The six yearly meetings are: New England, Ohio, Canada, Western (Ind.), Iowa and Kansas. These annually exchange epistles. Their membership is about 4,000.
Philadelphia occupies a unique position, not being connected with either of these groups of related yearly meetings. That its sympathies were with Wilbur against the views of Gurney was shown by the recognition of the "Wilbur° Friends in Ohio. Later, in the interest of peace, Philadelphia ceased correspondence with all yearly meetings, and has never regularly re sumed it. The membership is about 4,000. Within most "Progressive') yearly . meetings paid pastors, presCribed services, singing, instru mental music and revival methods have been introduced; until, in many localities, the so called "Friends Churches° more nearly resemble "Methodists" than ((Quakers.° These yearly meetings have organized "The Five Years Meeting' held periodically as the name indi cates, having advisory rather than legislative powers. Most of them have recently adopted a "Uniform Discipline" The principal schools of Orthodox Friends in America are: Haver ford College, Pennsylvania; Earlham College, 6 Guilford College, North Carolina; Pacific Coll0e, Oregon; Westtown Boarding School, Pennsylvania; Friends Select School, Philadel phia; Friends Boarding School, Providence, R I.; Friends Boarding School, Barnesville, Ohio. Their principal periodicals are The Friend, Philadelphia (weekly) and The American Friend, Philadelphia ( weekly) , organ of the Progressive Yearly Meetings.
The total membership in 1918 was given as about 142,000, the distribution be ing as follows: "Orthodox° in America, 97,514; in Great Britain, Ireland and Australia, 22,350. The "Hicksite° membership was about 17,806; that of the "Wilburites° 4,000; that of the "Primitive° branch 171. The Continental mem bership (Norway, Denmark, Germany, France, Turkey) was given a few years ago as 247.
Brailsford, M. R.,
Enwrx P. SELLEW, Publisher of The Friend, Philadelphia.