George Fox (1624-1691) had a challenging spiritual beginning, he was told internally to forsake family and friends and found this difficult; he tried to get support from the churches and found them to be of little value, even though some of the Priests/ministers where from Oxford or Cambridge, the cream of the crop! He was learning to rely wholly upon the Lord Jesus Christ, learning that Christ and God where in the human heart.
Going within has scriptural support. The kingdom of heaven is within! (Luke 17:21) Jesus said, "If those who lead you say to you, 'See, the kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is inside …show more content…
of you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known, and you will realize that it is you who are the sons of the living father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty." "Gospel of Thomas (Lambdin Translation) -- The Nag Hammadi Library." Gospel of Thomas (Lambdin Translation) -- The Nag Hammadi Library. Web. 18 Aug. 2015.
He forsakes the churches and searched within. He had great success. He was forbidden to put off his hat to others and to use thee and thou, many were outraged by this social transgression. This implies to me that people where very obsessed with the superficially of life and maybe that’s why he was instructed to do this, to expose the very limited way people were being and to create a better relationship with themselves and others. The same injunction was regarding oaths. He considered oaths to be superficial and inappropriate, distracting and denying real divine commitment.
The resistance to oath extended to creeds. George discriminated between belief and faith. Faith has validation from the light, it is belief with experience to validate! Quaker Faith is: “the spiritual apprehension of divine truth or intangible realities.” Griswold, Robert. Creeds and Quakers: What's Belief Got to Do with It? Wallingford, Pa.: Pendle Hill Publications, 2005. 8. Print. This is interesting since I also say that faith has validation but from many different possible experiences of the divine that one may have. Devotion to a creed may give one solace if belief is all one has, it also limits one to seeking further and is a potential point of contention for others to control you and judge you. Devotion to creed or any dogma is a gross limitation of the divine, like a blind man trying to describe a sunset! We may get some emotional solace which also blinds us from truth. From the point of orthodoxy this can be seen as extraordinary heresy!
Learning to be still and getting inner wisdom is much more fulfilling than creeds. I see Christianity as the blind leading the blind and fighting over who has the Truth. One knows the front cover of the bible and the other knows the back cover of the bible! Fox saw creeds as the apple the serpent offered in the Garden of Eden!
He and his followers paid a great price. He promoted discretion in drinking of spirits, and integrity in selling of merchandise, and integrity in all actions, to educate children and servants to fear the lord and to give examples of sobriety and virtue. Teaching one to fear the Lord is a misunderstanding. If one fears something they either fight or flee. The Hebrew says reverence and awe! The latter interpretation is more charming and attractive to the heart.
He was greatly dismayed by the deceit of the churches and priests. He cried out against these outrages and was put in prison. He would not visit a sheriff before obtaining lodging as was the custom. He thought that would be an admission of some wrong doing. He threw out all of the current Christianity and was called to bring in the Truth! The truth as had the apostles lived and how Adam and Eve lived before the fall. He was healed by the Lord from his attacks yet they did weaken his body
The Quakers had the tendency to put intellectual obstacles in the path of their adversaries.
Fox asserted his divine sonship and the sonship of the believers which could be very offensive to the orthodox. Fox may not have explained this explicitly causing greater abhorrence and grief for the believer.
George Fox was a mystic, he fit into the thinking of the times such as the Familists and Quietism who emphasized the personal experience of God. The orthodoxy of the times was in a very limited state and was not satisfying to many true devotees such as Fox. A mystic is one who has direct experience of the divine and is not limited to belief and theology. Direct experience of the divine is a thousand time of greater value than intellectual study and belief.
Thomas Aquinas was a Italian Dominican friar and Catholic priest who was an immensely influential philosopher, theologian and jurist. He is heralded as the most influential Western medieval legal scholar and theologian. In 12/1273 he had a divine experience, a deep insight and with that realization; he found all of his previous works to be of little value! He is still considered to be the greatest theologian by the Catholic Church! That is a glimpse into the state of orthodoxy, then and now. Studying God directly is of greater value than thinking about God. One can have a PhD on strawberries or one can grow them and eat them. The latter person is much more fulfilled! George was more fulfilled and found the orthodoxy …show more content…
empty.
