the friends to London Grove, where she was interred. Another
very large and impressive meeting was held here, after which I
returned to my home in Baltimore. On the Ninth I was again
called to pass through Philadelphia to attend another funeral at
Mickleton, New Jersey, this time a young married woman not a
member but an attendant of the Friends' Meeting, who was quite
suddenly removed. A large number of young people were present
and it was a deeply impressive occasion.

On the fourth of Sixth month I was called to Wilmington to
attend the funeral of my dear friend, John Richardson, with whom
and his family I had maintained intimate friendly relations for
over forty years. It was a close trial and it was felt that my testi-
mony on that occasion was calculated to comfort and sustain the
bereaved and encourage all who were present to emulate the life
of the departed one.

On the ninth of Sixth month we left Baltimore to enter upon
some religious work for which I had previously been granted a
minute by my friends of Baltimore Monthly Meeting. We went
directly to Cold Stream, Ontario, at which place the Genesee
Yearly Meeting, of which I had been a member for fifty years
before removing to Baltimore, was to be held, and we were enter-
tained at the home of my cousins, Jonah and Emily C. Zavitz.
This meeting was larger than usual, it being the first time it had
been held in this place, and it gave the opportunity for many young
people to attend who had never been at a Yearly Meeting before.
It was to us a very satisfactory meeting, and the mingling with
so many of my old friends was a source of much enjoyment. We
remained here until the eighteenth, visiting in the families of
several friends. We left on the eighteenth for Detroit, where we
were met by Emilie P. Jackson and taken to her home, where
we received a cordial welcome from her and her husband William
Jackson and their daughter Louise, who with her husband occu-
pied an apartment in the same house.

On First day, the nineteenth, as we were unable to hold a meet-
ing until the afternoon our friends proposed that we go on an



376 Autobiography of John J. Cornell

excursion down the Detroit River, which was much enjoyed by
us. In the afternoon we held a meeting in the chapel of the
Congregational church at which about fifty were present. At the
close of the meeting nearly, if not quite, every person present
came forward to speak to us and expressed their satisfaction at
what had been said. This was so unusual that I thought it
worthy of note as showing how the minds of people of
other denominations are open for the reception of the essential
truths of Christianity, which presents the need of right living. The
next day we wended our way to Chicago to spend a little while
with the family of my wife's only brother, with whom we had
not mingled for five years. We remained with them until the
Twelfth of Seventh month, when we left for a visit to Denver
and Colorado Springs. On our arrival in Denver on the thirteenth
we were met at the station by William G. M. Stone, who married
the daughter of a first cousin of my first wife, Judith. They had
been living in Denver for thirty-three years and we were the first
of their Eastern friends who had come to make them a visit and
it was one of much true social enjoyment.

On First day, the fifteenth, we held a meeting in the Unitarian
church in Denver and in the evening attended by special invitation
the Friends' church (Orthodox). There were about one hundred
in attendance at each meeting and they were seasons of deep spirit-
ual baptism and were so recognized by those who were present,
as was evidenced by the many expressions of satisfaction which
reached us.

On Second day, sixteenth, we were invited to the home of Dr.
Smedley in the evening, where we had quite a reception, as the
doctor said he had invited all whom he knew, said " thee " to meet
us, and we had a delightfully enjoyable evening.

On Third day we took the train and went to Silver Plume,
about fifty miles up into the Rocky Mountains. This ride was
much enjoyed, the magnificent scenery, the power displayed by
the ingenuity of man in overcoming obstacles so a train of cars
could be taken up so heavy a grade, the clear and rapidly rush-



Travels in the Ministry 377

ing Clear Creek along whose banks we ran for many miles, the
snow-clad peak of Gray's Mountain in the distance, the ever-
changing scenery, made it an occasion not only enjoyable but
indescribably grand and awe-inspiring.

We spent the remainder of the week up to Seventh day morn-
ing visiting the friends whom we had met and some of whom we
had previously known, and on that morning we left for Colorado
Springs, seventy-five miles distant, passing through much grand
scenery. We were met here at the station by Matilda McAllister
and taken to the home of her parents, Harry and Elizabeth Mc-
Allister, where we also met her sister Mary, who had become a
member of our Society while attending Swarthmore College.

