Quaker History

What won't we try in our quest for perfect health, beauty, and the fountain of youth? Well, just imagine a time when doctors prescribed morphine for crying infants. When liquefied gold was touted as immortality in a glass. And when strychnine - yes, that strychnine, the one used in rat poison - was dosed like Viagra. Looking back with fascination, horror, and not a little dash of dark, knowing humor, Quackery recounts the lively, at times unbelievable, history of medical misfires and malpractices. 

Towards the 17th century, the Puritan-raised George Fox became increasingly discouraged by the worsening moral conditions of society. George was unable to fill the spiritual void inside of him, until one day, he discovered his inner "Light". Next came the godly visions. George began to preach about the "true" Word of God, and soon, amassed a following - the Religious Society of Friends, later known as the "Quakers".

A book about a tiny island with a huge history, from a New York Times bestselling author of the forthcoming book, Valiant Ambition (May 2016) “For everyone who loves Nantucket Island this is the indispensable book.” —Russell Baker In his first book of history, Away Off Shore, New York...

Many other mainline Christians viewed the Quakers as a dangerous sect, so much so that they pressured the British Parliament to pass the Quaker Act of 1662. This act set forth in law the “prescribed form” of prayer and worship as designated by the state. It was a formula that specifically left the traditions of the Quakers out. Unable to gain acceptance in England, the Quakers would soon leave the place of their origin altogether and try their luck in a brave new world on another continent.

An intimate account of the American Revolution as seen through the eyes of a Quaker pacifist couple living in Philadelphia. Spanning a half-century before, during, and after the war, this gripping narrative illuminates the Revolution’s darker side as patriots vilified, threatened, and in some cases killed pacifist Quakers as alleged enemies of the revolutionary cause. Amid chaos and danger, the Drinkers tried as best they could to keep their family and faith intact. A master storyteller takes his listeners on a moving journey they will never forget.

When people hear the word Quaker, their first association is often oats, motor oil, or the Amish—but oatmeal, automobile lubricant, and avoiding electricity have nothing to do with the Quakers' holistic mysticism. What is central to Quaker spirituality is the Divine Center, an inner sanctuary where the very Presence of God dwells. As Quaker theologian Rufus Jones wrote: “The kingdom of God is not a place where we go, but a state of being we can live in.” And we don’t need to take the journey by horse and buggy! Let Amos Smith open your heart and expand your mind. Quakerism holds ...

The Fearless Benjamin Lay chronicles the transatlantic life and times of a singular and astonishing man - a Quaker dwarf who became one of the first ever to demand the total, unconditional emancipation of all enslaved Africans around the world. He performed public guerrilla theater to shame slave masters, insisting that human bondage violated the fundamental principles of Christianity.

It is 1969 and Glasgow is in the grip of the worst winter in decades, yet it is something else that has Glaswegians on edge: a serial killer whose name alone is enough to make them tremble with fear. The Quaker has killed another victim, snatching a young woman from a nightclub and dumping her body like trash in the back of a cold-water tenement. He leaves no clues, and the investigation has led police down one blind alley after another.

A Sweeping History of the Great State of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania's story is America's story. From William Penn's radical experiment in religious tolerance to the furnaces that forged a nation's steel, from the battlefield at Gettysburg to the factories that armed democracy, this commonwealth has stood at the center of every chapter in the American narrative. In this sweeping history, Daniel Hardy traces Pennsylvania's journey from indigenous homeland through colonial diversity, revolutionary crucible, and industrial dominance to post-industrial reinvention. Here are the dreamers and the ...

William Penn was a very early Quaker in England. He knew George Fox (the founder of Quakerism) and was with the movement from the beginning.

A thrilling celebration of a forgotten early American renegade, Not Your Founding Father reconsiders just how radical the American experiment could have been. Early in the morning of October 10, 1776—in the small farming community of Cumberland, Rhode Island, in a house surrounded by cherry...

Rebecca Mendenhall is counting the days to Christmas, when she'll wed Johnny Whittier in their Quaker Meeting House. But in September, a division is formed between Rebecca and Johnny. The Fugitive Slave Law is enacted, making it illegal to aid runaway slaves in Pennsylvania, punishable by heavy fines and prison sentences. Rebecca's parents are avid abolitionists and Johnny' father is not, believing Quakers must abide by the laws of the land. Division's among the Quakers on how to deal with this new law splits their Meeting House in two: Rebecca in one house and Johnny in another. Will ...

For more than sixty years, Friends have used A Guide to Quaker Practice to demystify Friends’ activities. Howard Brinton wrote the guide assuming that somebody would improve on his work as the Religious Society of Friends grew and changed in the second half of the twentieth century. His guide proved more durable than he anticipated. It saw three printings during the 1940s. Following a thorough revision in 1950, it was reprinted ten times before its next revision in 1993. One explanation for its durability can be found in Brinton’s own writing.

Black Fire: African American Quakers on Spirituality and Human Rights gathers together the voices of 18 remarkable individuals who spoke and wrote as African Americans from within the Quaker community. They testify about their viewpoints on racial justice -- both within the Religious Society of Friends and society at large - and they speak of their life in the Spirit. As a collection, these selections exhibit the vitality and wisdom that three centuries of African American Quakers have contributed to and on behalf of Friends.

A highly accessible biography of Elias Hicks, a nineteenth-century Quaker from Long Island who campaigned against slavery and was at the centre of some painful political developments among American Quakers. Revised and corrected edition.

Of all the original 13 colonies in America, only one owes its conception to one man, and indeed, Pennsylvania was and still remains bound up in the life and character of its founder, William Penn. Here was a man born into a military family who saw his father rise through the ranks of the 17th-century English court to become a friend of the king, and he even considered a military career for himself, only to leave it all behind to become a member of the "Society of Friends", known colloquially as the Quakers.

From the Introduction: “Perhaps the Quaker tradition’s activist tactics coupled with contemplative spirituality could prove a useful offering as future Friends and others seek ways to engage in the work of personal and societal transformation.” About This Collection: In this unprecedented gathering of essays on ecology, creation care, and sustainability, over two dozen Quaker authors and scholars address some of the most pressing concerns of our day. Beginning with Quaker themes historically, essays also move toward developing a Quaker ecotheology, discuss Quaker approaches to the ...

While many denominations claim to be growing, the largest group in American religious life is the disillusioned—people who have been involved in the church yet see few similarities between the church's life and the person of Jesus. In the midst of elaborate programming, professional worship...

An invitation to experience more fully the life-changing power of sacred silence. For over a decade, J. Brent Bill's Holy Silence has been regarded as a contemporary classic on sacred silence. With warmth, wisdom, and gentle humor, Bill presents the Quaker practice of silence and expectant listening to a wider Christian audience.

The birth of a world-changing idea in the middle of a bloodbath Einstein’s War is a riveting exploration of both the beauty of scientific creativity and enduring horrors of human nature. These two great forces battle in a story that culminates with a victory now a century old, the mind...