When I was young I had no use for the Christianity or Churchs, I saw great limits in them. In my early twenties I became aware of the divine experientially and I have progressed from there to loving our sacraments and appreciating other forms of worship, Christian or other. We unfold in our own way and time. I am curious if George had visited a high quality assembly performing sacraments in his later years what he would have experienced!
Fox used many words to describe the wisdom he received: Truth, Word, Seed, Power of God, Witness of God, Spirit, Light, Wisdom of God, Light Within, and Light of Christ. I like this since we are trying to describe the indescribable and we only get parts. “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part,” 1 Corinthians 13:9 KJV. Also the flavors of inspiration and communion are experienced differently by us at different times and differently by others. Each journey is unique and unfolds in its own way.
In the Veda an important verse is: Richo Aksara parame vyoman Yasmin deva adhi vishve nisheduh, yastanna ved kim richa karishyati ya it tad vidu ta ime smasate. (Rk Veda, 1.164.39) The verses of the Veda exist in the collapse of fullness (the kshara of 'A') in the transcendental field in which reside all the Devas, the impulses of Creative Intelligence, the laws of nature responsible for the whole manifest universe. He whose awareness is not open to this field, what can the verses accomplish for him? Those who know this level of reality are established in eveness, wholeness of life. Transcendental Meditation program - Reading the Vedic Literature in Sanskrit. (n.d.). Retrieved August 12, 2015. The transcendental field is the silence George speaks of. This can be applied to all scripture to some extent. It boils down to the relationship with the divine, if one is in Unity Consciousness, then one has the ability to fully appreciate scripture, if one is not established in Unity then the understanding is less. People do appreciate scriptures at many different levels and there is great confusion. People can and do justify everything with scripture, even the holocaust!
Unity Consciousness (oneness with all that is) is the goal of spiritual and religious paths. In Unity Consciousness the gap between the silence within of cosmic consciousness (Self awareness) and the silence without (all of existence is that) of God Consciousness dissolves. Now there is only one consciousness and the relative fluctuations of daily existence are secondary in the experience. This is the highest level of equanimity and yet not the flatness of Cosmic Consciousness. Indeed everything is experienced as one own self and is held dearly. George Fox reported experiencing this level, so his understanding was at a very good level and he had downloads from the divine (openings).
George has what he called openings, he had a great desire to know God’s will and was frustrated with the religions. “I heard a voice which said. “There is one, even Christ Jesus, that can speak to thy condition,” and when I heard it my heart did leap for joy. Then the Lord did let me see why there was none upon the earth that could speak to my condition, namely, that I might give him all the glory;…My desires after the Lord grew stronger, and zeal in the pure knowledge of God and Christ alone, without the help of any man, book or writing.” Fox, George. The Journal of George Fox. Cambridge [England: U, 1952. 11. Print.
“I was taken up in the love of God, so that I could not but admire the greatness of his love…Then after this there did a pure fire appear in me….by this invisible spirit I discerned all the false hearing and the false seeing, and false smelling which was atop, atop the Spirit, quenching and grieving it…the infinite love of God.
I saw also that there was an ocean of darkness and death, but an infinite ocean of light and love, which flowed over the ocean of darkness….the Lord opened it to me by his invisible power now that every man was enlightened by the divine light of Christ; and I saw it shine through all.” Fox, George. The Journal of George Fox. Cambridge [England: U, 1952. 21.
Print.
Fox is credited with the ability to accomplish many divine healings, including raising the dead and prophesies, including the Great Fire of London, Cromwell’s demise and the defeat of the Turks. He miraculously escaped many attempts on his life. He won every debate with an opposing sect, and most of his strongest persecutors were mysteriously destroyed or ruined. He healed himself after being severely beaten and got up and walked away, to the amazement of those who beat him!
