The Annual Monitor for 1851
A >> Anonymous >> The Annual Monitor for 1851NEW SERIES, No 9.
THE ANNUAL MONITOR FOR 1851.
OR
OBITUARY
OF THE
MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS
In Great Britain and Ireland,
FOR THE YEAR 1850.
LONDON:
SOLD BY C. GILPIN, R. Y. CLARKE, AND CO., DARTON AND CO.,
AND E. MARSH: GEORGE HOPE, YORK.
1850.
INTRODUCTORY ESSAY.
We have again to present to our friends the Report of the Annual
Mortality in the Society of Friends, in Great Britain and Ireland. It
has frequently been observed, how nearly the number of deaths in each
year has approximated, but we have this year to notice a considerable
diminution in the annual return. We are not disposed, however, to
attribute the diminished numbers, chiefly to any special cause connected
with health, but consider it rather as one of those fluctuations which
are ever found to arise in a series of years, in the mortality of a small
community. The number of the dying, however, may be expected to bear, as
respects the average, a pretty uniform relation to the number of the
living. And if the fact be, as all our late inquiries lead us to believe
it is, that we are, though slowly, a diminishing body, we must expect
that our average number of deaths will also be found gradually to
diminish.
We have often anxiously pondered over the question,--Why the Society of
Friends should be a diminishing body? And we propose to give in this
place a few of the thoughts which have been suggested to us in the course
of our consideration.
In the first place, let us notice the natural causes which tend to the
decrease of our Society. We have formerly shown that the mortality among
our members is less than in the community at large, which so far as it
extends, is of course a reason for the increase rather than the
diminution of our numbers. But then we have, on the other side, the well-
ascertained fact, that whilst in the community at large, the registered
births exceed the deaths, by 45 per cent; in the Society of Friends, the
registered deaths actually exceed the births! The cause of this fact is
to be found, not only in connection with the number who marry out of the
Society, but also in the operation of that prudential check on entering
into the married state, which will always prevail amongst a moral people,
where the means of subsistence cannot easily and with certainty be
obtained. But to whatever we may attribute the cause, the fact itself is
a complete answer to the question--Why we are a diminishing rather than
an increasing people?
It may be said,--Why are not our religious principles aggressive?--Why,
if they be true, do they not find converts among the various Christian
communities of our land?--Why, as in the early times of our Society, are
there not numerous conversions, and fresh bodies of warm-hearted, and
sound-minded believers, added to our numbers?--These are deeply important
and very interesting questions, and we are willing to offer a few
thoughts upon them, with the seriousness and modesty with which it
becomes us to speak on the subject.
We believe, that a mistaken view prevails, in regard to the truest
Christian principle being that which will be accepted by the largest
number of persons. The experience of all the past ages of the Church
contradicts the assumption, and shows clearly that there is in man a deep-
seated opposition to the acceptance of divine truth in its purity and
simplicity. True vital religion has ever called for the service of man's
heart to God, and in every age, this allegiance has been the state of the
_few_, rather than of the _many_. The history of the ancient church is
full of illustrations of this truth. Whilst Moses lingered on the Mount,
whence the children of Israel knew that the law was to be given, and from
whence such evident demonstrations of the divine power had been manifest
to the people, they were employed in making the golden calf to go before
them, and crying "these are thy Gods, O Israel!" And when they had
received the law, written by the finger of God, and were somewhat humbled
under the correction of their sins, how few were there, who carried out
its injunctions in their genuine spirit, and how many were there, who
from time to time, defiled themselves by the idolatrous service of other
gods. Even when brought by a strong hand, and an outstretched arm,
attended by many palpable miracles which were wrought on their behalf,
they were seated in the "Land flowing with milk and honey," which had
been promised to their fathers; how prone were they constantly to desert
even the profession of their faith, and to serve the gods of the nations
which they were sent to destroy; yet in all these times there were a few,
and it was probably comparatively but a _few_, who had not bowed the knee
to Baal.
We have evidence of the same fact in the history of Christianity. The
beautiful example of the Saviour, and the wonderful miracles which he
performed--all for the good of man--failed to attract the high boasted
reason of the Greek, or the Roman, or to soften the obduracy of the blind
and hard Pharisaic hearted Jew: it was still the _few_ who had sympathy
with the character He exhibited, and the truths which He spoke, and who
found Him to be to their souls "the power of God unto salvation." And
even when these few were gathered together, and under the extraordinary
effusion of the Holy Spirit, many were added to them, and "the multitude
of them that believed were of one heart and one soul," they were still
comparatively but a _few_.
