[23: RALPH WARDLAW'S OPINION OF JOSEPH JOHN GURNEY, PAGES 350-352]
John Wilbur
Wilbur, John. A Narrative and Exposition of the Late Proceedings
of New England Yearly Meeting, With Some of its Subordinate Meetings &
Their committees, in Relation to the Doctrinal Controversy Now Existing
in the Society of Friends: Prefaced by a Concise View of the Church, Showing
the Occasion of its Apostacy, both Under the Former and Present Dispensations,
With an Appendix. Edited from Record Kept, From Time to Time, of Those
Proceedings, and Interspersed With Occasional Remarks and Observations.
Addressed to the Members of the Said Yearly Meeting. New York: Piercy
& Reed, Printers, 1854, pages 277-325.(All italics added by
J.W. for emphasis. All words supplied in [Square Brackets] by J.W.
Page numbers from original publication by -pds in {Set Brackets.}
This Document is on The
Quaker Writings Home Page.
Ralph Wardlaw, a Presbyterian priest of Scotland, called D. D. in letters
which he has published, addressed to the Society of Friends, on some of
their distinguishing principles, says: "I have given in copious extracts
the views of J.J. Gurney, on the doctrine of justification. They are clear,
simple, Scriptural--but are they Qaukerism? Let none be startled by the
question; it is not a hasty, inconsidcrate one. I shall show you there
is room for it. There are large portions of the writings of this highly
intelligent and devoted Friend, in which we entirely lose sight of the
peculiarities of Quaker sentiments, and Quaker phraseology. He seems to
lay aside his garb, or rather to divest the system of thc costume in which
before, it had invariably appeared. But for the occurrence of here and
there a word, or phrase, which to those familiar with the language of the
body, conveys more than others might at all think of, we go through entire
sections with unmingled pleasure; losing the Friend in the Christian--almost
forgetting even the inward light. I presume I speak according to
truth, when I represent them as the first Quaker writings, at least of
any eminence professing this character. He stands per se and (if I am not
greatly mistaken) with no inconsiderable proportion of the more rigid Friends,
who belong to the old school, and hold by the ancient Fathers of Quakerism,
he has on this very account been losing caste." Page 195.
"The terms in which Mr. Curney invariably speaks of the Holy
Scriptures, and which it is my delight to see him using, are such as to
convert those employed by him respecting the independent influence {P.
351} and guidance of the Holy Spirit, into little more than words without
meaning." Page351.
"My judgment and my feelings being in thorough accordance with those
of Mr. Gurney, in all that he says of the paramount authority of the word
of God as contained in the volume of Revelation, I cannot see how he can
be in harmony with himself, till he has thrown aside the remnant of Quaker
doctrine to which he still tenaciously clings. I mean this immediate
revelation, under the modified designation by which he has chosen to
qualify and recommend it. I cannot but fancy to myself the surprise and
indignation with which some of the old Fathers of Quakerism would be stirred,
by the attempts to explain away to so great an extent their most favorite
dogmas, and to fritter down the meaning of their phraseology; till there
is hardly left a shred of distinction between them and the Christian world
at large." Page 358.
"It would be unseemly presumption in me to dispute the accuracy of
Mr. Gurney's statement respecting the views entertained by his own body:
but really it is impossible to read the writings of the older Quakers--the
Fathers of the family, without being sensible that there is a prodigious
softening down on the part of this writer of their opinions and language."
Page 305.
"Mr. Gurney conceives that every true Quaker is prepared cordially
to acknowledge that the Holy Scriptures, and they alone, are a divinely
authorized record of all the doctrines which we are required to believe,
and of all the moral principles that are to regulate our actions, not to
mention the luminous declaration which they contain of our relative and
particular duties.
"And indeed on this, and various other points, it cannot fail to strike
the most superficial reader, what aperfect discordance there is between
the writings of Mr. Gurney and those of the early Friends. I {p. 352} am
very far from wishing Mr. Gurney to take a single step out of Quakerism,
in pionts where Quakerism is true. In other points, however, he has already
taken several steps, and those, too, even larger strides than any thatn
now remain for him to take. May the Divine Spirit be graciously pleased,
by means of that complete revelation, which he has given to lead not him
only but you, my friends, and myself, and every fellow-Christian and fellow-man
around us into all truth. P. 367.