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Another alteration, that took place in the language of the Quakers, was
the expunging of all expressions from their vocabulary, which were
either superfluous, or of the same flattering tendency as the former.
In addressing one another, either personally or by letter, they made use
of the word friend, to signify the bond of their own union, and the
character, which man, under the christian dispensation, was bound to
exhibit in his dealings with his fellow-man. They addressed each other
also, and spoke of each other, by their real names. If a man's name was
John, they called him John; they talked to him as John, and added only
his sir-name to distinguish him from others.
In their intercourse with the world they adopted the same mode of
speech: for they addressed individuals either by their plain names, or
they made use of the appellations of friends or neighbours.
They rejected the words sir or madam, as then in use. This they did,
because they considered them like the word you, as remnants of ancient
flattery, derived from the papal and anti-christian ages; and because
these words still continued to be considered as tides of flattery, that
puffed up people in their own times. Howell, who was before quoted on
the pronoun thou, is usually quoted by the Quakers on this occasion
also.
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