The further history of the Christian Church may appear to some to exhibit
a different view, but to us it seems not less clearly to illustrate the
same melancholy truth.
It is certain, that during the life-time of the Apostles, many by their
powerful preaching, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, were brought
to repentance and a living faith in Christ, and we know that not a few
sealed their testimony with their blood, yet the simplicity and the
purity of Christianity were soon more or less spoiled by the still
contracted spirit and notions of many of the Jews, or the false
philosophy, not entirely abandoned, of the pagan converts. We doubt not,
however, that notwithstanding these deteriorating admixtures, there may
be said to have been many--aye, a glorious multitude--who held the truth
in its primitive power, and in a large measure of primitive simplicity.
Still, when these are compared with the whole population of the countries
where the Truth was preached, the real converts must be spoken of as a
_few_, and thus was it evident that there was still an inherent
opposition in man to the restraining and purifying doctrines of the
gospel of Christ.
And when in later years, whole nations and peoples were said to become
Christians, it may well be doubted whether in such times there had not
been as great a reduction of the number of true converts of old standing,
as there was addition of this class amongst the new ones. Christianity
as professed in those days, had thrown off her simple garb, and had
decorated herself to please the corrupt taste of the people--as the sun
and other heavenly bodies were probably the earliest objects of adoration
to mankind, and were used in the first instance as striking symbols of
the light and power of the one Creator and Father, so did the professors
of Christianity, pretty early present to the people, some intermediate
objects of reverence and love, by which those who turned from the simple
affiance to the one Great Redeemer and High Priest, might find a rest
suited to their carnal, or at least imperfectly spiritual conception of
Christianity. And when the temporal church boasted of its universal sway
in Europe, and its entire unity, there were probably a smaller number of
true Christians within its pale, than existed in the midst of pagan
persecutions at the close of the apostolic age.
Let us now look at times nearer to our own, when Huss, and Luther, and
Zwingle, by a power not their own, caused many rays of the glorious light
of Truth to shine upon benighted nations, and disturbed the slumbers of
the corrupted church. Great were, and still are the blessings derived
from the great struggle. Many of the bonds of Satan were broken, and
many a heavy burdened soul found its long desired rest. Yet how soon was
even the brightness of this morning dimmed, and how little progress did
the cause of the Reformation make after the departure of the immediate
instruments in the great movement.
In Switzerland, not inaptly called the cradle of the English Reformation,
the Cantons which, in the first instance received the truth and joined
the Protestant cause, continue still to bear the same name, but not one
which at that time retained the designation of Catholic, has since become
Protestant: and at Geneva, where Calvin taught, and where his doctrines
are still professed, opinions which were not less abhorrent to him than
the worst of the errors of popery, are openly maintained. Those who now
preach the vital truths of the Reformation, are the _few_ not the _many_.
In England, the iron rule of Elizabeth in ecclesiastical matters, and in
particular her requirement of uniformity with respect to the "rags of
Rome," checked the real progress of the Reformation in the English
church, but by a reaction which in the ordering of Divine Wisdom, often
makes the wrath of man to praise him, it appears to have been the means
of raising up an increased antagonism to error, in the persons of men
willing to suffer and to die for the cause of truth. It will perhaps be
admitted that at many periods of the history of what is called the
English church, whilst its nominal members numbered a large proportion of
the whole population, the actual number of the genuine disciples of
Christ within its pale were in small compass. The revival in some
measure, of the spirit of its reformers, even in opposition to the letter
of many of its formularies, has, no doubt, in past times, done much to
increase its living influence and usefulness, but recent events have
shown how large a portion of its clergy instead of going forward in the
work of the Reformation, are rather desirous of retrograde movement, and
of approximating, if not of entirely returning to the errors of Rome.
Such, we ought ever to bear in mind, is the natural tendency of man, and
so prone is he, even when raised by the True Light to a perception of the
things which are most excellent, to sink again into the grovelling habits
of his own dark nature.
We come now to the threshold of our own religious history, and shall
endeavour to answer, in substance at least, the queries with which we
commenced the present inquiry. It was certainly an extraordinary period
of our national religious history, in which the Society of Friends
arose--a time in which old foundations were shaken, and an earnest
inquiry excited in many minds after the way of truth and of real peace to
the soul. We think that it is not assuming, to express our belief, that
a remarkable extension of spiritual light and energy was extended to the
people of England, in that day, when George Fox, and his early
associates, went forth through the length and breadth of the land, and
found so extraordinary a preparation for their service in the hearts of
their fellow-countrymen.
