FRIENDS, with other branches of the Christian church, believe in God, the Father, the Creator, infinite in love, wisdom, and power, and supremely manifest in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection have given to man a unique revelation of the nature and reality of God. They believe with Paul that "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself" (2 Cor. 5 : 19), and with John that "In Him was life; and the life was the light of men" (John 1 : 4). They accept the assurance of John's gospel that God "gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3 : 16).
Friends also hold as the essentials of the Christian life and experience: the divinity of Jesus Christ, the atonement through Him by which men are brought to God, and the gift of the Holy Spirit as the ever-present Comforter.
BECAUSE of the universally-recognized fact of sin, there is need for repentance and salvation which bring deliverance from sin and the possession of spiritual life. This comes through a personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, who through His love and sacrifice draws men to Him. Conviction of sin is awakened by the operation of the Holy Spirit, causing the soul to feel its need for reconciliation with God. Persons thus come into newness of life and are saved from the power of sin to righteousness as they yield their lives to Him in loving and loyal obedience. Their relationship to God becomes an actual reality, a transformation that may be wrought without any human agency or ceremony since their entire spiritual life springs from the direct relation of their souls with a living and present God and cooperation with Him. Though adults may consciously and deliberately yield to evil impulses, necessitating repentance, it does not follow in the view of Friends that guilt is imputed to infants. Jesus said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God" (Mark 10 : 14). The Christian nurture of children is the highest privilege and most sacred duty of both the Christian home and the church.
FRIENDS give special emphasis to the vital principle that one's salvation and higher life are personal matters between the individual soul and God. They recall that primitive Christianity was a spiritual society in which all members were priests and held direct communion with God. From the birth of the Quaker movement, Friends have regarded Christianity as essentially an experience and a way of life based on that experience. George Fox, in describing the great spiritual transformation of his early life, declares, "And this I knew experimentally" (Journal, 1695 ed., p. 8). Isaac Penington gives as his testimony: "My heart said, 'This is He whom I waited for and sought after from my childhood.... I have met with my God, I have met with my Savior!'" Robert Barclay said, "I felt a power that touched my heart and as I gave way to it, I felt the evil in me weakening and the good raised up." This intimate fellowship with God, the consciousness of Christ as a living presence, has run through the whole history of Quakerism as a warm, life-giving stream. A life led by the Holy Spirit is the logical outcome of a faith based upon belief in a direct, personal approach to God. Nothing is more certain than that God is still speaking to persons as He did in ancient times. His Spirit guides and controls the surrendered life, makes sensitive the conscience, illumines the mind, and strengthens the will. The Christian's constant and supreme business is obedience to Him.
FROM the earliest days of their history, there are frequent references in the writings of Friends to the belief that there is in the human soul a Light (Ps. 36 : 9; John 1 : 9) which is of divine origin and which makes one capable of response to moral and spiritual influences. It is this divine quality that enables a person to develop that awareness of moral distinctions and obligations known as 'conscience' and inspires him or her to live, struggle, and suffer for the achievement of what ought to be. It gives humankind preeminence over the natural world, raises one above the physical nature, gives one divine potentialities, and makes it possible for a person to experience the joys and satisfactions of the abundant life through acceptance of and obedience to Jesus Christ. It is this spiritual endowment that enables one to advance beyond the narrow bounds of self toward the Christian ideals of goodness and love, and to respond to the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. George Fox often called this principle the "Seed of God," "That of God in you," or "the Light within." William Penn called it "The great principle of God in man, the root and spring of divine substance." Robert Barclay described it as "a real, spiritual substance," or "a divine bestowal." It is "that something we cannot call less than divine and universal, for it links us with the eternal realities, and with our fellowmen of whatever race or creed. It may be hidden or warped by ignorance or pride or self-will or prejudice, but it cannot be wholly lost, for it is part of that which makes us essentially men, made in the divine image, and having within us boundless possibilities of life in God" (London Yearly Meeting, 1920).
THE emphasis placed by Friends upon the foregoing principles is the source of their special testimonies and activities. Since all persons are potentially temples of God, all personality is sacred; persons everywhere are the object of His special concern and so are of immeasurable worth. This doctrine of the dignity of humankind permeates all human associations and is the basis of true democracy; it rests on the divine-human relationship and works through all the aspects of life. As we yield ourselves to divine guidance, we become active partners with God in the extension of His kingdom. It is the Light of God within that gives a burning sense of mission and inspires the ideal of universal kinship. Out of the realization of this spiritual fellowship come the rising tides of human sympathy that bear us forth to do His will. With faith in the wisdom of Almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and believing that it is His purpose to make His church on earth a power for righteousness and truth, the Friends labor for the alleviation of human suffering; for the intellectual, moral, and spiritual elevation of humankind; and for purified and exalted citizenship. It is an essential part of the faith that one should be in truth what one professes in word. The underlying principle of life and action for individuals, and also for society, is transformation through the power of God and implicit obedience to His revealed will.
For more explicit and extended statements of belief, reference is made to those officially recognized at various times, especially the Epistle addressed by George Fox and others to the Governor of Barbados in 1671 [p. 73], the Declaration of Faith issued by the Richmond Conference in 1887 [p. 76], and Essential Truths adopted in 1902 by the Five Years Meeting.
FRIENDS' concept of worship is based upon the belief that the relationship between the Divine Spirit and the Christian worshiper is essentially that of parent and child, in which each may fully participate. Such was the experience of Jesus, for, to Him, God was always Father and He was Son. Worship is the supreme act of the human spirit. One enters into a living and uplifting relationship as one meets God. No intermediary, ritual, or ceremony is required. As the worshiper waits expectantly, in humility, with praise and supplication, a sense of the living Presence of Christ brings a renewal of spiritual strength and truth is revealed. Things of this world become insignificant and seem to fall away. The Holy Spirit has spoken, the human in awed silence has walked with God, and worship has become a vital experience.
