Archives of Leicester Quaker Study groups
History of Quakers study group, April to September 2010
At our first meeting we read sections from H Larry Ingle's study of the early life of George Fox and the context in which he lived: "First among Friends - George Fox and the Creation of Quakerism" - by H. Larry Ingle. The early part of that book is available on line. Just click on this link and and then click the icon for a 'full screen view'. Use the forward and back arrows to find the page you want - you can see it as far as page 41, but not beyond that without buying the book!
These readings were interspersed with shorter ones from Fox's own Journal, which was not written day by day, but composed in his later years as he looked back on his life. It is also on line and you can read it by clicking here.
To get a feel for the readings we chose, start with Fox's own account of his 'earnestness' in late childhood - pages 1-2 of the Journal - and then read Ingle's explanation / interpretation of the young man in his times, on pages 18-20 of The First among Friends.
As for George Fox's growth of understanding as he gained in years, you can feel it from what he writes on page 8 of the Journal; to get an understanding of how this came about we read several sections of Ingle's book up to and including pages 38-9. So do have a look at what you can.
At our second meeting we read aloud from several books that give accounts of the events of early summer 1652 at Pendle Hill, Brigflatts, Sedbergh, Firbank Fell and then at Swarthmoor Hall. These sources included 1. Fox's own Journal 2. Truth of the Heart (writings of Fox, annotated and rendered into modern English by Rex Ambler).
3. Margaret Fell's account of the arrival of Fox at Swarthmoor Hall, and his preaching at Ulverston
4. John Punshon's book: Portrait in Grey. 5. Elfrida Vipont's George Fox and the Valiant Sixty
The simplest 'revision source' will be the first two sections of chapter 3 of John Punshon's book.
At our third meeting (concerned with the period 1653 onwards) we read more from Punshon's book, and passages from W.C. Braithwaite's 'The Beginnings of Quakerism' - the first of the historical volumes in the project which John Wilhelm Rowntree had planned at the start of the twentieth century.
At our fourth meeting we looked at the early Quaker period in America and then into the origins of the quietist phase, and in particular the influence of Robert Barclay, the Quaker theologian. We found him exciting and controversial.
Fifth Meeting We studied the development of 'church discipline' in the 'Quietist' period of Quaker life, the origins of 'Advices and Queries', and the importance of simplicity in dress and lifestyle. There was of course Betsy Gurney's encounter with Wm Savery at the end of the eighteenth century, and we thought about John Woolman's visit to England too, and his death in York in 1772. The first part of John Punshon's chapter 6 'The creation of a Quaker Culture' covers most of what we considered.
Our Sixth Meeting included a reading from Janet Whitney's biography of John Woolman, and several readings about the amazing life of John Fothergill with his diversity of contacts in medicine, and science, and his contacts with Pennsylvania, and his work in the life of the Society of Friends in England, then eventually his role in the foundation of Ackworth School. Then we studied passages about the Tuke family in York and learned about the influence of William and Esther Tuke in the founding of Ackworth school, then The Mount school, and then the The Retreat.
At our seventh meeting we examined John Punshon's account of the end of the eighteenth century and the contrasting influence of (i) enlightenment thought and rationalism and (ii) the rising evangelical revival.
After a break for holidays we returned on 11 August to the same topic of change as the nineteenth century began. We read about the gradual transition to a more evangelical Quakerism, with readings about Thomas Shillitoe, but also about the social activism of Friends in the anti-slavery movement, in Bible Societies, in education (Joseph Lancaster, William Allen), and in prisons (Elizabeth Fry).
Then on the 18 August we read more about the schisms in America around 1827, trying to understand the tensions which arose there, and to connect them with some related tensions in Britain and Ireland.
In each case it seems that various groups felt sure that they knew what Quakers should 'really' cling on to in order to be faithful to the 'proper' traditions of the Society. But were those who styled themselves 'Orthodox' entitled to that feeling? ... Or were those whom others called 'Hicksites' the guardians of something more fundamental, as they claimed?
Then ... what happened as American Quakers moved westward into the (slave-free) territory that became the state of Ohio? Why did doctrinal matters generate such an intensity of antagonistic feeling as is described by John Punshon, and in more detail by Rufus Jones? Earlier, on this side of the Atlantic, why had Abraham Shackleton and John Hancock in Ireland been rebuffed for doubts about whether all parts of 'Holy Scripture' could really be treated as 'holy'? Why had Hannah Barnard from America, with similar views, been rejected in London? Soon afterwards, travelling Friends from here (Thomas Shillitoe and then JJ Gurney) were welcomed in America by the faction that felt itself to be properly 'orthodox' but was actually responding to the more general tone of evangelical revival.
Descriptions of these fallings-out occasioned some astonishment amongst us - and some nervous laughter amongst those of us who have thought that Quakers don't do such things as trying to get 'their' person to clerk a meeting?
On 25th August we read various passages about the Beaconite controversy in this country in the 1830s, which led some evangelical Friends, including Luke Howard, to leave the society and go to the Plymouth Brethren. ...But others who had a not wholly dissimilar evangelical stance remained in the main society. ... And then a few decades later a rather different trend amongst Manchester Friends led to the exclusion of some who were not 'too evangelical' but 'too liberal' !
Despite all these controversies, Friends of very different dispositions continued to be active and effective in social action. We read about their involvement with 'Indian affairs' and with anti-slavery actions in America.
>>>>>>> After a further break we met again, firstly to read more about the kinds of relief work that Quakers undertook in various parts of the world when they first got active in such work. Then we read more about changes in Quaker beliefs and whether these should be codified, noting (a) the less closedness of British Quakers after 1860 (b) the attempt to codify Quaker faith in the Richmond Declaration of 1887 in America - at almost the same time as (c) the publication of 'A Reasonable Faith' in Britain. We also read more abut the adult school movement in this country and how its enthusiastic participants were somehow not assimilated into the main body of the Society.
Later we learned about the 1895 Manchester conference and then the foundation of Woodbrooke and the growth of new scholarship in the Society with the publication of historical books.
>>>>>> Our final meeting of this series was concerned the change in outlook from the optimism and hope at the turn of the century to the horrors of the First World War and the growth of Conscientious Objection.
At the 1911 Swanwick Young Friends’ Conference, John William Graham gave a talk on the Peace Testimony which was influential in the development of the Peace Testimony and Conscientious Objection.
We learned about the different groups founded by Quakers e.g. The Friends’ Ambulance Unit; the Emergency Committee for the Relief of German, Austrian and Hungarian Distress; the Friends’ Service Committee and the No Conscription Fellowship.
As non combatants Quakers were not immune to the horrors of the war and we read from Corder Catchpole’s memoirs of service with the F.A.U. He wrote in great detail of the suffering and injuries sustained by the soldiers and the effects of caring for them.
We also learned about those conscientious objectors who were imprisoned for their beliefs and the effects it had on them. We closed with Littleboy’s (a participant at the 1911 Conference) comments at the 1942 Yearly Meeting about war and peace.
“The whole world is drawn into common suffering. Is there no way out of its evils but by waging war yet more ruthlessly? War is evil and wrong; military victory will not bring true peace. Cannot our common suffering make us aware of our common brotherhood. Let us turn from the terrible deeds we do to one another and seek one another’s forgiveness. The way of friendship can overcome evil. We see it perfectly in Jesus Christ. Its cost was the Cross. The loyal spirit which faced the Cross showed us the triumphant power of God. For us as children of a common Father it is time to follow His lead".
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ADVICES AND QUERIES (Autumn 2010) (now completed, no records available this time)
- Take heed, dear Friends, to the promptings of love and truth in your hearts