The first preachers knew a being made Christians themselves, before they
went forth to call others to Christ--what a deep sense of sin and of its
hatefulness in the sight of God--what earnestness, or rather agonizing in
prayer--what joy in the sense of the true knowledge of Christ, and of
communion with him in Spirit--what subsequent watchfulness and reliance
upon him in every step of their course--what zeal in making known the
truth which they had found, and what constancy in suffering for it, yea
thinking it all joy that they were counted worthy to suffer for the name
of Christ!--Such were the men who were heralds of our religious Society,
and by whose instrumentality thousands at least, were convinced of the
truth; large numbers of whom gave evidence that they were not only
convinced, but converted to God. Need we then wonder at their success?
though still compared with the numbers to which they preached, the
converts may be said to have been _few_. It was still the _many_, who if
brought to see as it were their face in a glass, went away and
straightway forgot what manner of men they were.
We believe that the number of persons who went under the name of Friends,
in Great Britain and Ireland, at the close of the 17th century, was at
least three times as great as it is at the present time.
It will be in accordance with our object, to endeavour to indicate what
may have been the chief causes of the suspension of those active measures
which we have called aggressive,--though full of love, and which marked
the early periods of our Society. An historian of the church, who was
not insensible of what constitutes true religious energy, has stated,
that extraordinary revivals of this kind, have rarely been maintained in
their primitive vigour more than about forty years. Rather more than
that time elapsed between the commencement of George Fox's labours and
their close, at the time of his death. About eight days previous to that
event, he attended a meeting of ministers, in London, and one of those
who was present says: "I much minded his exhortation to us, encouraging
friends that have gifts to make use of them; mentioning many countries
beyond the seas that wanted visiting, instancing the labours and hard
travels of friends in the beginning of the spreading of truth in our
days, in breaking up of countries, and of the rough ploughing they had in
steeple houses, &c., but that now it was more easy; and he complained,
that there were many Demases and Cains who embraced the present world,
and encumbered themselves with their own business, and neglected the
Lord's, and so were good for nothing; and he said, they that had wives,
should be as though they had none; and who goeth a warfare should not
entangle himself with the things of this world."
This characteristic extract will suggest, probably, to many readers, our
object in quoting it. If there was cause for the reproof conveyed in it
in that day, in which we know the primitive zeal still burned brightly,
what must we say of the subsequent, and of the present state of our
little church!
Long after the death of George Fox, there continued to be a large
increase to the numbers of friends; many who had been wise and great in
this world, were made to rejoice in the laying down of their outward
wisdom, and in sitting down in deep humility to learn of Jesus, by the
teaching of the Holy Spirit in the heart. These were prepared boldly to
declare God's controversy with sin, and the means by which it might be
subdued, not omitting to proclaim the alone ground of a sinner's pardon
through the propitiatory sacrifice of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
We believe certainly that it has never been permitted to our Society to
be without its faithful labourers in the gospel, or without many sincere
confessors of its doctrines, who, by life and conversation, have been
true preachers to their brethren, and to the world in general. Yet we
must confess, that whilst as a Society, we continue to profess the same
religious views as were held and promulgated by our early Friends, we
fear we do not come up in practice to that pure standard to which they
attained. The door is open to all the world, yet we sit at ease in our
ceiled houses. Many around us are hungering and thirsting for the
knowledge of God, yet we are occupied with our farms and our merchandise.
Let us not be inquiring, "What shall this man do," or what should the
other have done? but remembering the reproof, "What is that to thee,
follow _thou_ Me," submit ourselves to that humbling, but preparing hand,
which was so signally displayed in the cause of those who were engaged in
the planting and watering of our religious Society. Then might we again
hope to witness an increase of spiritual life and vigour in the body, and
thus become as "a city set upon a hill, that could not be hid."
THE ANNUAL MONITOR. OBITUARY.
Age. Time of Decease.
HANNAH ABBOTT, _Thorley_, _Essex_. 88 11mo. 19 1849
MARTHA ADY, _London_. 81 3mo. 23 1850
ELIZABETH AIREY, _Kendal_. Widow. 81 5mo. 6 1850
WILLIAM ALDERSON, _Winterscale_, _Garsdale_, _Yorkshire_. 69 5mo. 2 1850
REBECCA ALEXANDER, _Goldrood_, _Ipswich_. Widow of Samuel Alexander. 72
12mo. 13 1849
EDWARD ALEXANDER, _Limerick_. Son of the late Edward Alexander. 20 2mo.
