A British member of the Society of Friends travels through the United States in areas where members of the Society reside, and makes notes on their lives, describing their services, structures, and educational facilities. Includes notes on slavery.

Robert Barclay (1648-1690) is most widely known for writing the Apology for the True Christian Divinity. But this was not his first important Quaker work. A Catechism and Confession of Faith was written in 1673, about seven years after his "convincement" of the truth, and when he was only 24 years old. Paul Anderson: .,."An excellent discussion resource and study guide for young people and adults alike seeking to be deepened in Quaker beliefs and perspectives..."

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Amid the spiritual and intellectual turmoil of seventeenth-century England, the Quakers emerged and grew into a distinct and enduring religious movement. This book offers a fresh and striking insight into early Quaker history through a study of their distinctive ways of speaking, which, together with their use of silence, served as a specific identifying feature of the movement.

Using the combined perspectives of the ethnography of speaking, symbolic anthropology, and the historical sociology of religion, Richard Bauman shows that for the very early Quakers speaking and silence were key symbols, providing both a vocabulary for conceptualizing their principles as well as a vehicle for carrying these principles into action. Silence was not merely an abstention from speaking or an empty interval between utterances, but an act as richly textured and multidimensional in its meanings as speaking. Both unified thought and action. Professor Bauman discusses many instances of the operation of speaking and silence, including, among other central elements of early Quaker belief and practice, the contexts and settings of Quaker religious communication, the patterns and functions of Quaker "plain language," and the Quaker testimony against the swearing of oaths. In particular, he examines the role of the minister, both as a dynamic speaker who played out the tension between speaking and silence, and as a link between the outside world and the Quaker inner community. He also uses the role of the minister to trace the changes in speaking, and, correspondingly, the direction of the Quaker movement, during the seventeenth century.

This book is unique in that it comprehends both the cultural and social aspects of Quaker history by explicating their construction of meaning through their use of language. Its unified approach will make it of interest to sociolinguists, social historians, symbolic anthropologists, and sociologists of religion.

Originally published in 1921. This is the 1930's enlarged and revised edition. . Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Home Farm Books are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. A detailed history of Quakerism. The author has set forth an important historical sketch of the Society of Friends in England, with chapters on early American Quakerism and Quaker work world wide. Contents Include: The century preceding George Fox. - George Fox: The name "Quaker" - The Inner Light and Salvation. - The inner light and the scriptures: The expression of the new experience. - Publishing the message. - Early Quakerism in Ireland and America. - The work of William Penn. - The Quaker worship: Meetings in early days. - Members one of another. - The leadings of the light: Plainness, Oaths, War, Honesty: The exaggeration of Nayler. - The restoration: Persecution. - The Quaker meeting for Church business. - The 18th century. - Quietism and seclusion: The "Circular Meetings." - Tradition. - Philanthropy. - Work for slaves. - The peace testimony. - Social life. - The 19th century. - Emergence from seclusion. - The evangelical movement. - Joseph John Gurney. - History of Quaker ministry. - Foreign and home mission work. - Adult and childrens schools. - The new thought. - John Wilhelm Rowntree. - Peace service during and after the Great war. - All Friends Conference 1920 and the Peace Testimony. - The soul of Quakerism. etc.

"A mystic is one who has had the experience that the divine Ultimate and the essence of the individual Self are fundamentally one and the same." In his maturity George Fox dictated a vivid account of his profound mystical experience, which transformed him from an unhappy questing youth into a charismatic spiritual giant. Unlike some other mystics he resolved to share his experience with others. This became his life s work, and resulted in establishing the community known today as the Religious Society of Friends or Quakers. He did this by travelling widely, addressing crowds, and by an amazing output of documents. Hugh McGregor Ross made an intensive study of these documents in the majestic Quaker Library in London. He there identified that Fox s record of his spiritual awakening, which involved what in the seventeenth century was regarded as a blasphemy, had been tampered with. Here it is restored to its original form. It is followed by a great number of the documents Fox created to guide and support hisfollowers, all given in his own words but edited sensitively for the modern reader. This is a unique record of the awakening of a mystic in the Christian tradition, and of living out that experience in his way of life.

Joseph John Gurney, who influenced the development of evangelical Quakerism, offers his observations on the distinguishing elements of the Quakers/Religious Society of Friends.

Written 100 Years Ago - Now Released to the Public for the First Time!
The letterhead on the manuscript read, "Looking forward to the Future, 1911." I carefully turned the yellow tattered pages. I was quickly swept into the world of the Holiness People, the Rowdies, and the "Old Quaker" that stood in the gap. Enjoy your journey guided by the "Old Quakers" own words written nearly 100 years ago Education was at low ebb; the young man graduated at the age of 12 or 14 with little knowledge of real life and no knowledge of business methods.
The girl soon followed the boy from school and the marriage was not long postponed. A log house was built down back of the "old mans" and another Rooseveltian family was started. Things had jogged along thus for two or three generations, when a change came. The monotony of the scene was broken by the advent of a Quaker evangelist into their neighborhood.

