Existing comment:
The War Becomes a Test of Faith:
The call for troops created a dilemma for many Quaker families in Indiana. As members of the Society of Friends, there faith clearly prohibited engaging in warfare and killing other human beings. Yet a strong sense of patriotism -- coupled with the firm belief that slavery should be abolished -- made it difficult for young men to resist the temptation to enlist in their local regiments. In fact, some young Quakers did enlist, often with the blessings of their families, and risked rebuke from their religious communities.
By 1862, church officials who conducted the Indiana Yearly Meeting were responding to reports of young men who had enlisted in the Union army. Minutes from that meeting provided sympathetic, but strict, advice on dealing with the unacceptable behavior. |