Sowers," a child's book of the Life of Joseph and his Brothers was read, the children carefully questioned and made to think about it, discovering for themselves the virtues of his character, and his peace of mind, even when he suffered, in doing right. This ability to bring out thought is a sure indication that much thought is directed in. It is the great essential in all teaching; and especially in the effort to instill moral laws and moral truths does it seem necessary to arouse and keep awake every child's mind, that it may take earnest hold of the work it must do. Merely reading a story without comment will not do this, for the child is mostly impressed only with the plot and fails to see the value of the lesson. A visit to one of the classes found them reading a little poem, "Make some one happy to-day." It was a beautiful lesson in itself, and the earnest appeal that accompanied it made it so impressive that the little folks cannot forget the sentiment of the poem, or the anxious desire of the teacher that they obey its command. In the Bible Class the questions of the "Inner Light," the "Divinity of Christ," and "Water Baptism," have been talked over during the month. A little book of " Essays on the Views of Friends," by John J. Cornell, has been distributed to each member of the class. The Essay on the Inner Light was reviewed. The substance of it was, that this "Light" which is the guiding star of our Society, is an "attribute of the God-nature bestowed upon the spiritual nature of man, by following the dictates of which He is led into harmony with Himself and with mankind." The Divinity of Christ and what constitutes the Christ-power was clearly and interestingly explained and remarks made thereon by our aged Friends. "Jesus was called Christ not that He had the Christpower of a different kind from us all, but that He possessed it in a different degree. It was given to Him without measure, to us with measure. Friends believe that each one must mind the light that is within his own soul in regard to this as in other things. That the Spirit of Christ has always been in the world, but when Jesus came it was necessary to make the Christ-power more manifest." We are led by the progress of religion to believe that all mythological doctrine must be accepted in the same light as the creeds; they are inventions of man. We believe that there is one, all powerful Being who made all things; that in the different churches many things are mystified by creeds. We must not impress upon any that the Bible alone is the word, since John says, "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God, and that this word took flesh upon it, dwelt among men, was the Christ, was one with God because He lived up to the full obedience of God. If we believe that the spirit dwells in the heart of man, and has continued to, from that time to this, then we acknowledge that in the beginning was the word, because we know that the Scriptures were not in the beginning, therefore we cannot accept them as the word, but taking them for a guide our spiritual eyes will be opened. We obtain the history of past ages from the Bible, but we can obtain the Light to day without mystifying the truth, and this light will be manifested every day of our lives if we mind it.” Upon the question of water baptism an aged Friend had some words freighted with truth and good will to offer-" if we come to know the spiritual baptism we have no need of the outward baptism because water purifies only the body. Jesus did not call any to baptize by water and we have no record of His ever baptizing in this way. But if any one will be my disciple, he must first deny himself." This is the centre of thought upon this subject, and this is the true spirit of inward spiritual baptism. By the effort of searching we can discover the sin and can eradicate and purify." West Chester, Pa. Correspondence of the Intelligencer and Journal. LONDON YEARLY MEETING. It may interest Friends in America to know that the first subject which engaged the attention of London Yearly Meeting (now in session) was the question of its official correspondence with the American Yearly Meetings. The subject was introduced upon the reading of the epistle from New York, and before it was concluded to answer it. It was generally felt that some consideration of the whole question is desirable, and it was agreed to invite all the Quarterly Meetings to send up representatives to a conference on the subject, to be held in London during the autumn, which shall make a report to the next Yearly Meeting. The difficulty has arisen out of the divisions that have occurred in Western, Kansas, Iowa and Canada Yearly Meetings, many Friends here feeling that London has cast adrift by the action heretofore taken [of corresponding only with the "larger bodies"] many of the most consistent Friends, and have given countenance to those among whom many un-Friendlike practices are encouraged. Reference was made by one speaker to your body of Friends, who asked whether London Yearly Meeting was quite doing its duty toward your members; but no one else took it up. In point of fact, the time was not opportune for introducing such a very important matter. There was a warm discussion in the meeting on ministry and oversight, yesterday, on the the "Essays by Three Friends," and much diversity of view expressed, the only particular, perhaps, in which a point was made against the writers of the essays being as to the title given it, which seemed to involve the Society in the doctrines therein contained. The authors are all ministers, of considerable power and influence. They wisely took no part in the debate. (The names of the "Three Friends," being well known here, may very properly be given, as their pamphlet has been extensively read in America. They are Francis Frith, Wm. Edward Turner and William Pollard.) The Yearly Meeting is large, and opened under very comforting and solemn feelings. You will have seen, very probably, a small pamphlet, on Canada and other American Yearly Meetings, by G. A. Milne, of Dublin, issued some weeks ago. [It is reviewed elsewhere in this issue.