Mission with Prophetic Power: The Journal of John Woolman (SRSC 12)

Introduction

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changing by the mid-1700s, Pennsylvania having been founded by William Penn in 1681 as a Quaker experiment in regional government. This was the time of the French and Indian War, 3 with battles fought near Woolman’s home. It was also a time of religious awakening as people experienced fresh revivals throughout the colonies. As I mentioned above, Quaker influence and life was changing during this period. After a season of hardship in settling the land, some Friends 4 achieved a measure of stability and even comfort. By the mid-eighteenth century other Friends were beginning to have concerns about the condition of Quaker life and influence. John Woolman supported a variety of “reforms” in Quaker practice, and his advocacy regarding slavery was just one element of this reforming concern. The Society of Friends did not value highly the wisdom of the Great Tradition. 5 Their emphasis—at times a weakness and at others a strength—was a sense of attention to the ministry of the Holy Spirit active in individuals and communities. This emphasis on attention to the Spirit was especially present in their times of gathering. Their times of worship, often called “First-day” 6 meetings, began when individuals would arrive at the meeting hall. The hall was often arranged in a hollow square of seats 3 French and Indian War – The North America theater (1754–1763) of the global Seven Year’s War (1756–1763). 4 Friends – A term used to describe members of the “Society of Friends” the original name for Quakers. 5 On the Great Tradition, see Don L. Davis, Sacred Roots: A Primer on Retrieving the Great Tradition (Wichita, KS: The Urban Ministry Institute, 2010). 6 First-day – The primary weekly Quaker gatherings were often called “First-day meetings.”