Working Claim
America was a place of refuge for
the Quakers to reside after facing religious persecution.
Intro
America was a place for religious
groups to come and practice freely without the fright of being punished
for what they believed in. During this time those in New England were only
able to practice the set religion of the Anglicans. Some were whipped,
imprisoned, and even fined for refusing to participate . Religious groups
such as the Quakers came to America to set up a colony where others could
come and join them;however it seemed as if they had a little inside
secret among themselves; others could only join them if they agreed to
practice along with them. Other religious groups such as the Catholics,
Jews, Baptists, and others fleeing persecution elsewhere in America and
in Europe where attracted by the colony's close bond between the church
and government. This showed them and others that their religious freedom
was supported by all here in America. From about the year of 1700 to the
year 1712 Americas population began to become more diverse, people from
many different countries and faiths flocked to the New World to practice
their born right of expressing themselves freely.
Finding a Religion for All
As stated in the book titled Quakers
in Brief, written by DM Murray-Rust, Before 1650 the Quakers
were comparatively unknown; in a year or two they seemed to be all over
the place George Fox saw, "a great people to be gathered" and this "people"
included puritans,Seperatists, Seekers, and presumably, others without
a label. All these people were looking for a spiritual religion, rather
than the religion of conformity which was insisted upon by the reign of
Elizabeth and under the early Stuarts,(pg.2).
Determination
As said by Rust in,Quakerism
began through the agency of George Fox; and a date which is generally accepted
as the "birth time of Quakerism" is 1652. For five years Fox had been traveling
around the country, spreading his message. He was understood and welcomed
by some, but he also met with considerable opposition, but this didn't
stop him; he had been imprisoned in a Derby jail on a charge of blasphemy
and had suffered considerable ill treatment . Fox had been working very
much on his own and had certainly not initiated any sort of religious movement.
Then, in May 1652, he was in Lancashire and had climbed to the top of Pendle
Hill, near Clitheroe. It was a strange thing to do, for people did not
climb hills for fun in these days, especially one well reputed as an abode
for witches; still, Fox had a habit of doing unaccountable things! The
view from the summit of the far spread countryside inspired him and shortly
afterwards he had a vision, or an insight, of "a great people to be gathered".
It was, in fact, the district where he would meet groups of interested
people,(pg.2).
Converting Others
The really significant visit in
which he paid, one to have far reaching and permanent effects on the history
of Quakerism, was to Swarthmore Hall, near Ulverston (reached by crossing
the dangerous sands of Morecambe Bay) quoting Rust.This was a large house
and property occupied by Judge Fell and his wife Margaret. Both were of
a liberal outlook in religious matters and visiting preachers had already
been welcomed there. Margaret Fell welcomed George Fox with great enthusiasm
and was quickly "converted" to his teachings. Fell, though he never formally
associated himself with the Quaker movement, was supportive and permitted
meetings of Fox and his followers to take place in the Hall. Presumably
because of Judge Fell's standing in the country and nation, these group
meetings were not subjected to harassment by Church and Law, which was
otherwise common. Thus, for many years, Swarthmore Hall was the "headquaters"
or "powerhouse" of the Quaker movement. It was from this Hall that the
early Quaker "missionaries" were sent in small groups of two or more to
spread the message in different parts of the country,(pg.2).
Persecution
Like other persecution legislation
in the book The Second Period of Quakerism by Henry J. CAdbury,
the Quaker Act was based on the dangerous opinions and practices of the
persons aimed at, in this case their opinion about others and their meetings
in great numbers to the public danger meant maintaing a secret correspondence
to the terror of the people. Punishment was enforced if any person, who
maintained "that the talking of an oath in any case whatsoever was unlawful
and contrary to the word of God," should willfully refuse, an oath when
tendered, or to persuade another person to refuse, or should by printing,
etc.., maintain the lawfulness of an oath. The qualifications in this clause
useless unless the person charged gave evidence against himself. The second
clause of the Act made it an offense for Quakers to leve their homes and
assemble, five or more times, under pretence of worship not authorized
by law,(23).
On conviction by a jury as stated
by Cadbury, the offender for a first and second offense faced fines and
imprisionments, and for a third offense they were to be transported to
any of his Majesty's Plantations beyond the seas,(23).
With the passing of the Act, persecution
broke all over London said Cadbury. For months the meetings were raided
often with brutality and some were banished, by Sir Richard Browne, the
major General of the City till his death in 1669. Browne and his soliders
would force their way through a meeting by "beating, kicking, and pushing
them out of their way by the ends of their weapons," swearing and threatening
the whole time,(24).
As young Thomas Ellwood said in
The
Second Period of Quakerism, he and his friends were dragged from their
meetings and placed in the streets like dogs in the pound by soliders .
When Ellwood asked the Major if he would massacre them, he replied "No,
but I intend to have you hung by the laws of the land,(27).
Quoted from D.Masson in the Life
of John Milton
Colonization
The larger life offered in the
colonies, especially the freedom to worship God, coupled with the air prospect
of material prosperity was, perhaps the cause for both the Puritan and
the Quaker emigrant, But in both casesit was a larger life that attracted,
rather than any craven purpose of escaping from present sufferings.