-EDS.] other denominations of Van Wert and vicinity to par- Clerk of the Meeting. In connection with it you will be interested to learn that Dublin Yearly Meeting, after having had an epistle prepared for Canada Yearly Meeting (with which Dublin and London correspond), reconsidered the subject, and referred the draft back to the comHaving occasion to call on some of the residents mittee, to have it addressed “To all Friends in Can- of the town, I was introduced to Robert Coate, ada." This is among the evidences that there is here whose name was signed to the notice. He and his a decided change of feeling, and that the un-Friend-intelligent wife seemed much interested in talking on like tendencies are receiving a substantial check. London, Fifth mo. 20th, 1885. COMMUNICATION. THE STING OF THE 17-YEAR LOCUSTS. A note from L. and S. D. W., of Johnsville, Bucks County, Pa., is received too late for insertion in full in this issue. It says, in substance, that while the seventeen-year locusts, now visiting us, are entirely harmless at other times, their sting appears to be poisonous when they are depositing their eggs. In 1851, a child of the writer's was stung on the head, and it was supposed to be fatal. Recourse was had, however, to the application of the half of a raw freshly-killed chicken, renewed every few hours, and the child promptly recovered. '' Correspondence of The Intelligencer and Journal. LETTERS BY THE WAY. About twelve miles from the Indiana line (within the State of Ohio), is the town of Van Wert. Soon after my arrival there, I heard something of the Quaker Church," which was about to hold its Quarterly Meeting. At my landlady's I was told that the members "are like the old-style shouting Methodists. They have converted some drunken and profligate people, both men and women; have reached a class of people that no other Church does and have improved the character of that part of the town. They have had to enlarge their Church. But they are not like Friends at the East, not at all. When they have their protracted meetings, they shout and go on. They are rather an illiterate class of people, and sometimes excite ridicule when they give in their experience,' as when a woman relates that she went to the Lord in prayer because she could not find a child's shoes, or was afraid the bread would not rise in time for her to go to meet ing." The daily newspaper of the town contained the following announcement: Quarterly Meeting at the Friends' Church, Van Wert, Ohio, commences on Saturday, May 16, at 10 o'clock A. M., and will continue over Sunday. There will be two sessions on Saturday, with an intermission of one hour between them for dinner; those not living near the Church will be expected to bring provisions with them. The afternoon session will commence at 1 P. M. and will be occupied in the transaction of the business of the Church. All other sessions are for worship and preaching of the Gospel. Preaching on Saturday night and Sunday morning and evening. There will be a meeting of ministers and elders on Friday at 11 A. M. Rev. E. J. Scott, of West Milton, Ohio, and other ministers are expected to be present, who will conduct the various devotional services. A cordial invitation is extended to the public in general to be in attendance, and especially to the ministers of the subject of Friends, and from them I obtained the As regards the advertisement of the Quarterly Meeting. Robert said that if it had been put in "Seventh-day, and "First-day," the public would not have known what was meant. It is only about ten years since the first meeting was organized in this locality. The Quarterly Meeting (West Branch) was established by Baltimore Yearly Meeting in 1812, at a locality about seventy miles south of Van Wert. The new converts in this locality I understand do not adopt any set form of dress, nor what has been called "the plain language." The meetinghouse here is a neat, white, good sized building, with something on one end of the roof, not a steeple, but say a steeple in process of evolution. Three or four times as high and pointed would certainly constitute a "steeple-house." There are perhaps 350 members here. I mentioned to Robert a glass over a door bearing a masonic mark, which I had seen; and he replied that they are opposed to secret oath-bound associations; that they have to regret that some of their members belong; but that it does not seem prudent at this time to deal with them. He brought a copy of their discipline, and under the head "Moral Duties," and sub-head "Secret Societies," I found the following: "If any of our members should so far depart from our Christian views and principles as to take a secret oath or participate in the vain and ostentatious shows and public processions accompanied with music, badges and other insignia of such societies which we believe to be unbecoming a Christian, they are to be treated with; and if not brought to a sense of their error, to be disowned." This meeting in the town is mostly composed of people in quite moderate circumstances; some work in the stave factories and others are mechanics; also laboring men. I asked Robert whether when they make so many converts among the poorer class they consider the necessities of poor Friends and relieve them? (It is added in substance, that they shall also have power to aid other ministers.) Marked as the difference is between these meetings and ours, there is one feature which perhaps the reader may fail to remark. This is the absence of silence, the "silent waiting," the continual speaking and other vocal