WITH such an experience at the center of worship, the meeting becomes a listening post for God's word. Vocal ministry is a response to this listening and brings God's word to those gathered. Quaker worship should be like a garden out of which the beauty of inward peace and spiritual satisfactions grow, flowering in such vocal expression as the Spirit may inspire, resulting in the qualities of the Christlike way of living.
MUSIC, as a part of worship, may provide a way for the gathered community to praise God and serve to develop a tenderness of soul in which the divine voice may be heard. To many Friends, music may be a means of expressing their feelings and of bringing them into closer contact with God.
IF private meditation and communion with God have preceded the period of worship, any message rising out of the meeting will tend to be clearer, stronger, and more helpful. One should never discount the ability of the Holy Spirit to work within the group and to find willing lips by which God's presence and will may be revealed to those assembled. Messages begin with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and find expression through the varied spiritual gifts and experiences of the speakers.
BELIEVING that a direct experience of God is open to everyone, Friends do not feel the necessity of the physical elements in achieving the spiritual reality. Jesus introduced an era of spiritual religion to replace the ritualism of the Old Testament. Therefore, Friends in Western Yearly Meeting do not practice the rites or other sacramental forms. The baptism which they consider essential is that of the Holy Spirit. The communion which they most earnestly desire is participation in the Spirit of Christ, who is the Bread of life, and the spiritual comprehension of God as the source of life and power.
"THE canon of Scripture may be closed, but the inspiration of the Holy Spirit has not ceased. We believe that there is no literature in the world where the revelation of God is given so fully as in our New Testament Scriptures.… We feel them to be inspired, because as we read them we feel our eyes are being opened and our spirits kindled. We search them because "These are they that testify of me." "It is the living Christ we want to find, the eternal revealer of the will of God. It is the spirit behind the letter that we need" (London Yearly Meeting, Proceedings, 1919).
The Holy Scriptures were given by the inspiration of God and are the divinely authorized record of the moral principles and doctrines of Christianity. In them, as interpreted and unfolded by the Holy Spirit, is an ever-fresh and unfailing source of spiritual truth for the proper guidance of one's life. The value of the Scriptures lies in their witness to the nature and purpose of God, their account of the message and mission of Jesus Christ, and their teachings regarding salvation, the way of life, and eternity. The record both of man's search for God and of God's revelation to man is found in the Scriptures. Through numerous accounts of spiritual pioneers, the illumination moves from the beginning of history to "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 4 : 6). The Scriptures are an inheritance for all who seek strength and guidance.
THE primary objective of reading the Bible should be to grasp scriptural truths and teachings as vital and life-giving realities rather than to regard them as matters only for intellectual or doctrinal discussion. The reader should appreciate new insights about the Biblical text, and can remain assured that the spiritual strength which one receives comes from a living communion with God. The Scriptures are an inexhaustible treasury of spiritual truth, applicable to the needs and problems of each age. Their words are words of life because they testify of Him who is Life. "In keeping them there is great reward" (Ps. 19 : 11).
OF the Scriptures, the Quaker apologist, Robert Barclay, writes: "God hath seen meet that herein we should, as in a looking glass, see the conditions and experiences of the saints of old; that finding our experience answer to theirs, we might thereby be the more confirmed and comforted, and our hope of obtaining the same end strengthened;...This is the great work of the Scriptures, and their service to us, that we may witness them fulfilled in us, and so discern the stamp of God's spirit and ways upon them, by the inward acquaintance we have with the same spirit and work in our hearts" (Robert Barclay, An Apology, Proposition III, Section V, 1678).
IN fulfillment of the promise given to Joel, "I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh" (Joel 2 : 28), God has bestowed a diversity of gifts upon us for the realization of His kingdom on earth. Friends cherish the inherent spiritual capacity of every person and the work of grace that is shared by each believer. Western Yearly Meeting desires that all Friends fully develop their gifts so that the whole body may be enriched.
Each person has an obligation to serve God by ministering to individuals, to their local meeting, to the yearly meeting, and to the wider community. It is important that Friends recognize opportunities to minister, both privately and publicly, and act on these opportunities. No sharp line of distinction can be drawn between the importance and value of the different types of ministry. All gifts may be cultivated and developed through prayerful study and response to human need.
JUST as the Quaker faith gives spirit, form, and substance to the Quaker manner of worship, so also the leadings that Friends feel to take up and share the burden of the world's suffering, springs out of their central faith and intimate fellowship of worship. The liberation, enlargement, and fulfillment of life are the ideal objectives of Friends in every humanitarian undertaking. As Friends endeavor to remedy injustices in social and economic systems, to end war, to eliminate brutal and degrading forms of punishment, and to alleviate other harmful conditions, it is with the positive conviction that they are laboring in the service of the Lord. Jesus said, "In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matt. 25 : 40). In the words of John Woolman, Friends believe that "to labor for the perfect redemption from the spirit of oppression is the great business of the whole family of Christ Jesus in this world."
Christian service is activated by the spirit of love and good will. It is the Quaker ideal to understand the ethical and spiritual significance of an entire situation and to respond to the human need that arises out of it. It is often necessary to wait for God's leading in silence until the message comes. When it does come, nothing must hinder saying the word which needs to be said or doing the deed which the times and circumstances demand.
