A Portraiture of Quakerism, Volume 2: Taken from a View of the Education and Discipline, Social Manners, Civil and Political Economy, Religious Principles and Character, of the Society of Friends — John Shaqi
A Portraiture of Quakerism, Volume 2: Taken from a View of the Education and Discipline, Social Manners, Civil and Political Economy, Religious Principles and Character, of the Society of FriendsClarkson, Thomas
Religion
A Portraiture of Quakerism, Volume 2: Taken from a View of the Education and Discipline, Social Manners, Civil and Political Economy, Religious Principles and Character, of the Society of Friends
Clarkson, Thomas
Society of Friends
_But though the Quakers have made these regulations, the world find
fault with many of their trades or callings--Several of these
specified--Standard proposed by which to examine them--Some of these
censurable by this standard--and given up by many Quakers on this
account, though individuals may still follow them._
But though the Quakers have made these beautiful regulations concerning
trade, it is manifest that the world are not wholly satisfied with their
conduct on this subject. People charge them with the exercise of
improper callings, or of occupations inconsistent with the principles
they profess.
It is well known that the Quakers consider themselves as a highly
professing people; that they declaim against the follies and vanities of
the world; and that they bear their testimony against civil customs and
institutions, even to personal suffering. Hence, professing more than
others, more is expected from them. George Fox endeavoured to inculcate
this idea into his new society. In his letter to the yearly meeting in
1679, he expresses himself as follows: "The world also does expect more
from Friends than from other people, because they profess more.
Therefore you should be more just than others in your words and
dealings, and more righteous, holy, and pure, in your lives and
conversations; so that your lives and conversations may preach. For the
world's tongues and mouths have preached long enough; but their lives
and conversations have denied what their tongues have professed and
declared." I may observe, therefore, that the circumstance of a more
than ordinary profession of consistency, and not any supposed immorality
on the part of the Quakers, has brought them, in the instances alluded
to, under the censure of the world. Other people, found in the same
trades or occupations, are seldom noticed as doing wrong. But when men
are set as lights upon a hill, blemishes will be discovered in them,
which will be overlooked among those who walk in the vale below.
The trades or occupations which are usually condemned as improper for
Quakers to follow, are numerous. I shall not therefore specify them all.
Those, however, which I purpose to select for mention, I shall accompany
with all the distinctions which equity demands on the occasion.
The trade of a distiller, or of a spirit-merchant, is considered as
objectionable if in the hands of a Quaker.
That of a cotton manufacturer, who employs a number of poor children in
the usual way, or in a way which is destructive to their morals and to
their health, is considered as equally deserving of censured.[4]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account