THE AGE WE LIVE IN.-The age we live progress of mankind, the education of youth,' the preservation of age and the respect for in is one of remarkable activity, both in civil woman all depend. If marriage is not divine, and religious concerns, not only in this country, there is nothing divine, nothing solid on earth, nothing left that a good man, woman or family but in other parts of the civilized world. need wish preserved in all the institutions of In Europe there seems to be among the edumankind. And marriage and Christianity sup-cated classes an increasing breadth of view in port each other as divine gifts to man.-Phila. Ledger. relation to the rights of man and the responsibilities of those who hold the reins of power; while among the great mass of the people, there FRIENDS' INTELLIGENCER. is a growing disposition to assert their rights, PHILADELPHIA, THIRD MONTH 9, 1867. and to claim political privileges hitherto denied. them. In Italy great progress has been made in promoting national unity and constitutional government. Even in Rome, the slowest of all communities to reform abuses, and the most inveterate in its adherence to tradition, some signs of advancement may be seen, in the desire of the people to throw off the yoke of ec clesiastical domination. In the commencement of a new volume our thoughts naturally turn to the objects which incite us to continued labor. Among these, the desire to furnish our readers with mental food that will not only be pleasant to the taste, but which will strengthen a love for Truth and its testimonies, holds a prominent place. We learn through letters from a number of friends that this object has been attained in many instances, In France the education of the people is adand this affords us encouragement. By an in-vancing, and with increasing intelligence among creased subscription, the pecuniary difficulties, the industrial classes, a yearning for greater which threatened a discontinuance of our pa- civil and religious liberty begins to prevail, per, have been removed. We had hoped the and to make itself felt by the government. terms might have been reduced this year, but a recent increase in expenses renders such a course injudicious at the present time. The present rates, however, should not be an obstacle to its free circulation. In Germany, so recently involved in a tremendous conflict of arms, there is manifested a determination to lay the foundations of government on principles far more liberal than have hitherto pravailed, and to provide against fu If Friends who are qualified, and who feel ture dissensions by establishing a great national an interest in the cause which we have at heart, would employ their talents upon subjects of general and vital interest to the Society, and would contribute more freely to the columns of our periodical, we should be less dependent upon matter which has before appeared in print. unity. In Russia the liberation of many millions of serfs, and the measures taken for their ele vation, indicate on the part of their absolute lence, that entitles him to a high rank among ruler, a degree of enlightenment and benevo the benefactors of mankind. In Great Britain the spirit of reform is probaThe selections which have been made, have bly more active and potent than at any time not, as our readers are aware, been confined to during the last two centuries, as may be inthe writings of the members of the Society of ferred from the great mass meetings and proFriends; but such illustrations of Truth, as we cessions demanding the extension of the elechave believed were calculated to impress the tive franchise. These demands will doubtless mind with the excellency of that spirit" which be met by concessions on the part of the govthinketh no evil and speaketh no guile," have ernment, for the English aristocracy have genbeen used, irrespective of sect or name. For the promotion of the blessed cause of truth and righteousness, we dedicate ourselves anew to the work, trusting that our efforts may be blessed. erally been wise enough to yield to the demands of the people when danger became imminent, and thus by conceding a part of what justice. demanded, they have been enabled to retain their ascendancy. There is, among most religious sects, an increasing disposition to acknowledge the supremacy of the great fundamental principle we In our own country, a stupendous revolution | righteous cause will prevail, and that the Rehas been going on, and is not yet fully accom- deemer's kingdom-the reign of peace and love plished. It brings to mind the language of the will be extended. Most High through the prophet Ezekiel: "Remove the diadem, take off the crown, exalt him that is low, abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, until he come profess-"the universal and saving light of whose right it is, and I will give it him." A proud oligarchy has been overthrown, and millions of human beings that were subjected to degrading bondage, now enjoy the sweets of liberty and are permitted to receive the light of knowledge. For their elevation and instruction an amount of treasure is poured forth, and an earnestness of effort displayed, that has seldom, if ever, been exhibited in any age or country. The desolations of war are being effaced by the bencfactious of peace. It is well known to the student of history, that the human mind makes most rapid progress when it is stirred to its utmost depths by events of momentous importance. The language of Mosca, describing the Deluge, may be figura tively applied to our country: "The fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened." Thought