George Fox, the founder of Quakerism, saw himself as a prophet, called by God to lead people to their Inward Teacher, the Light of Christ. He felt that God had given him this message to share with the world. It was a radical message intended to transform society as well as individuals.
Several passages from Fox's Journal are included here, each with "queries" (open-ended questions) to help you reflect more deeply. The first passage describes Fox’s awakening to his new understanding of religion, one based upon an inward
experience of Truth, not upon externals such as dogma or credentials. As you
read this, imagine yourself as a young seeker, twenty-two years old, wandering
about England, trying to find answers to life’s most important questions. Instead
of going to church, you go for a walk in the meadows and something
extraordinary happens….
The
Lord Opened Unto Me…
About
the beginning of the year 1646, as I was going to Coventry, and approaching
towards the gate, a consideration arose in me, how it was said that "All
Christians are believers, both Protestants and Papists"; and the Lord opened to
me that if all were believers, then they were all born of God, and passed
from death to life; and that none were true believers but such; and, though
others said they were believers, yet they were not. At another time, as I was
walking in a field on a First-day morning,[75] the Lord opened unto me that being bred
at Oxford or Cambridge was not enough to fit and qualify men to be ministers of
Christ; and I wondered at it, because it was the common belief of people. But I
saw it clearly as the Lord opened it
unto me, and was satisfied, and admired the goodness of the Lord, who had opened this thing unto me that morning.
This struck at priest Stephens's ministry, namely, that "to be bred at
Oxford or Cambridge was not enough to make a man fit to be a minister of
Christ." So that which opened in me
I saw struck at the priest's ministry.—Chapter 1.
Queries:
·
How do you think Fox felt when he
had this revelation?
·
Have you ever had an insight about
religion that changed your life? How did this happen, and how did you feel? How
was your life changed?
· Do you feel that having a degree or
certification is a necessary qualification for religious leadership and
teaching?
· If not, what do you feel best equips
a person to practice and guide others in a genuinely religious life?
Speaking
Truth that Transforms Lives and Challenges Those in Power
Fox was a controversial figure, and a charismatic speaker,
who drew huge crowds wherever he went. This passage describes a time when he
was given a chance to speak at a church, but some locals were so opposed they
threatened his life. He was attacked by a man with a knife who slashed his
jacket, but that didn’t deter Fox. The “landed gentry,” the economic elite,
were so anxious to silence this itinerant preacher they hired a boy to murder
him.
Some of the gentry of the country had formed a plot against
me, and had given a little boy a rapier, with which to do me mischief. They
came with the boy to Joseph Nicholson's to seek me; but the Lord had so ordered
it that I was gone into the fields. They met with James Lancaster, but did not
much abuse him; and not finding me in the house, they went away again. So I
walked up and down in the fields that night, as very often I used to do, and
did not go to bed.
Despite being threatened, and
lacking sleep, Fox showed up at the church and found it crowded to overflowing
with people. He was led to speak for three hours.
**
When
the people were settled I stood up on a seat, and the Lord opened my mouth to declare His everlasting Truth and His
everlasting day. When I had largely declared the Word of life unto them for
about the space of three hours, I walked forth amongst the people, who passed
away well satisfied. Among the rest a professor followed me, praising and
commending me; but his words were like a thistle to me. Many hundreds were
convinced that day, and received the Lord Jesus Christ and His free teaching,
with gladness; of whom some have died in the Truth, and many stand faithful
witnesses thereof. The soldiers also were convinced, and their wives.—Chapter
2.
Queries:
· Have you ever felt led by Spirit to
speak during meeting for worship? What did it feel like?
· What response did you receive? Were
you encouraged? Eldered? How did you feel about the responses?
· Have you ever heard a message during
Meeting that seemed Spirit-led and deeply affected you? What was memorable and
powerful about this message?
· Have you ever heard a speaker
outside of Meeting who inspired and challenged you in significant ways?
Describe your experience.
Questioning
Conventional Wisdom and Assumptions of the Elite
In his article, “Was George Fox a
Prophet?” William Durland describes George Fox as “a nobody, a weaver’s son, a
poor speller who had little schooling, who lived in an undistinguished village,
and who was persecuted for his religious ideas like the Old Testament
prophets.” Despite, or maybe because of his lack of conventional education, Fox
was a powerful and original voice advocating new approach to religion, one
based on inward experience. The following “opening” occurred in 1648 when Fox
was around twenty-four years old. Minister and religious leaders often
ridiculed or dismissed this young man for his lack of formal education, but he
was convinced that he had something of value to impart to the world—a moral and
spiritual vision that had transformed his life and could transform society.