THE early Christians, in obedience to the divine compulsion to share with others the spiritual riches of the gospel of Jesus, became zealous apostles of the new message of love, peace, and good will among men. This early evangelism was not a campaign to develop a new religious cult, but was, rather, the sharing of the joys of salvation by those who had actually experienced this spiritual transformation. With a zeal and power that stand as a pattern for any age, these first evangelists soon carried the "Good News" to the entire Mediterranean area.
In a similar manner, early Friends were moved by an irresistible urge to tell as many as possible of the joyous, newly-found freedom of a direct approach to God without mediating instruments. This doctrine of free access to divine redemptive grace was preached without regard to the social rank, race, or color of those who would give audience. As a result of their work as earnest "publishers of truth," Quakerism soon extended over much of the western seventeenth-century world.
WHEN Friends passed into their period of quietism, they lost interest as a group in the aggressive preaching of the gospel message and became introspective and largely concerned in maintaining their testimony against "creaturely activity." It should be said, in justice to this period, that it had some positive values. It was characterized by extreme sensitivity to states and conditions, and by a rare union of tenderness and strength, as revealed by the journals and advices of the time. There was also quite a measure of surrendered and dedicated life. But as one might expect from the weakening of the evangelistic impulse, there resulted not only a loss of membership but also a decline in spiritual vitality.
THEN came the new spirit of evangelism, which swept over America in the nineteenth century and caused a new awakening among Friends. As they felt the joy and enthusiasm of a life surrendered and dedicated to the indwelling Christ, they again experienced something of their early evangelistic zeal and took their place in proclaiming the gospel of Christ to the world.
THE logical and natural counterpart of our restored personal fellowship with God is a compelling concern to share with other people, both at home and abroad, the spiritual satisfactions of that fellowship. The ministries of preaching, teaching, Christian service, and group activity are to be considered as divinely-appointed instruments for carrying the Christian message wherever the way opens. Friends have found evangelistic efforts of different kinds useful, as they have been adapted to the various needs of meetings. These include special evangelistic meetings conducted either by the pastor or by visiting ministers, preaching missions carried on by a group of Christian leaders, and evangelism by visitation in which families and individuals are visited in their homes.
Though periods of intensive evangelistic effort are spiritually beneficial, the work of the meeting, including that of the pastor, should be carried on throughout the year with the purpose of deepening and enriching the religious life of the members. The most stable and healthful conditions usually follow constant and steady building of Christian character. The relationship of children with the meeting through junior membership provides a great opportunity for special work in evangelism. Methods of a teaching ministry, such as preparatory classes given at the intellectual and spiritual level of the young, will bear rich fruit in later years. Loyalty to Christ places upon Friends the constant obligation to seek by every appropriate method to win others to the Christian life.
THE earliest activities of the Society of Friends were essentially missionary in character. Those who were convinced sounded forth their message, first in England and soon in foreign lands, in the faith that a response would be found among many of like spirit. In 1660, they could report "great work and service of the Lord beyond the seas," ranging from Palestine and Turkey in the East to Newfoundland and Virginia in the West. Even during the period of quietism, there were fruitful labors by individuals, who responded to deeply-felt calls for special services at home and abroad. Among these were John Woolman, William Allen, Daniel Wheeler, Elizabeth Fry, and Stephen Grellet with their concerns for the Indians, Negro slaves, Russian serfs, and prisoners of body or of spirit throughout the world.
These activities had important and far-reaching results, but gradually the conviction grew that such brief and transient visits were not a full discharge of Christian duty. It was realized that the needs of non-Christian lands required services continuing for many years or even for the lifetime of the workers. This made necessary a greater financial outlay and more systematic methods of securing support. Beginning in 1866, with the establishment of a station in Central India by English Friends, the work of foreign missions under the care of English and American Friends has extended around the world. At first, such work was carried on by committees of concerned Friends, but later, it generally became a part of the organized activities of the various yearly meetings. Most of the missionary efforts both at home and abroad are now administered by Friends United Meeting.
MISSIONARY enterprise grows out of the essence of Christianity itself. Sharing with others the best one has and knows is basic to true Christian living. The highest incentive of the missionary effort is the love of Christ which constrains His followers to "go into all the world." As one acts in accordance with the motive, the spirit of obedience grows and ripens into an issue of outgoing love and compassion for those who are in need of the gospel.
NEW opportunities for Christian service are constantly opening. New and broadening conceptions of truth will become clearer as one seeks to understand God's purpose for all mankind. New avenues of approach and fresh methods of presenting the message will develop as each generation makes its advance in knowledge and experience. To this service, all followers of Christ are called. In the words of George Fox:
Let all nations hear the sound, by word of writing. Spare no place, spare not tongue nor pen, but be obedient to the Lord God; go through the world and be valiant for the truth upon earth.... Then you will come to walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in every one.
BY its very name, Christian education signifies its essential importance. It can integrate the whole of life as well as promote commitment, discipline, and development in the lives of followers of Jesus Christ. Friends, therefore, emphasize it as an essential activity of their organization. The primary aim is the Christian training of all members of the meeting, enabling them to continue growth in knowledge and grace. Although Sunday/First Day school, weekly Bible study, and other activities that involve an hour or so a week can be helpful, it is important that the meeting understand its educational role in all activities, while continuing to provide specific educational opportunities on a regular basis.
AMERICAN Friends became interested in the Bible school soon after its origin in England in 1780. A Society for the Institution and Support of the First Day or Sunday Schools in the city of Philadelphia, organized in 1791, had Friends among its members. Bible schools were carried on in scattered areas in the early part of the nineteenth century and multiplied rapidly after 1830, though there was some opposition to them on the ground that such organized study of the Bible was a departure from the Friends' position of dependence on spiritual guidance. Held first in homes, then in Friends' school houses, they later became an integral part of most meetings.
