Three Apostles of Quakerism: Popular Sketches of Fox, Penn and BarclayRhodes, Benjamin
History
Three Apostles of Quakerism: Popular Sketches of Fox, Penn and Barclay
Rhodes, Benjamin
Barclay, Robert, 1648-1690; Fox, George, 1624-1691; Penn, William, 1644-1718; Society of Friends
The little band of Scottish Friends contained several remarkable men,
with whom he had close and continued intercourse. For several years
after his conversion, until 1673, ALEXANDER JAFFRAY (see pp. 83 & 93)
survived, infirm in the body, but bright and happy in soul. His long
unrest was ended; he had found amongst the Friends the close walk,
the pure life, and the godly and loving brotherhood that he had long
sought. The only thorns in his dying pillow were the persecuting spirit
of the churches, and the non-conversion of his beloved wife. She,
however, was so impressed by his death-bed experiences and testimony
that she soon afterwards joined the Society. GEORGE KEITH, a graduate
of Aberdeen University, was a zealous advocate of Quakerism by tongue
and pen, doing and suffering with a loving zeal, on which he looked
back with regretful glances after his decline and perversion. He
became a Friend in 1663, and for thirty years was a pillar amongst
the brotherhood. His treatises on "Immediate Revelation" and on the
"Universal Light, or the Free Grace of God asserted" were highly
valued by Friends. He settled in Pennsylvania; but changing his
social and religious opinions, he quarreled with his brethren and
with the authorities there; and after an attempt to form a new sect
of "Christian Friends," he came to England and joined the established
church. He was put forward as a resolute opponent of his old allies.
But Gough in his History of Friends gives reasons for believing that he
was conscious at the last that he had declined in grace at this time.
To a Friend who visited him on his dying bed, he is reported to have
said, "I wish I had died when I was a Quaker, for then I am sure it
would have been well with my soul." JOHN SWINTOUNE, already mentioned,
was a frequent visitor at Ury, at Monthly Meetings and other special
times. Sir Walter Scott claims him as one of his ancestors. He, like
Jaffray, turned from a life of political activity and honours, to a
life of hearty devotion to Quakerism. He was of very good family,
baron of Swintoune, and at one time one of the Lords of Sessions. He
had been so mixed up with the affairs of the commonwealth, that at the
Restoration he was thrown into prison, and was in great peril. But in
the meantime the light of divine truth shone into his heart, and when
brought to trial, he was more ready to condemn himself than his judges
could be, and only anxious to tell of the goodness of God to his soul.
Bishop Burnet says "He was then become a Quaker, and did with a sort
of eloquence that moved the whole house, lay out his own errors, and
the ill-spirit he was in, when he did the things that were charged on
him, with so tender a sense, that he seemed as one indifferent what
they should do with him; and without so much as moving for mercy,
or even for a delay, he did so effectually prevail on them, that
they recommended him to the king as a fit object for his mercy." His
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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