Quakers
Society of Friends
In the 17th century,
there lived in England a young man named George
Fox. He struggled to find the truth, but for several years he was un happy and uncertain. Then one day
he heard a voice which told him -- "There is one, even Christ Jesus, that
can speak to your condition." His heart leaped for joy, and he felt
within him the greatness and the infinite love of God.
He had re-discovered the truth which
Jesus brought 16 hundred years before. There is, in each of
us, a small part of the Spirit of God. It has many names. Some
call it "the soul," "the spirit," or "the Christ within." George
Fox used the phrase "that of God in every man." He also called it
"the inner light," the Light of Christ.
Fox said religion was not just a matter of going to church, reading
books about God, repeating prayers, or singing hymns, though these can
be helpful. The true religion was a personal experience.
When George Fox found this truth, we wanted to share it with others.
So he held meetings with them. They had no paid minister and no special
service. They worshipped in expectant silence. They endeavored
to give their spirit to the Spirit of God, and waited for God to tell them
what to do and to say. They became know as Children of the Light,
or Friends of the Truth, and later, simply as Friends.
These Friends has many enemies. They were attacked by the Church
of England and the Puritans, and sent to prison. Many came to America
to start a new life in a new country. Pennsylvania was founded as
a "holy experiment" to prove that Christ's commandments of love for God
and all His children could let to a better life here on earth.
The Society of Friends does not have an official creed, or set of beliefs
which its members must accept. There are many reasons for this:
It is difficult to explain our way or worship. To outward appearances,
we are doing nothing - just sitting in silence. There is no order
of worship, no human director, no choir... So one may
ask, "What is there?"
Deep within us all there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul.
When we commit ourselves to the Light Within, we have found the beginning
of true life.
Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock - if any man will
hear my voice and will open the door, I will come in and sup with him and
he with me." We need to wait in silence to hear His knock, open the
door and bid Him welcome.
This inward Light can become the true guide of life, showing us new
and unsuspected defects in ourselves, and new and amazing possibilities
in others. The Christ within us urges us by secret persuasion, to
look upon all the world through His eyes of love and to rejoice in the
joy of His presence.
If you will yield yourself to Him, you
will find Him to be a far better teacher than anyone else could possibly
be. You will have found Him who has been seeking you and who has
died for your redemption. Such practice of inward worship and listening
is the heart of religion. It is the secret of the inner life of the
Master of Galilee. He expected this secret to be freshly discovered
in everyone who would be His follower. It creates an amazing fellowship
which knows no denominational divisions.... a society grounded in reverence,
love and service to God. It is the property of no group nor sect.
The Society of Friends arose as a rediscovery
of Christ, the Light, Within. Dedicating themselves to attendance
upon this Inward Living Christ, they are calling people to listen above
all to that of God speaking within them.
The value of Friends toady, for the world,
does not lie merely in their humanitarian work. It lies in that call
to all people to practice being in inward adoration, seeking that divine
power, and finding anew what it means to dwell in the secret place of the
Most High.
Friends believe this Light Within is
not just for meetings for worship... but that it should govern every aspect
of life, including our employment, our business and our families.
It can be a guide when we are uncertain of the way we should go.
We need to be inwardly bowed in worship while we are busy in the world
of daily affairs, living our lives on two levels. Such people have
found
Our way of worship demands a great deal
from each of us. If we are unfaithful, our meeting suffers.
We cannot expect someone else to perform our service for us, we are responsible
for seeking out the Lord's will for us, for listening to Him, for doing
His bidding. This is work - real labor of the soul. It requires
discipline to quiet our thoughts, that we may hear the still small voice
in which our Lord speaks.
Many today are uncomfortable when noise
ceases, and do not know how to silently commune with God...how to have
our thoughts kneel before Him in adoration and praise.
This is the hope of the quietness of
Friends meeting. As we gather together to worship Him, Christ/God
is in our midst to be our Guide and our Teacher. He knows us, our
struggles and our failures...it is He who can lead us into all truth.
Our aim is to humbly walk in His presence and to be guided in all we do
and say.
Please come and worship with us!
Words change their meaning (that is why parts of
the Bible are now hard to understand);
God can reveal new truth to us (scriptures can have
different meanings as we grow in our knowledge of God);
Christ has come to teach his people himself - what
Friends believe is based on personal experience of and instruction by
the living Christ.
To memorize and recite some one else's beliefs is not truly to believe
oneself.
the secret of a life hid in Christ,
and walk in newness of life.
Maintained by Conrad Lindes