Quaint Quakerisms

Abstract

92 BULLETIN OF FRIENDS' HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION The second Hague Conference in 1907 was held in the Hall of the Knights, an enthusiastic description of which was written by a contemporary of William Penn in 1688; but neither that visitor nor the Quaker statesman could have dreamed that all the governments in the world would some time send their representatives to a conference in that hall of militarism and feudalism for the purpose of disarming the nations and pledging them to peaceful settlement of their disputes. Perhaps to the spirit of William Penn, and certainly to the living Friend who writes this sketch, it was a source of gratitude to find at the head of the British delegation at the second Hague Conference an English Friend, Sir Edward Fry. It was a pleasure to note that Penn's plan for an international court was referred to with praise several times in the conference, and that the leading advocate of the International Court of Prize adopted by the conference was a member of Penn's religious society. The unique and beautiful Palace of Peace on the Scheveningen Way in The Hague which houses the international courts of our time was presented to the nations by a citizen of Pennsylvania; and it would be most appropriate if the Society of Friends on both sides of the sea would present a statue of the great Founder (of colony, courts, and society as well) to stand before that palace and continue to point in the Old World, which he loved and labored for as devotedly as for the New, the path to permanent peace. Looking back over the history of war and peace during the last two centuries and a haff, it is a natural and pleasing reflection for us Friends of today that in the aftermath of Quakerism in Holland there was preserved for eventual fruition those seeds of peace among men and nations which were sown by the devoted labors and the pacific lives of the Dutch Quaker Peace Makers. QUAINT QUAKERISMS By J. Russell Hayes In the older records of our monthly meetings we discern, far more fully than in recent ones, all sides of human character. In our modern meetings we note down only the obvious concerns QUAINT QUAKERISMS93 and the more public activities of our members; in earlier days, most of their doings were subject to official inquiry and report. Very enlightening it is to linger for a while over the pages of antique minute books, where the serious and humorous aspects of early Quakerism are found in plenty. They surely were frank in those days! Thus, in 1803, a delinquent Friend was "treated with by the overseers and other Friends on account of Charging Mary Shaw with being a liar." (Richland Women's Preparative Meeting, 2d mo. 3, 1803.) Maiden Creek representatives report "That Joseph WoIIaston is Accused of Cursing . . . when going down Schuylkill in a Canoe." (Exeter Monthly Meeting, 4th mo. 28, 1757.) Friend Daniel Webb was sadly at fault, although the last of his offences rather wins our sympathy. Daniel was "dealt with for absence from Meeting, Drinking to Excess and staying abroad . . . from his fambly, to the Reproach of Truth, also having set up some Grave-Stones at his Parents Graves, Which by Direction of the Monthly Meeting were Remov'd he hath approv'd of their being set up Again." (Kennett Monthly Meeting , 9th mo. 12, 1765.) Pioneer conditions are revealed in many an early record. Friends on the frontier in Berks County suffered from fear of Indians. "Those appointed to Inquire into the Circumstances of such as are fled from the Indians, Report, that none seem to be in immediate want of Bread, tho' some are likely so to be ; being drove from following their Business" by the Indians, yet think "if they can for the future be in Safety on their Places, are in hopes to rub it through, etc." (Exeter Monthly Meeting, 3d mo. 31, 1757.) We smile perhaps over the entries that reveal a close searching after proper dress and conduct of members of meeting. New Garden Women's Meeting, 12th mo. 2, 1780, were seriously troubled "respecting Friends departing from...