The Committee appointed last year "to make arrangements for holding meetings in different places, as way may open, to advance the Testimonies of this Religious Society, especially those in relation to Slavery and Intemperance," submitted the following report: TO THE YEARLY MEETING. The Committee who were authorized by the Society to make arrangements for holding meetings in various localities, to advance the testimonies of Truth, report: That we entered very soon upon the duties assigned us, and more than realized our expectations in finding the way open for our reception. A considerable portion of the meetings appointed by the Committee were attended by overflowing numbers, who gave us kind and courteous audience. In several instances persons of other religious societies participated acceptably in the services of the Conventions. We found a much wider field for service than we were able to occupy. Many invitations were received, with which it was impracticable for us to comply. The Committee acknowledge with gratitude that the little service they were enabled to perform and the opportunity afforded for mingling with earnest and sincere minds in the mutual effort for the promulgation of a natural and antisectarian religion, has at least tended to promote our own spiritual strength and encouragement. The following is a list of the meetings, held by us, viz.: 2d. In Friends' meeting-house at Oxford, 3d. In a grove near Christiana, Lancaster Co., Pa. 66 66 4th. A series of four meetings in the city of Harrisburg, one of them in the colored people's church, at their request. 5th. Two in the Welsh Church at Pearl Bottom, Lancaster Co., Pa. 6th. Two at Phoenixville, Chester Co. 7th. A series of four in Newtown, Bucks Co., in which they adopted an Exposition of Sentiments, and appointed a Committee to call future meetings. 8th. One in the Free meeting-house at East Britain. 9th. Two in the People's Hall at Eastland, Lancaster Co. 10th. One at Pleasant Grove Hall. 11th. One at Slate Ridge, Maryland. 12th. One at Orange, New Jersey. In behalf of the Committee, WILLIAM BARNARD, The report was accepted, and the Committee were discharged. EDWIN H. COATES proposed the appointment of a new Committee to promote the same objects during the ensuing year. After remarks by EDWIN H. COATES, ALFRED H. LOVE, WILLIAM BARNARD, JOSIAH BOND, NATHANIEL BROWN, CHANDLER DARLINGTON, CALEB JACKSON, THOMAS CURTIS, J. A. DUGDALE, THOMAS HAMBLETON, REUBEN WEBB, OLIVER JOHNSON, EUSEBIUS BARNARD, AGNES COOK, REBECCA FUSSELL, and EDWARD WEBB, the Meeting voted to appoint a Committee to hold meetings, as way may open, to promote the antisectarian and reformatory principles of this Yearly Meeting, as set forth in its Exposition of Sentiments. THOMAS GARRETT, EDWIN H. COATES, SARAH H. HALLOCK, ELIZABETH T. ATKINSON, RACHEL TOWNSEND, HENRIETTA W. JOHNSON, ISAAC MENDENHALL, LUKENS PEIRCE, JOHN G. JACKSON, THOMAS H. HOPKINS, and AGNES COOK were requested to nominate a suitable Committee to carry out this object. The Meeting was informed that an association in Philadelphia, calling itself "Congregational Friends of Truth," had appointed THOMAS CURTIS and H. B. ODIORNE its representatives to visit this body. THIRD DAY-MORNING SESSION. The Committee appointed for the purpose reported forms of Testimony on various subjects, for the consideration of the Meeting. The Testimony against Slavery was read and adopted. The Testimony against Caste was next considered. After an animated discussion, in which CHANDLER DARLINGTON, CALEB JACKSON, WILLIAM BARNARD, THOMAS HAMBLETON, OLIVER JOHNSON, THOMAS BORTON, ELI HAMBLETON, THOMAS CURTIS, JACOB L. PAXSON, EDWARD WEBB, ALICE ELIZA HAMBLETON, MARY F. DAVIS, ELI LOGAN, REBECCA FUSSELL, J. A. DUGDALE, JOHN WILSON, SIDNEY PEIRCE CURTIS, AMOS GILBERT, DR. B. FUSSELL, EDWIN H. COATES, STEPHEN TAYLOR, JOHN G. JACKSON, CHARLES HAMBLETON, WILLIAM CHACE, and EUSEBIUS BARNARD took part, it was amended and adopted. AFTERNOON