FRIENDS, SOCIETY OF. the organi zation commonly called Quakers, founded in the middle of the 17th century by George Fox. They are distinguished from other Christian bodies by the special stress they lay on the immediate teach ing and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and their belief that no one should be paid or appointed by human authority for the exercise of the gift of the ministry. In obedience to this belief they hold their meetings without any prearranged serv ice or sermon, and sometimes in total silence. The Friends believe that the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper are to be taken spiritually, and not in an outward form. Their protests against the use of oaths and against the exaction of tithes and church rates cost them much suffering and frequent im prisonment during the first 50 years of their existence. The simplified dress which Friends adopted from conviction 200 years ago became stereotyped into a uniform. This dress has generally been given up, as have the "testimony" against music and singing in its rigid application, and the peculiarities of speech, such as the use of "thee" and "thou" instead of "you" (though many Friends still retain this custom among themselves), and the avoidance of all titles of courtesy. Of late years there has been a very decided evangelical move ment among Friends, under the influence of which the old quietism is dying out.
As a result of this change the influence of the Society beyond its own borders, through home and foreign missions and adult First Day (Sunday) Schools has developed to a remarkable extent. There is in the United States a numerous body of Friends called Hickites (from their founder, Elias Hicks), who separated from the orthodox community. They hold latitudinarian views. The Wilburite section are conspicuous in Pennsylvania by their adherence to the livery and the "plain language." Large numbers of persons who do not appear in the statis tical returns attend the Mission meetings of the Society of Friends, and very large numbers come under their influence in the foreign mission field. In the World War (1914-1918) the Friends were not enlisted as combatants because of their principles, but they performed valiant services behind the lines in hospitals, in helping refugees, etc., and in rebuilding devastated towns. See Fox, GEORGE : HICKS, ELIAS.
The Orthodox body had in 1919 94,111 communicants, 790 churches and 1,232 ministers. The other three bodies had 20,603 communicants, 218 churches and 50 ministers.