From Westland the journey was continued to Pittsburg, where an
appointed meeting was held. Salem, Ohio, was the next point visited,
where the quarterly meeting was attended. On First-day a large company,
estimated at two thousand, gathered. The occasion was in every way
satisfactory. Visits to different meetings continued. There was
manifest opposition at New Garden, Springfield, Goshen and Marlborough.
At Smithfield the venerable preacher was quite indisposed. The
meeting-house was closed against him, by "those called Orthodox," as
Elias defined them.
One of the objective points on this trip was Mt. Pleasant, Ohio, where
the yearly meeting of 1828 was held. He arrived in time to attend the
mid-week meeting at that place, a week preceding the yearly meeting. A
large attendance was reported, many being present who were not members
of the Society. The signs of trouble had preceded the distinguished
visitor, the "world's people" having a phenomenal curiosity regarding
a possible war among the peaceable Quakers. There was pronounced
antagonism manifested in this mid-week meeting, described as "a long,
tedious communication from a minister among those called Orthodox, who,
after I sat down, publicly opposed and endeavored to lay waste what I
had said."[26]
[26] Journal, p. 411.
During the following days meetings were attended at Short Creek,
Harrisville, West Grove, Concord, St. Clairsville, Plainfield,
Wrightstown and Stillwater. There was no recorded disturbance until
he returned to Mt. Pleasant the 6th of Ninth month, the date of the
gathering of the Yearly Meeting of Ministers and Elders. When the
meeting-house was reached the gate to the yard was guarded, "by a
number of men of the opposing party," who refused entrance to those who
were in sympathy with Elias Hicks. They proceeded to hold their meeting
in the open air. Subsequent meetings were held in a school-house and in
a private house, the home of Israel French.
First-day, Ninth month 7th, Mt. Pleasant Meeting was attended in the
forenoon, and Short Creek Meeting in the afternoon. The meeting at
Mt. Pleasant was what might be called stormy. Elisha Bates and Ann
Braithwaite spoke in opposition, after Elias Hicks had spoken. In a
letter dated Ninth month 10th, written to his son-in-law, Valentine
Hicks, Elias says that these Friends "detained the meeting two hours or
more, opposing and railing against what I had said, until the people
were wearied and much disgusted." No trouble was experienced at Short
Creek, although experiences similar to those of the morning occurred at
Mt. Pleasant in the afternoon. Amos Peaslee, of Woodbury, N. J., was
the center of opposition at that time. He was opposed while on his feet
addressing the multitude.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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