1 1850
JOSEPH ALLEN, _Dunmow_, _Essex_. A Minister. 76 9mo. 21 1849
SARAH ALLEN, _Bristol_. A Minister. 77 6mo. 1 1850
ELEANOR ALLEN, _Ballitore_. Wife of Henry Allen. 49 3mo. 4 1850
ANN ALLIS, _Bristol_. Wife of Hagger Allis. 65 8mo. 30 1850
JOHN ALLISON, _Durham_. 57 6mo. 1 1850
ROBERT ALSOP, _Maldon_, _Essex_. A Minister. 72 7mo. 21 1850
SOPHIA APPLETON, _Stoke Newington_. Wife of John Appleton. 49 3mo. 28
1850
WILLIAM ASHBY, _Hounslow_. 61 1mo. 7 1850
HANNAH C. BACKHOUSE, _Polam Hill_, _Darlington_. A Minister. Widow of
Jonathan Backhouse. {2} 63 5mo. 6 1850
GEORGE BAKER, _Askham Field_, _York_. An Elder. 71 1mo. 26 1850
He was one who remembered his Creator in the days of his youth, and who
proved in his own experience, that "the fear of the Lord" is not only
"the beginning of wisdom," but that it is also "a fountain of life
preserving from the snares of death." His earnest desire was to be found
walking acceptably before God; and while a young man, he became greatly
distressed at being overcome by drowsiness in meetings for worship. On
one occasion, when this had been the case, he retired to a secluded spot,
under a hedge, where, with many tears, he poured forth his prayers for
deliverance from this besetment. Many years afterwards, when
accompanying a friend on a religious visit to the families of that
meeting, he pointed out the place, and remarked with expressions of
gratitude, that from that time, he did not remember having been overcome
in the same manner.
He was deeply impressed with the words of his Saviour: "All things
whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them,"
and he so carried this precept out into practice, as to become remarkable
for his uprightness of character, and for his consideration for others.
The following circumstances present instructive examples of the kindly
sympathy of this "good Samaritan:"
On the occurrence of a malignant fever, in one of the eastern dales of
Yorkshire, while he resided in that district, he left his own home for
several weeks, to nurse some of his neighbours who had become affected
with the disease, devoting his whole time to the sick, while dread of
infection rendered it difficult for him to obtain assistance in this
office of mercy.
After his removal into the neighbourhood of York, and at a time when many
persons were returning past his premises from a contested Election, and
some of them so much intoxicated as to be incapable of taking care of
themselves; fearing lest any severe accident should befall them while in
this condition, he took several of them from the highway, and lodged them
in one of his outhouses, dismissing them on the following morning with
suitable but kind admonition. And when numbers of the Irish poor were
driven from their own country by famine, and wandered about in this land
"for lack of bread," he sheltered many of them in his out-buildings and
ministered to their necessities.
George Baker occupied the station of Elder for many years, exercising a
fatherly care in the church, and extending counsel or encouragement, as
he saw occasion, with a simplicity and godly sincerity which gave him
great place amongst his friends. He was often applied to by his
neighbours for counsel, and as a peace-maker; and in serving them was
remarkable for his patience, self-denial, and success. In his latter
years, his powers both of body and mind failed greatly, in consequence of
an accident which he met with, while in the pursuit of his occupation as
a farmer; but having "worked while it was day," he was preserved through
a period which might be spoken of as "a night, in which no man could
work;" so that love, that badge of discipleship with Christ, shone
brightly in his last moments, as from under the margin of a dark cloud,
and a solemn feeling of peace with God, through Jesus Christ, pervaded
his dying hours.
ELIZABETH G. BARCLAY, _Walthamstow_. Daughter of Joseph G. Barclay. 2
8mo. 31 1849
ROBERT BARKER, _Cheadle_, _Manchester_. 62 9mo. 28 1850
THOMAS BAYNES, _Bainbridge_, _Yorkshire_. 70 5mo. 14 1850
THOMAS BEAKBANE, _Liverpool_. 50 4mo. 14 1850
RACHEL BEEBY, _Allonby_. 65 12mo. 15 1849
MARY ANNE BELL, _Belfast_. Daughter of Thomas and Sarah Bell. 39 2mo.
