198 CHAPTER XIV. OF SALUTATIONS AND RECREATIONS. FROM the first rise of the Society to the present time, one uniform sentiment has prevailed in relation to salutations and recreations. About the commencement of the Christian era, pride and presumption seem to have attained their very summit at Rome, then the mistress of the world, and the pattern of what the world denominated fashionable, elegant, or great. Sunk, too, in the depth of pagan darkness, they did not hesitate to ascribe divine honours to those individuals who attained to the pinnacle of power-inferior orders imitated the example, and followed behind, as near as they could venture to approach the highest characters. Only a few centuries passed over the Christian Church, before Constantine adopted the profession of Christianity, when, of course, the profession became fashionable among the higher orders of society. As many embraced it for the sake of fashion, as well as for other motives even worse, so fashion pervaded the manners of professed Christians. The injunction of the apostle was now but little regarded: Be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds." On the contrary, that great empire, with all its grandeur, power, and policy, now asked admission into the visible Church-which, cheated by the smiles of power, stooped to the low degradation of admitting the applicant. A degradation indeed it was for she ceased to be" the Bride, the Lamb's wife." She ceased to appear in that transcendant glory, described as, "fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.' Cant. vi. 10. And instead of this glory-she took on herself the paltry trappings of an earthly empire, and added to these the pollutions of pagan superstition. Extravagant honours, from being paid to emperors and other usurpers of power, by the prevalence of pride, became grateful to every inferior rank, and were freely bestowed on all. Hence the fashionable appellation of you, to a single person; it being thought, by minds inflated with pride, to be too little to be regarded as a single individual-the idea of plurality must be conveyed. Bowing, which had been practised in earlier times, was still recognized, and had the uncovering of the head, another act of worship connected with it. From these corrupt sources, proceeded those salutations, which make up the complimental intercourse of fashionable life. And as they originated in pride, and other depraved passions of the human heart, so the Society of Friends believe they have a powerful tendency to become, reciprocally, both causes and effects; and have consequently laid them aside. They believe there is no propriety in bowing the body, and uncovering the head, to any created beings; for worship belongs to God only. But if we are told, that in fashionable life, these actions have no such intention, we reply, that if they have become unmeaning, men of correct feelings ought neither to offer nor receive them. If they are intended only to express civility and ordinary respect, we say, that these can be expressed in a more appropriate manner, than by degrading the outward acts of divine worship, down to a mere expression of common civility, or even nothing at all. Every thing which relates to divine worship, or that homage we pay to the Almighty, should be carefully guarded from being introduced into the familiar intercourse between man and man; lest, by the association of ideas, our worship itself become adulterated and offensive. We believe that under the gospel, we are bound to speak every man truth to his neighbour. The expressions, mister, or master, and your most obedient, &c. your humble servant, &c. being in the common application untrue, we decline to use. The love and charity which the gospel inspires, are above all complimental expressions, and need neither flattery nor falsehood to set them off to advantage. However the censorious may charge the Society with singularity, and with attaching unreal consequence to little things, the history of early times affords abundant evidence that these compliments were not understood, at that day, as empty sounds. Often have men of high standing, and even some of an opposite class, been so enraged at not receiving these pitiful compliments, as to set no bounds to their resentment. Even the simple expression of thou, to one person, was considered an indignity not to be borne: and many a man of fair and elevated character, has had his blood shed in profusion, for no higher offence than the use of this simple and correct language. The plain language, as we term it, or the use of the singular pronouns to a single person, has much to recommend it. In the first place, it is consonant to truth: for the plural pronoun does express a plurality of persons to whom it relates hence we consider it a departure from truth, to address a single individual with a word that conveys an idea of more than one. We consider the plain language, too, as the language of the greatest and best of men that have ever lived, to one another and to God. And we think this authority ought to possess great weight. The rules of the language contribute something to the same effect. It must be admitted, that the beauty and precision of the language are greatly injured by the promiscuous use of the plural pronouns. But we shall be told that we do not use the pronouns grammatically. I admit the truth