Society of Friends embraces simplicity
The Society of Friends, otherwise known as Quakers, are a small, simplistic group of 12 to 24 who meet regularly in Logan each Sunday.
Although they are simplistic, they no longer dress or look like the guy on the Quaker Oatmeal box, Carol O’Connor, the clerk, said.
The Quakers meet in congregations called meetings for one hour in silence. The members sit in chairs in a circle where they can meditate until they are moved by the Spirit to say something, O’Connor said.
“Our goal is to be moved by the Spirit to say something over the course of the hour” she said.
The meetings are really informal, but important to draw strength from each other and God, O’Connor said.
“Because of the silence, it [the meetings] is hard for the children, so we have first-day school which is oriented towards children,” O’Connor said. “It is like a Sunday school or primary for the older kids.”
O’Connor said Quakers do not have a minister to preside over the meetings; instead a clerk is there to take charge of the paperwork. Unlike other Christian religions, there is hardly any hierarchy in the Society of Friends.
Quakers came into existence in the 1600s as extreme radical Puritans and are more radical than traditional Puritans, O’Connor said.
The Society of Friends was founded on four key beliefs: Honesty, peace testimony, simplicity and community.
Quakers do not believe in war. They are against fighting and joining the military, O’Connor said.
“We are granted a conscious objective so we don’t have to go to war,” she said.
O’Connor said Quakers will refuse to take oaths to tell the truth because they always tell the truth. But they will affirm the truth.
Simplicity is emphasized. Quakers are not overly materialistic. By staying simplistic, they avoid an intense concern for fashion and can live in harmony with the world, O’Connor said.
The community is strong within the Circle of Friends with a strong sense of equality. Both men and women are equal leaders in the community. Community and equality was really big during slave times. Quakers were advocates of abolitionists and saw that everyone does have God in them, she said.
Quakers do not proselytize, O’Connor said. Quakers do get involved in social actions and activities, and that is how people can get to know more about them. When someone wants to convert, they must write a letter to the clerk expressing their desire to become a “friend.” The letter then goes to a clearness committee to discuss the person’s reasons for joining the friends. If everyone on the committee agrees the person should be a new friend, they write a letter to the clerk recommending membership.
The candidate’s letter will season, or wait, for one month while everyone becomes comfortable with him or her. They also give the candidate a chance to become comfortable with the friends. Once this process is completed, the new friend or Quaker is welcomed, she said.
The Society of Friends meet Sundays at 10 a.m. in the Whittier Community Center located at 300 N. 400 East.