Joel Bean
Encyclopedia
Joel Bean was a Quaker (Religious Society of Friends
) minister whose name has been associated with a branch of Quakerism that some label “Beanite.”
Bean was born in Alton, New Hampshire
. His parents were John and Elizabeth (Hill) Bean. He attended Friends Boarding School in Providence, Rhode Island
. He moved to Iowa
in 1853, where he taught school in West Branch
.
Bean met Hannah Elliot Shipley from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, during a trip she took to Iowa. In 1859 they got married at the Orange Street Meeting House in Philadelphia and settled back in West Branch. They visited the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii
) from 1861-1862 as Quaker ministers. Joel was appointed clerk of the Iowa Yearly Meeting (Iowa Yearly Meeting
) in 1867, and the couple went on a ministry tour of Europe from 1872-1873.
When they returned from the trip to Europe the Beans discovered that the revival that had been springing up among Friends in Iowa had progressed to a point that they could not approve. The revivalists insisted that people need to be “saved” and “sanctified,” which the Beans and others did not think was in accord with traditional Friends beliefs. The revivalists were also bringing into their meetings such things as programmed (planned) worship, more emotional worship, and paid pastors.
The Beans at first had welcomed the revival movement, believing that it was bringing life into the Society of Friends. But they saw that as it progressed it was departing from such Quaker ideas as the universality of the Inner light
, the need for spiritual discipline and gradual growth rather than instant perfection, silent meetings for worship to wait on direct and personal guidance from God, and volunteer lay ministers and elders.
Even though the Beans opposed the holiness movement
, they would not join a group of Conservative Friends who left the Iowa Yearly Meeting in opposition to that movement. They disliked division and did not want to be part of it. After moving to San Jose, California
for the sake of Joel’s health and meeting with other Friends there who had been a part of the Iowa Yearly Meeting, they helped to establish the College Park Association of Friends. Then in 1893 the Iowa Yearly Meeting deposed them as ministers and in 1898 disowned (expelled) them from membership altogether.
Many Quakers in England and New England were shocked and unhappy about the Beans’ disownment, as the Beans had proven themselves devout Friends and apt ministers. The New England Yearly Meeting accepted them as members and as ministers.
Joel and Hannah Bean’s granddaughter Anna Cox Brinton was influential in the development of the Pacific Yearly Meeting from the earlier College Park Association.
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
) minister whose name has been associated with a branch of Quakerism that some label “Beanite.”
Bean was born in Alton, New Hampshire
Alton, New Hampshire
Alton is a town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 5,250 at the 2010 census. It is home to Alton Bay State Forest and Mount Major State Forest. Alton includes the village of Alton Bay, a long-time resort located beside Lake Winnipesaukee.The primary settlement in...
. His parents were John and Elizabeth (Hill) Bean. He attended Friends Boarding School in Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
. He moved to Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
in 1853, where he taught school in West Branch
West Branch, Iowa
West Branch is a city in Cedar and Johnson counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 2,342 as of July 2009, a 7% growth since the 2000 census...
.
Bean met Hannah Elliot Shipley from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, during a trip she took to Iowa. In 1859 they got married at the Orange Street Meeting House in Philadelphia and settled back in West Branch. They visited the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
) from 1861-1862 as Quaker ministers. Joel was appointed clerk of the Iowa Yearly Meeting (Iowa Yearly Meeting
Yearly Meeting
Yearly Meeting is a term used by members of the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers, to refer to an organization composed of a collection of smaller, more frequent constituent meetings within a geographical area. These constituent meetings go by various names such as Quarterly Meetings, which...
) in 1867, and the couple went on a ministry tour of Europe from 1872-1873.
When they returned from the trip to Europe the Beans discovered that the revival that had been springing up among Friends in Iowa had progressed to a point that they could not approve. The revivalists insisted that people need to be “saved” and “sanctified,” which the Beans and others did not think was in accord with traditional Friends beliefs. The revivalists were also bringing into their meetings such things as programmed (planned) worship, more emotional worship, and paid pastors.
The Beans at first had welcomed the revival movement, believing that it was bringing life into the Society of Friends. But they saw that as it progressed it was departing from such Quaker ideas as the universality of the Inner light
Inner light
Inner Light is a concept which many Quakers, members of the Religious Society of Friends, use to express their conscience, faith and beliefs. Each Quaker has a different idea of what they mean by "inner light", and this also varies internationally between Yearly Meetings, but the idea is often...
, the need for spiritual discipline and gradual growth rather than instant perfection, silent meetings for worship to wait on direct and personal guidance from God, and volunteer lay ministers and elders.
Even though the Beans opposed the holiness movement
Holiness movement
The holiness movement refers to a set of beliefs and practices emerging from the Methodist Christian church in the mid 19th century. The movement is distinguished by its emphasis on John Wesley's doctrine of "Christian perfection" - the belief that it is possible to live free of voluntary sin - and...
, they would not join a group of Conservative Friends who left the Iowa Yearly Meeting in opposition to that movement. They disliked division and did not want to be part of it. After moving to San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
for the sake of Joel’s health and meeting with other Friends there who had been a part of the Iowa Yearly Meeting, they helped to establish the College Park Association of Friends. Then in 1893 the Iowa Yearly Meeting deposed them as ministers and in 1898 disowned (expelled) them from membership altogether.
Many Quakers in England and New England were shocked and unhappy about the Beans’ disownment, as the Beans had proven themselves devout Friends and apt ministers. The New England Yearly Meeting accepted them as members and as ministers.
Joel and Hannah Bean’s granddaughter Anna Cox Brinton was influential in the development of the Pacific Yearly Meeting from the earlier College Park Association.