of the charge, and admit also that it is a great defect in our language. But this is a colloquial liberty taken-improperly so, I confess; yet it is not universal among the Society. So far as this grammatical error prevails, it destroys the beauty and dignity of our language, but it does not affect the principle. It does not touch the argument that rests on the truth of the expression, nor does it destroy the precision of the language. The idea it conveys is still in the singular number. It is not the false flattering attempt, to magnify one individual into a great many. The primary grounds for this deviation from the plural language, remain the same. I candidly acknowledge, however, that we ought to use the singular pronouns gramatically. Those vain amusements which have been denominated recreations, we consider beneath the dignity of the Christian character; and they frequently prove the inlet to much vice and corruption. H. Tuke, in his "Principles of Religion," chap. 9, says: “There are three rules relating to amusements, by which our conduct should be regulated. 1.—To avoid all those which tend needlessly to oppress and injure any part of the animal creation. Of this class are cock-fighting and horse-racing: also hunting, &c, when engaged in for diversion and pleasure. 2.-To abstain from such as are connected with a spirit of hazardous enterprise; by which the property and temporal happiness of individuals and families, are often made to depend on the most precarious circumstances; and the gain of one frequently entails misery on many. Of this class are all games in which property is staked. 3. To avoid such as expose us to unnecessary temptations, with respect to our virtue; or which dissipate the mind, so as to render a return to civil and religious duties ungrateful. Of this kind, stage entertainments are peculiarly to be avoided, with various other places of public amusement, which have a tendency to corrupt the heart, or to alienate it from the love and fear of God." The two first species of amusements, mentioned in the first description, are so generally acknowledged by the different religious societies, to be immoral, and even reproachful, that it seems unnecessary to say much, to prove their inconsistency with the Christian character. The practice of hunting, however, does not appear to have excited so much attention, or draw forth such a concurrent sentiment against it. So far as this practice is pursued for amusement, it cannot bear the test of cool examination. The brute creation, however we may be elevated above them, have their rights, as well as we. He who created us, and endued us with exalted faculties and capacities for superior enjoyments, created them also, and gave them the capacities of enjoyment which they possess. And though he has given us power over them, that our wants might be supplied, and our happiness promoted, he never could have designed that they should be sacrificed to our depraved passions. There is something certainly very revolting to our best feelings, to think of deriving amusement and gratification, from the agonies and death of animated beings. And though this idea may be disclaimed, yet it is extremely difficult to divest the amusement of hunting, of this cha racter. There are many circumstances connected with it, which have a powerful and fascinating effect on the youthful mind! but cruelty-and a violation of the rights of the animal creation, are inseparably connected with it. "We clearly rank the practice of hunting and shooting for diversion, with vain sports; and we believe the awakened mind may see, that even the leisure of those whom Providence hath permitted to have a competence of worldly goods, is but ill filled up with these amusements. Therefore, being not only accountable for our substance, but also for our time, let our leisure be employed in serving our neighbour, and not in distressing the creatures of God, for our amusement."* (London Book of Extracts, p. 25 ) The demoralizing effects of gaming are so generally admitted by the various denominations of Christians, that it will not be necessary to say much in proof of its pernicious tendency. The beginnings of vice are often clothed with specious pretences and imaginary barriers are set up against unrestrained indulgence; but these very restrictions, which the adventurers in dissipation propose to themselves, increase the danger. For, by this delusive idea, they are armed against the dread of consequences, until the taste for such indulgences becomes not only confirmed, but too powerful for their resolutions: and thus they become the victims of an ungovernable infatuation. How many of those miserable beings who crowd our penitentiaries, and furnish the awful spectacles of public executions, date the commencement of their wicked and Cruelty to the brute creation, though not in connexion with motives of amusement, is clearly incompatible with Christian feelings. Several cases have recently occurred in the United States, in which_cruelty to brutes has been adjudged to be violations of the civil law. It must be ever revolting to the benevolent mind, to see animals which are employed in our service, and contribute to our comfort and advantage, made the victims of passion, of avarice, or of wanton cruelty. "A man of kindness to his beast is kind; Remember! He who made thee, made the brute; |