The Yearly Meeting in Dublin appoints a Committee to relieve its Assistance is offered by Friends in England and America CHAI. VIII. THE PRINCIPLES OF PEACE, &c, PART III. CHAP. VI. Of the General Preservation of the Society during the Rebellion. THE Society of Friends is scattered over three Provinces in Ireland. In these, viz. Ulster, Leinster, and Munster, many of its members were brought into immediate contact with one or both of the hostile parties, in towns, villages, and retired country places. Some, it must also be acknowledged, were living with little more than an outward or formal profession of the principle against War, held as one of its Christian tenets by the Society; in fact, they submitted to the opinion of their friends, and followed traditionally the maxims of their education, without feeling such strong conviction of the indispensable duty which this principle enjoined, as would have made them willing to part with their liberty or property, much less with their lives, rather than to violate such an important testimony. In this great variety of circumstances and of perils to which they were exposed, it is natural enough to inquire whether the Society lost any of its members? We are enabled to answer this question by an authentic document, issued by the Yearly Meeting in Dublin, which contains the following passage: It is worthy of commemoration, and cause of humble thankfulness to the Preserver of men, that, amidst the carnage and destruction which frequently prevailed in some parts, and, notwithstanding the jeopardy in which some Friends stood every hour, and, that they had frequently to pass through violent and enraged men, in going to and returning from our religious meetings (which with very few exceptions, were constantly kept up), that the lives of the members of our Society were so sig nally preserved." And in the same document, an extract is given from the Epistre from the Yearly Meeting held in Dublin in 1801, addressed to the Yearly Meeting in Philadelphia, which states that "It was cause of grateful acknowledgment to the God and Father of all our mercies, that, in retrospection to that gloomy season, when, in some places, Friends did not know but that every day would be their last, seeing and hearing of so many of their neighbours being put to death, that no member of our Society fell a sacrifice in that way but one young man." That an exception should thus be made of one young man, in the accidents or allotments of a Society composed of some thousands, is in itself a remarkable occurrence: and every one must be curious to know under what circumstances the death of this individual took place. There are some cases in which an apparent exception confirms the law and we are much mistaken, if, in this particular instance, the very exception will not be found to establish the principle, so far from weakening its practical force. His name, as well as the place where this individual suffered, are well known but it would not be consistent with the object of this narrative to publish them to the world. As the names of those, who might be entitled to a little commendation, in so far as they acted in obedience to their principles, are generally concealed, it is the more necessary to shield from public notice the memory of one, whose untimely death, following, as it did, his deviation from these principles, formed so notable an exception. This young man, apprehending that his life was in danger, and that he could find no protection but by outward means of defence, took up the resolution accordingly to put on a military uniform, and to associate with armed men. He told his connexions, that they would all be murdered if they remained in such a defenceless state in the country; and, taking with him some papers of consequence, he fled to a neighbouring garrison-town. But it so happened that the very town* he chose as a place of refuge, was attacked and taken by the Insurgents; and, from the most credible information that can be collected, it appears that, when the contest was over, and he was wantonly firing out of a window upon them, the door of the house Situated in the county of Kildare. was forced open by the enraged enemy; and in terror of his life, he sought to conceal himself in an upper chamber, where he was soon discovered, and put to death. It has been stated, I know not whether on sufficient authority, that he was marked, some time before, for his inconsistency and party spirit, by those whom, in consequence of his decided opposition, he had thus made his enemies; and, that he was formally threatened, if he persisted in such rash conduct, that he should lose his life. The Pitiable young man !-How little did he know what was for his real good! He left his home and the wise instructions of his parents; thinking they would afford no protection in this time of peril. He calculated upon a short-sighted policy, as it proved; though he followed the usual maxims of the world;-and what was the result? The means he took for his preservation proved his ruin. dress and arms in which he was accoutred, were his greatest enemies; they spoke the language of hostility, and invited it. The power in which he trusted failed him as in a moment. On the other hand, the relations he abandoned were saved: their peaceful principles were to them as a tower and shield; and their solitary home, though unfurnished with outward defences, proved in the end a place of safety. It scarcely perhaps deserves to be mentioned, but the fact appears to have a remote affinity to the immediate subject, and may afford some instruction,-that a member of the Society, who, under the influence of an improper curiosity, looked out of a window, during, or just after, an engagement, was shot at and wounded in the chest, but that he recovered. On the other hand, the preservation of some, who seemed to be in more immediate danger, was remarkable: Two Friends, who had been travelling, and were entering the town of Kilcullen, just as a battle was commencing, stood in the open street during the engagement; and, though they ran a risk of being shot by the sentinel, on entering the town, as well as by the contending parties, in the heat of action, were happily preserved. At Baltiboys, in the county of Wicklow, an elderly person was killed during the Rebellion, who had been a short time before disunited for inconsistency in his conduct, and had meddled imprudently in political matters. The following affecting narrative contains a few particulars relative to two brothers, named John and Samuel Jones, who were put to death by the Insurgents, on the day of the burning of Scullaboguebarn, in the lawn near it. Although the event it records may not at first sight appear to have any proper connexion with the subject of this publication, and even, to some, to militate against the principles advocated in it; yet it is considered that a closer view will point out the application: and, as truth is sacred and ought not to be disguised, the insertion of the fact may serve at least to take away presumption from those, who might be induced to look for preservation, as the necessary effect of peaceable conduct. No such impression as the last is meant to be conveyed. Samuel Jones, the younger of the two, had attended the meetings of Friends, and was considered to make no other profession of religion. Their father, having married out of the Society, lost his membership in consequence; and Samuel, though feeling an attachment to it, had never applied for admission. But if unconquerable faith and fortitude in the hour of extremity, could entitle any one to the name of martyr, his name and the circumstances of his death deserve to be recorded, as affording an instructive example of Christian heroism; and he might have been justly regarded as a worthy associate of any Christian community. They lived at Kil braney, near Old Ross, in the county of Wexford. Samuel was of a meek and tender spirit, and remarked for the benevolence of his disposition. At one period he had applied himself closely to the perusal of Fox's Martyrology, and other religious books; thus fortifying his mind, as it were, against the day of trial. As the preparations for the impending conflict were going forward, he became very thoughtful, apprehending that some serious calamity would befall him from the Insurgents. About a month before the lamentable event took place, he told his wife that he did not expect to die upon his bed and on one occasion, having, with her, accompanied some young women to their place of abode, who were gay and lively, he remarked, with much seriousness, "How little do these poor creatures know what is before them!" The last time he attended the Meeting at Forrest, it appeared as if he considered it to be a final parting with his friends. : Shortly after this, as the troubles increased, and danger became |