Time Travel Photo Journal #13: With a Little Help from The Friends

0 Conversations

A series of pictures and factoids for Create's NaJoPoMo Challenge.

Time Travel Photo Journal #13: With a Little Help from The Friends

Radnor Friends Meetinghouse near Philadelphia.

It's Sunday morning, or, as the Friends call it, First Day. You join the others in the meetinghouse. It's simple, unadorned. You go sit quietly on one of the pews. People smile at each other, but nobody says a blessed word.

And it stays that way for nearly an hour. Until the meeting's leader calls time. Then you all go outside and talk.

There's no music. There's no marching around in robes. Nobody offers, or takes, 'Communion'. Nobody reads scripture at you, or tells you that God wants you to vote Republican. Nobody collects any money.

If somebody stands up to talk, they've got something on their heart. You listen, but don't stare, applaud, or argue. You let it happen. People take this seriously.

All except for Ben Franklin in the corner. He's asleep. Actually, that happened at Arch Street Meeting, in downtown Philadelphia, the first day young Franklin arrived in town. He'd walked from Boston, he wasn't a Quaker, and he was tired. I'm sure they just chuckled.

A Quaker meeting will bore the Devil to death. It will also bore a Fundamentalist to death. Lacking anybody to argue with, he'll go away quietly. That's the idea.

Radnor Meetinghouse was built in 1717. It's still used. A very quiet place, except during the Revolution, when George Washington's people commandeered it for an outpost. Shame on them. You don't talk about war in positive terms in a Quaker meeting. That's what comes of being so close to Valley Forge, though.

If you ever get a chance to attend a Quaker meeting, please do. You won't need any money. You won't need to genuflect, recite a creed, or know the lyrics to 'Holy, Holy, Holy'. Nobody will sign you up for anything. If you went up to a Quaker and said, 'I don't believe in God,' they'd just smile at you. And ask if you wanted to talk about it sometime, they'd like to hear your views.

Just not in the meeting. Meeting's are quiet – unless the Holy Spirit's talking.

Time Travel Photo Journal Archive

Bookmark on your Personal Space


Conversations About This Entry

There are no Conversations for this Entry

Entry

A87816126

Infinite Improbability Drive

Infinite Improbability Drive

Read a random Edited Entry


Written and Edited by

Disclaimer

h2g2 is created by h2g2's users, who are members of the public. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not those of the Not Panicking Ltd. Unlike Edited Entries, Entries have not been checked by an Editor. If you consider any Entry to be in breach of the site's House Rules, please register a complaint. For any other comments, please visit the Feedback page.

Write an Entry

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a wholly remarkable book. It has been compiled and recompiled many times and under many different editorships. It contains contributions from countless numbers of travellers and researchers."

Write an entry
Read more