ATTENTION to the work of Christian education in the meeting and in the home is vital. The changing world around us provides many challenges. It is of utmost importance that the members and attenders of the meeting have opportunities to learn and grow in faith and commitment. Support to parents as they seek to teach their children is important. It is an essential part of the work of the meeting to equip adults, youth, and children to know and be able to share the Christian witness as understood by Friends.
A PLAN for well-rounded Christian education embraces the home, the Sunday/First Day school, and the meeting. Other areas may be considered also: vacation Bible school, after-school clubs, youth groups, camps, and other special activities. Objectives include:
Careful Bible study, a sympathetic evaluation of significant religious experiences, acquaintance with the history and principles of Friends, definite preparation for worship, and an appreciation of the Quaker method of arriving at group decisions are some of the essentials of a program for such education. Ministers and teachers should earnestly prepare themselves for their duties as leaders in this important work.
FRIENDS desire that all people realize for themselves a vital Christian experience. Our desire is for our children, young people, and adults to learn in the course of daily life to build Christian ideals into personal, social, work-related, and international relationships. Regular attendance at the meeting for worship and an active interest and participation in all activities of the meeting are factors of proven value in their continuance of the life of the church. This is particularly important in the education of our children and youth as well as those adults who are new in Christian faith and commitment.
PRISON reform, the abolition of slavery, the humane treatment of the physically and mentally challenged, systematic relief for the poor, provisions for their employment and self-help, the education of poor children, the prevention of injurious employment of children in industry, and the use of fair and fixed prices for goods and services are some of the activities in which Friends pioneered despite much indifference and even vigorous opposition. They established for themselves new ethical standards and sought earnestly that these be applied to every victim of oppression or wrong.
GEORGE Fox felt a deep concern for justice in social and economic relationships. He visited magistrates to urge that fair wages be fixed for laborers; he wrote Parliament to urge the redistribution of wealth so as to relieve the poor; he besought employers to treat their servants as they, under like circumstances, would wish to be treated. In brief, according to his conception, the practical workings of Christianity reached into every phase of human relations, so that wherever inequity or injustice was discovered, there was a matter for spiritual concern and remedial action. His intense and constructive evangelism in the social and economic fields gave a quality to early Quakerism that has survived changing conditions from the simple, localized industrial and economic systems of his day to the worldwide complexities of modern times.
The records of past achievements include the names of such well-known Friends as Elizabeth Fry in prison reform; John Woolman, Anthony Benezet, Joseph Sturge, and John Greenleaf Whittier in the abolition of slavery; and John Bellers and William Allen in the relief of the poor and unemployed and in the promotion of popular education.
THE profound changes in the world and the effects of modern technology challenge Friends to adapt their philosophy to the new conditions and to respond effectively to present-day problems. The obligation rests on Friends to demonstrate that economic wrongs can be righted and that justice for oppressed minorities or for any underprivileged group can be secured without the use of violence. The theory of violent coercion relies on the ability of one group to impose its will upon another by mere preponderance of physical strength. The yielding of the weak to the strong does not prove that the right has been vindicated or that opinions have altered.
The mere enactment of good laws does not in itself constitute reform; just and fair administration is also necessary. The constant aim should be to bring about such a spiritual transformation of all persons concerned that outward laws will be superseded by "the more excellent way."
THE development of a conscience sensitive to any maladjustments or unfair or morally harmful practices within our economic system should be a vital concern to all Friends. As a consumer, every person should endeavor to control his or her purchases to encourage healthful living conditions and adequate wages. The producer is under an ethical obligation to produce goods under sanitary conditions and without deception as to quality. Upon the employer rests the responsibility to see that those in his or her employ receive adequate wages and general treatment that will not dwarf, but rather develop their personalities. The employee should feel obligated to render loyal and efficient service to his or her employer and to exercise proper care in the use of tools and machinery and in the handling of materials used or produced in his or her work. As an investor, the individual should strive to avoid support of antisocial enterprises. The problem of distribution in the world's economic order should be a matter for profound Christian concern. Availability of the necessities of life to all people is highly important in the promotion of political and economic stability in the world.
GEORGE Fox wrote in his Journal that he "...lived in the virtue of that life and power that took away the occasion of all wars and [he] knew from whence all wars did rise, for the lust, according to James' doctrine." The lust that causes violence in war also causes us to do violence to God's creation. As part of creation we should be worthy stewards of creation. We have a biblical mandate to use the earth's resources wisely (Gen. 1 : 26).
We are grateful to God for the awesome beauty of nature, and the joy and sustenance we receive from it. We are part of creation and should be in balance with it. Our historic peace testimony not only relates to Isaiah's vision of a peaceable kingdom (Isa. 11 : 1-9), but also to the covenant God made through Noah with all of creation after the flood (Gen. 9 : 8-13). Likewise, our testimony on simplicity has always encouraged a lifestyle that is based on need and a concern for sharing natural resources. John Woolman said in 1772: The produce of the earth is a gift from our gracious creator to the inhabitants, and to impoverish the earth now to support outward greatness appears to be an injury to the succeeding age.
When we move from a lifestyle of simplicity to one of consuming more resources than we need, it will eventually deprive others, including future generations, of their basic needs.
To assure that the land is useful for generations to come, we must forgo activities that rob the earth of its bounty and encourage family farmers, who spend years getting to know the intricate relationships of soil, water, and seasons, and who have a lifestyle that fosters family, love of the land, spiritual living, and caring for neighbors.
