Every fourth of Seventh Month, people throughout the United States attend special events to mark the separation of 13 colonies from England. This political event was dramatic for its time, to be sure.
I would argue, however, that each of us (that includes me, and it includes thee) should consider an Independence from Sin Day. The Light of Christ, which as the Holy Ghost is the sanctifying force the Lord has granted thee, has been working to assist thee to obtain a holy life. This is not opinion or conjecture. It is the creative juices of the Creator of the Universe working in thy life to help thee become what He has intended for thee all along.
Give the Lord an opportunity to perform a miracle in thee or through thee. Taste and see that the Lord is good! Now this is something to celebrate!!
7/03/2007
6/24/2007
2007 Gathering of Conservative Friends
The Gathering of Conservative Friends was held at the Lampeter Friends Meeting House near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, from the 22d to the 24th of Sixth Month, 2007. Exactly 100 Friends attended, though not all at the same time.
History
The Gatherings have been held since the early 1960s. The first was held as a conference called the "General Meeting of Conservative Friends," among the three Conservative Yearly Meetings (Ohio, Iowa, and North Carolina). After a concern was raised in North Carolina Yearly Meeting that the three Conservative Yearly Meetings should hold periodic meetings, the General Meeting became a biennial event which rotated among the three. The General Meeting of 1974, held at West Grove NC, played a seminal role in the formation of a new meeting of plain Friends at Harrisonburg VA, which became part of Ohio Yearly Meeting. From that time, Iowa and North Carolina Friends began to step away from the General Meetings, and the meetings developed a growing attraction to plain-dressed Friends. In the early 1990s, the event was re-named the General Gathering of Conservative Friends. It is held biannually at Stillwater, with Friends outside of Ohio invited to host the event in odd-numbered years. The Gathering was hosted by Keystone Fellowship Monthly Meeting this year.
The 2007 Gathering
Keystone Fellowship Friends made a number of planning decisions with major consequences. First, the Gathering was free, though attendees could donate funds to assist with costs as they felt led. The result: several young families came with their children. Roughly one-third of attendees were in the 0-25 age range. Second, one member was able to make arrangements for Friends to stay at a local private school nearby. That allowed visiting Friends to have plenty of time together throughout the day.
On Sixth Day evening, Friends arrived at the home of a Keystone Friend for supper. Evening worship was held in a large workshop building behind the Friends' house. As in all the times of worship, the ministry met the general high standards of Ohio Friends. The leadings of the Lord were crisp and clear throughout the weekend.
On Seventh Day, breakfast was held at the local Friend's house. We held worship at the Lampeter Meeting House at 10 and had dinner at noon. The afternoon was reserved for fellowship, though during this time various committees also met. After supper, we returned to Lampeter for worship. A local man who had never attended a Friends meeting saw our cars and stopped in. At the end of the worship, he gave a brief testimony. A Friend started a campfire, and we had additional fellowship.
On First Day, Friends gathered for worship and Bible reading again in the morning. Worship was held at Lampeter at 10:00. Four people from the community attended the first Friends meeting of their lives. As usual, the ministry was particularly inspired. We returned to the local Friend's house for dinner. At 2:00, Keystone Friends held a discussion on current drawings of Christ among us, and a group of scattered plain Friends discussed online worship sessions they have been holding the past five months. After supper, a final time of worship was held, though by this time the gathering was down to about a dozen people.
An interesting aspect of the worship was the mixture of plain-dressed Friends and those who did not wear plain clothing. The two groups were about equally represented. Four plain-dressed young women, who roomed together, have been involved with the online worship. This Quaker Quadrilateral made an impression, as they often sat together wearing their bonnets. In fact, the number of plain Friends present was probably the largest such gathering of plain Friends held in many decades.
During the worship, Keystone Friends generally sat on the facing benches. At Lampeter, we worked the previous week to adjust the existing platform for the facing benches to improve the seating arrangements. These changes increased the seating capacity in the building, as we already knew that the attendance was twice what we had originally anticipated. Keystone Friends invited other appropriate Friends to sit on the facing benches, including visiting ministers and other public Friends.
