A Brief Study Guide to the Journal of George Fox Compiled by John H. Curtis ������� INDEX The numbers refer to the page and paragraph in the Nickalls edition (2005) of the Journal of George Fox. Since the comments are made in the same order, these numbers also refer to each comment. Christ a present help...............................................................12-1 Christ can speak to my condition..........................................11-2 Christ overcomes evil..............................................................13-2 Christ’s death and Christ centeredness ............................... 5-2 Despair and temptation.......................................................... 5-3 Firbank Fell sermon............................................................. 109-2 Flesh, The.................................................................... 16-2 &17-2 Fox’s financial resources........................................................ 7-1 God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit...........................................11-3 Hope..........................................................................................14-2 Journal, Why Fox wrote his................................................... 1-1 Law, the law and Christ........................................... 16-2 & 17-2 Originally published in 1976 by Light of Christ..........................................................................33-2 New Foundations Fellowship Lord, The.................................................................................. 1-1 Revised and reprinted (with permission) in 2017 Mission, Fox’s..........................................................................34-1 by Cleveland Friends Meeting Notions......................................................................................19-3 Library Committee Ocean of light and love...........................................................19-2 Perfection..................................................................................18-3 Professors that did not possess............................................. 4-1 Prophet, Importance of........................................................ 109-2 Scriptures, the.........................................................................33-2 Shadows, etc.......................................................................... 32-1 Source material, change.........................................................49-4 Temple, God does not dwell in............................................ 8-2 Tender...................................................................................... 4-3 Theological training not necessary...................................... 7-2 Truth, the................................................................................. 1-1 Types, figures and shadows.................................................32-2 Wait upon the Lord................................................................12-2 Women’s souls........................................................................ 8-3 Additional Resource for Readers of Fox’s Journal References are to the Revised 2005 Edition A Readers Companion to George Fox’s Journal by Joseph by John L. Nickalls Pickvance, Curlew Productions, Kelso, 1989: contains an introduction to George Fox and the legacy of his writings; a glossary ; an annotated word and phrase list (concordance); social testimonies and witnesses. 9 A Note on the Various Editions of INTRODUCTION George Fox’s Journal It is the purpose of this study guide to briefly comment George Fox first dictated his Journal to his son-in-law Thomas on some aspects of the message of George Fox as expressed Lower in 1675, while recovering from a spell in prison. This in his Journal. handwritten version of the Journal is known as the “Spence MS.” After Fox’s death, Thomas Ellwood was designated to edit the These comments are mostly on the beginning chapters of Journal for publication. In doing so, Ellwood added the narrative for his Journal. It is hoped that the reader can then continue the period from 1675 to the time of Fox’s death as well as editing reading the rest of the Journal with an understanding of most out passages from the original manuscript, which Friends at the of the ideas and expressions that are so distinctively a part time considered controversial, including most references to Fox’s of Fox. healing or “miracles.” The first edition of Fox’s Journal , as edited by Ellwood, appeared in 1694. George Fox dictated his Journal. He thought as if he were speaking. So it is helpful to read his Journal aloud. Also, his The Ellwood edition of the Journal was reprinted numerous times Journal lends itself to being read aloud and discussed by a unchanged. A two volume edition appeared in 1831 as part of an group of people.. eight volume The Works of George Fox. This edition of The Works was reprinted in 1975 by AMS. It was again reprinted by New I hope that readers of the Journal may experience the same Foundations in 1990 with a new introduction. This edition is sense of strong inward confirmation of the message of currently out of print. George Fox that I have experienced when reading his Journal. In 1911, the “Spence MS” was published verbatim by Cambridge University Press and is known as the “Cambridge Journal.” In 1925, John H. Curtis Cambridge University Press published the Short Journal, edited by 1976 Norman Penney, which was based on a manuscript dictated by Fox while imprisoned in Lancaster Castle in 1664 and covering the period between 1647 and 1664. The Short Journal was reprinted in ����� 2010 by Cambridge University Press along with other manuscripts as The Short Journals and Itinerary Journals of George Fox. About the Author In 1908, Rufus Jones edited an edition of the Journal. This edition was reprinted by Friends United Press in 1976 and again in 1983 John H. Curtis (1914-1992) served as controller for the American Friends Service Committee from 1942 till his retirement The Nickalls edition, to which this study guide refers, was first in 1974. He joined Lewis Benson in the work of the New published in 1952 and in 1975 and several times more. The most Foundations Fellowship. He also served for many years as recent edition, published jointly by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting treasurer of the Tract Association of Friends. He published a and Britain Yearly Meeting, came out in 2005. The Nickalls edition number of articles including “Quaker Belief and Experience” restores much of the portions of the original Journal omitted by (Quaker Religious Thought, Vol. 8, Art. 5 (1962)) and “A Quaker Ellwood. The Preface to this edition gives a detailed history of the View of the Christian Revelation” (Tract Association of Friends). various editions. -CF 8 1 Why Fox Wrote his Journal which [Thomas] Ellwood worked. This material is called the “Spence MS” and is printed in the “Cambridge Journal” of Nickalls We learn from the first paragraph that Fox wrote his Journal Page 1 1911. Para 1 so that “all may know the dealings of the Lord with me.” Also, (1624) we will learn the various exercises, trials, and troubles Since the various editions of the Journal of George Fox will through which Fox was led by the Lord as preparation for the differ from the Nickalls Edition after this point and since a work to which the Lord appointed him. number of comments have already been made in this guide, only a few further items will be discussed. This does not The Lord mean that the rest of the Journal is not important. In fact it is In the first line we have a problem that is so typical of Fox’s in the rest of the Journal that the message that Fox preached thought that some space should be devoted to a consideration is made clear. It was this message that changed so many of it right now. What does Fox mean by “the Lord”? people’s lives and produced the Religious Society of Friends. The usual statement about the term “the Lord” is that it The Peace Testimony refers to God in the Old Testament and to Christ in the New Page 64 Here Fox states his belief in the life and power that takes Testament.. This does not help here because we do not know Para 3 whether Fox is using it in an Old Testament or a New (1651) away the occasion for all wars. I take this life and power to Testament sense. It is my own belief that Fox is probably using be Christ within. The belief that Christ takes away the it in both senses. occasion for war has meant a great deal to me. Fox occasionally makes statements like, “I told them they I feel that not participating in war is a very serious matter. were not to dispute of God and Christ but to obey him.” In Our family, friends, and other people can suffer in addition Fox’s thinking, based on his experience, God and Christ are to ourselves because of our nonparticipation in war. It is only always present as is the Holy Spirit. Christ’s action that gives sufficient basis to solve the many dilemmas of nonparticipation in war. The Truth This peace testimony is a testimony (witness) to the power The word “Truth” is used in this paragraph. It means the of Christ. Quaker cause and the Quaker message. Thus one of the earliest queries was, “How does Truth prosper among you?” Firbank Fell Sermon Here Fox’s travels in the service of Truth were to proclaim the Page 109 This summary of Fox’s three-hour presentation gives the message and promote the cause. Para 2 heart of the message Fox was preaching. The emphasis on Professors that Did Not Possess (1652) Christ as living teacher, counselor and, particularly as prophet,