_AS A FRIEND._
"Be ye complete in Him."
"God's own hand must lay the axe of inward crucifixion
unsparingly at the root of the natural life; God in Christ,
operating in the person of the Holy Ghost, must be the principle
of inward inspiration _moment_ by _moment_, the crucifier of
every wrong desire and purpose, the Author of every right and
holy purpose, the Light and Life of the soul."--UPHAM.
Eli Jones was a birthright member of the Society of Friends, and as
far back as there is any record the family had been a Friends' family,
so that he inherited an inclination to the manners and views of the
Society; and it was as much expected of him that he would make these
views his own as it was that he would be a worthy son of his parents
and grandparents. Quakerism was the air which a Friend's child
breathed seventy-five years ago, and it was a poor child that longed
for another atmosphere. It was a startling revelation to a boy that
there were people in the world who said _you_ to one person, and it
required an explanation.
Eli had little opportunity of reading the lives of the Friends of
former times, and he had no way of finding out the "philosophy of
Quakerism," but his father and mother and the whole circle of his
connections had a definite idea of what they believed, and their
lives were more teaching than many books would have been. The
different meetings were regularly attended by the young members, and
they early became accustomed to the ways of doing the necessary
business. He learned to respect the body which transacted its business
so quietly and orderly, and which had such a loving and successful
plan for reaching the state and standing of the different members.
The monthly readings of the "Queries" placed each soul in the silent
confessional before its Lord, while the general "Answers" gave
opportunity for efficient counsel. It was a living Church, and its
light shone before men. There were excellent examples of pure
Christian character in the Society at China--ministers, elders, and
members who would deeply impress the young, who thought of no other
course than following in the steps of their predecessors. The quiet
strength and sweetness of the best members of the Society, their
guilelessness and sincerity, have had great weight in holding young
men, and have done what austere teaching could never have done. The
call to confess Christ, as they proclaimed it, was also a call to a
higher manhood and nobler living.
Eli Jones early loved Friends, and his love has continually augmented.
He has done his work in the Society, going out on his own various
missions each time with its sanction; and he has experienced fully the
help which comes from the united and loving support of the Church at
home. His life has been widely useful in great measure because he was
a Friend, for the work he has done could properly have been done only
in Friends' way, and he could never have succeeded under the
restrictions of any other church organization. He was qualified to be
a Friend minister, but he was not adapted to be one of any other
denomination.
About forty years ago, as he was beginning to preach, there appeared
in New England a new phase of thought. Its centre was at Concord,
Mass., and its adherents were called _Transcendentalists_. They held,
among other things, that to really know man must have something in him
which transcends human knowledge or the knowledge of the senses. In
order to know truth a light must shine into man's mind from the Source
of light, and who ever would know himself, the world and the Supreme
Being must have a God-given teacher in his own breast; but these men
maintained that this was a _natural_ endowment of the human mind--a
wonderful gift, but given in the _same way_ as memory. The difference
between Transcendentalism and Quakerism has been thought slight; it
is, however, immense. The Society of Friends has never believed that
man by _nature_ has any power or light within him capable of
satisfying his longings or of gaining salvation for his soul. While
Friends do not lose sight of the facts that Christ the Son of God came
to be a perfect ensample for us; that He came to give us life, and to
give it more abundantly; that He is the Light of the world; that the
true follower of Christ should strive to be Christ-like, to come up to
"the full stature of Christ;" and that there can be no compromise with
any sin, but a gradual growth in firm character, high manliness, a
daily striving for sincerity and purity,--their great theme for the
comfort of a lost world has been that there is life in the acceptance
of Christ; that there is health through our abiding union in Him, and
thenceforth growth and development by virtue of our oneness with Him
whose blood cleanses and whose Spirit quickens. Manliness and high
morality, necessary graces of the Christian, have been attainable by
all nations and all ages to a higher or lower degree. "_Jesus Christ
came into the world to save sinners_," and all men of every degree are
there included. Felt necessary in all ages, foretold in types and by
inspired prophets, and heralded by messengers from heaven, at length,
in the fulness of time, the Saviour came. He came not to bring a creed
or bonds or forms: He came to bring salvation, freedom, spirituality.
He came to publish a new kingdom, which could be entered only through
Him. He finished His work fully, and, about to depart, He promised to
"pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter
(strengthener), that He may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit
of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not,
neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for he dwelleth with you, and
shall be in you;" having said before, "Verily, verily, I say unto you,
He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and
_greater works shall he do; because I go unto my Father_;" "Howbeit,
when the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all the
truth;" "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh
into the world." Whoever believes the truth of the gospel record to
its fullest extent, and actually accepts salvation through Christ,
becomes not only a better man, but a new man; he will live henceforth
not for this world, but for that which is to come; he will conquer
and throw aside all his besetting sins; and he will be a "living
epistle" publishing the greatness of the good news to all others:
furthermore, no work for his Lord will seem to be too great to be
undertaken, for the promise is, "greater things shall ye do; for I go
unto my Father."