Let us become better stewards of God's creation by informing ourselves about choices on basic items, such as our use of land, energy, transportation, and renewable items.
IN every social or business relationship, Friends should seek diligently to bring about a social order based on the Christian principles of justice, love, and good will. So strongly did early Friends feel their responsibility as individual members of society that, when they observed the violation of moral and religious principles, they assumed an attitude of penitence for society's sins. A greater measure of such responsibility must be felt by present-day Christians if they are to be effective agents in carrying on the work of social redemption.
ALTHOUGH certain that education alone "was not sufficient to fit a man to be a minister of Christ," early Friends were nonetheless concerned that a lack of it should not hinder the highest development of the youth under their care. Far in advance of his time, George Fox advised that schools be provided, for "girls and young maidens" as well as for boys, for instruction "in whatever things were civil and useful in the creation." William Penn also held and expressed at length advanced views on the importance of right methods and aims in the education of children, warning against such as would "make them scholars but not men." Schools were opened in Pennsylvania in 1683, only two years after Penn's grant, and a Friends' public school was set up in Philadelphia in 1689.
THE democratic organization of the Society of Friends has given emphasis to the importance of intellectual training as an aid to spiritual development and effective Christian service. The positions taken by the leaders noted above have been steadily maintained. Monthly meeting minutes and other records from the very beginning contain many expressions of concern that the education of the young be promoted and safeguarded. School and meeting have constantly gone hand-in-hand as a united bulwark of Quakerism throughout the world.
THIS practical application of ideals put Friends in the forefront in the development of educational opportunities and standards in this country. Their elementary and secondary schools in several states were the forerunners of the public school system, which has, for the most part, superseded the numerous Quaker institutions of earlier days. A few survive, mostly in the eastern part of the United States; and these, with a number of strategically-located colleges, do a highly important work in furthering the interests of Friends, both in thoroughness of scholarship and in the development of Christian leaders.
The aim of education is the full and harmonious development of the resources of the human spirit. Human nature has within it the promise of a divine growth; upon this we base our faith as a religious community. There can, therefore, be no task nearer our hearts than to help all our members towards the fulfillment of this promise. Such fulfillment means that body and mind alike bring all their gifts to fruition in the unity of the Spirit. Here is a clear call to educative effort as a part of the very purpose of the Christian religion. We desire to testify in word and deed to the truth that religion gathers the whole of life into its domain. We believe that there are godlike possibilities in every man. We must proclaim a Christian gospel of education which in breadth and depth shall be worthy of this faith....The intellect is an integral part of man's spiritual equipment; and its development brings with it a growth in personality and an increased power of facing difficult moral issues. The man whose mind is manysided has a special contribution to make to the solution of the complex personal and social problems of modern life (London Yearly Meeting, 1925).
FRIENDS regard the state as a social instrument to be used for the cooperative promotion of the common good. The source of its authority and the most reliable guide to its administration should be the inward conviction of right possessed by its citizens. "Our highest allegiance as Christians is not to the state but to the kingdom of God. But this does not mean that we have not duties, as Christians, toward the state and the nation to which we belong, or that our attitude toward the state should be a negative one or one of indifference" (London Yearly Meeting, 1925). Good government depends on observance of the laws of God by those in authority.
THE first authentic pronouncement of early Friends concerning their relationship to the state was made in the days of Oliver Cromwell in the form of an advice from a meeting of ministers and elders. It urged fellow members to accept public office, if they could rightly do so, as a means of serving their community. George Fox professed his loyalty to Protector and King in turn, declaring, "Our prayers are for them that are in authority, that under them we may live a godly life in peace." In those days of unrest and strife, Friends utterly disowned all plots and armed resistance against the government.
FRIENDS set definite limitations, however, to the authority of their rulers. More than once George Fox demanded of officers of the law whether he should obey God or man, and warned the king to "hearken to God's voice" or he would be overthrown. If occasion arises when it is necessary to refuse obedience to unjust laws, such conscientious objection should not be entered into lightly or hastily, and should be made with love and forbearance toward those who disagree. The conquest of evil is to be effected only by the overpowering force of truth and righteousness. Friends' testimonies in support of these principles in the days of their persecution and their steadfast insistence on the right of the freedom of conscience, peaceable assembly, and worship did much to gain religious liberty for citizens of both England and America.
FRIENDS' influence has been felt in the repeal or modification of harmful laws and customs in many areas. Friends work toward changes in government policy through spiritual forces rather than by arbitrary compulsion. They are concerned with the government's lack of response to the systemic causes of crime as opposed to focusing on the punishment of the individual. Friends are concerned about the prevention of criminal acts rather than their punishment.
THE views of Friends on justice in multicultural relations are based on the belief that the personality of every individual should be given scope and encouragement for right exercise and development. Their conception of a Light Within as an endowment of persons makes it impossible for Friends to draw lines of distinction in capacity or privilege between different races or nations. George Fox, in an epistle to Friends in America, wrote, "Let your light shine among the Indians, the blacks and the whites, that ye may answer the truth in them, and bring them to the standard and ensign that God hath set up, Christ Jesus." When he visited Barbados, he was deeply moved by the sinfulness and cruelty of slavery. In the same island a few years later, William Edmundson declared that Christ had died for blacks as for all other persons.
