Spiritual Life and the Written Word
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November 1996 Quaker Thought FRIENDS and Life OURNAL Today SPIRITUAL LIFE AND THE WRITTEN WORD Edltor•Manager Among Friends Vinton Deming Associate Editor Kenneth Sutton Assistant Editor A Continuing Path Timothy Drake Art Director at more appropriate place to tell this story than in an issue on writing. Barbara Benton orne of you may recall an article in our September 1995 issue, "A Long Production Assistant Alia Podolsky Path to Becoming a Quaker." The author, Kerttu Kay Barnett, told of an Development Consultant incident from her youth in Finland in the 1940s. While walking with a friend in a Henry Freeman beautiful wooded area, they had come upon a human skeleton, likely the remains, Marketing and Advertising Manager Nagendran Gulendran they thought, of a Russian soldier who had fallen during a fierce battle several years Administrative Secretary earlier. Protected inside a leather wallet still at the skeleton's breast, with a bullet MariaMe De Lange hole through it, was a photograph of five young men. Bookkeeper Over the years Kerttu has kept the photo. She has often wondered about the Nancy Siganuk Poetry Editor identity of the young men. Was one of them the dead soldier? Might he be the one in Judith Brown the center? Her own brother had been killed by Russians during the war, so she Development Data Entry knew the pain of losing a loved one. In time she came to feel a close bond to the Pamela Nelson Russian family who must have awaited news of their own son or brother missing in Circulation Assistant Nicole Hackel Finland. llclltorlal Assistant Following publication of her article with the photograph, Kerttu mailed copies to Claudia Wair six embassies in Washington, D.C., asking them to publish the photograph in the Volunteer Robert Sutton newspapers of their countries-Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and others. Board of Managers Subsequently she learned that a man named Anatole Repin translated her article into Irwin Abrams (Clerk), Jennie Allen, Russian, and it was published in at least two newspapers in May. And then Kerttu Lucinda Antrim, Paul Buckley, Susan Carnahan, Sue Carnell, Elizabeth Cazden, Barbara Coffin, began receiving letters. Phoebe Cottingham (Treasurer), John Farmer, "It is amazing," Kerttu writes, "how these letter writers are able to write such Deborah Fisch, Marty Grundy, Ingrid Holcomb, Robert Kunkel, Mary Mangelsdorf, Judy Monroe, loving letters to the person whose countrymen, maybe my relatives, Finns, may well Caroline Balderston Parry (Recording Clerk), have killed their relatives. All the letters," she says, "except one were written in Lisa Lewis Raymer, Margery Rubin, David Runkel, Russian; a friend translated them into English for me." One letter in particular, sent Larry C. Spears, Larry D. Spears, Carolyn Sprogell (Assistant Clerk), Robert Sutton, by Hamid Vak.hid, from Tashkent, "is like a miracle," as Kerttu puts it. Hamid insists Carolyn Terrell, WilmerTjossem that he knew some of the men in the photograph! Other letter writers saw the FRIENDS JOURNAL (ISSN 00 16-1322) was established likeness of a grandfather, an uncle, or other loved one. in 1955 as the successor to The Friend (1827-1955) and Friends lntelligencer ( 1844-1955). It is The writers shared very personal family stories, poignant glimpses of the human associated with the Religious Society of Friends. cost of war. Raisa Valentinovna Chooeva wrote about her uncle: "When I looked at • FRIENDS JouRNAL is published monthly by Friends the photograph, I had an immediate instinctual feeling that it was him. Then the Publishing Corporation, 150 I Cherry St., Philadelphia, PA 19102-1497. Telephone (215) 24 1- doubts began. We compared your photo with photos that we had saved. The likeness 7277. E-mail: [email protected]. Periodicals was remarkable. Yes, it is him-the one on the far right. Dimitri Evdokirnovich postage paid at Philadelphia, Pa, and additional Ermakov. He was (and it is difficult to even say this word now) very gifted-wrote mailing offices. • Subscriptions: one year S25, two years S45. Add poetry, drew, played on various stringed instruments (guitar, mandolin), sang. And S6 per year for postage to countries outside the U.S., what wonderful, kind stories he could tell!" Raisa concluded her letter with these Canada, and Mexico. Individual copies S2.25 each. moving words: "His mother lived for 92 years in hopes that he was alive and that he • Information on and assistance with advertising is available on request. Appearance of any would suddenly be found because, in fact, he was never on the list of men killed in advertisement does not imply endorsement by the war. We, the children, also hoped that he was alive. Even now, it is difficult to FRIENDS JOURNAL. acccept that he died at such a young