is no longer stagnant; but, rushing forward with ir resistible force, it sweeps away the barriers of prejudice, that have been raised by centuries of oppression. Accordingly we find a progress in public sentiment unparallelled in any other period of our history. The overruling Provi dence of God, the universal brotherhood of man, the just and elevated position of woman, are now claiming a degree of consideration hitherto unknown. It is with nations as with individuals, the darkest days in our experience-the seasons of our deepest affliction-may, through Divine Goodness, be made to yield the richest harvest of instruction, if we humble ourselves under his mighty hand, and place our trust in Him, whose right it is to reign. Notwithstanding the profanity, intemperance and fraud that so much abound, there are evidences on the part of vast numbers of an earnest effort to do right, and, perhaps, there never was a time when candid investigation of religious truth and widely extended benevolence were more conspicuous. May we not hope that, in the conflict between good and evil, the Christ;" or, in Scripture language, "the grace of God that bringeth salvation." May we then, as a religious society, having entrusted to us precious testimonies to bear before the world, be more fully aroused to the importance of our position, and the consequent responsibility that rests upon us. If we place our light "under a bushel, or under a bed," being engrossed with worldly cares, or indulging in luxurious ease, we shall be held accountable for the misuse or neglect of our talents; but if, on the contrary, we cherish an earnest, sincere, fervent piety,fruitful in good works,—we shall, in doing good to others, promote the glory of God, and secure for ourselves eternal life. DIED, on the 14th of Tenth month, 1866, in Upper Makefield, Bucks Co., Pa., WM. RYAN, aged 84 years; a member of Wrightstown Monthly Meeting. -, on the 16th of Twelfth month, 1866, TIMOTHY ATKINSON, aged 82 years; a member of Wrightstown , on the 26th of Second month, 1867, at his residence, Bensalem, Bucks Co., Pa., JOSHUA K. WILDMAN, aged 47 years; a member of Byberry Monthly Meeting. on the 428th of Twelfth month, 1866, at his residence in Milton, Ind., MATTHEW FERRIS, aged about 61 years. This dear Friend was a kind, de voted husband and sincere friend. His disease was pneumonia, and a short time before his decease he was struck with paralysis. His suffering during his illness was very great, and when near the close alfortitude, desiring that strength might be given him most insupportable, but he bore it with Christian to wait patiently for the time of his departure, desiring those around him to pray that he might be lieve the prayers of the righteous are availing," and frequently repeated, "Not my will, but thine, O Lord, close. So passed away an honest, upright man, and released from such intense suffering, adding, "I be be done." He retained his consciouness until the a humble and sincere Christian. He will be greatly missed in the meeting of which he has been a member thirty-eight years. Thus are called one after another those who are looked to for counsel and advice. DIED, on the 9th of Eleventh month, 1866. at Portsmouth, R. I., HANNAH GIFFORD, in the 92d year of her age; a member of Rhode Island Monthly Meeting. on the 9th of First month, 1867, CALVIN CAMMACK, in the 24th year of his age; a member of Henkle Creek Monthly Meeting. at her residence in Baltimore County, Maryland, on the 24th of Second Month, 1867, MARY M. PRICE, aged 88 years. survived all the friends of her youth, she often longed to depart. A short time before her death, she desired her daughter to pray for her, and when this was complied with, seemed consoled and comforted. The close of her long sojourn on earth was calm and peaceful. DIED, on Seventh-day, 5th of First month, 1867, REBE MELVINA, infant daughter of George W. and Amanda De Gour, in her 4th year. on the 24th of Second month, NATHAN WRIGHT, in the 72d year of his age, a member of Green St. Monthly Meeting. , on the 24th of Second month, 1867, at his residence, Hulmeville, Bucks Co., T. BURROWS TILTON, in the 55th year of his age. on the 5th of Second month, 1867, ELIZABETH, wife of Joel Borton, in the 88th year of her age, a member of Pilesgrove Monthly Meeting of Friends, N. J. This aged beloved mother had been unable to walk alone, for near eighteen months, on account of dislocation of hip joint; and a few days before her death, she fell again, and disloca ed her shoulder, under which her strong powers of nature gave way. Letter received by Friends' Association for the Aid and Elevation of the Freedmen in return for supplies sent. In the death of this dear Friend, Gunpowder Monthly Meeting, of which she had been an Elder for about fifty-one years, has lost one of its most faithful laborers in the cause of truth and of church discipline, the neighborhood one of the most unostentatious, yet sympathising and self-sacrificing of its members, and the Society of Friends one of its most earnest and consistent examplars. While she was ever studious to avoid giving trouble herself, her hospitalities to others knew no bounds; she Eeemed never to weary in waiting upon the many who came under her hospitable roof. She was very diligent in her attendance of meetings, rarely allowing, even in her extreme old age, any thing to interfere with her prompt attendance. Her close was in accordance with her long and useful life. She passed away with her intellect, apparently unimpaired, and we cannot doubt is now reaping a rich at his residence in Harford County, Mary-kindness in sending the box of clothing and land, on the 15th of Second Month, 1867, ASAHEL the money. The latter came when so much HAVILAND, in the 81st year of his age; a member of needed. You know a little of the starvation Forest Preparative, and an Elder of Little Falls among our people. The snow lasted for nearly Monthly Meeting. a month, and it was a hard month indeed. Thus has passed from earth one who, in his intercourse with his fellow man, through a long life, Many of the men had been in the country evinced the quiet, unobtrusive traits of the Chris-working, and came home to spend Christmas tian's character; and we believe it may be truly said that he died without enemies on earth, and reward. 