23 1850
MARY BENINGTON, _Wakefield_. A Minister. Wife of George Benington. 55
6mo. 8 1850
ELIZABETH BENNIS, _Clonmel_. Daughter of the late William Bennis of
Limerick. 16 2mo. 24 1850
PHOEBE BENT, _Sutton-in-Ashfield_, _Nottinghamshire_. Widow of Joseph
Bent of Stockport. 85 8mo. 15 1850
ELIZABETH BENTLEY, _Ipswich_. Daughter of Thomas F. and Maria Bentley.
16 11mo. 28 1849
MARY BENWELL, _Sidcot_. 50 1mo. 13 1850
ELIZABETH BEWLEY, _Rockville_, _Dublin_. Daughter of Thomas and Rebecca
Bewley. 3 1mo. 16 1850
WILLIAM BINNS, _Poole_. An Elder. 81 4mo. 10 1850
We have often had to observe, that many of our friends, who have lived to
a good old age, and who have been loved and honoured in their respective
stations, as upright pillars in the church, have left but few written
memorials of their course for the instruction of others; whilst
encompassed with infirmities, and looking for the help of the Lord's
Spirit to resist their manifold temptations and easily besetting sins,
they have been enabled to pursue the even tenor of their way, seeking
through divine grace to fulfil the day's work, in the day time, and
hoping to hear at last the call of mercy into one of the many mansions
prepared by Him, who has loved them and died for them. We love to dwell
upon this class of our departed friends, and without undervaluing those
whose gifts have been more prominent, or whom circumstances have rendered
more conspicuous in our pages, we sincerely desire that these more
hidden, but not less valuable parts of the spiritual building, may ever
be honoured amongst us. Such an one was our late friend, William Binns.
It was during his apprenticeship that, under the ministry of two women
friends, engaged in a family visit, he was powerfully awakened to the
eternal interests of his soul, and through divine grace, the impression
made, was of so decided a character, that putting his hand to the
Christian plough, he looked not back.
He was greatly concerned for the true welfare of our religious Society,
and in the district in which he resided was eminently useful; caring for
the flock over which the good Shepherd had made him an overseer.
Sterling integrity and uprightness marked his character; his judgment was
clear and sound, and was frequently given in comprehensive and pertinent
language, free from all superfluous expression.
He took a very low estimate of his own attainments, and was humbled under
a sense of his shortcomings; as the shadows of evening were closing
around him, he frequently and feelingly intimated, that there was for
him, but one ground of faith and hope, the free mercy of God in Jesus
Christ his Saviour; such was the subject of his frequent expression to
his friends, and they rejoice in the belief that having in his long
pilgrimage taken up his cross, and sought above all things to follow
Christ, so in the end he was prepared to enter into the eternal joys of
his Lord.
GEORGE BINNS, _Bradford_. 52 8mo. 26 1850
EMMA BINNS, _Sunderland_. Daughter of Henry Binns. 6 8mo. 22 1850
WILLIAM BLACK, _Cockermouth_. 71 9mo. 20 1849
JOSEPH BLACK, _Lisburn_. 22 5mo. 23 1850
THOMAS BOWRY, _Stepney_. 67 4mo. 27 1850
ROBERT WM. BRIGHTWEN, _Newcastle-on-Tyne_. Son of Charles Brightwen. 4
3mo. 6 1850
THOMAS BROWN, _Cirencester_. A Minister. 84 10mo. 13 1849
AMELIA BROWN, _Luton_. A Minister. Wife of Richard Marks Brown. 62
12mo. 7 1849
This beloved friend was privileged beyond many in the pious care
exercised in her religious training. She became early acquainted with
the teachings of divine grace, and from childhood, appears highly to have
valued the holy scriptures. It was frequently her practice to set apart
some portion of the day for private retirement and meditation, and in
thus seeking to wait upon the Lord for the renewal of her spiritual
strength, she was favoured to know "times of refreshing," and a growth in
"pure and undefiled religion."
She loved the truth in sincerity, and her mind was enriched in the
instructive contemplation of its order, excellence and beauty, and the
benign and salutary influence it has on those who obey its requisitions:
fervently she craved for an increase of faith and strength, that she
might be found among the "called, and chosen, and faithful." "I felt,"
she remarks on one occasion, "as if I could make any sacrifice called
for; the language of my mind is almost continually, what shall I render
unto the Lord for all his benefits."