age. War is frightening, war is horrible! How • Postmaster: send address changes to FRIENDS JOURNAL, 150 I Cherry St., Philadelphia, much sorrow, how much suffering!" PA 19102-1497. Writing, it seems, can serve the purpose of peace. It may move us beyond our • Copyright C 1996 by Friends Publishing deepest cultural prejudices and hatreds-Russians for Finns, Finns for Russians-to Corporation. Reprints of articles available at nominal cost Permission should be received before discover the most human things. reprinting excerpts longer than 200 words. Available on microfilm from University Microfilms International. PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER Moving? Let us update your subscription and address. FRJENDS JOURNAL, 1501 Cherry St., Philadelphia, PA 19102-1497 Next Month in FRIENDs JoURNAL: (215) 241-7277; Fax (215) 568-1377 Light on Death Row E-mail: [email protected] Peace "Within" and "Without" Being Jewish at Christmas 2 November 1996 FRJENDS JoURNAL November 1996 FRIENDS Volume 42, No. 11 JOURNAL Features Departments 6 Books for Nicaragua 2 Among Friends Gracia Fay Ellwood and Jeanne Nash Concerns rooted in childhood make a difference in the lives of 4 Forum children in Nicaragua. 12 Thanking Our Enemies Special Books Section Anthony Manousos We are dependent upon everyone around us for healing. 24 Leading by Serving: 14 The Friend's Shop (A Parable) One Friend's Witness Francis D. Hole Lee Neff Imagine a place that has everything we need. A review-essay: three books on servant-leadership by Robert K. Greenleaf Quakers and Writing 27 Reviews The editors received a wealth ofwisdom and inspiration in response to our call for essays on Quakers and writing. The portion presented here shows that when it is filled with the Spirit, 40 News of Friends the letter, too, gives life. 42 Bulletin Board 15 New Scriptures Marcelle Martin 43 Calendar 16 On Paying Attention Amy Runge Gaffuey 44 Milestones 17 In the Silence 45 Classified Vic Kryston 18 Buttoned Gillie Bolton 19 A Through Line Nancy Wick 20 My Most Appreciative Audience Robert Kunkel 22 A Journal about Meeting for Worship Mariellen 0 . Gilpin 23 Art, Life, and Light Lucy Aron Cover art by Karen Norberg/CP F FRIENDS JoURNAL November 1996 3 Forum Great wisdom approved our revised Faith and Practice "Way will open." Let's help it by seeing I wish to thank Roland Warren for his with the following testimony against capital what suggestions may come in from Dan's interpretation of the Apostle Paul (FJ punishment: initiative. August). It is important, I think, to be "We have consistently opposed capital Andy Tow/ reminded that Paul wrote when times and punishment. Capital punishment rejects the Lexington, Mass. circumstances were very different from the message of forgiveness. In some cases, it present. His attitude about women may be legally destroys innocent persons, and in all taken in the context of that long ago period cases it degrades the humanity of the Denies "adjectivity" of history. executioners and of the society that endorses I've been trying to think of a good way to This article also brought back to me the the act." express my appreciation for Teddy Milne's times Roland Warren reported to American Steven Ross, clerk "Summer Puzzler'' in the July JouRNAL. Let Friends Service Committee staff in New York Yearly Meeting this card signify my thanks. Philadelphia about his work in East and However! I ~ deny the adjectivity of West Germany some 40 years ago. He the underlined word! [See clue H.-Eds.] spoke on one occasion of how he was able Encumbered? Thanks again for the great work. John Woolman was influential in to communicate with both sides at a time Charley Brown forming many ofour testimonies, simplicity when the Cold War was at its peak of Wiscasset, Maine hostility. He said he was always careful to for one. He refused to take on more business speak as though persons on the other side than he needed, referring to excess and were in the room. That point was most "cumber." Everyone is subject to cumber, Nantucket welcome helpful to me later when I was working in but when Quakers take it on, should we call difficult and hostile race relations situations. it "Q" cumber? Nantucket (Mass.) Meeting was John Kriebel inadvertently left out of the Meeting Thelma W. Babbitt Chambersburg, Pa. Directory in August and October. We just Hancock, N.H. want Friends to know that the meeting is alive and well and that visitors are welcome. The autumn is a particularly beautiful time Eyes and hearts to attend. Meeting is at 10 a.m. each First God bless you for the article in your May Day at Fair Street Meetinghouse, telephone issue: "Jesus Among Friends," by John Pitts (508) 228-0136. Corry. I, too, have come to know Jesus Bob Leach Christ-to experience great joy in his Nantucket, Mass. inward presence and love-since I became a Quaker 35 years ago.