"All's Well! All's Well!"

SoBULLETIN OF FRIENDS' HISTORICAL SOCIETY. pecially, and in the literature of the Society of Friends. He held at his death the office of vice-president of the Friends' Historical Society (London), and would have been elected president for 1921. He quite hoped to occupy the chair in person at the close of his year in office. He was one of the many links connecting the Yearly Meetings of Baltimore and London. Professor Thomas' wide knowledge of Friends' history and literature was always most gladly placed at the disposal of English students, and he was constantly in correspondence with the Librarians at Devonshire House, answering, sometimes after considerable search and enquiry, the many questions submitted to him. He was also the means of adding materially to the literary possessions of London Yearly Meeting, preserved at Devonshire House. A. C. Thomas' death was referred to at a recent meeting of the Library Committee of the London Meeting for Sufferings, and a minute of record passed in which occur the words,—" His wide and accurate knowledge of Friends' history, and his unfailing willingness to render help, made him one of our most frequent and valuable correspondents." The latest service rendered to British Quakerism by our friend was that of interesting American Friends in the proposed purchase of the original manuscripts of " The Journal of George Fox." In this service he had the valuable help of Rufus M. Jones, the result of their work being the acquisition of these relics by the Devonshire House Reference Library. Norman Penney. Devonshire House, London. "ALL'S WELL! ALL'S WELL!" Far out at sea—clouds fill the sky, While darkness spreads its gloomy pall, And winds blow fierce, and waves run high; But hark! The lookout's cheering call, "All's well! All's well!" At Sea, 1902. TRIBUTES TO ALLEN C. THOMAS.51 For loved ones far beyond the sea Fears, ill-defined, upon us fall. We ache to know how they may be,— Then comes the lookout's cheering call, "All's well! All's well!" Our ship sails on, though black the night, Though waves are high, and tempests fall; But through the dark till morning light, Still sounds the lookout's cheering call, "All's well! All's well!" The daylight shines, the clouds fly fast— Upon the waves the sunbeams fall— But in our hearts, though gloom is past, Still rings the lookout's cheering call, " All's well ! All's well ! " Peace rests with us upon the sea; Peace rests, we trust, with loved ones all; So may we know, where'er we be, On sea or land, whate'er befall, "All's well! All's well!" Allen C. Thomas. President Lucy B. Roberts asked Professor Thomas to suggest the course of our work for the future of this Society, to be read at the late annual meeting. He was then not well enough to attend, but sent- the following note—the last message to us from his pen. " It has been sometimes asked ' What is the use of an Historical Society? There is more than enough in the present to claim our attention without raking up the past.' This query is practically the same as asking ' What is the use of History ? ' Though there is little need of answering this latter question, it may be well to say something in the way of reminder. It is impossible for us to sever ourselves from what has gone before, because ' the roots of the present lie deep in the past.' Is it not, therefore, incumbent upon us to devote some attention to the past 52BULLETIN OF FRIENDS' HISTORICAL SOCIETY. in order to gain a fuller knowledge of how we came to be what we are, so that we may better become what we should be ? Many questions and problems that seem to us new, differ but little in essentials from those which were proposed by our ancestors, and which had to be met and answered by them. We surely may learn from their experience much that will be useful to us. There can be little doubt that Friends, particularly in America, have suffered from lack of a sufficient historic background. Had the...