WHAT IS QTJAKERISM? • Tow doctrine of the Inner Light
is, as every ono knows, the keynote of Quakerism. Scoffers take this to mean that every man should do what is right in his own eyes and nothing more. The Society of Friends teaches nothing of the kind. The followers of George Fox were—as they believe—sent " forth to preach this everlasting gospel unto all Christ nigh to all, the light in all, the seed sown in the hearts of all, that men may corn, and apply their minds to it..." Such a view opens the door obviously to heterodoxy. The perfection of the character of Christ as perceived by the Inner Light—even those who have no conscious, belief in Him are not without it. All through the ages there have been Christians who maintained this doctrine, which George Fox did not invent but emphasize. " ' Jesus,' wrote Origen in the third century', ' though He has only now for worthy reasons fulfilled the Divine plan of His incarnation, has at all times been doing good to the human race. For no noble deed among men has ever been done without the Divine Logos visiting the souls of [men]. " In matters of Church government Quakers are not unlike other Free Churches, and who in these days eaves much for ecclesiastical polities 1 In worship, however, they differ from all the Churches, maintaining the necessity of much silence, and are " content to be listeners rather than speakers," and leaving " apace for God to speak." The
• Wad ie Quakerism t By Edward Orobb. Louden: Headley Brea 12e. fid.aeLl
extent to which Quakers reject the doctrine of Sacraments, their objection to oaths, their splendid traditions of patience and philan- thropy, are clearly set forth in the book before us, together with their views upon the vexed question of Christianity and war. We would venture to say that nine out of ten of those who pour ridicule upon the Society would cease to do so if they read Mr. Grubb's book. We do not mean that they will be persuaded to agree with the sect, but that they will be constrained to respect it.
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