Not being able to arrange for a meeting here on First day, when
the morning came we obtained a carriage and with Matilda started
out for a ride to enjoy the magnificent scenery. We had
a grand view of Pike's Peak from the front of their dooryard.
Our ride this morning took us through the Garden of the Gods
and then to Manitou Springs, and we enjoyed every moment of it
in the admiration of these wonders of nature and the exhilaration
of the atmosphere at that altitude, 6,000 feet, marred only by being
caught in a shower on our homeward journey. The afternoon
was very rainy and we had a delightful social visit with this
family of culture and refinement.

Second day. We started out for another ride, compelled this
time to go without any escort, save our driver, going first into the
South Cheyenne Canon, through or between the pillars of Her-
cules, and up to the lower of the seven falls. Then retracing our
steps we went up the North Cheyenne Canon to Brum Inn, then
climbed up the mountain side by a newly-constructed but excellent
road until we reached the divide and an altitude of 9,200 feet, and
were in and among the foot hills of Pike's Peak. We
were quite surprised to find the scarlet harebell growing in such
profusion at that altitude. Leaving the divide we went down
on the other side, through Bear Creek Canon to Colorado City,
and so back to the McAllister's. The whole ride was much en-



378 Autobiography of John J. Cornell

joyed for the beauty and magnificence of its scenery, the grandeur
of the natural view and the sublimity evidenced by the Creator's
power.

The next morning we left Colorado Springs and returned to
Denver, where we dined with our cousin, and in the evening took
the train for Chicago, arriving safely the next evening and were
once more cordially welcomed in the home of our brother and his
family.

On the twelfth of Eighth month we left Chicago for Salem,
Indiana, distant 283 miles, and were met at the station by Dr.
Overman and Ellwood Trueblood, and went home with the doctor,
who with his wife Mary gave us a cordial welcome.

Highland Meeting, about four miles from Salem is the old
meeting of the well-known Friend, Priscilla Cadwallader. This
meeting is quite remote from any other Friend's meeting (I think
there is none nearer than two hundred miles) and lies off from
the route of Friends when visiting the Western Yearly Meetings,
so of latter years they have had but few strangers or visiting
ministers among them. We found a nice body of interested
members, quite a large number of whom were in the younger walks
of life. We remained here a week, during which time we held
three meetings in their meeting-house and one in the Methodist
house in the city of Salem, all of which were well attended, each
meeting at the meeting-house increasing in size and interest. We
also visited socially in most of the families. We were everywhere
received with a warm welcome and we left them on the nineteenth
with the feeling that our visit to this meeting had been blessed
to them and to ourselves.

On the morning of the nineteenth we left Salem for Cincinnati,
going by way of Louisville, and arrived safely after a pleasant day's
journey. Were met at the station by Pierce J. Cadwallader and
were soon quietly welcomed in his home by his good wife Ella.
George Griest, the Secretary of Y. F. Association, also was at the
station to meet us.



Travels in the Ministry 379

We had received a special request from the Y. F. A., through
P. J. Cadwallader, to address them that evening, so at the ap-
pointed hour we wended our way to the hall in which the meeting
was to be held. About fifty gathered and I felt to speak upon the
subject " What are the principles of Friends, and what the reasons
why they should be accepted among the mass of religious views
extant among men." Very close attention was given to my ad-
dress, and much expression of satisfaction given that I had
chosen that topic, as there were a number present who are not in
membership with us, and many of these came to me and said they
were glad to have the explanation so clearly given and it met the
witness for truth in them.

On Seventh day morning, the twentieth, we took the train for
Waynesville in order to attend Indiana Yearly Meeting, the Meet-
ing of Ministers and Elders being held on that day. We were
met at the station by Anna Kelly and taken to the home of herself
and sister Hannah and brother Isaac, where we were to be, and
were entertained during the Yearly Meeting. It was felt that we
had a good meeting. I found a good deal of service which ap-
peared to be well appreciated — this being the meeting to which
my wife, Eliza, belonged up to the time of our marriage, she
mingling socially with so many of her old friends and the close
bond of sympathy extended to both of us was very enjoyable, for
which we were very grateful.

