Friends

Society of, the organization commonly called Quakers, founded in the middle of the 17th century by George Fox. They are distinguished from other Christian bodies by the special stre they lay on the immediate teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and their belief that no one should be paid or appointed by human authority for the exercise of the gift of the ministry. In obedience to this belief they hold their meetings without any prearranged service or. sermon, and sometimes in total silence. The Friends believe that the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are to be taken spiritually, and not in an outward form. Their protests against the use of oaths and against the exaction of tithes and church rates cost them much suffering and frequent oan ae during the first 50 years of their existence. The simplified dre which Friends adopted from conviction 200 years ago became stereotyped into a uniform. This. dre has generally been given up, as have the “testimony” against music and finging in its rigid application, and the peculiarities of speech, such as the use of “thee” and “thou” instead of “ you” (though many Friends still retain this custom among themselves), and the avoidance of all titles of courtesy. Of late years there has been a very decided evangelical movement among Friends, under the influence of which the old quietism is dying out. As a result of this change the influence of the Society beyond its own borders, through home and foreign mi ions and adult First Day (Sunday) Schools, has developed to a remarkable extent. There is in the United States a numerous body of Friends called Hick sites (from their founder, Elias Hicks),.who separated from the orthodox community. They hold latitudinarian views. The Wilburite section are conspicuous in Pennsylvania by their adherence to the livery and the “ plain language.” Large numbers of persons who do not appear in the statistical returns attend the Mi ion meetings of the Society of Friends, and very large numbers come under their influence in the foreign mi ion field.