1 however1 makes
  no reference either to the ,dutchess  
,county matter or to the division  in   
the yearly meeting4 ,these silences in  
the ,journal are hard to  understand4   

,undoubtedly1 the troubles of the period
 were not pleasant  matters of record1  
yet one wishes that a fuller and more   
detailed  statement regarding the whole 
matter might be had from ,elias ,hicks  
than  is contained in the meager        
references in his personal              
correspondence1  or his published       
,journal4    ,on the #adth of ,sixth    
month he started on the western and     
southern  journey1 with his friend1     
,jesse ,merritt1 as his traveling       
companion4  ,elias was then a few months
 past eighty4    ,the two ,friends      
halted at points in ,new ,jersey and    
,pennsylvania1  holding meetings as the 
way opened4 ,service continued in       
,pennsylvania1  considerably in the     
western part1 passing from ,pittsburg   
into ,ohio4    ,at ,westland ,monthly   
,meeting1 in ,pennsylvania1 his first   
acknowledgment  of opposition is        
observed4 ,he says3 ,a ,friend from     
abroad attended  this meeting1 and after
 ,i sat down he rose and made           

opposition1 which  greatly disturbed the
 meeting4#bd    #bd ,thomas ,shillitoe4 
,when he arrived at ,brownsville1 his   
fame had preceded him4 ,he makes  this  
reference to the experience there3      
,here we put up again with our kind     
friends ,jesse and ,edith ,townsend1    
where we had the company of many        
,friends1 and many of the inhabitants   
of the town not members of our ,society1
 also came in to see us2 as    the      
unfounded reports of those who style    
themselves ,orthodox1 having    been    
generally spread over the country1 it   
created such a great    excitement in   
the minds of the people at large1 that  
multitudes    flocked to the meetings   
where we were1 to hear for themselves2  
and    many came to see us1 and         
acknowledged their satisfaction4        
,at this place we again fell in with the
 ,friend from abroad1 who    attended   
the meeting with us2 he rose in the     
early part of the    meeting1 and       
continued his communication so long that

 a number left    the meeting1 by which 
it became very much unsettled3 however1 
when he    sat down ,i felt an opening  
to stand up2 and the people returned and
    crowded into the house1 and those   
that could not get in stood about    the
 doors and windows1 and a precious      
solemnity soon spread over the          
meeting1 which has been the case in     
every meeting1 where our opposers    did
 not make disturbance by their          
disorderly conduct4 ,the meeting        
closed in a quiet and orderly manner1   
and ,i was very thankful for the        
favour4#be    #be ,journal1 p4 #djd4    
,following his experience at            
,brownsville1 ,elias returned to        
,westland1  attending the meeting of    
ministers and elders1 and the meeting   
for worship4 ,the person before         
mentioned1 who may be called the        
disturbing ,friend1 was again in        
evidence1 this time reinforced by a     
companion4 ,at the instigation of       
,friends1 the elders and overseers  had 

an opportunity with the disturbers1 but 
with small success4 ,the  same trouble  
was repeated on ,first-day4 ,on this    
occasion the opposition  was vigorous   
and virulent4 ,in the midst of the      
second opportunity of  the opposing     
,friend the audience melted away1       
leaving him literally  without hearers4 
,from ,westland the journey was         
continued to ,pittsburg1 where an       
appointed meeting was held4 ,salem1     
,ohio1 was the next point visited1      
where the quarterly meeting was         
attended4 ,on ,first-day a large        
company1  estimated at two thousand1    
gathered4 ,the occasion was in every way
  satisfactory4 ,visits to different    
meetings continued4 ,there was  manifest
 opposition at ,new ,garden1            
,springfield1 ,goshen and ,marlborough4 
,at ,smithfield the venerable preacher  
was quite indisposed4 ,the              
meeting-house was closed against him1 by
 those called ,orthodox1 as  ,elias     
defined them4    ,one of the objective  

points on this trip was ,mt4 ,pleasant1 
,ohio1 where  the yearly meeting of     
#ahbh was held4 ,he arrived in time to  
attend the  mid-week meeting at that    
place1 a week preceding the yearly      
meeting4 ,a  large attendance was       
reported1 many being present who were   
not members  of the ,society4 ,the signs
 of trouble had preceded the            
distinguished  visitor1 the world's     
people having a phenomenal curiosity    
regarding  a possible war among the     
peaceable ,quakers4 ,there was          
pronounced  antagonism manifested in    
this mid-week meeting1 described as a   
long1  tedious communication from a     
minister among those called ,orthodox1  
who1  after ,i sat down1 publicly       
opposed and endeavored to lay waste what
 ,i  had said4#bf    #bf ,journal1 p4   
#daa4    ,during the following days     
meetings were attended at ,short ,creek1
  ,harrisville1 ,west ,grove1 ,concord1 
,st4 ,clairsville1 ,plainfield1         
,wrightstown and ,stillwater4 ,there was

 no recorded disturbance until  he      
returned to ,mt4 ,pleasant the #fth of  
,ninth month1 the date of the  gathering
 of the ,yearly ,meeting of ,ministers  
and ,elders4 ,when the  meeting-house   
was reached the gate to the yard was    
guarded1 by a  number of men of the     
opposing party1 who refused entrance to 
those who  were in sympathy with ,elias 
,hicks4 ,they proceeded to hold their   
meeting  in the open air4 ,subsequent   
meetings were held in a school-house and
 in  a private house1 the home of       
,israel ,french4    ,first-day1 ,ninth  
month #gth1 ,mt4 ,pleasant ,meeting was 
attended in the  forenoon1 and ,short   
,creek ,meeting in the afternoon4 ,the  
meeting at  ,mt4 ,pleasant was what     
might be called stormy4 ,elisha ,bates  
and ,ann  ,braithwaite spoke in         
opposition1 after ,elias ,hicks had     
spoken4 ,in a  letter dated ,ninth month
 #ajth1 written to his son-in-law1      
,valentine  ,hicks1 ,elias says that    
these ,friends detained the meeting two 

hours or  more1 opposing and railing    
against what ,i had said1 until the     
people  were wearied and much disgusted4
 ,no trouble was experienced at ,short  
,creek1 although experiences similar to 
those of the morning occurred at  ,mt4  
,pleasant in the afternoon4 ,amos       
,peaslee1 of ,woodbury1 ,n4 ,j41 was    
the center of opposition at that time4  
,he was opposed while on his feet       
addressing the multitude4    ,in        
connection with this yearly meeting a   
number of ,friends were  arrested on    
charges of trespass and inducing a riot1
 and taken to  court4 ,all were members 
of ,ohio ,yearly ,meeting1 except       
,halliday  ,jackson1#bg of ,darby1 ,pa4 
,for some reason ,elias escaped arrest1 
although in the letter referred to he   
said3 ,i have been expecting  for       
several days past to have a writ of     
trespass served against me by  the      
sheriff1 for going on their             
meeting-house grounds1 by which ,i may  
be taken twenty miles or more to appear 

before the judge1 as a number  of       
,friends already have been1 although my 
mind is quiet regarding the  event4     
#bg ,halliday ,jackson was father of    
,john ,jackson1 the well-known          
educator1 principal of ,sharon ,hill    
,school4 ,halliday was with the ,seneca 
,indians in ,new ,york ,state for two   
years1 as a teacher under the care of   
,philadelphia ,yearly ,meeting4         
,while at ,mt4 ,pleasant the small      
monthly meeting of ,orthodox ,friends   
at his home sent a letter officially    
commanding ,elias to cease his          
religious visits4 ,in regard to this    
matter1 and the general situation  in   
,ohio1 ,elias wrote to ,valentine       
,hicks3 ,the ,orthodox in this yearly   
meeting are1 if possible1 tenfold more  
violent than in any other  part of the  
,society4 ,gideon ,seaman1 and his      
associates in the little  upstart       
,monthly ,meeting of ,westbury and      
,jericho1#bh have sent a very           
peremptory order for me to return       

immediately home1 and not proceed any   
further on my religious visit1 by which 
they trample the authority of  our      
quarterly and monthly meeting under     
foot4    #bh ,the ,monthly ,meeting of  
,westbury and ,jericho was made up of a 
small  number of ,orthodox ,friends1    
representing only a small minority of   
the  meeting of which ,elias ,hicks was 
a member4    ,following the ,ohio       
,yearly ,meeting1 ,flushing1#bi in that 
,state1 was  visited1 and the ,first-day
 meeting attended4 ,elias was met before
 he  reached the meeting-house by       
,orthodox ,friends1 who insisted that he
  should not interrupt the meeting4 ,he 
entered the house1 but before  the      
meeting was fairly settled1 ,charles    
,osborn1 an ,orthodox ,friend1  appeared
 in prayer1 and continued for an hour2  
and then preached for  another hour4    
,elias thus refers to this occurrence3  
#bi ,flushing is about #ah miles from   
,mt4 ,pleasant4 ,a ,wilburite meeting   
is the only ,friendly gathering now in  

the place4      ,however1 when he sat   
down1 although the meeting was much     
wearied    with his long and tedious    
communications1 ,i felt the necessity of
    standing up and addressing the      
people1 which brought a precious        
solemnity over the meeting2 but as soon 
as ,i sat down1 he rose again    to     
contradict1 and tried to lay waste my   
communication1 by asserting    that ,i  
had not the unity of my friends at home2
 which being untrue1    ,i therefore    
informed the meeting that ,i had        
certificates with me to    prove the    
incorrectness of his assertions1 which  
,i then produced1 but    he and his     
party would not stay to hear them1 but  
in a disorderly    manner arose and left
 the meeting2 but the people generally  
stayed    and heard them read1 to their 
general satisfaction4#cj    #cj         
,journal1 p4 #dad4    ,meetings were    
subsequently attended at different      
points in ,ohio1  generally without     
disturbance1 until ,springfield was     

reached the #bb;d of  ,ninth month4     
,here the ,orthodox shut the            
meeting-house and guarded the  doors4   
,elias held his meeting under some trees
 nearby4 ,he says3 ,it was  a precious  
season1 wherein the ,lord's power and   
love were exalted over  all             
opposition4#ca    #ca ,journal1 p4 #daf4
    ,preceding ,indiana ,yearly         
,meeting1 he was twice at ,wilmington1  
,ohio1  and attended monthly meeting at 
,center1 the first held since the       
separation4 ,the attendance was large1  
many more than the house  would         
accommodate4 ,elias says3 ,the ,lord1   
our never-failing helper1  manifested   
his presence1 solemnizing the assembly  
and opening the  minds of the people to 
receive the word preached2 breaking down
 all  opposition1 and humbling and      
contriting the assembly in a very       
general  manner4#cb    #cb ,journal1 p4 
#dae4    ,ninth month #bgth1 ,indiana   
,yearly ,meeting convened at            
,waynesville1  ,ohio4 ,it should be     

noted that the separation in most of the
 meetings  comprising this yearly       
meeting had been accomplished in #ahbg1 
so that  the gathering in #ahbh was in  
substantial unity with the ,friends  in 
sympathy with ,elias ,hicks4 ,a letter  
written to ,valentine and  ,abigail     
,hicks1 dated ,waynesville1 ,tenth month
 #c1 #ahbh1 contains some  interesting  
information concerning the experience of
 the venerable  preacher4 ,he says3     
,the ,yearly ,meeting here would have   
been very large1 had there not    been a
 failure of the information of the      
conclusion for holding it    here1      
reaching divers of the ,quarterly       
,meetings1 by which they were           
prevented from attending4 ,the meeting  
was very orderly conducted1 and    the  
business managed in much harmony and    
condescension4 ,the public    meetings  
have been very large1 favoured seasons1 
and all the meetings    we have attended
 in our passing along have been         
generally very large4    ,seldom any    

houses were found large enough to       
contain the people4    ,often hundreds  
were under the necessity of standing out
 doors4 ,many    of the people without  
came a great way to be at our meeting4  
,some    ten1 some twenty1 and some     
thirty miles1 and ,i have been informed 
since ,i have been here that the people 
in a town #abj miles below              
,cincinnati have given it in charge to  
,friends of that place to    inform them
 when we came there1 as a steam boat    
plies between the    two places4 ,the   
excitement is so great among the people 
by the false    rumors circulated by the
 ,orthodox1 that they spare no pains to 
get an    opportunity to be with us1 and
 those who have attended from distant   
parts1 informing the people the         
satisfaction they have had in being     
with us1 in which they have found that  
the reports spread among them    were   
generally false1 it has increased the   
excitement in others to    see for      
themselves4    ,the yearly meeting over1

 ,elias attended meetings en route to   
,richmond1 ,ind41 and was at the        
mid-week meeting in that place1 ,tenth  
month #hth4 ,several other meetings were
 attended1 the only disturbance         
reported being at ,orange1 where the    
,orthodox hurt the meeting very         
considerably4 ,on the #aith he was in   
,cincinnati1 and attended the  regular  
meeting in the morning1 and a large     
appointed meeting in the  court-house in
 the afternoon4 ,both were pronounced   
highly favored  seasons4    ,first-day1 
the #bfth1 he was at ,fairfield1 where  
the ,orthodox revived  the story that he
 was traveling without a minute4 ,while 
,elias was  speaking1 the ,orthodox left
 the meeting in a body4 ,he remarks3    
,but  ,friends and others kept their    
seats1 and we had a very solemn close1  
and great brokenness and contrition were
 manifest among the people2  and to do  
away with the false report spread by the
 ,orthodox1 ,i had my  certificates     
read1 which gave full satisfaction to   

the assembly4#cc    #cc ,journal1 p4    
#dai4    ,elias then journeyed to       
,wheeling1 his face being turned        
homeward4  ,he held an appointed meeting
 in that city4 ,it is suggestive that1  
notwithstanding the theological odium   
under which he was supposed to  rest1   
the meeting was held in the ,methodist  
church1 which had been  kindly offered  
for the purpose4 ,this would seem to    
indicate that the  ,methodists had not  
yet taken any sides in the quarrel which
 had divided  the ,society of ,friends4 
,after visiting ,redstone ,quarterly    
,meeting1 in western ,pennsylvania1 he  
visited the meetings in the ,shenandoah 
and ,loudon valleys1 in ,virginia4  ,he 
was at ,alexandria and ,washington1 and 
on ,first-day1 ,eleventh month  #afth1  
was at ,sandy ,spring1 ,md4 ,the        
meetings about ,baltimore and in        
,harford and ,cecil counties were       
visited4 ,he reached ,west ,grove in    
,pennsylvania1 ,twelfth month #ast1 and 
encountered some trouble1 as he  found  

that the meeting-house had been closed  
against him4 ,a large crowd  assembled1 
better councils prevailed1 and the house
 was opened4 ,the  audience was beyond  
the capacity of the house1 and the      
meeting in every  way satisfactory4     
,upon his arrival at ,west ,grove1      
,twelfth month #ast1 he sent a letter to
  his son-in-law and daughter1 ,royal   
and ,martha ,aldrich4 ,in this letter   
he gives a brief account of his         
experiences in ,maryland and ,lancaster 
,county4 ,he says3 ,the aforesaid       
meetings were very large and highly     
favored1 generally made up of every     
description of people1 high and  low1   
rich and poor1 ,romanists1 and generally
 some of every profession  of           
,protestants known in our country4      
,generally all went away fully          
satisfied as to those evil reports that 
have been spread over the  country      
concerning me1 and many announced the   
abhorrence they had of  those false and 
slanderous reports4    ,it appears from 

this letter that the traveling companion
 of ,elias1  ,jesse ,merritt1 was       
homesick1 and hoped that some other     
,friend would  come from ,long ,island  
to take his place for the rest of the   
trip4 ,in  case such a shift was made1  
,elias requested that whoever came might
  bring with him my best winter         
tight-bodied coat1 and two thicker      
neck-cloths1 as those ,i have are rather
 thin4 ,i got a new great-coat in       
,alexandria1 and shall not need any     
other4    ,from a letter written to his 
wife from ,west ,chester1 ,twelfth month
  #gth1 we learn that ,john ,hicks had  
arrived to take the place of ,jesse     
,merritt1 and he seized that opportunity
 to send a letter home4 ,as  the two    
,friends had been away from home nearly 
six months1 it is not  strange that the 
companion on this journey desired to    
return4 ,he could  scarcely have been   
under the deep and absorbing religious  
concern  which was felt by his elder    
brother in the truth4 ,the nature of    

this  obligation is revealed in the     
letter last noted4 ,in this epistle to  
his  wife1 ,elias says3      ,abigail's 
letter informs of the infirm state of   
,v4 and ,caroline1    which excites     
near-feeling and sympathy with them1 and
 which would    induce me to return home
 immediately if ,i was set at liberty   
from    my religious obligations1 but as
 that is not the case1 ,i can only      
recommend them to the preserving care   
and compassionate regard of    our      
,heavenly ,father1 whose mercy is over  
all his works and does    not suffer a  
sparrow to fall without his notice4 ,and
 as we become    resigned to his        
heavenly disposals1 he will cause all   
things to work    together for good1 to 
his truly devoted children4 ,therefore1 
let all    trust in him1 for in the     
,lord ,jehovah is everlasting strength4 
,the meetings in ,delaware1 eastern     
,pennsylvania and ,new ,jersey were     
pretty generally attended1 and with no  
reported disturbance4 ,first-day1  the  

#bast of ,twelfth month1 ,elias attended
 the meeting at ,cherry ,street  in the 
morning and ,green ,street in the       
afternoon1 and on the #bhth he  repeated
 that experience4 ,on both occasions    
hundreds more assembled  than the houses
 could contain4#cd ,in the suburban     
meetings in  ,delaware and ,bucks       
,counties1 the houses were generally too
 small to  contain the people2 many had 
to stand out-of-doors for want of room2 
nevertheless1 the people behaved orderly
 and the ,lord was felt to  preside1    
solemnizing those crowded assemblies1 in
 all of which my mind  was opened1 and  
ability afforded1 to preach the gospel  
to the people in  the demonstration of  
the spirit and with power1 and many     
hearts were  broken and contrited and   
went away rejoicing1 under thankful     
sense of  the unmerited favor4#ce    #cd
 ,journal1 p4 #dbc4    #ce ,journal1 p4 
#dbc4    ,the great crowds which flocked
 to hear ,elias ,hicks after the        
separation were probably called together

 partly because of curiosity  on their  
part1 and to a considerable extent      
because of his continued  popularity as 
a minister1 in spite of the trouble     
which had come to  the ,society4 ,that  
he was appreciative of what we would now
 call the  advertising quality of those 
who antagonized him1 and became his     
theological and personal enemies1 is    
well attested4 ,in summing up  his      
conclusions regarding the long religious
 visit now under review1  he said3 ,my  
opposing brethren had1 by their public  
opposition and  erroneous reports1      
created such excitement in the minds of 
the people  generally of every          
profession1 that it induced multitudes  
to assemble  to hear for themselves1 and
 they generally went away satisfied and 
comforted4#cf ,undoubtedly1 the         
multitudes who heard ,elias ,hicks      
preach in #ahbh went away wondering what
 all the trouble was about4    #cf      
,journal1 p4 #dbc4    ,elias and his    
traveling companion reached home about  

the middle of  ,first month1 #ahbi4     
,this was one of the longest and most   
extended  religious journeys ever made  
by him1 and was completed within two    
months of his eighty-first year4 ,on the
 journey he traveled nearly #bdjj       
miles1 and was absent seven months and  
ten days4    ,going carefully over the  
various journeys of this well-known     
minister1  a conservative estimate will 
show that he traveled in the aggregate  
not  less than forty thousand miles     
during his long life of public service4 
,he was probably the best-known minister
 in the ,society of ,friends in  his    
time4 ,his circle of personal friends   
was large1 and extended over  all the   
yearly meetings4 ,it is necessary to    
keep these facts in mind1  in order to  
understand how the major portion of     
,friends at that time  made his cause   
their own when the rupture came4    ,the
 majority of ,friends at that time were 
content as to preaching1 with  words    
that seemed to be full of spirit and    

life1 and this undoubtedly  was         
characteristic of the preaching of      
,elias ,hicks4 ,to attempt to  destroy  
the standing in the ,society of a man of
 such character and  equipment was      
certain to break something other than   
the man attacked4  ,this will become    
more apparent as we consider more       
closely the relation  of ,elias ,hicks  
to the controversy with which his name  
and person were  linked1 and with the   
trouble in the ,society of ,friends1 for
 which1  either justly or otherwise1 he 
was made the scapegoat4                 
,,chapter ,,vii4    ,ideas ,about the   
,ministry4      ,to construct from the  
published deliverances1 and personal    
correspondence of ,elias ,hicks1 a      
statement of his theory and practice    
touching the ministry is desirable if   
not easy4 ,that he considered  public   
religious exercise an exalted function1 
if of the right sort1  and emanating    
from the ,divine source1 is abundantly  
evidenced in all  he said and wrote4    

,the call to particular and general     
service1 whether  in his home meeting   
for worship1 or in connection with his  
extended  religious journeys1 he        
believed came directly from the ,divine 
,spirit4    ,one instance is related1   
which possibly as clearly as anything1  
illustrates his feeling regarding the   
ministry1 and the relationship  of the  
,infinite to the minister4 ,in the fall 
of #agha1 when his service  in the      
ministry had been acknowledged about    
three years1 he was very  ill with a    
fever1 which lasted for several months4 
,in the most severe  period of this     
indisposition he tells us that a        
prospect opened to  my mind to pay a    
religious visit to some parts of our    
island where no  ,friends lived1 and    
among a people1 who1 from acquaintance  
,i had with  them1 were more likely to  
mock than receive me4 ,he opposed the   
call1  and argued against it1 only to   
see the disease daily reducing his      
bodily and mental strength4 ,he became  

convinced that in yielding to  this call
 lay his only hope of recovery1 and had 
he not done so his  life would have gone
 out4 ,having fully recovered1 the      
intimated service  was performed the    
following summer4    ,he seemed to treat
 his ministry as something in a measure 
apart from  his personality4 ,he        
repeatedly referred to his own          
ministerial labors  in a way not unlike 
that indulged in by his most ardent     
admirers4  ,yet this was always         
accompanied with acknowledgment of the  
,divine  enlightening and assistance4   
,on the #bb;d of ,tenth month1 #aggi1 he
 held  an appointed meeting in          
,hartford1 ,conn41 a thousand persons   
being  present4 ,of this meeting he     
said3 ,the ,lord1 in whom we trust1 was 
graciously near1 and furnished us with  
ability to conduct the meeting  to the  
satisfaction and peace of our own minds2
 and to the edification  of many        
present1 and general satisfaction to the
 assembly4#cg    #cg ,journal1 p4 #he4  

,speaking of a meeting at ,market       
,street1 ,philadelphia1 in ,fourth      
month1  #ahja1 he remarked3 ,my spirit  
was set at liberty1 and ability afforded
  to divide the word among them1        
according to their varied conditions1 in
  a large1 searching and effectual      
testimony2 whereby a holy solemnity  was
 witnessed to spread over the meeting1  
to the great rejoicing of the           
honest-hearted4#ch    #ch ,journal1 p4  
#hi4    ,at a meeting at ,goose ,creek1 
,virginia1 the #bb;d of ,third month1   
#agig1  he tells us3 ,after a           
considerable time of silent labor1 in   
deep  baptism with the suffering seed1  
my mouth was opened in a clear1 full    
testimony1 directed to the states of    
those present4 ,and many were  brought  
under the influence of that power which 
'cut ,rahab1 and wounded  the           
dragon4'#ci    #ci ,journal1 p4 #fi4    
,in the acknowledgment of the ,divine   
influence and favor1 ,elias ,hicks  had 
a collection of phrases which he        

repeatedly used4 ,it was the  ,lord's   
doings1 and marvelous in our eyes1 was a
 common expression4 ,he  repeatedly     
said3 ,our sufficiency was not of       
ourselves1 but of ,god2  and that the   
,lord was our strength from day to day1 
who is over all  blessed forever4 ,one  
of his favorite expressions was3 ,to the
 ,lord be  all the praise1 nothing due  
to man4    ,trite and pointed ,scripture
 quotations were always at command1 and 
they were effectively employed1 both in 
speaking and writing4 ,it will  be noted
 by the reader that not a few of the    
expressions used by ,elias  ,hicks sound
 like the phrases coined by ,george     
,fox4    ,that ,elias ,hicks believed in
 the plenary inspiration of the preacher
 is  well attested4 ,his testimony was  
constantly against the letter1 with     
little recognition that the letter could
 ever contain the spirit4 ,here  is a   
sample exhortation to ministers3        
,and it is a great thing when ministers 
keep in remembrance that    necessary   

caution of the divine ,master1 not to   
premediate what they    shall say2 but  
carefully to wait in the nothingness and
 emptiness of    self1 that what they   
speak may be only what the ,holy ,spirit
 speaketh    in them2 then will they not
 only speak the truth1 but the truth1   
accompanied with power1 and thereby     
profit the hearers4#dj    #dj ,journal1 
p4 #bif4    ,he admonished ,friends in  
meeting1 and especially ministers1 to   
get  inward1 and wait in their proper   
gifts4 ,the evident theory was that by  
waiting1 and possibly wrestling with the
 manifestation it was possible  to tell 
whether it was from below or above4     
,still1 there was not an entire absence 
of the human and even the  rational in  
,elias ,hicks' theory of the ministry as
 it worked out in  practice4 ,he had    
evidently discovered the psychological  
side of public  speaking to the extent  
of recognizing that even the preacher   
was  influenced by his audience4        
,when he was in ,philadelphia in #ahaf1 

before the troubled times had  arrived1 
he tells us that it proved a hard trying
 season3 one of  them ministers was     
exercised in public testimony1 and      
although she  appeared to labor         
fervently1 yet but little life was felt 
to arise  during the meeting4 ,this     
makes the work hard for the poor        
exercised  ministers1 who feel the      
necessity publicly to advocate the cause
 of  truth and righteousness1 and yet   
obtain but little relief1 by reason  of 
the deadness and indifference of those  
to whom they are constrained  to        
minister4 ,i found it my place to sit   
silent and suffer with the  seed4#da    
#da ,journal1 p4 #bga4    ,in a personal
 letter1 while on one of his visits1    
,elias ,hicks gave the  following       
impression of the meeting and the       
ministry3      ,to-day was the quarterly
 meeting of discipline4 ,it was large1  
and ,i    think in the main a favored   
instructive season1 although            
considerably    hurt by a pretty long1  

tedious communication1 not sufficiently 
clothed with life to make it either     
comfortable or useful4 ,so it    is1 the
 ,society is in such a mixed and        
unstable state1 and many    who presume 
to be teachers in it1 are so far from   
keeping on the    original foundation1  
the light and spirit of truth1 and so   
built up    in mere tradition1 that ,i  
fear a very great portion of the        
ministry    among us1 is doing more harm
 than good1 and leading back to the weak
    and beggarly elements1 to which they
 seem desirous to be again in           
bondage4#db    #db ,letter to his wife1 
dated ,purchase1 ,n4 ,y41 ,tenth month  
#bi1 #ahbc4    ,this is not the only    
case of his measuring the general effect
 of the  ministry4 ,in ,seventh month1  
#ahae1 he attended ,westbury ,quarterly 
,meeting1 and of its experiences he     
wrote as follows3      ,was the parting 
meeting held for public worship4 ,it was
 a large    crowded meeting1 but was    
somewhat hurt in the forepart1 by the   

appearance of one young in the ministry 
standing too long1 and    manifesting   
too much animation3 ,yet1 ,i believed1  
he was under    the preparing hand1     
fitting for service in the ,church1 if  
he only    keeps low and humble1 and    
does not aspire above his gift1 into the
    animation of the creature4 ,for     
there is great danger1 if such are      
not deeply watchful1 of the transformer 
getting in and raising the    mind into 
too much creaturely zeal1 and warmth of 
the animal spirit1    whereby they may  
be deceived1 and attribute that to the  
divine power1    which only arises from 
a heated imagination1 and the natural   
warmth    of their own spirits2 and so  
mar the work of the divine spirit on    
their minds1 run before their gift and  
lose it1 or have it taken away    from  
them4 ,they thereby fall into the       
condition of some formerly1 as          
mentioned by the prophet1 who1 in their 
creaturely zeal1 kindle a    fire of    
their own1 and walk in the light        

thereof2 but these1 in the    end1 have 
to lie down in sorrow4#dc    #dc        
,journal1 p4 #bcd4    ,of the same      
quarterly meeting1 held in ,fourth month
 in the following  year1 in ,new ,york1 
,elias wrote3 ,it was for the most part 
a favored  season1 but would have been  
more so1 had not some in the ministry   
quite  exceeded the mark by unnecessary 
communication4 ,for very great care     
ought to rest on the minds of ministers1
 lest they become burthensome1  and take
 away the life from the meeting1 and    
bring over it a gloom of  death and     
darkness1 that may be sensibly felt4#dd 
#dd ,journal1 p4 #bfh4    ,his feeling  
regarding his own particular labor in   
the ministry is  almost pathetically    
expressed as follows3      ,meetings are
 generally large and well-attended1     
although in the    midst of harvest4 ,i 
have continual cause for deep humility  
and    thankfulness of heart under a    
daily sense of the continued mercy of   
the ,shepherd of ,israel1 who when he   

puts his servants forth1 goes    before 
them1 and points out the way1 when to   
them all seems shut    up in darkness4  
,this has been abundantly my lot from   
day to day1    insomuch that the saying 
of the prophet has been verified in my  
experience1 that none are so blind as   
the ,lord's servants1 nor deaf    as his
 messengers4 ,as generally when ,i first
 enter meetings ,i feel    like one1    
both dumb and deaf1 and see nothing but 
my own impotence4    ,nevertheless as my
 whole trust and confidence is in the   
never-failing    arm of divine          
sufficiency1 although ,i am thus        
emptied1 ,i am not cast    down1 neither
 has a murmuring thought been permitted 
to enter1 but    in faith and patience1 
have had to inherit the promise1 as made
 to    ,israel formerly by the prophet4 
',i will never leave thee1 nor forsake  
thee4' ,this my dear1 ,i trust will be  
the happy lot of all those who          
sincerely trust in the ,lord1 and do not
 cast away their confidence1    nor lean

 to their own understanding4#de    #de  
,letter to his wife1 written from ,east 
,caln1 ,pa41 ,seventh month #bb1  #ahac4
    ,occasionally in his ministry ,elias
 ,hicks did what in our time would be   
called sensational things4 ,in this     
matter he shall be his own witness4     
,fourth-day1 the #fth of ,twelfth month1
 #ahae1 at ,pearl ,street meeting in    
,new ,york1 there was a marriage during 
the meeting1 on which account the       
attendance was large4 ,after remarking  
that his mind was exercised in  an      
unusual manner1 he says3      ,for the  
subject which first presented1 after my 
mind had become    silenced1 was the    
remembrance of the manner in which the  
temporal    courts among men are called 
to order2 and it became so impressive1  
as to apprehend it right to make use of 
it as a simile1 much in the    way the  
prophet was led to make use of some of  
the ,rechabites1 to    convict ,israel  
of their disobedience and want of       
attention to their    law and law-giver4

 ,i accordingly was led to cry audibly  
three times1    ',o yes6 ,o yes6 ,o yes6
 silence all persons1 under the pain and
 penalty    of the displeasure of the   
court4' ,this unusual address had a     
powerful    tendency to arrest the      
attention of all present1 and from which
 ,i    took occasion1 as truth opened   
the way1 to reason with the assembly1   
that if such a confused mass of people  
as are generally collected    together  
on such occasions1 and from very        
different motives1 and    many from mere
 curiosity to hear and see the          
transactions of the    court1 should all
 in an instant so honor and respect the 
court1    as immediately to be still and
 silent at the simple call of the       
crier3 ,how much more reasonable is it1 
for a collection of people1             
promiscuously gathered to the place     
appointed in a religious way1 to    wait
 upon1 and worship the ,judge of heaven 
and earth1 to be still1    and strive to
 silence every selfish and creaturely   

thought and    cogitation of the mind4  
,for such thoughts and cogitations would
 as    certainly prevent our hearing the
 inward divine voice of the ,king    of 
heaven1 and as effectually hinder our   
worshipping him in spirit    and in     
truth1 as the talking of the multitude  
at a court of moral    law1 would       
interrupt the business thereof4 ,as ,i  
proceeded with this    simile1 the      
subject enlarged and spread1 accompanied
 with gospel    power and the evident   
demonstration of the spirit1 whereby    
truth was    raised into victory1 and   
ran as oil over all4 ,the meeting closed
 with    solemn supplication and        
thanksgiving to the ,lord our gracious  
,helper1    to whom all the honor and   
glory belong1 both now and forever4#df  
#df ,journal1 p4 #bdh4    ,whatever may 
have been the opinion of ,elias ,hicks  
as to the inspiration  of the minister1 
he evidently did not consider that it   
was so  impersonal and accidental1 or so
 entirely outside the preacher1 as to   

demand no care on his own part4 ,the    
following advisory statement almost     
provides for what might be called       
preparation3      ,in those large       
meetings1 where ,friends are collected  
from various    parts1 the weak and the 
strong together1 and especially in those
    for worship1 it is essentially      
necessary that ,friends get inward1     
and wait in their proper gifts1 keeping 
in view their standing and    place in  
society1 especially those in the        
ministry4 ,for otherwise    there is    
danger even from a desire to do good1 of
 being caught with    the enemies'      
transformations1 particularly with those
 that are    young1 and inexperienced2  
for we seldom sit in meetings but some  
prospect presents1 which has a likeness1
 in its first impression1    to the     
right thing2 and as these feel naturally
 fearful of speaking    in large        
meetings1 and in the presence of their  
elderly friends1    and apprehending    
they are likely to have something to    

offer1 they    are suddenly struck with 
the fear of man1 and thereby prevented  
from centering down to their gifts1 so  
as to discover whether it    is a right 
motion or not2 and the accuser of the   
brethren1 who is    always ready with   
his transformations to deceive1 charges 
with    unfaithfulness and disobedience1
 by which they are driven to act        
without any clear prospect1 and find    
little to say1 except making    an      
apology for them thus standing2 by which
 they often disturb the    meeting1 and 
prevent others1 who are rightly called  
to the work1 and    thereby wound the   
minds of the living baptized members4#dg
    #dg ,journal1 p4 #bcj4    ,the      
responsibility which ,elias ,hicks felt 
for the meeting of which  he was a      
member1 and in which he felt called to  
minister1 is well  illustrated in the   
following quotation3      ,i was under  
considerable bodily indisposition most  
of this week4 ,on    ,fifth-day1 so much
 so1 as almost to give up the prospect  

of getting    to meeting2 but ,i put on 
my usual resolution and went1 and was   
glad    in so doing1 as there ,i met    
with that peace of ,god that passeth all
    understanding1 which is only known  
by being felt4 ,i had to declare to     
my friends how good it is to trust in   
the ,lord with all the heart1    and    
lean not to our own understandings1 lest
 they fail us4#dh    #dh ,journal1 p4   
#bcj4    ,this records no uncommon      
occurrence4 ,he was often indisposed1   
but the  illness had to be severe if it 
kept him away from meeting4    ,during  
his later life he was frequently        
indisposed1 and sometimes  under such   
bodily pain when speaking that he was   
forced to stop in  the midst of a       
discourse4 ,this happened in ,green     
,street ,meeting  ,house1 ,philadelphia1
 ,eleventh month #ab1 #ahbf4 ,on this   
occasion the  stenographer says that    
after leaving his place for a few       
minutes1 he  resumed4 ,during this      
particular sermon ,elias sat down twice1

 beside  the time mentioned1 evidently  
to recover physical strength4    ,elias 
,hicks was not one of those ministers   
who always spoke if he  attended        
meeting4 ,many times he was silent2 this
 being especially true  when in his home
 meeting4 ,when on a religious visit he 
generally spoke1  but not always4 ,that 
his willingness to famish the people    
from words1  tended to his local        
popularity1 is quite certain4    ,the   
printed sermons of ,elias ,hicks would  
indicate that at times he  was quite    
lengthy1 and seldom preached what is    
known now as a short1  ten-minute       
sermon4 ,estimating a number of sermons1
 we find that they  averaged about #fejj
 words1 so that his sermons must have   
generally  occupied from thirty to      
forty-five minutes in delivery4         
,occasionally a  sermon contained over  
#hjjj words1 while sometimes less than  
#djjj words4          ,,chapter ,,viii4 
,the ,home at ,jericho4      ,the       
village of ,jericho1 ,long ,island1 is  

about #be miles east of ,new ,york      
,city1 in the town of ,oyster ,bay4 ,it 
has had no considerable growth  since   
the days of ,elias ,hicks1 and now      
contains only about a score and  a half 
of houses4 ,hicksville1 less than two   
miles away1 the railroad  station for   
the older hamlet1 contains a population 
of a couple of  thousand4 ,it was named 
for ,valentine ,hicks1 the son-in-law of
 ,elias4    ,running through ,jericho is
 the main-traveled road from the eastern
  part of ,long ,island to ,new ,york1  
called ,jericho ,pike4 ,in our time it  
is a famous thoroughfare for            
automobiles1 is thoroughly modern1 and  
as  smooth and hard as a barn floor4 ,in
 former days it was a toll-road1 and    
over it ,elias ,hicks often traveled4 ,a
 cross-country road runs through        
,jericho nearly north and south1 leading
 to ,oyster ,bay4 ,on this road1  a few 
rods to the north from the turn in the  
,jericho ,pike stands the  house which  
was originally the ,seaman homestead1   

where ,elias ,hicks  lived from soon    
after his marriage till his death4      
,the house was large and commodious for 
its time1 but has been  remodeled1 so   
that only part of the building now      
standing is as it  was eighty years ago4
 ,the house ends to the road1 with      
entrance from  the south side4 ,it was  
of the popular ,long ,island and ,new   
,england  construction1 shingled from   
cellar wall to ridge-pole4 ,four rooms  
on  the east end of the house1 two      
upstairs and two down1 are practically  
as they were in the days of ,elias      
,hicks4 ,in one of these he had his     
paralytic stroke1 and in another he     
passed away4 ,the comparatively wide    
hall which runs across the house1 with  
the exception of the stairway1  is as it
 was in the time of its distinguished   
occupant4 ,a new stairway  of modern    
construction now occupies the opposite  
side of the hall from  the one of the   
older time4 ,this hall-way1 it is said1 
,elias ,hicks loved  to promenade1      

sometimes with his visitors1 and here   
with characteristic  warmth of feeling  
he sped his parting guests1 when the    
time for their  departure came4    ,like
 the most of his neighbors1 ,elias      
,hicks was a farmer4 ,the home  place   
probably contained about seventy-five   
acres1 but he possessed  detached pieces
 of land1 part of it in timber4 ,several
 years before  his death he sold forty  
acres of the farm to his son-in-law1    
,valentine  ,hicks1 thus considerably   
reducing the care which advancing years 
and  increased religious labor made     
advisable4    ,jericho still retains its
 agricultural character more than some  
of  the other sections of neighboring   
,long ,island4 ,the multi-millionaire   
and the real estate exploiter have      
absorbed many of the old ,friendly      
homes toward the ,westbury neighborhood1
 and are pushing their ambitious  intent
 at land-grabbing down the ,jericho     
road4    ,if ,elias were to return and  
make a visit from ,jericho to the       

meeting  at ,westbury1 as he often did  
in his time1 three or four miles away1  
he would pass more whizzing automobiles 
en route than he would teams1  and would
 see the landscape beautifully adorned  
with lawns and walks1  with parks and   
drives on the hillsides1 not to mention 
the costly ,roman  garden of one of     
,pittsburg's captains of industry4      
,should he so elect1  he could be       
whirled in a gasoline car in a few      
minutes over a distance  which it       
probably took him the better part of an 
hour to make in his  day4 ,as he went   
along he could muse over snatches of    
,goldsmiths'  ,deserted ,village1 like  
the following1 which would be           
approximately1  if not literally1 true3 
,hoards1 e'en beyond the miser's wish   
abound1    ,and rich men flock from all 
the world around4    ,yet count our     
gains3 this wealth is but a name        
,that leaves our useful products just   
the same4    ,and so the loss3 the man  
of wealth and pride    ,takes up the    

place that many poor supplied2    ,space
 for his lake1 his parks extending      
bounds1    ,space for his horses1       
equipage and hounds1    ,the robe that  
wraps his limbs in silken sloth1    ,has
 robbed the neighboring fields of half  
their growth4    ,but there are some    
compensations in the modern scene1 and  
however  emotionally sad the change1 the
 helpfully suggestive side is not in    
lamentation over the inevitable1 but in 
considering the growing demands  which  
the situation makes upon the practical  
spiritual religion which  ,elias ,hicks 
preached1 and in which his successors   
still profess to  believe4    ,a hundred
 years ago1 wheat was a regular and     
staple farm product on  ,long ,island1  
especially in and around ,jericho1 and  
on the ,hicks farm4  ,but no wheat is   
raised in this section now4 ,the farmer 
finds it more  profitable to raise the  
more perishable vegetables to feed the  
hungry  hordes of the great city1 which 
has crowded itself nearer and nearer to 

the farmers' domain4    ,less than a    
quarter of a mile up the road from the  
,hicks home is the  ,friends' ,meeting  
,house1 which ,elias ,hicks helped to   
build1 if he did  not design it4 ,the   
timbers and rafters1 which were large1  
and are  still sound to the core1 were  
hewed by hand of course4 ,like most of  
the neighboring buildings1 its sides    
were shingled1 and probably the         
original shingles have not been replaced
 since the house was built1  a hundred  
and twenty-two years ago4 ,the public   
gallery contained  benches sloping      
steeply one above the other1 making the 
view of  the preacher's gallery easy    
from these elevated positions4 ,over    
the preacher's gallery1 and facing the  
one just described1 is room  for a row  
of seats behind a railing4 ,whether this
 was a sort of a  watch-tower from which
 the elders might observe the deportment
 of the  young people in the seats      
opposite1 or whether it was simply used 
for  overflow purposes1 tradition does  

not tell us4    ,the fact probably is   
that what is known as the ,hicks        
property at  ,jericho came to ,elias by 
his wife ,jemima4 ,there is every reason
 to  believe that at the time of his    
marriage he was a poor man1 and as  the 
young folks took up their residence at  
the ,seaman home soon after  their      
marriage1 there was no time for an      
accumulation of property on  the part of
 the head of the new family4 ,the       
economic situation involved  in the     
matter under consideration had a most   
important bearing on the  religious     
service of ,elias ,hicks4 ,taking the   
,seaman farm brought him  economic      
certainty1 if not independence4 ,it is  
hardly conceivable that  he could have  
given the large attention to the free   
gospel ministry  which he did1 had there
 been a struggle with debt and          
difficulty which  was so incidental in  
laying the foundations of even a        
moderate success  a century and a       
quarter ago4 ,it is by no means to be   

inferred1 however1  that ,elias ,hicks  
was ever a wealthy man1 or possessed the
 means of  luxury1 for which of course  
he had no desire1 and against which he  
bore a life-long testimony4 ,the real   
point to be gratefully remembered  is   
that he was not overburdened with the   
care and worry which a less  desirable  
economic condition would have enforced4 
,in the main1 ,elias ,hicks saw his     
married children settle around him4     
,royal ,aldrich1 who married his oldest 
daughter1 had a tannery1 and  lived on  
the opposite side of the road not far   
away4 ,valentine ,hicks1  who married   
another daughter1 had a somewhat        
pretentious house for the  time1 at the 
foot of the little hill approaching the 
meeting house1 and  just beyond the     
house of ,elias1 ,robert ,seaman1 who   
married the youngest  daughter1 lived   
only a few steps away4 ,joshua ,willets1
 who married the  third daughter1       
resided on the south side of the island1
 some miles  distant4 ,the time of      

scattering families1 lured by business  
outlook and  economic advantage1 had not
 yet arrived4          ,,chapter ,,ix4  
,the ,hicks ,family4      ,in the home  
at ,jericho the children of ,elias      
,hicks were born4 ,touching  his family 
we have this bit of interesting         
information from ,elias ,hicks  himself3
      ,my wife1 although not of a very  
strong constitution1 lived to be the    
mother of eleven children1 four sons and
 seven daughters4 ,our second           
daughter1 a very lovely promising child1
 died when young with the    small pox1 
and the youngest was not living at its  
birth4 ,the rest    all arrived to years
 of discretion1 and afforded us         
considerable    comfort1 as they proved 
to be in a good degree dutiful children4
 ,all    our sons1 however1 were of weak
 constitutions1 and were not able to    
take care of themselves1 being so       
enfeebled as not to be able to    walk  
after the ninth year of their age4 ,the 
two eldest died in the    fifteenth year

 of their age1 the third in his         
seventeenth year1 and    the youngest   
was nearly nineteen when he died4 ,but1 
although thus    helpless1 the innocency
 of their lives1 and the resigned       
cheerfulness    of their dispositions to
 their allotments1 made the labour and  
toil    of taking care of them agreeable
 and pleasant2 and ,i trust we were     
preserved from murmuring or repining1   
believing the dispensation to    be in  
wisdom1 and according to the will and   
gracious disposing of an    all-wise    
providence1 for purposes best known to  
himself4 ,and when ,i    have observed  
the great anxiety and affliction1 which 
many parents    have with undutiful     
children who are favoured with health1  
especially    their sons1 ,i could      
perceive very few whose troubles and    
exercises1    on that account1 did not  
far exceed ours4 ,the weakness and      
bodily    infirmity of our sons tended  
to keep them much out of the way of the 
troubles and temptations of the world2  

and we believed that in their    death  
they were happy1 and admitted into the  
realms of peace and joy2    a           
reflection1 the most comfortable and    
joyous that parents can have    in      
regard to their tender offspring4#di    
#di ,journal1 p4 #ad4    ,the children  
thus referred to by their father were   
the following3  ,martha1 born in #agga4 
,she married ,royal ,aldrich1 and died  
in #ahfb1 at  the advanced age of       
ninety-one4 ,she was a widow for about  
twenty years4    ,david was born in     
#aggc1 and died in #aghg4 ,elias1 the   
second son1 was  born in #aggd1 and died
 the same year as his brother ,david4   
,elizabeth  was born in #aggg1 and died 
in #aggi4 ,this is the daughter who had 
the  small pox4 ,there are no records   
telling whether the other members of    
the family had the disease1 or how this 
child of two years became a  victim of  
the contagion4    ,phebe1 the third     
daughter1 was born in #aggi4 ,she       
married ,joshua  ,willets1 as noted in  

the last chapter4    ,abigail1 who      
married ,valentine ,hicks1 a nephew of  
,elias1 was born in  #aghb4 ,she died   
,second month #bf1 #ahej1 while her     
husband passed away the  #eth of ,third 
month of the same year1 just one week   
after the death of  his wife4           
,jonathan1 the third son1 was born in   
#aghd1 and passed away in #ahjb4 ,his   
brother1 ,john1 was born in #aghi1 and  
died in #ahje4    ,elizabeth1 evidently 
named for her little sister1 was born in
 #agia1  and lived to a good old age4   
,she passed away in #ahga4 ,she was     
never  married1 and occasionally        
accompanied her father on his religious 
visits4 ,she was known in the           
neighborhood1 in her later years at     
least1  as ,aunt ,elizabeth1 and is the 
best-remembered of any of the children  
of ,elias ,hicks4 ,as the ,friends      
remember her she was a spare woman1     
never weighing over ninety pounds4      
,the youngest child of the family1      
,sarah1 was born in #agic4 ,she married 