SESSION. ANDREW JACKSON DAVIS spoke at considerable length upon "The Fraternity of Ideas," commanding the fixed attention of a crowded auditory. The Testimony in favor of the Coëquality of Woman was next taken up. MARY F. DAVIS read an able discourse upon the Political and Legal Disabilities of Woman, after which the Testimony was adopted. FOURTH DAY-MORNING SESSION. ALFRED H. LOVE, of Philadelphia, read an original poem, as follows: "LET THERE BE LIGHT!" When out of chaos, vast and wild, Then fled the veil of gloom away, And when his daily smiles were o'er, The new-made stars, the planets all, And now, as then, with power divine, For some wise cause, that same command- Oh, man! take heed, this language lives In every thing creation gives; No life so poor, so mean, so small, But what the mind may read in all Let there be Light! There's not a dew-drop gems the morn, But what, examined, will unfold Some truth perchance till then untold- In every sphere of life we move, In every thing we meet or love; From break of day till midnight hour, There's something breathes that ruling power- How full the blessings flow from Heaven, We see, we hear, we feel them all, Too oft contented so to live, Receiving all, yet naught to give ; Above, around, beneath we find, Lamp of the soul! a light divine— Light for the captive! light for the free! Mad war and angry strife shall cease, And every fireside glow with peace— That tyranny may lose command, That slavery shall not curse the land; In joyous greeting with the word— Let there be Light! 'T will give us progress, love and truth, Ennoble age, inspire the youth; From mountain-top, to valley deep, Like suns that blaze and stars that peep There will be Light! An able and lucid paper on PUBLIC WORSHIP, forwarded to the Meeting by CHARles K. Whipple, of Boston, was read, and listened to with deep interest. After remarks by CALEB JACKSON, CHANDLER DARLINGTON, EUSEBIUS BARNARD, OLIVER JOHNSON, WILLIAM BARNARD, THOMAS CURTIS, and WILLIAM CHACE, it was referred to the Revising Committee, to be published, if practicable. The Meeting proceeded to consider the Testimonies reported from the Committee on that subject, taking first that against War. After a very spirited discussion, in which CHANDLER DARLINGTON, JOHN G. JACKSON, THOMAS WORRELL, JAMES C. JACKSON, THOMAS CURTIS, DR. B. FUSSELL, STEPHEN TAYLOR, WILLIAM CHACE, REBECCA FUSSELL, LEWIS MARSHALL, JOSIAH WILSON, JOHN VALENTINE, WILLIAM BARNARD, ESTHER HAYES, JOHN G. JACKSON, SIMPSON PRESTON, THOMAS GARRETT, OLIVER JOHNSON, EDWARD WEBB, ALFRED H. LOVE, AGNES COOK, JOSEPH A. DUGDALE, CALEB JACKSON, and SARAH T. PEARSON took part, it was adopted. The Testimony on the Treatment of Criminals was adopted. The Testimony on Temperance, after remarks by CALEB JACKSON, EUSEBIUS BARNARD, THOMAS CURTIS, EDWARD WEBB, DR. B. FUSSELL, and RUTH DUGDALE, was adopted. The Testimony against Tobacco, and that on the subject of Education, were adopted. The Testimony in relation to "The Great Revival" was next taken up. After remarks by CALEB JACKSON, CHANDLER DARLINGTON, OLIVER JOHNSON, THOMAS CURTIS, WILLIAM LLOYD, WILLIAM CHACE, REUBEN WEBB, CATHARINE H. DEUEL, EUSEBIUS BARNARD, THOMAS WORRELL, AGNES COOK, EDWARD WEBB, JOHN G. JACKSON, ESTHER HAYES, REBECCA FUSSELL, ALFRED H. LOVE, and SIMON BARNARD, it was adopted. The Testimony against Sectarianism, after remarks by JOHN G. JACKSON and OLIVER JOHNSON, was adopted. The Friends appointed on Second day to nominate a suitable Committee to labor, during the ensuing year, in holding meetings, as way may open, to promote the anti-sectarian and reformatory principles of this Yearly Meeting, recommended the appointment of the following persons, and they were appointed accordingly : GRACEANNA LEWIS,..............Kimberton, Chester Co., Pa. DR. BARTHOLOMEW FUSSELL,...Kimberton, Chester Co., Pa. SIMON BARNARD,.... WILLIAM SHIELDS,.. ALFRED H. LovE,.......... .West Chester, Chester Co., Pa. |