Ivan Hutnik on What Galvanised Early Quakers 22 Feb 18/2/19 17:21 Page 1
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
the22 February 2019 Friend | £2.00 ‘These people were willing to risk all for the Truth.’ Ivan Hutnik on what galvanised early Quakers 22 Feb 18/2/19 17:21 Page 1 New year... New look... New subscription! Join us every week For just £1.73 a week you can receive your own copy of the Friend delivered right to your door. Simply send a cheque for £88 (£120 outside the UK) payable to ‘The Friend’ with your name and address. If you prefer to pay by card call 020 7663 1178, or to pay by direct debit (UK only, £7.40 a month or £88 a year) email [email protected] to request a direct debit form. Thank you! Email: [email protected] Call: 020 7663 1178 Write: Penny Dunn, The Friend, 173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ Online: www.thefriend.org/subscribe the INDEPENDENTFriend QUAKER JOURNALISM SiNCE 1843 22 February 2019 | Volume 177, No 8 www.thefriend.org News 4 Friends holding on in Zimbabwe, and more Rebecca Hardy Letters 6 ‘These people were willing 8 to risk all for the Truth’ Ivan Hutnik Early Quakers expected the world to be transformed ‘Tent villages are moved every few days.’ 10 The situation for people seeking Anne M Jones refuge in France Thought for the week 13 Soul clap its hands and sing Rachel Britton It Keeps Me Seeking: The invitation 14 from science, philosophy and religion Reg Naulty A review Poetry 16 Birds Peter Daniels Friends & Meetings 17 Quakerism should not claim to be a religion of certainty, but a religion of uncertainty; it is this which gives us our special affinity to the world of science. For what we apprehend of truth is limited and partial, and experience may set it all in a new light; if we too easily satisfy our urge for security by claiming that we have found certainty, we shall no longer be sensitive to new experiences of truth. For who seeks that which [they believe] that [they have] found? Charles F Carter, 1971 Quaker faith & practice 26.39 News [email protected] Friends in Zimbabwe journeys into Bulawayo tell of violence in centre. Surviving… is on troubled times a knife edge.’ Friends in Zimbabwe have Hundreds of activists reported that they have and opposition officials been greatly affected by went into hiding after Photo courtesy of Jackie Carpenter. the violence arising from a brutal government fuel increases last month. crackdown following in Cornwall upheld a climate emergency. Several people were the riots. There have Cornwall Council in We took it to Cornwall killed during protests been reports of arrests, its decision to declare a Council and gave it out in the cities of Harare beatings, rapes and ‘climate emergency’ on at the debate to everyone. and Bulawayo after the abductions committed by 22 January. Falmouth There were about seventy government more than police and the military. Quakers welcomed the to eighty people in the doubled the price of fuel Fourteen Friends motion ‘Urgency on gallery and a lovely overnight. attended Bulawayo Climate Change’, which positive atmosphere.’ Lee Taylor, clerk to Meeting on 3 February was brought by Liberal Sue James, cabinet Friends of Hlekweni, and shared stories about Democrat councillor portfolio holder for a UK-based charity, frightening experiences, Dominic Fairman. the environment and told the Friend: ‘Most as well as discussing The motion called on public protection, said: Friends in Bulawayo the distribution of the the council to prepare ‘Climate change is already live in the townships Southern Africa Yearly a report within six here and having effects or rural settlements, so Meeting food support and months detailing how in Cornwall, like the getting to Meeting takes what Quakers have been Cornwall can reduce unprecedented rainfall considerable time and doing to keep faithful. carbon emissions to limit causing flooding in money: walking often The attenders also global warming to 1.5°C Coverack in July 2017 several kilometres, then welcomed the launch through energy efficiency, and the significant late taking kombis (taxis). of peace clubs in five low-carbon fuels and snow last year.’ Fares have increased secondary schools. investment in renewable Approximately twenty severalfold – well beyond energy. councils, including the means of most. Cornwall Quakers Labour councillor Jayne Manchester, Oxford, Friends report that their welcome ‘climate Kirkham put forward an Bristol and Kirklees, have local shops were looted emergency’ decision amendment to declare a also recently declared and trashed, meaning As part of their ‘climate emergency’ and ‘climate emergencies’, that getting food supplies longstanding commitment called on Westminster often supported by the requires expensive to sustainability Quakers to provide the powers action of Friends and in a and resources necessary bid to put pressure on the to achieve the target