,robert ,seaman1 her kinsman1 and died  
in #ahce4 ,robert1 her husband1 died  in
 #ahfj4    ,it will be seen that the    
home at ,jericho was a house acquainted 
with  grief4 ,of the ten children1      
,martha1 ,david1 ,elias and little      
,elizabeth  made up the juvenile members
 of the household1 up to the time of the
  death of the latter4 ,phebe came the  
same year1 while ,abigail was born      
three years later1 so that there were at
 least four or five children  always    
gathered around the family board4       
,before the passing away  of ,elias and 
,david1 the family had been increased by
 the birth of  ,jonathan1 making the    
children living at one time six4 ,after 
the death  of the three older boys1 and 
the birth of ,elizabeth and ,sarah1     
until  the death of ,john in #ahje1     
living children were still six in       
number4  ,the five daughters1 ,martha1  
,phebe1 ,abigail1 ,elizabeth and ,sarah 
all  outlived their parents4    ,elias  
,hicks was undoubtedly a most           

affectionate father1 as the  letters to 
his wife and children show4 ,how much   
this was diluted by  the apparent       
sternness of his religious concerns is a
 matter for the  imagination to         
determine4 ,what were the amusements of 
this large family  is an interesting    
question in this age of the child1 with 
its surfeit  of toys and games4 ,what   
were the tasks of the girls it is not so
 hard  to answer4 ,of course they worked
 samplers1 pieced quilts1 learned to    
spin and knit1 and possibly to weave1   
and to prepare the wool or flax  for the
 loom4 ,if we read between the lines in 
the description of their  father1 we can
 easily infer that the physically       
afflicted sons were  nevertheless not   
without the joys of boyhood4    ,at all 
events1 if it was an afflicted family1  
it was also a united  one4 ,it was a    
home where the parents were reverenced  
by the children1  and where there was a 
feeling of love1 and a sense of loyalty4
 ,this  feeling is still characteristic 

of the descendants of ,elias ,hicks4 ,it
  is a sample of the persistence of the 
qualities of a strong man1 in the       
generations that come after him4    ,of 
the four daughters of ,elias ,hicks who 
were married1 but two had  children1 so 
that the lineal descendants of the      
celebrated ,jericho  preacher are either
 descendants of ,martha ,hicks1 wife of 
,valentine1  or of ,sarah ,hicks        
,seaman4 ,these two branches of the     
family are quite  numerous4#ej    #ej   
,the descendants referred to will be    
given in their proper place in  the     
,appendix4    ,of ,jemima1 the wife of  
,elias ,hicks1 little is known apart    
from the  correspondence of her husband1
 and that is considerable4 ,that he     
considered her his real help-meet1 and  
had for her a lover's affection  to the 
end is abundantly attested by all of the
 facts4 ,dame ,rumor1 in  the region of 
,jericho1 claims that she was her       
husband's intellectual  inferior1 but   
that is an indefinite comparison worth  

very little4 ,that  she was at some     
points his superior is undoubtedly true1
 and it must be  remembered that ,elias 
himself1 with all of his great natural  
ability1  lacked intellectual culture   
and literary training4 ,jemima was      
evidently  a good housekeeper1 and      
manager of affairs4 ,before she had     
sons-in-law  with whom to advise1 and   
even after that1 the business side of   
the  family was a considerable part of  
the time in her hands4 ,it is no small  
matter to throw upon a woman1 never     
robust1 the responsibility of both  the 
mother and father of a family during the
 prolonged absence of the  husband4     
,the first long religious visit of      
,elias ,hicks lasted ten weeks4 ,at     
that time there were four little people 
in the ,hicks home1 from  eight-year-old
 ,martha to two-year-old ,elizabeth1 who
 died that  year1 while ,phebe was born 
after the return of her father from his 
,philadelphia trip4 ,several of the     
other extended journeys were made  while

 the children of the family were of an  
age requiring care4 ,of  course this    
laid labor and responsibility on the    
wife and mother4  ,these she bore       
without complaining and1 we may be sure1
 with executive  ability of no mean     
order4    ,it was a time when women were
 not expected to be either the          
intellectual peers or companions of     
their husbands1 and we cannot  justly   
apply the measurements and standards of 
to-day1 to the women of  a century ago4 
,men of the ,elias ,hicks type1 meeting 
their fellows in  public assemblies and 
ministering to them1 traveling widely   
and forming  many friendships1 whether  
in the ,society of ,friends or out of   
it1 are  likely to be praised1 if not   
petted1 while their wives1 less known1  
labor on unappreciated4 ,such a woman   
was ,jemima ,hicks4 ,to her1 and all    
like her1 the lasting gratitude of the  
sons of men is due4          ,,chapter  
,x4    ,letters to his ,wife4      ,in  
the long absences from home1 which the  

religious visits of ,elias  ,hicks      
involved1 as a matter of course many of 
the domestic burdens fell  heavily upon 
his wife4 ,in so far as he could atone  
for his absence  by sending epistles    
home he did so4 ,in fact1 for the times1
 he was a  voluminous letter writer4    
,it was not a time of rapid transit4    
,distances now spanned in a few  hours  
demanded days and weeks when ,elias     
,hicks was active in the  ministry4 ,at 
the best1 but a few letters could reach 
home from the  traveler absent for      
several months4    ,in the main the     
letters which ,elias sent to his beloved
 ,jemima were  of the ardent lover-like 
sort4 ,it seemed impossible1 however1   
for  him to avoid the preacherly        
function in even his most tender and    
domestic missives4 ,exhortations to     
practical righteousness1 and to  the    
maintenance of what he considered the   
,friendly fundamentals1 were            
plentifully mixed with his most private 
and personal concerns4    ,in going over

 this correspondence one wishes for more
 description1  relating to the human    
side of the traveler's experiences4 ,a  
man who  several times traversed what   
was really the width of habitable       
,america1  and mostly either in a wagon 
or on horseback1 must have seen much    
that  was interesting1 and many times   
humorous and even pathetic4 ,but few of 
these things moved ,elias ,hicks1 or    
diverted him from what he considered    
the purely gospel character of his      
mission4    ,still there is much worth  
while in this domestic correspondence4  
,from  it we compile and annotate such  
extracts as seem to help reveal the     
character of the man who wrote them4    
,on the #acth of ,eighth month1 #aghh1  
,elias was at ,creek1 now ,clinton      
,corners1 in ,dutchess county1 ,new     
,york4 ,from a letter written to his    
wife that day1 we quote3      ,my heart 
glows at this time with much love and   
affection for thee    and our dear      
children1 with breathing desires for    

your preservation1    and that thou1 my 
dear1 may be kept in a state of due     
watchfulness    over thyself1 and those 
dear lambs under thy care1 that nothing 
may    interrupt the current of pure    
love among you in my absence4    ,a     
letter dated ,lynn1 ,massachusetts1 ye  
#bdth of ,eighth month1 #agic1  and     
written to his wife1 is of peculiar     
interest4 ,we quote the first           
sentences3      ,i received last        
evening1 at my return to this place from
 the ,east1    thy very acceptable      
letter of the #afth instant4444 ,the    
contents1    except the account of the  
pain in thy side1 were truly            
comfortable4    ,that part wherein thou 
expresseth a resignation to the ,divine 
,will1    was particularly satisfactory1
 for in this1 my dear1 consists our     
chiefest happiness and consolation4     
,he sometimes expressed a sense of      
loneliness in his travels1 but was      
certain of the nearness of the ,divine  
,spirit4 ,in the letter mentioned  above

 he said3      ,thou hast cause to      
believe with me1 my dear1 that it was   
,he that    first united our hearts     
together in the bonds of an endeared    
love    and affection4 ,so it is ,he    
that has kept and preserved us all our  
life long1 and hath caused us to witness
 an increase of that unfading    love1  
which as thou expresseth is ever new4   
,evidently his beloved ,jemima1 like    
,martha of old1 was unduly troubled     
about many things1 for we find ,elias in
 his letter indulging in the  following 
warning3 ,and let me again hint to thee 
a care over thyself1  for ,i fear thou  
wilt expose thyself by too much bodily  
exercise in the  care of thy business4  
,it is seldom that we find even a tinge 
of complaining in any of his  letters4  
,it seems1 however1 that his women folks
 were not industrious  correspondents4  
,in closing the letter noted he thus    
expressed himself3      ,my companion   
receives his packet of letters1         
frequently four1 five    or six at a    

time1 which makes me feel as if ,i was  
forgotten by my    friends1 having      
received but two small letters from home
 since ,i left    you4 ,and thou        
writest1 my dear1 as if paper was       
scarce1 on very small    pieces4    ,on 
the #c;d of ,ninth month1 of the same   
year1 a letter was written to his  wife1
 much like the foregoing4 ,it is        
interesting to note that ,elias was  at 
this time the guest of ,moses ,brown 7in
 ,providence71 the founder of  the      
,moses ,brown ,school4 ,the small pieces
 of paper mentioned are hints  of a     
wifely economy1 not altogether approved 
by her very economical  husband4 ,there 
is a gentle tinge of rebuke in the      
following1 written  from ,nine          
,partners1 ,eleventh month #ai1 #ahah4  
,the temptation is strong  to read into 
these lines1 a grain of humor touching  
the much-talked-of  persistence of a    
woman's will3      ,inasmuch as ,i have 
often felt concerned when thus absent1  
least thou    should worry thyself1 with

 too much care and labor in regard to   
our    temporal concerns1 and have often
 desired thee to be careful in that     
respect1 but mostly without effect1 by  
reason that thou art so choice    of thy
 own free agency as to be afraid to take
 the advice of thy    best friend1 lest 
it might mar that great privilege2 ,i   
therefore now    propose to leave thee  
at full liberty to use it in thine own  
pleasure    with the addition of this   
desire1 that thou use it in that way as 
will produce to thee the most true      
comfort and joy1 and then ,i trust    ,i
 shall be comforted1 my dear1 in thy    
comfort1 and joyful in thy joy4    ,a   
letter dated ,west ,jersey1 near ,salem1
 the #fth of ,first month1 #agih1       
mentions a singular concern about       
apparel4 ,he exhorts his wife to guard  
the tender minds of their children from 
foolish and worldly vanities1  and then 
drops into a personal and general       
statement regarding what he  considered 
simplicity and plainness as follows3    

,great is the apparent departure from   
primitive purity and plainness    among 
many professors of the truth1 where our 
lots have been cast4    ,foreseeing that
 ,i may often be led in a line of close 
doctrine to    such it has brought me   
under close self-examination1 knowing   
for    certain that those who have to   
deal out to others ought to look well   
to their own going4 ,in this time of    
scrutiny nothing turned up as           
bringing reproof to my mind concerning  
our children1 but the manner    of      
wearing their gown sleeves long and     
pinned at the wrist4 ,this ,i    found  
to strike at the pure life1 and wounded 
my mind4 ,i clearly saw    my deficiency
 that ,i had not more endeavored to have
 it done away    with before ,i left    
home1 for ,i felt it as a burden then4  
,but seeing    our dear daughters had   
manifested so much condescension in     
other    things1 and this being like one
 of the least1 ,i endeavored to be easy 
under it4 ,but feeling it with assurance

 not to be a plant of our    ,heavenly  
,father's right-hand planting1 think it 
ought to be plucked    up4 ,let our dear
 daughters read these lines1 and tell   
them their dear    father prays they may
 wisely consider the matter1 and if they
 can be    willing so far to condescend 
to my desire while absent as to have    
these things removed1 it will be as     
balsam to my wounded spirit1 and    they
 will not go without their reward4 ,but 
their father's ,god will    bless them  
and become their ,god1 as they are      
faithful to his reproofs    in their    
hearts1 and walk fearfully before ,him4 
,he will redeem them1    out of all     
adversity to the praise and glory of    
,his grace1 who is    over all1 ,god1   
blessed forever4    ,during a visit to  
,nine ,partners1 ,twelfth month #ae1    
#ahjc1 ,elias wrote  to ,jemima4        
,evidently she had repelled the         
inference1 if not the  implication1 that
 she had been negligent in her          
correspondence1 for we  find the letter 

in question beginning in this fashion3  
,although ,i wrote thee pretty fully    
last evening1 yet having since    that  
received a precious1 refreshing letter  
from thee1 by ,isaac    ,frost 7it being
 the first ,i have received from thee   
since ,i left    home71 but finding from
 thy last that thou hast written        
several4 ,it    affords a singular      
satisfaction in finding thou hast been  
mindful of    me4 ,but ,i have not      
complained1 my dear1 nor let in1 nor    
indulged a    thought that thou hadst   
forgotten me1 nor do ,i believe thou    
couldst4    ,there is nothing while we  
continue in our right minds that can    
dissolve that firm and precious bond of 
love and endeared affection1    which   
from our first acquaintance united us   
together1 and in which1    while writing
 these lines my spirit greets thee with 
endeared    embraces4    ,it surely     
seems strange that a man who was the    
father of eleven  children1 that his    
only source of personal reproof         

concerning them1  was this little matter
 of the sleeves and the pins4 ,this     
probably is a  fair illustration of what
 may be called the conservatism of      
,elias ,hicks  touching all of the      
peculiarities of the ,society of        
,friends4    ,the postscript to a letter
 written to ,jemima from ,shrewsbury1   
,new  ,jersey1 ,twelfth month #ag1      
#agig1 reads as follows3 ,as thou writes
 but  poorly1 if thou should get ,hallet
 or ,royal to write superscriptions on  
the letters1 it would make them more    
plain for conveyance4    ,it was only   
seldom that business affairs at home    
were referred to in  his epistles to his
 wife4 ,but occasionally a departure was
 made from  this practice4 ,where these 
lapses do occur1 it would seem that they
  should be noted4 ,in the fall of #ahbb
 ,elias was in the vicinity of          
,philadelphia1 and was stopping with his
 friend and kinsman1 ,edward  ,hicks1 at
 ,newtown1 in ,bucks county4    ,in this
 letter he says3 ,my health is much the 

same as when ,i left  home4 ,i was      
disappointed in not meeting any letters 
here1 as ,i feel  very anxious how you  
all do4 ,we copy the balance of the     
letter1 with  its tender admonition to  
,jemima3      ,i will just remind thee  
that before ,i left home ,i put two old 
ewes    in the green rye on the plains4 
,if they should improve as to be fit    
to kill1 ,i should be willing thou would
 let ,josiah have one of them1    as he 
agreed to split up some of the timber   
that was blown down in    the woods by  
him1 into rails and board himself4 ,the 
other thou might    sell or otherwise at
 thy pleasure4      ,now1 my dear1 let  
me remind thee of thy increasing bodily 
infirmities1 and the necessity it lays  
thee under to spare thyself of    the   
burthen and care of much bodily and     
mental labour and exercise1    by which 
thou will experience more quiet rest1   
both to body and    mind1 and that it   
may be1 my dear1 our united care to     
endeavor that    our last days may be   

our best days1 that so we may witness a 
state    and qualification to pass      
gently and quietly out of time1 into the
    mansions of eternal blessedness1    
where all sighing and sorrow1 will    be
 at an end4    ,while in ,pennsylvania1 
and at what is now ,york1 ,fourth month 
#c1 #agih1  he sent a tender missive    
home4 ,part of it referred to business  
matters4  ,he gave directions for       
preparing the ground1 and planting      
potatoes1 and  also for oats and flax1  
the latter being a crop practically     
unknown  to present-day ,long ,island4  
,he then gives the following direction  
regarding a financial obligation3       
,and as ,james ,carhartt has a bond of  
sixty pounds against me1 of    money    
belonging to a ,dutchman1 should be glad
 if thou hast not money    enough by    
thee to pay the interest thereof1 thou  
would call upon    ,royal or brother    
,joseph and get some1 and pay it the    
first of ,fifth    month4    ,while at  
,rahway1 ,new ,jersey1 ,eleventh month  

#f1 #ahja1 on his visit  to ,friends in 
,new ,jersey and ,pennsylvania1 he wrote
 one of his most  expressive letters to 
,jemima4 ,a postscript was attached     
directed to  his daughters4 ,to his     
oldest daughter1 ,martha1 he sent an    
exhortation  in which he said3 ,my      
desires for thee1 my dear1 are that thou
 may be  preserved innocent and chaste  
to the ,lord1 for ,i can have no greater
  joy than to find my children walking  
in the truth4    ,that a large part of  
his concern was for the comfort of his  
wife  in the long absences from home is 
abundantly shown in his entire          
correspondence4 ,the last postscript to 
the ,rahway letter is as follows3       
,and1 dear ,phebe and ,abigail1 remember
 your ,creator1 who made you not    to  
spend your time in play and vanity1 but 
to be sober and to live    in his fear1 
that he may bless you4 ,be obedient to  
your dear mother1    it is my charge to 
you4 ,love and help her whatever you    
can2 it will    comfort your dear       

father4    ,the #b;d of ,eleventh month1
 #ahbj1 ,elias arrived at ,hudson1 and  
learning  that the steamboat to ,new    
,york was to pass that day1 he prepared 
and  sent a letter to his wife4 ,in this
 letter he says3      ,it may be that   
some of my friends may think me so far  
worth    noticing1 as to meet me with a 
line or two at ,nine ,partners1 as ,i   
have often felt very desirous of hearing
 how you fare at home1 but    this      
desire hath mostly failed of being      
gratified4 ,i suppose the many    things
 so absorb the minds of my friends at   
home1 that they have no    time to think
 of so poor a thing as ,i am4 ,but never
 mind it1 as all    things1 it is said1 
will work together for good to those    
that love    and fear ,god4    ,while at
 ,saratoga1 in #agic1 ,elias wrote to   
,jemima1 ,tenth month #aeth4  ,this is  
one of his most ardent epistles4 ,oh1 my
 dear1 he says1 may  we ever keep in    
remembrance the day of our espousal and 
gladness of our  hearts1 as ,i believe  

it was a measure of the ,divine ,image  
that united  our hearts together in the 
beginning4 ,it is the same that ,i      
believe  has1 and still doth strengthen 
the sweet1 influential and reciprocal   
bond1 that nothing1 ,i trust1 as we     
dwell under a sense of ,divine love  and
 in the pure fear1 will ever be able to 
obliterate or deface4    ,third month   
#ae1 #agih1 a letter was written from   
,alexandria1 ,va41 from  which we make  
this extract3      ,we came here this   
morning from ,sandy ,spring1 which is   
upwards of    twenty miles distant4 ,got
 in timely so as to attend their meeting
    which began at the tenth hour4      
,crossed the river ,potomac on our way4 
,we got on horseback about break of day1
 and not being very well ,i    thought  
,i felt the most fatigued before ,i got 
in1 ,i was ever sensible    of before4  
,when ,i came to the meeting1 a poor    
little one it was1 and    wherein ,i had
 to suffer silence through the meeting  
for worship1 but    in their            

,preparative which followed1 ,i found my
 way open in a measure    to ease my    
mind4          ,,chapter ,,xi4    ,the  
,slavery ,question4      ,john ,woolman 
was the mouth-piece of the best ,quaker 
conscience of the  eighteenth century on
 the slavery question4 ,for twenty-five 
years  before his death1 in #aggb1 he   
was pleading with the tenderness of a   
woman that his beloved religious society
 should clear itself from  complicity   
with the system which held human beings 
in bondage4 ,his  mantel apparently fell
 on ,warner ,mifflin1 a young man       
residing in ,kent  county1 ,delaware1   
near the little hamlet of ,camden4 ,in  
#agge ,mifflin  manumitted his slaves1  
and was followed by like conduct on the 
part of  his father1 ,daniel ,mifflin1 a
 resident of ,accomac ,county1 in       
,virginia4    ,warner ,mifflin is said  
to have been the first man in ,america  
to  voluntarily give freedom to his     
bondmen1 and to make restitution to     
such of them as were past twenty-one1   

for the unrequited service which  they  
had rendered him4 ,be that as it may1   
from #agge1 until his death  in #agii1  
,warner ,mifflin1 with tireless zeal    
labored with ,friends  personally1 and  
with meetings in their official         
capacity1 to drive the  last remnant of 
slavery from the ,quaker fold4 ,his     
efforts appeared in  various monthly    
meeting minutes throughout ,philadelphia
 ,yearly ,meeting1  and he was not      
backward in laying his concern before   
the ,yearly ,meeting  itself4 ,in #aghc1
 on the initiative of ,mifflin1 the     
,yearly ,meeting for  ,pennsylvania1    
,new ,jersey1 ,delaware and the ,western
 ,parts of ,maryland  and ,virginia1    
memorialized the infant ,united ,states 
,congress in regard  to slavery4 ,the   
document was a striking one for the     
time1 was signed in  person by #ece     
,friends1 and was presented to the      
,congress by a strong  committee headed 
by ,warner ,mifflin4    ,these efforts  
at internal deliverance from connection 

and complicity  with slavery produced   
speedy results1 and before the close of 
the  century not a ,quaker slave holder 
remained in the ,society1 unless in     
some obscure cases that continued under 
care4 ,having cleared its own  skirts of
 slavery1 the members of the ,society   
became divided into two  classes--the   
one anxious that the ,quaker conscience 
should make its  appeal to the general  
conscience for the entire abolition of  
the great  iniquity4 ,the other class1  
satisfied with their own sinlessness in 
this particular1 wished the ,society to 
remain passive1 and in no way  mix with 
a public agitation of the mooted        
question4 ,these two opposing  views    
distracted the ,society down to the very
 verge of the final issue  in the       
slaveholders' rebellion4    ,elias      
,hicks was three years ,warner          
,mifflin's junior4 ,he probably saw  the
 ,delaware abolitionist during his      
visits to ,philadelphia ,yearly         
,meeting before the death of ,mifflin4  

,whether either ever saw or heard  ,john
 ,woolman cannot be positively stated4  
,mifflin was twenty-seven when  the     
great ,new ,jersey preacher and reformer
 passed away1 and must have  fallen     
under the spell of ,woolman's inspiring 
leadership4 ,elias ,hicks  could hardly 
have escaped being influenced by this   
elder brother1  although he may never   
have seen him4    ,the subject of this  
biography was among those who believed  
that the  ,society of ,friends had a    
message to the world along the line of  
its  internal testimony against slavery1
 and he did not hesitate to deliver  the
 message1 though it disturbed the       
superficial ease in ,zion4 ,still he    
had no definite plan apart from the     
appeal to conscience for settling  the  
problem4    ,it must be remembered1     
however1 that ,elias ,hicks passed away 
before  the real abolition movement1 as 
represented by ,garrison and ,phillips  
and their compeers1 had begun its       
vigorous agitation1 or organized  its   

widely applied propaganda4 ,what the    
attitude of ,elias would have  been     
toward ,friends becoming members of the 
abolition societies1 which  after his   
death played such an important part1 and
 touching which many  ,friends were     
either in doubt or in opposition we     
cannot even surmise4    ,benjamin       
,lundy#ea commenced his literary warfare
 against slavery1 with  the ponderously 
named ,genius of ,universal             
,emancipation1 in #ahba4  ,elias ,hicks 
was one of ,lundy's most concerned and  
faithful patrons1 in  some of his       
undertakings1#eb as appears in his      
personal correspondence4    #ea         
,benjamin ,lundy was born of ,quaker    
parents1 ,first month #d1 #aghi1 in     
,sussex ,county1 ,new ,jersey4 ,he      
learned the trade of harness maker and  
saddler1 and went to ,ohio1 where he    
became very much interested in the      
slavery question4 ,in #ahaf he issued an
 ,address touching the evils of         
slavery4 ,of this ,address1 ,horace     

,greeley says1 it contained the germ  of
 the whole anti-slavery movement4 ,in   
,first month1 #ahba1 he issued  the     
first number of ,the ,genius of         
,universal ,emancipation4 ,lundy was    
interested in various schemes for       
colonization1 and assisted many         
emancipated negroes to go to ,hayti1 and
 contemplated the establishment  of a   
colony of colored people in ,mexico4 ,he
 died at ,lowell1 ,illinois1  ,eighth   
month #bb1 #ahci1 and was buried in the 
,friends' burying ground at  ,clear     
,creek4    #eb ,please inform ,benjamin 
,lundy that ,i have procured fifty-two  
subscribers1 or subscribers for         
fifty-two books1 entitled1 ,letters1    
etc4--,extract from letter to his       
son-in-law1 ,valentine ,hicks1 dated    
,jericho1 ,eleventh month #f1 #ahbg4    
,the state of ,new ,york provided for   
the gradual emancipation of its  slaves 
in #agii1 so that ,elias ,hicks had to  
go away from home after that  period to 
get into real slave territory4 ,as has  

been seen he began  bearing his         
testimony in meetings for worship       
against the institution  in ,maryland1  
where slave holding was the law of the  
land until the end4    ,there are       
statements more or less legendary to the
 effect that ,elias  was the owner of   
one slave1 but of that there is no      
authentic evidence1  while the          
probabilities are all against it4 ,if he
 ever held a slave or  slaves1 he       
undoubtedly manumitted them4 ,an act of 
such importance would  hardly have      
escaped record in the ,journal1 and no  
reference to it  exists4    ,the        
controversies and disownments in the    
,society of ,friends on account  of the 
slavery question really came after the  
death of ,elias4 ,the  trouble in ,new  
,york resulting in the disownment of    
,isaac ,t4 ,hopper1  ,james ,s4 ,gibbons
 and ,charles ,marriott came on more    
than a decade after  his death4 ,this   
entire controversy has been wrongly     
estimated by  most of the biographers   

and historians1 representing the        
pronounced  abolitionists of the period4
 ,it was not simply a contest between   
anti-slavery ,friends and pro-slavery   
,friends4 ,in fact the moving  spirits  
against ,isaac ,t4 ,hopper were not     
advocates or defenders of  slavery as an
 institution4 ,george ,f4 ,white1 who   
was probably the head  and front of the 
movement to disown ,isaac ,t4 ,hopper1  
was not in favor  of slavery4 ,after his
 death his monthly meeting memorialized 
him1 and  among other things stated that
 he had for years refrained from using  
commodities made by slave labor4    ,the
 conservative wing of the ,society was  
opposed to ,friends becoming  identified
 with any organization for any purpose  
outside of the  ,society4 ,george ,f4   
,white attacked temperance              
organizations1 as he did  abolition     
societies4    ,it was a common          
inference1 if not a claim1 of the       
,garrisonian  abolitionists1 that there 
were no real anti-slavery men outside of

  their organization4 ,in ,fifth month1 
#ahdj1 there was a debate involving  the
 abolition attitude of the ,society of  
,friends in the town of  ,lynn1         
,massachusetts4 ,in this debate ,william
 ,lloyd ,garrison said of  the ,society3
 ,if it were an abolition society1 its  
efforts would be  identified with       
ours4#ec    #ec ,the ,liberator1 ,may   
#a1 #ahda1 p4 #c4    ,in the same debate
 ,oliver ,johnson disputed the abolition
 claims of the  ,society of ,friends1   
saying3 ,they have asserted for         
themselves the  claim of being an       
abolition society4 ,but we never could  
get into their  meeting house4#ed ,thus 
was the test of abolitionism made to    
hinge  upon housing the ,abolition      
,society4    #ed ,the ,liberator1 ,may  
#a1 #ahda1 p4 #c4    ,that the attitude 
of the conservatives was ill-advised and
  reprehensible may be true4 ,it is also
 true that this body of ,friends  were  
not in favor of any effort to overthrow 
slavery by popular  agitation4 ,they    

held that all other ,christians should  
do what ,friends  had done1 cease to    
hold slaves1 and that would settle the  
whole  question4 ,however shortsighted  
this attitude may have been1 very few1  
if any1 of the ,friends holding it1     
believed in holding black men in        
bondage4 ,in fact it is pretty safe to  
assert that at no time after the        
,society had freed itself from direct   
complicity with slavery was there  any  
considerable number of strictly         
pro-slavery ,friends in this country4   
,in the disownments in the ,society     
growing out of the slavery  controversy 
there was never a direct charge of      
abolitionism brought  against the       
accused4 ,in ,kennett ,monthly ,meeting 
in ,chester ,county1  ,pa41 where in    
about seven years thirty-four ,friends  
were disowned1 the  charge was that the 
persons had associated with others in   
forming1  sustaining and supporting a   
professedly religious organization#ee   
distinct from and not owned by ,friends1

 and have wholly declined  attending our
 religious meetings4#ef    #ee ,the     
,progressive ,friends4    #ef ,records  
of ,kennett ,monthly ,meeting1 ,first   
month #f1 #aheg4    ,of course1 it is   
true that the ,friends who took part in 
the ,progressive  ,friends' movement    
were probably led to do so because the  
way did not  open for them to be        
aggressively anti-slavery in the parent 
meeting4    ,the colonization scheme1   
that is a plan to colonize emancipated  
negroes  either in ,africa1 or in       
,hayti1 or elsewhere1 was prominently   
urged  during the time of ,elias ,hicks4
 ,benjamin ,lundy had a plan of this    
character which he attempted to make    
practical4 ,evan ,lewis1#eg of ,new     
,york1 in #ahbj1 was interested in an   
effort of this sort1 and sought the     
advice of ,elias ,hicks in the matter4  
#eg ,evan ,lewis1 a ,new ,york ,friend  
and business man4 ,he corresponded  with
 ,king ,henry1 of ,san ,domingo4 ,was a 
warm friend of ,elias ,hicks1 and  after

 the separation wrote a pamphlet in     
defense of ,elias4    ,we have not been 
able to find any reply to this          
particular letter1 and  are thus not    
warranted in saying whether ,elias      
,hicks sympathized with  such a scheme  
or not4    ,the attitude of ,elias      
,hicks on the slavery question is only  
minutely  referred to in his ,journal4  
,his private correspondence gives his   
feeling and conduct in the case1 in not 
a few instances4 ,from his  general     
disposition one would expect to find his
 objections to slavery  based entirely  
on moral and religious grounds4 ,still1 
evidence abounds  that he had also      
considered the economic phases of the   
question1 as  note the following3       
,i may further add that from forty years
 of observation that in all    cases    
where opportunity has opened the way    
fairly to contrast the    subject1 it   
has afforded indubitable evidence to my 
mind1 that free    labor is cheaper and 
more profitable than that done by       

slaves4#eh    #eh ,from letter written  
to ,james ,cropper1 of ,england1 dated  
,baltimore1  ,eleventh month #b1 #ahbb4 
,it seems to have been laid upon him to 
present the claims of the truth  as he  
saw it1 in slave-holding communities4   
,he makes the following  statement      
touching service of this kind in        
,virginia3      ,i have passed through  
some proving seasons since ,i left      
,baltimore1    in meetings where many   
negro masters attended1 some of whom    
held    fifty1 some an hundred1 and some
 it was thought one hundred and fifty   
of these poor people in slavery4 ,was   
led to treat on the subject in    divers
 meetings1 in such a manner and so fully
 to expose the iniquity    and          
unrighteousness thereof1 that some who  
had stouted#ei it out    hitherto       
against all conviction1 were much       
humbled and brought to a    state of    
contrition1 and not one individual had  
power to make any    opposition4 ,but   
truth reigned triumphantly over all1 to 

the rejoicing    of many hearts4#fj     
#ei ,stouted seems to have been a       
favorite word with ,elias4 ,he          
habitually uses it as representing an   
aggravated resistance to the  truth4    
#fj ,from letter written to his wife    
from ,alexandria1 ,va41 ,third month    
#ae1 #agih4    ,elias ,hicks wrote a    
number of articles on the slavery       
question1 and  some of them were printed
 and publicly circulated4 ,a letter     
written  at ,manchester1 ,england1      
,seventh month #e1 #ahab1 by ,martha    
,routh1 and  addressed to ,elias ,hicks1
 says3 ,i have not forgot that ,i am    
debtor to  thee this way1 for two very  
acceptable and instructive epistles1 the
  latter with a pamphlet setting forth  
the deep exercise of thy mind1 and      
endeavors for the more full relief of   
our fellow-brethren1 the ,african  race4
 ,this letter informs ,elias that the   
author sent his pamphlet to  ,thomas    
,clarkson4    ,considerable was written 
by ,elias ,hicks on the slave trade1    

some of it  existing as unpublished     
manuscript4 ,an article1 filling four   
closely  written pages of foolscap1 is  
among his literary effects4 ,a very long
  letter was written to ,james ,cropper1
 of ,england1 on the same subject4      
,both of these documents were written   
while the slave-trade bill was  pending 
in the ,british ,parliament4 ,elias     
considered the measure  entirely        
inadequate1 holding that the domestic   
production of slaves was  as inhuman and
 abhorrent1 if not more so1 as their    
importation from  ,africa4 ,in the      
letter to ,cropper this strong statement
 is found3 ,it  ought ever to be        
remembered that it is one of the most   
necessary and  essential duties both    
towards ,god and man1 for individuals   
and nations  to exert all the power and 
influence they are possessed of1 in     
every  righteous and consistent way1 to 
put an entire stop to all oppression1   
robbery and murder without partiality1  
as it respects nations or  individuals4 

,many times1 in his published sermons1  
,elias ,hicks dealt with the  iniquity  
of slavery4 ,without doubt he expressed 
himself in like manner  in sermons      
preached before interest in the man and 
his utterances  caused his sermons to be
 stenographically reported and          
published4      ,oh6 that our eyes might
 be opened1 to see more deeply into the 
mystery of iniquity and godliness2 that 
we might become conversant    in        
godliness and so reject iniquity4 ,for  
all this wicked oppression    of the    
,african race is of the mystery of      
iniquity4 ,the man of sin    and son of 
perdition does these works1 and nothing 
else does them4    ,justice is fallen in
 the streets1 and in the councils of the
 nation4    ,how much justice there is2 
for they have it in their power to do   
justice to these poor oppressed         
creatures1 but they are waiting till    
all their selfish notions are           
gratified4#fa    #fa ,from sermon       
preached at ,newtown1 ,pa41 ,twelfth    

month #ah1 #ahbf4 ,the  ,quaker1 ,vol4  
#d1 p4 #ahc4    ,elias ,hicks was as    
strongly opposed to the lines of        
interest and  economic conduct which    
indirectly supported slavery as he was  
to the  institution itself4 ,we quote3  
,and for want of a sight of this        
oppression1 how many there are    who1  
though they seem not willing to put     
their hands upon a    fellow creature to
 bind him in chains of bondage1 yet they
 will    do everything to help along by 
purchasing the labor of those poor      
creatures1 which is like eating flesh   
and drinking blood of our poor          
fellow-creatures4 ,is it like coming    
home to justice8 ,for the thief    and  
oppressor are just alike2 the one is as 
bad as the other4#fb    #fb ,from sermon
 preached at ,abington1 ,pa41 ,twelfth  
month #ae1 #ahbf4 ,the  ,quaker1 ,vol4  
#d1 p4 #aee4    ,in dealing with slavery
 and slaveholders1 his language often   
bordered  on what would now be called   
bitterness4 ,here is a case in point3   

,can slaveholders1 mercenaries and      
hirelings1 who look for their gain      
from this quarter1 can they promote the 
religion of ,jesus ,christ8 ,no1    they
 are the cause of its reproach1 for they
 are the cause of making                
unbelievers4#fc    #fc ,a series of     
extemporaneous discourses by ,elias     
,hicks4 ,joseph and  ,edward ,parker1 p4
 #bd4    ,his concern touching slavery  
was largely based on considerations of  
justice1 and regard for the opportunity 
which he believed ought to be  the right
 of all men4 ,in one of his sermons he  
said3      ,thousands and tens of       
thousands have been forbidden the       
enjoyment    of every good thing on     
earth1 even of common school-learning2  
and    must it still be so8 ,god forbid 
it4 ,but this would be a trifle1 if     
they had the privilege of rational      
beings on the earth2 that liberty       
which is the greatest of all            
blessings--the exercise of free agency4 
,and here we are glutting ourselves with

 the toils of their labor6444    ,but   
this noble testimony1 of refusing to    
partake of the spoils of    oppression1 
lies with the dearly beloved young      
people of this day4 ,we    can look for 
but little from the aged1 who have been 
accustomed to    these things4#fd    #fd
 ,from sermon preached in ,philadelphia1
 ,twelfth month #a1 #ahbd4  ,parker's   
,discourses by ,elias ,hicks1 p4 #fj-fa4
    ,in the sermon just referred to1 we 
find the following3      ,we are on a   
level with all the rest of ,god's       
creatures4 ,we are not    better for    
being white than others for being black2
 and we have no    more right to oppress
 the blacks because they are black than 
they    have to oppress us because we   
are white4 ,therefore1 every one who    
oppresses his colored brother or sister 
is a tyrant upon the earth2    and every
 one who strengthens the hand of an     
oppressor is a tyrant    upon earth4    
,they have turned from ,god1 and have   
not that powerful    love1 which does   

away all distinction and prejudice of   
education1 and    sets upon equal       
grounds all those that have equal       
rights4#fe    #fe ,the same1 p4 #gi4    
,of the essays on the slavery question  
written by ,elias ,hicks1 one has       
survived1 and is bound in the volume1   
,letters of ,elias ,hicks4 ,the         
pamphlet in question1 though small1 like
 many ancient productions1  had a very  
large title1 viz43 ,observations on the 
,slavery of the  ,africans and ,their   
,descendants1 and the ,use of the       
,produce of ,their  ,labor4#ff ,it was  
originally published in #ahaa1 having   
been approved  by the ,meeting for      
,sufferings of ,new ,york ,yearly       
,meeting4 ,nearly half  of the essay is 
made up of a series of questions and    
answers4 ,when  printed it made six     
leaves the size of this page4 ,on the   
subject of the  product of slave labor1 
decided ground was taken1 the claim     
being that  all such produce was prize  
goods4 ,the reason for this claim was   

that  the slaves originally were        
captives1 practically the victims of a  
war  of capture if not conquest4 ,among 
other things the essay argues the       
rightfulness and justice of any ,state  
to pass laws abolishing slavery  within 
its borders4    #ff ,letters of ,elias  
,hicks1 p4 #i4    ,while the arguments  
presented in this document are of       
general value1 it  is probable that the 
pamphlet was in the main intended for   
circulation  among ,friends1 with a view
 to stimulating them to such action as  
would  forward the cause of freedom4    
,this essay by ,elias ,hicks antedated  
by  five years the address by ,benjamin 
,lundy1 already referred to1 and  was   
probably one of the first publications  
in the nineteenth century  actually     
advocating the abolition of slavery4    
,in studying the slavery question it is 
necessary to remember that  before the  
invention of the cotton gin1 about      
#agic1 a considerable  but unorganized  
and ineffective anti-slavery sentiment  

existed in the  country4 ,but after that
 invention1 which rendered slave labor  
very  remunerative1 sentiment of this   
sort subsided so that the ,friends1 who1
  like ,elias ,hicks1 advocated         
abolition during the first quarter of   
the  nineteenth century1 were really    
pioneers in the attempt which resulted  
in the freedom of a race4    ,at one    
time church organizations1 even in the  
,south1 especially the  ,baptists1      
passed resolutions favorable to the     
abolition of slavery4  ,churches ,north 
and ,south in the decade between #aghj  
and #agij were well  abreast of ,friends
 in this particular4 ,touching this     
matter ,horace  ,greeley remarked3 ,but 
no similar declaration has been made by 
any  ,southern ,baptist ,convention     
since field-hands rose to #a1jjj each1  
and  black infants at birth were        
accounted worth #ajj4fg    #fg ,the     
,american ,conflict1 by ,horace         
,greeley1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #abj4    ,we     
could make copious extracts from the    

anti-slavery utterances of  ,elias      
,hicks1 but our object is simply to give
 the scope of his thinking  and purpose 
in regard to this matter4 ,few men at   
certain points were  more altruistic    
than he1 and as an altruist he could not
 do other  than oppose the great social 
and economic iniquity of his time4 ,from
  his standpoint slavery was utterly and
 irretrievably bad1 and to bear         
testimony constant and consistent       
against it was part of the high  calling
 of the ,christian4          ,,chapter  
,,xii4    ,various ,opinions4           
,elias ,hicks had very definite ideas on
 a great many subjects4 ,while  in many 
respects he was in advance of his time1 
at other points he  was conservative4   
,at any rate he was not in unity with   
some of the  prevalent social and       
economic arrangements4 ,on the question 
of property  he entertained some        
startling convictions4 ,just how much   
public  expression he gave to these     
views may not be positively determined4 

,that he believed that there were grave 
spiritual dangers involved in  getting  
and holding great wealth1 is abundantly 
attested in his public  utterances1 but 
we must look to his private             
correspondence for some of  his advanced
 views on the property question4    ,in 
a letter addressed to ,dear ,alsop1     
dated ,jericho1 ,fifth month #ad1       
#ahbf1 he deals quite definitely with   
the matter of property4 ,after  claiming
 that the early ,christians wandered    
from the pure gospel of  ,jesus after   
they ceased to rely on the inward       
teacher1 he makes a  declaration on the 
subject as follows3      ,but did we all
 as individuals take the spirit of      
truth1 or light    within1 as our only  
rule and guide in all things1 we should 
all then    be willing1 and thereby     
enabled1 to do justly1 love mercy1 and  
walk    humbly with ,god4 ,then we      
should hold all things in common1 and   
call    nothing our own1 but consider   
all our blessings as only lent to us1   

to be used and distributed by us in such
 manner and way as his holy    spirit1  
or this inward teacher1 may from time to
 time direct4 ,hence    we should be    
made all equal1 accountable to none but 
,god alone1 for    the right use or the 
abuse of his blessings4 ,then all       
mankind would    be but one community1  
have but one head1 but one father1 and  
the    saying of ,jesus would be        
verified4 ,we should no longer call any 
man    master1 for one only has a right 
to be our ,master1 even ,god1 and all   
mankind become brethren4 ,this is the   
kind of community that ,i have    been  
labouring for more than forty years to  
introduce mankind into1    that so we   
might all have but one head1 and one    
instructor and he    7,god7 come to rule
 whose only right it is1 and which would
 always    have been the case1 had not  
man rebelled against his maker1 and     
disobeyed his salutary instruction and  
commands4    ,touching the cares and    
deceitfulness of riches1 he had much to 

say4  ,he tells us that on a certain day
 he attended the meeting of ministers   
and elders in ,westbury1 and sat through
 it under great depression  and poverty 
of spirit4 ,there was evidently some    
confession and not  a little            
complaining1 as there is now1 regarding 
the possession  and exercise of         
spiritual gifts on the part of ,friends4
 ,but ,elias  affirmed that the cloud   
over the meeting was not in consequence 
of  a deficiency of ministers1 as it    
respects their ministerial gifts1 nor   
from a want of care in elders in        
watching over them2 but from a much     
more deep and melancholy cause1 viz43   
the love and cares of this world  and   
the deceitfulness of riches2 which1     
springing up and gaining the  ascendency
 in the mind1 choke the good seed like  
the briars and thorns1  and render it   
fruitless2 and produce such great dearth
 and barrenness  in our meetings4#fh    
#fh ,journal of ,elias ,hicks1 p4 #bcc4 
,elias ,hicks apparently believed that  

labor had in itself a vital  spiritual  
quality4 ,in fact he held that the      
famous injunction in  ,genesis ,in the  
sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread  
was not a  penalty1 but it was a divine 
counsel--a counsel of perfect wisdom and
  perfect love4#fi ,it was his opinion  
that all oppression1 slavery and        
injustice1 had their origin in the      
disposition of men to shirk the         
obligation to labor1 thus placing       
burdens on their fellows1 which  they   
should bear themselves4    #fi ,sermon  
preached at ,abington1 ,pa41 ,twelfth   
month #ae1 #ahbf4 ,the  ,quaker1 p4     
#aee4    ,every exhortation touching    
labor he religiously followed himself4  
,he  records that at the age of sixty he
 labored hard in his harvest field1  and
 remarks with evident pride and         
satisfaction as follows3      ,i found  
,i could wield the scythe nearly as in  
the days of my youth4    ,it was a day  
of thankful and delightful              
contemplation4 ,my heart    was filled  

with thankfulness and gratitude to the  
blessed ,author    of my existence1 in a
 consideration of his providential care 
over    me1 in preserving me in health1 
and in the possession of my bodily      
powers1 the exercise of which were still
 affording me both profit    and        
delight2 and ,i was doubly thankful for 
the continued exercise    of my mental  
faculties1 not only in instructing me   
how to exert and    rightly employ my   
bodily powers1 in the most useful and   
advantageous    manner1 but also in     
contemplating the works of nature and   
,providence1    in the blessings and    
beauties of the field--a volume         
containing more    delightful and       
profitable instruction than all the     
volumes of mere    learning and science 
in the world4      ,what a vast portion 
of the joys and comforts of life do the 
idle and    slothful deprive themselves 
of1 by running into cities and towns1   
to avoid labouring in the field2 not    
considering that this is one    of the  

principal sources that the gracious     
,creator of the universe    has         
appointed to his creature1 man1 from    
whence he may derive    great temporal  
happiness and delight4 ,it also opens   
the largest    and best field of        
exercise to the contemplative mind1 by  
which it    may be prepared to meet1    
when this mortal puts on immortality1   
those immortal joys that will ever be   
the lot of the faithful and             
industrious4#gj    #gj ,journal of      
,elias ,hicks1 p4 #ahe4    ,it will     
probably be disputed in our time1 that  
those who labor and  attempt to live in 
cities enjoy lives of greater ease than 
those who  till the soil4    ,while     
,elias recognized the obligation to     
labor1 and believed it was a  blessed   
privilege1 he had learned in the school 
of experience that an  over-worked body 
and an over-worried mind tended to      
spiritual poverty4  ,we quote3      ,the
 rest of this week was spent in my      
ordinary vocations4 ,my farming         

business was very pressing1 and it being
 difficult to procure    suitable       
assistance1 my mind was overburdened    
with care1 which    seldom fails of     
producing leanness of spirit in a lesser
 or greater    degree4#ga    #ga        
,journal1 p4 #aea4    ,as offset to this
 we quote the following3      ,what a   
favor it is for such an active creature 
as man1 possessed of    such powers of  
body and mind1 always to have some      
employment1 and    something for those  
powers to act upon2 for otherwise they  
would be    useless and dormant1 and    
afford neither profit nor delight4#gb   
#gb ,journal1 p4 #ahd4    ,the building 
of railroads in this country had fairly 
begun when ,elias  ,hicks passed away in
 #ahcj4 ,projects had been under way for
 some time1  and certain ,friends in    
,baltimore1 then the center of railroad 
activity1  had become interested in the 
enterprise4 ,in a letter to ,deborah and
  ,james ,p4 ,stabler1#gc written in    
,new ,york1 ,sixth month #bh1 #ahbi1    

,elias  expresses himself quite freely  
regarding the matter4 ,he says3 ,it was 
a  cause of sorrow rather than joy when 
last in ,baltimore to find my dear      
friend ,p4 ,e4 ,thomas#gd so fully      
engaged in that troublesome business  of
 the railroad1#ge as ,i consider his    
calling to be of a more noble  and      
exalted nature than to enlist in such   
low and groveling concerns4  ,for it is 
a great truth that no man can serve two 
masters1 for he  will either love the   
one1 and hate the other1 or hold to the 
one1 and  despise the other4 ,ye cannot 
serve ,god and mammon4 ,the railroad in 
this  case ,i consider mammon4    #gc   
,deborah ,stabler was the widow of ,dr4 
,william ,stabler1 the latter  being a  
brother of ,edward ,stabler1 of         
,alexandria1 the well-known  preacher1  
and close friend of ,elias ,hicks4      
,deborah was a recorded  minister4      
,james ,p4 was her son4 ,he was chief   
engineer of the ,baltimore  and         
,susquehanna ,railroad in its early     

construction1 and was the  first general
 superintendent and chief engineer of   
the ,baltimore and  ,ohio1 and built    
part of the line from ,baltimore to     
,frederick4 ,he was  the author of a    
small pamphlet entitled1 ,the ,certain  
,evidences of  ,practical ,religion1    
published in #ahhd4 ,he resided at      
,sandy ,spring1 ,md4    #gd ,philip ,e4 
,thomas1 for many years sat at the head 
of the ,baltimore  meeting4 ,he was the 
son of ,evan ,thomas1 of ,sandy ,spring1
 who was a  recorded minister4 ,philip  
,e4 was an importing hardware merchant1 
a  most successful business man1 and the
 first president of the ,baltimore  and 
,ohio ,railroad4 ,in the construction   
and operation of that line of  railroad1
 he was associated with the leading     
business men of ,baltimore4  ,he was for
 many years an elder of ,baltimore      
meeting4    #ge ,the railroad thus      
referred to by ,elias ,hicks was        
undoubtedly  the section of the         
,baltimore and ,ohio which ran from     