The ministry generally fell into three categories. The most common was the FGC-influenced ministry, in which the speaker would start with something like "yesterday on our way to the grocery store..." The second type of ministry was the common Wilburite style, which features more Scriptural references less autobiographical material. Third was prayer. As common, Ohio Friends follow the traditional Quaker practice of the person appearing in supplication kneeling. Men remove their hats while another Friend prays.
The Gathering was a time of spiritual renewal for many Friends, a time during which the Lord created many new friendships and gave each of us new direction in meeting the needs of those around us. It was a wonderful time for many and will be long remembered by many.
The Gathering of Conservative Friends was held at the Lampeter Friends Meeting House near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, from the 22d to the 24th of Sixth Month, 2007. Exactly 100 Friends attended, though not all at the same time.
History
The Gatherings have been held since the early 1960s. The first was held as a conference called the "General Meeting of Conservative Friends," among the three Conservative Yearly Meetings (Ohio, Iowa, and North Carolina). After a concern was raised in North Carolina Yearly Meeting that the three Conservative Yearly Meetings should hold periodic meetings, the General Meeting became a biennial event which rotated among the three. The General Meeting of 1974, held at West Grove NC, played a seminal role in the formation of a new meeting of plain Friends at Harrisonburg VA, which became part of Ohio Yearly Meeting. From that time, Iowa and North Carolina Friends began to step away from the General Meetings, and the meetings developed a growing attraction to plain-dressed Friends. In the early 1990s, the event was re-named the General Gathering of Conservative Friends. It is held biannually at Stillwater, with Friends outside of Ohio invited to host the event in odd-numbered years. The Gathering was hosted by Keystone Fellowship Monthly Meeting this year.
The 2007 Gathering
Keystone Fellowship Friends made a number of planning decisions with major consequences. First, the Gathering was free, though attendees could donate funds to assist with costs as they felt led. The result: several young families came with their children. Roughly one-third of attendees were in the 0-25 age range. Second, one member was able to make arrangements for Friends to stay at a local private school nearby. That allowed visiting Friends to have plenty of time together throughout the day.
On Sixth Day evening, Friends arrived at the home of a Keystone Friend for supper. Evening worship was held in a large workshop building behind the Friends' house. As in all the times of worship, the ministry met the general high standards of Ohio Friends. The leadings of the Lord were crisp and clear throughout the weekend.
On Seventh Day, breakfast was held at the local Friend's house. We held worship at the Lampeter Meeting House at 10 and had dinner at noon. The afternoon was reserved for fellowship, though during this time various committees also met. After supper, we returned to Lampeter for worship. A local man who had never attended a Friends meeting saw our cars and stopped in. At the end of the worship, he gave a brief testimony. A Friend started a campfire, and we had additional fellowship.
On First Day, Friends gathered for worship and Bible reading again in the morning. Worship was held at Lampeter at 10:00. Four people from the community attended the first Friends meeting of their lives. As usual, the ministry was particularly inspired. We returned to the local Friend's house for dinner. At 2:00, Keystone Friends held a discussion on current drawings of Christ among us, and a group of scattered plain Friends discussed online worship sessions they have been holding the past five months. After supper, a final time of worship was held, though by this time the gathering was down to about a dozen people.
An interesting aspect of the worship was the mixture of plain-dressed Friends and those who did not wear plain clothing. The two groups were about equally represented. Four plain-dressed young women, who roomed together, have been involved with the online worship. This Quaker Quadrilateral made an impression, as they often sat together wearing their bonnets. In fact, the number of plain Friends present was probably the largest such gathering of plain Friends held in many decades.