He was granted great discernment of scripture, experienced interlocution, experienced the inner light and expounded and promoted scripture. What was his level of understanding of scripture? Life unfolds in steps of progress and I would suggest what he received was what was needed for the times. None of us has been given the full insight; I do not think we are yet ready or if even we are potentially capable.
1652 is marked as the beginning of the Quaker movement. One day George Fox climbed up desolate Pendle Hill (believed to be a haunt of demons) and saw "a people in white raiment, coming to the Lord." The vision signified to him that proclaiming Christ's power over sin would gather people to the kingdom. He was successful. In 1660, there were 50,000 followers. Zealous young men and women joined Fox in preaching at fairs, marketplaces, in the fields, in the jails, in the courts, and through the printing press. Gervase Benson, Edward Burrough, John Audland, Mary Fisher, Francis Howgill, and William Dewsbury and others where significant ministeries. Some men left Cromwell's army to join "the Lamb's war."
From his spiritual epiphany until 1652, Fox began itinerant ministry, preaching after Puritan meetings, or outdoors. Fox exhorted seekers to heed the voice of Christ within, to be honest in business, compassionate to the needy, and to share ministry for the true church. Large numbers of people were converted by his preaching, and opposition flourished. George Fox was thrown down church steps, beaten with sticks, fists and kicked and once beaten with a brass-bound Bible! He refused to be intimidated, and his courage and physical stamina gave validation to a central theme of his preaching: the power through Christ to live a holy life. Fox spent six months in Derby jail for such preaching. Offered release if he would accept a commission in Cromwell's army, Fox refused, saying Christ had brought him into the "covenant of peace." He was released after another six months. He spoke of damnation and fiery rewards. He witnessed much distress to those who imprisoned and defamed him. His relatives where very concerned. Many went to his cell to interrogate and threaten him unsuccessfully. He was inspired to give advice to ministers that sought him out in prison. He refused inappropriate bond and enraged the judge! He spoke out against the injustice he saw in the prison, death for small crimes. He admonished the wicked, woe unto thee. He was guided by the Lord were to speak and what.
Any time one declares oneself to have the true understanding of God and Christ and scripture one is on dangerous ground. I doubt that anyone has the complete and full understanding of the infinity of God and Christ. I doubt that anyone has a perfect understanding of scripture. To make such statements is arrogant, unless on can prove it! I see that he had some great deep insights that where very valuable for him and some others but much grief came to him and his believers that might have been avoided with a more humble and embracing attitude. To teach someone one need to take them from where they are and lead them to the new understanding skillfully, lovingly and gently. Maybe more could have heard his message and he would have had greater tolerance from society. On the other hand, maybe this shock therapy was necessary in order to have the effect he had or this was the best he could do! He did demonstrate meek and modest qualities in other areas of his life, such as with family, friends and believers. He exhibited the prophet’s fire, the wise man’s counsel, and touches of human kindness.
During examinations he had divine experiences, being in the Paradise of God and speaking what he was told by the divine to speak, testifying to be sanctified. He was cautious when being interrogated to avoid entrapment. Many priests, ministers and professors came to argue and discuss with him, some who opposed him had great trouble in their lives, even death!
The Quakers name came from Justice Bennet of Darby. He noted they tremble at the word of God. Naturally George experienced defamation.
In the beginning these fired-up Christians called themselves "children of the Light," "publishers of Truth," or "the camp of the Lord." Gradually they came to prefer the term "Friends," in accord with Jesus' words found in John 15:14. Critics, seeing only emotional exuberance had dubbed them "Quakers," in response to which Fox, without tact, told a tormenting judge he should tremble at the word of the Lord!
The restoration of monarchy did not bring relief from harassment, as Quakers had hoped. In fact, the Clarendon Code of 1662 and 1664 put thousands of Quakers in prison for illegal assembly and refusing oaths. Three were hanged in Boston for witnessing to religious liberty, Mary Dyer a grandmother, has a statue on Boston Common testifying to the price paid for religious freedom.
