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Let thy religion be to feel the pure principle of life in the pure vessel of life; for the eye must be pure that sees the life, and the heart that receives it. And faith is a pure mystery, and it is only held in a pure conscience. Know that in thee that purifies thee, and then thou knowest Christ, and the Father, and the Spirit, and as that lives and grows up in thee, so shalt thou know their dwelling-place, and partake of their life and fulness.

Isaac Penington, 1659

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We tenderly exhort all, seriously to consider the plainness and simplicity which the gospel enjoins, and to manifest it in their speech, apparel, furniture, salutations and conversation, into which our forefathers were led by the Spirit of Christ, in conformity with his precepts and example; and for which they patiently suffered long imprisonments, and great persecutions; being convinced that it was their duty thus to bear a testimony against the vain spirit of the world.

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends, 1746

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Friends and brethren, to whom the eternal covenant of the Father's love has been tendered, and his light you have received, wait in the light to have your minds stayed and your hearts opened towards God, who has given you the light, that with it you may all see the work of your redemption begun, and the Spirit working, and its power, and you joined to it in the faith and obedience by which your souls may be purified and your bodies washed from the dead works, that you may come to be sensible of the water of life and the blood of the covenant, and the effect of it.

James Nayler, Letter to Friends 'to wait to know bread in their own houses that they may live thereby,' 1655.

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Peace is a Practice

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Nothing is more contrary to God’s will for creatures fashioned in his image and likeness than violence one against another, and nothing more sacrilegious than the organized practice of mass killing. All human violence is in some sense rebellion against God and the divinely created order. As Gideon proclaimed, the Lord is peace; and as St. Silouan the Athonite affirms, “our brother is our life.”

For the Life of the World: Toward a Social Ethos of the Orthodox Church

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“Holiness is formed in us more unspectacularly and more incrementally than we expect—wherever the practice of small, everyday faithfulness is required of us.”

— Jen Pollock Michel, Teach Us to Want

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All my dear friends, in the everlasting power, life, and truth live, for you cannot live without it in the winds and storms. And though the hills and the mountains are burned, and the trees are become fruitless, and winter hath devoured the former fruits, and you do see that persecution hath choked them, and the heat hath scorched them, and the night is come, and the evil beasts go out of their den – Truth lives, and the power of God is over them all; and Christ ruleth, and there is bread of life, and water of life in him, and in his house. And all who are in the truth, rejoice through Christ, in the God of truth, and never heed prisons, for they are but for a time; and mind him who hath all times and seasons in his hand. And never heed the raging waves of the sea, nor be troubled at the tongue that speaks nothing but tribulation, anguish, and bondage; nor be troubled at the cords of the ungodly; for the cords of love, the power of God, are stronger. And so be valiant for the truth upon the earth, for the power is the Lord's. And so my love to all Friends in the everlasting seed, that never fell nor changeth.

George Fox, early Quaker, epistle of 1664

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From the Epistle of Ohio Yearly Meeting of Friends, 2017

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Be humble. It becomes a creature, a depending and borrowed being, that lives not of itself, but breathes in another's air with another's breath, and is accountable for every moment of time and can call nothing its own, but is absolutely a tenant at will of the great Lord of heaven and earth.

William Penn, 'Advice to his children', 1699

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From George Fox's Epistle 12, on the Light of God in the heart & conscience

Painting from 'Art4Prayer' (2000)

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Friends are exhorted faithfully to adhere to our ancient testimony against wars, and fightings, and in no way to unite with any in warlike measures, either offensive or defensive, that by the inoffensiveness of our conduct we may convincingly demonstrate ourselves to be real subjects of the Messiah's peaceful reign, and be instrumental in the promotion thereof, towards its desired completion; when, according to ancient prophecy, "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea; and its inhabitants shall learn war no more."

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends, 1806

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How do we nurture the Divine Spirit within us and allow it to guide our lives? What do we do to nurture a spirit of acceptance and forgiveness within ourselves and in our interactions with others? How can we help each other to express and work with our differences with love and humility?

Query from the Discipline of Monteverde Monthly Meeting of Friends

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Is your way of life in keeping with the teaching of Jesus? Do you watch against conformity to commonly-accepted standards, and against the love of ease and self-indulgence which hinders your spiritual growth and service for Christ?

Queries for Serious Consideration, Ireland Yearly Meeting

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Pattern your life after Jesus who proclaimed the Kingdom of God in both word and deed. We follow a Lord who came to serve, not to be served. Find opportunities to meet the material needs of those around you and to show compassion toward persons in all walks of life. Let love be genuine.

From the Faith & Practice of Indiana Yearly Meeting

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Are you convinced of the reality of God and do you respond to His Spirit at work within you? Have you individually, through repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, experienced true conversion of heart? Do you depend on the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit and do you show this by your devotion to God and by your love to all people?

Queries for Serious Consideration, Ireland Yearly Meeting of Friends

Photo: Grange Friends Meeting House, Ireland Yearly Meeting

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Remember that our spiritual life will not be complete unless we have experienced an inward baptism and transformation. Growth in inward purity and outward Christian effectiveness should follow this experience; but such growth can come only if we persist in seeking to know and follow the commands of Christ.

From the Advices of Ohio Yearly Meeting of Friends

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We live in an age of rampant individualism. It’s all around us, we breathe it in with every breath. I think that one of the hardest things about committing to the Quaker faith tradition is exchanging that individualism for a sense of corporate discernment and corporate wisdom. We go through our meetings and we’re asking, “My meeting is not giving me the things that I need for my spiritual journey.” It’s a question that I hear all the time. But I think that the real question–the question that will help us more–is to ask, “How can I be the member my meeting needs me to be in order to do the spiritual work God has given it to do?” So to make that switch first of all requires a great deal of courage. To give up the fact that I’m going to be my own defense here, I’m going to look out for myself and be responsible for my own spiritual journey. It takes a lot of trust to feel safe and secure, to feel that yes, these people are seeking to discern God’s will, that together we can discern it better and I have nothing to fear.

Lloyd Lee Wilson, "Committing to the Quaker Spiritual Path"