Quakers meet in Empire

By Helen Westie
Sun contributor
A Quaker Worship Group under the care of The Grand Rapids Monthly Meeting has been holding services recently in members’ homes in Empire and in Benzie County. Known as the Manitou Worship group, services are conducted in the manner of the traditional, historic Quaker Meetings established by George Fox, founder of Quakerism and William Penn in the 1600’s in Pennsylvania and the East Coast of the United States. Most of these Quaker Meetings are still in existence. There is no minister, no clerical hierarchy, no rituals. Worship is conducted in silent contemplation. Now and then, a member may feel called upon to speak, but often an hour is spent in complete silence. The hope that eventually this group can evolve into the William Penn or Eastern type of Meeting which is completely unstructured and unlike even the Quaker churches in this area which have some structure.

Quakerism has been an integral and interesting part of American history as is the life of William Penn. The son of an admiral, Penn was born in a wealthy, illustrious English family. Penn as a youth rejected the wealthy life. He was taken with the Quaker philosophy that God can speak to individuals. He admired their stance on non-violence, and that there is “that of God in every man, woman, and child on earth,” which Quakers call “The Inner Light.” (Thomas Jefferson often wrote of the “Divine Spark” in all people and incorporated this in his equality idea in the Declaration of Independence.) The ideas were evident later when Penn wrote a constitution for the Pennsylvania. Many of his ideas were incorporated in constitutions of other states and even in the United States Constitution. But in the seventeenth century Quaker ideas were scorned and because of hi speaking and writing on Quakerism Penn was imprisoned in the Tower of London and twice in other prisons.
The King of England Charles II owned Penn’s father a large debt, which amounted to $80,000. Penn knew that the only hope for Quakers was in America, so he asked the king for repayment of this debt in wilderness land in America, which was granted. Penn opened his land to Quakers and they came to Pennsylvania by the thousands from England, Germany, the Netherlands and Wales to escape persecution.
In 1682 William Penn visited his new colony named Pennsylvania, meaning Penn’s woods. At this time he made his first treaty with the Indians. His dealings with the Indians was always so just that Pennsylvania was never attacked. When he returned to England in 1684 his colony was well established. Penn was a good friend of James II and won from the king pardons for religious prisoners of many faiths. After James II was exiled and William and Mary came to the throne, Penn came under suspicion as a friend of James II and was arrested several times. Later he was allowed his freedom but had to remain in London. He wrote two of his greatest works at this time. “Essays Towards the Present and Future Peace of Europe” and “Some Fruits of Solitude.” Penn’s essay was a plan for a league of nations in Europe based on international justice. The other was a book of wise sayings. He made another trip to America to settle some problems in the colony. King William tried to make a Pennsylvania a royal province but he died before he could carry out his plan. Penn was sent to prison again for false claims of debt. This term ruined his health and in 1712 he had a stroke. However he lived for six more years. At his death, his interests in Pennsylvania were left to his four sons.
Quakers were abolitionists since 1715. They actively helped slaves escape via the Underground Railway before the Civil War.
The Quaker Social Service Agency, the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) has been active since the early twentieth century. This organization has offices around the world. It stands ready to provide help in any disaster.
Quakers have often been criticized and especially in war times because they refuse to have any part of war. In any war they are conscientious objectors and will do alternative service. After World War I they were severely criticized for feeding German war orphans. However, after World War II, Humanitarian causes seem to have grown. AFSC was jointly awarded with the British Friends Service Council the Nobel Peace Prize — the one prize that can be awarded to a group as well as individuals. (This year the Peace Prize went to the Atomic Energy Commission for its efforts to stop nuclear proliferation. Recently it was awarded to Doctors Without Borders as well). An amusing story is told about Clarence Pickett who was chosen to go to Norway and accept the award for the Quakers. He had no tuxedo for the ceremony so he went to the Quaker Material Aid closet where there was a rack of tuxedos destined to go to a symphony orchestra. He borrowed one for his trip to Norway and then returned it.
The American Friends Service Committee has won much praise for collecting contributions and supplying aid in countries affected by the disastrous tsunami in 2005.
Anyone interested in learning about Quakerism or would like to visit a Meeting for Worship, please call Helen Westie at 326-5462 or Robert Foulkes at 326-3637.