The1666 release from prison inaugurated Fox’s British Friends to set up a system of local and regional meetings, which diffused authority. Mimicking what Fox believed was the gospel order and to resist the cult of personality. In 1669, Fox married a widow, Margaret Fell. Her home in Swarthmoor had served for many years as a headquarters, and her own public ministry (including long imprisonment) added strength to Friends. Their marriage was a loving one, and fruitful. Their children honored Fox and cared for him in London during his later years. 1670s marked extensive travel in Europe for Fox, the West Indies, and America, and they sustained the movement through widely circulated pastoral letters and doctrinal writings. 1691 marked his death and the Friends in England, Scotland, and the American Colonies numbered 100,000.
George Fox's personal dynamism and Spirit anointment made him a powerful preacher, a penetrating seer, a gentle pastor, and occasionally a healer. George had a fundamentalists tone and limited education and a harsh nature overlying a loving heart. He was man of his word and lived in integrity. He led into ministry servants such as Isaac Penington and aristocrats such as, William Penn and Mary Fisher. Fox could be devastating to critics, but also persuasive, as when he pled with a burdened, tearful Oliver Cromwell, "lay your crown at Jesus' feet!" To those who longed for a more authentic Christianity, Fox's sermons, rich in biblical metaphor and common speech, brought hope in a dark time. His oft reprinted Journal is a Christian classic and aphorisms from his letters continue to inspire, e.g., "Truth can live in the jails," "be valiant for Truth upon the earth and tread upon deceit," “Be still and cool in thine own mind and spirit.” “Why should any man have power over any other man’s faith, seeing Christ Himself is the author of it?” and "keep on the mountain of holiness." "George Fox Quotes." BrainyQuote. Xplore. Web. 17 Aug. 2015. All these sayings and many more a good yet they can be turned into dogma and belief. Experiencing the light is vastly more important. Schools in several countries bear his name, as does, George Fox University in the USA
Persecution of the Friends was great. The orthodoxy had society and courts on their side and did use them to abuse the Friends to a great extent. The enemies of the Friends where as the Pharisees (wolves, dogs, dragon, bears, lions, tigers, wild beasts and birds of prey) of the time of Christ living by a limited way the law and not the spirit of Christ. The Friends where trying to live by the spirit. The Friends (lambs, sheep, doves) would not be putting off their hats or say oaths such as “God bless the king”. Oaths where often said while imbibing alcohol and caused great drunkenness and destruction to people in general. The Friends refused to pay tithes, this was punished and severely at times. They lost their lodgings because of the non-conformity and sometimes their horses. On occasion they were stoned while walking through the streets and cruelly abused.
George admonished others to be wary of deceivers within and without, rend all veils and coverings, and discern the right. His warning of being wary of deceivers within shows great discrimination and some glimpse into the interlocution and the methodology they experienced. Indiscriminate interlocution is potentially dangerous; one can be misled by lesser entities and cause great harm.
George said the unlimited love of God could create unity in the Friends and intimacy in righteousness. All one family of love, this is an ongoing theme in Christianity and other religions and spiritual dharmas. George said; go within to hear the Lord, this refers to: ‘Be still and know that I am God” (Psalms 46:10). This is a very important instruction and is poorly understood. The leaders of Christianity lost this technique and therefore the value and the ability to understand and utilize it. Meditation techniques can teach one to listen to the silence within and then if one is fortunate she gets instruction on how to hear and listen to the divine. Some fall into this naturally probably because of past life experience. Others need to be taught by a qualified teacher which seems to be very rare in the world. George re-enlivened this process for some for a while. This is indicative of his depth of divine connection and when he passed it was slowly lost. George recommended keeping to the ones. This is a normal theme: to keep with birds of a feather to enliven the values that they were focusing on. The lamb(s) shall have victory, and God’s power brings peace. This is familiar theme that devotees get support of nature and it is a challenging concept due to the great complexity of kharma and life. The elders supported and cultured others interlocution and led by example.