On Sixth day, twenty-sixth, we left Waynesville for Mt.
Pleasant and were enabled to go right through without detention,
as I had made arrangements while in Chicago to have the fast train
stop where we could make our connections, which the railroad
authorities seemed very willing to do. Our purpose in coming
here was to attend Ohio Yearly Meeting and we were nicely enter-
tained at the home of Abel and Amy Walker and their daughter
Anna P>. Walker. This meeting, though small, was an interesting,
and I believe, an instructive season. We found some discourage-
ment among them, arising from the smallness of their numbers and
some injudicious criticism by some visiting friends the previous



380 Autobiography of John J. Cornell

year, and we found it our pleasurable duty to encourage them to
hold on. While their numbers were few the Divine blessing
would not be withheld, and I found a larger percentage of their
membership were in attendance than we had at any of our larger
Yearly meetings in the East. As the meeting closed we found
a more hopeful feeling had somewhat displaced the discourage-
ment, and we felt that it had been good for us to have thus mingled
with them.

We left Mt. Pleasant on the morning of Ninth month, second,
and went direct to Cleveland, where we were met by A. Curtin
Russell and taken to his home, where he with his wife Carrie and
their little family of five children, made us very welcome. We
rested Seventh day, except taking a trolley car ride around the
beautiful city. On Seventh day evening we held a parlor meeting
at A. Curtin Russell's at which those who are members with us
living in the city were present, and also some members of the
Friends' church (Orthodox), and some of their neighbors. It
was felt to have been a good meeting and some seemed closely
touched at the testimony I felt called to deliver.

On First day morning we went with Curtin to the First Friends'
Church, and soon after being seated the pastor, on coming in and
seeing me in the audience, came and insisted that I should go to
the platform with him. It was a singular meeting for those calling
themselves Friends. We had during the meeting five hymns sung,
five prayers offered, two sermons, one of which a short one by
myself, as I was to be free and speak if I had anything to say,
and besides these six testimonies were given, a collection taken,
and the meeting dismissed with a benediction. During the meet-
ing there was evidenced a deep spiritual feeling mingled with
much that seemed purely emotional, and in this activity it differed
from anything I had ever met in my experience with different
religious denominations. After the meeting I received a warm
welcome from a number of their members, and the testimony I
had given they said met a warm response in their hearts. We
went home after meeting with Walter and Emma Malone, who



Travels in the Ministry 381

are the leaders, he the pastor of the meeting, though not receiving
any salary. His wife was a granddaughter of Ira Brown, who
was a brother of Nicholas Brown, an eminent minister in his day.
In the afternoon we held on open-air meeting in one of the public
parks, at which about one hundred and fifty were present, and it
was felt to be a good meeting, though rather rudely interrupted
as I was about to close by one who said my hour was up and an-
other was to follow. We remained through this meeting, prior
to the opening of which several handsome apologies were made
for the rude interruption. After the close of the second meeting
we went home with a brother of Curtin Russell's and were warmly
and affectionately entertained.

The next morning we left for Buffalo and from there to Orchard
Park to pay a social visit to Mary T. Freeman and family, with
whom we had long been closely associated, and on Fourth day, the
seventh, left for Baltimore, where we arrived at evening. The
retrospect of our summer's outing and visiting, both socially
and religiously, is not only pleasant but a source of much comfort
and encouragement.

Our Yearly Meeting occurred the last of Tenth month and was
unusually large. We had the company of Joel Borton and Sarah
T. Linville as visiting ministers. The meeting on the whole was
very satisfactory.

This Yearly Meeting makes the one hundred and second which
I have attended, sixty-seven of which have been those of which
I have been a member, which is an unusual record.

On Sixth day evening, prior to thanksgiving day, so gener-
ally observed by the people in this day, Oliver Huekel, the pastor
of the Associate Congregational church, in the city of Baltimore,
came to our home, and extended to me an invitation to join with
them and with the minister of a prominent Methodist church in
this city in holding a union thanksgiving service on that day and
also extending through me an invitation to the members of our
meeting to be present. After a few moments thought it appeared
clearly to me that it would be right to accept the invitation, un-



382 Autobiography of John J. Cornell

usual as it was, and I told him I would accept it and be present to
take such part as I felt free to do, it being understood that the
Methodist minister would deliver the sermon. Before the day
arrived it appeared clear to me that I would be called to make the
opening prayer. I consulted with some of the elders and found
they approved my course and on notice being given in our meet-
ing I was greeted with many expressions of satisfaction.