During the worship, Keystone Friends generally sat on the facing benches. At Lampeter, we worked the previous week to adjust the existing platform for the facing benches to improve the seating arrangements. These changes increased the seating capacity in the building, as we already knew that the attendance was twice what we had originally anticipated. Keystone Friends invited other appropriate Friends to sit on the facing benches, including visiting ministers and other public Friends.
The ministry generally fell into three categories. The most common was the FGC-influenced ministry, in which the speaker would start with something like "yesterday on our way to the grocery store..." The second type of ministry was the common Wilburite style, which features more Scriptural references less autobiographical material. Third was prayer. As common, Ohio Friends follow the traditional Quaker practice of the person appearing in supplication kneeling. Men remove their hats while another Friend prays.
The Gathering was a time of spiritual renewal for many Friends, a time during which the Lord created many new friendships and gave each of us new direction in meeting the needs of those around us. It was a wonderful time for many and will be long remembered by many.
12/03/2006
Quaker Journals
Friends have always been known for emphasizing the practice of writing journals as well as reading the journals of deceased Friends. In this (long) posting, I hope to outline some issues surrounding journals and make some recommendations of good journals for others to read.
What is a Journal?
In this posting, I am using the word "journal" very loosely. Usually the word appears in the title of a particular book, such as the Journal of George Fox. However, in other cases, the title describes the book as an autobiography (fewer contemporary entries). Joshua Maule's journal was printed with an incredibly long title which is usually contracted to "Transactions and Changes" (but which is here called simply his journal).
Types of Journals
It can be tempting to think that ego is a major element in the keeping of a journal. The idea that a person would keep a series of entries in the hopes that after death hundreds of other Friends would publish and read it gives the more reserved Friends some pause. In fact, at least two Friends who kept journals destroyed them while alive to avoid this very pitfall – Thomas B. Gould and Elwood Dean. In the long run, succeeding generations have been deprived of much salubrious material as a result.
Most journals follow a set pattern. They begin with an introductory essay which describes the person's life from birth to the point where the official journal begins. Most of the time, this introductory essay is autobiographical, although in John Wilbur's case, his children wrote it after his death. The second part describes the spiritual awakening of the person in question, and succeeding chapters describe the person's life and progress in the Lord.
People who write or talk about journals usually discuss the two paragraphs I just wrote and leave it at that. However, I would like to suggest that journals fall into two categories.
- Private journals. These journals were kept solely for the reference of the writer and were not intended for publication. They are easy to spot due to the way they were written. In these journals, the writer wrestles much more with the inward struggle to be transformed by Christ. Chronology is important, but the details are not. Sentences are common such as "We visited Short Creek Meeting in the morning, Mount Pleasant in the afternoon, Harrisville on Second Day, and Concord on Third Day." In a private journal, additional information is only given if the author's memory required it. An author with excellent memory often writes little of what was said in worship, either by himself or others. Private journals often need footnotes to explain entries, as the author did not need to state the context of an entry. In general, private journals add a touch of mystery because the reader must consider issues such as "Why did he write this? What is the significance of this passage?"
- Public journals. In public journals, the author and/or an editor have prepared a full narrative of the person's life. Public journals assume that the reader has no information about the events being described. The little mysteries involved in keeping a journal are resolved, with information to explain the context of the entries. Often, travel itineraries are truncated to remove lists of meetings visited if there is no description of what occurred there. Public journals are usually better received than public journals, although for the historian they have almost always been more heavily edited.
Some Famous Journals
In this section, I provide a thumbnail sketch of eleven important journals. I begin with the two most-read journals and continue with nine lesser-known but very good journals.
John Woolman
John Woolman's Journal has probably been read by more people than any other journal. It is the story of a New Jersey minister who came to recognize the evils of slaveholding, his work in urging Friends to discontinue the practice, and his long travel to England, where he died in 1772. Woolman's journal is the most popular because it serves as an introduction to the mind of an eighteenth century public figure and to an extent as an introduction to the Society of Friends as well. I believe that this is an important journal but that is certainly surpassed by others.