,baltimore to  ,ellicott's ,mills1 a    
distance of #ae miles4 ,it was begun in 
#ahbh1 and  opened in ,fifth month1     
#ahcj4 ,horses were at first used as    
motive power4  ,this was the first      
railroad built in the ,united ,states4  
,the following is an extract from the   
same letter3      ,it afforded me very  
pleasing sensations to be informed of   
dear    ,james' improvement in health1  
but it excited some different feeling   
when informed that he had taken the     
place of ,assistant ,superintendent     
of the railroad company1 a business ,i  
conceive that principally    belongs to 
the men of this world1 but not to the   
children of light1    whose kingdom is  
not of this world2 for when we consider 
that there    are thousands and tens of 
thousands who are voluntarily enlisted  
in    works that relate to the          
accommodation of flesh and blood which  
can    never inherit the kingdom of     
heaven4    ,the objection to railroads  
is one of those unaccountable but       

interesting contradictions which appear 
in the lives of some  progressive men4  
,by a sort of irony of fate1 ,valentine 
,hicks1 the  son-in-law of ,elias1 a few
 years after the death of the latter1   
became  very much interested in the     
railroad business4 ,the charter of the  
,long  ,island ,railroad ,company was   
granted ,fourth month #bd1 #ahcd4 ,in   
this  document ,valentine ,hicks was    
named one of the commissioners to secure
  the capital stock1 and appoint the    
first ,board of ,directors4 ,while not  
the first president of that company1 he 
was elected president ,sixth  month #g1 
#ahcg1 and served in that capacity until
 ,fifth month #ba1 #ahch4    ,elias     
,hicks at points anticipated the present
 theory of suggestion  touching bodily  
ailment1 if he did not forestall some of
 the ideas  regarding mental healing1   
and ,christian ,science4 ,writing to his
  son-in-law1 ,valentine ,hicks1 from   
,easton1 ,pa41 ,eighth month #ae1 #ahai1
  he thus expressed himself3      ,and  

indeed1 in a strict sense1 the mind or  
immortal spirit of man    cannot be     
affected with disease or sickness1 being
 endued with    immortal powers2        
therefore all its apparent weakness lies
 in mere    imagination1 giving the mind
 a wrong bias and a wrong direction1    
but it loses more of its real strength1 
as to acting and doing4    ,for         
instance1 if at any time it admits those
 false surmises and    imaginations1 and
 by them is led to believe that its     
outward    tabernacle is out of health  
and drawing towards a dissolution1 and  
not being ready and willing to part with
 it1 although little or    nothing may  
be the disorder of the body1 yet so     
powerfully strong is    the mind under  
the influence of these wrong surmises   
that there seems    at times to be no   
power in heaven or earth sufficient to  
arrest its    progress1 or stop its     
career1 until it brings on actual       
disease1 and    death to the body1      
which1 however1 had its beginning       

principally in    mere imagination and  
surmise4 ,hence we see the absolute     
necessity    of thinking less about our 
mere bodily health1 and much more about 
the mind1 for if the mind is kept in a  
line of right direction1 as    it is    
that in which all its right health and  
strength consisteth1 we    need not fear
 any suffering to the body4 ,for1 if    
while the mind is    under right        
direction1 the body is permitted to fall
 under or into    a state of affliction 
or disease1 and the mind is kept in a   
state    of due arrangement1 it will    
prove a blessing and be sanctified to   
us as such1 and in which we shall learn 
by certain experience that    all things
 work together for good to those whose  
minds are preserved    under the        
regulating influence of the love of     
,god1 which love casteth    out all     
fear4    ,elias ,hicks was a firm       
opponent of the public school system1   
and  especially the law which supported 
such schools by general taxation4  ,his 

views regarding this matter are quite   
fully stated in a letter  written ,fifth
 month #bd1 #ahbj4 ,it was written to   
,sylvanus ,smith1 and  answered certain 
inquiries which had evidently been      
directed to ,elias  by this ,friend4    
,his objection to public schools1       
however1 was partly  based on what he   
considered moral and religious grounds4 
,he said he had  refrained from sending 
his children to any schools which were  
not under  the immediate care of the    
,society of ,friends4 ,observation1 he  
said1 led  him to believe that his      
children would receive more harm than   
good by  attending schools taught by    
persons of no religious principles1 and 
among children whose parents were of    
different sects1 and many very  loose   
and unconcerned and vulgar in their     
lives and conduct4 ,he also  assumed    
that in the public schools his children 
would be demoralized  by the vicious    
conduct of many of the children1 and    
sometimes even  the teachers1 which     

would be very degrading to their morals1
 and  wounding to their tender minds4   
,from his standpoint ,friends could not 
consistently take any part in those     
district schools1 nor receive any  part 
of the bounty given by the legislature  
of the state for their use4    ,touching
 the question of parental authority and 
individual freedom1  ,elias ,hicks also 
had opinions prejudicial to the public  
schools4 ,in the  letter under review he
 said3      ,believing the law that has 
established them to be arbitrary and    
inconsistent with the liberty of        
conscience guaranteed by the            
,constitution of the ,united ,states1   
and derogatory to right parental        
authority2 as no doubt it is the right  
and duty of every parent to    bring up 
and educate his children in that way he 
thinks is right1    independent of the  
control of any authority under heaven   
7so long    as he keeps them within the 
bounds of civil order74 ,as the bringing
    up and right education of our       

children is a religious duty1 and    for
 which we are accountable to none but   
,god only1 therefore for    the         
magistrate to interfere therewith by    
coercive means is an    infringement    
upon the divine prerogative4    ,the    
observance of ,thanksgiving ,day1       
outside of ,new ,england1 had not       
become a common thing in the time of    
,elias ,hicks4 ,evidently about #ahbe1  
the ,governor of ,new ,york issued a    
,thanksgiving ,proclamation1 which      
caused ,elias to write an article4 ,it  
was addressed to ,the ,christian        
,inquirer1#gf and bore heavily against  
the whole thanksgiving scheme1          
especially when supported by the civil  
government4 ,in his opinion  wherever   
the magistrate recommended an observance
 of ,thanksgiving ,day1  he was simply  
playing into the hands of the           
ecclesiastical power4 ,we  quote3    #gf
 ,the ,christian ,inquirer was a weekly 
newspaper in ,new ,york1  started in    
#ahbd4 ,it was of pronounced liberal    

tendencies4 ,a good deal  of its space  
was devoted to ,friends1 especially     
during the separation  period4          
,therefore the ,governor's              
recommendation carries the same coercion
    and force in it1 to every citizen1  
as the recommendation of the            
,episcopal ,bishop would to the members 
of his own church4 ,in this view    we  
have the reason why the clergymen in our
 state call upon the civil    magistrate
 to recommend one of their superstitious
 ceremonies4 ,it is    in order to      
coerce the citizens at large to a       
compliance with their    dogmas1 and    
little by little inure them to the yoke 
of ecclesiastical    domination4 ,i     
therefore conceive there is scarcely a  
subject that    comes under our notice  
that lies more justly open to rebuke and
    ridicule than the thanksgiving days 
and fast days that are observed    in   
our country1 for there is nothing to be 
found in the writings of    the ,new    
,testament to warrant such formality and

 superstition1 and ,i    fully believe  
in the way they are conducted they are  
altogether an    abomination in the     
sight of the ,lord1 and tend more       
abundantly to    bring a curse upon our 
nation than a blessing1 as they too     
often end    with many in festivity and 
drunkenness4    ,in closing his         
communication ,elias says that in       
issuing his  proclamation the ,governor 
was simply doing a piece of drudgery    
for the clergy4 ,the following1 being   
the last paragraph in the  communication
 referred to1 sounds very much like the 
statements put  forward by the extreme  
secularists in our own time3      ,and  
has he not by recommending a religious  
act united the civil and                
ecclesiastical authorities1 and broken  
the line of partition between    them1  
so wisely established by our enlightened
 ,constitution1 which    in the most    
positive terms forbids any alliance     
between church and    state1 and is the 
only barrier for the support of our     

liberty and    independence4 ,for if    
that is broken down all is lost1 and we 
become    the vassals of priestcraft1   
and designing men1 who are reaching     
after    power by every subtle          
contrivance to domineer over the        
consciences of    their fellow citizens4
    ,it is not at all surprising that   
,elias ,hicks was opposed to ,free      
,masonry4 ,on this subject he expressed 
himself vigorously4 ,this  opposition   
was based upon the secret character of  
the oath1 and  especially a solemn      
promise not to divulge the secrets of   
,masonry1  before he knows what the     
secrets are4    ,the anti-masonic       
movement1 being the outcome of the      
mysterious  disappearance of ,william   
,morgan from ,batavia1 ,new ,york1 was  
at its  height during the last years of 
,elias ,hicks4 ,it was claimed that     
,morgan  was probably murdered because  
of a book published by him in #ahbf1    
exposing the secrets of ,masonry4 ,some 
of the rumors connected with  this      

disappearance account for statements    
made by ,elias ,hicks in his  criticism 
of the organization4    ,touching the   
matter of exclusiveness on the part of  
,friends1 ,elias  ,hicks was a          
conservative of the conservatives4 ,to  
keep aloof from  things not connected   
with the ,society he considered a virtue
 in itself4  ,in referring to a meeting 
he attended in ,goshen1 ,pa41 he said3  
,had to caution ,friends against mixing 
with the people in their human          
policies1 and outward forms of          
government2 showing that1 in all ages1  
those who were called to be the ,lord's 
people had been ruined1 or    suffered  
great loss1 by such associations2 and   
manifesting clearly    by ,scripture    
testimony1 and other records1 that our  
strength and    preservation consisted  
in standing alone1 and not to be counted
    among the people or nations1 who    
were setting up party1 and partial      
interest1 one against another1 which is 
the ground of war and    bloodshed4     

,these are actuated by the spirit of    
pride and wrath1 which    is always     
opposed to the true ,christian spirit1  
which breathes 'peace    on earth1 and  
good will to all men4' ,those1          
therefore1 who are in the    true       
,christian spirit cannot use any        
coercive force or compulsion by    any  
means whatever2 not being overcome with 
evil1 but overcoming evil    with       
good4#gg    #gg ,journal1 p4 #gf-gg4    
,in the article in which he condemned   
,masonry1 ,elias ,hicks spoke           
vigorously in criticism of the camp     
meetings held by some of the  churches4 
,he called them night revels1 and       
considered them a very  great nuisance  
to civil society4 ,he thought they were 
promoters of  licentiousness1 immorality
 and drunkenness1 and were more or less 
reproachful to the ,christian name1     
giving much occasion for infidels  to   
scoff4    ,while at ,elizabeth1 in ,new 
,jersey1 ,elias wrote a letter#gh to a  
young  man named ,samuel ,cox4 ,it seems

 that this person contemplated studying 
for the ministry2 that his grandmother  
was a ,friend1 and ,elias labored  with 
the grandson on her account4 ,he said   
that human study or human  science could
 not qualify a minister4 ,in fact to    
suppose such a thing  was to cast the   
greatest possible indignity on the      
,divine ,being1 and  on the gospel of   
our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,of course it 
was asserted that  ministry came only by
 the power of the ,spirit1 and much     
,scripture was  quoted to prove it4     
,there is little in the writings of     
,elias ,hicks to  show that he          
considered that equipping the natural   
powers was helpful  in making the       
spiritual inspiration effective4    #gh 
,letter was dated1 ,fifth month #ab1    
#ahac4    ,it is evident1 however1 that 
,elias was not indifferent to his own   
intellectual equipment4 ,he was fond of 
quoting from books the things  which    
fortified his own position4 ,the        
following shows how he stored his  mind 

with facts1 from which he drew certain  
conclusions3      ,indisposition of body
 prevented my attending meeting4 ,i     
therefore    spent the day quietly at   
home1 and in reading a portion of       
,mosheim's    ,ecclesiastical ,history  
of the ,fifth ,century1 and which is    
indeed    enough to astonish any        
sensible1 considerate man1 to think how 
the    professors of that day could be  
hardy enough to call themselves         
,christians1 while using every artifice 
that their human wisdom could    invent 
to raise themselves to power and        
opulence1 and endeavoring to    crush   
down their opposers by almost every     
cruelty that power1 envy    and malice  
could inflict1 to the entire scandal of 
the ,christian    name2 and changing the
 pure1 meek1 merciful and undefiled     
religion    of ,jesus into an impure1   
unmerciful1 cruel1 bloody and           
persecuting    religion4 ,for each of   
those varied sects of professed         
,christians1 in    their turn1 as they  

got the power of the civil magistrate on
 their    side1 would endeavor1 by the  
sword1 and severe edicts1 followed    by
 banishment1 to reduce and destroy all  
those who dissented from    them1       
although their opinions were not a whit 
more friendly to real1    genuine       
,christianity than the tenets of their  
opposers2 for all were1    in great     
measure1 if not entirely1 adulterated   
and apostatized from    the true spirit 
of ,christianity1 which breathes peace  
on earth1 and    good will to men4#gi   
#gi ,journal1 p4 #bbd4    ,elias ,hicks 
believed that there was a sure way of   
determining conduct1  whether it was    
from one's own will1 or whether it      
proceeded from the  divine leading4 ,in 
regard to this matter1 he said3         
,but the great error of the generality  
of professed ,christians lies    in not 
making a right distinction between the  
works that men do in    their own will1 
and by the leadings of their own carnal 
wisdom1 and    those works that the true

 believer does1 in the will and wisdom  
of    ,god4 ,for although the former1   
let them consist in what they will1     
whether in prayers1 or preaching1 or any
 other devotional exercises1    are     
altogether evil2 so on the contrary     
those of the latter1 let    them consist
 in what they may1 whether in ploughing1
 in reaping1    or in any handicraft    
labor1 or in any other service1 temporal
 or    spiritual1 as they will in all be
 accompanied with the peace and         
presence of their heavenly ,father1 so  
all they do will be righteous1    and   
will be imputed to them as such4#hj     
#hj ,journal1 p4 #bah4    ,his          
contention regarding this matter is     
possibly more clearly stated in  the    
following paragraph3      ,the meeting  
was large1 wherein ,i had to expose the 
danger of    self-righteousness1 or a   
trust in natural religion1 or mere      
morality2    showing that it was no more
 than the religion of ,atheists1 and was
    generally the product of pride and  

self-will2 and1 however good    it may  
appear to the natural unregenerate man1 
is as offensive in    the divine sight  
as those more open evils which appear so
 very    reproachful to the eyes of men4
 ,i was favored by the spirit of truth1 
in a large1 searching testimony1 to the 
convicting and humbling many    hearts1 
and comfort of the faithful4#ha    #ha  
,meeting at ,uwchlan1 ,pa41 ,tenth month
 #bb1 #agih4 ,journal1 p4 #gf4    ,this 
is not unlike statements often made in  
modern revivals1 touching  the absolute 
uselessness of good works1 without the  
operation of divine  grace1 in bringing 
salvation4    ,a broader view of        
goodness and its sources seems to have  
been taken by  ,clement1 of             
,alexandria#hb who said3 ,for ,god is   
the cause of all good  things2 but of   
some primarily1 as of the ,old and ,new 
,testament2 and of  others by           
consequence1 as philosophy4 ,perchance1 
too1 philosophy was  given to the       
,greeks directly and primarily1 till the

 ,lord should call  the ,greeks4 ,for   
this was a schoolmaster to bring 'the   
,hellenic mind1'  as the law1 the       
,hebrews 'to ,christ4'#hc    #hb ,titus 
,flavius ,clemens1 called sometimes ,st4
 ,clement1 and ,clement  of ,alexandria 
in ,church history1 was born either at  
,athens or  ,alexandria about ,a4 ,d4   
#aec1 and died about ,a4 ,d4 #bbj4 ,he  
early embraced  ,christianity1 and was  
among the most learned and philosophical
 of the  ,christian fathers4    #hc     
,ante-,nicene ,fathers1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 p4  
#cje4          ,,chapter ,,xiii4        
,some ,points of ,doctrine4      ,elias 
,hicks had ideas of the future life1    
salvation1 rewards and  punishments1    
sometimes original1 and in some respects
 borrowed or  adapted from prevalent    
opinions4 ,but in all conclusions       
reached he  seems to have thought his   
own way out1 and was probably           
unconscious  of having been a borrower  
at all4 ,he believed unfalteringly in   
the  immortality of the soul1 and held  

that the soul of man is immortal1       
because it had its origin in an immortal
 ,god4 ,every sin committed is  a       
transgression against his immutable and 
unchangeable law1 and is an  immortal   
sin1 as it pollutes and brings death on 
the immortal soul  of man1 which nothing
 in heaven nor in the earth but ,god    
alone can  extinguish or forgive1 and   
this he will never do1 but upon his own 
righteous and merciful conditions1 which
 consist in nothing more nor  less than 
sincere repentance and amendment of     
life4#hd    #hd ,from letter addressed  
to ,a ,friend1 name not given1 written  
at  ,jericho1 ,second month #bb1 #ahbh4 
,it will be noted that this statement   
was made near the close of  his career1 
and has been purposely selected because 
it undoubtedly  expressed his final     
judgment in the matter4 ,in all         
probability the  words used were not    
meant to be taken literally1 such for   
instance as  those referring to the     
death of the soul4 ,there is little1 if 

any  reason to think that ,elias ,hicks 
believed in the annihilation of the     
sinner4    ,touching sin he further     
explained his position4 ,whatever ,god  
creates  is immutably good4 ,therefore  
if there is any such thing as sin and   
iniquity in the world1 then ,god has    
neither willed it nor ordained  it4#he  
,his position regarding this point      
caused him to antagonize  and repudiate 
the doctrine of foreordination4 ,from   
his standpoint  this involved the       
creation of evil by the ,almighty1 a    
thoroughly  preposterous supposition4   
,again1 he held that if ,god had1       
previous  to man's creation1 willed and 
determined all of his actions1 then     
certainly every man stands in the same  
state of acceptance with  him1 and a    
universal salvation must take place3    
which ,i conceive  the favorers of      
foreordination would be as unwilling as 
myself to  believe4#hf    #he ,journal1 
p4 #afa4    #hf ,from funeral sermon    
delivered in #ahad4 ,journal1 p4 #afa4  

,three years after the declaration      
quoted above1 ,elias ,hicks wrote  a    
letter#hg to a person known as ,j4 ,n41 
who was a believer  in universal        
salvation4 ,in this letter he revives   
his idea that  foreordination and       
universal salvation are twin heresies1  
both equally  mischievous4 ,this letter 
is very long1 containing nearly #d1jjj  
words4  ,the bulk of it deals with the  
theory of predestination1 while some of 
it relates to the matter of sin and     
penalty4 ,at one point the letter is    
censorious1 nearly borders on the       
dogmatic1 and is scarcely kind4 ,we     
quote3    #hg ,letter dated ,baltimore1 
,tenth month1 #ahag4      ,hadst thou1  
in thy researches after knowledge1 been 
concerned to    know the first step of  
wisdom--the right knowledge of          
thyself--such    an humbling view of thy
 own insufficiency and entire ignorance 
of the ,divine ,being1 and all his      
glorious attributes1 would1 ,i    trust1
 have preserved thee from falling into  

thy present errors4    ,errors great    
indeed1 and fatal in their consequences2
 for if men    were capable of believing
 with confidence thy opinions1 either as
    regards the doctrine of             
unconditional predestination and        
election1    or the doctrine of         
universal salvation1 both of which      
certainly and    necessarily resolve in 
one1 who could any longer call any thing
 he    has his own8 for all would fall a
 prey to the villains and sturdy        
rogues of this belief4 ,and1 indeed1 a  
belief of these opinions    would most  
assuredly make thousands more of that   
description than    there already are2  
as every temptation to evil1 to gratify 
the    carnal desires1 would be yielded 
to1 as that which was ordained to    be2
 and of course would be considered as   
something agreeable to    ,god's good   
pleasure2 and therefore not only our    
goods and chattels    would become a    
prey to every ruffian of this belief1   
but even our    wives and daughters     

would fall victims to the superior force
 of the    abandoned and profligate1 as 
believing they could do nothing but     
what ,god had ordained to be4 ,but we   
are thankful in the sentiment    that no
 rational1 intelligent being can        
possibly embrace1 in full    faith1     
these inconsistent doctrines2 as they   
are founded on nothing    but           
supposition2 and supposition can never  
produce real belief1 or a    faith that 
any rational creature can rely upon4#hh 
#hh ,letters of ,elias ,hicks1 p4 #bh4  
,we make no attempt to clear up the     
logical connection between the  doctrine
 of foreordination and the theory of    
universal salvation1 for  it is by no   
means clear that the two necessarily    
belong together4  ,from the reasoning of
 ,elias ,hicks it would seem that he    
considered  salvation a transaction     
which made a fixed and final condition  
for the  soul at death1 whereas the     
,universalist theory simply provides for
 a  future turning of all souls toward  

,god4 ,surely the supposition that  the 
holding of the views of ,j4 ,n4 would   
bring the moral disorder  and disaster  
outlined by his critic had not then been
 borne out by  the facts1 and has not   
since4 ,neither the believers in        
foreordination  or universal salvation  
have been shown worse than other men1 or
 more  socially dangerous4    ,sin1 he  
says1 arises entirely out of the corrupt
 independent will  of man2 and which    
will is not of ,god's creating1 but     
springs up and  has its origin in man's 
disobedience and transgression1 by      
making  a wrong use of his liberty4#hi  
,as the sin is of man's voluntary       
commission1 the penalty is also to be   
charged to the sinner1 and not to  ,god4
 ,on this point ,elias ,hicks was clear 
in his reasoning and in his             
conclusions3    #hi ,letters of ,elias  
,hicks1 p4 #cj4      ,hence those who   
make their election to good1 and choose 
to follow    the teachings of the inward
 law of the spirit of ,god1 are of      

course    leavened into the true nature 
of ,god1 and consequently into the      
happiness of ,god4 ,for nothing but that
 which is of the nature of ,god    can  
enjoy the happiness of ,god4 ,but he who
 makes his election1 or    choice1 to   
turn away from ,god's law and spirit1   
and govern himself    or is governed by 
his own will and spirit1 becomes a      
corrupt tree    and although the same   
justice1 wisdom1 power1 mercy and love  
are    dispensed to this man as to the  
other1 yet by his contrary nature1      
which has become fleshly1 by following  
his fleshly inclinations1 he    brings  
forth corrupt fruit4#ij    #ij ,letters 
of ,elias ,hicks1 p4 #cc4    ,manifestly
 the idea that the ,almighty punishes   
men for his own glory  had no place in  
the thinking of the ,jericho preacher4  
,the theory of sin and penalty held by  
,elias ,hicks necessarily led him  to   
hold opinions regarding rewards and     
punishments1 and the place  and manner  
of their application1 at variance with  

commonly accepted  notions4 ,in fact1   
the apparent irregularity of his        
thinking in this  particular was one of 
the causes of concern on his behalf on  
the part  of his captious critics and   
some of his friends4 ,one of the latter 
had  evidently written him regarding    
this matter1 and his reply is before    
us4#ia ,from it we quote3    #ia ,letter
 dated ,jericho1 ,third month #ad1      
#ahjh4      ,as to the subject relative 
to heaven and hell1 ,i suppose what gave
    rise to that part of my             
communication 7although ,i have now     
forgotten    the particulars7 was a     
concern that at that time as well as    
many    other times has sorrowfully     
impressed my mind1 in observing the     
great ignorance and carnality that was  
not only prevailing among    mankind at 
large1 but more especially in finding it
 to be the    case with many professing 
with us in relation to those things4 ,an
    ignorance and carnality that1 in my 
opinion1 has been one great    cause of 

the prevailing ,atheism and ,deism that 
now abounds among    the children of    
men4 ,for what reason or argument could 
a professed    ,christian bring forward 
to convince an ,atheist or ,deist that  
there is    such a place as heaven as   
described and circumscribed in some     
certain    limits and place in some     
distant and unknown region as is the    
carnal    idea of too many professing   
,christianity1 and even of many1 ,i     
fear1    of us8 ,or such a place as     
hell1 or a gulf located in some interior
    part of this little terraqueous     
globe8 ,but when the ,christian brings  
forward to the ,atheist or ,deist       
reasons and arguments founded on        
indubitable certainty1 things that he   
knows in his own experience    every day
 through the powerful evidence of the   
divine law-giver in    his own heart1 he
 cannot fail of yielding his assent1 for
 he feels as    he goes on in unbelief  
and hardness of heart he is plunging    
himself    every day deeper and deeper  

into that place of torment1 and let him 
go whithersoever he will1 his hell goes 
with him4 ,he can no more    be rid of  
it than he can be rid of himself4 ,and  
although he flies    to the rocks and   
mountains to fall on him1 to deliver him
 from his    tremendous condition1 yet  
he finds all is in vain1 for where ,god 
is1    there hell is always to the      
sinner2 according to that true saying of
    our dear ,lord1 'this is the        
condemnation of the world that light is 
come into the world1 but men love       
darkness rather than the light1         
because their deeds are evil4' ,now     
,god1 or ,christ 7who are one in    a   
spiritual sense71 is this light that    
continually condemns the                
transgressor4 ,therefore1 where ,god or 
,christ is1 there is hell always    to  
the sinner1 and ,god1 according to      
,scripture and the everyday             
experience of every rational creature1  
is everywhere present1 for he    fills  
all things1 and by him all things       

consist4 ,and as the sinner    finds in 
himself and knows in his own experience 
that there is a    hell1 and one that he
 cannot possibly escape while he remains
 a    sinner1 so likewise the righteous 
know1 and that by experience1 that      
there is a heaven1 but they know of none
 above the outward clouds    and outward
 atmosphere4 ,they have no experience of
 any such1 but    they know a heaven    
where ,god dwells1 and know a sitting   
with him at    seasons in heavenly      
places in ,christ ,jesus4    ,it will be
 remembered that ,elias based salvation 
on repentance and  amendment of life1   
but the bulk of his expression would    
seem to  indicate that he held to the   
idea that repentance must come during   
this  life4 ,in fact1 an early remark of
 his gives clear warrant for this       
conclusion4#ib ,he does not seem to have
 ever adopted the theory that           
continuity of life carried with it      
continuation of opportunity touching    
repentance and restoration of the soul4 

#ib ,see page #bc of this book4    ,from
 the twentieth century standpoint views 
like the foregoing would  scarcely cause
 a ripple of protest in any             
well-informed religious  circles4 ,but  
eighty years ago the case was different4
 ,a material place  for excessively     
material punishment of the soul1 on     
account of moral  sin and spiritual     
turpitude1 was essential to orthodox    
standing in  practically every branch of
 the ,christian church1 with possibly   
two or  three exceptions4 ,elias ,hicks 
practically admits that in the ,society 
of ,friends not a few persons held to   
the gross and materialistic  conceptions
 which he criticised and repudiated4    
,the question of personal immortality   
was more than once submitted to  him for
 consideration4 ,after certain ,friends 
began to pick flaws with  his ideas and 
theories1 he was charged with being a   
doubter regarding  nearly all the common
 ,christian affirmations1 immortality   
included4  ,there was little reason for 

misunderstanding or misrepresenting him 
in this particular1 for1 however he     
failed to make himself understood       
touching other points of doctrine1 he   
was perfectly clear on this  point4 ,in 
a letter to ,charles ,stokes1 of        
,rancocas1 ,n4 ,j41 written  ,fourth    
month #c1 #ahbi1 he said3      ,can it  
be possibly necessary for me to add     
anything further1 to    manifest my full
 and entire belief of the immortality of
 the soul of    man8 ,surely1 what an   
ignorant creature must that man be that 
hath    not come to the clear and full  
knowledge of that in himself4 ,does not 
every man feel a desire fixed in his    
very nature after happiness1    that    
urges him on in a steady pursuit after  
something to satisfy    this desire1 and
 does he not find that all the riches   
and honor    and glory of this world1   
together with every thing that is       
mortal1    falls infinitely short of    
satisfying this desire8 which proves it 
to    be immortal2 and can any thing1 or

 being1 that is not immortal in         
itself1 receive the impress of an       
immortal desire upon it8 ,surely    not4
 ,therefore1 this immortal desire of the
 soul of man never can    be fully      
satisfied until it comes to be          
established in a state of    immortality
 and eternal life1 beyond the grave4#ic 
#ic ,letters of ,elias ,hicks1 p4 #bah4 
,there are not many direct references to
 immortality in the published  sermons1 
although inferences in that direction   
are numerous4 ,in a  sermon at ,darby1  
,pa41 ,twelfth month #g1 #ahbf1 he      
declared3 ,we see  then that the great  
business of our lives is 'to lay up     
treasure in  heaven4'#id ,in this case  
and others like it he evidently means   
treasure in the spiritual world4 ,in his
 discourses he frequently  referred to  
our immortal souls in a way to leave no 
doubt as to his  belief in a continuity 
of life4 ,his reference to the death of 
his young  sons leave no room for doubt 
in the matter4#ie    #id ,the ,quaker1  

,vol4 ,,iv1 p4 #abg4    #ie ,see page   
#fa of this book4    ,in speaking of the
 death of his wife1 both in his ,journal
 and in his  private correspondence1 his
 references all point to the future     
life4  ,her precious spirit1 he said1 ,i
 trust and believe has landed safely  on
 the angelic shore4 ,again1 being       
preserved together fifty-eight  years in
 one unbroken bond of endeared          
affection1 which seemed if  possible to 
increase with time to the last moment of
 her life2 and  which neither time nor  
distance can lessen or dissolve2 but in 
the  spiritual relation ,i trust it will
 endure forever4#if    #if ,journal1 p4 
#dbe4    ,during the last ten years of  
the life of ,elias ,hicks he was simply 
overburdened answering questions and    
explaining his position touching  a     
multitude of views charged against him  
by his critics and defamers4  ,among the
 matters thus brought to his attention  
was the miraculous  conception of       
,jesus1 and the various beliefs growing 

out of that  doctrine4 ,in an undated   
manuscript found among his papers and   
letters1  and manifestly not belonging  
to a date earlier than #ahbf or #ahbg1  
he  pretty clearly states his theory    
touching this delicate subject4 ,in     
this document he is more definite than  
he is in some of his published          
statements relating to the same matter4 
,he asserts that there is a  difference 
between begetting and creating4 ,he     
scouts as revolting the  conception that
 the ,almighty begat ,jesus1 as is the  
case in the animal  function of         
procreation4 ,on the other hand1 he     
said3 ,but1 as in the  beginning of     
creation1 he spake the word and it was  
done1 so by his  almighty power he spake
 the word and by it created the seed of 
man in  the fleshly womb of ,mary4 ,in  
other words1 the miraculous conception  
was a creation and not the act of       
begetting4    ,in his correspondence he 
repeatedly asserted that he had believed
 in  the miraculous conception from his 

youth up4 ,to ,thomas ,willis1 who was  
one of his earliest accusers1 he said   
that although there appeared  to me as  
much1 or more1 letter testimony in the  
account of the four  ,evangelists       
against as for the support of that      
miracle1 yet it had  not altered my     
belief therein4#ig ,it has to be        
admitted that the  miraculous conception
 held by ,elias ,hicks was scarcely the 
doctrine of  the creeds1 or that held by
 evangelical ,christians in the early   
part  of the nineteenth century4 ,his   
theory may be more rational than the    
popular conception and may be equally   
miraculous1 but it was not the  same    
proposition4    #ig ,letters of ,elias  
,hicks1 p4 #agi4    ,whether ,elias     
considered this a distinction without a 
difference we  know not1 but it is very 
certain that he did not consider the    
miracle  or the dogma growing out of it 
a vital matter4 ,he declared that a     
belief therein was not an essential to  
salvation4#ih ,his reason  for this     

opinion was that whatever is essential  
to the salvation of  the souls of men is
 dispensed by a common creator to every 
rational  creature under heaven4#ii ,no 
hint of a miraculous conception1 he     
held1 had been revealed to the souls of 
men4    #ih ,letters of ,elias ,hicks1  
p4 #agh4    #ii ,letters of ,elias      
,hicks1 p4 #agh4    ,it is possible that
 in the minds of the ultra ,orthodox1 to
 deny the  saving value of a belief in  
the miraculous conception1 although     
admitting it as a fact1 or recasting it 
as a theory1 was a more  reprehensible  
act of heresy than denying the dogma    
entirely4 ,manifestly  ,elias ,hicks was
 altogether too original in his thinking
 to secure his  own peace and comfort in
 the world of nineteenth-century        
theology4    ,when we consider the      
theory of the divinity of ,christ1 and  
the theory  of the incarnation1 we find 
,elias ,hicks taking the affirmative    
side1  but even here it is questionable 
if he was affirming the popular         

conception4 ,touching these matters he  
put himself definitely on record  in    
#ahbg in a letter written to an unnamed 
,friend4 ,in this letter he  says3      
,as to the divinity of ,christ1 the son 
of the virgin--when he had    arrived to
 a full state of sonship in the         
spiritual generation1 he    was wholly  
swallowed up into the divinity of his   
heavenly ,father1    and was one with   
his ,father1 with only this difference3 
his ,father's    divinity was underived1
 being self-existent1 but the son's     
divinity    was altogether derived from 
the ,father2 for otherwise he could not 
be the son of ,god1 as in the moral     
relation1 to be a son of man1    the son
 must be begotten by one father1 and he 
must be in the same    nature1 spirit   
and likeness of his father1 so as to    
say1 ,i and my    father are one in all 
those respects4 ,but this was not the   
case with    ,jesus in the spiritual    
relation1 until he had gone through the 
last    institute of the law            

dispensation1 viz41 ,john's watery      
baptism1 and    had received additional 
power from on high1 by the descending of
    the holy ghost upon him1 as he came 
up out of the water4 ,he then           
witnessed the fulness of the second     
birth1 being now born into the          
nature1 spirit and likeness of the      
heavenly ,father1 and ,god gave         
witness of it to ,john1 saying1 ',this  
is my beloved son1 in whom ,i    am well
 pleased4' ,and this agrees with ,paul's
 testimony1 where he    assures us that 
as many as are led by the spirit of     
,god1 they are the    sons of ,god4#ajj 
#ajj ,the ,quaker1 ,vol4 ,,iv1 p4 #bhd4 
,just as he repudiated material         
localized places of reward and          
punishment1 ,elias ,hicks disputed the  
presence in the world of a  personal    
evil spirit1 roaming around seeking whom
 he might ensnare and  devour4 ,in fact1
 in his theology there was no tinge of  
the ,persian  dualism4 ,satan1 from his 
standpoint1 had no existence outside    

man4 ,he  was simply a figure to        
illustrate the evil propensity in men4  
,in the  estimation of the ultra        
,orthodox to claim that there was no    
personal  devil1 who tempted our first  
parents in ,eden1 was second only in    
point  of heresy to denying the         
existence of ,god himself--the two      
persons  both being essential parts in  
the theological system to which they    
tenaciously held4    ,touching this     
matter he thus expressed himself3 ,and  
as to what is  called a devil or satan1 
it is something within us1 that tempts  
us to  go counter to the commands of    
,god1 and our duty to him and our fellow
  creatures2 and the ,scriptures tell us
 there are many of them1 and that       
,jesus cast seven out of one woman4#aja 
#aja ,from letter to ,charles ,stokes1  
,fourth month #c1 #ahbi4 ,letters of    
,elias ,hicks1 p4 #bag4    ,he was      
charged with being a ,deist1 and an     
infidel of the ,thomas ,paine  stripe1  
yet from his own standpoint there was no

 shadow of truth in any  of these       
charges4 ,his references to ,atheism and
 ,deism already cited in  these pages   
afford evidence on this point4 ,in #agih
 he was at ,gap in  ,pennsylvania1 and  
in referring to his experience there he 
said3      ,whilst in this neighborhood 
my mind was brought into a state of     
deep exercise and travail1 from a sense 
of the great turning away    of many of 
us1 from the law and the testimony1 and 
the prevailing    of a spirit of great  
infidelity and deism among the people1  
and    darkness spreading over the minds
 of many as a thick veil4 ,it was a     
time in which ,thomas ,paine's ,age of  
,reason 7falsely so called7 was    much 
attended to in those parts2 and some1   
who were members in our    ,society1 as 
,i was informed1 were captivated by his 
dark insinuating    address1 and were   
ready almost to make shipwreck of faith 
and a good    conscience4 ,under a sense
 thereof my spirit was deeply humbled   
before    the majesty of heaven1 and in 

the anguish of my soul ,i said1 'spare  
thy people1 ,o ,lord1 and give not thy  
heritage to reproach1' and    suffer not
 thy truth to fall in the streets4#ajb  
#ajb ,journal1 p4 #gj4    ,touching his 
supposed ,unitarianism1 there are no    
direct references to  that theory in his
 published works4 ,a letter written by  
,elias ,hicks  to ,william ,b4          
,irish1#ajc ,second month #aa1 #ahba1 is
 about the only  reference to the       
matter4 ,in this letter he says3    #ajc
 ,william ,b4 ,irish lived in           
,pittsburg1 and was a disciple of ,elias
  ,hicks1 as he confessed to his        
spiritual profit4 ,in a letter written  
to ,elias from ,philadelphia1 ,eleventh 
month #ba1 #ahbc1 he said3 ,i tell  you1
 you are the first man that ever put my 
mind in search of heavenly  food4       
,whether he ever united with the        
,society we are not informed1  although 
,elias expressed the hope that he might 
see his way clear to do  so4      ,in   
regard to the ,unitarian doctrine1 ,i am

 too much a stranger to    their general
 tenets to give a decided sentiment1 but
 according to    the definition given of
 them by ,dyche in his dictionary1 ,i   
think it    is more consistent and      
rational than the doctrine of the       
trinity1    which ,i think fairly makes 
out three ,gods4 ,but as ,i have lately 
spent some time in perusing the ancient 
history of the church1 in    which ,i   
find that ,trinitarians1 ,unitarians1   
,arians1 ,nestorians and    a number of 
other sects that sprung up in the night 
of apostacy1 as    each got into power  
they cruelly persecuted each other1 by  
which    they evidenced that they had   
all apostatized from the primitive      
faith and practice1 and the genuine     
spirit of ,christianity1 hence    ,i    
conceive there is no safety in joining  
with any of those sects1    as their    
leaders ,i believe are generally each   
looking to their own    quarter for     
gain4 ,therefore our safety consists in 
standing alone    7waiting at           

,jerusalem7 that is in a quiet retired  
state1 similar to    the disciples      
formerly1 until we receive power from on
 high1 or until    by the opening of    
that divine spirit 7or comforter1 a     
manifestation    of which is given to   
every man and woman to profit withal7 we
 are led    into the knowledge of the   
truth agreeably to the doctrine of      
,jesus to    his disciples4    ,in      
regard to the death and resurrection of 
,jesus1 ,elias ,hicks  considered       
himself logically and scripturally      
sound1 although his  ideas may not have 
squared with any prevalent theological  
doctrines4  ,in reply to the query1 ,by 
what means did ,jesus suffer8 he        
answered  unhesitatingly1 ,by the hands 
of wicked men4 ,a second query was to   
the  effect1 ,did ,god send him into the
 world purposely to suffer death8  ,here
 is the answer3      ,by no means3 but  
to live a righteous and godly life      
7which was    the design and end of     
,god's creating man in the beginning71  

and    thereby be a perfect example to  
such of mankind as should come to    the
 knowledge of him and of his perfect    
life4 ,for if it was the    purpose and 
will of ,god that he should die by the  
hands of wicked    men1 then the ,jews1 
by crucifying him1 would have done      
,god's will1    and of course would all 
have stood justified in his sight1 which
    could not be4 444 ,but the shedding 
of his blood by the wicked    scribes   
and ,pharisees1 and people of ,israel1  
had a particular effect    on the       
,jewish nation1 as by this the topstone 
and worst of all their    crimes1 was   
filled up the measure of their          
iniquities1 and which put    an end to  
that dispensation1 together with its law
 and covenant4    ,that as ,john's      
baptism summed up in one1 all the       
previous water    baptisms of that      
dispensation1 and put an end to them1   
which he    sealed with his blood1 so   
this sacrifice of the body of ,jesus    
,christ1    summed up in one all the    

outward atoning sacrifices of the       
shadowy    dispensation and put an end  
to them all1 thereby abolishing the law 
having previously fulfilled all its     
righteousness1 and1 as saith the        
apostle1 ',he blotted out the           
handwriting of ordinances1 nailing them 
to his cross2' having put an end to the 
law that commanded them1    with all its
 legal sins1 and abolished all its legal
 penalties1 so    that all the          
,israelites that believed on him after  
he exclaimed on    the cross ',it is    
finished1' might abstain from all the   
rituals of    their law1 such as        
circumcision1 water baptisms1 outward   
sacrifices1    ,seventh-day ,sabbaths1  
and all their other holy days1 etc4#ajd 
#ajd ,all of the extracts above are from
 a letter to ,dr4 ,nathan  ,shoemaker1  
of ,philadelphia1 written ,third month  
#ca1 #ahbc4 ,see ,foster's  ,report1 pp4
 #dbb-bc4    ,continuing1 he says3 ,now 
all this life1 power and will of man1   
must  be slain and die on the cross     

spiritually1 as ,jesus died on the cross
  outwardly1 and this is the true       
atonement1 of which that outward        
atonement was a clear and full type4    
,for the scriptural proof of  his       
contention he quotes ,romans ,,vi1 #c3d4
 ,he claimed that the baptism  referred 
to by ,paul was spiritual1 and the      
newness of life to follow  must also be 
spiritual4    ,the resurrection was also
 spiritualized1 and given an internal1  
rather  than an external1 significance4 
,its intent was to awaken in the        
believer a belief in the sufficiency of 
an invisible power1 that was  able to do
 any thing and every thing that is      
consistent with justice1  mercy and     
truth1 and that would conduce to the    
exaltation and good of  his creature    
man4      ,therefore the resurrection of
 the dead body of ,jesus that could not 
possibly of itself create in itself a   
power to loose the bonds of    death1   
and which must consequently have been   
the work of an invisible    power1      

points to and is a shadow of the        
resurrection of the soul that    is dead
 in trespasses and sins1 and that hath  
no capacity to quicken    itself1 but   
depends wholly on the renewed influence 
and quickening    power of the spirit of
 ,god4 ,for a soul dead in trespasses   
and sins    can no more raise a desire  
of itself for a renewed quickening of   
the divine life in itself than a dead   
body can raise a desire of    itself for
 a renewal of natural life2 but both    
equally depend on the    omnipotent     
presiding power of the spirit of ,god1  
as is clearly set    forth by the       
prophet under the similitude of the     
resurrection of dry    bones4 ,ezekiel1 
#cg3a4aje      #aje ,the ,quaker1 ,vol4 
,,iv1 p4 #bhf4 ,letter of ,elias ,hicks 
to an  unknown friend4      ,hence the  
resurrection of the outward fleshly body
 of ,jesus and some    few others under 
the law dispensation1 as manifested to  
the external    senses of man1 gives    
full evidence as a shadow1 pointing to  

the    sufficiency of the divine        
invisible power of ,god to raise the    
soul    from a state of spiritual death 
into newness of life and into the       
enjoyment of the spiritual substance of 
all the previous shadows of    the law  
state4 ,and by the arising of this ,sun 
of ,righteousness in the    soul all    
shadows flee away and come to an end1   
and the soul presses    forward1 under  
its divine influence1 into that that is 
within the    veil1 where our           
forerunner1 even ,jesus1 has entered for
 us1 showing    us the way into the     
holiest of holies4#ajf    #ajf ,the     
,quaker1 ,vol4 ,,iv1 pp4 #bhf-bhg4      
,letter of ,elias ,hicks to an  unknown 
friend4    ,we have endeavored to give  
such a view of the doctrinal points     
covered  as will give a fair idea of    
what ,elias ,hicks believed4 ,whether   
they  were unsound opinions1 such as    
should have disrupted the ,society of   
,friends1 and nearly shipwreck it on a  
sea of bitterness1 we leave for  the    

reader to decide4 ,it should be stated1 
however1 that the opinions  herein set  
forth did not1 by any means1 constitute 
the subject matter  of all1 or possibly 
a considerable portion of the sermons he
 preached4  ,there is room for the      
inquiry in our time whether a large     
amount of  doctrinal opinion presented  
in our meetings for worship1 even though
 it  be of the kind in which the        
majority apparently believe1 would not  
have  a dividing and scattering effect4 
,,chapter ,,xiv4    ,before the         
,division4      ,no biography of ,elias 
,hicks could be even approximately      
adequate which  ignored the division in 
the ,society of ,friends in #ahbg-ahbh1 
commonly1  but erroneously1 called the  
separation4 ,while his part in the      
trouble  has been greatly exaggerated1  
inasmuch as he was made the storm-center
  of the controversy by his opponents1  
to consider the causes and  influences  
which led to the difficulty1 especially 
as they were either  rightly or wrongly 

made to apply to ,elias ,hicks1 is vital
 to a study of  his life1 and an        
appreciation of his labors4    ,we shall
 not be able to understand the matter at
 all1 unless we can in  a measure take  
ourselves back to the first quarter of  
the nineteenth  century1 and as far as  
possible appreciate the thought and life
 of that  time4 ,we must remember that a
 system of dogmatic theology1           
unqualified  and untempered by any of   
the findings of modern scholarship1 was 
the  central and dominating influence in
 the religious world4 ,authority  of    
some sort was the source of religious   
belief1 and uniformity of  doctrine the 
basis of religious fellowship4    ,the  
aftermath of the ,french ,revolution    
appeared in a period of  religious      
negation4 ,destructive1 rather than     
constructive criticism was  the ruling  
passion of the unchurched world4 ,the   
conservative mind was  burdened with    
apprehension1 and the fear of a chaos of
 faith possessed  the minds of the      

preachers1 the theologians and the      
communicants of the  so-called ,orthodox
 ,christian churches4 ,the ,unitarian   
uprising in ,new  ,england had          
hopelessly divided the historic church  
of the ,puritans1  and the conservative 
,friends saw in every advance in thought
 the  breaking up of what they          
considered the foundations of religion1 
and  fear possessed them accordingly4   
,but more important than this is the    
fact that ,friends had largely lost  the
 historic perspective1 touching their   
own origin4 ,they had forgotten  that   
their foundations were laid in a revolt 
against a prevalent  theology1 and the  
evil of external authority in religion4 
,from being  persecuted they had grown  
popular and prosperous4 ,they therefore 
shrank from change in ,zion1 and from   
the opposition and ostracism  which     
always had been the fate of those who   
broke with approved and  established    
religious standards4 ,without doubt they
 honored the heroism  and respected the 

sacrifices of the fathers as the first  
spreaders  of truth4 ,but they had      
neither the temper nor the taste to be  
alike  heroic1 in making ,quakerism a   
progressive spirit1 rather than a final 
refuge of a traditional religion4    ,an
 effort was made by the opponents of    
,elias ,hicks to make it appear  that   
what they were pleased to call his      
unsoundness in doctrine1  came late in  
life1 and somewhat suddenly4 ,but for   
this claim there is  little if any valid
 evidence4 ,his preaching probably      
underwent little  vital change          
throughout his entire ministry4 ,turner1
 the ,english  historian1 says3 ,but the
 facts remain that until near the close 
of his  long life ,hicks was in general 
esteem1 that there is no sign anywhere  
in his writings of a change of opinions1
 or new departure in his  teaching4#ajg 
#ajg ,the ,quakers1 ,frederick ,storrs  
,turner1 p4 #bic4    ,there is          
unpublished correspondence which        
confirms the opinion of  ,turner4 ,this 

is true touching what might be called   
his theological as  well as his         
sociological notions4    ,in a letter   
written to ,elias ,hicks in #ahje1 by   
,james ,mott1 ,sr41#ajh  reference is   
made to ,elias having denied the        
absolutely saving  character of the     
,scriptures4 ,in this connection the    
letter remarks3  ,i conceive it is no   
matter how highly people value the      
,scriptures1  provided they can only be 
convinced that the spirit that gave them
  forth is superior to them1 and to be  
their rule and guide instead of  them4  
#ajh ,this ,james ,mott was the father  
of ,anne1 who married ,adam1 the  father
 of ,james1 the husband of ,lucretia4   
,james ,mott1 ,sr4 died in #ahbc4    ,in
 #ahjf1 in a sermon at ,nine ,partners1 
in ,dutchess ,county1 ,new ,york1  as   
reported by himself1 he declared that   
men can only by faithful  attention and 
adherence to the aforesaid divine       
principle1 the light  within1 come to   
know and believe the certainty of those 

excellent  ,scripture doctrines1 of the 
coming1 life1 righteous works1          
sufferings1  death and resurrection of  
,jesus ,christ our blessed pattern2 and 
that  it is by obedience to this inward 
light only that we are prepared for     
admittance into the heavenly            
kingdom4#aji    #aji ,journal1 p4 #abb4 
,it seems1 however1 that ,stephen       
,grellet1#aaj if we may take the        
authority of his biographers1           
,hodgson#aaa and ,guest1#aab as early   
as #ahjh1 was fearful of the orthodoxy  
of ,elias ,hicks1 and probably  based   
his fear on extracts like the passage   
cited above4 ,whatever may  be imagined 
to the contrary1 it is pretty certain   
that at no time for  forty years before 
his death did ,elias ,hicks preach      
doctrine that  would have been          
satisfactory to the orthodox theologians
 of his time1  although he did not      
always antagonize the dogmas of the     
churches4    #aaj ,stephen ,grellet1    
born in ,limoges1 ,france1 ,eleventh    

month #b1  #aggc4 ,a scion of the       
,french nobility4 ,became interested in 
the ,society  of ,friends when about    
twenty years of age4 ,came to ,america  
in #agie1  and was recorded a minister  
in ,philadelphia1 in #agih4 ,became a   
,new  ,york business man in #agii4 ,made
 extensive religious visits in various  
countries in ,europe1 and in many       
,american states4 ,was also active in   
philanthropic work4 ,he died at         
,burlington1 ,n4 ,j41 in #ahee4 ,in his 
theology he was entirely evangelical4   
#aaa ,life of ,stephen ,grellet1        
,hodgson1 p4 #adb4    #aab ,stephen     
,grellet1 by ,william ,guest1 p4 #gc4   
,if ,stephen ,grellet ever had any      
personal interview with ,elias ,hicks   
regarding his unsoundness1 the matter   
was ignored by the latter4 ,in  ,eighth 
month1 #ahjh1 some months after it is   
claimed the discovery was  made by      
,grellet1 the two men1 with other       
,friends1 were on a religious  visit in 
parts of ,new ,england4 ,in a letter to 

his wife1 dated ,danby1  ,vt41 ,eighth  
month #bf1 #ahjh1 ,elias says3 ,stephen 
,grellet1 ,gideon  ,seaman1 ,esther     
,griffin and ,ann ,mott we left         
yesterday morning at a town  called     
,middlebury1 about eighteen miles short 
of this place1 ,stephen  feeling a      
concern to appoint a meeting among the  
town's people of that  place4 ,evidently
 no very great barrier existed between  
the two men at  that time4    ,in any   
event no disposition seemed to exist to 
inaugurate a theological  controversy in
 the ,society of ,friends1 or to erect a
 standard of  fellowship other than     
spiritual unity1 until a decade after   
the claimed  concern of ,stephen        
,grellet4 ,it appears that in #ahah1    
,phebe ,willis1 wife  of ,thomas        
,willis1 a recorded minister of ,jericho
 ,monthly ,meeting1 had a  written      
communication with ,elias1 touching his 
doctrinal soundness1  ,phebe being an   
elder4 ,that the opposition began in    
,jericho1 and that it  was confined to  

the ,willis family and one other in that
 meeting1 seems  to be a fairly well    
attested fact4 ,in #ahbi1 after the     
division in the  ,society had been      
accomplished1 ,elias ,hicks wrote a     
letter to a friend  giving a short      
history of the beginning of the trouble 
in ,jericho1 from  which we make the    
following extract3      ,the beginning  
of the rupture in our yearly meeting had
 its rise    in our particular monthly  
meeting1 and ,i have full evidence      
before    me of both its rise and       
progress4 ,the first shadow of complaint
    against me as to my doctrines was   
made by ,thomas ,willis1 a member and   
minister of our own preparative meeting4
 ,he manifested his first    uneasiness 
at the close of one of our own meetings 
nearly in these    words1 between him   
and myself alone4 ',that he apprehended 
that ,i1    in my public communication1 
lowered down the character of ,jesus and
    the ,scriptures of truth4' ,my reply
 to him was that ,i had placed them     

both upon the very foundation they each 
had placed themselves1 and    that ,i   
dare not place them any higher or lower4
 ,at the same time the    whole monthly 
meeting1 except he and his wife1 as far 
as ,i knew1 were    in full unity with  
me1 both as to my ministry and          
otherwise1 but as    they were both     
members of the meeting of ministers and 
elders they    made the first public    
disclosure of their uneasiness4 ,thomas 
had an    ancient mother1 likewise a    
minister1 that lived in the house with  
them2 they so far overcame her better   
judgment as to induce her to    take a  
part with them1 although she was a very 
amiable and useful    member1 and one   
that ,i had always a great esteem for1  
and we had been    nearly united        
together in gospel fellowship1 both in  
public meetings    and those for        
discipline1 for forty years and         
upward4#aac    #aac ,letter to ,johnson 
,legg1 dated ,jericho1 ,twelfth month   
#ae1 #ahbi4    ,the meeting1 through a  

judicious committee1 tried to quiet the 
fears  of ,thomas ,willis and wife1 and 
bring them in unity with the vastly     
major portion of the meeting1 but       
without success4 ,these ,friends being  
persistent in their opposition1 they    
were suspended from the meeting of      
ministers and elders1 but were permitted
 to retain their membership in  the     
,society4          ,,chapter ,,xv4      
,first ,trouble in ,philadelphia4       
,transferring the story of the          
opposition to the ministry of ,elias    
,hicks  to ,philadelphia1 it would      
appear that its first public            
manifestation  occurred in #ahai4       
,during this year he made his fifth     
somewhat extended  religious visit to   
the meetings within the bounds of       
,philadelphia  ,yearly ,meeting4 ,elias 
was attending the monthly meeting then  
held  in the ,pine ,street              
meeting-house1 and obtained liberty to  
visit the  women's meeting4 ,while      
absent on this concern1 the men's       

meeting did  the unprecedented thing of 
adjourning1 the breaking up of the      
meeting  being accomplished by a few    
influential members4 ,for a co-ordinate 
branch of a meeting for discipline to   
close while service was being  performed
 in the allied branch in accord with    
regular procedure was  considered       
irregular1 if not unwarranted4 ,the real
 inspiring cause for  this conduct has  
been stated as follows by a contemporary
 writer3      ,an influential member of 
this meeting who had abstained from the 
produce of slave labor came to the      
conclusion that this action was    the  
result of his own will4 ,he therefore   
became very sensitive and    irritable  
touching references to the slavery      
question1 and very    bitter against the
 testimony of ,elias ,hicks4 ,it is     
believed that this    was one of the    
causes which led to the affront of      
,elias ,hicks in the    ,pine ,street   
,meeting aforesaid4#aad    #aad ,a      
review of the general and particular    

causes which have  produced the late    
disorders and divisions in the ,yearly  
,meeting of  ,friends1 held in          
,philadelphia1 ,james ,cockburn1 #ahbi1 
p4 #fj4    ,it was claimed in the famous
 ,new ,jersey chancery case#aae by the  
,orthodox ,friends1 that there was      
precedent for adjourning a meeting      
while a visiting minister in proper     
order was performing service in a       
co-ordinate branch of the ,society4 ,be 
that as it may1 the weight of  evidence 
warrants the conclusion that the        
incident at ,pine ,street was  intended 
as an affront to ,elias ,hicks4 ,the    
conservative elements in  ,philadelphia 
had evidently made up their minds that  
the time had come  to visit their       
displeasure upon the ,long ,island      
preacher4    #aae ,foster's report1 many
 times referred to in these pages1 is a 
two-volume work1 containing the evidence
 and the exhibits in a case in  the ,new
 ,jersey ,court of ,chancery4 ,the      
examinations began ,sixth month  #b1    

