Minutes. THE SEVENTEENTH YEARLY MEETING OF PROGRESSIVE FRIENDS assembled at Longwood, Chester Co., Pa., on Fifth day, the 3d of Sixth month, 1869, at 10 o'clock A. M. OLIVER JOHNSON, one of the clerks, read the call, as follows: THE PROGRESSIVE FRIENDS OF PENNSYLVANIA will hold their Seventeenth Yearly Meeting at Longwood, near Hamorton, Chester County, commencing on Fifth day (Thursday), the 3d of Sixth month (June), 1869, at 10 o'clock A. M., and continuing three days. The friends of human progress, irrespective of sect or creed, are cordially invited to attend, and to take such part in the proceedings as their own sense of propriety and duty may require. The Progressive Friends are seeking, according to the light that is in them, to realize the benefits of religious association and human fellowship, upon a basis of perfect freedom of opinion for every individual. Their only bond of union is the common humanity which makes all men equal before God, and which prompts them, as by a Divine impulse, to search for truth as for hid treasures, and to promote one another's welfare. They meet together, not for the purpose of wrangling about doctrines and forms, which have no vital relation to character, and which too often absorb the attention of religious bodies, but to seek and adopt the best means for improving the condition of society, and for promoting and extending the principles of Justice, Freedom, and Fraternity. No subject which practically concerns the welfare of the human race is out of order in their assemblies; and it is their purpose to give attention to such subjects according to their relative importance, as far as time will permit. The duty of society to the poor, the ignorant, the oppressed, and the criminal classes; the claims of women to equal civil, political, and religious rights; the relations of Poverty and Wealth, Capital and Labor—these, and such as these, are the the topics likely to engage their earnest attention. Appreciating the records of truth that have come down from the past, they yet look for fresh revelations of the Divine Will in their own hearts, believing that it is no less the privilege of mankind now than it was in former days to hold intercourse with "the Father of Lights, from whom cometh down every good and perfect gift, and in whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." OLIVER JOHNSON made a few remarks, congratulating those present upon the auspicious circumstances under which they had convened, and explaining and enforcing the principles set forth in the call. In closing, he presented obituary notices of four dear friends, deceased since our last meeting, viz. CALEB S. JACKSON, ALLEN AGNEW, LEVI COATES, and ISAAC JACKSON. The meeting expressed its satisfaction with these tributes, and directed them to be printed with its proceedings. Letters expressive of hearty sympathy with the principles and objects of the meeting were read from FREDERICK DOUGLASS, JACOB HEATON, ALFRED H. LOVE, and SAMUEL KEESE. The letter of ALFRED H. LOVE embraced a report of his action, in behalf of the meeting, in forwarding to various tribes of Indians the "Circular Letter" adopted last year. It appears that that letter was well received by those to whom it was addressed, and hope is entertained that our object in sending it will be measurably realized. OLIVER JOHNSON stated that the Clerks had forwarded our memorial to Congress, adopted last year, in behalf of the Indians, to SIMON CAMERON, one of the Senators from this State, and JOHN M. BROOMALL, Representative in the House from this District; and letters from them, acknowledging the receipt of the same, and stating that they had presented it, according to our request, to the Senate and House, were read. JOHN G. JACKSON, J. WILLIAM Cox, and ELIZABETH JACKSON were appointed a Committee to settle with the Treasurer, and nominate a Treasurer and Clerks to serve the meeting for the ensuing year. A Business Committee was constituted as follows: OLIVER JOHNSON, WILLIAM LLOYD, FIELDER ISRAEL, LUCY STONE, SIMON BARNARD, WM. J. POTTER, MARY K. PUTNAM, THOMAS GARRETT, SILAS FARRINGTON, MARY P. WILSON, SARAH T. H. PEARSON, MARY L. BALDWIN. AFTERNOON SESSION. WILLIAM J. POTTER, minister of the Unitarian Church in New Bedford, Mass., delivered an impressive discourse on "The Responsibility of Man to God alone for his Faith," taking for his text the words of Paul," Hast thou faith? have it to thyself." The Committee appointed to nominate Clerks proposed OLIVER JOHNSON and ANNA MARY MARSHALL for that service, and the meeting united in their