Cadbury states that the church
organizers prepared the way for the colonizers; and in setting Quakerism
at home, made possible the wonderful expansion by settlement overseas.
As stated by Cadbury The Jersey's were the earliest field of enterprise
. The Dutch of York had succeeded to the Dutch colonies in America on the
fall of New Amsterdam in 1664, and granted the portion that came to be
called New Jersey to the Lord of Berkeley and Sir George Carteret ,dividing
it between them, as West and East Jersey, on its permanent purchase by
England ten years later. John Fenwick, a Buckinghamshire friend, bought
West Jersey from Berkeley on behalf of the London Quaker, Edward Bylling
, and the financial embrassments of Bylling, threw it in the hands of trustees
for his crediors, who were the friends of William Penn, Gawen Laurie a
merchant of London and Nicholas Lucas the Hartford Mattster. Penn had already
been introduced to the matter as a dispute between Fenwick and Byllinge
at the time of purchase. His energetic mind turned his hazardous commerical
venture to larger uses. In 1676 he framed a democratic charter for the
province, containing provisions for full liberty of conduct. "There", the
trustees said," We lay a foundation for after-ages to understand their
liberty as men and Christians, that they may not be brought in bondage
out by their own consent ." They issued a description of West New Jersey,
followed by an important warning letter, Fear any intending settlers, "as
is feared by some, should go, out of a curious and unsettled mind, and
of the blessed cross of Jesus,"(402).
Cadbury said that,London Friends
approved the monthly meetings giving emigrants certificiates,"concerning
their conversation as becoming Truth," to be signed by such Friends as
felt free to do so. Between 1677 and 1681 it is estimated that nearly fourteen
hundred people had found their way to the new province, and in this
last year the West Jersey friends sent a letter to England on the subject
of certificiates. They were anxious to know if single persons were clear
from and engagement to marry. They also desired to be certified of Friends
coming over, whose life had been disorderly," for we are sensible that
here are several that left no good quality in their native land... and
it may be probable that more of that kind may come, thinking to be avoiding
the law in this hidden place,"(403).
In Feburary 1682 William Penn and
eleven other Friends purchased East Jersey from the widow of Sir George
Carteret. Twelve other persons, including Robert Barclay and other Scotsmen,
were associated in the ownership, and Barclay was made Governor, directing
the project at home but acting in America through a deputy,(403).
Penn was at this time a man with
powerful friends at court. He belonged, as we have seen by birth and breeding,
to the governing class; and his father the Admiral, had made it his dying
request to the Duke of York then High Admiral , that he would use his infulence
with the king to protect his son. It was by the Duke's favor that Penn
now obtained, on the fourth day of March in 1681 a grant from the crown
of the wide domain to which the king remark secured the name of Pennsylvania.
Charles and his council were willing in this way to end a debt of sixteen
thousand dollars owing the estate of Admiral Penn, the Duke of York was
kindly disposed of his liking, and not only waived his own claim, but added
the gift of Delware; Penn a man of thirty seven, had already saw himself
bringing realization the projects ringing in his soul, Cadbury, (403-404).
The Quaker way of peacr was only
fairly tried with regards to the Indians; its success was due to the balance
of power that happened to be among the Indian Nations themselves during
the seventy years of peace.
Worship&Ethics
The Quakers would gather in daily or weekly meetings as stated in The Quakers by Hugh and J William Barbour, where they could share their struggles with each other and ask for guidance as well as silence and tears. Equality, Simplicity, Honesty, and Peace are the four words that would best describe a Quaker ; The Quakers believed that everyone was equal regardless of economic class; Simple because pf the plain dark clothing colors; Honesty was applied in their plain language ; Peace due to the fact that the Quakers refused to bear arms, (38-45).
Organization
In the book, The People called the Quakers by author Elton D. Treublood the decisions in a Quaker business meeting were made without voting and without deviation in ordinary parliamentary rules of order. These decisions were made by the Clerk who others hope was a sensitive person and could find the " purpose of the meeting,"(285-287).
Here I added
a Quote from the book The Quaker Family in Colonial America, written
by William J. Frost. The Quote was originally written by George Fox the
Founder of Quakersim himself:
"Our desire is that you may always
outship and exceed the world, in virtue, in purity, in chastity, in godliness,
and in modesty, civility, and in righteousness, and in love" George Fox,
(187).
Conclusion of the "Quaker
Migration"
The Quakers were indeed courageous
and spiritual women and men in those days , and they had a great impact
upon the present day America . The Quakers came to America so they could
express themselves freely in the so called, "World of Opportunity" and
that they done so. The Quakers held meetings on a weekly basis to discuss
how they could go out and reach the world to try and convert them to the
Quaker religion. This was their way of reaching the world to tell them
about their feeling and scriptures in the Bible. The Quakers work and influence
is a part of the past and should not be repeated , this has been well quoted
by Elton Trublood in his book, " The People called Quakers" (p.19).
"The past cannot be repeated and ought not be repeated even if it were
possible.What is important is that the vision of greatness demonstrated
in an earlier time may help men and women of this generation to know how
to discover the secret of an equal vitality, with relevance to their contemporary
situation." The Quaker past remained in the past as new religions
arose; this offered people a wider variety of religion to choose from and
that they done so in the New World then and still today.
Works cited