#ahcj1 in ,camden1 ,n4 ,j41 before ,j4  
,j4 ,foster1 ,master and ,examiner in   
,chancery1 and continued from time to   
time1 closing ,fourth month #ac1  #ahca4
 ,the case was brought to determine who 
should possess the school  fund1 of the 
,friends' ,school1 at ,crosswick1 ,n4   
,j4 ,the decision awarded  the fund to  
the ,orthodox4    ,the incident referred
 to above must have occurred in the     
latter part  of ,tenth month4 ,elias    
says in his ,journal1 after mentioning  
his  arrival in ,philadelphia3 ,we were 
at two of their monthly meetings and    
their quarterly meeting4#aaf ,he makes  
no mention of the unpleasant            
occurrence4    #aaf ,journal1 p4 #chb4  
,there seems to have been no further    
appearance of trouble in the  latitude  
of ,philadelphia until ,eighth month1   
#ahbb4 ,this time opposition  appeared  
in what was evidently an irregular      
gathering of part of the  ,meeting for  
,sufferings4 ,at this meeting ,jonathan 
,evans is reported to  have said3 ,i    

understand that ,elias ,hicks is coming 
on here on his way  to ,baltimore       
,yearly ,meeting4 ,friends know that he 
preaches doctrines  contrary to the     
doctrines of our ,society2 that he has  
given uneasiness  to his friends at     
home1 and they can't stop him1 and      
unless we can stop  him here he must go 
on4#aag ,this statement was only        
partially true1  to say the most        
possible for it4 ,but a small minority  
of ,elias' home  meeting were in any way
 uneasy about him1 whatever may have    
been the  character of his preaching4   
,it stands to reason that had there been
 a  general and united opposition to the
 ministry of ,elias ,hicks in his       
monthly meeting or in the ,new ,york    
,yearly ,meeting at any time before  the
 separation1 he could not have performed
 the service involved  in his religious 
visits4 ,it will also appear from the   
foregoing that  the few opponents of    
,elias ,hicks on ,long ,island had      
evidently planned  to invoke every      

possible and conceivable influence1 at  
the center of  ,quakerism in            
,philadelphia1 to silence this popular  
and well-known  preacher4 ,at what point
 the influence so disposed became of    
general  effect in the polity of the    
,society only incidentally belongs to   
the  purpose of this book4    #aag      
,foster's ,report1 pp4 #cee-cef4    ,out
 of the unofficial body#aah above       
mentioned1 about a dozen in  number1 a  
small and select committee was          
appointed4 ,the object was  apparently  
to deal with ,elias for remarks said to 
have been made by him  at ,new ,york    
,yearly ,meeting in ,fifth month of that
 year1 and reported by  ,joseph         
,whitall4    #aah ,foster's ,report1    
#ahca1 ,vol4 ,i4 ,see testimony of      
,joseph ,whitall1  p4 #bdg4 ,also       
testimony of ,abraham ,lower1 pp4       
#cee-cef4    ,the minute under which    
,elias performed the visit referred to  
above  was granted by his monthly       
meeting in ,seventh month1 and he       

promptly  set out on his visit with     
,david ,seaman as his traveling         
companion4 ,he  spent nearly three      
months visiting meetings in ,new ,jersey
 and in ,bucks1  ,montgomery1 ,delaware 
and ,chester ,counties1 ,pennsylvania1  
reaching  ,baltimore the #beth of ,tenth
 month1 where he attended the ,yearly   
,meeting4 ,this appearance and service  
in ,philadelphia1 he states very        
briefly1 and with no hint of the        
developing trouble1 as follows3      ,we
 arrived in ,philadelphia in the early  
part of ,twelfth month1 and ,i          
immediately entered on the arduous      
concern which ,i had in prospect    and 
which ,i was favored soon comfortably to
 accomplish4 ,we visited    the families
 composing ,green ,street ,monthly      
,meeting1 being in number    one hundred
 and forty1 and we also attended that   
monthly meeting and    the monthly      
meeting for the ,northern ,district4    
,this closed my visit    here1 and set  
me at liberty to turn my face           

homeward4#aai    #aai ,journal1 p4 #cid4
    ,it will thus be seen that the      
charge of unsoundness was entered in    
,philadelphia ,meeting for ,sufferings  
soon after ,elias started on his        
southern visit1 but the matter was held 
practically in suspense for  four       
months4 ,in the meantime ,elias was     
waited upon by a few elders1  presumably
 in accordance with the action of the   
,meeting for ,sufferings  held in       
,eighth month4 ,this opportunity was had
 when the visitor passed  through       
,philadelphia en route to ,baltimore4   
,there is reason for  believing that    
,elias succeeded in measurably          
satisfying this small  committee4 ,but  
there was evidently an element in       
,philadelphia that did  not propose to  
be satisfied4    ,in ,twelfth month1    
when ,elias arrived in ,philadelphia    
from his southern  trip1 and began his  
visits among the families of ,green     
,street ,monthly  ,meeting1 a meeting of
 the elders of all the monthly meetings 

in the  city was hastily called4 ,a     
deputation from the elders sought an    
opportunity with ,elias1 and insisted   
that it be private4#abj  ,his position  
was that he was not accountable to them 
for anything he  had said while         
traveling with a minute as a minister4  
,elias finally  consented1 out of regard
 to some particular ,friends1 to meet   
the elders  in ,green ,street           
meeting-house1 provided witnesses other 
than the  opposing elders could be      
present4 ,among those who accompanied   
,elias  were ,john ,comly1 ,robert      
,moore1 ,john ,moore and ,john ,hunt4   
,when the  meeting was held1 however1   
the elders who opposed ,elias said they 
could  not proceed1 their reason being  
that the gathering was not select4 ,in  
connection with this controversy letters
 passed between the opposing  parties4  
,one was signed by ten elders of        
,philadelphia1 and is as  follows3      
#abj ,foster's ,report1 pp4 #cei-cfj4   
,cockburn's ,review1 p4 #ff4      ,,to  

,,elias ,,hicks3      ,friends in       
,philadelphia having for a considerable 
time past heard of    thy holding and   
promulgating doctrines different from   
and repugnant    to those held by our   
religious society1 it was cause of      
uneasiness    and deep concern to them1 
as their sincere regard and engagement  
for    the promotion of the cause of    
,truth made it very desirable that all  
the members of our religious society    
should move in true harmony    under the
 leading and direction of our blessed   
,redeemer4 ,upon being    informed of   
thy sentiments expressed by ,joseph     
,whitall--that ,jesus    ,christ was not
 the son of ,god until after the baptism
 of ,john and the    descent of the     
,holy ,ghost1 and that he was no more   
than a man2 that    the same power that 
made ,christ a ,christian must make us  
,christians2    and that the same power 
that saved ,him must save us--many      
friends    were affected therewith1 and 
some time afterward1 several ,friends   

being together in the city on subjects  
relating to our religious    society1   
they received an account from ,ezra     
,comfort of some of thy    expressions  
in the public general meeting           
immediately succeeding the    ,southern 
,quarterly ,meeting lately held in the  
state of ,delaware1    which was also   
confirmed by his companion1 ,isaiah     
,bell1 that ,jesus    ,christ was the   
first man who introduced the gospel     
dispensation1    the ,jews being under  
the outward or ceremonial law or        
dispensation1    it was necessary that  
there should be some outward miracle1 as
 the    healing of the outward          
infirmities of the flesh and raising the
    outward dead bodies in order to     
introduce the gospel dispensation2 ,he  
had no more power given ,him than man1  
for ,he was no more than man2    ,he had
 nothing to do with the healing of the  
soul1 for that belongs    to ,god only2 
,elisha had the same power to raise the 
dead2 that man    being obedient to the 

spirit of ,god in him could arrive at as
 great1    or a greater1 degree of      
righteousness than ,jesus ,christ2 that 
',jesus    ,christ thought it not       
robbery to be equal with ,god2 neither  
do ,i    think it robbery for man to be 
equal with ,god'2 then endeavored    to 
show that by attending to that stone cut
 out of the mountain    without hands1  
or the seed in man1 it would make man   
equal with ,god1    saying3 for that    
stone in man was the entire ,god4 ,on   
hearing which it    appeared to ,friends
 a subject of such great importance and 
of such    deep welfare to the interest 
of our religious society as to require  
an extension of care1 in order that if  
any incorrect statement had    been made
 it should as soon as possible be       
rectified1 or1 if true1    thou might be
 possessed of the painful concerns of   
,friends and their    sense and judgment
 thereon4 ,two of the elders accordingly
 waited    on thee on the evening of the
 day of thy arriving in the city1    and

 although thou denied the statement1 yet
 thy declining to meet    these two     
elders in company with those who made it
 left the minds    of ,friends without  
relief4 ,one of the elders who had      
called on thee    repeated his visit on 
the next day but one1 and again         
requested thee    to see the two elders 
and the ,friends who made the above     
statements    which thou again declined4
 ,the elders from the different ,monthly
    ,meetings of the city were then     
convened and requested a private        
opportunity with thee1 which thou also  
refused1 yet the next day    consented  
to meet them at a time and place of thy 
own fixing2 but1    when assembled1 a   
mixed company being collected1 the      
elders could    not in this manner enter
 into business which they considered of 
a    nature not to be investigated in   
any other way than in a select1         
private opportunity4 ,they1 therefore1  
considered that meeting a clear         
indication of thy continuing to decline 

to meet the elders as by them           
proposed4 ,under these circumstances1 it
 appearing that thou art not    willing 
to hear and disprove the charges brought
 against thee1 we    feel it a duty to  
declare that we cannot have religious   
unity with    thy conduct nor with the  
doctrines thou art charged with         
promulgating4      ,signed1 ,twelfth    
month #ai1 #ahbb4                       
,,caleb ,,pierce1                       
,,leonard ,,snowden1                    
,,joseph ,,scattergood1                 
,s4 ,p4 ,,griffiths1                    
,t4 ,,stewardson1                       
,,edward ,,randolph1                    
,,israel ,,maule1                       
,,ellis ,,yarnall1                      
,,richard ,,humphries1                  
,,thomas ,,wistar4    ,to this epistle  
,elias ,hicks made the following reply1 
two days having  intervened3      ,,to  
,,caleb ,,pierce ,,and ,,other          
,,friends3      ,having been charged by 
you with unsoundness of principle and   

doctrine1 founded on reports spread     
among the people in an unfriendly       
manner1 and contrary to the order of our
 ,discipline1 by ,joseph    ,whitall1 as
 charged in the letter from you dated   
the #aith instant1    and as these      
charges are not literally true1 being   
founded on his    own forced and        
improper construction of my words1 ,i   
deny them1 and ,i    do not consider    
myself amenable to him1 nor to any      
other1 for crimes    laid to my charge  
as being committed in the course of the 
sittings    of our last ,yearly         
,meeting1 as not any of my              
fellow-members of that    meeting       
discovered or noticed any such          
thing--which ,i presume to    be the    
case1 as not an individual has mentioned
 any such things to    me1 but contrary 
thereto4 ,many of our most valued       
,friends 7who had    heard some of those
 foul reports first promulgated by a    
citizen    of our city7 acknowledged the
 great satisfaction they had with my    

services and exercise in the course of  
that meeting1 and were fully            
convinced that all those reports were   
false2 and this view is fully           
confirmed by a certificate granted me by
 the ,monthly and ,quarterly            
,meetings of which ,i am a member1 in   
which they expressed their full    unity
 with me--and which meetings were held a
 considerable time    after our ,yearly 
,meeting1 in the course of which ,joseph
 ,whitall has    presumed to charge me  
with unsoundness of doctrine1 contrary  
to the    sense of the ,monthly1        
,quarterly and ,yearly ,meetings of     
which ,i am a    member1 and to whom    
only do ,i hold myself amenable for all 
conduct    transacted within their      
limits4 ,the other charges made against 
me by ,ezra ,comfort1 as expressed in   
your letter1 are in general             
incorrect1 as is proved by the annexed  
certificate2 and1 moreover1    as ,ezra 
,comfort has departed from gospel order 
in not mentioning his    uneasiness to  

me when present with me1 and when ,i    
could have appealed    to ,friends of   
that meeting to justify me2 therefore1  
,i consider ,ezra    ,comfort to have   
acted disorderly and contrary to the    
discipline1 and    these are the reasons
 which induce me to refuse a compliance 
with    your requisitions--considering  
them arbitrary and contrary to the      
established order of our ,society4      
,,elias ,,hicks4      ,,philadelphia1   
,twelfth month #ba1 #ahbb4    ,as       
already noted the charges in the letter 
of the ten elders were based  on        
statements made by ,joseph ,whitall1    
supplemented by allegations  by ,ezra   
,comfort1 as to what ,elias had said in 
two sermons1 neither  of which was      
delivered within the bounds of          
,philadelphia ,quarterly  ,meeting4 ,the
 matters complained of are mostly       
subject to variable  interpretation1 and
 scarcely afford a basis for a religious
 quarrel1  especially considering that  
the alleged statements were at the best 

garbled from quite lengthy discourses4  
,on the same day that ,elias replied to 
the ten elders1 three members  of       
,southern ,quarterly ,meeting issued a  
signed statement regarding the  charges 
of ,ezra ,comfort4 ,it is as follows3   
,we1 the undersigned1 being occasionally
 in the city of ,philadelphia1    when a
 letter was produced and handed us1     
signed by ten of its    citizens1       
,elders of the ,society of ,friends1 and
 directed to ,elias    ,hicks1 after    
perusing and deliberately considering   
the charges    therein against him1 for 
holding and propagating doctrines       
inconsistent with our religious         
testimonies1 and more especially        
those said by ,ezra ,comfort and ,isaiah
 ,bell1 to be held forth at a    meeting
 immediately succeeding the late        
,southern ,quarterly ,meeting1    and we
 being members of the ,southern         
,quarter1 and present at the    said    
meeting1 we are free to state1 for the  
satisfaction of the    first-mentioned  

,friends and all others whom it may     
concern1 that we    apprehend the       
charges exhibited by the two ,friends   
named are without    substantial        
foundation2 and in order to give a clear
 view we think    it best and proper    
here to transcribe the said charges     
exhibited    and our own understanding  
of the several1 viz41 ',that ,jesus     
,christ    was the first man that       
introduced the ,gospel ,dispensation1   
the ,jews    being under the outward and
 ceremonial law or dispensation1 it was 
necessary there should be some outward  
miracles1 as healing the    outward     
infirmities of the flesh and raising the
 outward dead bodies    in order to     
introduce the gospel dispensation2' this
 in substance    is correct4 ',that he  
had no more power given him than man1'  
this    sentence is incorrect2 and also1
 ',that he had nothing to do with    the
 healing of the soul1 for that belongs  
to ,god only1' is likewise    incorrect2
 and the next sentence1 ',that ,elisha  

also had the same    power to raise the 
dead' should be transposed thus to give 
,elias's    expressions4 ',by the same  
power it was that ,elisha raised the    
dead4'    ',that man being obedient to  
the spirit of ,god in him could arrive  
at    as great or greater degree of     
righteousness than ,jesus ,christ1' this
    is incorrect2 ',that ,jesus ,christ 
thought it not robbery to be equal      
with ,god1' with annexing the other part
 of the paragraph mentioned by    the   
holy apostle would be correct4 ',neither
 do ,i think it robbery for    man to be
 equal with ,god' is incorrect4 ',then  
endeavouring to show    that by         
attending to that stone cut out of the  
mountain without hands    or the seed in
 man it would make men equal with ,god' 
is incorrect2    the sentence for that  
stone in man should stand thus3 ',that  
this    stone or seed in man had all the
 attributes of the divine nature that   
was in ,christ and ,god4' ,this         
statement and a few necessary remarks   

we make without comment1 save only that 
we were then of opinion and    still are
 that the sentiments and doctrines held 
forth by our said    friend1 ,elias     
,hicks1 are agreeable to the opinions   
and doctrines held    by ,george ,fox   
and other worthy ,friends of his time4  
,,robert ,,moore1                       
,,thomas ,,turner1                      
,,joseph ,g4 ,,rowland4#aba      #ab    
mo41 #ba1 #ahbb4    #aba ,cockburn's    
,review1 p4 #gc4    ,first month #d1    
#ahbc1 the ten elders sent a final      
communication to ,elias  ,hicks1 which  
we give in full3      ,on the perusal of
 thy letter of the #bast of last month1 
it was not a    little affecting to     
observe the same disposition still      
prevalent that    avoided a select      
meeting with the elders1 which meeting  
consistently    with the station we are 
placed in and with the sense of duty    
impressive upon us1 we were engaged to  
propose and urge to thee as a    means  
wherein the cause of uneasiness might   

have been investigated1    the ,friends 
who exhibited the complaint fully       
examined1 and the whole    business     
placed in a clear point of view4        
,on a subject of such importance the    
most explicit candour and               
ingenuousness1 with a readiness to hear 
and give complete    satisfaction ought 
ever to be maintained2 this the ,gospel 
teaches1    and the nature of the case  
imperiously demanded it4 ,as to the     
certificate which accompanied thy       
letter1 made several weeks after    the 
circumstances occurred1 it is in several
 respects not only    vague and         
ambiguous1 but in others 7though in     
different terms7 it    corroborates the 
statement at first made4 ,when we take a
 view of    the whole subject1 the      
doctrines and sentiments which have been
    promulgated by thee1 though under   
some caution while in this city1    and 
the opinions which thou expressed in an 
interview between ,ezra    ,comfort and 
thee1 on the #aith ult41 we are fully   

and sorrowfully    confirmed in the     
conclusion that thou holds and art      
disseminating    principles very        
different from those which are held and 
maintained by    our religious society4 
,as thou hast on thy part closed the    
door against the brotherly    care and  
endeavours of the elders here for thy   
benefit1 and for    the clearing our    
religious profession1 this matter       
appears of    such serious magnitude1 so
 interesting to the peace1 harmony1 and 
well-being of society1 that we think it 
ought to claim the weighty    attention 
of thy ,friends at home4#abb    #abb    
,cockburn's ,review1 p4 #gf4 ,as the    
signatures are the same as in  the      
previous letter1 repeating them seems   
unnecessary4    ,one other communication
 closed the epistolary part of the      
controversy  for the time being4 ,it was
 a letter issued by twenty-two members  
of  ,southern ,quarterly ,meeting1      
concerning the ministerial service of   
,elias  ,hicks1 during the meetings     

referred to in the charge of ,ezra      
,comfort3      ,we1 the subscribers1    
being informed that certain reports have
    been circulated by ,ezra ,comfort   
and ,isaiah ,bell that ,elias ,hicks    
had propagated unsound doctrine1 at our 
general meeting on the    day succeeding
 our quarterly meeting in the #aath     
month last1 and    a certificate signed 
by ,robert ,moore1 ,joseph ,turner and  
,joseph ,g4    ,rowland being read      
contradicting said reports1 the subject 
has    claimed our weighty and          
deliberate attention1 and it is our     
united    judgment that the doctrines   
preached by our said ,friend on the day 
alluded to were the ,truths of the      
,gospel1 and that his labours of    love
 amongst us at our particular meetings  
as well as at our said    quarterly     
meeting were united with by all our     
members for aught that    appears4      
,and we believe that the certificate    
signed by the three ,friends    above   
named is in substance a correct         

statement of facts4                     
,,elisha ,,dawson1                      
,,william ,,dolby1                      
,,walter ,,mifflin1                     
,,daniel ,,bowers1                      
,,william ,,levick1                     
,,elias ,,janell1                       
,,jacob ,,pennington1                   
,,jonathan ,,twibond1                   
,,henry ,,swiggitt1                     
,,michael ,,offley1                     
,,james ,,brown1                        
,,george ,,messeck1                     
,,william ,w4 ,,moore1                  
,,john ,,cogwill1                       
,,samuel ,,price1                       
,,robert ,,kemp1                        
,,john ,,turner1                        
,,hartfield ,,wright1                   
,,david ,,wilson1                       
,,michael ,,lowber1                     
,,jacob ,,liventon1                     
,,john ,,cowgill1 ,,junr4      ,,little 
,,creek1 #b mo4 #bfth1 #ahbc4      ,i   
hereby certify that ,i was at the       

,southern ,quarterly ,meeting in    the 
#aath month last1 but owing to          
indisposition ,i did not attend    the  
general meeting on the day succeeding1  
and having been present    at several   
meetings with ,elias ,hicks1 as well as 
at the ,quarterly    ,meeting aforesaid1
 ,i can testify my entire unity with the
 doctrines ,i    have heard him deliver4
                                        
,,anthony ,,whitely4#abc    #abc        
,cockburn's ,review1 p4 #gh4    ,all of 
these communications1 both pro and con1 
are presented simply  for what they are 
worth4 ,when it comes to determining    
what is or is  not unsound doctrine1 we 
are simply dealing with personal        
opinion1  and not with matters of       
absolute fact4 ,this is especially true 
of  a religious body that had never     
attempted to define or limit its        
doctrines in a written creed4    ,the   
attempt of the ,philadelphia elders to  
deal in a disciplinary way  with ,elias 
,hicks on the score of the manner or    

matter of his preaching  was pronounced 
by his friends a usurpation of          
authority4 ,it was held  that the elders
 in question had no jurisdiction in the 
case1 in proof  of which the following  
paragraph in the ,discipline of the     
,philadelphia  ,yearly ,meeting was     
cited3      ,and our advice to all our  
ministers is that they be frequent in   
reading the ,scriptures of the ,old and 
,new ,testaments2 and if any    in the  
course of their ministry shall misapply 
or draw unsound    inferences or wrong  
conclusions from the text1 or shall     
misbehave    themselves in point of     
conduct or conversation1 let them be    
admonished in love and tenderness by the
 elders or overseers where    they      
live4#abd    #abd ,rules of ,discipline 
of the ,yearly ,meeting of ,friends1    
held in  ,philadelphia1 #ahjf1 p4 #fb4  
,it is undoubtedly true that a certain  
amount of encouragement came to  the    
opponents of ,elias ,hicks in           
,philadelphia from some ,friends on     

,long  ,island1 and from three or four  
residents of ,jericho1 but they did not 
at that time at least officially        
represent any meeting of ,friends at    
,jericho1 either real or pretended4     
,this far in the controversy the        
aggressors were confined to those who at
 that time were considered the  weight  
of the meeting1 and who at best         
represented only the so-called  select  
meeting and not the ,society at large4  
,at the beginning at  least the trouble 
was an affair of the ministers and      
elders4 ,it later  affected the whole   
,society1 by the efforts of the leaders 
on both sides4    ,incidents are not    
wanting to show that up to the very end 
of the  controversy the rank and file of
 ,friends had little vital interest in  
the matters involved in the trouble4 ,it
 is related on good authority  that two 
prominent members of ,nine ,partners    
,quarterly ,meeting in  ,dutchess       
,county1 ,new ,york1 husband and wife1  
made a compact before  attending the    

meeting in ,eighth month1 #ahbh1 feeling
 that the issue  would reach its climax 
at that time4 ,they agreed that         
whichever side  retained control of the 
organization and the meeting-house would
 be  considered by them the meeting1 and
 receive their support4 ,we mention     
this as undoubtedly representing the    
feeling in more than one case4 ,the     
fact that it took practically a decade  
of excitement and manipulation1  to     
create the antagonisms1 personal and    
otherwise1 which resulted in an  open   
rupture1 shows how little disposed the  
majority of ,friends were to  disrupt   
the ,society4          ,,chapter ,,xvi4 
,the ,time of ,unsettlement4            
,between the trouble related in the last
 chapter and the culmination  of the    
disturbance in the ,society of ,friends1
 in #ahbg-ahbh1 there was  an interval  
of four or five years4 ,this period was 
by no means one of  quiet4 ,on the other
 hand it was one of confusion1 in the   
midst of which  the forces were at work1

 and the plans perfected which led up   
logically  to the end4    ,it will be   
remembered that the last communication  
of the ,philadelphia  elders sent to    
,elias ,hicks was dated ,first month #d1
 #ahbc4 ,they had  manifestly failed to 
silence the preacher from ,jericho1 or  
to greatly  alarm him with their charges
 of heresy4 ,just eleven days after the 
epistle in question was written1 the    
,meeting for ,sufferings of             
,philadelphia ,yearly ,meeting          
assembled4 ,this meeting issued a       
singular  document1#abe said by the     
friends of ,elias ,hicks to have been   
intended  as a sort of ,quaker ,creed1  
but this was vigorously denied by those 
responsible for its existence4 ,the     
statement of doctrine1 which was as     
follows1 was duly signed by ,jonathan   
,evans1 clerk1 on behalf of the         
meeting3    #abe ,the title of the      
production was as follows3 ,extracts    
from the  ,writings of ,primitive       
,friends1 concerning the ,divinity of   

,our ,lord and  ,saviour1 ,jesus        
,christ4 ,published by the direction of 
the ,meeting for  ,sufferings1 held in  
,philadelphia4 ,solomon ,w4 ,conrad1    
printer4      ,at a ,meeting for        
,sufferings held in ,philadelphia the   
#agth of the    ,first month1 #ahbc1 an 
essay containing a few brief extracts   
from the    writings of our primitive   
,friends on several of the doctrines of 
the    ,christian religion1 which have  
been always held1 and are most surely   
believed by us1 being produced and read2
 on solid consideration they    appeared
 so likely to be productive of benefit1 
if a publication    thereof was made and
 spread among our members generally1    
that the    committee appointed on the  
printing and distribution of religious  
books are directed to have a sufficient 
number of them struck off and           
distributed accordingly1 being as       
follows3      ,we have always believed  
that the ,holy ,scriptures were written 
by    divine inspiration1 that they are 

able to make wise unto salvation        
through faith which is in ,christ       
,jesus1 for1 as holy men of ,god        
spake as they were moved by the ,holy   
,ghost1 they are therefore    profitable
 for doctrine1 for reproof1 for         
correction1 for instruction    in       
righteousness1 that the man of ,god may 
be perfect1 thoroughly    furnished unto
 all good works4 ,but they are not or   
cannot be    subjected to the fallen1   
corrupt reason of man4 ,we have always  
asserted our willingness that all our   
doctrines be tried by them1    and admit
 it as a positive maxim that whatsoever 
any do 7pretending    to the ,spirit7   
which is contrary to the ,scriptures be 
accounted and    judged a delusion of   
the devil4      ,we receive and believe 
in the testimony of the ,scriptures     
simply as    it stands in the text4     
',there are three that bear record in   
heaven1    the ,father1 the ,word1 and  
the ,holy ,ghost1 and these three are   
one4'      ,we believe in the only wise1

 omnipotent and everlasting ,god1 the   
creator of all things in heaven and     
earth1 and the preserver of all    that 
he hath made1 who is ,god over all      
blessed forever4      ,the infinite and 
most wise ,god1 who is the foundation1  
root and    spring of all operation1    
hath wrought all things by his eternal  
,word    and ,son4 ,this is that ,word  
that was in the beginning with ,god and 
was    ,god1 by whom all things were    
made1 and without whom was not anything 
made that was made4 ,jesus ,christ is   
the beloved and only begotten    ,son of
 ,god1 who1 in the fulness of time1     
through the ,holy ,ghost1 was           
conceived and born of the ,virgin ,mary2
 in him we have redemption    through   
his blood1 even the forgiveness of sins4
 ,we believe that he    was made a      
sacrifice for sin1 who knew no sin2 that
 he was crucified    for us in the      
flesh1 was buried and rose again the    
third day by the    power of his ,father
 for our justification1 ascended up into

 heaven    and now sitteth at the right 
hand of ,god4      ,as then that        
infinite and incomprehensible ,fountain 
of life and    motion operateth in the  
creatures by his own eternal word and   
power1    so no creature has access     
again unto him but in and by the ,son   
according to his own blessed            
declaration1 ',no man knoweth the       
,father    but the ,son1 and he to whom 
the ,son will reveal him4' ,again1 ',i  
am    the way1 the truth1 and the life2 
no man cometh unto the ,father but    by
 me4' ,hence he is the only ,mediator   
between ,god and man for having    been 
with ,god from all eternity1 being      
himself ,god1 and also in time          
partaking of the nature of man2 through 
him is the goodness and    love of ,god 
conveyed to mankind1 and by him again   
man receiveth and    partaketh of these 
mercies4      ,we acknowledge that of   
ourselves we are not able to do anything
 that    is good1 neither can we procure
 remission of sins or justification     

by any act of our own1 but acknowledge  
all to be of and from his    love1 which
 is the original and fundamental cause  
of our acceptance4    ',for ,god so     
loved the world that he gave his only   
begotten ,son that    whosoever         
believeth in him should not perish1 but 
have everlasting    life4'      ,we     
firmly believe it was necessary that    
,christ should come1 that by    his     
death and sufferings he might offer up  
himself a sacrifice to    ,god for our  
sins1 who his own self bear our sins in 
his own body on    the tree2 so we      
believe that the remission of sins which
 any partake    of is only in and by    
virtue of that most satisfactory        
sacrifice and    not otherwise4 ,for it 
is by the obedience of that one that the
 free    gift is come upon all to       
justification4 ,thus ,christ by his     
death and    sufferings hath reconciled 
us to ,god even while we are enemies2   
that    is1 he offers reconciliation to 
us1 and we are thereby put into a       

capacity of being reconciled4 ,god is   
willing to be reconciled unto us    and 
ready to remit the sins that are past if
 we repent4      ,jesus ,christ is the  
intercessor and advocate with the       
,father in    heaven1 appearing in the  
presence of ,god for us1 being touched  
with    a feeling of our infirmities1   
sufferings1 and sorrows2 and also by    
his spirit in our hearts he maketh      
intercession according to the will    of
 ,god1 crying abba1 ,father4 ,he tasted 
death for every man1 shed his    blood  
for all men1 and is the propitiation for
 our sins2 and not for    ours only1 but
 also for the sins of the whole world4  
,he alone is our    ,redeemer and       
,saviour1 the captain of our salvation1 
the promised    seed1 who bruises the   
serpent's head2 the alpha and omega1 the
 first    and the last4 ,he is our      
wisdom1 righteousness1 justification and
    redemption2 neither is there        
salvation in any other1 for there is no 
other name under heaven given among men 

whereby we may be saved4      ,as he    
ascended far above all heavens that he  
might fill all things1    his fulness   
cannot be comprehended or contained in  
any finite    creature1 but in some     
measure known and experienced in us1 as 
we are    prepared to receive the same1 
as of his fulness we have received      
grace for grace4 ,he is both the word of
 faith and a quickening spirit    in us1
 whereby he is the immediate cause1     
author1 object and strength    of our   
living faith in his name and power1 and 
of the work of our    salvation from sin
 and bondage of corruption4      ,the   
,son of ,god cannot be divided from the 
least or lowest appearance    of his own
 divine light or life in us1 no more    
than the sun from    its own light2 nor 
is the sufficiency of his light within  
set up    or mentioned in opposition to 
him1 or to his fulness considered as    
in himself or without us2 nor can any   
measure or degree of light    received  
from ,christ be properly called the     

fulness of ,christ2    or ,christ as in 
fulness1 nor exclude him from being our 
complete    ,saviour4 ,and where the    
least degree or measure of this light   
and life    of ,christ within is        
sincerely waited in1 followed and obeyed
 there is    a blessed increase of light
 and grace known and felt2 as the path  
of    the just it shines more and more  
until the perfect day1 and thereby    a 
growing in grace and in the knowledge of
 ,god and of our ,lord and    ,saviour  
,jesus ,christ hath been and is truly   
experienced4      ,wherefore we say that
 whatever ,christ then did1 both living 
and    dying1 was of great benefit to   
the salvation of all that have          
believed and now do and that hereafter  
shall believe in him unto               
justification and acceptance with ,god2 
but the way to come to that    faith is 
to receive and obey the manifestation of
 his divine light    and grace in the   
conscience1 which leads men to believe  
and value    and not to disown or       

undervalue ,christ as the common        
sacrifice and    mediator4 ,for we do   
affirm that to follow this holy light in
 the    conscience and to turn our minds
 and bring all our deeds and thoughts   
to it is the readiest1 nay1 the only    
right way1 to have true1 living    and  
sanctifying faith in ,christ as he      
appeared in the flesh2 and    to discern
 the ,lord's body1 coming and sufferings
 aright1 and to    receive any real     
benefit by him as our only sacrifice and
 mediator1    according to the beloved  
disciple's emphatical testimony1 ',if we
 walk    in the light as he 7,god7 is in
 the light we have fellowship one with  
another1 and the blood of ,jesus ,christ
 his son cleanseth us from all    sin4' 
,by the propitiatory sacrifice of       
,christ without us we1 truly            
repenting and believing1 as through the 
mercy of ,god1 justified from    the    
imputation of sins and transgressions   
that are past1 as though    they had    
never been committed2 and by the mighty 

work of ,christ    within us the power1 
nature and habits of sin are destroyed2 
that    as sin once reigned unto death  
even so now grace reigneth through      
righteousness unto eternal life by      
,jesus ,christ our ,lord4#abf    #abf   
,the ,friend1 or ,advocate of ,truth1   
,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #aeb-aed4    ,this        
deliverance is almost as theological and
 dogmatic as the  ,westminster          
,confession4 ,it scarcely contains a    
reference to the  fundamental doctrine  
of ,george ,fox4 ,it is not too much to 
say that if  it was the belief of the   
primitive ,friends1 there was little    
reason1  touching points of doctrine1   
for the preaching of ,fox1 or the first 
gathering of the ,society4 ,all the     
ground covered by this doctrinal        
statement was amply treated in the      
,articles of ,religion of the ,church   
of ,england1 and the ,confession of the 
,presbyterians4    ,the above document  
was issued without quotation marks1 or  
any  indication as to what primitive    

,friends were responsible for the       
sentiments contained in its various     
parts4 ,by careful examination it  will 
be seen that one sentence1 at least1 is 
from ,barclay's ,apology1  but it proves
 to be a garbled quotation4 ,we refer to
 the following  sentence in the second  
paragraph in the above article1 relating
 to the  ,scriptures3 ,but they are not 
or cannot be subjected to the fallen1   
corrupt reason of man4 ,barclay's       
complete statement is here given3       
,yet1 as the proposition itself         
concludeth1 to the last part of    which
 ,i now come1 it will not from thence   
follow that these divine    revelations 
are to be subjected to the examination  
either of the    outward testimony of   
,scripture or of the human or natural   
reason of    man1 as to a more noble and
 certain rule or touchstone2 for the    
divine revelation and inward            
illumination is that which is evident   
by itself1 forcing the well-disposed    
understanding and irresistibly    moving

 it to assent by its own evidence and   
clearness1 even as the    common        
principles of natural truths to bend the
 mind to a natural    assent4#abg       
#abg ,barclay's ,apology4 ,edition of   
,friends' ,book ,store1 #cjd ,arch      
,street1 ,philadelphia1 #ahgg1 p4 #fh4  
,it will be seen clearly that the       
reference in the document issued by  the
 ,meeting for ,sufferings was not only a
 misquotation from ,barclay1  but also  
misrepresented his meaning4 ,the latter 
is particularly true if  we refer to the
 top of the same page that contains the 
above extract1  where he says3 ,so would
 ,i not have any reject or doubt the    
certainty  of that unerring ,spirit     
which ,god hath given his children as   
that  which can alone guide them into   
all truth1 because some have falsely    
pretended to it4#abh ,it will thus      
appear clear that ,elias ,hicks1 and    
not the ,meeting for ,sufferings1 was   
supported by ,barclay4    #abh          
,barclay's ,apology4 ,edition of #ahgg1 

p4 #fh4    ,the reference in the third  
paragraph in the foregoing declaration  
to  the three that bear record in heaven
 is a quotation from #a ,john #e3g4  ,it
 is entirely omitted from the ,revised  
,version1 and thorough scholars  in the 
early years of the nineteenth century   
were convinced that the  passage was an 
interpolation4    ,the statement of     
belief prepared by the ,meeting for     
,sufferings was not  approved by the    
,yearly ,meeting1 so nothing was really 
accomplished by  the compilation1 if    
such it was4    ,considering the order  
of the events recorded1 it is hard not  
to  conceive that the attempt to        
promulgate a declaration of faith by the
  ,yearly ,meeting was really intended  
for personal application to ,elias      
,hicks4 ,had the plan succeeded1 the    
elders could easily have attempted  to  
silence the ,jericho preacher in        
,philadelphia1 on the ground  that he   
was unsound touching the doctrine       
promulgated by the ,yearly  ,meeting4   

,the task of detailing all of the doings
 of this period would be too  difficult 
and distasteful to be fully recorded in 
this book4 ,that the  unfriendly conduct
 was by no means all on one side is     
painfully true4  ,still1 as the         
determination of the ,philadelphia      
elders to deal with  ,elias ,hicks1 and 
stop his ministry if possible1 was      
continued1 the  effort cannot be        
ignored4    ,in ,first month1 #ahbe1 the
 elders presented a charge of           
unsoundness  against ,elias ,hicks in   
the ,preparative ,meeting of ,ministers 
and ,elders1  the intent being to have  
the charge forwarded to the monthly     
meeting1  but this action was not taken4
 ,with phenomenal persistence one of the
  elders introduced the subject in the  
monthly meeting1 and secured the        
appointment of a committee to           
investigate the merits of the case4     
,this  committee made a report          
unfavorable to ,elias ,hicks1 which     
report1 his  friends claimed was        

improperly entered on the minutes4 ,a   
vigorous1  but by no means a united     
effort was made to get this report      
forwarded  to ,jericho ,monthly         
,meeting1 but this failed4 ,one of the  
incidents of  this attempt against      
,elias ,hicks was the disownment of a   
member of the  ,northern ,district      
,monthly ,meeting1 for remarks made in  
,western ,district  ,monthly ,meeting4  
,the report of the committee against    
,elias was under  consideration1 when   
the visitor arose and said3 ,if it be   
understood  by the report--if it set    
forth and declare1 that ,elias ,hicks1  
the  last time he was in this house1    
preached doctrines contrary to the      
,holy ,scriptures1 or contrary to our   
first or primitive ,friends1 being      
present at that time1 ,i stand here as a
 witness that it is utterly  false4#abi 
,although this ,friend was disowned by  
his monthly meeting  he was reinstated  
by the ,quarterly ,meeting4 ,it should  
be said that the  report of unsoundness 

referred to1 contained this specific    
charge3 ,we  apprehend that ,elias      
,hicks expressed sentiments inconsistent
 with the  ,holy ,scriptures1 and the   
religious principles our ,society has   
held from  its first rise4    #abi      
,cockburn's ,review1 p4 #ie4    ,the    
trouble in ,philadelphia was renewed in 
an aggravated form in ,first  month1    
#ahbg1 when ,elias ,hicks appeared in   
the city on another religious  visit4   
,of course the atmosphere had been      
charged with all sorts of  attacks      
regarding the venerable preacher4 ,under
 such conditions no  special advertising
 was necessary to get a crowd4 ,the     
populace was  curious1 not a few wanted 
to hear and see1 for themselves1 this   
man  about whom so many charges had been
 made4 ,as a matter of course the       
meeting-houses were crowded beyond their
 capacity4 ,it was alleged by  ,orthodox
 ,friends that the meetings were        
disorderly1 which may have  been        
literally true4 ,but the tumult was     

increased by injecting an  element of   
controversy1 into the ,first-day        
afternoon meeting in ,western           
meeting-house1 on the part of an        
,orthodox elder4 ,all the evidence goes 
to show that ,elias attempted to quiet  
the tumult4 ,he seems to have  been     
willing to accord liberty of expression 
to his opponents4 ,the  matter was taken
 into ,western ,monthly ,meeting1 a     
committee entering the  following       
charge3 ,that a large and disorderly    
concourse of people were  brought       
together1 at an unseasonable hour1 and  
under circumstances that  strongly      
indicated a design to preoccupy the     
house to the exclusion  of most of the  
members of our meeting1 and to suppress 
in a riotous  manner any attempt that   
might be made to maintain the doctrine  
and  principles of our religious        
society1 in opposition to the views of  
,elias ,hicks4#acj    #acj ,cockburn's  
,review1 p4 #ajj4    ,the literal       
truthfulness of this charge in every    

particular may be at  least mildly      
questioned4 ,it must be remembered that 
of the ,friends in  ,philadelphia at    
that time1 the ,orthodox were a minority
 of about one  to three4 ,the majority  
of ,friends felt that much of the       
trouble was  personal1 and they         
undoubtedly flocked to hear the traduced
 preacher4  ,the outside crowd that came
 could not rightfully or wisely have    
been  kept from attending public        
meetings4 ,both parties had been sowing 
to the wind1 and neither could validly  
object to the whirlwind that  inevitably
 came4 ,still ,western ,monthly ,meeting
 proposed to deal with a  visiting      
minister from another yearly meeting1 on
 points of doctrine1  and there can be  
little doubt that arbitrary proceedings 
of this sort  had quite as much1 if not 
more1 to do with kindling the fires of  
separation1 as the preaching of ,elias  
,hicks4    ,rapidly the trouble ran back
 to the opposition raised by the elders 
in #ahbb4 ,eventually ,green ,street    

,monthly ,meeting became the center of  
,society difficulty4 ,it will be        
remembered that in the year last written
  that monthly meeting had enjoyed a    
family visitation from ,elias ,hicks1   
and had subsequently given him a minute 
of approval4 ,after this one of  the    
elders1 who acquiesced in this action1  
joined the other nine in  written       
disapproval of ,elias ,hicks4 ,the major
 portion of the monthly  meeting        
proposed to take the inconsistent       
conduct of this elder under  care1 and  
the matter was handed over to the       
overseers4 ,in thus hastily  invoking   
the discipline1 ,green ,street ,monthly 
,meeting made an apparent  error of     
judgment1 even admitting that the spirit
 of the transaction  was not censurable4
 ,this brought the ,quarterly ,meeting  
of ,ministers  and ,elders precipitously
 into the case4 ,finally ,green ,street 
,monthly  ,meeting released the ,friend 
in question from his station as elder4  
,a  question arose on which there was a 

sharp discussion as to whether  elders  
were independent of the overseers in the
 exercise of their  official duties4 ,a 
long line of conduct followed1 finally  
resulting  in the ,quarterly ,meeting of
 ,ministers and ,elders sending a report
 to  the general quarterly meeting1     
amounting to a remonstrance against     
,green ,street ,monthly ,meeting4 ,this 
appeared to be a violation of           
,discipline1 which said3 ,none of the   
said meetings of ministers and  elders  
are in anywise to interfere with the    
business of any meeting for             
discipline4#aca ,these matters1 with the
 remonstrance of the released  ,green   
,street elder1 would therefore seem to  
have been irregularly  brought before   
the quarterly meeting4 ,it was claimed  
by the friends of  ,elias ,hicks that he
 had broken no rule of discipline2 that 
the charge1  that he held sentiments    
inconsistent with the ,scriptures1 and  
the  principles of ,friends1 was vague  
as to its matter1 and purely personal   

as to the manner of its circulation4 ,up
 to this point it should be  remembered1
 the controversy was almost entirely    
centered on ,elias ,hicks4    #aca      
,rules of ,discipline of the ,yearly    
,meeting of ,friends1 held in           
,philadelphia1 #ahjf1 p4 #fg4    ,this  
matter dragged along1 a source of       
constant disturbance1 appearing  in     
perhaps a new form in the ,quarterly    
,meeting of ,ministers and ,elders  in  
,eighth month1 #ahbf4 ,the immediate    
action involved appointing a  committee 
to assist the ,preparative ,meeting of  
,ministers and ,elders  of ,green       
,street ,monthly ,meeting1 the assumed  
necessity in the case  being the        
reported unsoundness of a ,green ,street
 minister1 a charge to  this effect     
having been preferred by one member     
only4 ,the situation1  however1 caused  
an abatement in answering the query     
relating to love  and unity4 ,while     
these transactions were going on among  
the ministers  and elders1 ,green       

,street ,monthly ,meeting took action   
which removed  two of its elders from   
that station in the ,society4 ,the two  
deposed  elders took their grievances to
 the general quarterly meeting4 ,while  
the quarterly meeting would not listen  
to a statement of grievances1  yet a    
committee to go over the whole case was 
appointed4 ,the committee  thus         
appointed1 without waiting any action by
 the quarterly meeting1  transformed the
 removal of the aggrieved elders into an
 appeal1 and  then demanded that ,green 
,street ,monthly ,meeting turn over to  
that  committee all the minutes relating
 to the case of the two elders4  ,this  
the ,green ,street ,meeting refused to  
do4 ,although the case had  never been  
before the quarterly meeting1 the       
committee of inquiry  reported to the   
full meeting1 that all of the action of 
,green ,street  ,monthly ,meeting       
relating to the two elders should be    
annulled4 ,it was  claimed that1 by     
virtue of the leadership which the      

,orthodox had in  the quarterly meeting1
 a precedent had been established which 
gave  committees the right to exceed the
 power conferred upon them by the       
meeting which appointed them4 ,the      
committee had not been appointed to     
decide a case1 but to investigate a     
complaint4    ,following this           
experience1 after much wrangling1 and in
 the midst of  manifest disunity1 and   
against what it was claimed was the     
manifest  opposition of the major       
portion of the meeting1 the quarterly   
meeting  in ,eleventh month1 #ahbf1     
appointed a committee to visit the      
monthly  meetings4 ,this committee was  
manifestly one-sided1 but could have  no
 possible disciplinary service from     
extending brotherly care4  ,nevertheless
 at the quarterly meeting in ,fifth     
month1 #ahbg1 this  committee1 for      
presumed gospel labor1 reported that the
 large ,green  ,street ,monthly ,meeting
 should be laid down1 and its members   
attached  to the ,northern ,district    

