Elisha Bates and the Hicksite Controversy

ELISHA BATES AND THE HICKSITE CONTROVERSY By Donald G. Good* Bliss Forbush, in describing the ministry of EHas Hicks in Ohio, noted that Elias Hicks "came in conflict with Elisha Bates, the most powerful Orthodox minister in the area."1 Orthodox Eastern Friends in 1828 and 1829 shared a similar assessment of Bates's stature as a formidable opponent of what came to be called "Hicksism."2 This article will explore the nature of Elisha Bates' conflict with Hicksite Friends in terms of his "denominational" view of the universal Christian church. He could not regard the Hicksite party as a segment of the total church of Christ along with other denominations of Christians because he was convinced that the Hicksites did not share the necessary common ground of commitment to the divinity of Christ and the authority of scripture. He regarded acceptance of these beHefs as the "evangelical" content which qualified a body of professed Christians to be considered as a segment of the universal Christian church. The lack of commitment to the realities of the "evangelical" testimonies was regarded by Bates as placing individuals and groups in the camp of deists and infidels.3 The simplistic character of this approach to intradenominational relations is readily apparent to aU who have studied Quaker history. Examination of the career of Elisha Bates will illustrate this problem which many American Friends faced in the early nineteenth century. Doctrinal Publications Elisha Bates received much of the printitng business of Ohio *Donald G. Good is Chairman of the Department of Humanities, William Penn College. His article on "Elisha Bates and Social Reform" appeared in the Autumn 1969 issue of Quaker History. 1.Bliss Forbush, Elias Hicks Quaker Liberal (New York: Columbia University Press, 1956), 268. 2.The Friend (Philadelphia), January 26, 1828, 117; November 8, 1828, 31; June 27, 1829, 294. 3.Elisha Bates, Extracts from the Writings of the Early Members of the Society of Friends (Manchester: 1835), 2, 47. 104 Elisha Bates and the Hicksite Controversy105 Yearly Meeting. His weekly periodical The Philanthropist carried many advertisements concerning available books of discipline, official letters, and reprints of religious books by well-known Quaker authors. Perhaps the printing of The Journal of Job Scott in 1819 stimulated Bates' interest in Quaker history. Sometime prior to 1825 Elisha Bates conceived the task of writing a history of the Society of Friends which would include a treatment of the doctrines and discipline of the Society. There is no evidence that the historical section was ever completed but the doctrinal section was published in 1825 as The Doctrines of Friends* This book v/as subject to numerous editions and reprintings even after Bates's death. In 1836 he noted that about fifteen thousand copies had been sold.5 One chapter on worship was translated into Welsh and published in 1834.6 In the front of the EngHsh editions there appeared a statement from the "Meeting for Sufferings" of Ohio Yearly Meeting, which said that the book had been "examined and approved" for publication. The positive promotion of Bates's book on the doctrines of the Society of Friends shows the high level of confidence which Ohio Quakers placed in his abiHty as a writer and a thinker. Since the book was widely read and approved, it is safe to say that it was acceptable to many Quakers in America from 1825-1875. His method of dealing with the doctrines of Friends involved a proof text approach when referring to Biblical sources and extensive quotations from recognized Friends of the past usually to show that their views were in harmony with the Bible. Throughout the book Bates attempted to convey the impression that the views of the Society of Friends coincided with the views and practices of the "primitive church."7 His acceptance of a denominational view of the universal church was reflected in several places. He may not have been aware of all of the implications of this outlook at the time but it is apparent that he did see things from this perspective. In the preface he stated that "over and above all" he desired an 4.Elisha Bates, The Doctrines of Friends or Principles of...