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More on Fox's Mission |
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In his perusal of present day Friends General Conference (FGC) - oriented Friends, Terry Wallace reminds us that present day Liberal unprogrammed Friends are reticent to accept low income Friends into their meetings as members even though they will extol political correctness and plead for the state authorities to embrace the poor. We know of one person connected to the New Foundation Fellowship who as a result of non-acceptance by an FGC meeting, eventually moved to the West Coast. Is it not incumbent for all Quaker gatherings to accept everyone who opens himself or herself to Christ in all manifestations of life? Certainly George Fox and other like-minded Friends ministered to the poor and repressed among them in addition to the economically secure who also needed Jesus to fulfill their broken lives. Early on in Quaker History before Friends in God's power, instituted meetings for worship. Quakers pleaded with the English establishment to reduce prison terms that were much too long. These Friends because they were motivated in Jesus pleaded with the Parliament to establish schools for the economically deprived youngsters. Above all, early Friends advocated that the Parliament wait on the Lord before enacting legislation. After Friends, in the power of Christ, established Gospel Order which occurred about twenty years after these Christian souls pleaded with the Government to alleviate suffering, Fox pleaded with the new Church order to relate to these problems of deprivation. He advocated that the more financially secure meetings should help the economically poorer ones to relate to the more needful Friends. That was true Gospel Order. And Friends strove to fulfill this need. As a matter of fact, early Friends established schools and residences for the deprived youngsters. Friends understood that Jesus loves all who seek the holy Father. May we do the same.
Arthur Berk |