FRIENDS, The Religious Society of. The Religious Society of Friends, commonly called Quakers, had its origin in England about the middle of the 17th century, and was largely the result of the ministry of George Fox, who is often called its founder.
Early History.— George Fox, the son of a weaver, was born at Drayton, in Leicestershire, 1624, and began his public preaching about the year 1648. His spiritual views and practical application of Christian doctrines met a ready response in many pious persons (both Church men and Dissenters), and bitter opposition from others whose practices they condemned. His followers increased rapidly, and were known as "Children of Light,* "Children of Truth? and "Friends of Truth*; finally adopting the name "Religious Society of Friends?' Among them were many itinerant preachers; Fox in his journal (1654) says, above 60 in number. From the first imprisonment of Fox in 1649 to 1687 Friends were the objects of almost continuous persecution. In 1656 Fox computed there were seldom less than 1,000 in prison. Between the years 1661 and 1697, over 13,000 Friends were imprisoned in England, 198 were transported as slaves and 338 died in prison or of wounds received in assaults while attending meetings. These persecutions were upon various pretexts, as, the refusal to pay tithes, to swear or to remove the hat; for preaching in public places; as disturbers of public worship, for speaking in (a practice then not uncommon) ; and as Sabbath breakers, for traveling to their meetings on the day called the Sabbath. Many were apprehended for keeping an unlawful as sembly under the Conventicle Act. Scotland, Ireland, the Continent and America were early visited by their ministers.
The first to arrive in New England were two women, Ann Austin and Mary Fisher, who came to Massachusetts from Barbados in 1656. After five weeks' imprisonment and much cruel treat ment they were sent back. Stringent laws were promptly enacted by that colony to prevent others from coming and owners of vessels from bringing them. Regardless of the cruel pen alties of these laws, the Quakers continued to arrive and suffer their infliction. In numerous instances delicate women were "stripped naked from the middle up, tied to a cart's tail and whipped through the town* and thence through other towns. Four — one a woman — were hanged on Boston Common. Nevertheless they increased in numbers and spread to adjoining colonies.
The first Friends in New Jersey settled along the Raritan River in 1663. In 1677 over 200 came to this province and founded Burlington. William Penn joined the society in 1667. In 1681 he and several other Friends purchased East New Jersey, and in the same year Penn obtained from the Crown the grant of Penn sylvania. A few Friends were in the province before Penn acquired it, and two shiploads came in the fall of 1681. The next year Penn himself came with others, and in less than three years the colony had a population of 7,000. For a period of 70 years, and so long as the influ ence of Friends predominated, there were no conflicts with the Indians. At an early date the society cleared itself of human slavery. Friends began to protest against it as early as 1688, and for nearly 100 years the agitation was continued, until "in the year 1787 there was not a slave in the possession of an acknowledged Quaker.* This was largely due to the labors of John Woolman, a minister in New Jersey, whose journal has a literary reputation.
Organization and Discipline.— Fox and his co-laborers did not have an outward organiza tion as an object. The organization and dis cipline were progressively developed. The first disciplinary meetings established were held monthly and were in a sense congregational. Some were held as early as 1656, but the prac tice does not appear to have become general before 1666. The first yearly meeting appears to have been held in 1656, the first in London in 1668, but it was not held there regularly until 1672. The first yearly meeting in America was held in Rhode Island in 1661. Monthly. quar terly and yearly meetings have geographical boundaries; and monthly meetings are subordi nate to quarterly, and these to the yearly meet ing, which is the source of discipline, and final judge of all questions. At stated periods monthly meetings appoint a few of their num ber as "Overseers,* whose duty it is to have a loving oversight, of the members. Men and women hold separate meetings for business, al though some subjects are jointly considered. Of late years the practice of se prate meetings has largely been discontinued. Elders are men and women chosen out of the body as •Friends of solid judgment, prudence and experience,* to sit with the ministers and to advise, encour age or caution them as seems needful. Per sons — men or women — who speak and pray in public to the satisfaction of the members are, in due time, publicly acknowledged as ministers, or those in whom the body recognizes the "true gift.° Such recognition does not confer upon them any new powers or authority. All mem bers are embraced in a set of which are answered, some quarterly— others annually, by meetings for discipline. These have refer ence to love and unity; attendance upon meet ings; consistency in speech,. behavior and ap parel; oaths, military service and fraudulent business; moderation in trade and living, and just payment of debts; encouragement of a stated or paid ministry; care of the poor and education of children ; and keeping records of births, deaths and marriages. (The answering of "Queries* has been discontinued in many meetings). Meetings have no presiding officer. In those for business a clerk is appointed, whose duty is to gather and record the sense or judg ment of the meeting as expressed. No question is settled by a majority and no vote is taken. Christ is recognized as "the head over all things to the church.* Distinguishing Views.—In the essential doc trines of the Christian religion Friends were in accord with their fellow Christians. The prin cipal points in which they differed were: 1. Immediate Divine Revelation. Barclay ((Apology') says: "Nothing is less minded and more rejected by all sorts of Christians than immediate divine revelation; insomuch that once to lay claim to it is matter of re proach." Again, "He that affirms himself so led (by the spirit of God) is, by the pretended orthodox of this age, presently proclaimed an heretic." Fox (Journal) says: "I saw that Christ had died for all men, and had enlight ened all men and women with his divine and saving light. I was commanded to turn people to that inward light,. spirit and grace, by which all might know their salvation and their way to God? Friends believed that this inward saving light of Christ was universal and came to both heathen and Christian.