Hicks, Elias

Hicks, Elias a member of the Society of Friends, or Quakers, and the author of a schism in that body, was born at Hempstead, L.I., March 19, 1748, and in early life became a preacher in the society. Imbibing Socinian opinions as to the Trinity and the Atonement, he began to preach them, cautiously at first, and with little sympathy from his brethren. By "degrees, however, the boldness of his views and the vigor with which he repelled assailants began to attract attention, and to win hearers over to his opinions, which, proclaimed without faltering, in public and private for years, at length found large numbers of sympathizers, who, with Mr. Hicks himself, unable to impress their convictions upon the denomination at large, in 1827 seceded from that body, and set up a distinct and independent association, but still holding to the name of Friends. In this secession were members from the Yearly Meetings of New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Ohio, Indiana, and New England." He was a man of great acuteness and energy of intellect, and of elevated personal character. He died at Jericho Feb. 27, 1830. He published Observations on Slavery (New York, 1811, 12mo): — Journal of Lift and Labors (Philadelphia, 1828): — Sermons (1828, 8vo): — Letters relating to Doctrines (1824, 12mo). See Christian Examiner, 51, 321; Senneff, Answer to Elias Hicks's Blasphemies (1837, 2nd ed. 12mo); Allibone, Dictionary of Authors, 1, 842; Janney, Hist. of the Friends (4 vols. 12mo); Gibbons, Review and Refutation (Philadelphia, 1847, 12mo); and the article FRIENDS (No. 2).