Now, Eli Jones while a young man accepted his Saviour and experienced
this new birth, and, seeking first the kingdom of God, he has not
ceased to labor for the greatest possible bettering of the world.
This, he believed, could be best done by spreading a knowledge of
Christ and by endeavoring to bring about a literal fulfilment of His
teaching. Christ, the source of life, the source of light, and a
perfect example to be followed, has been his theme. Peace, total
abstinence, and high education came in course as proper causes for him
to uphold. He has always believed in supreme guidance, and before
undertaking work has waited until the inward ear heard the voice, and
so his going forth has been blessed. His whole life testifies that he
has not deceived himself, and that he has not worked for his own
material gain. He has always stood against formalism and spoken for
spirituality, and he has wished for life to so abound that formality
in any way could not exist. He has felt that all Christ's devoted
followers must in some way, by life or voice, obey the command given
to the first apostles: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the
gospel to every creature;" and the message which he has carried has
always been, "Ye must be born again." The equality of man and woman
and the equality of all men and all women, equality of worth before
the Creator, has made him earnest to gain for woman her _real rights_,
and he has felt the necessity of raising in the social scale all who
have been bound down in any degree by the bonds of prejudice.
Points of doctrine have been little discussed by him, for he has felt
called to live and preach the gospel, the same tidings which Paul went
to Macedonia to declare--not to discuss and argue in regard to
questions which can be settled only when we enter "the land which is
very far off." There are some things which must be clearly fixed,
great cardinal truths on which to be wrong is to be wholly wrong; but
a broad spiritual interpretation of the whole Bible, by the aid of the
Holy Spirit, gives any seeking man enough teaching on necessary points
to guide him; and Eli Jones has gladly received in addition all the
help he could receive from the _wisdom given_ to other men and women,
such as fathers, counsellors, and elders.
Penn asked, "How shall I know that a man does not obtrude his own
sense upon us as the infallible Spirit?" and he answers, "By the same
Spirit." Whatever is said contrary to the Scriptures, though the
guidance of the Spirit is professed, must be accounted a delusion.[11]
No man regrets more than Eli Jones that there are those who speak
their own words as the truth given to them, for words become lifeless
whenever the brain is allowed to speak for the Spirit, whenever any
one deceives himself and gives his own thoughts for oracles; and he
has felt that Friends, of all people, should beware of self-love and
self-will, and that the individual members should ever be ready to
receive benefit from the counsel of others. Each human being has a
special field to till in the great vineyard. He who has climbed a
height is more than ever duty bound to reach down hands of help to the
weak. The gifts differ, but it is every man's business to find out for
what he was sent, and then do the mission--do it "ever in the great
Taskmaster's eye;" do it for no reward, but for the truth's sake; and
He who sends the workmen into the field will send the basket for their
supply. Whether doing quiet work at home or more extensive work
abroad, Eli Jones has had one mind--to obey orders; and whenever he
has been free to do temporal work for his own support and for his aid
in gospel work, he has improved every opportunity, imitating the
example of the tentmaker, while Friends have generously furnished the
means for him to go out into distant fields.
[11] _New England Discipline_, p. 14.
He has lived to see a decided change come over the Society in his own
section--a change almost universally apparent. In his early manhood
came the great separation of the "Hicksites," and he felt keenly the
want of harmony in 1840-45, when John Wilber opposed Joseph John
Gurney; but he has ever hoped that the small body of spiritually-minded
Friends would hold fast to their faith, maintaining harmony
throughout, and not provoking or exaggerating differences of opinion.
Most who grew old with him have passed away, and some with the belief
which saddened their old age that the end of their Society was near.
He has continually--and never more than in his old age--believed in
the progress of humanity; he has seen in history and in his own life
how one generation carries on the truth rejected by the former one;
and in his thoughts faith and hope have been united. He trusts that in
God's plan there is endless progress, and until something higher and
purer and more perfect than Friends' conception of Christ's work and
teaching appears the Society will be needed, and there will not be
wanting those who hold fast the excellent spiritual truths of
Quakerism, and a practical Christianity lived out with daily
circumspection in their thoughts and words and deeds. He is impressed,
as were the founders of our Society, with the truth that Christianity
is both a faith and a corresponding life. The words of his old age
have been not less acceptable and effective than those of his early
manhood, and he has not changed his message. The earnestness with
which he has pleaded for the essentials, the liberality he has shown
in regard to non-essentials, and the rounded completeness of his life
have given him a wide influence and have made him justly loved; but
his strength has always been his calm faith in Jesus Christ.