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896 RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA Friends, society or

lin, New England, and North Carolina, the whole meeting went with the Orthodox body, leaving them as a whole the strongest and best organised. Both bodies have lost numbers in the eastern United States since this date, though of late years the tide has probably turned. In England there was also a gradual loss till about 1870 when " adult school " work and missionary effort began to increase the zeal and spirit of the younger members. English Friends, with divergent doctrinal views, have been free from serious dissensions and are now an open-minded and progressive. body.

About 1840 there began a new tendency among Orthodox Friends-fen Evangelical reaction from the Hicksite position. This was led by an English minister, Joseph John Gurney (q.v.). and hence

is commonly known as a " Gurney" 7. The dvr- its " movement. The opposition from Wybu cite a stanch upholder of ancient ways was Wilbnrite teed " Wilburite "

Move. (see Wirsvx, ments. JOHN). The controversy so far as it was

theological centered about such questions as the relative authority of the Spirit and the Scriptures, the historic and the living Christ, and their places in the plan of salvation. Small divisions resulted, the Wilburite bodies being generally few in number, though Philadelphia as a whole sympathized with them. In the West the Gurneyite movement swept on with a great revivalistic agitation on Methodist lines, bringing great numbers into membership, but for a time almost destroying the landmarks of Quakerism. This has since in turn produced its reaction and the original basis of friendly doctrine and practise has to some extent reasserted itself.

Organized missionary work of Friends is of comparatively recent date, although in earlier time a number of itinerant ministers carried their messages to many parts of the world. About 1866 the Friends' Missionary Society in England established the work in India. The next year some work in 8. Mission- Madagascar followed, and two years try Work. later stations were organized in Syria.

In 1886 China was added to the list, and in 1896, Ceylon. The English Friends now maintain about 100 missionaries in the field in these stations, and very considerable success has attended the effort. American Friends have missions in Alaska, Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, Japan, and East Africa, and are associated with English Friends in the missions in Syria and China. These have all been established since 1871, and are managed for the most part by the American Friends' Board of Foreign Missions, which sustains about ninety workers. The English Friends devote yearly about $150,000 to the work, and the American Friends something like one-half this amount. The tendency of the work of the missions has been largely educational as well as Evangelical, and no special attention has been given to adding members to the Society of Friends.

II. Doctrine and Practise: The creed of the Society of Friends, if it may be so called has always been simple and Biblical. What is most distinctive of the Society is its belief in the immediate influence of the Holy Spirit, and its expects-

tion of the guidance of the Spirit in worship and all religious acts. This might degenerate into pure mysticism, were it not corrected by the Society's 1. Distinct-recognition of the inspiration and au-

ive0reed. thority of the Scriptures, by which they admit in the words of Barclay " as a positive certain maxim, that whatsoever any do, pretending to the Spirit, which is contrary to the Scriptures, should be accounted and reckoned a delusion of the Devil." Their belief in the spirituality of Christianity has led them, also, to the disuse of the outward rites of baptism and the Lord's Supper, while they fully believe in the necessity of spiritual baptism, and the privilege of spiritual communion with the Father and the Son, through the Holy Spirit. They do not find, in the texts ordinarily understood as establishing these rites, any indication of such intention, and regard the rites themselves as inconsistent with the whole spirit of Christianity, in which types have given place to the substance.

Their views in regard to the ministry are also characteristic. They believe that no one should preach the Word without a direct call from God, and that this call may come to male or female, old or young. No high human learning and no course of theological study are necessary qualifications for a minister, who may be as unlettered as were most

2. The of the apostles, if plenteously endued >~iaistry. with heavenly grace. But Friends do not deny the self-evident proposition, that learning and intellectual ability conduce to the usefulness of a preacher of the Gospel, and that a church needs men possessing both, to assert and defend the truth. Any one who feels it laid upon him is allowed to speak in the meetings for worship, so long as he speaks things worthy of the occasion. If, after sufficient probation, he gives evidence of a divine call, he is formally acknowledged as a minister, and is allowed one of the seats at the head of the meeting. Besides ministers, the Society appoints elders, whose especial duty is to sympa thize with and advise ministers, and watch that they be sound in the faith; and overseers, as in the primitive Church, who have a general care of the flock. In meetings for business, the society recog nizes the presidency of the great head of the Church, and strives to do all in his fear, and with his guidance. Decisions are not made by votes and majorities, but are recorded by the clerk, in accordance with what appears to be " the weight " of either side; or, if there is not a general spirit of acquiescence, action is postponed.

Believing that every act of divine service should proceed from an immediate impression of duty, prompted by the Holy Spirit, many meetings of the Society for worship are held in silence, unless some one feels called upon to preach or teach, to 8. Worship. offer prayer in behalf of the congrega-

Hh tion, or to give praise to the Most ig - But this silence is itself intended to be oc cupied with religious acts. Highest of these is the direct communion of the soul with its Maker and its Lord, in rapt devotion, in thanksgiving and prayer. But there are services, in these hours of silence, adapted to every degree of religious ex-