George Fox
The Journal of George Fox is likely the second best known Quaker journal. It has gone through many iterations, some of which include portions of his letters. Fox's journal is one of two that I place in the category of "excellent." It is not the easiest to read, primarily due to Fox's sentence structure. However, what it lacks in difficulty is compensated by the abundance of interesting stories and interventions by Christ Jesus in his life.
Joseph Hoag
The other journal that I include in the "excellent" category is the journal of Joseph Hoag. Hoag was an early nineteenth century minister who was often given the gift of being able to read a person's mind or recite a conversation he did not witness. He also was given his vision of the Civil War in 1805, which was printed in his journal in 1859. The vision is dramatically accurate in its details. Hoag describes dramatic spiritual deliverances, interpersonal strife in meetings, and interesting conversations with ministers of other denominations. The book is especially helpful for current ministers, as Hoag's experiences provide some guidance for handling current situations.
William Evans
The journal of William Evans is one of two rather lengthy journals I describe here. Evans was a Philadelphia minister, a son of Jonathan Evans. His journal is very helpful in his description of the inward work of the minister. Not a quick evening read, but very well worth the effort.
Daniel Wheeler
Wheeler's journal is a second lengthy journal. It is comprised of two parts: the private journal, which occupies the first quarter, and the public part, which is mainly devoted to his two-year trip to the Indian Ocean. Wheeler often includes excerpts from his sermons, which is interesting reading. The journal includes several golden nuggets and inspired passages which makes the book well worth reading.
Ann Branson
Ann Branson is probably the best known of female ministers. Her journal is undoubtedly in the top five in terms of most read. Like Hoag, she had insights into the thinking of others around her, and often in her travels she followed a leading to go to a particular house in an unknown area just to find that a former Quaker lived there.
Mildred Ratcliff
A lesser known (and shorter) journal than Ann Branson's is that of Mildred Ratcliff. At Ratcliff's death, she entrusted Ann Branson with the originals, and Branson edited them for publication. I find Ratcliff's journal easier to read than Branson's journal and of a slightly higher spiritual quality. Ratcliff occasionally makes a very obscure scriptural reference, so be sure to keep a copy of the King James Bible on hand.
Elizabeth Ashbridge
The journal of Elizabeth Ashbridge is the shortest of the eleven that I discuss here. It is a quick gem which can be read on a long train ride. The journal has always been popular, and was in print most of the time since its publication.
Henry Hull
Henry Hull was a close relative of John Wilbur. He was a New York minister who was a spiritual mentor for Mildred Ratcliff. Hull was another spiritually insightful minister of the very early eighteenth century, and his journal was popular to the end of that century. When I have felt callings to travel among Friends, I read Hull's journal to help me weigh the calling.
Joseph Oxley
Oxley was an English Friend of the seventeenth century. He was one of the brighter lights of British ministry of that era, although one of the young Friends in his meeting who rebelled against him was Joseph J. Gurney. Oxley treats with subjects such as appropriate businesses for ministers and interesting local characteristics of meetings.
Joshua Maule
Maule's journal, which was printed as "Transactions and Changes," is the hardest to obtain of all journals in this list. It is an enjoyable narrative of Quaker politics of the time, beginning with the Elisha Bates affair and continuing through the dissolving of Ohio General Meeting. The journal is very popular among the so-called Neo-Wilburites, and in Ohio Yearly Meeting today it probably ranks #3 or #4 in terms of the most-read journal. Maule is the only person listed here who was not a minister, but he discusses the problems of ministers not keeping to the Guide and the ramifications of those decisions.
10/01/2006
An Undervalued Gift
Historically, Friends meetings had Elders who were appointed to do a number of important things. One of these things was nurturing the ministry.
When I was attending Stillwater Meeting, one of the Elders there would usually come to me after worship if I spoke and give me some feedback on what I said or on my delivery. I do not know if he was asked to do this or not - I was not a recorded minister so I don't know that there was any specific reason why he did this.
