In the 20th century Friends\u2019 witness in the world placed a high value on our Testimonies and our community has made strong statements for Equality and Civil Rights and for Peace.<\/p>\n
But it is important to remember that early Friends saw their witness in the world mainly as a reflection of their inner life and they \u201cdescribed themselves as persons who had undergone a radical transformation.\u201d\u00a0 Their immediate first-hand experience of the Light of the Living Christ changed them.\u00a0 As this inward change took place, there was a corresponding change in the way Friends lived their day-to-day lives.\u00a0 Living the Testimonies was the natural outward expression of the inward life, the natural expression of doing \u201cwhat love required.\u201d<\/p>\n
George Fox suggested that Friends become \u201cpatterns witnessing to the Truth\u201d and the \u201cpattern\u201d to which he referred was an inward opening to continuing revelation of the Living Truth, which when followed leads us to witness with our lives.\u00a0 This is what we mean when we say: \u201cLet your life speak.\u201d<\/p>\n
Our Testimonies have been described differently in different times and places.\u00a0 Some suggest that there are 4 and name them as: \u201cHarmony, Community, Equality, and Simplicity.\u201d\u00a0 Others say: \u201cEquality, Peace, Simplicity, & Truth.\u201d\u00a0 Recently our Testimonies reflect the collective longing for deep integrity and cohesive community, bringing the number to 5: \u201cCommunity, Equality, Integrity, Peace, Simplicity.\u201d\u00a0 And the NEYM Faith and Practice adds \u201cStewardship.\u201d<\/p>\n
No matter how we name or number them, the beauty of Friends\u2019 Testimony in the world is our ability to adapt, to meet the most significant issues of the day in meaningful and relevant ways.<\/p>\n
We no longer testify to equality by speaking plain; it is no longer necessary to address people with the familiar \/ singular pronoun \u2018thee\u2019 as it was in 17th Century England when the noble class expected to be addressed with the formal \/ plural \u2018you\u2019 to acknowledge their \u2018divine rights.\u2019\u00a0 Early Friends acknowledged \u201cthat of God in everyone\u201d (not just in the nobility) and gradually society has achieved new understandings of equality.\u00a0 We are now less class bound and though we are probably not conscious of it when we address each other as \u2018you\u2019 we are really recognizing Equality \u2013 \u201cthat of God in everyone\u201d when we say \u2018you\u2019.<\/p>\n
Another early Testimony was to Simplicity \u2013 dressing plain.\u00a0 Plain dressing was a response to fashion as a lavish expression of wealth by the English gentry \u2026 and an early call to an intentional, thoughtful life style.\u00a0 Unfortunately, plain dressing quickly became a badge, an \u2018outward sign,\u2019 an empty form. Even Margaret Fell, wife of George Fox, protested it, saying that to dress \u201call in one dress and all in one color\u201d is a \u201cSilly poor gospel!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She goes on to say: \u201cIt is more fit for us to be covered with God\u2019s eternal Spirit \u2026 clothed with the Light \u2026 which leads us and guides us \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Today we might say that Simplicity is our testimony if we are intentional with our time and energy.\u00a0 Lloyd Lee Wilson says that the simple life is one in which there is \u201ctime to remember the divine purpose behind our tasks, time to listen for a possible divine amendment to the day\u2019s schedule, and time during the day to be thankful for the divine presence \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
And Friends\u2019 witness for Peace – that is: living in the life and power that takes away the occasion for all war – will, of course, always endure.<\/p>\n
Each of our testimonies is born of Friends\u2019 commitment to Integrity or Truth \u2026 integrity \/ conscience rises out of God\u2019s concern for us.\u00a0 It is by listening to the \u2018still small voice within,\u2019 that we are able to tend with integrity our witness for Equality, Simplicity, Community and Peace.<\/p>\n
The beauty of Friends\u2019 testimony is that we tend not to get stuck (at least for very long) in empty form.\u00a0 Our capacity to adapt speaks to the strength of Friends\u2019 \u201ccreedless\u201d witness of our faith, the transformative potential of simply allowing the Light of Christ to lead \u2026 and to open Friends to the new Light of continuing revelation.\u00a0 In the future Friends\u2019 witness in the world will inevitably need to address new leadings that arise to meet new needs \u2026 but because Spirit is consistent, certain principals will always prevail.<\/p>\n
It is important for us, while living the testimonies, that we do not get the \u201ccart before the horse\u201d and look outward for confirmation of their value.\u00a0 When we ask, \u201cAre we making a difference?\u201d; \u201cAre we changing the world?\u201d; \u201cAre we still fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?\u201d we risk growing discouraged.\u00a0 If the testimonies are acted upon with a misplaced expectation that the world will change we do indeed risk becoming both exhausted and dispirited. It is enough to tend and stay obedient to the Light, the inward guide. And then to do just what love requires of us, for love\u2019s sake. This is living our testimony. This is enough.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In the 20th century Friends\u2019 witness in the world placed a high value on our Testimonies and our community has made strong statements for Equality and Civil Rights and for Peace. But it is important to remember that early Friends … Continue reading