THE Meeting in Print MEETINGHOUSE Volume: 2009– 2 Eighth Month 2009 CFHA CHAIRMAN’s MESSAGE Inside this issue: Dear Members of CFHA: In my message to our members there are two predominate subjects, which I wish to address. • CFHA Chairman’s 1 Message First, your participation in our AGM to be held Sept. 19 at Pickering College, Newmarket is very important. This newsletter is accompanied by an information package related to • Incorporation: FAQs 2 the continuing function of CFHA. We are seeking your approval of two items: • Membership Renewal 1) The adoption of proposed Revisions to the CFHA Constitution and Bylaws in support of a motion to incorporate The Canadian Friends Historical Association via our • Introducing the Cana- 3 membership in the Ontario Historical Society, and dian Quakers Histori- cal Store 2) The adoption of a motion authorizing the incorporation proper, which, if approved, would be effected at the AGM itself. • Preview: 2009 Cana- dian Quaker History- Please plan to register for and attend the upcoming AGM session and review the back- ground information about incorporation, which appears on the next page. In addition to Book Reviews 4 the two major items, the regular reports and other items of business will be presented • A Hunter of Peace: and reviewed. This is your opportunity to participate in and contribute to the ongoing Mary T.S. Schaffer activity of CFHA. • The History of Friends’ Meetinghouse of The second subject relates to our role as a national Canadian Friends Historical Asso- ciation. First, I am pleased to report and to welcome new organizational members, Victo- • From Hands Now 5 ria Monthly Meeting, Calgary Monthly Meeting, Peterborough Allowed Meeting and Striving to Be Free Thousand Islands Monthly Meeting, all of which have joined in the past few months. • Conference of Quaker These are important developments for CFHA, and provide greater stimulus for us to re- Historians and Archi- flect the reality that Canadian Friends history has been and is being made across Can- vists ada’s extended geography. We work hard to ensure the content of the Canadian Friends • Archives of United Historical Journal and The Meetinghouse Newsletter includes items of regional interest whenever possible. • International Death 6 Much more effort is needed to document and make available details of the history of Penalty Abolition Day meetings and Friends, which are seldom mentioned. This includes sourcing and compil- • Friends Impact on ing material of historical interest for the long established western Canadian meetings, History the activities of the newer eastern Canadian meetings, and for the laid down meetings anywhere. This is a challenging scope of activity; the assistance of local meeting mem- • Congratulations to bers is encouraged and necessary as we proceed. • Mystery of OT 7 The second aspect of CFHA’s national role concerns our relationship with the Records Committee of Canada Yearly Meeting (CYM) of the Religious Society of Friends. This is • News 8 the committee which has oversight of the Canadian Yearly Meeting Archives and Quaker Collections, located at Pickering College, Newmarket. As many of you know, • Coming Events Jane Zavitz-Bond has been providing invaluable service to CYM and the academic and • Dr. J Returns!! general public in the role of archivist. • Jane’s Corner In 2006, the CYM Consultation and Renewal (CnR) Committee included, in its extensive Report about the future of CYM, recommendations concerning the Records Committee Co-editor: Barbara Horvath See Chairman’s Message, page 2 Page 2 Canadian Friends Historical Association Introduction to Incorporation of CFHA At the upcoming 2009 Annual General Meeting, members will be asked to consider a motion to incorporate the Cana- dian Friends Historical Association through the Ontario Historical Society. More and more historical associations, large and small, are incorporating to ensure long-term stability for officers and members. The following are frequently asked questions about incorporation: What? Incorporation is the creation of a separate and legal entity recognized by government. Why? Incorporation provides several benefits: Protects the Executive and membership from debts or liabilities incurred by the Association. Legally recognizes and protects the name of the Association. Allows the Association to pursue grants from provincial and federal governments. Assures donors of the legal status and stability of the Association Why incorporate through the OHS? Incorporation is a time-consuming and potentially costly process in Canada. Affiliation in the Ontario Historical Society, under Section 10 of the 1899 act that created the OHS, allows for the auto- matic incorporation of such organizations. How? To apply for an