exercises which with us only appear on some great occasion, such as the Yearly meeting. I was present at a First-day morning meeting of Orthodox Friends at Chicago, where a woman Friend read a passage from the great Bible lying on the desk or rest before her; and another sang some verses, beginning: "How firm a foundation, Ye saints of the Lord, They have no query on this subject (the number of queries regularly read is only four), but they have a division in the discipline on the care of the poor. Robert never knew a case of a Friend becoming burden on the public. There was a case of a woman, The doctrines promulgated by one or more of the a childless widow, without_parents who was subject speakers were not such as we are accustomed to in to epileptic fits, and some Friends suggested that she our meetings, yet the continuous exercises were percould better be taken care of at the county poor-haps the most conspicuous difference. house, but it was ultimately concluded to board her around among Friends. (Jemima Coate, Robert's pleasant wife, spoke of her having been at her father's.) This was done until her death, which occurred in about two years. As to "shouting" in their meetings, Robert says. that he never heard but one case; preaching and praying are never interrupted, but by an occasional "Amen!" It Punctually, about 10.30, the meeting gathers generally begins with spontaneous singing, in which several join; sometimes with prayer; sometimes one reads a portion of Scripture. All these may be in one meeting. And then there is liberty for every one to preach who is inclined; generally not more than one preacher is present. Then there is singing and "testimony." This is for those present to tell, at will, what the Lord has done for them. This space or custom after the sermon, is really an invitation to the congregation to pray, sing or give testiinony. The case of shouting alluded to is of one member who begins to give his testimony in a quiet tone, but who waxes louder till he reaches the compass of his voice. Every one says," said Jemima Coate, "that he lives out what he professes; is an every-day Christian." They have First-day schools in new localities, often called "Sabbath schools." As regards the payment of ministers, no one that Robert Coate knows of in Indiana Yearly Meeting receives a fixed salary. They have a passage of the discipline on the support of the ministry.* Here follows an extract: "We would impress upon the mind of every believer the necessity of sharing the burden and sacrifice attending the fulfillment of the command, 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature;' being convinced that spiritual poverty will result from the withholding of means needed for the promulgation of the gospel. Quarterly and Monthly meetings are directed to form a special fund, 'The Fund for the spread of the Gospel,' and appoint committees to have charge." P. E. GIBBONS. Mansfield, Ohio, Fifth mo. 17th, 1885. NEWS OF FRIENDS. MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR INCREASING A miceting of the Association for Increasing Interest in the Society of Friends was held at Fifteenth and Race streets Meeting-house, Philadelphia, on Sixthday last, the 29th ult., sessions being held in the afternoon at 2.30, and in the evening at 7.30. The clerks, Amos Hillborn and Sarah J. Ash, were in attendance. The number of persons present was somewhat less than at most of the previous meetings. The minutes of the Yearly Meeting, by which a large committee was appointed (see the INTELLIGENCER AND JOURNAL of Fifth mo. 23d), "to have care of visiting the branches of this Yearly Meeting, and encouraging Friends to the more faithful attention to the requirements of our Discipline, and upholding and sustaining the testimonies of our religious Society," was read. It was decided to suspend the usual order, and have the subject come up at once for consideration, without reference to the executive committee. Dr. It was suggested that the action taken by the Yearly Meeting might make it unnecessary to continue the Association's meetings, and that it might better disband. Upon this there was a very full expression of feeling, occupying substantially the whole of the afternoon session. Among those who spoke were John W. Stokes, Edward H. Magill, Thos. H. Speakman, Richard Watson, George L. Maris, Clement M. Biddle, Sarah T. Rogers, Louisa J. Roberts, T. E. Longshore, Lydia A. Schofield, Matilda E. Janney, Mordecai T. Bartram, Howard M. Jenkins, George Watson, H. T. Child and others. While there was some variation of views, there was substantial unity in the feeling that it would be premature to terminate the Association's labors at present. Whether the new committee of the Yearly Meeting will undertake the work which the Association had had in view remained to be seen. Several members expressed their strong conviction of the usefulness of the Association, of the fact that it was needed now, as when it was organized, and that to disband it would have a discouraging influence on many, especially on young Friends who had become interested in it. It was ultimately determined, at the close of the afternoon * Copies of this Discipline can perhaps be obtained by ad- sitting, to adopt the following resolution : dressing Joseph Dickinson, Richmond, Indiana. "That this Association hears with pleasure of the appoint ment of a large committee by the Yearly Meeting to visit our meetings and encourage a greater interest in the testimonies of our Society, and expresses its entire willingness to assist in any way that may open within the scope of the object of our organization." It was also decided that when the Association should adjourn it should be to meet again in the Tenth month next, upon a date to be fixed and announced by the Clerks. At the evening session a report from the Executive Committee was