George said tithes where a game of power and control over the sheep and to feed the priesthood who were really Pharisees. Fox provided much argument against swearing of oaths, some tolerance was allowed for this perspective. Their good conscience towards God and man cost them much. Many where killed in the prisons because of the opposition to their meetings. They had a great loss of property also. The friends would not oppose those oppressing them, i.e. fight back. The Friends spread and grew and meetings increased, devotion increased and they took care of each other in many ways.
Fox recommend associating with the sober, wise and serious, shunning wild and frivolous people. Not to the mind the things of this world but the eternal. This tenant represents a misunderstanding of spirituality. Shunning the relative aspects of life in the hopes of obtaining spiritual progress is a gross misunderstanding. The recluse has the path of denying desires for spiritual upliftment and focus. The householder naturally has desires and they should be fulfilled. Life is a beautiful banquet from the divine and it is meant to be enjoyed and it is part of the progress of the householder to live this way. Straining against ones nature can be very damaging to progress. Christianity has promoted this misunderstanding and has not appealed to the natural inclinations of householders, losing many devotees. This is particularly true with all the negativity towards sexuality and has caused a great deal of harm to people and the process and progress of spirituality.
Quakers changed, as is inevitable. Time brings changes in Quakerism due to economics and theology. There became Conservative Friends, Friends United Meeting, Evangelical Friends International and Friends General Conference. Much diversity appeared, where was the original message? The purist says that Quakerism died out by 1880! Many Quakers moved to Iowa before the civil war and created Quakers communities and helped with the slave underground railroad.
One of the splits and division of the Society of Friends had George Keith as a leader. American George Keith led a group of 15 meeting to part, saying the Light was not sufficient for salvation and that belief in scriptures was necessary. He promoted a traditional Protestant idea of saved by grace belief. He became an Episcopalian minister hoping his followers would follow, most became Baptists!
Margaret Fox advised against rules. Some Quakers established conformity of dress and avoiding certain types of adornment. The Society in America took into forbidding drink in the late 1700’s; referring to Col2:16, this is a conflict. They entered spiritual death! The focus on superficiality and not the light shows the decay of the original inspiration that George Fox taught. The spiritual juice of Geo Fox was gone. The is not the first time the light of a much evolved powerful individual when lost, results in the organization deterioration. One could say they were becoming Pharisees, focusing on the letter of the law and losing the spirit of the law.
The Irish split based on discontent with the Bible and conflict with their anti-war beliefs. There was also conflict as to proper behavior and this created disunity. There was conflict over small points of dogma, which has been the history of mankind in religion, the blind leading the blind.
John Gurney through subterfuge enjoyed the silent worship and also promulgated the same doctrine that Keith had been expelled a century earlier and he obtained control of the organization. The Episcopal tenants where embraced which was a total antithesis of the Society which precipitated the next two separations.
Elias Hick in 1827 in America was attacked by the Gurney Quakers which led to a widening gap in the groups. The division led to court actions over the properties! Is this an example of brotherly love? No it is ignorance. This resulted in the Hicksites which was closer to the original sprit of the Quakers.
John Wilbur led a split from the Gurney led Society for mostly the same reason as the Hicksite separation. The conflict was over basic doctrine. This spread to other groups.
George Keith was one who liked controversy and created controversy and created all sorts of disunity in Philadelphia. His agenda was to convert the Society to the traditional orthodox perspectives.
What is left of the Quakers? There are few who practice the silence, it has devolved into diversity and separation, with focus on limited understanding. Many have become part of the orthodoxy. The light has almost been extinguished. A recent worldwide membership count is, 358,923! But who are they?
Jesus Christ incarnation was like a college professor coming into a room of kindergarteners. How well did his students learn? Did any have a full understanding? How well was the message passed onto the future? These questions are valid and very important for the value of Christianity. The same questions could be asked for George Fox. His life also shows that Christ is available to the individual and the individual will understand according to his nature and spiritual development. This gives us hope and the field of human limitations at the same time. What is the big picture? Christ will bring all humans to him in time. Thousands have awakened (salvation) in Christianity yet the vast majorities are still in process.