DECEMBER 2004Phil Anthony
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or the past several months, I’ve been experimenting with the so-called Quaker plain speech—the thee’s and thy’s that were once common among Friends. It originally became a hallmark of Quakers when thou, thee, and so on were in common use as singular pronouns. However, the plural you was used in addressing members of the nobility. Friends of the 17th century held that this lacked integrity; uncompromising honesty demanded that a single person be referred to with a singular pronoun.
For English-speakers today, thou is simply an archaic form, found primarily in Shakespeare’s plays, Romantic poetry, and King James Bibles. Some Friends still use a simplified version of the old forms, though, especially among their families and with long-time Quaker Friends.
DECEMBER QUARTERLY MEETING
Salem Monthly Meeting
Sunday, 12 December 20049:00 am Gather: refreshments provided by Salem MM 9:30 am Program: Mark Lancaster, Mid-Atlantic Region Director, American Friends Service Committee 10:30 am Worship 11:30 am Brown-bag dinner: beverages and dessert by Salem MM 12:30 pm Meeting for worship for business Quakerbooks of FGC for Sale
Child care providedThen I found those old forms coming from my lips. At first it was only in contexts where I wanted to emphasize the Quaker tradition I share with you. Then it became more frequent, as some of you (and Friends elsewhere) replied to my own plain speech with their own. I started questioning myself: Why am I doing this? Is it a sign of arrogance, or becoming something I’m not?
It took a while, but I finally came to realize that it served as a reminder—to myself—of how my faith needs to be present whenever I speak, no matter whom I’m speaking to. I find the reminder helps keep me mindful of God’s presence and guidance in my daily activities. It’s become almost sacramental, an outward sign of an inward truth about myself that I ignore at my peril.
Will I keep it up? I don’t know. One Friend who always uses the plain speech advised me to do it as it feels right, and not to force it. I admit there are times it feels pretentious in my mouth. That doesn’t help my awareness of the Deity at all. So I may give it up ... or it may become a standard part of how I interact with the inner Guide and the outer world. Please bear with me as I test it.
As I write this at the very beginning of November, the election campaigns are still raging and the ballots have yet to be cast and counted. In the past week or so, I’ve become aware of the grave danger of this election year: that whoever is elected will face so fragmented and bitter an electorate that he won’t be able to govern. Worse, I already know of friends and neighbors, even members of Quaker meetings, who find it difficult to be civil to one another because of the bitterness with which they’ve been assailed for their political positions.
I’d like to take advantage of the opportunity my ignorance of the outcome gives me. This has been a campaign in which people’s faith has been attacked—to a greater or lesser extent by adherents of both parties—because of their political views. In the aftermath, it will be especially important that people of faith affirm the basic goodness and sincerity of those we worship with, no matter what our politics.
It was with this in mind that I chose the quotation from 17th-century Quaker Edward Burrough that you’ll find on the inside back cover. When I saw it, it reminded me powerfully of the campaign by Jim Wallis of Sojourners: God is neither a Democrat ... nor a Republican. We humans, of course, may be one or the other. But first and foremost, we’re fellow children of a loving God. Now more than ever, we need to show that.
No matter who wins the election, there’s sure to be plenty of work for our own American Friends Service Committee. Speaking to us at Quarterly Meeting about that work, and what part Salem Quarter members can take in it, will be Mark Lancaster, director for the Mid-Atlantic Region of the AFSC.
Please join us at Salem MM on Sunday, 12 December, at 9:00 am for coffee and doughnuts, with Mark speaking at 9:30. The full schedule is on the back cover, and I’d be delighted to see you there.
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