Quakers are chary of doctrine, feeling that it seeks to limit our understanding of God and to shut people out rather than bring them in. In his 1982 Swarthmore Lecture book, the late Gerald Priestland drew upon his experience in exploring the doctrines of the churches for his broadcast series Priestland's Progress. In his talks with more than a hundred thoughtful churchpeople he found doctrine to be far more flexible and useful than many of us suppose. In his own words 'It is not a set of unreasonable certainties, but of reasonable uncertainties. It is a way of packaging and passing on information. It is a set of tools to work with, not a row of idols to worship'. Quakers do not need to hammer out doctrines of their own, but they can be an authentic part of the One Great Church only if they are prepared to come to terms with doctrinal thinking and see what it means.

Christopher Holdsworth's own experience led him to become interested in the monastic tradition, and to spend much of his life in learning more about it as a mediaeval historian. In this book he presents aspects of that tradition which may be useful for Quakers. Starting from outward things, like stability, humility, obedience and the regular attendance at public worship, the author moves towards other sides of what the tradition calls the exploration of the heart, which he calls inner space: namely attentive reading of the Bible, and prayer. 'We, like Benedict's monks, need to let the whole of ourselves be irradiated with the Spirit, so that, in George Fox's memorable phrase, our lives preach.'

"The right joining in marriage is the work of the Lord only, and not the priests' or magistrates, for it is God's ordinance and not man's; and therefore Friends cannot consent that they should join them together: for we marry none; it is the Lord's work, and we are but witnesses." So wrote George Fox in 1669 in Quaker Faith & Practice 16.01. How can any couple be clear that they are called to steadfast commitment to each other? How can the meeting witness this divine work, and uphold the couple? The Quaker understanding of marriage is rooted in our history, unique, yet evolving. How could a meeting support a couple of the same sex who ask to celebrate their life long commitment before God and in the care of the meeting? This is a practical and inspiring book for those responsible for oversight or eldership. It will help registering officers and everyone concerned for committed partnerships. Couples considering their life together may find this informative and supportive.

Quaker author of fiction and non-fiction, Daisy Newman writes of the role Quakers have had in befriending Indians, opposing slavery, providing humane treatment for prisoners and the mentally ill, and opposing war and capital punishment. This is history in its most readable form, as the author's sense of detail gets beneath the facts to give the reader the sense of place and emotion in each event.

Where do we stand on lived witness, on social testimony? Both in the essay by Jonathan Dale, which carries forward ideas expounded in his Swarthmore Lecture of 1996, and the short contributions from many Friends, we get a glimpse of other people's experience of the living truth. As Jonathan Dale says, 'The more the Light is followed, the deeper the joy and the readier we may be for the next step'. Quaker Books hopes that this book will inspire readers to think more on how we live out our testimonies in our lives, to develop a culture of mutual accountability, and to share the lessons from our own journeys. When we say that God is love, the integrity of our claim is known by the degree to which it is lived out in our lives. The examples given here should provide much to stimulate further action by us all.

This life of Fox was written, not primarily for those who are his followers and disciples in name and faith, but rather for that wider group of persons who are only remotely acquainted with him as a 17th century figure in leather breeches, the founder of the Quakers and an apostle of the divine in man.

Published By Direction Of The Five Years Meeting.

This book is an attempt to study historically and critically the religious movement inaugurated in the New World by the Quakers, an important movement both for the history of the development of religion and for the history of the American Colonies, and to present it not only in its external setting but also in the light of its inner meeting. At the time of original publication in 1911, Rufus M. Jones, M.A., D.Litt., was Professor of Philosophy at Haverford College; Isaac Sharpless, D.Sc., was President of Haverford College; and Amelia M. Gummere, was author of The Quaker - A Study in Costume.

This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.

This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.

The best introduction to the spirituality of George Fox (1624-1691), founder of the Religious Society of Friends. The author explores six key phrases used by Fox and applies them to modern spirituality. Free study guide available online at the publisher's website.

From 1940 to 1946, Roger Cowan Wilson was General Secretary and Travelling Commissioner of the Friends Relief Service. Soon after his wartime experience, in 1949 he delivered the Swarthmore Lecture, and applied his clear thinking and his understanding of Quaker processes to examine how a religious concern can be made manifest in practical work, and what needs to be considered so that this can be organised. 'The true "concern" is a gift from God, a leading of his Spirit which may not be denied.' How is the authority for this held by a human organisation? What kind of people does it need to lead and carry out its work? Subtitled 'A study in motive and administration in Quaker relief work', Authority, Leadership and Concern was soon recognised as an essential book, was reprinted in 1970, and is still valuable in the next century.

A important book which gives a comprehensive view of the message and vision of George Fox and the Early Friends, and how there is an urgent need to recover that vision.

Are Quakers Christian? Is it possible for Quakerism to be both Christian and Universalist? These are just two of the questions which form the starting point for this book. In exploring them, it becomes clear that they cannot be answered in isolation for they are linked to a whole complex of questions about Jesus, God and the nature of human living. So it becomes necessary to engage in theology. But for Quakers this must be from a distinctively Quaker standpoint which seeks to be both undogmatic and concerned with practical issues. Most of all it must be grounded in our corporate experience of God. Janet Scott attempts to begin this process. She explores what we may say about Jesus and about God, sets out one way in which Quakerism may be both Christian and Universalist, and points out areas needing further discussion.

A British member of the Society of Friends travels through the United States in areas where members of the Society reside, and makes notes on their lives, describing their services, structures, and educational facilities. Includes notes on slavery.

Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!