Longwood Meeting

Abstract

Volume 17, No. 2 Autumn Number, 1928 Bulletin of Friends' Historical Association LONGWOOD MEETING By Howard E. Yarnall, Jr. * Three miles east of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, somewhat back from the Baltimore Pike and screened from it by an apple orchard, stands the plain white-painted building of Longwood Meeting. Here the " Progressive Friends of Longwood " still gather each Sixth Month for their annual meeting, but the history of the"place takes us back nearly three-quarters of a century. At that time the issue of Slavery confronted the Society of Friends as a very real crisis. In spite of the advanced stand early taken by the Society, a difference of opinion in regard to this matter was destined to add to the separations in its history. The wrongfulness of human slavery was not the disputed point. " It was a disagreement on methods of working or as to working at all for its abolition. Long before that time the Friends had set free their own slaves and had made it a penal offense in their society for a member to own or hire a slave. Hence some of them felt that their share of the work was done, that it was not required of them now to become targets for ridicule, for unkind criticism, or for positive persecution according to social environment , political affiliation, business connections, et cetera. But others, realizing the extreme injustice of an institution which subjected one part of the human race to the absolute, irresponsible control of another part, and the long train of evils that must attend such conditions, seeing in it also a terrible menace to northern * The author wishes to acknowledge his indebtedness to Josephine Pennock for materials used. Quotations are from an article by her aunt, Edith Pennock, published in a special " Women's Edition " of the News and Advertiser (Kennett Square, Penna.) in 1897. To the same Friend readers of the Bulletin are indebted for the old photograph of Longwood Meeting House that forms our frontispiece. 49 50 BULLETIN OF FRIENDS' HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION liberty and to national freedom, could not but choose to take hold of the work of emancipation with such ability as they might possess." This difference of viewpoint led to a number of minor divisions among Friends in the vicinity of Philadelphia and in some other states, most of which have since disappeared. Kennett Monthly Meeting was one of those places in which such a split occurred. Agitation had gone on " for twenty years, the breach widening between the parties all the time; till, in the spring of 1853, a conference was called by the ' liberals,' to be held in ' Old Kennett ' Friends' Meeting House. Its purpose was to consider fully their duty to the necessities of the time and, if found advisable , to form an association which should be hospitable not only to the anti-slavery cause, but to the sincere expression of earnest thought on all lines by which humanity may be benefited. At this conference there was a large proportion of the working force of Kennett Monthly Meeting, a numerous attendance from the neighboring Monthly Meetings, in response to the call issued, as also from Wilmington, Del., and from Philadelphia, from Bucks county and from New Jersey, from New York City and elsewhere. It was an enthusiastic and a crowded meeting and more than fulfilled the hopes of its projectors. " A carefully prepared ' Declaration of Sentiments,' written by Oliver Johnson, was presented, deliberated upon and adopted ; and the association took form at that time. They named it ' The Pennsylvania Yearly Meeting of Progressive Friends ' ; giving the name of the State because such associations already existed in other States ; the word ' Progressive/ to express the idea that such bodies, to continue serviceable, must keep abreast of the times, and ' Friends,' because its founders with few exceptions were Friends, with no wish to be anything but Friends of the genuine stamp." " In 1854 they again assembled at ' Old Kennett ' to hold their yearly meeting. But serious opposition being made to such occupation of the house, they adjourned to Hamorton Hall after the first day of the meeting, and there finished their deliberations that year. " When they came together...