,monthly ,meeting4 ,it is not necessary 
to enter  into any argument as to the   
right of a quarterly meeting1 under our 
system1 to lay down an active monthly   
meeting1 without that meeting's         
consent4 ,the laying down of ,green     
,street ,monthly ,meeting followed1 the 
separation in the yearly meeting4 ,it   
should be said that in ,second  month1  
#ahbg1 ,green ,street ,monthly ,meeting1
 attempted to secure consent  from the  
quarterly meeting to transfer itself to 
,abington ,quarterly  ,meeting1 and     
subsequently this was done4    ,the     
claim was made1 and with some show of   
reason1 that the various  lines of      
conduct taken against ,green ,street    
,monthly ,meeting1 were  incited by a   
desire to punish this meeting for its   
friendly interest in  ,elias ,hicks4    
,we are rapidly approaching the point   
where the ,society troubles in          
,philadelphia ceased to directly relate 
to ,elias ,hicks4 ,it will be           
remembered that there was trouble       

touching the preaching of ,elias  coming
 by way of ,southern ,quarterly ,meeting
 in #ahbb4 ,the facts indicate  that a  
majority of that meeting was quite      
content to let matters rest4  ,it seems1
 however1 that two members of the       
,meeting for ,sufferings  from that     
quarter had misrepresented their        
constituency in the ,hicks  controversy4
 ,therefore in #ahbf that quarterly     
meeting discontinued the  service of the
 two members of the ,meeting for        
,sufferings1 supplying  their places    
with new appointments4 ,this action was 
objected to by the  full meeting1 the   
majority holding that members could not 
have their  service discontinued by the 
constituent bodies which appointed them4
  ,an attempt was made to convince      
,southern ,quarterly ,meeting that it   
was improper and illegal to appoint new 
representatives1 if the old  ones were  
willing to serve4 ,it was also claimed  
that it was never  intended to release  
the representatives from a quarterly    

meeting to the  ,meeting for            
,sufferings1 except at their own        
request4#acb ,surely the  ,discipline   
then operative gave no warrant for such 
an inference4#acc  ,assuming that the   
above contention was valid1 the ,meeting
 for  ,sufferings would simply have     
become a small hierarchy in the         
,society1  never to be dissolved1 except
 at its own request4    #acb ,cockburn's
 ,review1 p4 #agj4    #acc ,rules of    
,discipline of the ,yearly ,meeting of  
,friends1 held in  ,philadelphia1 #ahjf1
 p4 #ed-ee4    ,it would seem1 however1 
that the rules governing the ,meeting   
for  ,sufferings were especially made to
 guard against just such an exercise  of
 power as has been mentioned4 ,the      
,discipline under the heading1  ,meeting
 for ,sufferings1 contained this        
provision3 ,the said meeting  is not to 
meddle with any matter of faith or      
discipline1 which has not  been         
determined by the yearly meeting4#acd   
,this will make it plain  why there was 

such an anxiety that the statement of   
doctrine issued  in #ahbc1ace should be 
endorsed by the yearly meeting1 and when
 that  failed1 how utterly the statement
 was without authority or binding  force
 on the ,society in general or its      
members in particular4    #acd ,the     
same1 p4 #ee4    #ace ,see page #aci of 
this book4          ,,chapter ,,xvii4   
,three ,sermons ,reviewed4      ,we have
 reached the point where it would seem  
in order to consider the  matter        
contained in some of the sermons        
preached by ,elias ,hicks1 in  order to 
determine1 if we can1 what there was    
about the matter or the  manner of his  
ministry1 which contributed to the      
controversy1 personal  and theological1 
which for several years disturbed the   
,society of  ,friends4    ,the trouble  
was initiated1 and for some time        
agitated1 by comparatively  few people4 
,two or three ,friends began talking    
about what ,elias said1  from memory4   
,later they took long-hand notes of his 

sermons1 in either  case using isolated 
and disconnected sentences and          
expressions4 ,taken  from their         
association with the balance of the     
sermon1 and passed from  mouth to mouth 
by critics1 they assumed an exaggerated 
importance1 and  stood out boldly as    
centers of controversy4    ,all of the  
evidence goes to show that little       
attempt was made to give  printed       
publicity to these discourses1 until the
 preacher had been made  famous by the  
warmth and extent of the controversy    
over the character  of his preaching4   
,a volume of twelve sermons preached by 
,elias ,hicks at various points in      
,pennsylvania in #ahbd was published the
 following year in ,philadelphia  by    
,joseph and ,edward ,parker4 ,these     
discourses were taken in short-hand  by 
,marcus ,t4 ,c4 ,gould4 ,two years      
later1 in #ahbg1 ,gould began the       
publication of ,the ,quaker1 which      
contained sermons by ,elias1 and a  few 
other ministers in the ,society4 ,in his

 advertisement of the first  volume of  
this publication1 after stating the fact
 of the controversy  which was rapidly  
dividing the ,society of ,friends in two
 contending  parties1 ,gould says3      
,at this important crisis1 the reporter 
and proprietor of the    following work 
was employed by the joint consent of    
both parties1 to    record in meeting   
the speeches of the individual whose    
doctrines were    by some pronounced    
sound1 and by others unsound4 ,since    
that period he    has continued to      
record the language of the same speaker1
 and others    who stand high as        
ministers in the ,society1 and the      
members have    continued to read his   
reports1 as the only way of arriving at 
the    truth1 in relation to discourses 
which were variously represented4    ,it
 is not our purpose in this chapter to  
give sermons or parts of  sermons in    
detail4 ,on the other hand1 to simply   
review a few of these  discourses as    
samples1 because at the time of their   

delivery they  called out opposition    
from ,orthodox ,friends4 ,it may be     
fairly inferred  that they contained in 
whole or in part the points of doctrinal
  offending in the estimation of the    
critics of ,elias ,hicks4    ,the first 
of the series of sermons especially     
under review1 was  delivered in the     
,pine ,street meeting house1            
,philadelphia1 ,twelfth month  #aj1     
#ahbf4 ,at the conclusion of this sermon
 ,jonathan ,evans arose1 and  spoke     
substantially as follows3      ,i       
believe it to be right for me to say1   
that our ,society has always    believed
 in the atonement1 mediation1 and       
intercession of our ,lord    and        
,saviour ,jesus ,christ--that by him all
 things were created1 in    heaven and  
in earth1 both visible and invisible1   
whether they be    thrones1             
principalities1 or powers4      ,we     
believe that all things were created by 
him1 and for him2 and    that he was    
before all things1 and that by him all  

things consist4    ,and any doctrine    
which goes to invalidate these          
fundamental doctrines    of the         
,christian religion we cannot admit1 nor
 do we hold ourselves    accountable    
for4      ,great efforts are making to  
make the people believe that ,jesus     
,christ was no more than a man1 but we  
do not believe any such thing1    nor   
can we receive any such doctrine1 or any
 thing which goes to    inculcate such  
an idea4      ,we believe him to be     
,king of kings1 and ,lord of lords1     
before whose    judgment seat every soul
 shall be arraigned and judged by him4  
,we    do not conceive him to be a mere 
man2 and we therefore desire1 that      
people may not suppose that we hold any 
such doctrines1 or that we    have any  
unity with them4      ,isaac ,lloyd     
said3 ,i unite with ,jonathan ,evans--we
 never have    believed that our blessed
 ,lord and ,saviour1 ,jesus ,christ1    
came to the    ,jews only2 for he was   
given for ,god's salvation1 to the ends 

of the    earth4#acf    #acf ,the       
,quaker1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #gb4    ,to these 
doctrinal statements ,elias ,hicks      
added3 ,i have spoken2 and ,i  leave it 
for the people to judge--,i do not      
assume the judgment seat4    ,it may be 
informing in this connection to examine 
this sermon  somewhat in detail1 to see 
if we can find the definite doctrine    
which  aroused the public opposition4   
,the text was1 ,let love be without     
dissimulation4 ,having declared that    
there could be no agreement  between    
hatred and love2 and that love could not
 promote discord1 he  indulged in what  
may be called a spiritual figure of     
speech1 declaring  that a ,christian    
must be in the same life1 and live with 
the same blood  that ,christ did1 making
 the following explanation3 ,as the     
support of  the animal life is the      
blood2 so it is with the soul3 the      
breath of  life which ,god breathed into
 it is the blood of the soul2 the life  
of  the soul2 and in this sense we are  

to understand it1 and in no other       
sense4    ,he referred to the reprover  
of our sins1 said that it is ,god who   
reproves us4 ,now1 here is the great    
business of our lives1 he  remarked1 not
 only to know this reprover1 but to know
 that it is a  gift from ,god1 a        
manifestation of ,his own pure life1    
that was in his  son ,jesus ,christ4    
,continuing he said3      ,as the       
apostle testifies3 ',in him was life1   
and the life was the    light of men2   
and that was the true light1 which      
lighteth every man    that cometh into  
the world4' ,now can we hesitate a      
single moment1 in    regard to the truth
 of this declaration8 ,no sensible1     
reflecting mind    can possibly do      
it4#acg    #acg ,the ,quaker1 ,vol4 ,i1 
p4 #ea4    ,touching the outward and    
written as compared with the inner law  
of  life1 he affirmed3      ,here is a  
law more comprehensive than the law of  
,moses1 and it is    clear to every     
individual of us1 as the law was to the 

,israelites4    ,for ,i dare not suppose
 that the ,almighty would by any means  
make    it a doubtful or mysterious one4
 ,it would not become ,god at all to    
suppose this the case--it would be      
casting a deep reflection upon    his   
goodness and wisdom4 ,therefore ,i      
conceive that the law written    in the 
heart1 if we attend to it and do not    
turn from it to build up    traditions1 
or depend on anything that arises from  
self1 or that is    in our own power1   
but come to be regulated by this law1 we
 shall see    that it is the easiest    
thing to be understood that can be1 and 
that    all our benefits depend on our  
complying with this law4      ,here now 
we see what tradition is4 ,it is a      
departure from this law2    and it has  
the same effect now that tradition had  
upon the followers    of the outward    
law2 as a belief in tradition was       
produced they were    bound by it1 and  
trusted in it4 ,and so people1 nowadays1
 seem to be    compelled to believe in  

tradition1 and thus they turn away from 
the    gospel dispensation1 or otherwise
 the light and life of ,god's ,spirit   
in the soul1 which is the law of the new
 covenant2 for the law is    light and  
the commandment a lamp to show us the   
way to life4#ach    #ach ,the ,quaker1  
,vol4 ,i1 p4 #ea4    ,using the term1   
washed clean in the blood of the lamb1  
he proceeded  to explain himself as     
follows3      ,and what is the blood of 
the lamb8 ,it was his life1 my friends2 
for    as outward1 material blood was   
made use of to express the animal       
life1 inspired men used it as a simile4 
,outward blood is the life of    the    
animal1 but it has nothing to do with   
the soul2 for the soul has    no animal 
blood1 no material blood4 ,the life of  
,god in the soul is    the blood of the 
soul1 and the life of ,god is the blood 
of ,god2 and    so it was the life and  
blood of ,jesus ,christ his son4 ,for he
 was born    of the spirit of his       
heavenly ,father1 and swallowed up fully

 and    completely in his divine nature1
 so that he was completely divine4      
,it was this that operated1 in that     
twofold state1 and governed the    whole
 animal man which was the son of        
,abraham and ,david--a tabernacle    for
 his blessed soul4 ,here now we see that
 flesh and blood are not    capable of  
being in reality divine2 for are they   
not altogether    under the direction   
and guidance of the soul8 ,thus the     
animal body    of ,jesus did nothing but
 what the divine power in the soul told 
it    to do4 ,here he was swallowed up  
in the divinity of his ,father while    
here on earth1 and it was this that was 
the active thing1 the active            
principle1 that governed the animate    
earth4 ,for it corresponds1 and         
cannot do otherwise1 with ,almighty     
goodness1 that the soul should    have  
power to command the animal body to do  
good or evil2 because    he has placed  
us in this probationary state1 and in   
his wisdom has    set evil and good     

before us--light and darkness4 ,he has  
made us free    agents1 and given us    
opportunity to make our own election4   
,here now we shall see what is meant by 
election1 the election of    ,god4 ,we  
see that those who choose the ,lord for 
their portion and    the ,god of ,jacob 
for the lot of their inheritance1 these 
are the    elect4 ,and nothing ever did 
or can elect a soul to ,god1 but in this
    choice4#aci    #aci ,the ,quaker1   
,vol4 ,i1 p4 #fb4    ,it is not easy to 
see how any one can impartially consider
 the  foregoing1 especially the words   
printed in italics1 and continue to     
claim that ,elias ,hicks denied the     
divinity of ,christ4 ,near the end of   
this sermon we find the following       
paragraph3      ,i say1 dearly beloved1 
my soul craves it for us1 that we may   
sink    down and examine ourselves2     
according to the declaration of the     
apostle3 ',examine yourselves whether ye
 be in the faith2 prove your    own     
selves2 know ye not your own selves1 how

 that ,jesus ,christ is in    you except
 ye be reprobates8' ,now we cannot      
suppose that the apostle    meant that  
outward man that walked about the       
streets of ,jerusalem2    because he is 
not in any of us4 ,but what is this     
,jesus ,christ8 ,he    came to be a     
,saviour to that nation1 and was limited
 to that nation4    ,he came to gather  
up1 and look up the lost sheep of the   
house of    ,israel4 ,but as he was a   
,saviour in the outward sense1 so he was
 an    outward shadow of good things to 
come2 and so the work of the man1       
,jesus ,christ1 was a figure4 ,he healed
 the sick of their outward              
calamities--he cleansed the leprosy--all
 of which was external and    affected  
only their bodies--as sickness does not 
affect the souls of    the children of  
men1 though they may labour under all   
these things4    ,but as he was         
considered a ,saviour1 he meant by what 
he said1 a    ,saviour is within you1   
the anointing of the spirit of ,god is  

within    you2 for this made the ways of
 ,jesus so wonderful in his day that    
the ,psalmist in his prophecy concerning
 him exclaims3 ',thou hast    loved     
righteousness and hated iniquity2       
therefore ,god1 even thy ,god    hath   
anointed thee with the oil of gladness  
above thy fellows4' ,he    had loved    
righteousness1 you perceive1 and        
therefore was prepared    to receive the
 fullness of the spirit1 the fullness of
 that divine    anointing2 for there was
 no germ of evil in him or about him2   
both    his soul and body were pure4 ,he
 was anointed above all his fellows1    
to be the head of the church1 the top   
stone1 the chief corner stone1    elect 
and precious4 ,and what was it that was 
a ,saviour8 ,not that    which was      
outward2 it was not flesh and blood2 for
 'flesh and blood    cannot inherit the 
kingdom of heaven'2 it must go to the   
earth from    whence it was taken4 ,it  
was that life1 that same life that ,i   
have    already mentioned1 that was in  

him1 and which is the light and life    
of men1 and which lighteth every man1   
and consequently every woman1    that   
cometh into the world4 ,and we have this
 light and life in us2    which is what 
the apostle meant by ,jesus ,christ2 and
 if we have not    this ruling in us we 
are dead1 because we are not under the  
law    of the spirit of life4 ,for the  
'law is light and the reproofs of       
instruction the way to life4'#adj       
#adj ,the ,quaker1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #fh4    
,unless the so-called heterodox doctrine
 can be found in the foregoing          
extracts1 it does not exist in the      
sermon under discussion4    ,two other  
sermons were evidently both considered  
offensive and  objectionable by the     
orthodox4 ,one was preached at the      
,twelfth ,street  meeting1 ,twelfth     
month #aj1 #ahbf1 and the other the     
#abth of the same  month at ,key's      
,alley1 both in ,philadelphia4 ,at the  
,twelfth ,street  meeting1 amid much    
confusion1 ,thomas ,wistar attempted to 

controvert  what ,elias ,hicks had said 
in certain particulars4 ,while this     
,friend was  talking1 ,elias tried to   
persuade the audience to be quiet4      
,at ,key's ,alley1 when ,elias had      
finished1 ,philadelphia ,pemberton1 in  
the midst of a disturbance that nearly  
drowned his voice1 gave an  exhortation 
in support of the outward and vicarious 
atonement4 ,when  ,friend ,pemberton    
ceased1 ,elias ,hicks expressed his     
ideas regarding  gospel order and       
variety in the ministry1 for which      
,friends had always  stood1 in which he 
said3      ,my dear friends1 ,god is a  
,god of order--and it will do me great  
pleasure to see this meeting sit quiet  
till it closes4 ,we have1 and    claim  
gospel privileges1 and that every one   
may be persuaded in his    own mind2 and
 as we have gifts differing1 so ought   
every one to have    an opportunity to  
speak1 one by one1 but not two at once1 
that all    may be comforted4 ,if any   
thing be revealed 7and we are not to    

speak    except this is the case71 if   
any thing be revealed to one1 let others
    hold their peace--this is according 
to order4 ,and ,i desire it1 once    for
 all1 my dear friends1 if you love me1  
that you will keep strictly    to this  
order3 it will be a great comfort to my 
spirit4#ada    #ada ,the ,quaker1 ,vol4 
,i1 p4 #abe4    ,speaking of the fear of
 ,god1 he said that he did not mean a   
fear that  arises from the dread of     
torment1 or of chastisement1 or anything
 of  this kind2 for that may be no more 
than the fear of devils1 for they1  we  
read1 believe and tremble4 ,his theory  
was that fear must be based  on         
knowledge1 and the fear to displease    
,god is not because of what he  may do  
to us1 but what1 for want of this       
knowledge1 we lose4    ,again1 he       
practically repeated what was evidently 
considered a truism3  ,my friends1 we   
are not to look for a law in our        
neighbor's heart1 nor  in our neighbor's
 book2 but we are to look for that law  

which is to be  our rule and guide1 in  
our consciences1 in our souls2 for the  
law is  whole and perfect4 ,continuing  
he remarked3      ,now1 how concordant  
this is with the testimony of ,jesus1   
when he    queried with his disciples in
 this wise3 ',whom do men say that ,i   
the    son of man am8' ,they enumerated 
several characters1 according to the    
views of the people in that day4 ,but   
until we come to this inward1    divine 
law1 we shall know nothing rightly of   
that manifestation2    for none of us   
have seen him1 nor any of his works     
which he acted    outwardly4 ,but here  
we find some are guessing1 one way1 and 
some    another way1 till they become   
cruel respecting different opinions     
about him1 insomuch that they will kill 
and destroy each other for    their     
opinions4 ,this is the effect of men's  
turning away from the    true light1 the
 witness for ,god in their own souls2 it
 throws them    into anarchy and        
confusion4#adb    #adb ,the ,quaker1    

,vol4 ,i1 p4 #id4    ,in the opinion of 
,elias ,hicks1 it was not the man ,peter
 that was to  constitute the rock upon  
which the church was to be built1 but   
rather  the inner revelation1 which     
enabled the disciple to know that the   
,master was the ,christ4 ,when a true   
,christian comes to this rock1 he  comes
 to know it1 as before pointed out2 and 
here every one must see1  when they     
build on this divine rock1 this revealed
 will of our ,heavenly  ,father1 there  
is no fear4    ,touching the vital      
matters of salvation1 we make the       
following extracts  from this sermon3   
,nothing but that which is begotten in  
every soul can manifest ,god    to the  
soul4 ,you must know this for           
yourselves1 as nothing which    you read
 in the ,scriptures can give you a sense
 of his saving and    almighty power4   
,now1 the only begotten is what the     
power of ,god    begets in the soul1 by 
the soul uniting with the visitations of
    divine love4 ,it becomes like a     

union--the soul submits and yields      
itself up to ,god and the revelation of 
his power1 and thus it becomes    wedded
 to him as its heavenly husband4 ,here1 
now1 is a birth of the    ,son of ,god2 
and this must be begotten in every soul1
 as ,god can be    manifested by nothing
 else4      ,now1 what was this ,holy   
,ghost and spirit of truth1 and where   
are we    to find it8 ,he did not leave 
his disciples in the dark--',he dwelleth
    with you1 and shall be in you4'     
,mind it1 my friends4 ,what a blessed   
sovereign ,god this is to be to the     
children of men--a ,god who has         
placed a portion of himself in every    
rational soul--a measure of his    grace
 sufficient for every purpose1 for the  
redemption of the souls    of men from  
sin and transgression1 and to lead them 
to the kingdom    of heaven4 ,and there 
is no other way4 ,then do not put it off
 any    longer2 do not procrastinate any
 longer2 do not say to-morrow1 but      
immediately turn inward1 for the day    

calls aloud for it--everything    around
 us calls for us to turn inward1 to that
 which will help us to    do the great  
work of our salvation4#adc    #adc ,the 
,quaker1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #ig-ih4    ,there 
seems to have been little1 if any1      
public demonstration against  the       
preaching of ,elias ,hicks in meetings  
where he was present1 except  in        
,philadelphia4 ,that is especially true 
before the coming of the  ,english      
preachers1 and the strained conditions  
that existed just  preceding and during 
the various acts of separation4 ,it will
 thus be  seen that the concern and     
purpose of the ten men elders of        
,philadelphia  remained persistent until
 the end4          ,,chapter ,,xviii4   
,the ,braithwaite ,controversy4         
,one of the marked incidents during the 
separation period was the  controversy  
between ,elias ,hicks and ,anna         
,braithwaite1#add and the  still more   
pointed discussion indulged in by the   
friends and partisans  of these two     

,friends4 ,from our viewpoint there     
seems to have been a  certain amount of 
unnecessary sensitiveness1 which led    
both these  ,friends to exalt to the    
dignity of an insult1 and positive      
impeachment  of integrity1 matters which
 probably belonged in the domain of     
misunderstanding4 ,it was apparently    
impossible for either to think in  the  
terms of the other1 and so the contest  
went on and ended4    #add ,anna        
,braithwaite1 daughter of ,charles and  
,mary ,lloyd1 of  ,birmingham1 ,england1
 was born ,twelfth month1 #aghh4 ,she   
was married  to ,isaac ,braithwaite1    
,third month #bf1 #ahji1 and removed to 
,kendal  immediately after4 ,she sailed 
for ,america on her first visit1        
,seventh  month #gth1 #ahbc4 ,she       
attended three meetings in ,new ,york1  
and then the  ,quarterly ,meeting at    
,burlington1 at which place she seems to
 have been  the guest of ,stephen       
,grellet4 ,she made two other visits to 
,america1 one  in #ahbe and the other in

 #ahbg4 ,she returned to ,england after 
her first  visit to ,america in the     
autumn of #ahbd4 ,the last two visits   
she made  to ,america she was           
accompanied by her husband4 ,anna       
,braithwaite was a  woman of commanding 
presence1 and was unusually cultured for
 one of her  sex at that time4 ,she was 
something of a linguist1 speaking       
several  languages4 ,her visits in      
,america were quite extensive1 taking   
her as  far south as ,north ,carolina4  
,she died ,twelfth month #ahth1 #ahei4  
,we shall let her friends state the     
beginning and progress of ,anna         
,braithwaite's religious labor in       
,america1 and quote as follows3 ,she    
arrived in ,new ,york in ,eighth month1 
#ahbc4 ,for seven months she met  with  
no opposition4 ,true1 she always        
preached orthodox doctrines1 but  she   
had made no pointed allusions to the    
reputed sentiments of ,elias            
,hicks4#ade    #ade ,calumny ,refuted2  
or1 ,plain ,facts versus                

,misrepresentations4  ,being reply to   
,pamphlet entitled1 ,the                
,misrepresentations of ,anna            
,braithwaite in ,relation to the        
,doctrines ,preached by ,elias ,hicks1  
etc41 p4 #b4    ,it is interesting to   
note that the positive preaching of     
orthodox  doctrine1 on its merits1      
caused no opposition1 even from the     
friends  of ,elias ,hicks1 the trouble  
only coming when a personal application 
was  made1 amounting to personal        
criticism4 ,this is a fine testimony to 
the  ministerial liberty in the         
,society1 and really a confirmation of  
the  claim that spiritual unity1 and not
 doctrinal uniformity1 was the true     
basis of fellowship among ,friends4 ,we 
quote again3      ,she visited ,long    
,island in the spring1 and had some     
opportunities    of conversing with     
,elias ,hicks on religious subjects1 and
 also of    hearing him preach4 ,they   
differed widely in sentiment1 upon      
important    doctrines1 and she soon had

 to conclude that his were at variance  
with the hitherto well-established      
principles of the ,society4 ,with       
these views1 she returned to ,new ,york1
 and1 subsequently1 about the    time of
 the ,yearly ,meeting1 in ,may1 she     
considered it an act of duty    to warn 
her hearers against certain specious    
doctrines1 which were    gradually      
spreading1 and undermining what she     
believed to be the    'true faith4'#adf 
#adf ,the same1 p4 #f4    ,it seems that
 ,anna ,braithwaite was twice the guest 
of ,elias ,hicks in  ,jericho1 dining at
 his house both times4 ,the first visit 
was in ,first  month1 #ahbd1 and the    
other in ,third month of the same year4 
,they were  both good talkers1 and      
apparently expressed themselves with    
commendable  frankness4 ,the            
subject-matter of these two             
conversations1 however1  became material
 around which a prolonged controversy   
was waged4 ,before  ,anna ,braithwaite  
sailed for ,england1 she wrote a letter 

to an unnamed  ,friend in ,flushing     
relative to the interviews with ,elias  
,hicks4 ,the  letter was dated ,seventh 
month #af1 #ahbd4    ,after ,anna       
,braithwaite's departure from this      
country1 the letter  referred to1 with  
,remarks in ,reply to ,assertions of    
,elias ,hicks1 was  published and       
extensively circulated4 ,it bore the    
following imprint3  ,philadelphia3      
,printed for the ,reader1 #ahbd4adg ,in 
this collection  was a letter from ,ann 
,shipley1 of ,new ,york1 dated ,tenth   
month #ae1  #ahbd1 in which she declares
 she was present during the conversation
  between her ,anna ,braithwaite and    
,elias ,hicks4 ,the statement she  left 
was correct4 ,while ,ann ,shipley's     
letter was published without  her       
consent1 it seemed to fortify the       
,braithwaite statement1 and both  were  
extensively used in an attempt to cast  
theological odium on  the venerable     
preacher4 ,the possibility that both    
women might have  misunderstood or      

misinterpreted ,elias ,hicks does not   
seem to have  entered the minds of the  
,anti-,hicks partisans4    #adg ,most of
 the controversial pamphlets and        
articles of the  separation period were 
anonymous4 ,except when the articles    
were  printed in regular periodicals1   
their publishers were as unknown as     
their authors4    ,this particular      
epistle of ,anna ,braithwaite does not  
contain much  material not to be found  
in a subsequent letter with notes1 which
  will receive later treatment4 ,in her 
letter she habitually speaks of  herself
 in the third person1 and makes this    
observation3 ,when at  ,jericho in the  
,third month ,a4 ,b4 took tea with ,e4  
,h4 in a social way4  ,she had not been 
long in the house1 when he began to     
speak on the  subject of the trinity1   
which ,a4 ,b4 considers a word so       
grossly abused  as to render it         
undesirable even to make use of it4#adh 
,one cannot  well suppress the remark   
that if a like tenacity of purpose      

regarding  other theological terms had  
been held and followed by all parties to
  the controversy1 the history of the   
,society of ,friends would have been    
entirely different from the way it now  
has to be written4    #adh ,remarks in  
,reply to ,assertions of ,elias ,hicks1 
p4 #g4    ,touching the two visits to   
,elias ,hicks1 we have direct testimony 
from  the visitor4 ,we quote3      ,i   
thought on first entering the house1 my 
heart and flesh would    fail1 but after
 a time of inexpressible conflict1 ,i   
felt a consoling    belief that best    
help would be near1 and ,i think that   
every opposing    thing was in a great  
measure kept down4444 ,he listened to my
 views1    which ,i was enabled to give 
with calmness4 ,he was many times       
brought    into close quarters2 but when
 he could not answer me directly1 he    
turned to something else4 ,my mind is   
sorrowfully affected on this    subject1
 and the widespread mischief arising    
from the propagation of    such         

sentiments4#adi    #adi ,memoirs of     
,anna ,braithwaite1 by her son1 ,j4     
,bevan ,braithwaite1  p4 #abi-acj4      
,in another letter1 written to her      
family1 she thus referred to her        
interview with ,elias ,hicks3      ,i   
have reason to think that1              
notwithstanding the firm and honest     
manner in which my sentiments were      
expressed1 an open door is left    for  
further communication4 ,we met in love  
and we parted in love4 ,he    wept like 
a child for some time before we         
separated2 so that it was    altogether 
a most affecting opportunity4#aej       
#aej ,the same1 p4 #adj4    ,while these
 two ,friends undoubtedly were present  
in the same meeting  during the         
subsequent visits of ,anna ,braithwaite 
to this country1 their  relations became
 so strained that they never met on     
common ,friendly  ground after the two  
occasions mentioned4    ,after the      
publication of the communication and    
comments referred to1  ,elias ,hicks    

wrote a long letter to his friend1 ,dr4 
,edwin ,a4 ,atlee1 of                   
,philadelphia4#aea ,this letter became  
the subject of a good deal of           
controversy1 and may have been the      
exciting cause of a letter which  ,anna 
,braithwaite wrote ,elias ,hicks on the 
#acth of ,eleventh month1  #ahbd1 from  
,lodge ,lane1 near ,liverpool4 ,this    
letter1 with elaborate  notes1 was      
published and widely circulated on this 
side of the  ocean4 ,the letter itself  
would have caused very little           
excitement1 but  the notes were vigorous
 causes of irritation and antagonism4   
,the  authorship of the notes was a     
matter of dispute4 ,it was claimed that 
they were not written by ,anna          
,braithwaite1 and the internal evidence 
gave color to that conclusion4 ,they    
were not1 in whole or in part1  entirely
 in her spirit1 and the temper of them  
was rather masculine4  ,there were      
persons who believed1 but1 of course1   
without positive  evidence1 that ,joseph

 ,john ,gurney was their author4    #aea
 ,the text of this letter will be found 
listed as ,appendix ,b in  this book4   
,the letter of ,anna ,braithwaite       
contains few points not covered by the  
notes4 ,she charges that ,elias had     
denied that the ,scriptures were a  rule
 of faith and practice1 and it was also 
claimed that he repudiated  the         
propitiatory sacrifice of our ,lord and 
,saviour ,jesus ,christ4  ,this1 she    
affirmed1 was infidelity of a most      
pronounced type4    ,the notes attached 
to this letter constitute a stinging    
arraignment  of the supposed sentiments 
of ,elias ,hicks4 ,they were considered 
by his  friends such an unwarranted     
attack as to call for vigorous          
treatment1  and in numerous ways they   
became points of controversy4 ,they were
 mild  at first1 but personal and almost
 bitter at the last4 ,the first note  in
 the collection briefly1 but fully1 lays
 the foundation for arbitrary  authority
 in religion4 ,it says3      ,it is a   

regulation indispensably necessary to   
the peace of society1    and to the     
preservation of order1 consistency and  
harmony among    ,christians1 that the  
members of every religious body1 and    
especially    those who assume the      
office of teachers or ministers1 should 
be    responsible to the authorities    
established in the church1 for the      
doctrines which they hold and           
promulgate4#aeb    #aeb ,a letter from  
,anna ,braithwaite to ,elias ,hicks1 on 
the ,nature of  ,his ,doctrines1 etc41  
p4 #i4    ,there is critical reference  
to a statement which ,anna ,braithwaite 
said  ,elias ,hicks made in the ,meeting
 of ,ministers and ,elders in ,jericho1 
touching spiritual guidance in          
appointing people to service in the     
,society4 ,she says that ,elias declared
 that if each ,friend attended to  his  
or her proper gift1 as this spirit is   
endued with prescience1 that  no ,friend
 would be named for any appointment1 but
 such as would attend1  and during my   

long course of experience1 ,i have never
 appointed any one  who was prevented   
from attending either by illness or     
otherwise4#aec    #aec ,the same1 p4 #d4
    ,in his letter to ,dr4 ,atlee1      
,elias states his expression at the     
meeting  as differing from ,anna        
,braithwaite's in a material way4 ,this 
is what  he declares he said3 ,that ,i  
thought there was something wrong in    
the present instance1 for1 as we profess
 to believe in the guidance  of the     
,spirit of ,truth as an unerring        
,spirit1 was it not reasonable  to      
expect1 especially in a meeting of      
ministers and elders1 that  if each     
,friend attended to their proper gifts1 
as this ,spirit is  endued with         
prescience1 that it would be much more  
likely1 under its  divine influence1 we 
should be led to appoint such as would  
attend on  particular and necessary     
occasions1 than to appoint those who    
would not  attend8    ,we make these    
quotations not only to show the         

difference in the two  statements1 but  
to also make it plain what small faggots
 were used to  build the fires of       
controversy regarding the opinions of   
,elias ,hicks4  ,it looks in this       
particular citation like a case of      
criticism gone mad4  ,the following     
extracts are from the notes3      ,we   
shall now notice the comparatively      
modern work of that    arch-infidel1    
,thomas ,paine1 called ,the ,age of     
,reason1 many of the    sentiments of   
which are so exactly similar to those of
 ,elias ,hicks1    as almost to induce  
us to suspect plagiarism4#aed    #aed   
,the same1 p4 #bc-bd4      ,we could    
adduce large quotations from authors of 
the same school    with ,paine1 showing 
in the most conclusive manner that the  
dogmas    of ,elias ,hicks1 so far from 
being further revelations of ,christian 
doctrines1 are merely the stale         
objections to the religion of the       
,bible1 which have been so frequently   
routed and driven from the    field1 to 

the utter shame and confusion of their  
promulgators4#aee    #aee ,the same1 p4 
#bf4    ,those who defended ,elias      
,hicks saw in these criticisms an act of
  persecution1 and a veiled attempt to  
undermine his reputation as a  man and a
 minister4 ,the latter effort was read  
into the following  paragraph1 which was
 presented as an effort at justifying   
the criticism  of the ,jericho preacher4
 ,we quote3      ,it was both ,friendly 
and ,christian to warn them of the      
danger of    listening with credulity to
 one whose high profession1 reputed     
morality1 and popular eloquence1 had    
given him considerable    influence2 and
 if his opinions had been correct1 the  
promulgation of    them would not have  
proved prejudicial to him4#aef    #aef  
,the same1 p4 #ba-bb4    ,the references
 to ,thomas ,paine will sound singularly
 overdrawn if  read in connection with  
the reference of ,elias ,hicks to the   
same  person4#aeg ,it may be asserted   
with some degree of safety that it is   

doubtful if either ,elias ,hicks or his 
critics ever read enough of the         
writings of ,thomas ,paine to be really 
qualified to judicially criticise  them4
    #aeg ,see page #aag of this book4   
,when ,anna ,braithwaite visited this   
country the second time1 in #ahbe1  she 
found matters much more unsettled than  
on her first visit4 ,her  own part in   
the controversy had been fully1 if not  
fairly1 discussed4  ,as showing her own 
feeling touching the second visit1 we   
quote the  following from a sermon      
preached by her3      ,i have thought   
many times1 while surrounded by my      
family and my    friends1 and when ,i   
have bowed before the throne of grace1  
how very    near and how very dear were 
my fellow-believers1 on this side of    
the ,atlantic1 made unto my soul4 ,it   
seemed to me1 as if in a very           
remarkable manner1 their everlasting    
welfare was brought before me1    as if 
my fellow-professors of the same        
religious principles with    myself were

 in a very peculiar manner the objects  
of much solicitude4    ,how have ,i had 
to pour out my soul in secret unto the  
,lord1 that he    would turn them more  
and more1 and so let their light shine  
before    men1 that all being believers 
in a crucified ,saviour1 they may be    
brought to know for themselves that     
though ',christ ,crucified was to    the
 ,jews a stumbling block1 and unto the  
,greeks foolishness2 but unto    them   
which are called1 both ,jews and        
,greeks1 ,christ1 the power of ,god     
and the wisdom of ,god4' ,i say my soul 
hath been poured out before    the      
,lord1 that their light might shine in a
 still more conspicuous    manner1      
through their hearts being brought into 
deep prostration of    soul1 that so    
their works might glorify their ,father 
which is in    heaven4 ,my heart was    
enlarged toward every religious         
denomination2    for surely1 the world  
over1 those who are believers in ,christ
 have    one common bond of union--they 

are the salt of the earth--the little   
flock to whom the ,father in his good   
pleasure will give the ,kingdom4    ,i  
have often greatly desired to be with   
you1 while ,i am well aware    that to  
many it must appear a strange thing1    
that a female should    leave her home1 
her family1 and her friends1 and should 
thus expose    herself to the public1 to
 preach the glad tidings of salvation   
through ,jesus ,christ2 yet ,i have     
thought1 my beloved friends1 that       
though all may not see into these       
things1 yet surely there is no    other 
way for any of us1 but to yield up our  
thoughts unto the    ,lord4#aeh    #aeh 
,sermon and prayer by ,anna             
,braithwaite1 delivered in ,friends'    
,meeting1 ,arch ,street1 ,philadelphia1 
,october #bf1 #ahbe4 ,taken in          
short-hand by ,m4 ,t4 ,c4 ,gould1       
stenographer1 p4 #d-e4    ,there seem to
 have been some ,friends desirous of    
producing a meeting  between ,anna      
,braithwaite and ,elias ,hicks during   

this visit4 ,in ,tenth  month1 #ahbe1   
she wrote him from ,kipp's ,bay1 ,long  
,island4 ,she informed  him of her      
arrival1 and then stated that if he     
wishes to have any  communication with  
her1 she is willing to meet him in the  
presence of  their mutual friends1 or to
 answer any letter he may write to her2 
then she adds these remarkable words3   
,having written to thee sometime  ago1  
what ,i thought was right1 ,i do not ask
 an interview4#aei    #aei ,christian   
,inquirer1 new series1 ,vol4 ,i1 #ahbf1 
p4 #eg4    ,to this communication ,elias
 ,hicks made a somewhat full reply4 ,he 
says  that her notes of the             
conversation1 divers of which were      
without  foundation1 led him to wonder  
why she should even think of having any 
future communication with him4 ,he then 
says3      ,that ,i have no desire for  
any further communication with thee1    
either directly or indirectly1 until    
thou makest a suitable    acknowledgment
 for thy breach of friendship1 as is    

required by the    salutary discipline  
of our ,society2 but as it respects     
myself1 ,i    freely forgive thee1 and  
leave thee to pursue thy own way as long
 as    thou canst find true peace and   
quiet therein4#afj    #afj ,the same1 p4
 #eg4    ,it has to be said regretfully 
that during ,anna ,braithwaite's second 
visit to this country1 she met with both
 personal and ,society rebuffs4  ,in    
some meetings her minute was read1 but  
with no expression of  approbation in   
the case4 ,the ,meeting of ,ministers   
and ,elders at ,jericho  appointed a    
committee1#afa to advise her not to     
appoint any more  meetings in that      
neighborhood during her stay4 ,a good   
many ,friends  objected to her family   
visits1 and1 taken altogether1 her stay 
must  have been one of trial4    #afa   
,the same1 p4 #ei4    ,she came again in
 the early part of the year #ahbg1 and  
was here when  the climax came in that  
year and the year following4    ,the    
,english ,friends1 who were so much in  

evidence in our troubles1 went  home to 
face the ,beacon controversy1#afb then  
gathering in ,england4  ,the ,beaconite 
movement caused several hundred ,friends
 to sever their  connection with the    
,society4 ,but it did not reach the     
dignity of a  division or a separation4 
,whether the ,english ,friends profited 
by the  experiences suffered by the     
,society in ,america is not certain4 ,at
 any  rate1 they seem to have been able 
to endure their differences without a   
rupture4    #afb ,this controversy took 
its name from a periodical called the   
,beacon1 edited by ,isaac ,crewdson4 ,in
 this evangelical doctrines  and methods
 were advocated4 ,the ,beaconites were  
strong in advocating  the doctrine of   
justification by faith1 and practically 
rejected  the fundamental ,quaker theory
 of the ,inner ,light4 ,from the        
,american  standpoint1 the ,beaconite   
position seems to have been the logical 
development of the doctrines preached by
 the ,english and ,american  opponents  

of ,elias ,hicks4    ,after the ,english
 trouble had practically subsided1 in   
#ahda1 ,anna  ,braithwaite made the     
following suggestive admission1 which   
may well  close this chapter3      ,calm
 reflection and observation of passing  
events1 and of persons1    have         
convinced me that ,i took an exaggerated
 view of the state of    society with   
reference to ,hicksism4444 ,we have as  
great a horror of    ,hicksism as ever1 
but we think ,friends generally are     
becoming more    alive to its dangers1  
and that the trials of the last few     
years have    been blessed to the       
instruction of many4#afc    #afc ,j4    
,bevan ,braithwaite2 a ,friend of the   
,nineteenth ,century1 by  his children1 
p4 #ei-fj4          ,,chapter ,,xix4    
,ann ,jones in ,dutchess ,county4       
,in ,fifth month1 #ahbh1 a year after   
the division had been accomplished  in  
,philadelphia1 a most remarkable round  
of experiences took place  within the   
bounds of ,nine ,partners and ,stanford 

,quarterly ,meetings1 in  ,dutchess     
,county1 ,new ,york4 ,elias ,hicks was  
past eighty years of age1  but he       
attended the series of meetings in the  
neighborhood mentioned4  ,george and    
,ann ,jones1 ,english ,friends1 much in 
evidence in separation  matters1 were   
also in attendance1 the result being a  
series of  controversial exhortations1  
mingled with personal allusions1        
sometimes  gently veiled1 but containing
 what would now pass for bitterness and 
railing4 ,the sermons of this series    
were stenographically reported1  and    
form a small book of ninety-eight pages4
    ,the first meeting was held at ,nine
 ,partners1 ,first-day1 ,fifth month    
#dth4 ,elias ,hicks had the first       
service in the meeting4 ,after he had   
closed1 ,ann ,jones made the following  
remarks3      ,we have heard            
considerable said1 and we have heard1   
under a    specious pretence of         
preaching1 the ,gospel1 the ,saviour of 
the world    denied1 who is ,god and    

equal with the ,father4 ,and we have    
heard    that the ,scriptures had done  
more hurt than good4 ,we have also      
heard the existence of a devil denied1  
except what arises from our             
propensities1 desires1 c4#afd    #afd   
,sermons by ,elias ,hicks1 ,ann ,jones  
and others of the ,society of  ,friends1
 at the ,quarterly ,meeting of ,nine    
,partners and ,stanford1 and  first day 
preceding in ,fifth month1 #ahbh4 ,taken
 in short-hand by ,henry  ,hoag1 p4 #bj4
    ,after this deliverance1 ,elias     
,hicks again arose and said3      ,i    
will just observe that my friends are   
acquainted with me in these    parts1   
and know me very well when ,i speak to  
them4 ,i came not here as    a judge1   
but as a counsellor3 ,i leave it for the
 people to judge4 ,and    ,i would hope 
to turn them to nothing but a firm and  
solid conviction    in their minds4 ,we 
may speak one by one1 for that becometh 
order4    ,i thought ,i would add a word
 or two more4 ,when ,i was young1 ,i    

read    the ,scriptures1 and ,i thought 
that they were not the power1 nor the   
spirit1 and that there was but very     
little in them for me2 but ,i was       
vain4 ,but when ,i had once seen the sin
 in my heart1 then ,i found that    this
 book pointed to the ,spirit1 but never 
convicted me of sin4      ,i believe    
that this was the doctrine of ancient   
,friends2 for ,george    ,fox declared  
that his ,saviour never could be slain  
by the hands of    wicked men4 ,i       
believe the ,scriptures concerning      
,jesus ,christ1 and    ,david1 too1 and 
a host of others1 who learned           
righteousness and were    united one    
with another4 ,i believe that ,jesus    
,christ took upon him    flesh made     
under the law1 for all people are made  
under the law1 and    ,christ is this   
,light which enlighteneth every man that
 comes into the    world4 ,and now1 my  
friends1 ,i would not have you believe  
one word of    what ,i say1 unless by   
solid conviction4#afe    #afe ,the same4

    ,it will be in order to find out    
what was said by ,elias ,hicks which    
called for the personal allusion made by
 ,ann ,jones4 ,we are not able  to find 
in the remarks of ,elias ,hicks on this 
occasion anything that  would justify   
the strong language of his critic1      
especially as to the  ,scriptures having
 done more hurt than good4 ,it would    
seem that the  supplementary statement  
quoted must be accepted as containing   
his  estimate of the book which he was  
charged with repudiating1 rather than   
the critical assertion of his doctrinal 
opponent4    ,there are various         
statements in the ,hicks sermon which   
denied some of  the material claims of  
popular theology1 but they did not class
 him  with those who denied the         
existence or spiritual office of        
,christ4 ,in  the meetings under review1
 and at other times1 the evidence is    
abundant  that his critics either did   
not want to or could not understand him4
 ,he  dealt with the spirit of the      

gospel1 and with the inner manifestation
  of that spirit in the heart4 ,they    
stood for scriptural literalness1  and  
for the outward appearance of ,christ4  
,it is not for us to condemn  either    
side in the controversy1 but to state   
the case4    ,we produce a few sentences
 and expressions from the sermon by     
,elias  ,hicks1 which might have created
 antagonism at the time4 ,speaking of   
the  ,comforter which was to come1 he   
said3      ,and what was this           
,comforter8 ,not an external one--not   
,jesus ,christ    outward1 to whom there
 was brought diseased persons and he    
delivered    them from their various    
diseases4444 ,here1 now1 he told them   
how to    do3 he previously made mention
 that when the ,comforter had come1     
he would reprove the world of sin--now  
the world is every rational    soul     
under heaven4 ,and he has come and      
reproved them4 ,i dare appeal    to the 
wickedest man present1 that will        
acknowledge the truth1 that    this     

,light has come into the world2 but men 
love darkness better than    light1     
because their deeds are evil2 yet they  
know the light by an    evidence in     
their hearts4#aff    #aff ,the same1 p4 
#i4    ,near the end of this discourse  
he elaborated his idea as to the        
ineffectual character of all outward and
 formal soul cleansing1 in the          
following language3      ,now can any   
man of common sense suppose that it can 
be outward blood    that was shed by the
 carnal ,jews that will cleanse us from 
our sins8    ,the blood of ,christ that 
is immortal1 never can be seen by mortal
    eyes4 ,and to be ,christians1 we    
must come to see an immortal view4      
,after ,christ had recapitulated the    
precepts of the law1 ',is it not        
written in your law1 an eye for an eye1 
and a tooth for a tooth3    but ,i say  
unto you1 if a man smite thee on one    
cheek turn to him the    other also3 and
 if a man take thy coat from thee1 give 
him thy cloak    also4' ,don't we see   

how different the precepts of the law of
 ,god are8    ,he tells us how we should
 do--we should take no advantage at all4
 ,the    ,almighty visits us1 to get us 
willing to observe his law2 and if all  
were concerned to maintain his law1 all 
lawyers would be banished2    we should 
have no need of them2 as well as of     
hireling ,priests4 ,we    should have no
 need of them to teach us1 nor no need  
of the laws of    men1 for each one     
would have a law in his own mind4#afg   
#afg ,the same1 p4 #ag4    ,the other   
points in ,dutchess ,county visited1 and
 involved in the  reports of sermons    
under consideration1 were ,chestnut     
,ridge1 ,stanford  and ,oblong4 ,at some
 of these meetings the preachers spoke  
more than  once4 ,it does not appear    
that in the brief communications of     
,george  ,jones he either directly or   
indirectly referred to statements made  
by  ,elias ,hicks1 or particularly      
sought to antagonize them4 ,ann ,jones1 
however1 was not similarly considerate  

and cautious4 ,either directly  or by   
inference1 she quite generally attempted
 to furnish the antidote  for what she  
considered the pernicious doctrine of   
her fellow-minister4  ,speaking at ,nine
 ,partners ,quarterly ,meeting1 ,fifth  
month #gth1 she said3      ,i believe it
 to be right for me to caution the      
present company    without respect of   
persons--how they deny the ,lord that   
bought    them--how they set at nought  
the outward coming of the ,lord ,jesus  
,christ who died for them3 they will    
have to answer it at the awful          
tribunal bar of ,god1 where it will be  
altogether unavailing to say    that    
such a one taught me to believe that    
there was nothing in this4    ,oh6 my   
friends6 ,god hath not left us without a
 witness2 ,oh1 then it    is unto the   
faithful and true witness1 'the         
testimony of ,jesus1 which    is the    
spirit of prophecy4' ,i am engaged in   
gospel love to recommend1    and to hold
 out unto you1 that you meddle not with 

the things of ,god2    and that you cry 
unto him for help4 ,for what hope can   
they have of    present or future good1 
or of everlasting happiness1 if they    
reject    the only means appointed of   
,god to come unto the ,father through   
,jesus    ,christ1 the messenger of     
,god1 and of the new covenant8#afh      
#afh ,the same1 p4 #fj4    ,at this     
meeting ,elias ,hicks followed ,ann     
,jones in vocal communication4  ,he made
 no direct reference to what she said1  
the short sermon being  largely a       
reiteration touching the inner          
revelation to the souls of  men1 as the 
reprover of sin1 and the power which    
kept from sinning1  as against the      
outward1 sacrificial form of salvation4 
,in closing his  remarks1 ,elias ,hicks 
made this statement3      ,i do not wish
 to detain this assembly much longer1   
but ,i want    that we should cast away 
things that are mysterious1 for we      
cannot    comprehend mystery4 ',secret  
things belong to ,god1 but those that   

are    revealed 7that are understood71  
to us and our children4' ,and those     
that are secret can never be found out  
by the prying of mortals4 ,do    we     
suppose for a moment--for it would cast 
an indignity upon ,god to    suppose    
that he had laid down any name except   
his own by which we can    have         
communion with him4 ,it is a plain way1 
a simple way which all    can           
understand1 and not be under the        
necessity to go to a neighbor1    and to
 say1 ',know thou the ,lord8 for all    
shall know me1 from the    least of them
 unto the greatest of them1' as said    
,jeremy the prophet4    ,it is bowing   
down to an ignorant state of mind1 to   
suppose that there    is no other power 
whereby we can come unto ,god1 but by   
one of the    offspring of ,abraham1 and
 that we have need to go back to the law
    which was given to the ,israelites1 
and to no other people4 ,he has    never
 made any covenant with any other       
people1 but that which he made    with  

our first parents4 ,that is the covenant
 that has been made with    all the     
nations of the earth4      ,he justifies
 for good and condemns for evil4 ,and   
although every    action is to be from  
the operation of his power1 yet he has  
given us    the privilege to obey or    
disobey2 here now is a self-evident     
truth2    as they have the liberty to   
choose1 so if they do that which is     
contrary to his will1 and so slay the   
,divine life in the soul3 and    thus   
they have slain the innocent ,lamb of   
,god in the soul1 which is    the same  
thing4 ,all that we want1 is to return  
to the inward light    in the soul4 ,the
 ,lord had declared beforehand unto them
 in plain    characters1 that none need 
to say1 ',know ye the ,lord8 for ,i will
 be    merciful to them1 ,i will forgive
 their iniquity1 and ,i will remember   
their sin no more4' ,this was equally   
the case until the law was    abolished3
 until he blotted out the handwriting of
 the law1 and put    an end to outward  

ordinances4 ,the law was fulfilled when 
they had    crucified him1 then it was  
that that law was abolished that        
consisted    in making their atonements 
which all had to make4      ,the people 
could not understand the doctrine       
delivered in the sermon    on the mount1
 although plainly preached to them4     
,jesus1 when about    to take leave of  
his disciples1 left this charge with    
them3 ',tarry    at ,jerusalem until the
 ,holy ,ghost come upon you'2 and then1 
and not    till then1 were they to bear 
witness unto him4 ,he told them that it 
would bring everything to their         
remembrance3 everything which is by     
the preaching of the gospel brought to  
your remembrance2 therefore he    says3 
',all things shall be brought to your   
remembrance4' ,they would    not then be
 looking to anything outward1 because he
 had filled them    with the ,spirit of 
truth4 ,what is this1 but this          
,comforter which    reproves the world  
of sin8 ,all that will obey the voice of

 this    reprover in the soul are in the
 way of redemption and salvation4       
',by disobedience1 sin entered into the 
world and death by sin3    but life and 
immortality is brought to light by the  
gospel4' ,i am    willing to leave you1 
and ,i recommend you to ,god1 and the   
power of    his grace1 which is able to 
build you up1 as you are faithful to its
    operation4#afi    #afi ,the same1 p4
 #ga4    ,the last meeting of the series
 was held in connection with ,nine      
,partners ,quarterly ,meeting1 ,fifth   
month #ith4 ,this was evidently the     
closing session of the ,quarterly       
,meeting4 ,from these published sermons 
it would seem that ,elias ,hicks and    
,george ,jones were the only ,friends   
who engaged in vocal ministry that day4 
,there was nothing specially  relevant  
to the controversy going on in the      
,society in either of these  short      
discourses4    ,in reading this         
collection of sermons one cannot avoid  
the conclusion  that1 apart from        

dissimilarity in phraseology1 and the   
matters involved  in interpreting       
,scripture1 these ,friends had much in  
common4 ,had they  been minded to seek  
for the common ground1 it is quite      
probable that  they would have found    
that they were really quarreling over   
the minor1  rather than the major1      
propositions4    ,in ,eighth month1     
#ahbh1 ,elias ,hicks was on his last    
religious visit to  the ,western ,yearly
 ,meetings4 ,the separation in the ,new 
,york ,yearly  ,meeting had taken place 
in ,fifth month1 the trouble then       
passing to  the ,quarterly and          
particular meetings4 ,it reached ,nine  
,partners at the  ,quarterly ,meeting   
held as above4 ,ann ,jones attended this
 meeting1 the  last sermon in the little
 volume from which the extracts given in
 this  chapter are taken having been    
preached by this ,friend4 ,there was    
little  new matter in this sermon4      
,much1 by inuendo1 was laid at the door 
of  those who were pronounced           

unorthodox1 and who constituted a       
majority of  the meeting4    ,so far as 
the charge of persecution is concerned1 
it was repeatedly  employed by ,elias   
,hicks and his sympathizers in          
describing the spirit  and conduct of   
the orthodox party4 ,in this particular1
 at least1 the  disputants on both sides
 were very much alike4 ,ann ,jones'     
reference  to throwing down his elders  
and prophets contains more touching the 
animus of the controversy than the few  
words really indicate4 ,as will  be     
somewhat clearly shown in these pages1  
the trouble in the ,society  quite      
largely had reference to authority in   
the church1 and its  arbitrary exercise 
by a select few1 constituting a sort of 
spiritual  and social hierarchy in the  
monthly meetings4 ,it was this          
authoritative  class which had been     
thrown down1 or was likely to be so     
repudiated4    ,we would by no means    
claim that with the separation an       
accomplished  fact1 the body of ,friends

 not of the orthodox party thus gathered
 by  themselves became at once and      
continuously relieved of the arbitrary  
spirit4 ,the history of this branch of  
the ,society from #ahbg to #ahge1  and  
in places down to date1 would entirely  
disprove any such claim4  ,it would seem
 that wherever the ,society lost ground 
numerically1 and  wherever its spiritual
 life dwindled1 it was due largely      
because some  sort of arbitrary         
authority ignored the necessity for real
 spiritual  unity1 and discounted the   
spiritual democracy upon which the      
,society of  ,friends was based4    ,the
 separation in the ,quarterly ,meetings 
in ,dutchess ,county was  perfected in  
,eighth month1 #ahbh4 ,both ,anna       
,braithwaite and ,ann ,jones  were in   
attendance1 and evidently took part in  
the developments at  that time4 ,elias  
,hicks was on his last religious visit  
to the far  west4 ,informing partnership
 letters were sent to ,elias1 then in   
,mt4  ,pleasant1 ,ohio1 by ,jacob and   

