Religious Journeys in 1828.
On the 20th of Third month, 1828, Elias Hicks laid before Jericho
Monthly Meeting a concern he had to make "a religious visit in the love
of the gospel, to Friends and others in some parts of our own yearly
meeting, and in the compass of the Yearly Meetings of Philadelphia,
Baltimore, Ohio, Indiana, and a few meetings in Virginia." A minute
embodying this concern was granted him, the same receiving the
indorsement of Westbury Quarterly Meeting, Fourth month 24th. Between
this period and the middle of Sixth month he made a visit to Dutchess
County, where the experience with Ann Jones and her husband took place,
which will be dealt with in a separate chapter. He also attended New
York Yearly Meeting, when he saw and was a part of the "separation"
trouble which culminated at that time. The Journal, however, makes
no reference either to the Dutchess County matter or to the division
in the yearly meeting. These silences in the Journal are hard to
understand. Undoubtedly, the troubles of the period were not pleasant
matters of record, yet one wishes that a fuller and more detailed
statement regarding the whole matter might be had from Elias Hicks than
is contained in the meager references in his personal correspondence,
or his published Journal.
On the 14th of Sixth month he started on the western and southern
journey, with his friend, Jesse Merritt, as his traveling companion.
Elias was then a few months past eighty.
The two Friends halted at points in New Jersey and Pennsylvania,
holding meetings as the way opened. Service continued in Pennsylvania,
considerably in the western part, passing from Pittsburg into Ohio.
At Westland Monthly Meeting, in Pennsylvania, his first acknowledgment
of opposition is observed. He says: "A Friend from abroad attended
this meeting, and after I sat down he rose and made opposition, which
greatly disturbed the meeting."[24]
[24] Thomas Shillitoe.
When he arrived at Brownsville, his fame had preceded him. He makes
this reference to the experience there:
"Here we put up again with our kind friends Jesse and Edith Townsend,
where we had the company of many Friends, and many of the inhabitants
of the town not members of our Society, also came in to see us; as
the unfounded reports of those who style themselves Orthodox, having
been generally spread over the country, it created such a great
excitement in the minds of the people at large, that multitudes
flocked to the meetings where we were, to hear for themselves; and
many came to see us, and acknowledged their satisfaction.
"At this place we again fell in with the Friend from abroad, who
attended the meeting with us; he rose in the early part of the
meeting, and continued his communication so long that a number left
the meeting, by which it became very much unsettled: however, when he
sat down I felt an opening to stand up; and the people returned and
crowded into the house, and those that could not get in stood about
the doors and windows, and a precious solemnity soon spread over the
meeting, which has been the case in every meeting, where our opposers
did not make disturbance by their disorderly conduct. The meeting
closed in a quiet and orderly manner, and I was very thankful for the
favour."[25]
[25] Journal, p. 404.
Following his experience at Brownsville, Elias returned to Westland,
attending the meeting of ministers and elders, and the meeting
for worship. The person before mentioned, who may be called the
"disturbing Friend," was again in evidence, this time reinforced by a
"companion." At the instigation of Friends, the elders and overseers
had "an opportunity" with the disturbers, but with small success. The
same trouble was repeated on First-day. On this occasion the opposition
was vigorous and virulent. In the midst of the second opportunity of
the opposing Friend the audience melted away, leaving him literally
without hearers.
From Westland the journey was continued to Pittsburg, where an
appointed meeting was held. Salem, Ohio, was the next point visited,
where the quarterly meeting was attended. On First-day a large company,
estimated at two thousand, gathered. The occasion was in every way
satisfactory. Visits to different meetings continued. There was
manifest opposition at New Garden, Springfield, Goshen and Marlborough.
At Smithfield the venerable preacher was quite indisposed. The
meeting-house was closed against him, by "those called Orthodox," as
Elias defined them.
One of the objective points on this trip was Mt. Pleasant, Ohio, where
the yearly meeting of 1828 was held. He arrived in time to attend the
mid-week meeting at that place, a week preceding the yearly meeting. A
large attendance was reported, many being present who were not members
of the Society. The signs of trouble had preceded the distinguished
visitor, the "world's people" having a phenomenal curiosity regarding
a possible war among the peaceable Quakers. There was pronounced
antagonism manifested in this mid-week meeting, described as "a long,
tedious communication from a minister among those called Orthodox, who,
after I sat down, publicly opposed and endeavored to lay waste what I
had said."[26]
[26] Journal, p. 411.