read, showing that the conference held with the Elders and Overseers, and that on Fifth day evening of Yearly Meeting week were interesting and profitable opportunities. George Watson was appointed treasurer of the Association. Three propositions reported from the Executive committee were then read, and the first was considered, as follows: "As the fundamental principle of the Society of Friends, the guidance of the Inner Light, should be sown broadcast over the world, we recommend that our Society be more active in its dissemination by printed documents, and otherwise." George L. Maris, who originally offered this proposition, thought our religious Society had long been too inactive on this subject. We have received by inheritance the most important testimony that the world has known. Without this our Society is nothing, and the question arises what are we doing to make it known? We must not depend solely upon our ministers, we should all be interested in disseminating it, and we shall find that the one who undertakes to instruct others is himself instructed. Samuel S. Ash thought that whatever external means we use, they must be measured by their own light and held responsible to their own measure. No law or rule is laid down except as it is evolved from this light. Friends stand separate from other professors in that they make this light, or Christ, paramount to external agencies. There is no better way than the old way of letting the light be manifest and showing that it is sufficient to make the life pure and clean. pro Other Friends spoke upon the subject, and the position was united with as the sense of the meeting. The second proposition was taken up, as follows: That one of the causes of the declining interest in our Society by the younger members is that their our Society by the younger members is that their opinions, when expressed, although viewed favorably by a large majority of the meeting, are declined on account of the want of unity, which in many instances fails, because one or two or a few adhere to their own particular views and are not willing to submit, thus frustrating the wishes of the greater body of the meeting." This was discussed by George Watson, Susan Carrall, Joseph M. Truman, Edward H. Magill, Blakey Bunting and others. The minute on Unity adopted by the Yearly Meeting was referred to as dealing very satisfactorily with the subject. The third proposition, reported from the Executive Committee, and read, but was not reached for consideration. It was as follows: "The most practicable, if not the only practicable, method for creating an increased interest in the Society of Friends is by calling into active use the gift of teaching, as distinguished from that of preaching. Therefore I propose that our meetings for worship be so held as to admit of a session in the form of a conference, in which the gifts of all our members may be brought into use. That we seek to have discontinued in all our religious meetings the practice of men and women sitting separately. That persons in the habit of attending our meetings and fully identified with us be admitted as members by minutes of the Monthly Meetings." FRIENDS' BOOKS IN FAIR HILL LIBRARY. A member of Green Street Meeting, having a large collection of Friends' books, and feeling that they would do more good if placed where young persons of the Society and other inquiring minds could have an opportunity of reading them, has presented about 200 volumes, some of them ancient Friends' writings, that are seldom met with now, to the library at Fair Hill Meeting. These books will doubtless do much good, and the writer has felt drawn to call the attention of Friends generally to this commendable and Christian act, which is certainly worthy of imitation. Every Particular Meeting should have a complete library of Friends' writings, and an effort should be made to have them read by Friends and others in the respectivė neighborhoods. Sixth mo. 1st, 1885. E. L. P. FRIENDS' HOME FOR CHILDREN. Friends' Home for Children, formerly situated at 3401 Germantown Avenue, has been removed to No. 4011 Aspen Street, West Philadelphia. The Directors consider themselves very fortunate in securing this healthful and pleasant location, it being well adapted to their wants and purposes in every respect. The lot is 100X165 feet, well supplied with shade and fruit trees. The house is a large stone mansion with two bathrooms. A portico runs the full length of the front. There is also a commodious stable and carriage-house which we hold for rent. All of which the Home gets through the liberality of the owner, C. A. Wentz, for fifty dollars per month, this being two hundred dollars less per year than it rented for last year. With this evidence of Christian sympathy and kindness of heart, the Directors are greatly encouraged to press forward with renewed effort in our endeavor to raise the destitute and needy to a higher plane of morality and usefulness. May Heaven continue to bless our Home is our earnest prayer. A. S. J. -The Committee of the Yearly Meeting to visit Meetings, etc., met in room No. 1, at Fifteenth and Race Streets Meeting-house, on Seventh-day last, at 1 o'clock. About forty of the fifty members were Sonte time was spent in discussion of the scope of the present. Wm. Wade Griscom was appointed Clerk. Committee's work, and it was ultimately decided to appoint a sub-committee of ten to report a plan of procedure, for consideration at next meeting, which it was agreed to hold at the same place, at 10.30, next Seventh-day, the 6th inst. Joseph B. Livezey stated his concern to visit families of young people in Bucks Quarterly Meeting, and other Friends (including Watson Tomlinson and Charles and Harriet E. Kirk) offering to accompany him, a sub-committee, composed of these and others named for the purpose, was united with. They expect to make the proposed visits within an early period. met at Fifteenth and Race Streets last Seventh-day morning, and organized to proceed with its work. -The Yearly Meeting's Committee on Education -At Birmingham Monthly Meeting (West Chester), on Seventh-day last, Lydia H. Price and Emily Jackson, her companion, obtained a minute to visit Genesee Yearly Meeting at its approaching session. THE FIRST CHAPTER OF Genesis. [The following is the first chapter of Genesis, according to the new revision. The notation of the verses, according to the old version, is inserted for convenience.] 