speaking truth to power - women the quaker tradition
by elizabeth roebling

If, upon entering the local Quaker Meeting House, you pick up the pamphlet on membership, you will read among the list of eight questions: “Are you prepared to suffer (as Friends have done) if God calls you to take actions which are difficult, unpopular, or even contrary to the civil laws?” As one of the traditional “peace” churches, Quakers have often felt called by God to witness to their beliefs by refusing to pay taxes which are used for war, or by resisting injustice in whatever form it is perceived.

Founded in the 1650’s in England, the Quakers (The Religious Society of Friends) from their inception deemed women as equal to men, with the full gifts of speaking and prophecy. Margaret Fell Fox, wife of George Fox, the founder of the Quaker tradition, wrote extensively on the subject of women, with detailed interpretations of Biblical Scripture citing the many examples of women speaking “in the power of the Lord” and challenging the misinterpretation of Scripture that held women silent.

Women raised and trained in the Quaker tradition were permitted to stand and speak from the silence of Meeting, according them the full rights of ministry. Along with their rights of equal speech came the right of equal punishment as Quaker women were then thrown into prison for heresy as often as their male companions during this time of religious persecution.

The Quakers were but one of the many religious groups that came into being during the Reformation, but they were perhaps the most radical of all, holding that each individual had the “Light of God” within them and therefore the intercession of a priest was not needed. This belief defied the hierarchical order and power of the established Church. This position against “top-down” order with the reliance instead on consensus based decision-making is seen by many to be the true revolution of women, as yet to be realized.

Women have long been in the forefront of all causes for social justice. Quaker women, raised in a tradition of equality, were often far more outspoken and “forward” than the social conventions of the times permitted. For instance, Anna Leonowens traveled to Bangkok in 1862 to teach the children of the King of Siam. Her star pupil, the Crown Prince, abolished slavery during his reign. Quakers are often given more credit than deserved for the founding and running of the Underground Railroad, which sent escaping slaves to freedom in the North, as they were only some among many who risked their security for this cause. The Quakers perhaps are given more credit than others because theirs was the first organized religious group to publicly take a stand against slavery. By 1790, any Friend who held a slave was disowned, or “read out” of their Meeting. While this was years before the Civil War, the Society of Friends had spent over 50 years already debating the issue within their Meetings. As always, good press helped the Quaker cause. In the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which President Lincoln credited with starting the Civil War, it is the members of the Quaker settlement who shelter and encourage Eliza to escape to freedom.

Modern religious denominations, notably Christian Science (founded 1890 by Mary Baker Eddy) and Unity (founded 1946 by Ethel Higgins) were founded by women. It is no longer controversial to have women ministers in many, if not most, of the Protestant religions. Yet, we often forget how very recently women were even given the right to vote. Many of our grandmothers grew up without it. The passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution only occurred in 1920, in contrast the 15th Amendment, allowing former male slaves to vote, was passed in 1879. The first gathering which endorsed the right of women to vote was held in Seneca Falls, NY, in 1848 and was filled with Quaker women, notably Susan B. Anthony, Lucretia Mott, and The Grimke sisters.

Seventy years later, Alice Paul, another Quaker, led the final fight for the right for women’s suffrage. Paul organized marches and an ongoing silent picket in front of the White House. Arrested and sentenced to 7 months in jail, she undertook a hunger strike and was force fed by tubes and threatened with psychiatric confinement. The public outcry against her treatment secured her release from prison within 5 weeks. Finally, four years after the start of the protests, the Constitutional Amendment allowing women the vote was passed.

I had the good fortune to be educated at a Quaker school. When I was a sophomore, back in the early 60’s, marches and rallies were being held in support of the Civil Rights movement. I was spurred to action by the songs of Joan Baez, raised by Quaker educators. I remember going to the Head of the Upper School to tell him that I would not be in class the next afternoon because I was going on a civil rights’ march. “Good for you”, he said.

Last Sunday, after the local Quaker Meeting of about 60 people, the clerk asked that any of us who had been arrested for a cause of peace or social justice to rise. Five of us stood and were acknowledged by the traditional silent Quaker “cheer” of raised arms with fingers waving. Although it is certainly against the Quaker tradition to perform any act for personal honor or glory, it was gratifying to be acknowledged as carriers of a fine tradition.

Elizabeth Eames Roebling is a long time peace and social justice activist. Locals may know her from her commentaries on the local NPR station,WNCW. After living on the mountain in Barnardsville for 12 years, she has moved to bustling West Asheville.