First Appearance in the Ministry.
There are many evidences in the Journal that Elias Hicks appreciated
the moral and spiritual advantages of his environment after he took up
his residence at Jericho. He confesses, however, that as he had entered
quite extensively into business, he was much diverted from spiritual
things for a number of years after his marriage. During this period he
says:
"I was again brought, by the operative influence of divine grace,
under deep concern of mind; and was led, through adorable mercy,
to see that although I had ceased from many sins and vanities of
my youth, yet there were many remaining that I was still guilty
of, which were not yet atoned for, and for which I now felt the
judgments of God to rest upon me. This caused me to cry earnestly
to the Most High for pardon and redemption, and he graciously
condescended to hear my cry, and to open a way before me, wherein I
must walk, in order to experience reconciliation with him; and as I
abode in watchfulness and deep humiliation before him, light broke
forth out of obscurity, and my darkness became as the noonday. I had
many deep openings in the visions of light, greatly strengthening
and establishing to my exercised mind. My spirit was brought under
a close and weighty labour in meetings for discipline, and my
understanding much enlarged therein; and I felt a concern to speak to
some of the subjects engaging the meeting's attention, which often
brought unspeakable comfort to my mind. About this time I began to
have openings leading to the ministry, which brought me under close
exercise and deep travail of spirit; for although I had for some time
spoken on subjects of business in monthly and preparative meetings,
yet the prospect of opening my mouth in public meetings was a close
trial; but I endeavored to keep my mind quiet and resigned to the
heavenly call, if it should be made clear to me to be my duty.
Nevertheless, as I was, soon after, sitting in a meeting, in much
weightiness of spirit, a secret, though clear, intimation accompanied
me to speak a few words, which were then given to me to utter, yet
fear so prevailed that I did not yield to the intimation. For this
omission I felt close rebuke, and judgment seemed, for some time,
to cover my mind; but as I humbled myself under the Lord's mighty
hand, he again lifted up the light of his countenance upon me, and
enabled me to renew covenant with him, that if he would pass by this
offense, I would, in the future, be faithful, if he should again
require such a service of me. And it was not long before I felt
an impressive concern to utter a few words, which I yielded to in
great fear and dread; but oh, the joy and sweet consolation that my
soul experienced, as a reward for this act of faithfulness; and as
I continued persevering in duty and watchfulness, I witnessed an
increase in divine knowledge, and an enlargement of my gift. I was
also deeply engaged for the right administration of discipline and
order in the church, and that all might be kept sweet and clean,
consistent with the nature and purity of the holy profession we
were making; so that all stumbling-blocks might be removed out of
the way of honest inquirers, and that truth's testimony might be
exalted, and the Lord's name magnified, 'who is over all, God blessed
forever.'"[14]
[14] Journal, p. 15.
Still it appears that his concern for the maintenance of the discipline
was more than a slavish allegiance to the letter of the law. More
than once he spoke a warning word as to the danger of allowing the
administration of the written rule to lead to mere formalism. Once
begun, his development in public service was rapid, and his recognition
by Friends cordial and appreciative to a marked degree.
Just how long Elias Hicks spoke in the meetings for worship, before
his "acknowledgment," is not known. The records of Westbury Monthly
Meeting, however, give detailed information as to this event. From
them we make the following extract:
"At a monthly meeting held at Westbury ye 29th of Fourth month, 1778,
William Seaman and William Valentine report that they have made
inquiry concerning Elias Hicks, and find nothing to hinder his being
recommended to the meeting of Ministers and Elders, whom this meeting
recommends to that meeting as a minister, and directs the clerk to
forward a copy of this minute to said meeting."
The acknowledgment of the ministry of Elias Hicks took place a little
over seven years after his marriage. From various references in the
Journal the inference is warranted that he did not begin to speak
in the meeting for worship until a considerable time after this
event. It is, therefore, probable that his service in this line had
not been going on, at the most, more than three or four years when
his acknowledgment took place. He had only been a recorded minister
something over a year when his first considerable visit was undertaken.
Unfortunately, the preserved personal correspondence of Elias Hicks
does not cover this period in his life, so that we are confined to what
he chose to put in his Journal, as the only self-interpretation of this
interesting period.
It appears that the New York Yearly Meeting was held at the regularly
appointed times all through the period of the Revolutionary War.
Previous to 1777 the meeting met annually at Flushing, but in that year
the sessions were removed to Westbury. In 1793 it was concluded to hold
future meetings in New York.
During the war the British controlled Long Island, and for some time
the meeting house in Flushing was occupied as a barracks by the king's
troops, which probably accounts for moving the yearly meeting further
out on the island to Westbury.
In attending the yearly meeting, and in performing religious visits
to the particular meetings, passing the lines of both armies was a
frequent necessity. This privilege was freely granted Friends. Touching
this matter, Elias makes this reference:
"This was a favor which the parties would not grant to their best
friends, who were of a warlike disposition; which shows what great
advantages would redound to mankind were they all of this pacific
spirit. I passed myself through the lines of both armies six times
during the war without molestation, both parties generally receiving
me with openness and civility; and although I had to pass over a
tract of country, between the two armies, sometimes more than thirty
miles in extent, and which was much frequented by robbers, a set,
in general, of cruel, unprincipled banditti, issuing out from both
parties, yet, excepting once, I met with no interruption even from
them. But although Friends in general experienced many favors and
deliverances, yet those scenes of war and confusion occasioned many
trials and provings in various ways to the faithful."[15]
[15] Journal, p. 15.