When the day came a large meeting gathered. The services
were opened, with music as is usual in the church. The pastor
then read the President's proclamation very impressively, follow-
ing this with a few words of cordial welcome to those who were
present. He then read as a scripture lesson the eighth chapter of
Deuteronomy, which seemed very appropriate, and then intro-
duced me, and under, I believe, the guidance of the Holy Spirit,
I offered an earnest and heartfelt prayer, which brought a very
deep solemnity over the meeting and elicited at its close many
warm and earnest expressions of satisfaction. The Methodist
minister then gave his address from the text " Bless the Lord, O
my soul, and forget not His benefits." The sermon and prayer
were as harmonious as though we had previously ar-
ranged the topics to be embraced in each, though we had never
met until just as the meeting was to open. The services closed
with the singing of the hymn " America," during which the pastor
went down in the audience and returned with the most prominent
Jewish rabbi in the city, who closed the meeting with a deeply
impressive benediction.

I thus note this circumstance as an evidence of the nearer unity
of feeling which appears to be growing among the professed
Christian denominations of our day. This willingnesss to meet
together for one common purpose, to lay aside our theological
differences and recognize the Fatherhood of God and the common
brotherhood of man, is something for which I have long labored
and it was gratifying to me to be able to embrace such an
opportunity. I have seldom attended a more impressive meeting,
and for sometime afterward, as I met such of my acquaintances



Travels in the Ministry 383

outside of Friends who were present, the universal expression has
been " It was a good meeting." And now as I pen these lines the
sweet savor of the mingling brings a deep feeling of satisfaction
over my spirit.

During the late Yearly Meeting as the query relating to a free
gospel ministry was under discussion I felt drawn to relate my
own experience, saying while I was gratified that so full an answer
could be given to the query, I felt like giving a little from the
side of the minister, and what it costs one on whom had been laid
such a service. I stated that in the past fifteen years I had visited
all the meetings of Friends of our branch in the United States
but two, had attended each of the yearly meetings at least three
times, and this had involved 50,000 miles of travel by public
conveyance and had taken fully three years of the fifteen of time,
four-fifths of the expense of which had been borne by myself out
of a not large income, (but I did not state that in this service I
had been accompanied in nearly all of it by my beloved
wife), and that in the past four years I had visited some 2,000
families of Friends in a social and religious way. I closed my re-
marks with this expression : " Some day, not perhaps until. my en-
coffined form shall lie in yonder aisle, and loving friends gather
around it for the last loving service, will it be fully realized what
it has cost one minister to faithfully carry out this testimony."

The year 1904 has closed and 1905 has opened. What it may
contain for me, I cannot, of course, know, yet there does appear
considerable service to be performed ere the Master will say,
" It is enough. Come up higher and enjoy the reward for thy
faithfulness."



CHAPTER XVI.
Travels in the Ministry. — Continued.

In the early part of this year I was confined to the house for
several weeks from an attack of rheumatic gout, and as the winter
was an unusually cold one and the sidewalks very icy I was com-
pelled to remain indoors a good deal of the time, save getting to
meeting regularly. Soon after the beginning of this year a con-
cern rested with me to make a visit to each of the meetings com-
prising Baltimore Yearly Meeting, and also to visit such of the
families belonging thereto in a social way as would be practicable,
also to appoint some meetings among Friends and others while
in the prosecution of the service.

In the meantime while this concern was ripening I found con-
siderable labor in the ministry in our own meetings, and in the
Second month my wife and self went to attend the meeting at
Plainfield, N. J., on First day morning, the fifth, and then went to
Roselle Park and attended a meeting by invitation in the Methodist
church in that place. Both meetings were largely attended and
while satisfactory to our own minds, much expression of satis-
faction was given by those whom we visited.

At the monthly meeting in the Third month the concern above
mentioned, having sufficiently ripened, I laid it before our friends
and asked for a minute in accordance therewith. This was readily
granted with many expressions of approbation and encourage-
ment, and was cordially endorsed at the subsequent quarterly
meeting.

