The Message and Mission of QuakerismBraithwaite, William C. (William Charles)
Religion
The Message and Mission of Quakerism
Braithwaite, William C. (William Charles)
Society of Friends
meant the daily crossing of the carnal mind. It had meant all these
things, yes, but it had meant also the incoming of the Life of Christ,
bringing men into a new fellowship with one another and with God.
We have to admit that in the first tide of this wonderful experience
there were some serious extravagances of thought and conduct. It would
be strange, I suppose, if newly opened eyes did not sometimes see men
as trees walking. You get these extravagances when a fresh faculty of
the soul is awaking to its powers. But the main phenomenon of
Quakerism is the heightened personality which undoubtedly came to the
Children of the Light. They were men and women to “shake their country
in their profession for ten miles round,” as some of our Friends have
done in the Western states. Their very look carried with it the
sentence of honor or shame. Their words had a challenging power,
challenging men’s consciences, forcing them to face the issues of good
and evil, shattering self-complacency and self-righteousness. The
Quaker was an impregnable man, his principles were held with an
extraordinary tenacity. He stood not on a sandy foundation of notions,
but on a rock of experience, and thus founded the man was sure and
steadfast. The message of a present living Christ within the heart and
a present Kingdom of God awaiting those who would receive it burned in
the heart of these first Friends. It burned in their hearts as a
gospel for all men. It is a great mistake to suppose that the Quaker
Church was founded as a sect. It had nothing sectarian about it. It
had a great message of vital spiritual experience to give to the whole
world. These first Friends were evangelists of vital Christianity.
They began as our evangelists to-day begin, by warning men to repent.
George Fox went up Wensleydale calling on men to repent, for the day
of the Lord was at hand, and proclaiming the Kingdom of Christ at the
door of men’s hearts, for them to take or reject. That is the spirit
of this early Quakerism, and it surely takes us back to the spirit of
the prophets and of primitive Christianity.
II.
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