,deborah ,willetts1#agj under date of   
,eighth month #ah1 #ahbh4 ,jacob gave   
brief but explicit information as  to   
the division in the several meetings4   
,for instance1 he says that  in ,oswego 
,monthly ,meeting one-sixth of the      
members went orthodox4 ,at  ,creek1     
about one-fourth left to form an        
orthodox meeting1 about the  same       
proportion existing at ,stanford4 ,nine 
,partners seems to have  been the center
 of the difficulty1 the orthodox        
leadership apparently  having been more 
vigorous at that point4 ,still1 about   
three-fourths of  the members refused to
 join the orthodox4 ,a very brief       
appreciation  of the transatlantic      
visitors is given in ,jacob's letter4   
,he says3  ,the ,english ,friends are   
very industrious1 but ,i do not find    
that it  amounts to much4 ,friends have 
generally become acquainted with their  
manoeuvring4    #agj ,jacob and ,deborah
 ,willetts were friendly educators in   
the first  half of the nineteenth       

century4 ,jacob became principal of     
,nine ,partners  boarding school in     
#ahjc1 when only #ah years of age1 and  
,deborah ,rogers  principal of the      
girl's department in #ahjf1 when at the 
same age4  ,jacob ,willetts and ,deborah
 ,rogers were married in #ahab4 ,at the 
time of  the separation1 ,nine          
,partners' school passed into the hands 
of the  ,orthodox1 and ,jacob and       
,deborah resigned their positions1 and  
started  a separate school1 which they  
conducted successfully for nearly thirty
  years4 ,jacob was the author of       
elementary text books of arithmetic and 
geography1 and ,deborah was an          
accomplished grammarian1 and assisted   
,gould ,brown in the preparation of his 
once well-known ,english ,grammar4      
,deborah's letter was both newsy and    
personal1 and threw interesting         
sidelights on the separation            
experiences4 ,at the close of a sermon  
by  ,ann ,jones1 ,eighth month #eth1 she
 made reference to the sudden death of  

a woman ,friend of the orthodox party1  
which is thus referred to in this       
letter3      ,perhaps thou wilt hear ere
 this reaches thee of the death of ,ann 
,willis4 ,she died at ,william ,warings 
on her way home from ,purchase          
,quarterly ,meeting1 in an apoplectic   
fit4 ,at our ,quarterly ,meeting ,ann   
,jones told us of the dear departed     
spirit of one who had lived an          
unspotted life1 who passed away without 
much bodily suffering1 and    whose soul
 was now clothed in robes of white1     
singing glory1 might    and majesty with
 angels forever and ever3 which amounted
 nearly to a    funeral song4    ,we    
make the following extract from the     
letter of ,deborah ,willetts  because of
 its interesting references and         
statements3      ,a week ago ,i returned
 from ,stanford ,quarterly ,meeting held
 at    ,hudson4 ,all the ,english force 
was there save ,t4 ,shillitoe with a    
large re-enforcement from ,new ,york1   
but they were headed by #ae men    and  

#be women of the committee of ,friends1 
and a great many attended    from the   
neighboring meetings1 ,coeymans1        
,rensalaerville1 ,saratoga1    c4 ,the  
city was nearly full4 ,anna ,braithwaite
 and suite took    lodgings at the      
hotel4 ,it was the most boisterous      
meeting ,i ever    attended4 ,the clerks
 in each meeting were orthodox1 but     
,friends were    favored to appoint     
others who opened the meeting4 ,anna    
,braithwaite    had much to say to clear
 up the charges against her in          
circulation    that their expenses had  
been borne by ,friends1 which she said  
was    false1 and never had been done   
but in two instances1 and mentioned     
it twice or three times that her dear   
husband felt it a very great    pleasure
 to meet all expenses she might incur1  
and she would appeal    to those present
 for the truth of what she had said1 and
 then ,ann    ,jones1 ,claussa ,griffin1
 ,ruth ,hallock1 ,sarah ,upton and some 
others    immediately attested to the   

truth of it4 ,oh1 how inconsistent is   
all    this in a ,friends' meeting4 ,she
 also gave a long statement of the      
separation at ,yearly ,meeting1 but she 
was reminded of her absence at    the   
time1 but she replied ,ann ,jones had   
informed her4 ,she accused    ,friends  
of holding erroneous doctrine and said  
,phebe ,i4 ,merritt did    not believe  
in the atonement for sin4 ,phebe said   
she denied the    charge1 when ,anna    
turning and looking stern in her face   
said1 ',did    thou not say1 ,phebe     
,merritt1 all the reproof thou felt for 
sin was    in thy own breast8' ,phebe   
then arose and was favored to express   
her views in a clear way with an        
affecting circumstance that she         
experienced in her childhood that       
brought such a solemnity over the       
meeting that almost disarmed ,anna of   
her hostile proceedings4 ,she    stood  
upon her feet the while ready to reply  
but began in a different    tone of     
voice1 and changed the subject1 and very

 soon after1 ,ann    ,jones made a move 
to adjourn when they could hold         
,stanford ,quarterly    ,meeting1 which 
was seconded by several others and      
,friends in the    meantime as cordially
 and silently uniting with them in the  
motion4    ,they then retired without   
reading an adjournment1 ,i afterwards   
learnt1 to the ,presbyterian ,conference
 room4 ,i dined in company with         
,willett ,hicks1 who said he was        
surprised to see so few go with them    
after such a noble effort4              
,,chapter ,,xx4    ,the ,experience with
 ,t4 ,shillitoe4      ,the first day    
after his arrival in ,america1 ,thomas  
,shillitoe#aga  attended ,hester ,street
 ,meeting1 in ,new ,york4 ,he tells that
 it  was reported that he had come over 
to help the ,friends of ,elias          
,hicks4#agb ,as this ,friend came into  
collision with ,elias several  times1   
and was second to none in vigor and     
virulence among his  antagonists1 either
 domestic or foreign1 it seems proper to

 review his  connection with the        
controversy1 because some added light   
may thus be  thrown on the spirit and   
purpose of the opposition to ,elias     
,hicks4    #aga ,thomas ,shillitoe was  
born in ,london about the ,second month1
  #aged1 ,elias ,hicks being six years  
his senior4 ,his parents were not       
,friends4 ,at one time his father kept  
an inn4 ,joined ,grace ,church ,street  
,monthly ,meeting in ,london about      
#agge4 ,was acknowledged a minister at  
,tottenham in #agij4 ,he learned the    
grocery business1 and afterward  entered
 a banking house4 ,finally learned      
shoemaker's trade1 and had  a shop4 ,was
 married in #aggh4 ,came to ,america in 
#ahbf1 arriving in  ,new ,york1 ,ninth  
month #hth4 ,while here traveled        
extensively1 visiting  certain ,indian  
tribes4 ,in #ahbg he had an interview   
with ,president  ,andrew ,jackson4 ,he  
left ,new ,york for ,liverpool in       
,eighth month1 #ahbi1  having been in   
this country nearly three years4 ,thomas

 ,shillitoe died  in #ahcf4    #agb     
,journal of ,thomas ,shillitoe1 ,vol4   
#b1 p4 #aej4    ,of the experience on   
that first meeting in ,america the      
venerable  preacher says3 ,i found it   
hard work to rise upon my feet1 but     
believing that the offer of the best of 
all help was made1 ,i ventured  and was 
favored to clear my mind faithfully1 and
 in a manner ,i  apprehended would give 
such of the followers of ,elias ,hicks  
as were  present a pretty clear idea of 
the mistake they had been under of my   
being come over to help their           
unchristian cause4#agc    #agc ,journal 
of ,thomas ,shillitoe1 ,vol4 #b1 p4     
#aea4    ,he had not been seen at that  
time to converse with a single friend of
  ,elias ,hicks1 and there is no        
evidence that during the three years he 
was in ,america he mingled at all with  
any ,friends who were not of the        
so-called orthodox party4    ,during the
 week following his arrival in this     
country1 ,thomas ,shillitoe  visited    

,jericho by way of ,westbury4 ,regarding
 his visit he says3      ,we took our   
dinner with ,g4 ,seaman2 after which we 
proceeded to    ,jericho1 and took up   
our abode this night with our kind      
friend1    ,thomas ,willis4 ,in passing 
through the village of ,jericho1 ,elias 
,hicks was at his own door2 he invited  
me into his own house to take    up my  
abode1 which ,i found ,i could not have 
done1 even had we not    previously     
concluded to take up our abode with ,t4 
,willis4 ,i refused    his offer in as  
handsome a manner as ,i well knew how4  
,he then pressed    me to make him a    
call2 ,i was careful to make such a     
reply as would    not make it binding   
upon me1 although we had to pass his    
door on our    way to the next meeting4 
,i believe it was safest for me not to  
comply    with his request4#agd    #agd 
,journal of ,thomas ,shillitoe1 ,vol4   
#b1 p4 #aed4    ,g4 ,seaman1 mentioned  
above1 became the first clerk of the    
,orthodox  ,monthly ,meeting of         

,westbury and ,jericho1 organized after 
the  separation1 and ,thomas ,willis was
 the ,friend who should probably be     
called the father of the opposition to  
,elias ,hicks4 ,had the ,english        
visitor determined from the start to    
hear nothing1 and know nothing but  one 
side of the controversy1 he could not   
have more fully made that  possible than
 by the intercourse he had with ,friends
 on this continent4    ,to show how bent
 he was not to be influenced or         
contaminated by those  not considered   
orthodox1 it may be noted that while in 
,jericho he was  visited by ,friends in 
that neighborhood1 who urged him to call
 on them4  ,he was at first inclined to 
acquiesce1 but after waiting where the  
divine counsellor is to be met with1 he 
changed his mind1 remarking1  ,i        
afterwards understood some of these     
individuals were of ,elias  ,hicks's    
party4#age    #age ,journal of ,thomas  
,shillitoe1 ,vol4 #b1 p4 #aed4    ,the  
,new ,york ,yearly ,meeting of #ahbg was

 attended by all of the  ministering    
,friends and their companions from      
,england1 viz3 ,thomas  ,shillitoe1     
,elizabeth ,robson1 ,george and ,ann    
,jones1 ,isaac and ,anna  ,braithwaite4 
,there seems to have been a             
foreshadowing of trouble in  this yearly
 meeting4 ,elizabeth ,robson asked for a
 minute to visit men's  meeting1 which  
met with some opposition1 and was       
characterized by  confusion in carrying 
out the purpose4 ,elias ,hicks says     
nothing about  the matter in his        
,journal1 and no reference was made to  
this ,friend in  his personal           
correspondence4 ,the ,english ,friends  
left ,new ,york before  the close of the
 ,yearly ,meeting1 to attend ,new       
,england ,yearly ,meeting4    ,it is not
 our purpose to follow the wanderings of
 ,thomas ,shillitoe  in ,america4 ,he   
was at the ,new ,york ,yearly ,meeting  
again in #ahbh1 at  the time of the     
separation4 ,touching this occasion1 the
 minutes of  the meeting in question    

furnish some information1 as follows3   
,thomas  ,shillitoe1 who is in this     
country on a religious visit from       
,england1  objected to the company of   
some individuals who were present with  
us1  and members of a neighboring yearly
 meeting1 stating that they had  been   
regularly disowned1 etc4#agf ,for thus  
dictating to the yearly  meeting1       
,thomas ,shillitoe presented this       
justification3    #agf ,from ,minute    
,book of ,new ,york ,yearly ,meeting1   
session of #ahbh4      ,i obtained a    
certificate from my own monthly meeting 
and quarterly    meeting1 and also one  
from the ,select ,yearly ,meeting of    
,friends held    in ,london1 expressive 
of their concurrence with my traveling  
in the    work of the ministry on this  
continent1 which certificates were read 
in the last ,yearly ,meeting of ,new    
,york1 and entered in the records    of 
that ,yearly ,meeting2 such being the   
case1 it constitutes me as    much a    
member of this ,yearly ,meeting as any  

other member of it4#agg    #agg ,journal
 of ,thomas ,shillitoe1 ,vol4 #b1 p4    
#caa4    ,this may have been according  
to good society order and etiquette     
eighty  odd years ago1 but would hardly 
pass current in our time4 ,for a visitor
  in a meeting to object to the presence
 of other visitors1 on the ground  of   
rumor and with no regular or official   
evidence of the charges  against them1  
would probably put the objector into    
disfavor4 ,but we  are not warranted in 
passing harsh judgment in the           
nineteenth-century  case4 ,the ,english 
,friends1 right or wrong1 came to this  
country under  the impression that they 
were divinely sent to save the ,society 
of  ,friends in ,america from going to  
the bad4 ,at the worst1 it was a case   
of assuming the care of too many        
consciences4    ,soon after the close of
 the ,new ,york ,yearly ,meeting of     
#ahbh1 both  ,thomas ,shillitoe and     
,elias ,hicks started on a western trip4
 ,elias seems  to have preceded the     

,english ,friend by a few days4 ,the two
 men met at  ,westland4#agh ,at this    
place ,thomas says that ,elias denied   
that ,jesus  was the son of ,god1 until 
after the baptism1 and opposed the      
proper  observance of the ,sabbath4#agi 
,of course1 the statements of ,elias    
were  controverted by his               
fellow-preacher1 or1 at least1 an       
attempt to do  so was made4 ,it should  
be understood that ,elias denied that   
,jesus was  the son of ,god in the sense
 in which ,thomas conceived he was1 and 
he  undoubtedly antagonized the         
observance of the ,sabbath in the       
slavish  way which considered that man  
was secondary to the institution4       
#agh ,see page #dg of this book4    #agi
 ,journal of ,thomas ,shillitoe1 ,vol4  
#b1 p4 #cbh4    ,part of the mission of 
our ,english ,friend from this time     
seems to  have been to oppose ,elias    
,hicks1 and turn the minds of the people
  against him4 ,they both attended      
,redstone ,monthly ,meeting4 ,here      

,elias  presented his minute of unity   
and the other evidences of good faith   
which he possessed4 ,at this point      
,thomas says3 ,observing a disposition  
in most of the members of the meeting to
 have these minutes read  in the        
meeting1 ,i proposed to the meeting to  
consider how far with  propriety they   
could read them2 after their ,meeting   
for ,sufferings  had given forth a      
testimony against the doctrines of      
,elias ,hicks4 ,but  a determination to 
read his minutes being manifested1      
,friends were  obliged to submit4#ahj   
#ahj ,journal of ,thomas ,shillitoe1    
,vol4 #b1 p4 #ccj4    ,taken altogether1
 this is a remarkable statement4 ,the   
testimony  referred to was the          
declaration of faith#aha published by   
the  ,philadelphia ,meeting for         
,sufferings4 ,this document did not     
mention  ,elias ,hicks1 and failed to   
secure the approval of the ,yearly      
,meeting1  before the separation4 ,it is
 evident that most of the members  were 

with ,elias ,hicks on this occasion4    
,only the few opposers were  ,friends2  
so the statement infers4    #aha ,see   
page #aci of this book4    ,the two     
preachers are next heard from at        
,redstone ,quarterly ,meeting1  where   
,thomas was disposed to practice an act 
of self-denial4 ,he told  the meeting   
that he preferred his own minute should 
not be read1 if  ,elias ,hicks's was    
received4 ,we have some evidence from   
,elias ,hicks  himself regarding this   
incident1 in a letter written to        
,valentine  and ,abigail ,hicks1 from   
,pittsburg1 ,eighth month #e1 #ahbh1    
stating the  proposition of ,thomas     
,shillitoe regarding his minute4 ,elias 
says3  ,friends took him at his word1   
and let him know that they should not   
minute it1 but insisted that mine should
 be minuted1 expressing very  general   
satisfaction with my company and        
service1 and reprobated his  in plain   
terms1 and charged him and his companion
 with breach of the  order and          

discipline of the ,society1 and insisted
 that the elders and  overseers should  
stop at the close of the meeting and see
 what could be  done to put a stop to   
such disorderly conduct4    ,thomas then
 says that he exposed ,elias ,hicks as  
an impostor in  attempting as he did to 
impose himself upon the public as a     
minister  in unity with the ,society of 
,friends2 the ,society having1 by a     
printed  document1 declared against his 
doctrine1 and himself as an approved    
minister4#ahb ,evidently this was       
another reference to the much-lauded    
declaration of faith1 although this did 
not represent an actually  authoritative
 declaration of the ,society4 ,at its   
best1 ,philadelphia's  ,meeting for     
,sufferings was not the ,society of     
,friends2 but the people  still wanted  
to hear ,elias4 ,they apparently        
preferred to interpret him  at          
first-hand4    #ahb ,journal of ,thomas 
,shillitoe1 ,vol4 #b1 p4 #cca4          
,thomas ,shillitoe tells us that when   

they crossed the ,ohio ,river he  talked
 with the woman at the ferry1 who       
protested against the ideas of  ,elias  
,hicks1 and then remarks3 ,she kept a   
tavern1 and ,i left with her  one of the
 declarations1 requesting her to        
circulate it amongst her  neighbors4#ahc
 ,evidently the publican1 in this case1 
was sound in the  faith as held by the  
,english preacher4    #ahc ,journal of  
,thomas ,shillitoe1 ,vol4 #b1 p4 #ccb4  
,mt4 ,pleasant was next visited by both 
,friends1 preceding and at ,ohio        
,yearly ,meeting4 ,they do not seem to  
have come personally into collision  at 
this point1 and insofar as either makes 
reference to the occurrences  there1    
they are in substantial agreement4#ahd  
,thomas ,shillitoe bears  mildly veiled 
testimony to the desire of the people to
 hear ,elias  ,hicks1 in the following  
statement3 ,from the great concourse of 
people  we passed in the afternoon on   
the way to ,short ,creek ,meeting1 where
  ,elias ,hicks was to be1 ,i had       

cherished a hope we should have had a   
quiet meeting at ,mt4 ,pleasant4#ahe    
,but the contrary was the case2 to  whom
 the blame was due1 the reader may      
decide4    #ahd ,for other reference to 
this matter1 see page #di of this book4 
#ahe ,journal of ,thomas ,shillitoe1    
,vol4 #b1 p4 #cdc4    ,it is to be      
presumed that these two ,friends1 both  
of whom performed  valuable service for 
the ,society1 according to their lights 
and gifts1  never met after their       
western experience4 ,for the want of    
understanding  each other1 they went    
their way not as fellow-servants1 but as
  strangers1 if not enemies4 ,the unity 
of the spirit was obliterated in a      
demand for uniformity of speculative    
doctrine4          ,,chapter ,,xxi4     
,disownment and ,doctrine4      ,the    
separation was accomplished in most     
meetings in the ,east by the  withdrawal
 of the orthodox party1 after which they
 set up new meetings  for worship and   
discipline4 ,in a minority of meetings  

the orthodox held  the property and the 
organization1 and the other ,friends    
withdrew4 ,at  ,jericho and ,westbury   
the great majority of the members       
remained1 and  continued to occupy the  
old meeting-houses4 ,the orthodox who   
separated  from the ,westbury and       
,jericho ,monthly ,meetings organized   
the ,monthly  ,meeting of ,westbury and 
,jericho1 as has already been mentioned4
    ,in #ahbi1 when the new monthly     
meeting was formed1 the membership of   
,westbury ,monthly ,meeting was as      
follows3 ,westbury ,preparative         
,meeting1  #aic2 ,matinecock            
,preparative ,meeting1 #aba2 ,cow ,neck 
7now ,manhassett71  #fe2 total1 #cgi4   
,of this number1 accessions to the      
orthodox were3 ,from  ,westbury         
,preparative ,meeting1 #cb2 ,matinecock 
,preparative ,meeting1 #b2  ,cow ,neck  
,preparative ,meeting1 #e2 total1 #ci4  
,in ,jericho the members of  the monthly
 meeting1 ,fifth month1 #ahbi1 numbered 
#bbe4 ,of this number1  nine left to    

join the ,monthly ,meeting of ,westbury 
and ,jericho1 and  five were            
undetermined in their choice4 ,giving   
the latter meeting the  benefit of the  
doubt1 and assigning to it the five     
uncertain members1  the meeting that    
disowned ,elias ,hicks was composed of  
fifty-three  members1 of whom thirteen  
were minors and five of only mild       
allegiance4    ,a simple mathematical   
calculation will show that the ,monthly 
,meeting  of ,westbury and ,jericho     
contained #aj per cent4 of the ,friends 
who had  been members of the two        
original monthly meetings1 which        
meetings still  survived1 retaining #ij 
per cent4 of the members4 ,these figures
 will  throw suggestive light on what   
follows4    ,it was the ,westbury and   
,jericho ,monthly ,meeting which1 on the
 #bith of  ,fourth month1 #ahbi1 adopted
 the testimony against ,elias ,hicks1   
called  his disownment4 ,it contained   
specified charges1 which may be         
condensed  as follows3 ,he denied the   

influence or existence of an evil       
spirit2  doubted the fall of man1 and   
his redemption through ,christ2         
endeavored  to destroy a belief in the  
miraculous conception of our ,lord and  
,saviour ,jesus ,christ2 also rejected a
 belief in his holy offices1 his        
propitiatory offering for the redemption
 of mankind2 and has denied his         
resurrection and ascension into heaven2 
he also denied his mediation  and       
intercession with the ,father4 ,he was  
charged with too much  industry in      
promulgating his views1 causing great   
numbers to embrace  them1 and has at    
length become the leader of a sect      
distinguished by  his name4 ,he was also
 charged with meeting with1 and         
countenancing by  his presence and      
conduct1 those who had separated from   
,friends4 ,this  had reference to many  
meetings of a large majority of the     
,society held  at various places in     
#ahbh4 ,the testimony also alleges that 
he had  many times been tenderly        

admonished and advised1 but that he and 
his  friends prevented the timely       
exercise of the discipline in his case4 
,it all1 without doubt1 sounded very    
formidable to the little company of     
,friends who formulated and issued the  
document4    ,this was a remarkable     
document in more ways than one4 ,the    
meeting which  issued it assumed an     
authority in conduct hard now to        
understand1 and  asserted as facts mere 
assumptions1 and yet we are bound to    
believe  that1 in the main1 they thought
 they were performing ,god's service4   
,it must be remembered that the orthodox
 ,friends1 in #ahbi1 everywhere         
operated on the theory that those who   
considered themselves sound in          
doctrine1 no matter how few in numbers1 
were the ,society of ,friends1  in      
direct descent from the founders of the 
faith4 ,it was their  religious duty to 
excommunicate all whom they considered  
unsound1 even  though those disowned    
might constitute the overwhelming       

portion of the  meeting4 ,that this was 
the sincere conviction of the orthodox  
,friends  all through the separation    
period1 and also before and after it1 is
  a demonstrable fact of history4 ,there
 was also a marked disposition  to      
adhere to tradition and to cling to     
former precedents4 ,if there  had ever  
been a time when ,friends had been      
disowned on account of  theological     
opinions1 the practice should be kept   
up1 and practically  continued forever4 
,that there was a considerable amount of
 precedent for disowning  ,friends on   
points of doctrine is undoubtedly true4 
,in the famous ,new  ,jersey ,chancery  
trial1 ,samuel ,parsons gave several    
cases of such  disownment4#ahf ,they    
involved cases in half a dozen monthly  
meetings1  and included charges as      
follows3 ,denying the miraculous        
conception2  denying the divinity of    
,jesus ,christ2 denying the authenticity
 of the  ,scriptures2 promulgating the  
belief that the souls of the wicked     

would  be annihilated4    #ahf ,foster's
 ,report1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #aga4    ,the    
orthodox ,friends might have done still 
better1 and cited the case  of ,john    
,bartram1#ahg the father of ,american   
botany1 who was disowned  by ,darby     
,monthly ,meeting in #ageh1 for         
deistical and other unorthodox          
opinions4 ,it has been supposed that    
,bartram was disowned by ,friends  for  
placing the following inscription over  
his door3    #ahg ,john ,bartram1 born  
near ,darby1 ,pa41 ,third month #bc1    
#afii4 ,was  the earliest native        
,american botanist4 ,he died ,ninth     
month #bb1 #aggg4  ,bartram traveled    
extensively in the ,american colonies in
 pursuit of  his botanical studies and  
investigations4 ,he established the     
,bartram  ,botanical ,gardens near the  
,schuykill ,river1 which are still often
  visited4      ',tis ,god alone1       
,almighty ,lord1    ,the ,holy ,one by  
me adored4        ,john ,bartram1 #aggj4
    ,as this sentiment is dated twelve  

years after the disownment1#ahh it  is  
evident that it was not the primary     
cause of the action taken by  ,darby    
,monthly ,meeting4    #ahh ,memorials of
 ,john ,bartram and ,humphrey ,marshall1
 by ,william  ,darlington1 #ahdi1 p4    
#db4    ,during the period of repression
 in the ,society1 lasting from about    
#agjj to #ahej1 it was not hard to find 
precedent for disowning members  on     
almost any ground1 so that the treatment
 of ,elias ,hicks1 on account  of       
alleged unsound doctrine calls for no   
complaint on the score of  regularity4  
,disowning members for that cause in one
 branch of ,friends  to-day would be    
practically inconceivable4 ,its wisdom  
at any time was  doubtful1 and1 in spite
 of precedents1 the practice was not    
general4    ,the main point in this     
transaction1 however1 is that the       
meeting which  issued the testimony     
against ,elias ,hicks had no            
jurisdiction in  the case4 ,as a matter 
of fact1 he was never a member of the   

meeting  in question1 unless it be      
assumed that #aj per cent4 of two       
monthly  meetings can flock by          
themselves1 organize a new meeting1 and 
take over  the #ij per cent4 without    
their knowledge or consent4    ,in the  
main1 we do not care to consider or     
discuss the points in the  testimony    
under consideration4 ,those who have    
followed the pages  of this book thus   
far will be able to decide whether the  
main causes  as stated by those who     
prepared and approved the document were 
true  in fact1 and whether they would   
have constituted a sufficient reason    
for the action of the ,monthly ,meeting 
of ,westbury and ,jericho1 had it       
possessed any authority in the case4    
,just what ,elias ,hicks thought        
regarding the matter of ,society and    
disciplinary authority in his case1 we  
have documentary evidence4 ,in  a       
private letter he said3 ,for how can    
they disown those who never  attended   
their meetings1 nor never had seen the  

inside of their  new-built              
meeting-houses1 and who never           
acknowledged their little  separate     
societies8 ,would it not be as rational 
and consistent with  right order for a  
,presbyterian or a ,methodist society to
 treat with and  disown us for not      
attending their meetings1 and not       
acknowledging their  creed8#ahi    #ahi 
,letter to ,johnson ,legg1 ,twelfth     
month #ae1 #ahbi4    ,there is one point
 in the testimony which cannot so easily
 or  reasonably be ignored4 ,it says    
that ,elias ,hicks has at length become 
the leader of a sect1 distinguished by  
his name1 yet unjustly assuming  the    
character of ,friends4 ,from the assumed
 standpoint of those who  made this     
statement of fact1 it had no warrant4   
,that body of ,friends  in1 at least1   
the ,yearly ,meetings of ,new ,york1    
,philadelphia1 and  ,baltimore1 which at
 the time of the separation housed      
two-thirds of  all the members1 was as  
much entitled to be called ,friends1 and

 assume  their character1 as the        
minority4 ,the distinguishing epithet   
was not  of their selecting or adoption1
 and those who applied it could scarcely
  with propriety force it upon those who
 did not claim it or want it4 ,as  for  
leadership1 the outcome in #ahbg-bh was 
accomplished without either  the        
presence or assistance of ,elias ,hicks 
in a majority of cases4 ,if  those who  
left the parent meetings and set up     
meetings of their own  were the         
separatists1 then1 in a majority of     
cases1 the name belonged  to the party  
that opposed ,elias ,hicks1 and not to  
that body of ,friends  who objected to  
the ,society being divided or           
perpetuated because of the  personality 
or the preaching of any one man4    ,it 
has to be said that the disowning at the
 time of the separation  was not all on 
one side4 ,jericho ,monthly ,meeting    
testified against  at least four of the 
orthodox party4 ,but in every such case1
 so far  as we are aware1 no charges    

regarding doctrine were made against    
any4  ,the disownments took place       
because the persons involved had become 
connected with other meetings1 and did  
not attend the gatherings of  that      
branch of ,friends who issued           
disownments4 ,both sides undoubtedly    
did many things at the time which later 
would have been impossible4    ,elias   
,hicks evidently approved the general   
order of the ,society in  his time      
touching disownments4 ,in a letter      
directed to ,my ,unknown  ,friend1 but  
having no date1 he deals with the       
disownment question4 ,he  goes on to say
 that it had been the practice of the   
,society to disown  members for more    
than a century1 when such members had   
deviated from  the established order of 
,society1 and he reaches the conclusion 
that  not to follow this course would   
lead to confusion and anarchy4 ,he  then
 says3 ,these things considered1 it     
appears to me the most rational  and    
prudent1 when a particular member of any

 society dissents in some  particular   
tenet from the rest of that society1 if 
such dissent break  communion and render
 it necessary in the judgment of such   
society that  a separation take place   
between them1 that it be done in the    
same way1  and agreeable to the general 
practice of such society in like cases4 
,it is quite certain1 however1 that     
,elias ,hicks did not think that        
disputed points of doctrine offered a   
sufficient ground for disownment  in the
 ,society of ,friends4 ,in a letter to  
,david ,evans1 written at  ,jericho1    
,twelfth month #be1 #ahbi1 he says3 ,i  
apprehend that if the  ,friends who took
 part in the controversy on the side of 
the miraculous  conception1 and those on
 the opposition1 will fully examine both
  sides of the question1 they will find 
themselves more or less in  error1 as   
neither can produce sufficient evidence 
to enforce a  rational conviction on    
others4444 ,surely1 then1 we who believe
 in the  miraculous conception ought not

 to censure our brethren in profession  
for having a different opinion from     
ours1 and especially as we have no      
knowledge of the subject in any wise1   
but from history and tradition4         
,surely1 then1 both parties are very far
 off the true ,christian  foundation for
 keeping up the controversy1 inasmuch as
 it never has had  the least tendency to
 gather on the one hand or the other1   
but always  to scatter and divide1 and  
still has the same baneful tendency4    
,the reader will not fail to consider   
that at this late period ,elias  ,hicks 
reiterates his personal belief in the   
miraculous conception1  although the    
testimony of disownment against him     
charged that he  was endeavoring to     
destroy a belief in that doctrine4      
,whatever may  have been his belief     
regarding the matter1 it is clear that  
he did not  consider acceptance or      
rejection of the doctrine a determining 
quality  in maintaining a really        
,christian fellowship4                  

,,chapter ,,xxii4    ,after the         
,separation4      ,a letter dated       
,solebury1 ,pa41 ,sixth month #ba1      
#ahbh1 told of some  experiences on his 
last western trip4 ,it was addressed to 
his  son-in-law1 ,valentine ,hicks4 ,on 
the journey from ,jericho to ,new ,york1
  ,elias was very much annoyed1 if not  
vexed1 by the crowds of vain and        
foolish people coming from the city and 
its suburbs to see horses  trot4 ,how   
ridiculous and insignificant1 he says1  
is such foolish  conduct for professed  
rational beings6 ,i can scarcely        
conceive in  thought an epithet         
degrading enough to give a just estimate
 of such  irrational conduct4    ,the   
separation had just been accomplished in
 the ,new ,york ,yearly  ,meeting1 and  
as this was the first visit he had made 
to the local  meetings and ,friendly    
neighborhoods since that event1 it is a 
matter  of interest to learn from his   
own hand how he was received by ,friends
  in the meetings4 ,rose and ,hester    

,street ,meetings1 in ,new ,york1 were  
attended the ,first-day after leaving   
home4 ,elias says1 in the letter        
mentioned3 ,they were both large1 solemn
 meetings1 showing evidently  the       
comfort and benefit ,friends have       
derived from the orthodox  troubles1    
7they7 having separated themselves from 
us4 ,this may have  been the superficial
 view of many who were prominent in     
sustaining  ,elias ,hicks4 ,they failed 
to see1 as did their opponents1 that the
  separation no matter which side went  
off1 was a violation of the real  spirit
 of ,quakerism4 ,it was an unfortunate  
acknowledgment that unity  of the spirit
 was a failure1 if it required absolute 
uniformity of  doctrine for its         
maintenance4    ,passing over to ,new   
,jersey1 he reports universal kindly    
treatment4 ,in  this particular he      
remarks3      ,indeed we have found     
nothing in the least degree to          
discourage or    impede our progress1   
unless it be an excess of kindness from 

our    friends1 who can hardly give us  
up to pass on1 without favoring    them 
with a visit in their own houses4 ,and  
not only ,friends1 but    many who are  
not members manifest much friendly      
regard and respect4    ,on ,fourth-day  
we attended ,friends' ,monthly ,meeting 
for ,rahway and    ,plainfield held at  
,plainfield1 ,friends having given their
 neighbors    notice of our intention to
 be there1 it was largely attended by   
those    of other professions1 and some 
of the orthodox ,friends'1 contrary     
to the expectation of ,friends also     
attended4 ,it was truly a very    solemn
 and instructive good meeting1 in which 
truth reigned4 ,i was    truly comforted
 in the meeting for discipline in       
viewing ,friends'    order1 and the     
unity and harmony that prevailed1 and   
the brotherly    condescension that was 
manifested in transacting their         
business4    ,elias ,hicks evidently    
possessed what might be called a grain  
of humor4  ,in ,eleventh month1 #ahbh1  

when practically all of the separations 
had  been accomplished1 he wrote to his 
wife from ,redstone1 ,pa4 ,he had not   
been getting letters from home as he    
desired1 and especially was that  true  
regarding the much-valued missives from 
,jemima4 ,he1 therefore1  says1 toward  
the end of this particular epistle3 ,if 
,i do not  receive some direct account  
from home at one or both of these places
  7,alexandria or ,baltimore71 ,i shall 
be ready to conclude that my friends    
have forgotten me or turned orthodox4   
,evidently there had been a readjustment
 of society conditions in this          
neighborhood4 ,he says3 ,divers friends1
 whose names ,i have forgotten1  and    
some who have never seen thee1 but love 
thee on my account1 desired  to be      
affectionately remembered to thee4      
,indeed1 love and harmony so  abound    
among ,friends in these parts1 and the  
more they are persecuted1  the more love
 abounds1 insomuch that ,i have observed
 to them in some  places1 that if they  

continued faithful to the openings of   
truth on the  mind1 that they would so  
exalt the standard of love and light1   
that the  old adage would be renewed1   
',see how the ,quakers love one         
another4'    ,returning from the long   
western trip1 considered in ,chapter    
,,vi1 ,elias  was met in ,new ,york by  
his wife and daughter ,elizabeth1 where 
,westbury  ,quarterly ,meeting was      
attended4 ,many near and dear ,friends  
greeted the  aged minister1 inwardly1 if
 not outwardly1 congratulating him upon 
his  safe return home1 and the labors so
 faithfully performed4 ,in mentioning   
the event1 ,elias says3 ,it was truly a 
season of mutual rejoicing1  and my     
spirit was deeply humbled under a       
thankful sense of the ,lord's           
preserving power and adorable mercy1 in 
carrying me through and over  all       
opposition1 both within and without4 ,he
 caused all to work together  for good1 
and the promotion of his own glorious   
cause of truth and  righteousness in the

 earth1 and landed me safe in the bosom 
of my dear  family and friends at home1 
and clothed my spirit with the reward of
  sweet peace for all my labor and      
travail4 ,praises1 everlasting high     
praises be ascribed unto our ,god1 for  
his mercy endureth forever4#aij    #aij 
,journal1 p4 #dbe4    ,dark days were   
approaching1 and the heavy hand of a    
great sorrow was  about to be laid upon 
this strong man1 who had buffeted many  
storms1  and who seemed now to be       
feeling a period of calm and quiet4 ,but
 we  shall let ,elias ,hicks tell the   
details in his own words3      ,soon    
after my return from the aforesaid      
journey1 ,i had to experience    a very 
severe trial and affliction in the      
removal of my dearly    beloved wife4   
,she was taken down with a cold1 and    
although1 for a    number of days1 we   
had no anticipation of danger from her  
complaint1    yet about five days after 
she was taken1 the disorder appeared    
to settle on her lungs1 and it brought  

on an inflammation which    terminated  
in a dissolution of her precious life1  
on the ninth day    from the time she   
was taken ill4 ,she had but little      
bodily pain1 yet    as she became       
weaker1 she suffered from shortness of  
breathing2 but    before her close1 she 
became perfectly tranquil and easy1 and 
passed    away like a lamb1 as though   
entering into a sweet sleep1 without    
sigh    or groan1 or the least bodily   
pain1 on the #agth of ,third month1     
#ahbi3    ,and her precious spirit1 ,i  
trust and believe1 has landed safely on 
the angelic shore1 'where the wicked    
cease from troubling1 and the    weary  
are at rest4' ,to myself1 to whom she   
was a truly affectionate    wife1 and to
 our children1 whom she endeavored1 by  
precept and    example1 to train up in  
the paths of virtue1 and to guard and   
keep    out of harm's way1 her removal  
is a great and irreparable loss3 and    
nothing is left to us in that behalf1   
but a confident belief and an           

unshaken hope1 that our great loss is   
her still greater gain2 and    although 
the loss and trial1 as to all my        
external blessings1 are    the greatest 
,i have ever met with1 or ever expect to
 have to endure1    yet ,i have a hope1 
that1 though separated1 ,i may be       
preserved from    mourning or           
complaining2 and that ,i may continually
 keep in view    the unmerited favour   
dispensed to us1 by being preserved     
together    fifty-eight years in one    
unbroken bond of endeared affection1    
which    seemed if possible to increase 
with time to the last moment of her     
life2 and which neither time nor        
distance can lessen or dissolve2 but    
in the spiritual relation ,i trust it   
will endure for ever1 where all    the  
,lord's redeemed children are one in    
him1 who is ,god over all1 in    all1   
and through all1 blessed forever4 ,she  
was buried on the #aith1    and on this 
solemn occasion1 the ,lord1 who is      
strength in weakness1    enabled me to  

bear a public and1 ,i trust1 a          
profitable testimony to    the virtues  
and excellences of her long and         
consistent life4#aia    #aia ,journal1 p
 #dbe4    ,regarding the funeral of     
,jemima ,hicks1 and its aftermath1 rumor
 has  been more or less busy4 ,that     
,elias spoke on this occasion is        
certain4  ,it was his eighty-first      
birthday4 ,his remarks were undoubtedly 
in  harmony1 both as to the matter and  
the hope of a future reunion1 with  the 
extract printed above4 ,there is in     
existence what purports to be  matter   
copied from a ,poughkeepsie newspaper   
relating to this event4 ,the  statement 
is supplemented by a poem1 entitled     
,orthodox ,reflections  on the ,remarks 
,made by ,elias ,hicks at ,his ,wife's  
,funeral4 ,these verses  are both       
theological and savage4 ,elias is       
assured that1 because of his  belief1 he
 cannot hope to rest in heaven1 or meet 
his wife there4  ,what is strange1      
however1 is that verses1 signed ,elias  

,hicks1 and in  reply to the poetical   
attack1 are also given4 ,the            
first-mentioned rhyme  may be genuine1  
as it voices an opinionated brutality   
and boldness  which was not uncommon in 
dealing with the future life eighty     
years  ago4 ,but we can hardly imagine  
,elias ,hicks being a rhymster under any
  sort of provocation4 ,if the two poems
 were ever printed1 touching the  matter
 in question1 some one besides ,elias1  
undoubtedly is responsible  for the     
rejoinder4    ,near the #ast of ,sixth  
month1 and a little more than three     
months after  the death of his wife1    
,elias ,hicks started on his last       
religious  visit4 ,his concern took him 
to the meetings and neighborhoods within
  the limits of his own ,yearly         
,meeting4 ,nothing unusual is reported  
on  this visit until ,dutchess ,county  
was reached4 ,all of the meetings  were 
reported satisfactory4 ,of the meetings 
at ,west ,branch1 ,creek and            
,crum-,elbow1 ,elias says3              

,although it was in the midst of        
harvest1 such was the excitement        
produced amongst the people by the      
opposition made by those of our         
members who had gone off from us1 and   
set up separate meetings1 that    the   
people at large of other societies      
flocked to those meetings    in such    
numbers1 that our meeting-houses were   
seldom large enough    to contain the   
assembled multitude2 and we had abundant
 cause for    thanksgiving and gratitude
 to the blessed ,author of all our      
mercies1    in condescending to manifest
 his holy presence1 and causing it so to
    preside as to produce a general     
solemnity1 tendering and contriting     
many minds1 and comforting and rejoicing
 the upright in heart4#aib    #aib      
,journal1 p4 #dbh4    ,proceeding up the
 ,hudson1 arriving at ,albany on        
,seventh-day1 ,eighth  month #ast1 that 
evening a large meeting was held in the 
statehouse4  ,those present represented 
the inhabitants generally of the capital

  city4 ,many meetings were attended    
after leaving ,albany1 which have now   
ceased to exist4 ,in fact1 few1 if any1 
meetings then in existence were  missed 
on this journey4 ,the #agth of ,eighth  
month he was in ,utica4 ,of  the meeting
 in that city1 and at ,bridgewater1 he  
says3      ,these were not so large as  
in some other places1 neither was there 
as much openness to receive our         
testimony as had generally been the     
case elsewhere4 ,our opposing ,friends  
had filled their heads with    so many  
strange reports1 to which they had given
 credit without    examination1 by which
 their minds were so strongly prejudiced
    against me1 that many in the compass
 of these two last meetings    were not 
willing to see me1 nor hear any reasons 
given to show them    their mistakes1   
and that the reports they had heard were
 altogether    unfounded3 however1 ,i   
was favored to communicate the truth to 
those    who attended1 so that they     
generally went away fully satisfied1 and