IN 1688, Germantown Monthly Meeting, in Pennsylvania, made what is believed to be the first official protest of any religious body against slavery. Although Philadelphia Yearly Meeting acknowledged the protest by a minute that a paper had been "presented by some German Friends, Concerning the Lawfulness and Unlawfulness of Buying and Keeping of Negroes," their position on the question was far from clear. It was not until 1760 that the yearly meeting was ready to call on Friends everywhere to free their slaves. There had always been those who had testified against the practice, and much effective work had been done in the preceding decades, notably by John Woolman. His faithfully-borne testimony to the necessity of making conduct conform to profession was so fruitful a message that Friends were generally free of slaveholding by 1780. Their efforts were then devoted to the convincing of society in general of the iniquity of slavery.
Preceding the Civil War, the homes of many Quakers became stations for the "Underground Railroad," by which thousands of slaves gained their freedom. After the Emancipation Proclamation, Friends became very active in aiding former slaves to establish themselves as free citizens in the full enjoyment of their rights. After the Civil War, various yearly meetings founded schools and orphans' homes. Many individual Friends, in the belief that there should be no distinction of privilege on the basis of color, have cooperated with numerous movements for the promotion of the social and economic welfare of those experiencing discrimination because of race, and have pressed for their integration into the general society.
THE American Indians have, at times, been treated most unjustly and cruelly, both officially and unofficially, but their problem has been more localized than that of the blacks. The record of Friends' relations with these Indians has been one of continuing good will from the time of William Penn. During the latter part of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, a number of missions and schools were maintained among the Indian tribes, notably by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting among the Six Nations of the Iroquois in western New York, and by Indiana Yearly Meeting among the Shawnees, first in western Ohio and later in Indiana Territory, when they were moved by the government. President Grant, in his first annual message to Congress, made the following statements: "I have attempted a new policy towards these wards of the nation. The Society of Friends is well known in having succeeded in living at peace with the Indians in the early settlement of Pennsylvania. They are also known for their opposition to all strife, violence and war, and are generally known for their strict integrity and fair dealing. These considerations induced me to give the management of a few reservations of Indians to them and to throw the burden of selection of agents upon the Society itself. The result has proven most satisfactory" (Kelsey, Friends and the Indians, p. 170). (see Associated Committee of Friends on Indian Affairs in the Affiliated Bodies section [p. 60].)
THE methods by which justice for all races may be secured are primarily spiritual. Their success will be measured by the depth of the divine concern that is the spring of all effective effort. Racial prejudice or a feeling of racial superiority tends to invalidate all attempts to secure justice in interracial relations. It is the concern of Friends that all people who are victims of prejudice or oppression may share with the most-favored the heritage of justice, freedom, and brotherly love which is their right. For God "hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth" (Acts 17 : 26). Friends believe that any racial discrimination is essentially a violation of God's law of love, whether by legal enactment or by inequitable practices which interfere with democratic liberties or cultural or economic development. To dwell together in friendly relations on a basis of mutual respect, courtesy, and understanding works toward the fulfillment of this law of love.
THROUGHOUT their history Friends have cherished the testimony that justice in international affairs, as in every other sphere of human life, can be achieved only by peaceful methods. The use of military force leaves the causes of disputes unsettled and, often, aggravated; the participants themselves become embittered and assume an attitude of hatred that is likely to precipitate another war. William Penn, in 1693, drew up a plan for the peace of Europe in which he provided for a permanent tribunal for the settlement of international differences. From that time, the testimony of Friends has been in favor of mediation, conciliation, and arbitration instead of war, which has been condemned by them as one of the greatest violations of the sacredness of human personality and as an absolute contradiction of the message and spirit of Christ.
FRIENDS emphasize the fact that the most effective way to end war is to remove its causes, such as misunderstanding, the desire for revenge, the spirit of aggression, and economic, racial, and territorial rivalries. This calls for the utmost endeavor to demonstrate the working power of fair dealing, universal equity, friendliness, and sympathy. The intricate network of modern life demands that Friends use every legitimate means to influence the attitudes of their government toward other nations, that all may conform to the highest standards of justice and good will as taught by Jesus. They should equip themselves with knowledge of the needs and opportunities for whatever ministries of Christian friendship exist in the world family of nations. They should cultivate the personal skills and abilities that will enable them to become interpreters of the Christian way of life which alone is the sure foundation for enduring peace.
STATEMENTS against war have been issued by Friends during practically every military crisis since the earliest days of their history. In 1660, the following declaration was made to Charles II by George Fox and others: We utterly deny all outward wars and strife, and fighting with outward weapons, for any end or under any pretense whatever.... And we certainly know and testify to the whole world that the Spirit of Christ, which leads us into all truth, will never move us to fight and war against any man with outward weapons, neither for the kingdom of Christ nor for the kingdoms of this world.
In 1805, during the Napoleonic wars, London Yearly Meeting thus advised in an epistle:
Guard against placing your dependence on fleets and armies; be peaceful yourselves in words and actions, and pray to the Father of the universe that He would breathe the spirit of reconciliation into the hearts of His erring and contending creatures.
FRIENDS hold that it is inconsistent with their religious principles to participate in military service. They have sought, therefore, and generally have been granted exemption on grounds of conscience and religious conviction. They recognize, however, that a consistent policy of nonviolence must include a willingness to face personal risk in administering relief to the victims of the tragedy of war and in performing other nonmilitary service.
THE work in Europe of the Friends Service Council (London) and the American Friends Service Committee during and after the World War of 1914-18 may be cited as one example of the practical application of Friends' philosophy to international affairs. This work included the reconstruction of devastated areas and the feeding of children and other war victims in Germany, Russia, and elsewhere; similar service was also rendered during and after the Civil War of 1936-39 in Spain. In an effort to promote friendly understanding and good will around the world, American Friends, through the American Friends Service Committee, in cooperation with Friends of London and Ireland Yearly Meetings, have established centers of religious fellowship, international community, and reconciliation in important cities of Europe and Asia. The Second World War gave new impetus to relief and reconstruction. War relief and reconciliation continues to be a concern among Friends.