for government. WORDS Cornwall to become carbon neutral by 2030. Protestors celebrate Jackie Carpenter, from as Birmingham arms Bude Meeting, told the fair moves site The violations are Friend that there were Friends in Malvern are around ten Quakers in the celebrating the news that systematic…The gallery to hear the motion the Defence Procurement, being debated and passed. Research, Technology and She said: ‘On Saturday, Exportability (DPRTE) targets… became prior to the debate for arms fair arranged for 28 the motion, at Area March has been ‘chased’ indiscriminate Meeting we discussed from the National sustainability and one Exhibition Centre in From a recent report by the person crafted a minute Birmingham. saying that we, Quakers Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum. The decision to of Cornwall, supported change the fair’s location 4 the Friend 22 February 2019 follows a vibrant local Anthony Cole during NUMBERS campaign against the Meeting for Worship event, which included a (MfW) on 27 January, large demonstration. One which resulted in another Friend from the mostly Friend calling for a special Quaker group Malvern Business Meeting to Individuals for Peace, set 1,000 consider the matter. up by Melanie Jameson, According to Anthony The number, at least, of people who have from Worcestershire and Cole, in a paper he been detained by the Zimbabwean government. Shropshire Area Meeting, wrote for that Business was among fifty people Meeting, there were attending a training day several ministries during ground floor announced subject of an exhibition run by Campaign Against the 27 January MfW they were changing at the London School of Arms Trade (CAAT) on 2 that expressed ‘deep- location. Economics (LSE). February to generate ideas seated concern about She said: ‘The main ‘Giving Peace a Chance: for protesting against the consequences of the reason we had to move from the League of the arms fair. The new EU referendum decision was because of the Nations to Greenham location, Farnborough and about the resulting inaccessibility of the Common’ explores how International Exhibition political deadlock’. Meeting room on the world peace was sought and Conference Centre He wrote: ‘Among first floor. We moved in the twentieth century, in Hampshire, has close those present, these to a nearby office but with pieces taken from military connections. matters have aroused the office space became the collections of LSE Melanie Jameson told strong feelings… of being unavailable, so now the Library and the Women’s the Friend: ‘Just as [the] coerced and intimidated Meeting is in a steeple Library. event was chased out into accepting outcomes house in Dundee.’ The exhibition, which of Cardiff, it has been which appear to them She continued: ‘I’m is on until 17 April at the possible to “move it on” to be undesirable and excited that we are going LSE Library, showcases from Birmingham. This unpredictable, feelings back home. We’ve been the work of international seems a good tactic, which of unfairness, feelings on a long Spirit-led path organisations such as the must have a cost both of frustration and of of discernment. We hope League of Nations and the financially and in terms in disenfranchisement.’ to return by the end of Women’s International inconvenience for those But when Friends the year. It will cost about League of Peace and promoting these “fairs”. If gathered at the special £150,000 to renovate, Freedom, as well as items we can’t shut them down Business Meeting to which includes installing related to peace activists altogether, at least we can take the concern further, a lift. I am convening a such as Pat Arrowsmith, keep them on the run.’ they could not reach small group of fundraisers co-founder of the According to CAAT, the unity. Anthony Cole told to raise our shortfall of Campaign for Nuclear purpose of the DPRTE the Friend: ‘We found £50,000 in the next year.’ Disarmament. is to connect small it difficult to reach a The 150-year-old There is also material manufacturers with some specifically Quaker Meeting house is in the from the Greenham of the world’s largest arms response to the situation centre of Dundee. Common Women’s Peace companies and the UK that wasn’t politically Camp, which was set up military. partisan. However, we Exhibition on peace in the 1980s to protest CAAT claims that continue to struggle with activism at LSE against the siting of cruise major arms dealers such this matter and intend to The history of the missiles at the air force as BAE Systems use these return to it soon.’ peace movement is the base in Berkshire. events to identify new business partners. Dundee Meeting to go ‘back home’ Hitchin Meeting to Dundee Meeting has consider Brexit angst decided to return to its Hitchin Quakers held five-storey Meeting house a special Meeting for after a two and a half year Worship for Business this process of discernment.