 ,i    left them with peace of mind4#aic
    #aic ,journal1 p4 #dcj4    ,in      
#ahbi1 under date of ,seventh month     
#ith1 in a letter written at  ,oblong1  
in ,westchester ,county1 ,new ,york1 he 
expresses the feeling that  the meeting 
at ,jericho sustains important relations
 to the branch of  ,friends with which  
he was connected4 ,the letter was       
written to his  children1 ,valentine and
 ,abigail ,hicks4 ,in it he says3       
,although absent in body1 yet my mind   
pretty often takes a sudden and         
instantaneous excursion to ,jericho1    
clothed with a desire that we    who    
constitute that monthly meeting1 may    
keep our eye so single1 to    the sure  
and immovable foundation of the light   
within1 so as to be    entirely         
preserved from all fleshly reasonings1  
which if given way    to1 in the least  
degree1 ever has1 and ever will1 have a 
tendency to    divide in ,jacob and     
scatter in ,israel4 ,i consider that    
much depends    upon the course we take 

in our monthly meeting1 as we are much  
looked    up to as an example and if we 
make but a small miss1 it may do much   
harm4    ,twelfth month #ae1 #ahbi1     
,elias ,hicks wrote to his friend       
,johnson ,legg1  evidently in reply to  
one asking advice in regard to his own  
conduct  in relation to the separation4 
,in this letter ,elias says3 ,in the    
present interrupted and disturbed state 
of our once peaceful and  favoured      
,society1 it requires great deliberation
 and humble waiting on  the ,lord for   
counsel before we move forward on the   
right hand or the  left4 ,had this been 
the case with our brethren of this      
yearly meeting  who style themselves    
orthodox1 ,i very much doubt if there   
would have  been any separation among   
us4 ,for although the chief cause       
thereof is  placed to my account1 yet ,i
 am confident ,i have given no just     
cause for  it4    ,this statement       
undoubtedly expresses the real feeling  
of ,elias ,hicks  regarding the         

separation4 ,he could not see why what  
he repeatedly  called mere opinions     
should cause a rupture in the ,society4 
,it will  be noted that he still refers 
to the other ,friends as our brethren1  
and he1 apparently1 had no ill-will     
toward them4 ,the letter from which     
this extract was taken was written only 
about two months before his  death1 and 
was undoubtedly his last written word on
 the unfortunate  controversy1 and the  
trouble that grew out of it4            
,,chapter ,,xxiii4    ,friendly and     
,unfriendly ,critics4      ,few men in  
their day were more talked about than   
,elias ,hicks4 ,the  interest in his    
person and in his preaching continued   
for years after  his death4 ,while the  
discussion ceased to be warm long years 
ago1  his name is one which men of      
so-called liberal thought still love to 
conjure with1 without very clearly      
knowing the reason why4 ,some clearer   
light may be thrown upon his life1 labor
 and character by a brief  review of    

opinions of those who criticised him as 
friends1 and some  of them as partisans1
 and those who were his open enemies1   
for the  theological atmosphere had not 
yet appeared in which he could be even  
approximately understood by the men of  
the old school4    ,we shall begin the  
collection of criticisms by quoting     
,edward  ,hicks1#aid who wrote a        
comparatively judicial estimate of his  
friend  and kinsman4 ,after stating that
 even the apostles had their weak side1 
that ,tertullian was led into a foolish 
extreme by the fanatical  notions of    
,montanus2 and that ,origen did immense 
mischief to the  cause of primitive     
,christianity by his extreme attachment 
to the  ,platonic philosophy1 scholastic
 divinity and human learning1 he        
remarks3    #aid ,edward ,hicks1 a      
relative of ,elias ,hicks1 was born in  
,attleboro1  ,pa41 ,fourth month #d1    
#aghj4 ,his mother passed away when he  
was an  infant1 and he was cared for in 
his early youth by ,elizabeth ,twining1 

a friend of his mother4 ,when a young   
man1 he became a member of  ,middletown 
,monthly ,meeting in ,bucks ,county by  
request4 ,he began  speaking in meeting 
when about thirty years of age1 and was 
a little  later recorded as a minister4 
,edward ,hicks for many years carried on
  the business of carriage maker and    
painter at ,newtown1 ,pa4 ,although     
much more orthodox in doctrine than his 
celebrated kinsman1 he was one  of the  
most ardent friends and defenders of    
,elias ,hicks4      ,therefore1 it is   
among the possible circumstances that   
dear ,elias    was led to an extreme in 
the ,unitarian speculation1 while       
opposing    the ,trinitarian1 then      
increasing among ,friends1 and now      
almost    established among our orthodox
 ,friends4 ,but ,i have no recollection 
of ever hearing him in public testimony1
 and ,i have heard him    much1 when his
 speculative views or manner of         
speaking1 destroyed    the savour of    
life that attended his ministry1 or gave

 me any    uneasiness4 ,but ,i have     
certainly heard to my sorrow1 too many  
of his    superficial admirers that have
 tried to copy after him1 pretending    
to wear his crown1 without knowing      
anything of his cross1 make    use of   
the naked term1 ,jesus1 both in public  
and private1 till it    sounded in my   
ears as unpleasant1 as if coming from   
the tongue of    the profane swearer2   
and on the other hand1 ,i have been     
pained to    hear the unnecessary       
repetition of the terms1 our ,lord and  
,saviour    ,jesus ,christ1 from those  
,i verily believed ,elias's bitter      
enemies1    especially the ,english     
preachers1 and have scarcely a doubt    
that    they were substantially breaking
 the third commandment4 ,and ,i will    
now add my opinion fearlessly1 that     
,elias was wrong in entering into       
that quibbling controversy with those   
weak ,quakers1 alluded to in    his     
letter1 about the marvellous conception 
and parentage of ,christ1    a delicate 

and inexplicable subject1 that seems to 
have escaped the    particular attention
 of what we call the darker ages1 to    
disgrace the    highest professors of   
the nineteenth century4#aie    #aie     
,memoirs of ,life and ,religious ,labors
 of ,edward ,hicks1 p4 #ib4    ,an      
independent1 and in the main1 a judicial
 critic of ,quakers  and ,quakerism is  
,frederick ,storrs ,turner1 an          
,englishman4 ,some of  his estimates and
 observations of ,elias ,hicks1 are both
 apt and  discriminating4 ,of his       
preaching ,turner says3      ,his great 
theme was the light within2 his one aim 
to promote a    true living spiritual1  
practical ,christianity4 ,he was more   
dogmatic    and controversial than      
,woolman4 ,there seems to have been in  
him a    revival of the old aggressive  
zeal1 and something of the acerbity     
of the early ,quakers4 ',hireling       
priests' were as offensive in his       
eyes as in those of ,george ,fox4 ,he   
would have no compromise with the       

religions of the world1 and denounced   
all new-fangled methods and             
arrangements for religious work and     
worship in the will of man4 ,he    was a
 ,quaker to the backbone1 and stood out 
manfully for the 'ancient               
simplicity4'#aif    #aif ,the ,quakers2 
a study1 historical and critical1 by    
,frederick  ,storrs ,turner1 #ahhi1 p4  
#bib4    ,with still deeper insight     
,turner continues his analysis3         
,this was his dying testimony3 ',the    
cross of ,christ is the perfect    law  
of ,god1 written in the heart 444 there 
is but one ,lord1 one    faith1 and but 
one baptism4444 ,no rational being can  
be a real    ,christian and true        
disciple of ,christ until he comes to   
know all    these things verified in his
 own experience4' ,he was a good man1 a 
true ,christian1 and a ,quaker of the   
,quakers4 ,his very errors were    the  
errors of a ,quaker1 and since the      
generation of the personal    disciples 
of ,george ,fox it would be difficult to

 point out any man    who had a simpler 
and firmer faith in the central truth of
 ,quakerism    than ,elias ,hicks4#aig  
#aig ,the same1 p4 #bic4    ,regarding  
some of the bitter criticisms uttered   
against ,elias ,hicks  at the time of   
the controversy in the second decade of 
the nineteenth  century1 and repeated by
 the biographers and advocates of some  
of his  opponents1 ,turner says3        
,this concensus of condemnation by such 
excellent ,christian men would    blast 
,hicks's character effectually1 were it 
not for the remembrance    that we have 
heard these shrieks of pious horror     
before4 ,just so did    ,faldo and      
,baxter1 ,owen and ,bunyan1 unite in    
anathematizing ,george ,fox    and the  
first ,quakers4 ,turning from these     
invectives of theological    opponents  
to ,hicks's own writings1 we at once    
discover that this    arch-heretic was a
 simple1 humble-minded1 earnest ,quaker 
of the old    school4#aih    #aih ,the  
same1 p4 #bia4    ,james ,mott1 ,sr41 of

 ,mamaroneck1 ,n4 ,y41 was among the    
friendly1 although  judicial critics of 
,elias ,hicks4 ,in a letter written     
,eighth month #e1  #ahje1 to ,elias1 he 
said3 ,i am satisfied that the master   
hath conferred  on thee a precious gift 
in the ministry1 and ,i have often sat  
with  peculiar satisfaction in hearing  
thee exercise it4 ,he then continues1   
referring to a special occasion3        
,but when thou came to touch on         
predestination1 and some other          
erroneous doctrines1 ,i thought a little
 zeal was suffered to take    place1    
that led into much censoriousness1 and  
that expressed in    harsh expressions1 
not only against the doctrines1 but     
those who had    embraced them4444 ,i   
have often thought if ministers1 when   
treating on    doctrinal points1 or our 
belief1 were to hold up our principles  
fully    and clearly1 and particularly  
our fundamental principle of the light  
within1 what it was1 and how it         
operates1 there would very seldom be    

occasion for declamation against other  
tenets1 however opposite to    our own2 
nor never against those who have through
 education or some    other medium      
embraced them4    ,this would seem to be
 as good advice at the beginning of the 
twentieth  century as it was in the     
first years of the nineteenth4    ,in   
the matter of estimating ,elias ,hicks1 
,walt ,whitman indulged in  the         
following criticism1 supplementing an   
estimate of his preaching4  ,dealing    
with some opinions of the contemporaries
 of ,elias ,hicks1 he  says3      ,they 
think ,elias ,hicks had a large element 
of personal ambition1    the pride of   
leadership1 of establishing perhaps a   
sect that should    reflect his own     
name1 and to which he should give       
special form and    character4 ,very    
likely1 such indeed seems the means all 
through    progress and civilization1 by
 which strong men and strong convictions
    achieve anything definite4 ,but the 
basic foundation of ,elias was          

undoubtedly genuine religious fervor4   
,he was like an old ,hebrew    prophet4 
,he had the spirit of one1 and in his   
later years looked like    one4#aii     
#aii ,the ,complete ,works of ,walt     
,whitman1 ,vol4 #c1 p4 #bfi-bgj4    ,it 
is not worth while to deny that ,elias  
,hicks was ambitious1 and  desired to   
secure results in his labor4 ,but those 
who carefully go over  his recorded     
words will find little to warrant the   
literal conclusion  of his critics in   
this particular4 ,he probably had no    
idea at any time  of founding a sect1 or
 perpetuating his name attached to a    
fragment  of the ,society of ,friends1  
either large or small4 ,he believed that
 he  preached the truth2 he wanted men  
to embrace it1 as it met the divine     
witness in their own souls1 and not     
otherwise4    ,among the severe critics 
of ,elias ,hicks is ,william ,tallack1  
who in his  book ,thomas ,shillitoe1    
says that many of ,elias ,hicks'        
assertions  are too blasphemous for     

quotation1 while ,w4 ,hodgson1 refers to
 the  filth of the sentiments of ,elias 
,hicks4 ,but both these ,friends use    
words rather loosely4 ,both must employ 
their epithets entirely in a            
theological1 and not a moral sense4     
,having gone over a large amount of  the
 published and private utterances of the
 ,jericho preacher1 we have  failed to  
find in them even an impure suggestion4 
,the bitterness of  their attacks1      
simply illustrates the bad spirit in    
which theological  discussion is        
generally conducted4    ,the fame of    
,elias ,hicks as a liberalizing         
influence in religion seems  to have    
reached the ,orient4 ,under date1       
,calcutta1 ,june #bi1 #ahbg1 the        
celebrated ,east ,indian1 ,rammohun     
,roy1#bjj addressed an appreciative     
letter to him4 ,it was sent by a        
,philadelphian1 ,j4 ,h4 ,foster1 of the 
ship ,georgian1 and contained the       
following expressions3    #bjj ,rammohun
 ,roy was born in ,bengal in #aggb1     

being a high-class  ,brahmin4 ,he was   
highly educated1 and at one time in the 
employ of the  ,english ,government4 ,in
 comparatively early life he became a   
religious  and social reformer1 and     
incurred the enmity of his family4 ,he  
published various works in different    
languages1 including ,english4 ,in      
#ahbh he founded a liberal religious    
association which grew into the  ,brahmo
 ,somaj4 ,roy visited ,england in #ahca1
 and died there in #ahcc4      ,my      
object in intruding on your time is to  
express the gratification    ,i have    
felt in reading the sermons you preached
 at different    meetings1 and which    
have since been published by your       
friends in    ,america4444 ,every       
sentence found there seems to have      
proceeded    not only from your lips1   
but from your heart4 ,the true spirit of
    ,christian charity and belief flows 
from thee and cannot fall short of      
making some impression on every heart   
which is susceptible of it4 ,i    hope  

and pray ,god may reward you for your   
pious life and benevolent    exertion1  
and remain with the highest reverence4  
,your most humble servant1              
,,rammohun ,,roy4      ,a copy of what  
purports to be a reply to this letter is
 in existence1  and is probably genuine1
 as the language is in accordance with  
the  well-known ideas of ,elias ,hicks4 
,besides1 an undated personal letter    
contains a direct reference to the ,east
 ,indian correspondence4 ,from it  we   
quote3 ,i take my pen to commune with   
thee in this way on divers  accounts1   
and first in regard to a letter ,i have 
recently received from  ,calcutta1      
subscribed by ,rammohun ,roy1 author of 
a book entitled1 ',the  ,precepts of    
,jesus1 a ,guide to ,peace and          
,happiness4'#bja    #bja ,from letter   
written to ,william ,wharton of         
,philadelphia4    ,a request is made    
that ,william ,wharton will find out if 
the  ship-master1 ,foster1 mentioned    
above1 would convey a letter to         

,calcutta4 ,then ,elias expresses       
himself as follows3      ,i also feel a 
lively interest in whatever relates to  
the welfare and    progress of that     
enlightened and worthy ,hindoo1         
believing that if he    humbly attends  
to that hath begun a good work in him1  
and is faithful    to its manifestations
 that he will not only witness the      
blessed    effects of it1 in his own    
preservation and salvation1 but will be 
made an instrument in the divine hand of
 much good to his own people1    and    
nation1 by spreading the truth1 and     
opening the right way of    salvation   
among them1 which may no doubt prove a  
great and singular    blessing not only 
to the present1 but to succeeding       
generations4 ,and    also be a means of 
opening the blind eyes of formal        
traditional    ,christians1 who make a  
profession of godliness1 but deny the   
power    thereof1 especially those blind
 guides1 mere man-made ministers1 and   
self-styled missionaries1 sent out by   

,bible and missionary societies    of   
man's constituting1 under the pretence  
of converting those1 who    in the pride
 of their hearts they call ,heathen1 to 
,christianity1    while at the same     
time1 judging them by their fruits they 
themselves1    or most of them1 stand in
 as great1 or greater need1 of right    
conversion4    ,among the present-day   
critics of ,elias ,hicks1 is ,dr4 ,j4   
,rendell ,harris1  of ,england4 ,in his 
paper at the ,manchester ,conference in 
#ahie1 this  quotation from ,elias      
,hicks is given3 ,god never made any    
distinction  in the manifestation of his
 love to his rational creatures4 ,he has
  placed every son and daughter of ,adam
 on the same ground and in the  same    
condition that our first parents were   
in4 ,for every child must  come clean   
out of the hands of ,god4#bjb ,doctor   
,harris says ,elias  ,hicks was wrong   
not simply because he was unscriptural1 
but because  he was unscientific4#bjc   
,doctor ,harris prefaces this remark by 

the  following comment on the quotation 
from ,elias ,hicks3 ,now suppose such  a
 doctrine to be propounded in this      
conference would not the proper  answer1
 the answer of any modern thinker1 be   
7#a7 that we never had  any first       
parents2 7#b7 we were demonstrably not  
born good4#bjd ,we  do not at all assume
 that ,elias ,hicks had no limitations1 
or that he  was correct at all points in
 his thinking1 measured by the standards
  of present-day knowledge or any other 
standard4 ,but we must claim that  in   
holding that we had first parents1 he   
was scriptural4 ,the poor  man1 however1
 seems to have been1 unconsciously1 of  
course1 between  two stools4 ,the       
orthodox ,friends in the early part of  
the nineteenth  century claimed that    
,elias was unsound because he did not   
cling to  the letter of the scripture1  
and his critic just quoted claims that  
he was unscientific although he used a  
scriptural term4 ,doctor ,harris  then  
concludes that a little knowledge of    

evolution would have saved  him 7,hicks7
 all that false doctrine4 ,but how1 in  
his time1 could he  have had any        
knowledge of evolution8 ,a man can      
hardly be criticised  for not possessing
 knowledge absolutely unavailable in his
 day and  generation4 ,we are then      
informed that the world at any given    
instant1  shows almost every stage of   
evolution of life1 from the amoeba to   
the  man1 and from the cannibal to the  
saint4 ,shall we say that the love of   
,god is equally manifested in all       
these8#bje ,to use the ,yankee answer   
by asking another question1 may we      
inquire1 in all seriousness1 who is     
qualified to say with certainty that it 
is not so manifested8 ,who has  the     
authority1 in the language of ,whittier1
 to      444 fix with metes and bounds  
,the love and power of ,god8    #bjb    
,report of the ,proceedings of the      
,conference of ,members of  the ,society
 of ,friends1 held by ,direction of the 
,yearly ,meeting in  ,manchester1 #ahie1

 p4 #bbj4    #bjc ,the same1 p4 #bbj4   
#bjd ,we do not hesitate to say that had
 ,elias ,hicks made this  statement he  
would have suffered more at the hands of
 the ,philadelphia  ,elders in #ahbb    
than is recorded in this book4    #bje  
,report ,manchester ,conference1 pp4    
#bbj-bba4    ,elias ,hicks was given to 
using figures of speech and scriptural  
illustrations in a broad sense1 and     
those who carefully read his  utterances
 will have no trouble in seeing in the  
quotation used  by ,doctor ,harris      
simply an attempt to repudiate the      
attribute of  favoritism on the part of 
the ,heavenly ,father toward any of his 
human  children1 and not to formulate a 
new philosophy of life1 based on a      
theory of the universe about which he   
had never heard4    ,the special labor  
of ,elias ,hicks1 as we may now         
dispassionately review  it1 was not as  
an expounder of doctrine1 or the creator
 of a new  dogmatism1 but as a          
rationalizing1 liberalizing influence in

 the field  of religion4 ,he was a      
pioneer of the modern thinkers of whom  
,doctor  ,harris speaks1 and did much1  
amid misunderstanding and the traducing 
of men1 to prepare the way for the      
broader intellectual and spiritual      
liberty we now enjoy4          ,,chapter
 ,,xxiv4    ,recollections1             
,reminiscences and ,testimonies4        
,many statements which have come down to
 us from the generation in which  ,elias
 ,hicks lived1 warrant the conclusion   
that he was a natural orator4  ,he      
possessed in a large degree what the    
late ,bishop ,simpson1 of the           
,methodist ,episcopal ,church1 called   
heart power4 ,we are able to give  the  
personal impression of a venerable      
,friend#bjf now living1 who as a  boy of
 eleven heard ,elias preach twice4      
#bjf ,dr4 ,jesse ,c4 ,green1 of ,west   
,chester1 ,pa41 now in his #ic;d year4  
,doctor ,green almost retains the       
sprightliness of youth4    ,one of the  
sermons was delivered at ,center1 ,del41

 on the #hth of ,twelfth  month1 #ahbh1 
and the other the day before at ,west   
,chester4 ,this was on  his last long   
religious visit1 which took him to the  
then far west1  ,ohio and ,indiana4     
,doctor ,green says that the manner of  
,elias ,hicks when speaking was very    
impressive4 ,in person he is described  
by this ,friend as above medium  height1
 rather slim1 and with a carriage that  
would attract universal  attention4 ,he 
wore very plain clothes of a drab color4
    ,with no education in logic1 and no 
disposition to indulge in forensic      
debate1 he was1 nevertheless a logician1
 and had he indulged in public          
disputation1 would have made it         
interesting if not uncomfortable for    
his adversary4    ,if he occasionally   
became involved1 or got into verbal deep
 water1 he  always extricated himself1  
and made his position clear to his      
hearers4  ,doctor ,green tells us that  
he had an uncle1 not a member of        
meeting1  but a good judge of public    

speaking1 who considered ,elias ,hicks  
the  most logical preacher in the       
,society of ,friends4 ,on one occasion  
he  heard ,elias when he became very    
much involved in his speaking1 and as   
this person put it1 he thought ,elias   
had wound himself up1 but in a  few     
minutes he came down from his verbal    
flight1 and made every point  so clear  
that he was understood by every         
listener4    ,henry ,byran ,binns1      
,whitman's ,english biographer1 gives   
the following  estimate of the preaching
 of ,elias ,hicks3      ,with grave     
emphasis he pronounced his text3 ',what 
is the chief end    of man8' and with   
fiery and eloquent eyes1 in a strong1   
vibrating1    and still musical voice1  
he commenced to deliver his             
soul-awakening    message4 ,the fire of 
his fervor kindled as he spoke of the   
purpose of    human life2 his broad-brim
 was dashed from his forehead on to one 
of    the seats behind him4 ,with the   
power of intense conviction his whole   

presence became an overwhelming         
persuasion1 melting those who sat       
before him into tears and into one heart
 of wonder and humility under    his    
high and simple words4#bjg    #bjg ,a   
,life of ,walt ,whitman1 ,henry ,byran  
,binns1 p4 #af4    ,we have another     
living witness who remembers ,elias     
,hicks4 ,this ,friend  says that she1   
with the members of her family1 were    
constant attenders  of the ,jericho     
meeting4 ,speaking of ,elias she        
remarks3 ,his commanding  figure in the 
gallery is a bright picture ,i often see
 in my mind4 ,his  person was tall1     
straight and firm2 his manner dignified 
and noble  and agreeable2 his voice     
clear1 distinct and                     
penetrating--altogether  grand4#bjh     
#bjh ,extract of letter from ,mary      
,willis1 of ,rochester1 ,n4 ,y41 dated  
,ninth month #g1 #aiaj4 ,this ,friend is
 #ib years old4 ,the letter received    
was entirely written by her1 and is a   
model of legible penmanship and  clear  

statement4    ,we quote the following   
interesting incidents from the letter of
 ,mary  ,willis3      ,one other bit ,i 
recall was a talk1 or sermon1 to the    
young    especially4 ,he related that   
once he threw a stone and killed a bird1
    and was struck with consternation   
and regret at killing an innocent       
bird that might be a parent1 and its    
young perish for the need of    care4   
,he appealed feelingly to the boys to   
refrain from giving    needless pain4   
,he was guardian to my mother1 sisters  
and brother1 and they and    their      
mother returned his loving care with    
warm affection1 always1 as    did my    
father4      ,one of his characteristics
 was his kindness to the poor4 ,not far 
from his home 7three miles1 perhaps7 was
 a small colony of colored    people on 
poor land1 who shared his bounty in     
cold1 wintry weather1    in his wagon   
loads of vegetables and wood1 delivered 
by his own hand4    ,probably one of the
 most appreciative1 and in the main     

discriminative  estimates of ,elias     
,hicks1 was made by ,walt ,whitman4 ,the
 notes 7such  as they are7 founded on   
,elias ,hicks1 for such the author      
called them1  were written in ,camden1  
,n4 ,j41 in the summer of #ahhh4 ,elias 
,hicks had  been dead nearly half a     
century4 ,whitman's impressions of the  
famous  preacher were based on the      
memory of a boy ten years old1 for that 
was ,whitman's age when he heard ,elias 
,hicks preach in ,brooklyn4 ,but        
personal memory was supplemented by the 
statements of his parents1  especially  
his mother1 as the preaching of their   
old ,long ,island  neighbor was         
undoubtedly a subject of frequent       
conversation in the  ,whitman home4     
,as to the manner of the preacher       
,whitman says3 ,while he goes on he     
falls into the nasality and sing-song   
tone sometimes heard in such  meetings2 
but in a moment or two1 more as if      
recollecting himself1 he  breaks off1   
stops1 and resumes in a natural tone4   

,this occurs three or  four times during
 the talk of the evening1 till he       
concludes4#bji    #bji ,the ,complete   
,works of ,walt ,whitman1 ,vol4 #c1 p4  
#bei4    ,the unnamable something behind
 oratory1 ,whitman says ,elias ,hicks   
had1  and it emanated from his very     
heart to the heart of his audience1  or 
carried with him1 or probed into1 and   
shook or aroused in them a  sympathetic 
germ4#baj    #baj ,the same1 p4 #bfd4   
,there are a good many anecdotes        
regarding ,elias ,hicks current in      
,jericho1 going to show some of his     
characteristics4 ,it is stated that  at 
one time he found that corn was being   
taken1 evidently through the  slats of  
the crib4 ,one night he set a trap in   
the suspected place4  ,going to the barn
 in the morning he saw a man standing   
near where the  trap was set4 ,elias    
passed on without seeming to notice the 
visitor4 ,on  returning to the house he 
stopped1 spoke to the man1 and released 
him  from the trap4 ,elias would never  

tell who the man was4    ,illustrating  
his feeling regarding slavery1 and his  
testimony against  slave labor1 the     
following statement is made3 ,before his
 death1 and  following the fatal        
paralytic stroke1 he noticed that the   
quilt with  which he was covered        
contained cotton4 ,he had lost the power
 of speech1  but he pushed the covering 
off1 thus indicating his displeasure at 
the  presence of an article of comfort  
which was the product of slave labor4   
,there is an anecdote which illustrates 
the spirit of the man in a  striking    
way4 ,he is said to have had a neighbor 
with whom it did not  seem possible to  
maintain cordial relations4 ,one day    
,elias saw this  neighbor with a big    
load of hay stalled in a marsh in one of
 his  fields4 ,without a word of        
recognition ,elias approached the man in
 the  slough and hitching his own ox    
team to the load in front of the other  
team proceeded to pull the load out of  
the slough4 ,it was all done in         

characteristic ,quaker silence4 ,the    
result was the establishment of  cordial
 relations between the two neighbors4   
,in bestowing his benefactions1 he was  
exceedingly sensitive1 not  wishing to  
be known in the matter1 and especially  
not desiring to  receive ordinary       
expressions of gratitude4 ,his habitual 
custom was  to take his load of wood or 
provisions1 as the case might be1 leave 
them at the door or in the yard of the  
family in need1 and without             
announcement or comment silently steal  
away4    ,during the ,revolutionary     
,war1 ,elias ,hicks1 in common with     
other  ,friends1 had property seized in 
lieu of military service or taxes4 ,the 
value does not seem to have been great  
in any of the cases which were  reported
 to the monthly meeting4 ,we copy the   
following cases from the  records3      
,on the #bhth of ,eighth month1 #aggg1  
came ,justice ,maloon1 ,robert          
,wilson1 ,daniel ,wilson1 and ,daniel   
,weeks1 sergeant under the above        

,captain 7,youngs7 and took from me a   
pair of silver buckles1 worth    #ah    
shillings2 two pair of stockings worth  
#ae shillings2 and two    handkerchiefs 
worth #e shillings1 for my not going at 
the time of an    alarm4--,elias ,hicks1
 ,jericho1 #bdth of ,ninth month1       
#aggg4baa    #baa ,westbury ,monthly    
,meeting3 ,a ,record of ,marriages1     
,deaths1  ,sufferings1 etc41 p4 #bca4   
,the silver buckles were either for the 
shoes or the knees4 ,they were          
evidently more ornamental than useful1  
and how they comported with the  owner's
 rather severe ideas of plainness is not
 for us to explain4  ,the price put on  
these stockings may surprise some       
twentieth century  reader1 but it should
 be remembered that they were long to   
reach to the  knees1 and went with short
 breeches called in the vernacular of   
the  time1 small clothes4      ,the #c;d
 of ,twelfth month1 #aggg1 there came to
 my house ,george ,weeks1    sergeant   
under said ,captain 7,thorne7 with a    

warrant1 and demanded    twelve         
shillings of me toward paying some men  
held to repair the    forts near the    
west end of the island1 and upon my     
refusing to pay1    took from me a great
 coat1 worth one pound and six          
shillings4--,elias    ,hicks4#bab       
#bab ,the same1 p4 #bcd4    ,we continue
 the sufferings1 only remarking that the
 great coat was  an overcoat1 the price 
at the equivalent of about six dollars  
and a  half was not overdrawn4      ,the
 ,sixth month1 #aggh1 taken from ,elias 
,hicks by order of ,captain    ,daniel  
,youngs1 for refusing to pay toward     
hiring of men to work on                
fortifications near ,brooklyn ,ferry1 a 
pair of stockings worth #e    shillings2
 razor case and two razors1 worth #d    
shillings4#bac    #bac ,the same1 p4    
#bdb4    ,the next record of suffering  
is more than ordinarily interesting in  
that it shows that the seizures of      
property were very arbitrary1 and it    
also gives the price of wheat on ,long  

,island at that time4 ,we quote3        
,about the middle of ,tenth month1      
#aggi1 came ,george ,weeks1 by order    
of ,captain ,daniel ,youngs1 and ,i     
being from home demanded from my wife   
three pounds1 for not assisting to build
 a fort at ,brooklyn ,ferry1    for     
which he took two bags with three       
bushels of wheat1 worth one    pound1   
ten shillings4#bad    #bad ,the same1 p4
 #bed4    ,at this rate the market price
 of wheat was #b4ej per bushel4         
,possibly  this was during the period of
 scarcity1 referred to in the           
introduction4    ,in #agid ,elias ,hicks
 was influential in establishing in     
,jericho an  organization1 the scope of 
which was described in its preamble as  
follows3 ,we1 the subscribers1 do hereby
 associate and unite into a  ,society of
 ,charity for the relief of poor among  
the black people1 more  especially for  
the education of their children4#bae    
#bae ,this organization has been in     
continuous existence since its          

inception4 ,meets regularly every year1 
and distributes the proceeds of  an     
invested fund in accordance with its    
original purpose4    ,this society was  
almost revolutionary at the time of its 
inception1  showing how far-seeing its  
projectors were4 ,its constitution      
declared  that the society was rendered 
necessary because of the injustice and  
lack of opportunity which the colored   
people suffered4 ,the hope was          
expressed that the time would come when 
the black people would cease  to be a   
submerged and oppressed race4 ,it was   
provided that in case the  original need
 for the society should disappear1 its  
benefits might be  distributed in any   
helpful way4 ,it may be interesting to  
note that at  the meetings of the       
society the scarcity of colored children
 attending  the school was mentioned    
with regret4 ,so far as we know1 the    
,jericho  society was the first         
organized ,friendly effort in negro     
education4  ,elias ,hicks contributed   

#ej to the invested funds of the        
organization4          ,,chapter ,,xxv4 
,putting ,off the ,harness4      ,during
 the series of visits1 reported in the  
twenty-second chapter1  ,elias was ill a
 number of times1 and was forced to rest
 from his  labors4 ,on the return trip  
from central and western ,new ,york1 he 
visited for the last time the ,hudson   
,valley meetings which he attended  on  
his first religious journey in #aggi4   
,he arrived in ,new ,york the #hth of   
,eleventh month1 attending the  mid-week
 meeting at ,hester ,street that day4   
,on ,first-day1 the #aeth1  he attended 
the ,rose ,street meeting in the morning
 and ,hester ,street  in the afternoon4 
,second-day evening1 the #afth1 a       
largely attended  appointed meeting was 
held in ,brooklyn4 ,he then proceeded   
toward  ,jericho1 arriving home on      
,fourth-day1 the #ahth of ,eleventh     
month1 #ahbi4    ,the ,journal is       
singularly silent regarding this        
,brooklyn meeting4  ,henry ,byran       

,binns1 on what he considers good       
authority1 says1 ,elias  ,hicks preached
 in the ball-room of ,morrison's ,hotel 
on ,brooklyn  ,heights4 ,to this        
statement he has added this bit of      
realistic  description3      ,the scene 
was one he 7,whitman7 never forgot4 ,the
 finely fitted    and fashionable place 
of dancing1 the officers and gay ladies 
in    that mixed and crowded assembly1  
the lights1 the colors and all the      
associations1 both of the faces and of  
the place1 presenting so    singular    
contrast with the plain ancient ,friends
 seated upon the    platform1 their     
broad-brims on their heads1 their eyes  
closed2 with    silence1 long continued 
and becoming oppressive2 and most of    
all1    with the tall1 prophetic figure 
that rose at length to break it4#baf    
#baf ,a ,life of ,walt ,whitman1 p4 #af4
    ,whitman's own reference to this    
meeting is still more striking4 ,he says
  that he1 a boy of ten1 was allowed to 
go to the ,hicks meeting because  he had

 been behaving well that day4 ,the      
principal dignitaries of the  town      
attended this meeting1 while uniformed  
officers from the ,united  ,states ,navy
 ,yard graced the gathering with their  
presence4 ,the text  was1 ,what is the  
chief end of man8 ,whitman says3 ,i     
cannot follow the  discourse1 it        
presently becomes very fervid and in the
 midst of its  fervor1 he takes the     
broad-brim hat from his head and almost 
dashing  it down with violence on the   
seat behind1 continues with             
uninterrupted  earnestness4 ,though the 
differences and disputes of the formal  
division  of the ,society of ,friends   
were even then under way1 he did not    
allude  to them at all4 ,a pleading1    
tender1 nearly agonizing conviction and 
magnetic stream of natural eloquence1   
before which all minds and  natures1 all
 emotions1 high or low1 gentle or       
simple1 yielded entirely  without       
exception1 was its cause1 method and    
effect4 ,many1 very many1  were in      

tears4#bag    #bag ,the ,complete       
,writings of ,walt ,whitman4 ,issued    
under the  editorial supervision of his 
,literary ,executors1 #aijb1 ,vol4 #c1  
p4 #beh4    ,with the account of this   
journey of #ahbi his narrative in the   
,journal  closed4 ,this paragraph formed
 a fitting benediction3      ,the       
foregoing meetings were times of favor1 
and as a seal from the    hand of our   
gracious and never-failing helper1 to   
the labor and    travail which he has   
led me into1 and enabled me to perform1 
for the    promotion of this great and  
noble cause of truth and righteousness  
in    the earth1 as set forth in the    
foregoing account1 and not suffering    
any weapon formed against me to prosper4
 ',this is the heritage of    the       
servants of the ,lord1 and their        
righteousness is of me1 saith    the    
,lord4' ,for all these unmerited favors 
and mercies1 in deep    humiliation my  
soul doth magnify the ,lord1 and return 
thanksgiving    and glory to his great  

and excellent name2 for his mercy       
endureth    forever4#bah    #bah        
,journal1 p4 #dch4    ,it should be     
remembered that ,elias ,hicks was then  
past his eighty-first  year4 ,he started
 on this last long religious visit1     
,sixth month #bdth1  and was therefore  
absent from home one week less than five
 months4  ,he says himself1 in the last 
sentence of the ,journal3 ,we traveled  
in this journey nearly fifteen hundred  
miles4 ,these are words as  impressive  
as they are simple4    ,during this trip
 many families were visited from the    
,valley of the  ,genesee to the ,city of
 ,new ,york1 where he tarried several   
days that he  might see his friends in  
their homes4 ,whatever may have been    
their mind  in the case1 he doubtless   
felt that they would look upon his face 
no  more4    ,but ,elias ,hicks was not 
yet free from his religious concerns1   
for on  ,first month #ba1 #ahcj1 he     
asked for a minute1 which was granted by
  ,jericho ,monthly ,meeting1 and is as 

follows3      ,our beloved ,friend1     
,elias ,hicks1 presented a concern to   
make    a religious visit to the        
families of ,friends and some ,friendly 
people 7as way may open71 within the    
compass of this and ,westbury           
,monthly ,meeting1 which claimed the    
solid attention of this meeting1    was 
united with1 and he left at liberty to  
pursue his prospect    accordingly4     
,this is the last minute ever asked for 
by ,elias ,hicks4 ,but evidently  the   
visits contemplated were never          
undertaken1 for about that time he  had 
a slight attack of paralysis1 which     
affected his right side and  arm4 ,still
 the next day he attended a meeting at  
,bethpage1 and a little  later quarterly
 and monthly meetings in ,new ,york4 ,in
 both he performed  ministerial service 
with his usual power and clearness4     
,from a little  brochure printed in     
#ahbi1 we quote3      ,in the ,monthly  
,meeting1 he took a review of his labors
 in the city    for many years2 and then

 expressed a belief that his religious  
services were brought nearly to a close4
      ,after adverting to the great     
deviations that had taken place in the  
,society1 from that plainness and       
simplicity into which our principles    
would lead us1 he added1 'but if ,i     
should live two or three years          
longer1 what a comfort it would be to me
 to see a reformation in    these       
respects4' ,he then spoke in            
commemoration of the goodness of    his 
,heavenly ,father1 and closed with these
 memorable words3 ',as    certainly as  
we are engaged to glorify him in all our
 works1 he will    as certainly glorify 
us4'#bai    #bai ,life1 ,ministry1 ,last
 ,sickness and ,death of ,elias ,hicks1 
,philadelphia1 ,j4 ,richards1 printer1  
#acj ,north ,third ,street4    ,but the 
time of putting off the harness was near
 at hand4 ,on the #adth  of ,second     
month1 #ahcj1 he suffered a severe      
attack of paralysis which  involved the 
entire right side1 and deprived him of  

the use of his  voice4 ,when attacked he
 was alone in his room1 but succeeded in
 getting  to his family in an adjoining 
apartment4 ,he declined all medical aid4
  ,in a condition of helplessness he    
lingered until ,seventh-day the #bgth1  
when he quietly passed away4 ,although  
he could only communicate by  signs1    
consciousness remained until near the   
end4    ,the funeral was held in the    
meeting house at ,jericho1 on           
,fourth-day1  ,third month #c;d4        
,without a storm raged in strange       
contrast to the  peace and quiet within4
 ,a large company braved the elements1  
to  pay their respects to his worth1 as 
a man and a minister1 while a  number of
 visiting ministering ,friends had      
sympathetic service at the  funeral1    
after which the burial took place in the
 ground adjoining the  meeting-house1   
where he had long worshipped and        
ministered4    ,the last act performed  
by ,elias ,hicks before the fatal stroke
 came1 was  to write a letter to his    

friend ,hugh ,judge1#bbj of             
,barnesville1 ,ohio4  ,between the two  
men a singular sympathy had long        
existed1 and to ,hugh1  ,elias          
unburdened his spirit in this last word 
to the world4 ,in fact the  letter fell 
from the hand of the writer1 after the  
shock4 ,it was all  complete with       
signature and postscript4    #bbj ,hugh 
,judge was born about #agej of ,catholic
 parents4 ,joined  ,friends in his young
 manhood in ,philadelphia4 ,removed to  
,ohio in #ahae4  ,died ,twelfth month   
#ba1 #ahcd4 ,he died while on a         
religious visit to  ,friends in         
,philadelphia ,yearly ,meeting4 ,was    
buried at ,kennett ,square4  ,he was a  
recorded minister for many years4       
,this letter really summarizes the      
doctrine1 and states the practical      
religion which inspired the ministry and
 determined the life and  conduct of    
this worthy ,friend4 ,it may be well1   
with its suggestive  postscript1 to     
close this record of the life and labors

 of ,elias ,hicks3                      
,jericho1 ,second month #adth1 #ahcj4   
,dear ,hugh3 ,thy very acceptable letter
 of the #bast ultimo was    duly        
received1 and read with interest1       
tending to excite renewed    sympathetic
 and mutual fellow-feeling2 and brought 
to my remembrance    the cheering       
salutation of the blessed ,jesus1 our   
holy and perfect    pattern and example1
 to his disciples1 viz3 ',be of good    
cheer1 ,i have    overcome the world4'  
,by which he assured his disciples1     
that1 by    walking in the same pathway 
of self-denial and the cross1 which he  
trod to blessedness1 they might also    
overcome the world2 as nothing    has   
ever enabled any rational being1 in any 
age of the world1 to    overcome the    
spirit of the world1 which lieth in     
wickedness1 but the    cross of ,christ4
      ,some may query1 what is the cross
 of ,christ8 ,to these ,i answer1 it    
is the perfect law of ,god1 written on  
the tablet of the heart1 and in    the  

heart of every rational creature1 in    
such indelible characters    that all   
the power of mortals cannot erase nor   
obliterate4 ,neither is    there any    
power or means given or dispensed to the
 children of men1    but this inward law
 and light1 by which the true and saving
 knowledge    of ,god can be obtained4  
,and by this inward law and light1 all  
will    be either justified or          
condemned1 and all be made to know ,god 
for    themselves1 and be left without  
excuse2 agreeably to the prophecy    of 
,jeremiah1 and the corroborating        
testimony of ,jesus in his last         
counsel and command to his disciples1   
not to depart from ,jerusalem    until  
they should receive power from on high2 
assuring them that they    should       
receive power when they had received the
 pouring forth of the    spirit upon    
them1 which would qualify them to bear  
witness to him in    ,judea1 ,jerusalem1
 ,samaria1 and to the uttermost parts of
 the earth2    which was verified in a  

marvellous manner on the day of         
,pentecost1    when thousands were      
converted to the ,christian faith in one
 day4 ,by    which it is evident that   
nothing but this inward light and law1  
as    it is heeded and obeyed1 ever did1
 or ever can make a true and real       
,christian and child of ,god4 ,and until
 the professors of ,christianity        
agree to lay aside all their            
non-essentials in religion1 and rally   
to this unchangeable foundation and     
standard of truth1 wars and             
fightings1 confusion and error will     
prevail1 and the angelic song    cannot 
be heard in our land1 that of 'glory to 
,god in the highest1    and on earth    
peace and good will to men4' ,but when  
all nations are    made willing to make 
this inward law and light the rule and  
standard    of all their faith and      
works1 then we shall be brought to know 
and    believe alike1 that there is but 
one ,lord1 one faith1 and but one       
baptism2 one ,god and ,father1 that is  

above all1 through all1 and    in all2  
and then will all those glorious and    
consoling prophecies1    recorded in the
 scriptures of truth1 be fulfilled4     
,isaiah #b3d4 ',he1'    the ,lord1      
'shall judge among the nations1 and     
rebuke many people2 and    they shall   
beat their swords into plough-shares1   
and their spears    into pruning-hooks2 
nation shall not lift up sword against  
nation2    neither shall they learn war 
any more4' ,isaiah #aa4 ',the wolf also 
shall dwell with the lamb1 and the      
leopard shall lie down with the    kid2 
and the calf1 and the young lion1 and   
the fatling together2    and a little   
child shall lead them4 ,and the cow and 
the bear shall    feed2 their young ones
 shall lie down together2 and the lion  
shall    eat straw like the ox4 ,and the
 sucking child shall play on the hole   
of the asp1 and the weaned child put his
 hand on the cockatrice's    den4 ,they 
shall not hurt nor destroy in all my    
holy mountain2 for    the earth1' that  

is our earthly tabernacles1 'shall be   
full of the    knowledge of the ,lord1  
as the waters cover the sea4'           
,these scripture testimonies give a true
 and correct description    of the      
gospel state1 and no rational being can 
be a real ,christian    and true        
disciple of ,christ until he comes to   
know all these things    verified in his
 own experience1 as every man and woman 
has more or    less of all those        
different animal propensities and       
passions in their    nature2 and they   
predominate and bear rule1 and are the  
source and    fountain from whence all  
wars1 and every evil work1 proceed1 and 
will continue as long as man remains in 
his first nature1 and is    governed by 
his animal spirit and propensities1     
which constitute the    natural man1    
which ,paul tells us1 'receiveth not the
 things of the    spirit of ,god1 for   
they are foolishness unto him1 neither  
can he know    them1 because they are   
spiritually discerned4' ,this           

corroborates the    declaration of      
,jesus to ,nicodemus1 that 'except a man
 be born again    he cannot see the     
kingdom of ,god2' for 'that which is    
born of the    flesh is flesh1 and that 
which is born of the spirit is spirit4' 
,here ,jesus assures us1 beyond all     
doubt1 that nothing but spirit    can   
either see or enter into the kingdom of 
,god2 and this confirms    ,paul's      
doctrine1 that 'as many as are led by   
the spirit of ,god are    the sons of   
,god1 and joint heirs with ,christ4'    
,and ,jesus assures us1    by his       
declaration to his disciples1 ,john     
#ad3af-ag2 'if ye love me    keep my    
commandments2 and ,i will pray the      
,father and he shall give    you another
 comforter1 that he may abide with you  
forever1 even the    spirit of truth1   
whom the world cannot receive2' that is1
 men and    women in their natural      
state1 who have not given up to be led  
by    this spirit of truth1 that leads  
and guides into all truth2 'because     

they see him not1 neither do they know  
him1 but ye know him1 for he    dwelleth
 with you1 and shall be in you4' ,and as
 these give up to be    wholly led and  
guided by him1 the new birth is brought 
forth in them1    and they witness the  
truth of another testimony of ,paul's1  
even that    of being 'created anew in  
,christ ,jesus unto good works1' which  
,god    had foreordained that all his   
new-born children should walk in them1  
and thereby show forth1 by their fruits 
and good works1 that they    were truly 
the children of ,god1 born of his       
spirit1 and taught of    him2 agreeably 
to the testimony of the prophet1 that   
'the children of    the ,lord are all   
taught of the ,lord1 and in             
righteousness they are    established1  
and great is the peace of his children4'
 ,and nothing can    make them afraid   
that man can do unto them2 as saith the 
prophet in    his appeal to ,jehovah3   
',thou wilt keep him in perfect peace1  
whose    mind is stayed on thee1 because

 he trusteth in thee4' ,therefore let   
every one that loves the truth1 for ,god
 is truth1 'trust in the ,lord          
forever1 for in the ,lord ,jehovah there
 is everlasting strength4'      ,i write
 these things to thee1 not as though    
thou didst not know    them1 but as a   
witness to thy experience1 as 'two are  
better than    one1 and a threefold cord
 is not quickly broken4'      ,i will   
now draw to a close1 with just adding1  
for thy    encouragement1 be of good    
cheer1 for no new thing has happened to 
us2 for it has ever been the lot of the 
righteous to pass through    many trials
 and tribulations in their passage to   
that glorious1    everlasting peace and 
happy abode1 where all sorrow and       
sighing come    to an end2 the value of 
which is above all price1 for when we   
have    given all that we have1 and can 
give1 and suffered all that we can      
suffer1 it is still infinitely below its
 real value4 ,and if we are    favored  
to gain an inheritance in that blissful 

and peaceful abode1    'where the wicked
 cease from troubling1 and the weary are
 at rest1'    we must ascribe it all to 
the unmerited mercy and loving kindness 
of    our ,heavenly ,father1 who remains
 to be ,god over all1 blessed forever6  
,i will now conclude1 and in the fulness
 of brotherly love to thee    and thine1
 in which my family unite1 subscribe thy
 affectionate    friend1                
,,elias ,,hicks4      ,to ,hugh ,judge3 
,please present my love to all my       
friends as way opens4                   
,,appendix4      ,a    ,,descendants    
,,of ,,elias ,,hicks4    ,the only      
lineal descendants of ,elias ,hicks are 
through his daughters1  ,abigail and    
,sarah4 ,abigail's husband1 ,valentine1 
was her cousin1 and  ,sarah's husband1  
,robert ,seaman1 was a relative on the  
mother's side4      ,descendants of     
,valentine and ,abigail ,hicks4         
,,children ,,of ,,the ,,above4          
,,grandchildren ,,of ,,elias            
,,hicks4--,caroline1 married ,dr4       

,william ,seaman2  ,phebe1 married      
,adonijah ,underhill 7no children72     
,elias ,hicks1 married  ,sarah ,hicks2  
,mary 7unmarried74                      
,,great-,,grandchildren ,,of ,,elias    
,,hicks4    ,,children ,,of ,,dr4       
,,william ,,seaman ,,and ,,caroline     
,,hicks4--,valentine ,hicks  ,seaman1   
married ,rebecca ,cromwell2 ,sarah      
,seaman1 married ,henry ,b4  ,cromwell2 
,samuel ,hicks ,seaman1 married ,hannah 
,husband4    ,,children ,,of ,,elias    
,,hicks ,,and ,,sarah ,,hicks4--,mary1  
married ,peter ,b4  ,franklin2 ,elias   
,hicks 7unmarried71 deceased2 ,caroline 
7unmarried71  deceased4                 
,,great-,,great-,,grandchildren ,,of    
,,elias ,,hicks4    ,,children ,,of     
,,valentine ,h4 ,,and ,,rebecca ,c4     
,,seaman4--,william1 married  ,addie ,w4
 ,lobdell2 ,caroline 7infant72#bba      
,henry ,b41#bbb married ,grace  ,dutton2
 ,edwin ,h4 7infant72 ,howard           
7unmarried71 deceased2 ,valentine ,h4   
7unmarried72 ,emily ,c4 7unmarried72    

,frederic ,c41 married ,ethel ,lobdell4 
#bba ,note--,those marked 7infant7 died 
in infancy4 ,those without  notation are
 under age and living4    #bbb ,henry   
,b4 ,seaman is a graduate of ,swarthmore
 ,college1 class  of #ahha1 and received
 degree of ,c4 ,e4 in #ahhd4 ,was for   
three years  ,chief ,engineer of the    
,public ,service ,commission of ,greater
 ,new ,york4  ,he resigned this position
 ,tenth month #a1 #aiaj1 because he     
could  not approve estimates desired by 
the authorities4 ,since then these      
estimates have been held up as          
excessive4    ,,children ,,of ,,henry   
,b4 ,,and ,,sarah ,,seaman              
,,cromwell4--,george#bbc  7unmarried72  
,henry ,b4 7unmarried71 deceased4       
#bbc ,when ,greater ,new ,york was      
incorporated ,george ,cromwell was      
elected ,president of the ,borough of   
,richmond4 ,although this borough  is   
normally ,democratic in its politics1   
,george ,cromwell has been  re-elected1 
and is the only president the borough   

has ever had4 ,he and  ,henry ,b4       
,seaman are double first cousins4       
,,children ,,of ,,samuel ,h4 ,,and      
,,hannah ,h4 ,,seaman4--,joseph ,h4     
7unmarried72  ,caroline ,hicks1 married 
,william ,a4 ,read2 ,mary ,t4           
7unmarried72 ,franklin  7unmarried71    
deceased2 ,sarah1 married ,lloyd        
,saltus4    ,,children ,,of ,,peter ,b4 
,,and ,,mary ,,hicks ,,franklin4--,anne 
,m41 married ,walter  ,a4 ,campbell4    
,,great-,,great-,,great-,,grandchildren 
,,of ,,elias ,,hicks4    ,,children ,,of
 ,,william ,,and ,,addie                
,,seaman4--,howard ,l4 7unmarried72     
,jessie ,m4  7unmarried74    ,,children 
,,of ,,henry ,b4 ,,and ,,grace ,d4      
,,seaman4--,ayres ,c42 ,henry ,bowman4  
,,children ,,of ,,frederic ,c4 ,,and    
,,ethel ,l4 ,,seaman4--,esther4444      
,,children ,,of ,,william ,a4 ,,and     
,,caroline ,,seaman ,,read4--,william   
,augustus2  ,curtis ,seaman2 ,duncan    
,hicks2 ,r4 ,bartow2 ,caroline ,hicks2  
,bancroft  7infant72 ,bayard ,w42 ,mary 

,elizabeth2 ,kenneth ,b4 7infant74      
,,children ,,of ,,lloyd ,,and ,,sarah   
,,seaman ,,saltus4--,mary ,seaman2      
,ethel ,s42  ,seymour2 ,lloyd4          
,,children ,,of ,,walter ,,allison ,,and
 ,,anne ,m4 ,,franklin                  
,,campbell4--,franklin  ,allison2 ,mary 
,elizabeth4      ,descendants of ,robert
 ,seaman and ,sarah1 ,daughter of ,elias
 ,hicks4    ,,children ,,of ,,the       
,,above4    ,,grandchildren ,,of ,,elias
 ,,hicks4--,phebe 7died72 ,hannah1      
married ,matthew  ,f4 ,robbins2 ,willet 
7died72 ,elizabeth1 married ,edward     
,willis2 ,elias ,h41  married ,phebe    
,underhill2 ,willet ,h41 married ,mary  
,wing2 ,mary ,h41 married  ,isaac       
,willis4    ,,great-,,grandchildren ,,of
 ,,elias ,,hicks4    ,,children ,,of    
,,hannah ,,and ,,matthew ,f4            
,,robbins4--,caroline1 married ,sidney  
,w4  ,jackson2 ,walter1 married ,sarah  
,e4 ,hubbs4    ,,children ,,of          
,,elizabeth ,,and ,,edward              
,,willis4--,sarah ,r42 ,mary ,s4 7died72

