Eli and Sibyl Jones, Their Life and Work

by Rufus M. Jones

"There are many flourishing towns and villages pleasantly situated on the fiords, easily accessible by boat. The scenery is grand and picturesque—lofty mountains, verdant lawns, and flowery vales, with now and then a beautiful cascade or mountain-torrent rushing and mingling its snow-white foam with the crystal waters below. Formerly the Friends' meeting was held at Stavanger Fiord, but there were numerous Friends scattered along the coast.

"6th mo. 25, 1853. This day the Norway yearly meeting commenced at ten o'clock. A deep solemnity came over us. A few words with life and feeling from dear Mary J. Lecky opened the way for L. M. Hoag, who testified the gospel of the grace of God to a deeply interested assembly. In the afternoon we assembled for business, which was conducted under a good influence and very orderly. The subject of addressing King Oscar on account of the suffering of some of the members by the exaction of tithes was discussed and referred to a committee. Two persons were received into membership, and two more applied. The certificates of ministers present were read, after which several lively testimonies were borne and counsel offered, and all ended well."

When the yearly meeting was finished the Friends held meetings with the prisoners and visited the different schools, holding meetings also at their hotels and once or twice in a barn. They went as far north as Bergen, where they had remarkable assemblies of people notwithstanding the fact that the priests spread the report that these Quakers were dangerous people and did not believe in God. They were refused permission to visit the prisoners; however, they sent Bibles and tracts to them, not being allowed to distribute them in person. The inhabitants of Bergen were highly displeased at the conduct of the ecclesiastics, and it seemed that many more came to hear the Friends for themselves on account of the unchristian spirit which was manifested toward them, and numbers came to their hotel to be instructed. It was very touching to their tender spirits to see an eagerness for better things so crushed out by so-called teachers. "The flock look up and are not fed." Having done what they could, they returned to Stavanger, and spent much time visiting families and holding public meetings. When they took the boat to leave this place the people wished they would send them more "good bodies" to teach them.

They travelled all the way from Stavanger to Christiansand, a distance of ninety-four miles, in an open boat, walking across the isthmuses from one fiord to another and carrying the boat over with them. From Christiansand they went by boat to Christiania, where they had a meeting with the seamen, besides other public meetings, all well attended. Then they prepared to leave Norway for Kiel, Denmark, on their way to Germany, having travelled twelve hundred miles in Norway, mostly by boat, and having held fifty meetings, besides visiting many families; in all of which work they were wonderfully helped with strength, and the Spirit of the Lord was with them.

The 16th of 7th month they left Norway, bound for Denmark. They sailed down by Jutland and entered the Cattegat. Along the shores they saw "highly-cultivated fields of grain, white for harvest, shepherds keeping their flocks beside the meandering streams, reposing beneath the shade, while the sheep were feeding in green pastures, which were interspersed with neat red-roofed cottages."

They went directly to Minden, where most of the few German Friends live, who, unfortunately, are becoming fewer and fewer. After visiting these families and attending their mid-week meeting, they rode to Oberkirchen in Hesse. "Soon after reaching our hotel," they write, "we were visited by the police, who inquired our business, telling us we could not be allowed to hold any public meetings in the place—that it would be contrary to the law to allow any dissenter from the Lutheran Church to hold a meeting. We informed them we had no such purpose, but came to visit those who had left the public worship and professed with us. They then withdrew, appearing quite ashamed of their business; but after coffee, when we were engaged in prayer, they again appeared, telling us that if we intended to have a public meeting they must request us to leave the place. We told them again our intention, and they took our names and withdrew. We asked our landlord why peaceable American citizens were molested by the police and their business inquired into, assuring him that it was the first time in all our travels in various countries that we had been remanded before the authorities—that many of their countrymen came unmolested to our country and were treated civilly. He replied that the conduct of the police had highly displeased him, and on inquiring into the cause of it he found that the priests had sent them."

From Minden, Eli and Sybil Jones went on to Pyrmont, where they attended the "two-months" meeting. They held a public meeting in the Friends' house, and some people of note came to hear them. One, a Russian noble of high birth; Dr. Menke, one of the privy council of the prince of Waldeck, who was said to be one of the most learned men in Prussia; also Frederick Fickenscher, the son of the dean of Nuremberg; besides many Jews, all of whom heard "Jesus Christ, and Him crucified," preached.

Eli Jones had some opportunities for conversation with Fickenscher, and he impressed on him the importance of our opinions in regard to war, oaths, and other subjects, and he was urged to accept the gospel in all its fulness. Dr. Menke came to express to them his satisfaction with the meeting, saying that he had thought that the views of Friends were rather fabulous, but he was now satisfied that they were evangelical, and he hoped what he had heard would be useful to him. They revisited Minden, and had much service among Friends and others, both publicly and in private. They held a large meeting in the Minden theatre, of which Eli Jones writes: "A full attendance, several clergymen present. Some Friends seemed to doubt the propriety of holding a meeting in a building usually applied to theatrical purposes; but, to my mind, there was a fitness in the place, that we might have an opportunity to speak to a class which we could hardly reach anywhere else."

From Minden they journeyed by short stages south, stopping at Düsseldorf, where they visited the schools and charity institution; at Cologne, Bonn, Strasbourg, Basle. In Basle they held a meeting with sixty young men, students at the Basle mission-house, who were looking forward to becoming missionaries in the different parts of the world. A fellow-feeling led them to point these young men to the words of the Lord: "Without me ye can do nothing." They then took a carriage, going as far as the Lake of Geneva. It was so arranged that Sybil Jones could recline, being then far from well.