One hundred years ago
The Times gives some curious ,statistics of the Quaker body, or, as they call themselves, 'The Society of Friends'. They are now reduced to 17,977 members, or probably 7,000 families, a majority of whom, we believe, reside in Ireland, and 5,700 regular attendants who are not in full membership. They seat ten Members in the House of Commons, besides being represented by six or seven ex-Members, the best known of whom is Mr. W. E. Forster; and according to the Times, `the Society includes one baronet, Sir J. W. Pease,' and one knight, Sir J. Barr- ington. Are they regular members? A baronet might be, because he would in- herit his title, and could hardly be expell- ed for circumstances of birth; but a knighthood must be taken, and con- sidering the testimony borne by the Society against 'man-worship', is an in- consistent absurdity. We have Pagan knights and Mussulman knights in dozens, and probably knights who believe nothing, but a Quaker knight seems a contradiction in terms.
Spectator, 27 January 1883
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