appointment. The same Committee presented the report of the Treasurer, showing a balance in his hands of $30.43. The amount expended during the year was $177.22. The Committee nominated ISAAC MENDENHALL to serve as Treasurer the ensuing year, and he was appointed accordingly. OLIVER JOHNSON, on behalf of the Business Committee, presented a testimony entitled "Our Country," which was adopted without debate. A testimony on "Crime and Criminals," from the pen of THEODORE TILTON, editor of the Independent, was next offered. An interesting discussion ensued, in which WILLIAM LLOYD, J. WILLIAMS THORNE, SUMNER STEBBINS, JOHN G. JACKSON, THOMAS GARRETT, OLIVER JOHNSON, WM. J. POTTER, SWITHIN C. SHORTLIDGE, and HENRY B. BLACKWELL took part. The testimony was unanimously and heartily adopted. SECOND DAY. LUCY STONE, from the Business Committee, presented a testimony on Woman Suffrage, and supported the same in a masterly and eloquent address, which commanded the earnest, sympathetic attention of the crowded auditory. She was followed by her husband, HENRY B. BLACKWELL, who, taking a somewhat different view of the subject, presented a clear and powerful argument in favor of the testimony. The testimony was unanimously adopted. AFTERNOON SESSION. FANNY MEEKER sang the "Battle Hymn of the Republic," many of the audience joining in the chorus. The meeting proceeded to the work of collecting funds for defraying its yearly expenses. The sum of $163.95 was contributed. MARY K. PUTNAM, of Brooklyn, N. Y., on behalf of the Committee appointed last year to investigate "the relations of money and the rate of interest to the reward of labor," submitted a report. A discussion followed, in which J. K. INGALLS, JOHN G. JACKSON, MARY K. PUTNAM, CHARLES BROTHERS, JACOB L. PAXSON, OSCAR CLUTE, DAVID BRANSON, HENRY B. BLACKWELL, MARY A. W. JOHNSON, CHANDLER DARLINGTON, and J. W. THORNE, took part. A great diversity of views was exhibited. The meeting declined to adopt or sanction the report, but voted to print it with its proceedings, as a means of inducing further investigation and reflection upon a very important subject. A testimony on Temperance, from the Business Committee, was presented; and after a discussion, in which CHANDLER DARLINGTON, OLIVER JOHNSON, J. W. THORNE, LEWIS MARSHALL, SUMNER STEBBINS, and CHARLES HAMBLETON took part, it was adopted. THIRD DAY. The hymn, "God is near thee," was sung. HENRY B. BLACKWELL, from the Business Committee, presented a testimony on Religion, which was advocated in a most impressive and convincing manner by WM. J. POTTER, HENRY B. BLACKWELL, FIELDER ISRAEL, and FRANCES E. W. HARPER. BAYARD TAYLOR called the attention of the Meeting to a religious movement, which has recently been inaugurated in Germany. The "Protestant Union," consisting both of clergymen and laymen, and numbering among its most active members Dr. Bluntschli and Dr. Schwarz (author of the "History of Modern Theology"), Dr. Schenkel, Professor von Holtzendorf, and other men prominent in theology and science, was founded in 1865, and has grown with such rapidity that it now exercises an important influence on religious thought in Ger At the meeting of this society in Bremen, in 1868, the fol lowing resolution was adopted, without a dissenting voice: many. "Any conception of the Divine Revelation and of the origination of Holy Scrip ture which has formed itself in the course of historical development in a scientite search after truth, and has secured itself a footing in the conviction of the Christian conscience, is admissible within the Protestant Union. Consequently, the representatives of the supernatural, as well as of the rational conception, are entitled in the Union, as well as in the Church, to co-operate harmoniously together, and neither party is entitled to deny the right of the other." Mr. Taylor stated that the meeting of the Union at Worms, held the previous week, was attended by 20,000 persons, and the subject of establishing a united German Protestant Church, upon a basis broad enough to admit of every variety of belief with regard to special doctrines, had been discussed. In spirit the movement was wholly kin to the testimony which had just been read, and it was well that those present should know that the latter was not an isolated declaration, but harmonized with the growth of religious thought throughout the world. The following hymn, by CHARLES WESLEY, was sung: LIGHT of life, seraphic Fire, Love divine, thyself impart; Every fainting soul inspire, Every mournful spirit cheer; Scatter all our guilty gloom : |