1 with friends in Heaven. Though suffering much during his last illness of two weeks' duration, he bore it with fortitude and resignation, frequently expressing his desire to be gathered to the mansions of rest, which he had an evidence were prepared for him, whenever it should be his Master's will. And there are those who can testify that to them death was never before so robbed of its terrors, or the grave of its victory, as when standing by the bedside of this dying Christian. FORT MONROE, 2d mo. 18th, 1867. My dear Friends.-I cannot express to you with pen and ink how thankful I feel for your week with their families, and were stormstaid; had no money, for many of them were not paid off,-and what could be done? Some had their feet so terribly frosted they could not wear This country being flat, their shoes for weeks. the woods were filled with water, so that those who went for their wood, to carry home on their What could the heads, had to wade to get it. women do, and especially the old? It was quite distressing to go into some of the cabins and on the 7th of Second month, 1867, ELISHA find a family of little children sitting over a few STUART, son of John D. Stuart, aged 32 years; a coals, or perhaps none; and so hard to see the member of Lower Greenwich Monthly Meeting, N. J. old men and women, after toiling hard and rein this city, on the 26th ultimo, ALICE P.ceiving nothing in return, now to suffer from TODD in the 100th year of her age; a member of hunger and cold. This, I trust, is in the past, Philadelphia Monthly Meeting. This Friend, who not to be remembered. I feel that much was had attained an age rarely allotted to any one, was born in Lancaster, Pa., on the 22d of First month, done by us with the means you provided, to alle1768. Her father, Thomas Poultney, a member of viate the distress. I have tried to be judicious our Society, emigrated to this country from London with the money, and have it go as far as I can. in 1730, and came with his family to reside in this This is a great country for pine, and many of city when the deceased was nine years old. She the women get what they call light-wood for kindlings, and bring it to us to cook our meals. One woman came two miles the other morning, before we had our breakfast, with a great basket of this light-wood. It was a very cold morning, and she seemed to feel it very much. I had her come in and sit down by the cooking stove, and gave her her breakfast. She said was married in 1788 to James Todd, a merchant of Philadelphia. By the death of her husband, she was left with a family of five children, all of whom except one, she survived, and passed through many of the trials incident to widowhood. Though retaining her memory and clearness of intellect to the last, her sight and hearing were nearly gone, and in a sense of the infirmity of extreme age, and of having she had eaten a small corn cake the morning before; she was very hungry. Her husband has been sick with consumption ever since August, and no doubt they have suffered greatly. I went there about three weeks ago, and soon had them made more comfortable by getting some bed clothes and wearing clothes for them; there are two daughters. The same day another old woman came in and said she had had Dothing in her house since Friday morning,and this was Monday. I gave her some soup we had left from dinner, and it must have been refreshing to her. I could multiply instances of this kind. I have the men chop wood for the school and house purposes, and have the women take turns helping me wash, iron, scrub, &c. It is more trouble for me, but I have to occasionally give them a meal; and if they caning have in a great measure relieved their wants. come and help me, they will feel as though they were paying for it. Those that can sew well I give sewing to do, either for myself or for those who cannot. I often want a dress made for an old person, or for a child, and let these women make it, and give them a pair of shoes, or dress, or whatever they need, in return. All this keeps me busy, I assure you. And now to talk a little about the clothing. I found a great many excellent articles,-coats, vests, dresses, &c. Wherever I felt a family needed my especial care, I assorted out what I thought suitable. In this way I supplied some of the very needy the first thing. I had just received a box from home, and putting the articles together, enabled me to do much good in some families. I did what I never did before; I sold at a moderate price some things that I knew would do a certain class of the people more good, and took the money and bought goods for the others; so I have been enabled to supply a greater number of people than I could other wise have done. Many of them are going on to the farms to work, and had to be supplied with clothes to travel with. A great number are leaving here this spring. I am glad they have concluded to go. They settled down here as if