REUNION

Informal cooperation in these agencies and in other ways has, in some instances, led to reunion of some of the the yearly meetings that split in the 1800s: New England, Canada, Philadelphia, New York, and Baltimore. Except for Philadelphia, these reunited meetings now affiliate with both the Friends General Conference and Friends United Meeting.

The reunion of the two New York Yearly Meetings -- Hicksite and Orthodox -- took place in 1955. It soon included the few Friends living in New York State who were members of the Canada Conservative Yearly Meeting and Genesee Yearly Meeting, a meeting set up in 1834 to include Hicksite meetings in Western New York and in Canada. The epistle of the reunited yearly meeting, announcing our longed-for healing, follows:

GENERAL EPISTLE TO FRIENDS EVERYWHERE

Dear Friends:

This is the message of our love.

We have been united with you this week in closer fellowship which transcended our diversity, as New York Yearly Meeting became again one body of Friends.

We wish to share with you our joy that the way to unity has been found.

We shall continue to share our differences, which serve a useful purpose. God does not ask us for conformity, but calls us to unity, in obedience to the leadings of the spirit.

We seek to recapture the radiance of simple, uncomplicated love ... such love as will resist evil without violence, without hatred of the wrongdoer, and without compromise.

To the false standards of our time we would offer the greatest opposition, combined with the greatest love. To the lonely seekers in this hurried and soul-hiding world, we would say, "Dear Friends, we are walking beside you ... seekers, too."

Have lovingkindness toward one another. Have faith in the Lord, and he will help you.

-- signed on behalf of New York Yearly Meeting, Horace R. Stubbs, Alfred J. Henderson, clerks, August 4, 1955