  ,caroline ,h4 7died72 ,henrietta1     
married ,stephen ,j4 ,underhill4        
,,children ,,of ,,elias ,h4 ,,and       
,,phebe ,,seaman4--,mary 7died72 ,samuel
 ,j41 married  ,matilda ,w4 ,willets2   
,sarah 7died72 ,anna2 ,robert1 married  
,hannah ,w4  ,willets2 ,william ,h41    
married ,margaret ,j4 ,laurie2 ,james   
,h41 married 7#a7  ,bessie ,bridges2    
7#b7 ,florence ,haviland4    ,,children 
,,of ,,willet ,h4 ,,and ,,mary          
,,seaman4--,edward ,w42 ,willet ,h42    
,frank ,w4    ,,children ,,of ,,mary ,h4
 ,,and ,,isaac ,,willis4--,henry1       
married ,june ,barnes2  ,robert ,s4     
,,great-,,great-,,grandchildren ,,of    
,,elias ,,hicks4    ,,son ,,of          
,,caroline ,,and ,,sidney ,w4           
,,jackson4--,m4 ,franklin1 married      
,annie ,t4  ,jackson4    ,,children ,,of
 ,,walter ,,and ,,sarah ,e4             
,,jackson4--,caroline ,j41 married      
,william  ,g4 ,underhill2 ,annie ,h41   
married ,thomas ,rushmore2 ,cora ,a41   
married ,john  ,marshall4    ,,children 

,,of ,,henrietta ,,and ,,stephen ,j4    
,,underhill4--,edward ,w41 married      
,emeline ,kissam2 ,hannah ,w42 ,henry   
,t41 married ,dorothy ,vernon2 ,arthur4 
,,children ,,of ,,samuel ,j4 ,,and      
,,matilda ,w4 ,,seaman4--,mary ,w41     
married ,leon ,a4  ,rushmore2 ,samuel   
,j41 married ,ethelena ,t4 ,bogart2     
,anna ,louise2 ,frederick  ,w42 ,lewis  
,v4 7died74    ,,daughter ,,of ,,robert 
,,and ,,hannah ,w4 ,,seaman4--,phebe ,u4
    ,,children ,,of ,,william ,h4 ,,and 
,,margaret ,l4 ,,seaman4--,william      
,laurie2 ,faith  ,frances 7died74       
,,children ,,of ,,james ,h4 ,,and       
,,bessie ,b4 ,,seaman4--,george ,b42    
,elias ,haviland4    ,,children ,,of    
,,james ,h4 ,,and ,,florence ,h4        
,,seaman4--,bertha ,lucina2 ,willard    
,h42 ,helen ,u4                         
,,great-,,great-,,great-,,grandchildren 
,,of ,,elias ,,hicks4    ,,daughter ,,of
 ,m4 ,,franklin ,,and ,,annie ,t4       
,,jackson4--,marion ,f4    ,,children   
,,of ,,caroline ,j4 ,,and ,,william ,g4 

,,underhill4--,mildred2 ,irene2         
,margaret4    ,,children ,,of ,,annie   
,h4 ,,and ,,thomas ,,rushmore4--,lillian
 ,a42 ,elizabeth ,a4    ,,son ,,of      
,,cora ,a4 ,,and ,,john                 
,,marshall4--,john ,w4    ,,daughter    
,,of ,,henry ,t4 ,,and ,,dorothy        
,,underhill4--,winifred4    ,,son ,,of  
,,mary ,s4 ,,and ,,leon ,a4             
,,rushmore4--,leon ,a4      ,b          
,letter to ,dr4 ,atlee4#bbd    #bbd ,see
 page #afd of this book4    ,copy of a  
letter from ,elias ,hicks to ,dr4 ,edwin
 ,a4 ,atlee1 of  ,philadelphia3         
,,jericho1 ,ninth mo4 #bg1 #ahbd4       
,,my ,,dear ,,friend3      ,thy very    
acceptable letter of the #bith ultimo   
came duly to hand1    and ,i have taken 
my pen not only to acknowledge thy      
kindness1 but    also to state to thee  
the unfriendly and unchristian conduct  
of ,anna    ,braithwaite toward me1 not 
only as relates to that extract1 but in 
her conversation among ,friends and     
others1 traducing my religious          

character1 and saying ,i held and       
promulgated infidel doctrines1          
etc4--endeavoring to prejudice the minds
 of ,friends against me1    behind my   
back1 in open violation of gospel order4
 ,she came to my    house1 as stated in 
the extract thou sent me1 after the     
quarterly    meeting of ministers and   
elders at ,westbury in ,first month     
last4    ,at that meeting was the first 
time ,i saw her1 which was about five   
or six months after her arrival in ,new 
,york4 ,and as ,i had heard    her well 
spoken of as a minister1 ,i could have  
had no preconceived    opinion of her   
but what was favorable1 therefore1 ,i   
treated her with    all the cordiality  
and friendship ,i was capable of4 ,she  
also1 from    all outward appearance1   
manifested the same2 and1 after dinner1 
she    requested1 in company with ,a4   
,s41 a female ,friend that was with her1
    a private opportunity with me4 ,so  
we withdrew into another room1    where 
we continued in conversation for nearly 

two hours4 ,and being    innocent and   
ignorant of any cause that ,i had given1
 on my part1 for    the necessity of    
such an opportunity1 ,i concluded she   
had nothing    more in view than to have
 a little free conversation on the state
 of    those select meetings4      ,but1
 to my surprise1 the first subject she  
spoke upon1 was to call    in question a
 sentiment ,i had expressed in the      
meeting aforesaid1    which appeared to 
me to be so plain and simple1 that ,i   
concluded the    weakest member in our  
society1 endued with a rational         
understanding1    would have seen the   
propriety of4 ,it was a remark ,i made  
on the    absence of three out of four  
of the representatives appointed by     
one of the preparative meetings to      
attend the quarterly meeting4    ,and ,i
 having long been of the opinion1 that  
much weakness had been    introduced    
into our society by injudicious         
appointments1 ,i have    often been     
concerned to caution ,friends on that   

account4 ,the remark    ,i made was     
this3 that ,i thought there was         
something wrong in the    present       
instance--for1 as we profess to believe 
in the guidance of    the ,spirit of    
,truth as an unerring ,spirit1 was it   
not reasonable    to expect1 especially 
in a meeting of ministers and elders1   
that    if each ,friend attended to     
their proper gifts1 as this ,spirit is  
endued with prescience1 that it would be
 much more likely1 under its    divine  
influence1 we should be led to appoint  
such as would attend on    particular   
and necessary occasion1 than to appoint 
those who would    not attend8          
,this idea1 she contended1 was not      
correct2 and the sentiments she         
expressed on this subject really        
affected me4 ,to think that any1        
professing to be a gospel minister1     
called from a distant land to    teach  
others1 and to be so deficient in       
knowledge and experience1 in    so plain
 a case1 that ,i could not well help    

saying to her1 that her    views were   
the result of a want of religious       
experience1 and that ,i    believed if  
she improved her talent faithfully1 she 
would be brought    to see better1 and  
acknowledge the correctness of my       
position4 ,but    she replied1 she did  
not want to see better4 ,this           
manifestation of    her self-importance1
 lowered her character1 as a gospel     
minister1    very much in my view2 and  
her subsequent conduct1 while she was   
with us1 abundantly corroborated and    
confirmed this view concerning    her4  
,as to her charge against me1 in regard 
to the ,scriptures1    it is generally  
incorrect1 and some of it false4 ,and it
 is very    extraordinary1 that she     
should manifest so much seeming         
friendship    for me1 when present1 and 
in my absence speak against me in such  
an    unbecoming manner4 ,indeed1 her   
conduct toward me1 often reminds me of  
the treachery of ,judas1 when he        
betrayed his ,master with a kiss4 ,and1 

instead of acting toward me as a friend 
or a ,christian1 she had been           
watching for evil4      ,as to my       
asserting that ,i believe the           
,scriptures were held in too    high    
estimation by the professors of         
,christianity in general1 ,i    readily 
admit1 as ,i have asserted it in my     
public communications    for more than  
forty years1 but1 generally1 in         
opposition to those    that held them to
 be the only rule of faith and practice2
 and my    views have always been in    
accordance with our primitive ,friends  
on    this point4 ,and at divers times1 
when in conversation with hireling      
teachers1 7and at other times7 ,i have  
given it as my opinion1 that    so long 
as they held the ,scriptures to be the  
only rule of faith    and practice1 and 
by which they justify wars1 hireling    
ministry1    predestination1 and what   
they call the ordinances1 viz3 water    
baptism and the passover supper1 mere   
relics of the ,jewish law1    so long   

the ,scriptures did such1 more harm than
 good2 but that the    fault was not in 
the ,scriptures1 but in their literal   
and carnal    interpretation of         
them--and that would always be the case 
until they    came to the ,spirit that  
gave them forth1 as no other power could
    break the seal1 and open them       
rightly to us4 ,hence ,i have observed1 
in my public communications1 and in     
conversation with the members of        
different denominations1 and others1 who
 held that the ,scriptures are    the   
primary and only rule of faith and      
practice--that1 according to    the true
 analogy of reasoning1 'that for which a
 thing is such--the    thing itself is  
more such'--as the ,spirit was before   
the ,scriptures1    and above them1 and 
without the ,spirit they could not have 
been    written or known4 ,and with this
 simple but conclusive argument1    ,i  
have convinced divers of the soundness  
of our doctrine in this    respect--that
 not the ,scriptures but the ,spirit of 

,truth1 which ,jesus    commanded his   
disciples to wait for1 as their only    
rule1 they would    teach them all      
things1 and guide them into all truth1  
is the primary    and only rule of faith
 and practice1 and is the only means by 
which    our salvation is effected4     
,the extract contains so much           
inconsistency1 and is so incorrect1     
that1 as ,i proceed1 it appears less and
 less worthy of a reply1 and    yet it  
does contain some truth4 ,i admit that  
,i did assert1 and have    long done it1
 that we cannot believe what we do not  
understand4 ,this    the ,scripture     
affirms1 ,deut4 xxix4 #bi--',the secret 
things belong    unto the ,lord our     
,god1 but the things that are revealed  
belong unto    us and our children      
forever1 that we may do all the words of
 this    law'--and all that is not      
revealed1 is to us the same as a        
nonentity1    and will forever remain   
so1 until it is revealed2 and that which
    is revealed1 enables us1 agreeably  

to the apostle's exhortation1    to give
 a reason of the hope that is in us1 to 
honest inquirers4 ,i    also assert1    
that we ought to bring all doctrines1   
whether written    or verbal1 to the    
test of the ,spirit of ,truth in our    
minds1 as the    only sure director     
relative to the things of ,god2         
otherwise1 why is    a manifestation of 
the ,spirit given to every man if it not
 to profit    by2 and1 if the           
,scriptures are about the ,spirit1 and a
 more certain    test of doctrines1 why 
is the ,spirit given1 seeing it is      
useless8    ,but this doctrine1 that the
 ,scriptures are the only rule of faith 
and practice1 is a fundamental error1   
and is manifested to be so    by the    
,scriptures themselves1 and also by our 
primitive ,friends'    writings4 ,it    
would seem that ,anna ,braithwaite has  
strained every    nerve in exaggerating 
my words1 for ,i have not said more than
 ,r4    ,barclay1 and many others of our
 predecessors1 respecting the errors    

in our ,english translation of the      
,bible4 ,hence it appears1 that she     
was determined to criminate me at all   
events1 by striving to make    me       
erroneous for saying that the ,gospel   
handed to us1 was no more    authentic  
than many other writings4 ,surely a     
person that did not    assent to this1  
must be ignorant indeed4      ,are not  
the writings of our primitive ,friends  
as authentic as    any book or writing1 
and especially such as were written so  
many    centuries ago1 the originals of 
which have been lost many hundred       
years8 ,and are not the histories of    
passing events1 written by candid    men
 of the present age1 which thousands    
know to be true1 as authentic    as the 
,bible8      ,her assertions1 that ,i   
asked if she could be so ignorant as to 
believe in the account of the creation  
of the world1 and that ,i had    been   
convinced for the last ten years1 that  
it was only an allegory1    and that it 
had been especially revealed to me at a 

meeting in    ,liberty ,street about    
that time2 that ,i asked her if she     
thought ,adam    was any worse after he 
had eaten the forbidden fruit than      
before1 and    that ,i said ,i did not  
believe he was2 and also her asserting1 
that ,i    said that ,jesus ,christ was 
no more than a prophet1 and that ,i     
further    said1 that if she would read 
the ,scriptures attentively she would   
believe that ,jesus was the son of      
,joseph3 these assertions of hers1      
are all false and unfounded1 and must be
 the result of a feigned    or forced   
construction of something ,i might have 
said1 to suit her    own purpose4 ,for  
those who do not wish to be satisfied   
with fair    reasoning1 there is no end 
to their cavilling and                  
misrepresentation4    ,as to what she   
relates as it regards the manner of our 
coming into    the world in our infant  
state1 it is my belief1 that we come    
into    the world in the same state of  
innocence1 and endowed with the same    

propensities and desires that our first 
parents were1 in their    primeval      
state2 and this ,jesus ,christ has      
established1 and must be    conclusive  
in the minds of all true believers2 when
 he took a little    child in his arms  
and blessed him1 and said to them around
 him that    except they were converted1
 and become as that little child1 they  
should in no case enter into the kingdom
 of heaven4 ,of course1 all    the      
desires and propensities of that little 
child1 and of our first    parents in   
their primeval state1 must have been    
good1 as they were    all the endowments
 of their ,creator1 and given to them   
for a special    purpose4 ,but it is the
 improper and unlawful indulgence of    
them that    is evil4      ,i readily   
acknowledge1 ,i have not been able to   
see or understand1    how the cruel     
persecution and crucifixion of ,jesus   
,christ1 by the    wicked and           
hard-hearted ,jews1 should expiate my   
sins2 and never    have known anything  

to effect that for me1 but the grace of 
,god1    that taught me1 agreeably to   
the apostle's doctrine1 to deny all     
ungodliness and the world's lusts1 and  
do live soberly1 righteously1    and    
godly in this present world2 and as ,i  
have faithfully abode    under its      
teachings1 in full obedience thereto1 ,i
 have been brought    to believe that my
 sins were forgiven1 and ,i permitted to
 sit under    the ,lord's teaching1 as  
saith the prophet3 'that the children of
    the ,lord are all taught of the     
,lord1 and in righteousness they are    
established1 and great is the peace of  
his children4' ,and so long    as ,i    
feel this peace1 there is nothing in    
this world that makes me    afraid1 as  
it respects my eternal condition4 ,but  
if any of my friends    have received   
and known benefit from any outward      
sacrifice1 ,i do not    envy them their 
privilege4 ,but1 surely1 they would not 
be willing    that ,i should acknowledge
 as a truth1 that which ,i have no kind 

of    knowledge of4 ,i am willing to    
admit1 that ,divine ,mercy is no doubt  
watching over his rational creation for 
their good1 and may secretly    work at 
times for their preservation2 but1 if1  
in his infinite wisdom    and goodness1 
he sees meet to hide it from us1 as most
 consistent    with his wisdom and our  
good1 let us have a care that we do not1
 in    the pride of our hearts1         
undertake to pry into his secret        
counsels1    lest we offend2 but be     
content with what he is pleased to      
reveal to    us1 let it be more or less1
 and1 especially1 if he is pleased to   
speak peace to our minds4 ,and when he  
graciously condescends to do    this1 we
 shall know it to be a peace that the   
world cannot give1 with    all its      
enjoyments1 neither take away1 with all 
its frowns4      ,i shall now draw to a 
close1 and1 with the salutation of      
gospel    love1 ,i subscribe myself thy 
affectionate and sympathizing friend and
    brother4                            

,,elias ,,hicks4      ,to ,edwin ,a4    
,atlee4      ,c    ,the ,portraits4     
,the cut facing page #aba is a          
photograph from the painting by ,henry  
,ketcham4 ,this was sketched by the     
artist who was in the public gallery  of
 the meeting house at different times   
when ,elias ,hicks was preaching1  his  
presence being unknown to the preacher4 
,it was originally a  full-length       
portrait1 but many years ago was injured
 by fire1 when it  was cut down to bust 
size4 ,for some time it was in the home 
of the  late ,elwood ,walter1 of        
,englewood1 ,n4 ,j4 ,for many years it  
has been in  the family of ,henry ,b4   
,seaman4 ,it is believed that the       
pictures made  under direction of the   
late ,edward ,hopper1 had this portrait 
as their  original4 ,the engravings in  
the ,history of ,long ,island and in the
  ,complete ,works of ,walt ,whitman1   
are probably based on this portrait4    
,they have passed through such a        
sleeking-up process1 however1 as to     

lack the individuality of the more crude
 production4    ,the frontispiece is    
from a photograph of the bust of ,elias 
,hicks1 by  the sculptor1 ,william      
,ordway ,partridge1 and was made for    
,henry ,b4  ,seaman4 ,in making the bust
 the artist used the oil painting       
referred  to above1 and all of the other
 pictures of ,elias ,hicks in existence1
  including the full-length silhouette4 
,he also had the bust1 said to  have    
been taken from the death mask1 and from
 them all attempted to  construct what  
may be termed the ideal ,elias ,hicks4  
,d    ,the ,death ,mask4    ,much has   
been written about the death mask of    
,elias ,hicks1 from which  the bust in  
,swarthmore ,college1 in the ,new ,york 
,friend's ,library and  other places was
 made4 ,that such a mask was taken      
admits of no doubt1  and the only clear 
statement regarding the matter is given 
below4 ,the  bust is in the possession  
of ,harry ,b4 ,seaman4 ,the issue of    
,niles  ,register referred to was       

published only six weeks after the death
 of  ,elias ,hicks4      ,we understand 
an ,italian artist of this city1 has    
secretly    disinterred the body of     
,elias ,hicks1 the celebrated ,quaker   
preacher1    and moulded his bust4 ,it  
seems he had applied to the friends of  
the deceased to take a moulding previous
 to his interment1 but was    refused4  
,suspicion being excited that the grave 
had been disturbed1    it was examined1 
and some bits of plaster were found     
adhering to the    hair of the deceased4
 ,the enthusiastic ,italian was visited1
 and owned    that1 as he had been      
denied the privilege of taking a bust   
before    interment1 he had adopted the 
only method of obtaining one4 ,we have  
heard nothing more on the subject1      
except that the bust is a most          
excellent likeness4#bbe    #bbe ,quoted 
from ,new ,york ,constellation1 in      
,niles ,weekly ,register1  ,april #aj1  
#ahcj1 p4 #abd4      ,e    ,a ,bit of   
,advertising4    ,as showing the way the

 presence of ministering ,friends was   
advertised  in ,philadelphia            
eighty-eight years ago1 we reproduce the
 following1  which appeared in some of  
the papers#bbf of that period3    #bbf  
,the ,cabinet1 or ,works of ,darkness   
,brought to ,light4 ,philadelphia1      
#ahbd1 p4 #cc4      ,arrived in this    
city on the #gth inst41 ,elias ,hicks1 a
 distinguished    minister of the       
gospel1 the ,benign ,doctrines of which 
he is a    faithful embassador1 has for 
many years past practically endeavored  
7both by precept and example7 to        
promulgate in its primeval    beauty and
 simplicity1 without money and without  
price4 ,those who    are ,friends to    
plain truth and evangelical preaching1  
that have    heretofore been edified and
 comforted under his ministry1 will     
doubtless be pleased to learn of his    
arrival1 and avail themselves of    the 
present opportunity of attending such   
appointments as he1 under    the        
direction of ,divine influence1 may see 

proper to make in his tour    of ,gospel
 ,love1 to the inhabitants of this city 
and its vicinity4                       
,a ,,citizen4      ,,philadelphia1      
,december #i1 #ahbb4      ,f            
,acknowledgment4    ,the author of this 
book acknowledges his indebtedness in   
its  preparation to the following1 who  
either in furnishing data1 or  otherwise
 assisted in its preparation3 ,william  
and ,margaret ,l4 ,seaman1  and ,samuel 
,j4 ,seaman1 ,glen ,cove1 ,n4 ,y42      
,robert and ,anna ,seaman1  ,jericho1   
,n4 ,y42 ,henry ,b4 ,seaman1 ,brooklyn1 
,n4 ,y42 ,dr4 ,jesse ,h4 ,green1  ,west 
,chester1 ,pa42 ,mary ,willis1          
,rochester1 ,n4 ,y42 ,ella ,k4 ,barnard 
and  ,joseph ,j4 ,janney1 ,baltimore1   
,md42 ,henry ,b4 ,hallock1 ,brooklyn1   
,n4 ,y42  ,john ,comly1 ,philadelphia1  
,pa4      ,g    ,sources of             
,information4    ,in making this book   
the following are the main sources of   
information  that have been consulted2  
which are referred to those who may wish

 to  go into the details of the matter  
involved3      ,journal of ,elias       
,hicks1 ,new ,york1 #ahcb4 ,published by
 ,isaac ,t4 ,hopper4      ,the ,lundy   
,family4 ,by ,william ,clinton          
,armstrong4 ,new ,brunswick1 #aijb4     
,the ,quaker2 ,a ,series of ,sermons by 
,members of the ,society of ,friends1   
,philadelphia1 #ahbg-bh4 ,published by  
,marcus ,t4 ,c4 ,gould4      ,a ,series 
of ,extemporaneous ,discourses1 etc41 by
 ,elias ,hicks4    ,philadelphia1 #ahbe4
 ,published by ,joseph and ,edward      
,parker4      ,letters of ,elias ,hicks4
 ,philadelphia1 #ahfa4 ,published by ,t4
 ,ellwood    ,chapman4      ,an ,account
 of the ,life and ,travels of ,samuel   
,bownas4 ,edited by ,j4    ,besse4      
,london1 #agef4      ,ante-,nicene      
,fathers4 ,vol4 ,,ii4 ,buffalo1 ,n4 ,y41
 #ahhe4 ,the ,christian    ,literature  
,publishing ,company4      ,the         
,quakers4 ,by ,frederick ,storrs        
,turner4 ,london1 #ahhi4 ,swan1         
,sounenschein  ,co4      ,a ,review of  

the ,general and ,particular ,causes    
,which ,have ,produced the    ,late     
,disorders in the ,yearly ,meeting of   
,friends ,held in ,philadelphia4    ,by 
,james ,cockburn4 ,philadelphia1 #ahbi4 
,foster's ,report4 ,two volumes4 ,by    
,jeremiah ,j4 ,foster1 ,master and      
,examiner in ,chancery4 ,philadelphia1  
#ahca4      ,rules of ,discipline of the
 ,yearly ,meeting of ,friends ,held in  
,philadelphia1 #ahjf4      ,the ,friend2
 or ,advocate of ,truth4 ,philadelphia1 
#ahbh4 ,published by ,m4    ,t4 ,c4     
,gould4      ,an ,apology for the ,true 
,christian ,divinity1 etc4 ,by ,robert  
,barclay4    ,philadelphia1 #ahgg4      
,friends' ,book ,store4      ,memoirs of
 ,anna ,braithwaite4 ,by her son1 ,j4   
,bevan ,braithwaite4    ,london1 #aije4 
,headley ,brothers4      ,the ,christian
 ,inquirer4 ,new ,york1 #ahbf4          
,published by ,b4 ,bates4      ,j4      
,bevan ,braithwaite2 ,a ,friend of the  
,nineteenth ,century4 ,by ,his          
,children4 ,london1 #aiji4 ,hodder      

,stoughton4      ,sermons by ,elias     
,hicks1 ,ann ,jones and ,others of the  
,society of    ,friends1 etc4 ,brooklyn1
 #ahbh4      ,journal of ,thomas        
,shillitoe4 ,london1 #ahci4 ,harvey     
,darton4      ,memorials of ,john       
,bartram and ,humphrey ,marshall4 ,by   
,william    ,darlington4 ,philadelphia1 
#ahdi4      ,the ,american ,conflict4   
,by ,horace ,greeley4 ,hartford1 ,conn41
 #ahfd4 ,o4    ,d4 ,case  ,co4          
,memoirs of ,life and ,religious ,labors
 of ,edward ,hicks4 ,philadelphia1      
#ahea4      ,life of ,walt ,whitman4    
,henry ,bryan ,binns4      ,complete    
,works of ,walt ,whitman4 #aijb4        
,history of ,long ,island4              
,proceedings of the ,manchester         
,conference4 #ahie4      ,stephen       
,grellett4 ,by ,william ,guest4         
,philadelphia1 #ahcc4 ,henry            
,longstreth4          ,,index4          
,abolitionists1 ,garrisonian1 #hg       
,after the ,separation1 #aie            
,aldrich1 ,royal1 reference to1 #fi     

,ancestry and ,boyhood1 #ag             
,apostolic ,christian1 an1 #g           
,appendix1 #bbf      ,apprenticeship of 
,e4 ,h41 #bb      ,atlee1 ,dr4 ,edwin   
,a41 ,e4 ,h4's letter to1 ,appendix ,b2 
reference to1 #aff        ,baltimore ,y4
 ,m41 ,e4 ,h4 attends1 #dd              
,baptists1 ,southern1 reference to1 #id 
,barclay's ,apology1 quotation from1    
#adc-add      ,bartram1 ,john1 reference
 to1 #aij2      sketch of1 #aij2        
his supposed deism1 #aij-aia            
,beacon ,controversy1 the1 #afi-agj     
,berry1 ,mary1 at ,easton1 ,md41 #cg    
,binns1 ,henry ,byran1 describes ,e4    
,h4's preaching1 #bab-bah      ,black   
people commended1 #cg      ,bownas1     
,samuel 7note71 #ah      ,braithwaite1  
,anna1 referred to1 #di2      sketch of 
7note71 #afa2      writes to ,e4 ,h41   
#afb2      writes to ,friend in         
,flushing1 #afc2      writes to ,e4 ,h4 
from ,england1 #afe2      writes to ,e4 
,h4 from ,kipp's ,bay1 #afh2            
advised by ,jericho ministers and       

elders1 #afi2      late reference to    
,hicksism1 #agj      ,braithwaite1      
,isaac1 reference to 7note71 #afa2      
reference to1 #agi-ahc                  
,braithwaite1 ,j4 ,bevan 7note71        
#afd-agj        ,camp meetings1 ,e4 ,h4 
condemns1 #ajd      ,carpenter4 ,e4 ,h4 
apprenticed as1 #bb      ,christ1       
,divinity of1 #aae1 #aaf1 #aef          
,christ as saviour1 #aef-aeg            
,clarkson1 ,thomas1 receives ,hicks'    
pamphlet1 #ij      ,clement of          
,alexandria1 reference to1 #ajf         
,conflict1 ,the ,american 7note71 #id   
,cotton gin1 invention of1 #id          
,court ,crier1 ,e4 ,h4 imitates1 #fb    
,cropper1 ,james 7note71 #hi2           
letter from ,e4 ,h41 #ij                
,dancing1 opinion of1 #bb               
,discipline1 ,e4 ,h4's regard for1 #bi  
,disownment and doctrine1 #ahh          
,disownments for doctrine1 #aij2        
,e4 ,h4 on1 #aia-aic2      during       
slavery agitation1 #hg-hh               
,division1 before the1 #aba             

,doctrine1 statement of by ,philadelphia
 ,meeting for ,sufferings1 #aci         
,dutchess ,county1 separation in1 #agh  
,early labors in ministry1 #cb          
,easton1 ,md41 letter from1 #cg         
,election1 ,e4 ,h4 on1 #aaj      ,evans1
 ,jonathan1 opposes ,e4 ,h41 #abg2      
clerk ,meeting for ,sufferings1 #aci2   
expounds orthodox doctrine1 #aec        
,exeter1 ,pa41 ,e4 ,h4 writes letter    
from1 #ch        ,family1 the ,hicks1   
#ga2      ,e4 ,h4's statement about1    
#ga2      children in1 #gb-gc           
,first ,trouble in ,philadelphia1 #abf  
,fisher1 ,samuel ,r41 entertains ,e4    
,h41 #dd      ,flushing1 ,o41 ,e4 ,h4   
meets opposition in1 #ej2      also     
7note71 #ej      ,free ,masonry1 ,e4 ,h4
 on1 #ajc      ,friends1 ,progressive   
7note71 #hh        ,garrison1 ,william  
,lloyd1 on ,society of ,friends1 #hg    
,gibbons1 ,james ,s41 is disowned1 #hg  
,goldsmith1 ,oliver1 extract from       
,deserted ,village1 #fh      ,gould1    
,marcus ,t4 ,c41 publisher ,the ,quaker1

 #aeb-aec      ,greeley1 ,horace1       
quotation from1 #id      ,green1 ,dr4   
,jesse ,c41 reference to1 #baa2         
recollections of ,e4 ,h41 #baa-bab      
,green ,street ,monthly ,meeting1 center
 of difficulty1 #adg-adi      ,grellett1
 ,stephen1 sketch of 7note71 #abc2      
questions orthodoxy of ,e4 ,h41 #abc    
,gurney1 ,joseph ,john1 reference to1   
#afe        ,harris1 ,dr4 ,j4 ,rendell1 
criticises ,e4 ,h41 #bjh      ,heaven   
and hell1 ,e4 ,h4 on1 #aaj-aaa          
,hicks1 ,abigail1 daughter of ,e4 ,h41  
#gb2      picture of1 facing1 #ig       
,hicks1 ,david1 son of ,e4 ,h41 #gb     
,hicks1 ,edward1 sketch of 7note71 #bjb2
      estimate of ,e4 ,h41 #bjc         
,hicks1 ,elias1 apostolic ,christian1   
#g2      his type of ,quakerism1 #g2    
reading ,scriptures1 #ab2      reference
 to old folks1 #ac2      objects to     
flower bed1 #ac2      sells wheat at low
 price to neighbors1 #ad2      favors   
disciplinary equality for women1 #ae2   
birth1 #ah2      reference to parents1  

#aa1 #ai2      death of mother1 #bj2    
reference to singing and running horses1
 #bj2      apprenticed to learn         
carpenter's trade1 #bb2      on dancing1
 #bb-bc2      on hunting1 #bc-bd2       
reference to possibly lost condition1   
#bc2      statement regarding his       
marriage1 #bd2      marriage application
 in monthly meeting1 #be2      takes up 
residence in ,jericho1 #bf2      a      
surveyor1 #bg2      appears in the      
ministry1 #bh-bi2      regard for       
discipline1 #bi2      recorded a        
minister1 #cj2      passes through      
military lines in ,revolutionary ,war1  
#ca2      makes first long religious    
journey1 #cb2      visits ,nine         
,partners1 ,vermont1 etc41 #cd2         
visits ,new ,england1 #ce2      visits  
,philadelphia and ,baltimore ,yearly    
,meetings1 #cf2      first sermon       
against slavery1 #cf2      letter from  
,easton1 ,md41 #cg2      visit to states
 south of ,new ,york1 #ch2      visit to
 ,canada1 #dj2      visit ,new ,england 

meetings1 #db2      goes to ,ohio1 #dc2 
at ,baltimore ,y4 ,m41 #dd2      starts 
on last long religious journey1 #df2    
meets opposition at ,westland1 #dg2     
experience at ,brownsville1 #dg2      at
 ,mt4 ,pleasant1 ,o41 #dh-di2           
attends ,ohio ,y4 ,m41 #di-ej2          
disturbance at ,flushing1 ,o41 #ej2     
attends ,indiana ,y4 ,m41 #eb2          
trouble at ,west ,grove1 ,pa41 #ec2     
extent of his travels1 #ef2      ideas  
about the ministry1 #eg2      speaks of 
his own ministry1 #eh2      against     
premeditation1 #ei2      measuring the  
ministry1 #fj-fa2      imitates court   
crier1 #fb2      advice touching        
meetings and ministry1 #fc2      is     
frequently indisposed1 #fd2      his    
,jericho property1 #fi2      statement  
about his wife1 #ga2      as a father1  
#gb2      letters to his wife1 #gf-hc2  
on the slavery question1 #hd-id2        
various opinions1 #ie2      on the joys 
of labor1 #ig2      ideas regarding     
railroads1 #ih2      ideas about        

,thanksgiving1 #ajb2      opposes       
,freemasonry1 #ajc2      some points of 
doctrine1 #ajg-abj2      has trouble in 
,philadelphia1 #abf-abh2      writes    
letter to ,philadelphia elders1 #acb2   
in the time of unsettlement1 #aci-aea2  
three sermons reviewed1 #aeb-afj2       
is visited by ,anna ,braithwaite1 #afb2 
writes to ,dr4 ,atlee1 #afd2      writes
 to ,anna ,braithwaite1 #afi2      in   
,dutchess ,county with ,ann ,jones1     
#aga-agf2      contact with ,t4         
,shillitoe1 #ahd-ahe2      at ,mt4      
,pleasant and ,short ,creek1 ,o41       
#ahf-ahg2      disowned by ,westbury and
 ,jericho ,monthly ,meeting1 #ahi2      
ideas about disownment1 #aic-aid2       
at ,rose and ,hester ,streets1 ,new     
,york1 #aie2      remarks on reception  
by ,friends1 #aif2      assumes the     
humorous role1 #aif2      received by   
,friends after long western trip1 #aig2 
death of wife1 #aih2      visits        
,dutchess ,county1 #aii2      preaches  
in statehouse1 ,albany1 #bjj2           

letter to ,johnson ,legg1 #bja2      his
 dying testimony1 #bjd2      critics of1
 #bjb-baj2      a logical thinker1 #baa2
      his kindness to poor1 #bac-bad2   
deals with corn thief1 #bad2      his   
dying testimony against slavery1 #bad2  
sufferings for peace principles1        
#bae-baf2      helps organize charity   
society1 #baf-bag2      putting off     
harness1 #bah-bbe2      his last        
traveling minute1 #bbj2      attends his
 last monthly meeting1 #bbj-bba2        
suffers stroke of paralysis1 #bba2      
his death1 #bba2      his funeral1 #bba2
      last letter to ,hugh ,judge1 #bbb 
,hicks1 ,elias1 ,jr41 son of ,e4 ,h41   
#gc      ,hicks1 ,elizabeth1 daughter of
 ,e4 ,h41 #gb2      picture of1 facing1 
#ig 444      ,hicks1 ,sir ,ellis1       
reference to1 #ag      ,hicks ,family1  
the1 #ga      ,hicks1 ,jonathan1 son of 
,e4 ,h41 #gc      ,hicks1 ,john1 son of 
,e4 ,h41 #gb      ,hicks1 ,jemima1 wife 
of ,e4 ,h41 estimate of1 #gd-ge2        
letters to1 #gg1 #gh1 #gi1 #hj1 #ha1    

#hb2      death of1 #aih2      funeral  
of1 #aih-aii      ,hicks1 ,martha1      
daughter of ,e4 ,h41 #gb2      picture  
of1 facing1 #ig      ,hicks1 ,sarah1    
daughter of ,e4 ,h41 #gb      ,hicks1   
,judge ,thomas1 great-grandfather ,e4   
,h41 #ah2      befriends ,s4 ,bownas1   
#ah      ,hicksville1 reference to1 #ff 
,hicks1 ,valentine1 son-in-law of ,e4   
,h41 reference to1 #ff2      ,president 
,long ,island ,railroad1 #ajj2          
picture of1 facing1 #ig      ,hodgson1  
,w41 reference to ,e4 ,h4's sentiments1 
#bjf      ,home at ,jericho1 the1 #ff   
,hopper1 ,isaac ,t41 reference to       
disownment of1 #hg      ,humor1 ,e4 ,h4 
indulges in1 #aif        ,immortality1  
,e4 ,h4 on1 #aab-aad      ,indiana ,y4  
,m41 ,e4 ,h4 attends1 #ea               
,inquirer1 ,the ,christian 7note71 #ajb 
,introduction1 #aa        ,jackson1     
,halliday1 arrested at ,ohio ,y4 ,m41   
#di2      statement about 7note71 #di   
,jericho1 home at1 #ff      ,jericho    
,monthly ,meeting1 members at time of   

separation1 #ahh2      ,e4 ,h4 advises1 
#bjj      ,jesus1 death and resurrection
 of1 #aah-abj      ,johnson1 ,oliver1 on
 abolition claims of ,friends1 #hh      
,jones1 ,ann1 in ,dutchess ,county1     
#aga2      extracts from sermons1       
#aga-agb      ,jones1 ,george1 reference
 to1 #agd-agf      ,judge1 ,hugh1 sketch
 of 7note71 #bba-bbb2      reference to1
 #bba2      ,e4 ,h4's letter to1        
#bbb-bbe        ,keith1 ,george1 sketch 
of 7note71 #ai      ,kennett ,monthly   
,meeting1 extract from minutes1 #hh     
,kingston1 ,canada1 ,e4 ,h4 writes      
letter from1 #dj        ,labor1 ideas   
about1 #if-ih      ,lamb1 blood of1 #aee
      ,lewis1 ,evan 7note71 #hi         
,liberator1 the1 quotations from1 #hg-hh
      ,lloyd1 ,isaac1 statement by1 #aed
      ,lost condition1 reference to1 #bc
      ,lundy1 ,benjamin1 sketch of      
7note71 #hf        ,manchester          
,conference1 proceedings of 7note71     
#bjh2      quotation from1 #bjh         
,marriage of ,e4 ,h41 #be               

,marriott1 ,charles1 his disownment1 #hg
      ,meeting ministers and elders1 a  
visiting committee1 #cf      ,meeting   
for ,sufferings1 to control membership1 
#aej      ,merritt1 ,jesse1 travels with
 ,e4 ,h41 #ed2      is homesick1 #ed    
,mifflin1 ,daniel1 emancipates slaves1  
#hd      ,mifflin1 ,warner1 emancipates 
slaves1 #hd2      presents memorial to  
,congress1 #hd2      reference to1 #he  
,mind1 effect on body1 #ajj             
,minister1 ,e4 ,h4 recorded as1 #cj     
,ministry1 ,e4 ,h4's first appearance   
in1 #bh2      ideas about1 #eg2         
speaks of his own1 #eh2      measuring  
the1 #fj-fa      ,minute1 ,e4 ,h4's last
 traveling1 #bbj      ,miraculous       
conception1 the1 #aad1 #aid             
,monthly ,meeting1 ,e4 ,h4 attends his  
last1 #bbj-bba      ,mosheim's          
,ecclesiastical ,history1 reference to1 
#aje      ,mott1 ,adam 7note71 #ce      
,mott1 ,james1 ,sr41 reference to       
7note71 #ce2      writes ,e4 ,h41 #abc2 
criticises ,e4 ,h41 #bje      ,mott1    

,james and ,lucretia1 reference to1 #ce 
,mt4 ,pleasant1 ,o41 disturbance in     
meeting at1 #dh-di2      ,yearly        
,meeting #ahbh at1 #di-ej2      ,e4 ,h4 
and ,t4 ,shillitoe at1 #ahf        ,new 
,england ,y4 ,m4 visited by ,e4 ,h41    
#ce2      attended by ,english ,friends1
 #ahc      ,new ,jersey1 ,friends in1   
approve ,e4 ,h41 #aif      ,new ,york   
,y4 ,m41 attended by ,english ,friends1 
#ahc2      by ,t4 ,shillitoe1 #ahbh1    
#ahc2      extract from minute of1 #ahc2
      ,t4 ,shillitoe objects to visitors
 in1 #ahc      ,nine ,partners1 sermon  
at1 #abc        ,ohio ,y4 ,m4 attended  
by ,e4 ,h41 #dh-di1 #ahf      ,osborn1  
,charles1 prays and preaches two hours1 
#ej        ,paine1 ,thomas1 referred to1
 #aag2      ,e4 ,h4 on1 #aag2      ,e4  
,h4 compared with1 #afg      ,parker's1 
,hicks's sermons1 extracts from1 #ib-ic 
,philadelphia ,elders write ,e4 ,h41    
#acj-aca      ,philadelphia ,meeting for
 ,sufferings starts charge of ,e4 ,h4's 
unsoundness1 #abi2      issues statement

 of doctrine1 #aci-adc      ,pine       
,street ,monthly ,meeting offers affront
 to ,e4 ,h41 #abf-abg      ,property1   
,e4 ,h4's views about1 #ie-if           
,quakerism1 type of1 #g      ,quaker1   
,the1 extracts from1 #ia1 #if           
,quaker creed1 a sort of1 #aci1 #adc    
,railroad1 ,e4 ,h4 opposes1 #ii2        
the ,long ,island1 #ii2      ,baltimore 
and ,ohio1 #ih-ii2      the first       
7note71 #ii      ,recollections1        
reminiscences and testimonies1 #baa-bag 
,religious journeys in #ahbh1 #df       
,routh1 ,martha1 writes letter to ,e4   
,h41 #ij      ,roy1 ,rammouhan1 sketch  
of 7note71 #bjf2      writes ,e4 ,h41   
#bjg        ,salvation1 universal1      
#ajh-aji      ,salvation1 vital1 #aei   
,satan1 #aaf      ,schools1 public1     
ideas about1 #aja      ,seaman1 ,gideon1
 reference to1 #ej1 #ahb      ,seaman1  
,jemima1 reference to1 #bd2      marries
 ,e4 ,h41 #be      ,seaman1 ,captain    
,john1 moves to ,long ,island1 #bf      
,seaman1 ,jonathan1 father of ,jemima1  

#bf      ,seaman1 ,lazarus1 ,puritan    
divine1 #bf      ,sermons1 length of1   
#fe      ,shillitoe1 ,thomas1 reference 
to1 #dg2      sketch of 7note71 #aha2   
declines to visit ,e4 ,h41 #ahb2        
refers to his traveling minute1         
#ahc-ahd2      goes west1 #ahd2         
converses with ferry keeper1 #ahf2      
at ,mt4 ,pleasant1 #ahf      ,sin and   
transgression1 #ajg      ,singing1      
reference to1 #bj      ,slavery1 first  
sermon against1 #cf      ,slavery       
question1 the1 #hd-id2      ,friends on1
 #he-id2      pamphlet by ,e4 ,h4 on1   
#ic      ,southern ,q4 ,m4 members of1  
on ,e4 ,h41 #acc-acf      ,stabler1     
,deborah and ,james1 sketch of 7note71  
#ih        ,tallack1 ,william1 refers to
 ,e4 ,h4's assertions1 #bjf             
,thanksgiving1 ,e4 ,h4 on1 #ajb-ajc     
,thomas1 ,philip ,e41 reference to1 #ih2
      sketch of 7note71 #ih      ,three 
sermons reviewed1 #aeb      ,time of    
unsettlement1 #aci      ,titus1 ,daniel1
 traveling companion of ,e4 ,h41 #dj    

,turner1 ,frederick ,storrs1 reference  
to1 #abb2      on ,e4 ,h41 #bjc-bjd     
,unitarianism1 ,e4 ,h4 on1 #aag2      in
 ,new ,england1 #aba      ,unsoundness1 
charge of1 #adf        ,war1            
,revolutionary1 ,e4 ,h4 passes military 
lines1 #ca2      ,e4 ,h4's sufferings   
during1 #bae-baf      ,westbury ,monthly
 ,meeting1 members at the time of       
separation1 #ahh      ,westbury and     
,jericho ,monthly ,meeting 7note71 #ej2 
orders ,e4 ,h4 home1 #ej2      reference
 to1 #ahh2      membership of1 #ahh2    
disowns ,e4 ,h41 #ahi      ,wharton1    
,william1 reference to1 #bjg            
,wheat1 ,e4 ,h4 sells at low price1 #ad 
,whitall1 ,joseph1 reports ,e4 ,h4      
unsound1 #abh      ,white1 ,george ,f41 
influential in disownment of ,isaac ,t4 
,hopper1 #hg2      on slave labor1 #hg2 
attacks various organizations1 #hg      
,whitman1 ,walt1 estimation of ,e4 ,h41 
#bje2      reference to1 #bah-bai2      
hears ,e4 ,h4 preach1 #bai2             
describes ,e4 ,h4's preaching1 #bac     

,willets1 ,deborah 7note71 #agh2        
extract from letter1 #agi-ahj           
,willets1 ,jacob 7note71 #agh2          
statement about division in meetings1   
#agh      ,willets1 ,joshua1 son-in-law 
of ,e4 ,h41 #gj      ,willis1 ,edmund1  
traveling companion of ,e4 ,h41 #ch     
,willis1 ,john1 traveling companion of  
,e4 ,h41 #cb      ,willis1 ,mary1       
reference to1 #bab2      her            
recollections of ,e4 ,h41 #bab-bac      
,willis1 ,thomas and ,phebe1 oppose ,e4 
,h41 #abd2      dealt with by ,jericho  
,monthly ,meeting1 #abe2      reference 
to1 #ahb      ,women1 equality of1 #ae  
,woolman1 ,john1 on slavery1 #hd        
,world1 the1 against mixing with1       
#ajc-ajd      ,,appendix4      ,a1      
,descendants of ,elias ,hicks1 #bbf-bbh 
,b1 ,letter to ,dr4 ,atlee1 #bbi-bcc    
,c1 ,the ,portraits1 #bcd      ,d1 ,the 
,death ,mask1 #bcd      ,e1 ,a ,bit of  
,advertising1 #bce      ,f1             
,acknowledgment1 #bce      ,g1 ,sources 
of ,information1 #bcf-bcg               

,,transcriber',s ,,note4                
,alphabetization has been fixed in the  
index and page order in the ,list  of   
,illustrations was also fixed2 however  
no content was changed1 and  the changes
 are not noted in the detailed changes4 
,archaic1 unusual and inconsistent      
spellings have been maintained as in    
the original4 ,obvious typos have been  
fixed1 as detailed below4      ,page #d3
     ,transcriber's ,note    ,added to  
,table of ,contents by ,transcriber4    
,page #be3    ,at a monthly meeting held
 in the meeting house    ,originally3   
,at a monthly meting held in the meeting
 house      ,page #be3    appearing to  
obstruct their proceedings in           
,originally3 appearing to obestruct     
their proceedings in      ,page #bi3    
kept sweet and clean1 consistent with   
,originally3 kept sweet and clean1      
consitent with      ,page #cf3    some  
present who were slaveholders were      
,originally3 some present who were      
slave-holders were      ,page #ec3      

which had divided the ,society of       
,friends4    ,originally3 which had     
divided the ,soicety of ,friends4       
,page #fe3    his willingness to famish 
the people from words1    ,originally3  
his willingess to famish the people from
 words1      ,page #ff3    from cellar  
wall to ridge-pole    ,originally3 from 
celler wall to ridge-pole      ,page    
#gb3    ,she passed away in #ahga4      
,originally3 ,she passed away in #agha4 
,page #gf3    one wishes for more       
description1 relating to the            
,originally3 one wishes for more        
discription1 relating to the      ,page 
#hf3    ,of this ,address1 ,horace      
,greeley says1    ,originally3 ,of this 
,address1 ,horace ,greely says1         
,page #ig3    more delightful and       
profitable instruction    ,originally3  
more delightful and profitable          
instructtion      ,page #aja3           
,observation1 he said1 led him to       
believe    ,originally3 ,observation1 he
 said1 lead him to believe      ,page   

#ajf 7note73 ,ante-,nicene ,fathers1    
,vol4 ,,ii1 p4 #cje4    ,originally3    
,anti-,nicene ,fathers1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 p4  
#cje4      ,page #abb3   from change in 
,zion4    ,originally3 from change in   
zion      ,page #abh3   in the early    
part of ,twelfth month1    ,originally3 
in the early part of ,twefth month1     
,page #abi3   believing that ,elias     
succeeded in measurably    ,originally3 
believing that ,elias succeeded in      
measureably      ,page #aca3   who made 
the above statements which              
,originally3 who made the above         
statments which      ,page #aca3        
,,thomas ,,wistar4    ,originally3      
,,thomas ,,wister4      ,page #acc3     
within the bounds of ,philadelphia      
,quarterly ,meeting    ,originally3     
within the bounds of ,philadelphia      
,quartely ,meeting      ,page #ada3     
satisfactory sacrifice and not          
otherwise4    ,originally3 satisfactory 
sacrifice and no otherwise4      ,page  
#afj3   is to be to the children of men 

,originally3 is to be the children of   
men      ,page #afe3   the propitiatory 
sacrifice of our ,lord and ,saviour     
,originally3 the propitiatory sacrifice 
of our ,lord and ,savious      ,page    
#aga 7note73  ,taken in short-hand by   
,henry ,hoag1 p4 #bj4    ,originally3   
,taken in shorthand by ,henry ,hoag1 p4 
#bj4      ,page #agc3   ,the blood of   
,christ that is immortal    ,originally3
 ,the blood of ,chirst that is immortal 
,page #agi3 acquainted with their       
manoeuvring    ,originally the oe       
ligature was used4      ,page #bjf3     
many of ,elias ,hicks' assertions are   
too blasphemous    ,originally3 many of 
,elias ,hick's assertions are too       
blasphemous      ,page #bjf 7note73 and 
incurred the enmity of his family4      
,originally3      and incurred the      
emnity of his family4      ,page #bji3  
from the amoeba to the man              
,originally the oe ligature was used4   
,page #bbd3   his disciples1 ,john      
#ad3af-ag2    ,originally3 his diciples1

 ,john #ad3af-ag2      ,page #bca3   the
 ,spirit given to every man if it not to
 profit by2    ,originally3 the ,spirit 
given to every man if it it not to      
profit by2      ,page #bcc3   undertake 
to pry into his secret    ,originally3  
undertake to prey into his secret       
,page #bce3   ,acknowledgment4          
,originally3 ,acknowledgement4          
,page #bdj3   ,marriott1 ,charles1 his  
disownment1 #hg    ,originally3         
,marriot1 ,charles1 his disownment1 #hg 
,page #bda3   ,mosheim's ,ecclesiastical
 ,history1 reference to1 #aje           
,originally3 ,mosheim's ,ecclesiatical  
,history1 reference to1 #aje      ,page 
#bda3   ,tallack1 ,william1 refers to   
,e4 ,h4's assertions1 #bjf              
,originally3 ,tallock1 ,william1 refers 
to ,e4 ,h4's assertions1 #bjf      ,page
 #bdb3   ,e1 ,a ,bit of ,advertising1   
#bce    ,originally3 ,e1 ,a ,bit of     
,advertisting1 #bce      ,page #bdb3    
,g1 ,sources of ,information1 #bcf-bcg  
,originally omitted from index4