they were to stay forever. They are beginning to understand what freedom is. at first thought they would have nothing to do. They don't yet understand how to lay up their winter's store, but they will learn, by receiving hard lessons. It is astonishing, too, how some of them get along. I know some women who have made five dollars a week digging and selling bones, the old mule bones, that were buried at the time of the war. They also pick up rags, coal, iron, &c. A woman came this morning before breakfast and wanted some meal; said she had seven cents Friday night, and bought some turnips with that, and it was all she had until this morning. She is a widow with two children. I gave out four tickets be fore breakfast for meals. One old woman said she had not a bit in the house, and her husband I never like to say, "Be ye clothed and filled,” Some Remember me as your true friend, CHEERFUL WORK. be One of the most valuable, and one of the most infectious examples which can be set before the young, is that of cheerful working. Cheerfulbess gives elasticity to the spirit. Spectres fly before it; difficulties cause no despair, for they are encountered with hope, and the mind acquires that happy disposition to improve opportunities which rarely fails of success. The fervent spirit is always a healthy and happy spirit; working cheerfully itself and stimulating others to work. It confers a dignity on even the most ordinary occupations. The most effective work, also, is always the full hearted work-that which passes through the hands or the head of him whose heart is glad. GOD'S THOUGHTS NOT OUR THOUGHTS. We keep our patience for our greater cares, Still gently bears. We travel far to find Him, seeking still, There in the lonely valley, walking on, BROAD CAST THY SEED. Broad cast thy seed Although some portion may be found Or when it comes, some pestilent air his faithful household servants he left $20,000, and appointed two Quaker guardians for the children; one of whom was Friend Joseph, who took the children to board with him for the convenience of attending school. They were good-looking, intelligent, and well-behaved; but because God had given them brown complexions the neighbors were as shy of them as if they had been young gorillas. There were two schools in the vicinity, under the management of Quakers. The parents of both sects of scholars manifested equal uneasiness at having their children learn to read and spell in the same class with children of darker skins. When Friend Joseph and his family took them to meeting, and sat side by side with them, it caused as much com. motion as if those healthy, bright looking brown children had been infected with some fatal contagious disease The Elders of the Society decided that it was proper for them to sit in a small gallery by themselves. Friend Joseph, always averse to strife, readily assented; but he signified that, as guardian of the children, he should consider it his duty to go and sit with them, and that his wife and daughter would also feel it to be their duty. Now that was precisely the most troublesome thing he could have done. Strangers, who visited the meeting occasionally, would naturally inquire why that one family sat by themselves in an out-ofthe way, inconvenient place; and, if the true reason was given, peradventure some of them might say that Quakers must have degenerated greatly since the days of George Fox and William Penn. They had an unpleasant consciousness of this; and, because it made them uncomfortable, they felt as if Friend Joseph was a disturber of the peace. Assuredly, if George Fox had reappeared among them in his suit of leather, they would have dealt with him as a (Concluded from page 828, vol. 23.) very disorderly member. The Quakers proved Not far distant from the farm lived an old themselves no better and no worse than other man of very secluded and eccentric habits. He sects. Every sect, after it has sought its way was born in Vermont, but had early removed to to toleration, and thence passed into respectaone of the Carolinas, where he lived many years bility, gradually becomes lethargic, and fails to and purchased many slaves. He was reputed apply its original principles to the moral disto be rich, but his manner of living gave no in- eases of its time. The manna of the Lord has dication of it. His dress, his house, and the to be gathered fresh continually; it will not vehicle in which he rode were as plain as those keep. Individuals who are alive in defunct of the Quaker farmers in his neighborhood. societies are sure to be impeded at every step His only servants and companions in the house of their straightforward progress. Friend were a colored man and woman, who had been Joseph, who earnestly desired to live in peace his slaves in Carolina, and who afterward mar- and friendship with all men, found himself enried and had a small family. This man died gaged in a series of struggles. Duties, not of while I was at the farm. Nothing had been pre-his own seeking, came to him, as did the guarviously known of his opinions concerning slave- dianship of the colored children; it was his ry; but the state of his conscience on that sub-nature to perform duties conscientiously, and in ject was revealed by the fact that by will he the performance of them he could not avoid emancipated a large number of slaves in Caro lina, and left each of them a legacy to enable them to quit the State, as the law required. To -Chambers' Journal. FRIEND JOSEPH. jostling the prejudices of his neighbors. These little discords where he longed for harmony sometimes saddened him; but they never made |