Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends (Orthodox : 1827-1955). Representative Meeting

The Meeting for Sufferings of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting originated in 1756. The Orthodox branch of Friends renamed Meeting for Sufferings as Representative Meeting in 1910, this name was retained after the 1955 reunification of Orthodox and Hicksite branches of Friends. Representative Meeting carries out the work of the Yearly Meeting between annual sessions. In its earliest days, this included providing relief to Friends on the frontier and elsewhere, maintaining communication with the Meeting for Sufferings in London and representing the Yearly Meeting in society. Later responsibilities included the overseeing of religious publications, membership and meeting statistics and administration of funds from bequests and discontinued meetings.