While I was there the Lord opened to me three things
relating to those three great professions in the world,—law, physic, and
divinity (so called). He showed me that the physicians were out of the wisdom
of God, by which the creatures were made; and [99] knew
not the virtues of the creatures, because they were out of the Word of wisdom,
by which they were made. He showed me that the priests were out of the true
faith, of which Christ is the author,—the faith which purifies, gives victory
and brings people to have access to God, by which they please God; the mystery
of which faith is held in a pure conscience. He showed me also that the lawyers
were out of the equity, out of the true justice, and out of the law of God,
which went over the first transgression, and over all sin, and answered the Spirit
of God that was grieved and transgressed in man; and that these three,—the
physicians, the priests, and the lawyers,—ruled the world out of the wisdom,
out of the faith, and out of the equity and law of God; one pretending the cure
of the body, another the cure of the soul, and the third the protection of the
property of the people. But I saw they were all out of the wisdom, out of the
faith, out of the equity and perfect law of God.
And as the Lord opened these things unto me I felt that His power went
forth over all, by which all might be reformed if they would receive and bow
unto it. The priests might be reformed and brought into the true faith, which
is the gift of God. The lawyers might be reformed and brought into the law of
God, which answers that [indwelling Spirit] of God[31] which is [in every one, is]
transgressed in[100] every one, and [which yet, if
heeded] brings one to love his neighbour as himself. This lets man see that if
he wrongs his neighbour, he wrongs himself; and teaches him to do unto others
as he would they should do unto him. The physicians might be reformed and
brought into the wisdom of God, by which all things were made and created; that
they might receive a right knowledge of the creatures, and understand their
virtues, which the Word of wisdom, by which they were made and are upheld, hath
given them.-Chapter 2
Queries:
·
Do you agree with Fox’s assertion
that professionals need an education that helps them to develop ethically and
spiritually? How could professionals be given that kind of grounding?
·
Has being a Quaker helped you in
your professional life or occupation? If so, how?
·
As a young person, did you ever
question conventional education? Did you have a vision for how people could be
taught in a way that honored their intrinsic value and unique God-given gifts?
·
Have you ever experienced education that
helped you to grow spiritually and ethically? If so, describe what that was
like.
What Does the Bible Have to Do with
Truth?
On a certain time, as I was walking
in the fields, the Lord said unto me,
"Thy name is written in the Lamb's book of life, which was before the
foundation of the world": and as the Lord spoke it, I believed, and saw in
it the new birth. Some time after the Lord commanded me to go abroad into the
world, which was like a briery, thorny wilderness. When I came in the Lord's
mighty power with the Word of life into the world, the world swelled, and made
a noise like the great raging waves of the sea. Priests and professors,
magistrates and people, were all like a sea when I came to proclaim the day of
the Lord amongst them, and to preach repentance to them.
I was sent to turn people from
darkness to the Light, that they might receive Christ Jesus; for to as many as
should receive Him in His light, I saw He would give power to become the sons
of God; which power I had obtained by receiving Christ. I was to direct people
to the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures, by which they might be led into
all truth,[103] and up to Christ and God, as those
had been who gave them forth.
Yet I had no slight esteem of the
holy Scriptures. They were very precious to me; for I was in that Spirit by
which they were given forth; and what the
Lord opened in me I afterwards found was agreeable to them. I could speak
much of these things, and many volumes might be written upon them; but all
would prove too short to set forth the infinite love, wisdom, and power of God,
in preparing, fitting, and furnishing me for the service to which He had
appointed me; letting me see the depths of Satan on the one hand, and opening
to me, on the other hand, the divine mysteries of His own everlasting kingdom.
Queries:
·
Fox clearly felt he had found the
Truth and led to share his truth with others. How do you feel about doing sharing
your understanding of truth?
·
How do you respond when you hear
lies being spread by those in power?
·
How do you feel about the Bible? Do
you find wisdom and truth in it? If not, where do you find wisdom and truth?
**
Getting Down to Business: How Do We
Organize To Stay in Tune with Spirit?
I was moved of the Lord to recommend the
setting up of five monthly meetings of men and women in the city of London
(besides the women's meetings and the quarterly meetings), to take care of
God's glory, and to admonish and exhort such as walked disorderly or
carelessly, and not according to Truth. For whereas Friends had had only
quarterly[460] meetings, now Truth was spread, and
Friends were grown more numerous, I was moved to recommend the setting up of
monthly meetings throughout the nation.[147] And the Lord opened to me what I must do, and how the men's and women's
monthly and quarterly meetings should be ordered and established in this and in
other nations; and that I should write to those where I did not come, to do the
same.—Chapter 10.
Queries:
·
How do you feel about the way that
Quakers conduct business at the monthly, quarterly and yearly level?
·
Do you see ways to improve our
governance (the way we conduct business) so we can be more in touch with Spirit
and follow God’s leadings?
·
Have you ever been led to start a
new meeting or worship group or Bible study or some other Quaker-related
project? Describe your experience.
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