r7 23 - Sunday, May 6, 1990 - North Shore News PIRITUALLY SPEAKING ‘Walk cheerfully over the world’ QUAKERISM IS ALIVE IN VANCOUVER NO OATS. jokes, please. The Quakers of the 20th century are no longer of the breakfast cereal variety. At least, not outwardly. By BARBARA BLACK News Reporter Inwardly, the Quakers of today carry on a 300-year tradition of *‘cherishing that of God within."’ Sometimes referred to as a religion of direct access to God, Quakerism (or the Religious Socie- ty of Friends) began as a culmina- tion to and reaction against the Protestant Reformation in England. It was a time of intense religious awakening of many people, in- cluding the Anabaptists, Seekers and Puritans, many searching for a freer religious life. Quaker life was shaped by a variety of these movements, and its recognized founder, George Fox, culled tenets from all of them. With religious fervor and genius he preached his convictions in cathe- drals, on hay stacks, from hill tops, under apple trees, in barns, in city squares and from the many prison cells he was confined to for confessing his beliefs. Some of those beliefs included the divine right of every man, honesty in trade relations, and the wickedness of war. Fox is famous for his statement, **Walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in everyone.”’ He believed, as Quakers do to- day, that the divine light of Christ This week’s religious events Religious events this weex: Thursday, May 9: Buddhists celebrate Buddha Day, or Wesak, the most important day of their year. Coming on the full moon in May, it commemorates three events: the Buddha’s birth, his Enlightenment and his death. Saturday, May 12: North Shore members of the Vivaldi Chamber Choir sing in the dramatic oratorio Jephte, based on the biblical story of Jephthah, Book of Judges, Chapter 11, verses 29-39. The choir will be accompanied by a str- ing trio and harpsichord. The con- cert starts at 8 p.m. at Killarney Park Mennonite Brethren Church, © 6426 Kerr Street (at 48th). Tickets $8 and $6 available at the door or by calling 322-6418. Upcoming: A_ three-evening course that will seek to demon- strate the essential oneness of the major world religions and their in- fluence on humans and history will be held Thursdays frem 7 to 10 p.m. on May 21, 24 and 31 at the West Van Rec Centre. Cost for the workshop, which will be led by Kathy Roesch, is $21. Register as soon as possible by calling 926-3266. is within and appears to all people. The ministry of truth, therefore, was limited to no class and to no sex since God, or the Spirit, needs only a responsive soul or open heart to be found. (You can see why Fox was jailed as a subver- sive.) For this reason, you will find no minister in a Quaker meeting ‘*house.’”’ On the other hand, each attender him or herself is a minister with the potential to receive and convey the presence of God in the world. As one Friend once quipped “Friends have not so much abol- ished the clergy as they have abol- ished the laity.’’ North Vancouver resident John Laitin was born into a Quaker family and has been a Quaker all his life. He attends the 86-member Vancouver meeting. He agrees that many people are surprised at their first meeting for worship. No minister, a bare room, a simple wooden table in the middle with a modest flower ar- rangement, people seated in chairs on two sides of the room facing one another — and utter silence. In this setting, they must think, how can anything hapyen? Says Laitin, ‘‘Out of the siler ce feelings and thoughts emerge which are important to the person, to the meeting, or to Quak:rism. The topics are quite varied, ut they all have a spiritual root.’’ The meeting for worshi,) is not meant for debate or corfession and open inquiries may or may not be ‘tanswered.”’ But Laitin stresses the balance of the corporate aspect of worship with personal spiritual discovery, pointing out that ‘‘It’s not where everyone just goes into their own meditative world.”’ Often a clerk of the meeting will TO THE SALVATION ARMY read one of ihe Queries, which are open-ended, non-dogmatic ques- tions to promote self-examination and faithfulness to the leadings of the Spirit. Examples are: ‘‘Do you cherish that of God within you? Is your religion rooted in personal experience of God? The answers, of course, cannot be memorized to. others who bring a their sense of open variance on spirituality.”’ Laitin admits that Quakerism ‘“may not meet everyone's criteria for what they want in a religion. Some people want a more ortho- dox religion or a more guided pro- cess of worship.”’ F; riends have not so much abolished the clergy as they have abolished the laity.’’ but must be lived. Simplicity, in its old sense of stiff white collars and bonnets and shunning of the arts now refers to maintaining a humility of spirit, or as Laitin sees it, ‘‘as a mental sim- plicity — not getting caught up in material burdens.”” Because of its emphasis on the inner light in every person, Quakerism has a history of toler- ance toward other religions. “That’s quite true,’’ says Laitin. “We don’t discriminate against other religions in any way. We feel > sunday * Safeway Shoppers Drug Mart * Super Valu * Zellers He says he has attended other churches and believes it is impor- tant for other people to do so. But he maintains that “Quakerism satisfies my needs — I don’t need clergy to enlighten me or bring me to a spiritual awaken- ing. I feel I have that within me and can bring that forth in meeting and throughout my daily life without a formal church situa- tion.”’ The Vancouver Friends mesting meets at I] a.m. Sundays, at 1090 West 70th Street. Call 263-5015. ON MONDAY When our volunteer knocks at | your door. Or mail donations to FON the 1990 Red Shield Appeal. HY a > wednesday G-198 West Hastings Sueet, Vancouver, BC. = A VoB LED Bt Save-On-Foods * Eaton's God Knows You Can Make A Difference * Lens & Shutter * Woolco to provide milk, bread, fruits and vegetables, etc. «FEED THE HUNGRY IN OUR COMMUNITY * $20 helps us buy a weekly bag of groceries for one family ® $60 helps sustain a family for one month © $720 assists that same family for a year Please help those in need. All donations are tax deductible. wo = = GP AND MAIL WITH YOUR. GIET TODAY seen 45 YES! | want to provide food for the hungry. ' $20 (1 $60 0 $720 O Other $________, 8 Name 4 © Address A = City, Watch for our Real Estate Home Section. 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