THE faithful fulfillment of the marriage covenant is essential to the welfare of the family, the proper nurture of children, and the strength of the social structure. Friends are concerned about the breakdown of family life and abuse within family relationships. Failure to practice mutual consideration and to search for divine guidance in all of the interests and problems of family life often destroys the cohesive power of love, causes the disruption of the home, and, in many instances, leads to divorce. Friends have maintained a strong testimony for support of the family unit. Every effort should be made in the spirit of forgiveness to reconcile all differences that arise in family life.
MARRIAGE, if rightly conceived and faithfully maintained, is regarded by Friends as a sacred bond. Western Yearly Meeting affirms marriage to be between one man and one woman. It can never be truly accomplished by ritual form, legal sanction, or ministerial pronouncement. It should be consummated as an inward, voluntary, spiritual union of hearts, in the free initiative of mutual choice and outwardly expressed by the marriage partners. The meeting and the state provide the community acknowledgment of the true marriage of those "whom God has joined together," and it is to be held in high regard and to be observed with strict fidelity.
FRIENDS recognize that sexuality is a God-given part of life, upholding the ideal that sexual intimacy is to be enjoyed within the relationship of marriage based on mutual love and a lifetime commitment. Friends believe that casual or promiscuous sexual relations are wrong. Self-discipline that arises out of our biblical faith and Quaker concern for persons is necessary to avoid a situation which may result in unhappiness or exploitation of others.
Friends believe it is important that children be given opportunities to learn about their own sexuality and how it affects their relationships and responsibilities to other persons.
WHILE Friends desire that marriages be joyful and lasting, it is possible that meeting members may have difficulties in their marriage. It is the responsibility of a meeting to support the couple, to respect each person as an individual, to offer sympathetic advice and counsel to those having difficulties and, if necessary, to help either or both partners obtain competent counseling from a professional with a Christian faith commitment. Any discussions with either partner must remain confidential.
If divorce occurs, the meeting needs to continue its loving support and concern for all people involved. Special care needs to be shown to any children who are affected by the divorce. This is a special opportunity for ministering to the children to reduce feelings of bitterness or a decline in self-esteem. If requested by either partner, a clearness committee may be established to work with the couple.
EXERCISE and recreation are necessary for every person to maintain physical, mental, and spiritual health. Each individual must answer the question of acceptable activity in line with Christian principles and standards. Some kinds of activities are unwholesome and/or degrading. Self-respect, as well as high spiritual motives, should rule them out. Questionable activities should be avoided. Foremost in our thoughts must always be the question, Does this activity promote the abundant life as offered by Jesus?
Friends should be active among those who insist upon high standards of quality and moral influence in all forms of entertainment. Local meetings and communities should cooperate in providing opportunities for wholesome and constructive activities that meet social, emotional, and physical needs. The natural desires for beauty, competition, social fellowship, and romance must be recognized with wisdom and understanding, and sympathetically guided into sound Christian practices.
FRIENDS urge total abstinence from all drugs except those prescribed professionally or those necessary to achieve and maintain health. Even these medications should be used only responsibly and wisely.
The testimony of Friends regarding the use of alcohol is based on the belief that the human body is the temple of the Lord and that to harm it is to dishonor God. Any pleasurable or exhilarating effects produced by intoxicants are temporary and tend to injure both mind and body. Friends advocate total abstinence because any use of intoxicants is harmful, and because occasional indulgence may lead to excess, loss of self-control, and addiction. Scientific research confirms that alcohol and narcotics tend to dull ethical sense, impair judgment, affect eyesight, and decrease muscular control and coordination. Furthermore, use of such substances has long been known to be a major cause of poverty and crime. Friends have long opposed traffic in liquor and illicit drugs, for they are detrimental to human welfare.
A desire for peer approval often leads to social participation and experimentation. Friends should avoid such false supports of social standing and should recognize their responsibility to care for the safety and health of others as expressed by Paul: "If meat causeth my brother to stumble, I will eat no flesh for evermore, that I cause not my brother to stumble" (1 Cor. 8 : 13 RV).
FRIENDS consistently bear testimony against the use of all tobacco products as wasteful and harmful indulgences, which generally make the user indifferent to the discomfort imposed on others. This testimony applies to the cultivation, manufacture, and sale of tobacco products, since it is based upon the conviction that one's conduct should be governed by the admonition of Paul, who said, "Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10 : 31).
FRIENDS are strongly urged to abstain completely from seeking financial gain or personal pleasure or entertainment through any form of gambling methods or devices. They believe God entrusts possessions to them. Gambling violates this trust. To receive value when no value is given results in wrong attitudes toward property and is destructive of character. The precarious gains of the winner are at the cost of many losers, which is incompatible with the admonition to provide for "things honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men"(2 Cor. 8 : 21).
THE words of Jesus, "swear not at all" (Matt. 5 : 34), emphasize the importance of honesty in speech. Friends' position in regard to the taking of the judicial oath is not merely a negation of a procedure which they believe to be wrong, but it is a positive testimony of an ideal by which they endeavor to regulate their lives. They base their attitude on the principle that the truth is to be spoken at all times and that a person's word should be as good as his or her bond. The law allows a person to affirm the truth rather than to swear an oath in legal matters.
