The following is from the Southern Appalacian Yearly Meeting and
Association of Religious Society of Friends - "A Guide to
Our Faith and Our Practice"
Testimonies
The Meeting Community - As many
candles, lighted and put in one place, do greatly augment the light,
and mak it more to shine forth, so when many are gathered together in
the same life there is more of the glory of God - Robert Barclan (1678)
The Meeting Community Testimony
Peace - We
utterly deny all outward wars and strife and fightings with outward
weapons, for any end or under any prentence whatsoever. And this
is our testimony to the whold world. The Spirit of Christ, by
which we are guided, is not changeable, so as once to command us from a
thing as evil and again to move unto it; and we do certainly
know, and so testify to the world, that the Spirit of Christ, which
leads us into all Truth, will never move us to fight and war against
any man with outward weapons neither for the kingdom of Christ, nor for
the kingdoms of this world. - Declaration from the Harmless and Innocent Peopld of God, called Quakers (1661)
The Peace Testimony
Simplicity - Simplicity frees one of the clutter that interferes with communion with God. - Martin
Cobin, "The Value System of Friends", Southern Applacian
Association of Friends, Crossville, Tennessee (May 1-3, 1970)
Simplicity Testimony
Equality - There
is a principle which is pure, placed in the hman mind, which in
different places and ages hath had different names. It is,
however, pure and proceeds from God. It is deep and inward,
confined to no forms of religion nor excluded from any where the heart
stands in perfect sincereity. In whomsoever this takes root and
grows, or what nation soever, they become [brothers and sisters] in the
best sense. - John Woolman, "Consideration on Keeping Negroes" Works (1774)
The Equality Testimony
Education - We shall never thrive upon ignorance - Joseph John Gurney (1831) ; To
Friends...education is an intensely religious thing; it means the
training and development of the spiritual life, the liberating of the
Divine that is within us. - Gerald K. Hibbert (1930)
Education Testimony
Government -
The power and dominion of the conscience are the province of God [who]
alone can properly instruct and govern it. No one whatsoever may
lawfully force the conscience of others regardless of the authority or
office he [or she] bears in the government of this world. - Robert Barclay, Apology (1676)
The Government Testimony
Sexuality - The
mystery of sex continues to be greater than our capacity to
comprehend it, no matter how much we learn about it. We engage
in it, in often too frantic efforts to enjoy it but, more subtly, also
to try to fathom its ever recurring power over us. Surely this
power and its mystery relate to the mystery of God's relationship to
us. - Mary Calderone, Human Sexuality and the Quaker Conscience (1973)
Sexuality Testimony
Nurture of Children -
But Jesus called them to him saying, "let the children come unto
me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God.
Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God
like a child shal not enter it." - Luke 18:16-17 (RSV)
To watch the spirit of children, to
nurture them in Gospel Love, and labour to help them against that which
would mar the beauty of their minds, is a debt we owe them; and a
faithful performance of our duty not only tends to their lasting
benefit and our own peace, but also to render their company agreeable
to us. - John Woolman (1758)
Nurture of Children Testimony