OHS affiliation, CFHA must submit among various documents: A formal resolution passed at a General Meeting requesting affiliation. A copy of the Association’s constitution and by-laws. A list of the Officers of the Association. How much does it cost? The OHS affiliation fee is a one-time fee of $450.00, which includes a one-year affiliate membership in the OHS. This is significantly less costly than independent incorporation of an association. What role does the OHS play in CFHA? The OHS will have no formal role in the management or oversight of CFHA. It is a repository of the legal entity, and provides on-going management support to the Association. As an affili- ated society, CFHA is responsible for keeping the OHS updated on its activities. CFHA will also have further responsi- bilities to the provincial government (as it already has to the federal government, as a result of CFHA’s charity status). Time to Renew your Membership Chairman’s Message cont. Your CFHA membership expires on Aug. 31, 2009. In order to cast a vote at the Annual and the Archives. This month at CYM, a Special Interest Group General Meeting, you must be a member for (SIG) will consider these recommendations and will help to identify the issues and options to be brought to a future session the 2009-10 year. regarding possible plans for the Archives and the Records Committee. Renew at a rate of $25.00 per year, or receive a life membership for $250.00. Members of CFHA are encouraged to keep informed of and Mail to: CFHA Membership Secretary, CFHA, participate as appropriate concerning this matter. Subsequent PO Box 21527, Newmarket, ON L3Y 4Z0 developments and activity of the SIG will be reported in The Meetinghouse and/or posted on the CFHA website. Canadian Friends Historical Association was founded in 1972 with the aim of preserving and making known the That is all for now, except to say a very sincere ‘Thank you!” to religious, cultural, social and pioneer heritage of Quakers all the hardworking members of the CFHA team, and to say I from their first settlement in Canada until today. CFHA is hope to see you at the upcoming CFHA AGM sessions. open to all who share an interest in Canadian Quaker Gordon Thompson Chairperson CFHA History. Membership supports the activities of CFHA and 09 Eighth Month 2009 helps maintain CFHA's website. Volume: 2009-2 Page 3 Introducing the Canadian Friends Historical Store! Looking for back editions of the CFHA Journal? How about one of our limited edition monograph series? Than look no further than the Canadian Friends Historical Store. Introducing this month - the new Canadian Quaker His- tory E-Journal 1998-2007. This e-version of the last ten editions of the CFHA Journal is a 'must have' item for new and long-time members alike. Each Journal is in the easy to read and search Adobe PDF format (including the Jour- nal cover and table of contents). It also includes a com- plete index by author. Only $10 for CFHA members (or $15 for non-members). Contact: CFHA, PO Box 21527, Newmarket, ON L3Y 4Z0 Preview: 2009 Canadian Quaker History Journal Columbia.” Here Robynne Rogers Healey examines The 2009 edition of the Canadian Quaker History Journal the way that Quaker interactions with one group of will be released at the Canadian Friends Historical Asso- Doukhobors pushed the Society of Friends to define ciation Annual General Meeting in September. This the limits of the peace testimony. year’s journal contains six articles that cover a lot of time and space in Canadian Quaker history. 5. The main portion of Elma Starr’s memoirs, previ- ously published as “Contented: The Memoirs of Elma 1. Christopher Densmore ’s presentation to the Cana- M. Starr,” is being republished in the Journal . Edited dian Friends Historical Association at the Yonge Street by her sons, Francis Starr and Stuart S. Starr , and Meetinghouse in the spring of 2008 is included under the her grandson, Christopher K. Starr , these are the title “‘And So Thee Still Thinks of Going to Canada reminiscences of a remarkable woman who was at the Eliza?’ Understanding the Underground Railroad as a centre (or center, as Elma would spell it) of Friends’ Network Crossing Boundaries of Nation, Race and activities in Newmarket for much of the twentieth cen- Religion .” Densmore challenges readers to rethink tradi- tury. tional interpretations of the Underground Railroad and Friends’ participation in the anti-slavery movement. 6. The last piece in the journal is a portion of Ross Coffin ’s family history My Father's Shoes - Our Coffin 2. Svetlana Sotiroff MacDonald ’s article, “Neekaunis: Story. Two portions have been excerpted here and The First Fifty Years, 1932-1982” provides insight into titled, “The Coffin Family of Prince Edward Island: the history of