What I do know is that I found his words invaluable. He would sometimes speak on issues surrounding weighing a leading or testing the inward motion. When he thought that I had spoken without a divine anointing, I usually knew that very quickly. He would begin these types of conversations with an incident of some kind in which he was involved. Regardless of what he said to me, it was almost always helpful to me in the growth of my ministry, and I will always value his words.
Now I live in a part of the country where a different conception of the ministry exists. Around here, there is little sense that Friends speak from a divine unction or inward motion of Christ Jesus. In fact, around here the idea that Jesus directs people to speak in worship is mostly considered to be a minority opinion rather than a critical element of testing a leading. There are many exceptions, to be sure.
Recently I attended a meeting in which I was very uneasy with what one person stated during the worship. I have grown accustomed to people in liberal meetings outlining their own opinions or using worship time for autobiography or trying to figure out whether there really is a divine Creator. Any of these types of messages is acceptable around here but not in Ohio. One might question: if it takes a divine leading to speak in meeting, how can one speak on the topic of why (s)he has not decided yet if God exists?
Not everyone believes that God distributes gifts to those who are open to His leading. Some have the gift of ministry, some the gift of teaching, etc. These gifts are handed out for the encouragement and growth of the meeting as a whole. They need to be encouraged in each person in which they appear.
This gets back to the importance of Elders. Those who are, for whatever reason, more spiritually experienced have so much to offer the rest of us. Most of these people are quite modest, and getting anything out of them is not easy. That, of course, is what they should be - not dominating others, but nurturing us in a life of Christian faithfulness. We need to be warned when we have made a mistake in ministry or encouraged when we have been particularly faithful. And, regardless of what words the Elder has for us, we should recognize that the person is speaking with the specific purpose in mind of seeking to deepen our ministry and our ability to test our leadings.
Historically, Friends meetings had Elders who were appointed to do a number of important things. One of these things was nurturing the ministry.
When I was attending Stillwater Meeting, one of the Elders there would usually come to me after worship if I spoke and give me some feedback on what I said or on my delivery. I do not know if he was asked to do this or not - I was not a recorded minister so I don't know that there was any specific reason why he did this.
What I do know is that I found his words invaluable. He would sometimes speak on issues surrounding weighing a leading or testing the inward motion. When he thought that I had spoken without a divine anointing, I usually knew that very quickly. He would begin these types of conversations with an incident of some kind in which he was involved. Regardless of what he said to me, it was almost always helpful to me in the growth of my ministry, and I will always value his words.
Now I live in a part of the country where a different conception of the ministry exists. Around here, there is little sense that Friends speak from a divine unction or inward motion of Christ Jesus. In fact, around here the idea that Jesus directs people to speak in worship is mostly considered to be a minority opinion rather than a critical element of testing a leading. There are many exceptions, to be sure.
Recently I attended a meeting in which I was very uneasy with what one person stated during the worship. I have grown accustomed to people in liberal meetings outlining their own opinions or using worship time for autobiography or trying to figure out whether there really is a divine Creator. Any of these types of messages is acceptable around here but not in Ohio. One might question: if it takes a divine leading to speak in meeting, how can one speak on the topic of why (s)he has not decided yet if God exists?
Not everyone believes that God distributes gifts to those who are open to His leading. Some have the gift of ministry, some the gift of teaching, etc. These gifts are handed out for the encouragement and growth of the meeting as a whole. They need to be encouraged in each person in which they appear.
This gets back to the importance of Elders. Those who are, for whatever reason, more spiritually experienced have so much to offer the rest of us. Most of these people are quite modest, and getting anything out of them is not easy. That, of course, is what they should be - not dominating others, but nurturing us in a life of Christian faithfulness. We need to be warned when we have made a mistake in ministry or encouraged when we have been particularly faithful. And, regardless of what words the Elder has for us, we should recognize that the person is speaking with the specific purpose in mind of seeking to deepen our ministry and our ability to test our leadings.
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