John Wilbur (Quaker minister) facts for kids

John Wilbur (born July 17, 1774 – died May 1, 1856) was an important American Quaker minister and religious thinker. He was at the center of a big disagreement that led to a "second split" among the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in the United States.

John Wilbur's Early Life and Work

John Wilbur was born in Hopkinton, Rhode Island, to Quaker parents. He was a very smart person and taught at the local Friends school for many years. In 1802, he was recognized as an Elder, which is a respected leader in the Quaker community. Later, in 1812, he became a recognized minister.

In 1822, John Wilbur was chosen for an important committee. This group of New England Friends was asked to look into a new religious movement happening in Lynn, Massachusetts. He also traveled to different places to share his beliefs, and he became known for supporting traditional Quaker ways.

First Trip to England and New Ideas

In 1831, John Wilbur traveled to England for the first time. There, he noticed a new way of thinking growing among the Friends. This new way was more "Evangelical," which means it focused more on personal conversion and the Bible. This made Wilbur feel uneasy.

A few years before, the Friends had already gone through a split involving Elias Hicks. During his trip to England, Wilbur wrote letters to a person named George Crossfield. These letters explained Quaker beliefs very well and have been printed many times since then.

Most Friends were called "Orthodox" because they followed traditional Christian beliefs. But John Wilbur felt that some Orthodox Friends, especially in England, were worried about Elias Hicks's different ideas. He thought they had gone too far in the opposite direction. He believed they were starting to rely on their own thinking to understand the Bible, instead of listening to God's direct guidance from within.

Wilbur felt that these Friends were focusing on just understanding the Bible with their minds. He thought they were missing the important part: having a real, direct experience of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. He used writings from early Friends like Robert Barclay, William Penn, and George Fox to show that traditional Quaker belief puts the "inward light" (God's guidance inside a person) first, even before the words in the Bible. However, he also agreed that the Bible was inspired by God and was a helpful guide, just like the early Friends believed.

Disagreement with Joseph John Gurney

John Wilbur returned to the United States in 1833. Soon after, he became involved in a disagreement with Joseph John Gurney. Gurney was another Quaker minister from England who was traveling and speaking throughout the United States.

Gurney had helped write an important letter, called an epistle, for the London Yearly Meeting in 1836. In this letter, the Friends in England officially accepted the more Evangelical views that John Wilbur had seen and disagreed with. While Gurney was in the United States, Wilbur privately shared his concerns about Gurney's ideas with some Friends in New England Yearly Meeting and in Philadelphia.

The Quaker Split

In 1838, some members of New England Yearly Meeting accused John Wilbur of speaking negatively about Gurney. They said he didn't follow the proper way to handle disagreements. They told his local Quaker group, South Kingston Monthly Meeting, to discipline him. But the local Friends supported Wilbur.

Then, a larger group called the Rhode Island Quarterly Meeting decided to close down the South Kingston Monthly Meeting. They moved its members to another group, the Greenwich Monthly Meeting. This new meeting then officially "disowned" John Wilbur in 1843. This decision was confirmed by the larger quarterly and yearly meetings.

Even after being disowned, John Wilbur continued to be part of the Friends movement, supported by many who shared his views. In 1845, a division happened in New England because of how Wilbur and his supporters were treated. The smaller group, with about 500 members, became known as the "Wilburites" because they supported John Wilbur. The larger group was called the "Gurneyites" because they supported Joseph J. Gurney.

In the years that followed, other yearly meetings also split. This happened in New York in 1846, and in Ohio, Indiana, and Baltimore in 1854. Later, the Wilburite Friends joined with another group called the Conservative Friends.

Later Life

John Wilbur made a second trip to England between 1853 and 1854. He passed away in 1856. Two other important Wilburite Quakers, Thomas B. Gould and Job Otis, also died in the same year.