THE rights of individuals to freedom of action, within proper bounds, must be maintained. It becomes the duty of the church to warn its members against whatever may interfere with the development of Christian character. Although social organizations may be benevolent and useful, Friends are cautioned against membership in any organization which will directly or indirectly diminish sympathy with any portion of humanity or tend to take the place of the church of Jesus Christ as the center of their interest and activity.
THE Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) has historically and consistently opposed the death penalty in light of our deeply-held conviction that there is that of God in each and every person. To take life, even the life of someone who is guilty of murder or other heinous crimes, is a violation of our belief in the power of God's love to redeem and restore. Our compassion extends most deeply to the family of murder victims. We pray for these families, for justice, healing, and a lasting peace.
On the absolute grounds of religious principle and out of concerns for how the death penalty has been administered in practice, we of the Religious Society of Friends affirm our complete opposition to the death penalty and commit ourselves to working for a society in which that of God in all people is acknowledged. We also affirm our belief that the taking of life, even of the guilty, diminishes us all, does not make us safer, and contributes to the brutality of the world. We seek a society that is able to find more loving, healing, and life-affirming ways of bringing justice in the world.
FRIENDS use queries as guides to personal and corporate discernment. The purpose of the Queries is to direct the attention of everyone to the true sources of spiritual strength, to promote individual faithfulness to God, and to nurture the health of the meeting. They are of value in appraising the state of society and in helping each member to determine whether he or she is living a consistent Christian life. The Queries should be read frequently in private devotions and at specified intervals in monthly, area, and yearly meetings.
1. Spiritual Growth-Do you strive for the constant realization of God's presence in your life? Are you sensitive and obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit? Do you endeavor to advance your spiritual growth by the prayerful study of the Bible and other devotional literature?
2. Meeting for Worship and Business-Are all meetings for worship and for business duly held, and are you regular and punctual in attending them? Do you come with heart and mind prepared for communion with God and fellowship with one another? Do you individually assume your rightful share in the responsibility of the work and worship of the meeting? Are your meetings for business times of spiritual concern and prayerful search for the way of truth?
3. Christian Fellowship-Do you love one another as becomes the followers of Christ? Are you careful of the reputation of others? When differences arise, do you make earnest effort to end them speedily?
4. Home and Family-Do you practice the daily reading of the Scriptures in your families, giving time for reverent meditation? Do you make your home a place of hospitality, friendliness, peace, and Christian fellowship? Do you promote the moral and spiritual life of your children through careful supervision of their education, recreation, and friendships?
5. Youth and the Church-Do you seek the conversion and spiritual development of your young people? Do you endeavor to instruct them in the principles and practices of Friends? Do you strive to create a community life that will promote their mental and physical well being?
6. Standards of Life-Do you observe simplicity and moderation in your manner of living? Do you give proper attention to the rules of health? Are you careful to avoid all places of amusement that are inconsistent with Christian character? Do you practice total abstinence from tobacco, narcotics, and alcoholic beverages?
7. Business Responsibilities-Do you avoid such undue expansion of your business responsibilities as to endanger your personal integrity? Are you truthful and honest in your business transactions, punctual in fulfilling your promises, and prompt in the payment of your debts?
8. Missionary Enterprise-Do you make diligent effort to acquaint yourselves and those under your care with the spiritual needs of the world? Do you support by prayer and systematic giving those who are laboring to extend Christ's kingdom? Do you use your spiritual gifts in serving humanity as God grants you light to see such service?
9. Peace-Do you consistently practice the Christian principles of love and good will toward all men? Do you work actively for peace and for the removal of the causes of war? Do you observe the testimony of Friends against military training and service? Do you endeavor to make clear to all whom you can influence, that war is inconsistent with the spirit and teaching of Jesus?
10. Attitudes in Race Relations-Does your attitude toward people of other races indicate your belief in their right to equal opportunity? Do you believe in the spiritual capacity of people of all races and do you recognize their equality in the sight of God? Are you aware of your responsibility as a Christian to help in the elimination of racial discrimination and prejudice?
11. Social Conscience-Are you concerned that our economic system shall so function as to sustain and enrich the life of all? Are you giving positive service to society in the promotion of peaceful methods of adjustment in all cases of social and industrial conflict? Do you support efforts which promote a humane criminal justice system and oppose the death penalty? Do you as workers, employers, producers, consumers, and investors endeavor to cultivate good will and mutual understanding in your economic relationship? Do you intelligently exercise all of your constitutional privileges and thus seek to promote Christian influence locally, nationally, and internationally?
1. Responsibilities of Membership-Do you as elders and ministers recognize your responsibility in setting an example of faithfulness and loyalty to the meetings for worship and business? Do you accept appointment of this group as a definite response to the "high calling of God in Christ Jesus"? Are you concerned that the needs of all are ministered to in your meetings, whether by silent worship, inspirational speaking, or reverent music?
2. Relations with Other Members-Are you aware of the necessity of harmonious relations with your fellow members as a basis for the most effective service to the Church? Do you as leaders in the meeting strive earnestly to win men to Christ and to strengthen the faith and loyalty of fellow Christians?
3. Spiritual Gifts-Do you endeavor to recognize and develop your special talents and abilities for service in the meeting and do you pray for divine guidance in their use? Do you cultivate the spiritual gifts of the members of your meeting? Are you always ready to encourage and advise those who engage in the vocal ministry or in other Christian work?
4. Personal Life and Conduct-Do you provide in your schedule of activities an opportunity for daily devotions? Do you prayerfully seek the leading of the Holy Spirit in the interpretation of scriptural truth? Does your personal conduct reflect the true dignity of Christian character as set forth in the Scriptures? Do you always strive so to live that you will have a "conscience void of offense toward God and man"?