1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2. And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3. And God said: Let there be light; and there was light. 4. And God saw the light that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5. And God called the light day and the darkness he called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day. 6. And God said, let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 7. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament, and it was So. 8. And God called the firmament heaven; and there was evening and there was morning, a second day. 9. And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear; and it was so. 10. And God called the dry land earth; and the gathering together of the waters called He Seas; and God saw that it was good. 11. And God said, let the earth put forth grass, herb yielding seed, and fruit tree bearing fruit after its kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12. And the earth brought forth grass, herb yielding seed after its kind, and tree bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof after its kind; and God saw that it was good. 13. And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. 14. And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years. 15. And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16. And God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; he made the stars also. 17. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth. 18. And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. 19. And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day. 20. And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and let fowl fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21. And God created the great sea monsters, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kinds, and every winged fowl after its kind; and God saw that it was good. 22. And God blessed them saying, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth 23. And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. 24. And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after its kind, cattle and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after its kind and it was so. 25. And God made the beast of the earth after its kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good. 26. And God said, Let us make man in our image after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27. And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female cre ated He them. 28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all the 29. And God said, Behold I have given you every earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. fowl of the air, and to everything that creepeth upon 30. And to every beast of the earth, and to every the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. and behold it was very good. 31. And God saw everything that He had made, And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. THE LIBRARY. AN HISTORICAL REVIEW OF THE POSITION OF LONDON AND DUBLIN YEARLY MEETINGS, IN RELATION TO THE AMERICAN MEETINGS; with Practical Suggestions for Action in the Present Crisis. By a member of Dublin Yearly Meeting. Pp. 57. Price sixpence. London: Samuel Harris & Co. 1885. This is a small pamphlet, in which George A. Milne, a member of Dublin Yearly Meeting, considers analytically the course pursued by that body and the Yearly Meeting of London in regard to the different American "Orthodox" bodies. Stated briefly, the author's argument is that those two meetings ought not to have committed themselves unreservedly to correspondence with the American "Evangical bodies, while refusing recognition to the "smaller bodies." He sets out by saying that "the decision of London Yearly Meeting, in 1878, upon the separation in Western Yearly Meeting, stands opposed to its decisions in other important cases." The older "decisions" which he thus cites are, (1) that of 1829, when London Yearly Meeting recognized the body of 'Orthodox "' Friends who had withdrawn, along with Thomas Shillitoe, from New York Yearly Meeting, thus disregarding both the fact of withdrawal and of relatively smaller numbers; (2) that, of about the same time, when a very small part of Baltimore Yearly Meeting was recognized, on the ground that they held sound doctrine, notwithstanding that, is stated by William Hodgson, the main body "had all the technical advantages of numbers, organization, and apparent_regularity of proceedings;" (3) that of 1846, when London Yearly Meeting received the epistle of the Gurneyite body in New England Yearly Meeting, and declined that of the Wilburite, on the ground that the former "had come through the recognized channel of our correspondents.' Taking these as his authorities, G. A. M. insists that an inconsistent course was pursued as to Western Yearly Meeting, in 1878, the epistle signed by Albert Maxwell, as clerk, and "authenticated by three of the Friends who have acted as correspondents," being declined, while that signed by B. C. Hobbs, which had no authentication by correspondents previously known, was received, this being a distinct reversal of the rule made in the New England case. He also examines other cases, to prove that London and |