During the following days meetings were attended at Short Creek,
Harrisville, West Grove, Concord, St. Clairsville, Plainfield,
Wrightstown and Stillwater. There was no recorded disturbance until
he returned to Mt. Pleasant the 6th of Ninth month, the date of the
gathering of the Yearly Meeting of Ministers and Elders. When the
meeting-house was reached the gate to the yard was guarded, "by a
number of men of the opposing party," who refused entrance to those who
were in sympathy with Elias Hicks. They proceeded to hold their meeting
in the open air. Subsequent meetings were held in a school-house and in
a private house, the home of Israel French.
First-day, Ninth month 7th, Mt. Pleasant Meeting was attended in the
forenoon, and Short Creek Meeting in the afternoon. The meeting at
Mt. Pleasant was what might be called stormy. Elisha Bates and Ann
Braithwaite spoke in opposition, after Elias Hicks had spoken. In a
letter dated Ninth month 10th, written to his son-in-law, Valentine
Hicks, Elias says that these Friends "detained the meeting two hours or
more, opposing and railing against what I had said, until the people
were wearied and much disgusted." No trouble was experienced at Short
Creek, although experiences similar to those of the morning occurred at
Mt. Pleasant in the afternoon. Amos Peaslee, of Woodbury, N. J., was
the center of opposition at that time. He was opposed while on his feet
addressing the multitude.
In connection with this yearly meeting a number of Friends were
arrested on charges of trespass and inducing a riot, and taken to
court. All were members of Ohio Yearly Meeting, except Halliday
Jackson,[27] of Darby, Pa. For some reason Elias escaped arrest,
although in the letter referred to he said: "I have been expecting
for several days past to have a writ of trespass served against me by
the sheriff, for going on their meeting-house grounds, by which I may
be taken twenty miles or more to appear before the judge, as a number
of Friends already have been, although my mind is quiet regarding the
event."
[27] Halliday Jackson was father of John Jackson, the well-known
educator, principal of Sharon Hill School. Halliday was with the Seneca
Indians in New York State for two years, as a teacher under the care of
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.
While at Mt. Pleasant the small monthly meeting of Orthodox Friends
at his home sent a letter "officially" commanding Elias to cease his
religious visits. In regard to this matter, and the general situation
in Ohio, Elias wrote to Valentine Hicks: "The Orthodox in this yearly
meeting are, if possible, tenfold more violent than in any other
part of the Society. Gideon Seaman, and his associates in the little
upstart Monthly Meeting of Westbury and Jericho,[28] have sent a very
peremptory order for me to return immediately home, and not proceed any
further on my religious visit, by which they trample the authority of
our quarterly and monthly meeting under foot."
[28] The Monthly Meeting of Westbury and Jericho was made up of a small
number of Orthodox Friends, representing only a small minority of the
meeting of which Elias Hicks was a member.
Following the Ohio Yearly Meeting, Flushing,[29] in that State, was
visited, and the First-day meeting attended. Elias was met before he
reached the meeting-house by Orthodox Friends, who insisted that he
should not interrupt the meeting. He entered the house, but before
the meeting was fairly settled, Charles Osborn, an Orthodox Friend,
appeared in prayer, and continued for an hour; and then preached for
another hour. Elias thus refers to this occurrence:
[29] Flushing is about 18 miles from Mt. Pleasant. A Wilburite meeting
is the only Friendly gathering now in the place.
"However, when he sat down, although the meeting was much wearied
with his long and tedious communications, I felt the necessity of
standing up and addressing the people, which brought a precious
solemnity over the meeting; but as soon as I sat down, he rose again
to contradict, and tried to lay waste my communication, by asserting
that I had not the unity of my friends at home; which being untrue,
I therefore informed the meeting that I had certificates with me to
prove the incorrectness of his assertions, which I then produced, but
he and his party would not stay to hear them, but in a disorderly
manner arose and left the meeting; but the people generally stayed
and heard them read, to their general satisfaction."[30]
[30] Journal, p. 414.