On the twelfth of the Fourth month my wife and self attended
the mid-week meeting at Race Street, and I was led to address
the students on the importance for their success in life, both from



Travels in the Ministry 385

a temporal and religious standpoint, to learn to govern themselves
through a life of self-denial. In the afternoon we went to the
George School at the invitation of Joseph S. Walton, Jr., the prin-
cipal, who had desired us to come and mingle with the students
when not in their classes for several days, which we felt full free-
dom to do.

In the evening at their usual mid-week meeting I addressed
the scholars and was listened to with close attention. We re-
mained at the school until Second day morning, the seventeenth,
and attended the meeting at Newtown on First day morning, in
which I was largely led upon the topic " What is the inner light,
and what is its influence on human needs ? " This seemed to
reach the conditions of many who were present and answered
many inquiries which had been made by the students prior to our
coming. This intermingling with the students was to us a source
of much satisfaction and we hope of profit to them, as it enabled
us to give to them a practical evidence that the life of the minister
was not one which deprived him of the enjoyments of social
mingling, but rather was a means of making that life the more
useful and therefore the more blessed.

Fourth month, 29. We left Baltimore for Washington to enter
upon the work for which we had been granted a minute, and
were kindly entertained at the home of John and Carrie Moon
and her mother, Rebecca Ballinger. We were at meeting in
Washington First day morning and evening and during the week
following up to Sixth day visited in the homes of Walton and
Jessie Ballinger, Bernard and Laura Janney, James and Clara
Graham, Mary Sutton, Ruth Place and Sarah R. Matthews and
sisters, Elizabeth Kent, Dr. Joseph Branson, Morris Thorne, and
on Second day evening Herbert and Grace Lewis, Samuel and
Catharine Brosius came to meet us at John Moon's.

Third day. Called on Susan Pierce, T. Janney Brown, Arthur
and Helen Stabler, Elizabeth Buckey and then to Thomas Sid-
well's for the night.

25



386 Autobiography of John J. Cornell

Fourth day. Called on Anna Mannakee, Alice Duncan and then
to the Matthews' sisters for the night.

Fifth day. Had a nice call at Sidwell's School, and after lunch
called on Nellie Pyle and then came to James W. Roberts and
sisters, at Alexandria, for the night.

Sixth day 5. James W. Roberts took us to Woodlawn to
Anna S. Walton's to dinner, after which we called on Jean
Roberts, widow of Alfred Roberts, then to Harold and Mary Ann
Buckman's to tea, and to Warrington and Mary Ann Gillingham's
for the night.

Seventh day, 6. Called on Joseph and Margaret Cox and
Lewis Gillingham and daughter Abby, and then to Cortland and
Mary Lukens' for the night.

First day 7. At Woodlawn meeting this morning, which was
of good size and very attentive to the spoken word. Went home
with Jacob and Ann Troth, and after dinner called on Allen
Wilkinson and then to Anna Walton's for the night, where a
number of friends met us and with them we had a pleasant even-
ing.

8th. Went to Washington this morning and in the after-
noon to Wadesville, in Frederick county, Virginia, and were
met by Lewis and Susan Pidgeon and taken to their hospitable
home.

pth. Went to Rebecca and Eliza Pidgeon's where David W.
and Ann Branson came to meet us and took us to their home
and that of their son, William Branson, for the night.

10th, Were at Winchester mid-week meeting this morning,
and after meeting went to John and Ella Brown's, Florence
Sharp's, Lizzie Brown and Rebecca Dale, Silas and Florence Rob-
inson's, Martha and Rebecca Shumates, Edgar and Rowena Fries,
Mary Jackson and her brother Joseph, Richmond and Mary Ellen
Brown, and home with Jonah and Anna Rees for the night.

nth. At Hopewell meeting this morning, and after meet-
ing went home with B. F. Clevenger. In the afternoon B. F.
Clevenger took us to William R. and Mary Smith's for the night.



Travels in the Ministry 387

12th. John Bond came for us this morning and took us to
call on David and Belle Barrett, who had recently become mem-
bers among us, then to Mary Hackney's to dine, called on Jacob