Moses Sheppard: Quaker Philanthropist of Baltimore (review)

122Quaker History possible to reconcile this action of the Yearly Meeting with Nash's statement that "the social and religious leaders of Quaker society were powerless to extend their control in the secular sphere" (p. 341). Given a high amount of pressure the church was evidently willing to exert its influence and thus successfully weathered—though certainly not without difficulty—the storms aroused by George Keith as well as the disruptive and ugly fight between David Lloyd and James Logan. Two other problems in this connection ought to be noted: Nash often argues (cf. pp. 160-176) that the political disturbances in the first three decades stemmed as much from the anti-authoritarian attitude of the Quakers as from economic, social, and political factors. Nash here confuses, in company with other historians, two different religious testimonies of the early Quakers: that which preached the equality of men before God and that which sanctified and enhanced those who were by God's will appointed rulers. The proper separation would solve the glaring contradiction Nash finds in the Quakers' "attitude toward deference" (pp. 172-173) and "their individualistic and anti-authoritarian tendencies" (p. 174), for they referred to completely different phenomena. Nash implies in his argument (and in his definition of the Holy Experiment) that the Quaker emigration to Pennsylvania signified the tide of Quaker "rejection of English authority" (p. 174). More probable, however, is that the "governmentish " behavior and the endless disputes had two other reasons: 1. the total unpreparedness of Quakers for political functions and 2. the "subject" ( = Quaker) —"ruler" (= non-Quaker) character of the testimony on government of the Quakers who emigrated to Pennsylvania. It is in this context, then, that Nash's argument about the anti-authoritarian attitude becomes valid: the Quaker principles were silent about hierarchical patterns in a Quaker-ruled state and here it seems that indeed their equalitarian views hindered the transfer of the old hierarchical pattern to the new state for a time. One minor error should finally be mentioned: Nash certainly errs in asserting that the "heart of the [navigation] act provided for the establishment of viceadmiralty courts in the colonies" (p. 189). Certainly the use of Thomas C. Barrow's Trade and Empire (Cambridge, Mass., 1967) could have helped him to avoid this mistake and improve his discussion of the vice-admiralty courts in Pennsylvania. These are, however, minor shortcomings in an otherwise excellent study which is written with ease and clarity. Unfortunately the index is somewhat inadequate. Tulane UniversityHermann Wellenreuther Moses Sheppard: Quaker Philanthropist of Baltimore. Bj Bliss Forbush. Philadelphia : J. B. Lippincott Company. 1968. 317 pages. $6.00. It is clearly discernible that the author of this scholarly and enjoyable book is very familiar with the historical background of Baltimore, with the history of Quakerism, and with the concerns which challenged American Friends in the Book Reviews123 nineteenth century. The book is not only informative but, in addition, exudes admiration and enthusiasm for the ability and character of Moses Sheppard. Bliss Forbush is especially qualified to write this biography. In 1921 he began work at Baltimore's Stony Run Friends Meeting and School; he served as Headmaster of Baltimore Friends School from 1943 until 1960; since 1961 he has been President of the Board of Trustees of the Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital located at Towson near Baltimore. Moses Sheppard's life (1775-1857) has a Horatio Alger flavor. In 1793 he came to Baltimore as an eighteen-year-old impecunious Quaker boy with but little formal education. Through Quaker connections he secured a position as errand boy in John Mitchell's wholesale provision business. At this time Baltimore was a town with fewer than 20,000 inhabitants, a figure which increased fourfold by 1830. The errand boy was characterized by "industry, intelligence and faithfulness ." Within three years his Quaker employer took him into partnership, selling him a one-third interest in the business and lending him the needed capital to take this important step. During the next two decades, along with Baltimore's burgeoning commercial life, Mitchell & Sheppard's business expanded and prospered . In 1816 Sheppard become the sole owner of the business and gradually became involved in other...