Meetings were subsequently attended at different points in Ohio,
generally without disturbance, until Springfield was reached the 22d of
Ninth month. Here the Orthodox shut the meeting-house and guarded the
doors. Elias held his meeting under some trees nearby. He says: "It was
a precious season, wherein the Lord's power and love were exalted over
all opposition."[31]
[31] Journal, p. 416.
Preceding Indiana Yearly Meeting, he was twice at Wilmington, Ohio,
and attended monthly meeting at Center, the first held since the
"separation." The attendance was large, many more than the house
would accommodate. Elias says: "The Lord, our never-failing helper,
manifested his presence, solemnizing the assembly and opening the
minds of the people to receive the word preached; breaking down all
opposition, and humbling and contriting the assembly in a very general
manner."[32]
[32] Journal, p. 415.
Ninth month 27th, Indiana Yearly Meeting convened at Waynesville,
Ohio. It should be noted that the "separation" in most of the meetings
comprising this yearly meeting had been accomplished in 1827, so that
the gathering in 1828 was in substantial unity with the Friends
in sympathy with Elias Hicks. A letter written to Valentine and
Abigail Hicks, dated Waynesville, Tenth month 3, 1828, contains some
interesting information concerning the experience of the venerable
preacher. He says:
"The Yearly Meeting here would have been very large, had there not
been a failure of the information of the conclusion for holding it
here, reaching divers of the Quarterly Meetings, by which they were
prevented from attending. The meeting was very orderly conducted, and
the business managed in much harmony and condescension. The public
meetings have been very large, favoured seasons, and all the meetings
we have attended in our passing along have been generally very large.
Seldom any houses were found large enough to contain the people.
Often hundreds were under the necessity of standing out doors. Many
of the people without came a great way to be at our meeting. Some
ten, some twenty, and some thirty miles, and I have been informed
since I have been here that the people in a town 120 miles below
Cincinnati have given it in charge to Friends of that place to
inform them when we came there, as a steam boat plies between the
two places. The excitement is so great among the people by the false
rumors circulated by the Orthodox, that they spare no pains to get an
opportunity to be with us, and those who have attended from distant
parts, informing the people the satisfaction they have had in being
with us, in which they have found that the reports spread among them
were generally false, it has increased the excitement in others to
see for themselves."
The yearly meeting over, Elias attended meetings _en route_ to
Richmond, Ind., and was at the mid-week meeting in that place, Tenth
month 8th. Several other meetings were attended, the only disturbance
reported being at Orange, where the Orthodox "hurt the meeting very
considerably." On the 19th he was in Cincinnati, and attended the
regular meeting in the morning, and a large appointed meeting in the
court-house in the afternoon. Both were pronounced "highly favored
seasons."
First-day, the 26th, he was at Fairfield, where the Orthodox revived
the story that he was traveling without a minute. While Elias was
speaking, the Orthodox left the meeting in a body. He remarks: "But
Friends and others kept their seats, and we had a very solemn close,
and great brokenness and contrition were manifest among the people;
and to do away with the false report spread by the Orthodox, I had my
certificates read, which gave full satisfaction to the assembly."[33]
[33] Journal, p. 419.
Elias then journeyed to Wheeling, his face being turned homeward.
He held an appointed meeting in that city. It is suggestive that,
notwithstanding the theological odium under which he was supposed to
rest, the meeting was held in the Methodist church, which had been
kindly offered for the purpose. This would seem to indicate that the
Methodists had not yet taken any sides in the quarrel which had divided
the Society of Friends.
After visiting Redstone Quarterly Meeting, in western Pennsylvania, he
visited the meetings in the Shenandoah and Loudon valleys, in Virginia.
He was at Alexandria and Washington, and on First-day, Eleventh month
16th, was at Sandy Spring, Md. The meetings about Baltimore and in
Harford and Cecil counties were visited. He reached West Grove in
Pennsylvania, Twelfth month 1st, and encountered some trouble, as he
found that the meeting-house had been closed against him. A large crowd
assembled, better councils prevailed, and the house was opened. The
audience was beyond the capacity of the house, and the meeting in every
way satisfactory.
Upon his arrival at West Grove, Twelfth month 1st, he sent a letter to
his son-in-law and daughter, Royal and Martha Aldrich. In this letter
he gives a brief account of his experiences in Maryland and Lancaster
County. He says: "The aforesaid meetings were very large and highly
favored, generally made up of every description of people, high and
low, rich and poor, Romanists, and generally some of every profession
of Protestants known in our country. Generally all went away fully
satisfied as to those evil reports that have been spread over the
country concerning me, and many announced the abhorrence they had of
those false and slanderous reports."
It appears from this letter that the traveling companion of Elias,
Jesse Merritt, was homesick, and hoped that some other Friend would
come from Long Island to take his place for the rest of the trip. In
case such a shift was made, Elias requested that whoever came "might
bring with him my best winter tight-bodied coat, and two thicker
neck-cloths, as those I have are rather thin. I got a new great-coat in
Alexandria, and shall not need any other."
From a letter written to his wife from West Chester, Twelfth month
7th, we learn that John Hicks had arrived to take the place of Jesse
Merritt, and he seized that opportunity to send a letter home. As
the two Friends had been away from home nearly six months, it is not
strange that the companion on this journey desired to return. He could
scarcely have been under the deep and absorbing religious concern
which was felt by his elder brother in the truth. The nature of this
obligation is revealed in the letter last noted. In this epistle to his
wife, Elias says:
"Abigail's letter informs of the infirm state of V. and Caroline,
which excites near-feeling and sympathy with them, and which would
induce me to return home immediately if I was set at liberty from
my religious obligations, but as that is not the case, I can only
recommend them to the preserving care and compassionate regard of
our Heavenly Father, whose mercy is over all his works and does
not suffer a sparrow to fall without his notice. And as we become
resigned to his heavenly disposals, he will cause all things to work
together for good, to his truly devoted children. Therefore, let all
trust in him, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength."
The meetings in Delaware, eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey were
pretty generally attended, and with no reported disturbance. First-day,
the 21st of Twelfth month, Elias attended the meeting at Cherry Street
in the morning and Green Street in the afternoon, and on the 28th he
repeated that experience. On both occasions "hundreds more assembled
than the houses could contain."[34] In the suburban meetings in
Delaware and Bucks Counties, "the houses were generally too small to
contain the people; many had to stand out-of-doors for want of room;
nevertheless, the people behaved orderly and the Lord was felt to
preside, solemnizing those crowded assemblies, in all of which my mind
was opened, and ability afforded, to preach the gospel to the people in
the demonstration of the spirit and with power, and many hearts were
broken and contrited and went away rejoicing, under thankful sense of
the unmerited favor."[35]
[34] Journal, p. 423.
[35] Journal, p. 423.
The great crowds which flocked to hear Elias Hicks after the
"separation" were probably called together partly because of curiosity
on their part, and to a considerable extent because of his continued
popularity as a minister, in spite of the trouble which had come to
the Society. That he was appreciative of what we would now call the
advertising quality of those who antagonized him, and became his
theological and personal enemies, is well attested. In summing up
his conclusions regarding the long religious visit now under review,
he said: "My opposing brethren had, by their public opposition and
erroneous reports, created such excitement in the minds of the people
generally of every profession, that it induced multitudes to assemble
to hear for themselves, and they generally went away satisfied and
comforted."[36] Undoubtedly, the multitudes who heard Elias Hicks
preach in 1828 went away wondering what all the trouble was about.
[36] Journal, p. 423.
Elias and his traveling companion reached home about the middle of
First month, 1829. This was one of the longest and most extended
religious journeys ever made by him, and was completed within two
months of his eighty-first year. On the journey he traveled nearly 2400
miles, and was absent seven months and ten days.
Going carefully over the various journeys of this well-known minister,
a conservative estimate will show that he traveled in the aggregate not
less than forty thousand miles during his long life of public service.
He was probably the best-known minister in the Society of Friends in
his time. His circle of personal friends was large, and extended over
all the yearly meetings. It is necessary to keep these facts in mind,
in order to understand how the major portion of Friends at that time
made his cause their own when the rupture came.
The majority of Friends at that time were content as to preaching, with
words that seemed to be full of spirit and life, and this undoubtedly
was characteristic of the preaching of Elias Hicks. To attempt to
destroy the standing in the Society of a man of such character and
equipment was certain to break something other than the man attacked.
This will become more apparent as we consider more closely the relation
of Elias Hicks to the controversy with which his name and person were
linked, and with the trouble in the Society of Friends, for which,
either justly or otherwise, he was made the scapegoat.