1 August 2014 £1.80 the DISCOVER THE FriendCONTEMPORARY QUAKER WAY Welcome to Bath the Friend INDEPENDENT QUAKER JOURNALISM SINCE 1843 CONTENTS VOL 172 NO 31 3 Thought for the Week: 12-13 Open for transformation: Being Friends being a Quaker – Ben Pink Dandelion, Ian Kirk-Smith Swarthmore lecturer 4-5 The futility of war – 14-15 From the archive interview with composer compiled by Janet Scott Sally Beamish 16 Blind to disability? 6-7 News Marlêne Cantan-Taylor 8-9 Called to be poets 17 A vision in pink Harvey Gillman 18-19 1899 Peace Conference 10-11 Honey, I shrunk the state Penelope Cummins Mike King 20 Friends & Meetings As we are one in Christ, and can never be at war… While 4 August will be the centenary of the outbreak German-Swiss border, as part of the commemorations of of first world war, it is less known that it is also a the fifth centenary of the Council of Constance. significant centenary in the history of peace. By 3 August it was clear that anyone who wanted to On 4 August 1914, on the platform of Cologne get home without difficulty should leave immediately, station, Henry Hodgkin, a British Quaker, and so the conference was terminated prematurely, without Friedrich Sigmund-Schulze, a German Lutheran pastor, establishing the ‘Movement Towards a Christian made a solemn farewell handshake, declaring ‘We are International’ it had been discussing. one in Christ and can never be at war’. Nevertheless, Hodgkin set up a ‘Fellowship of Hodgkin and Schulze had been participants in a Reconciliation’ in the UK, which has now become Christian pacifist conference held at Constance, on the international. Cover image: Pulteney Bridge, Bath. The bridge was designed by Robert Adam. Photo: Michael Maggs / Wikimedia Commons. 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Yearly Meeting in London, 1668 Quaker faith & practice 6.02 he Yearly Meeting Gathering in Bath will be held in the shadow of history – one hundred years after the start of the first world war. It was called the ‘war to end all wars’. Sadly, it was not, despite leaving approximately Tseventeen million dead. The first modern, industrialised, war merely pointed the way to the future. The Quaker response to the first world war will be one of many subjects raised and explored at what should be the most vibrant Quaker event in years. The past is important because it has shaped who and what we are. We can learn from it. This is true both for society and our Society. One aspect of Bath will be an outward looking one dealing with Quaker engagement in the world: the faithful witness being done in areas, for example, such as criminal justice and peace. The other aspect, a more inward looking one, is also vital. 2014 marks the end of a three-year project looking at what it means to be a Quaker today. This theme is addressed by Ben Pink Dandelion, honorary professor of Quaker Studies at Birmingham University, in his Swarthmore Lecture. The lecture – a lucid, perceptive and achieved work – is a significant contribution to British Quakerism. Contemporary Quakerism is sometimes talked about in terms of an ailing patient that was once in wonderful health. I wonder if this was ever the case. As with all institutions and movements, it evolves and changes. Friends in Bath will be casting a thoughtful eye on the patient, discerning symptoms and enjoying the space and time to reflect on creative remedies. In the past the word ‘Friend’ was, perhaps, more widely used in the Society. It is a word with rich associations and meaning – both within Quakerism and in society: ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed’; ‘to be-friend’; ‘a friend to strangers’. Friend is a word, as Irish Friend Ross Chapman has written, that ‘implies fellowship, camaraderie, concord, fraternity, shaking hands, holding out an olive branch.’ In John’s gospel 15: 15 it says: ‘I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.’ We are called to be friends of Christ – of a living Christ – of a spirit of love, peace, compassion, kindness and charity towards others. We are called to be Friends in the way we live our lives. Yearly Meeting Gathering in Bath will be a great coming together of Friends, a time of fellowship, a time to ‘see one another’s faces’. The team that have put it together have worked with enormous dedication and energy. Bath was once a mecca for people who sought renewal. Hopefully, it will be for some days a place of worship, joy, productive business and lively discussion among Friends. As Thomas Jefferson said: ‘Difference of opinion was never, with me, a motive of separation from a friend.’ Ian Kirk-Smith editor of the Friend the Friend, 1 August 2014 3 Interview The futility of war Sally Beamish is one of Britain’s leading composers. She spoke with Ian Kirk-Smith about Photo: Ashley Coombes. Photo: Ashley her life, work and Quaker faith. n Friday 1 August Sally Beamish’s Violin she loved it there. There were seven pieces of ministry Concerto, based on the theme of war, is being and they all seemed to be speaking directly to me. To given a London premiere at the Royal Albert rediscover it was wonderful – and the way Quakers OHall as part of the BBC Proms season. The programme, embraced green issues, homelessness, peace and so on. commemorating 100 years since the outbreak of the first I felt it was somewhere that I could really grow. My world war, includes William Ivor Walton’s Symphony daughter remains very involved.’ No.1 in B flat minor and Gurney’s War Elegy. Today, Sally has close links with Glasgow Meeting. Sally’s career began as a violist with the Raphael What keeps her within the Quaker family? She explains: Ensemble. However, it is as a composer that she has ‘It’s that feeling that you don’t have to conform with made a significant mark on British music, particularly what you find. You are important and, whatever you feel, after her move from England to Scotland in 1990. you know it will be held up and valued – whatever it is.’ She has written for the orchestra (including two Quakerism, historically, has always been concerned symphonies and several concertos) and also chamber with conflict. A vital perspective is a concern to explore and instrumental music, film scores and theatre music. the seeds of conflict. Being a Friend, Sally feels, has Sally, who currently lives in Stirlingshire in Scotland, had an influence on her work as a composer: ‘We write had a Quaker father and a Church of England mother. from our inner self. The inner prompting is important. This meant a childhood alternating, on Sundays, A lot of the ideas that I put into my music resonate with between church and Meeting house. Quakerism. I am not a political animal. The way I express She recalls the last time she went to Meeting, as a myself is through music. We all crave a connection with young person, before abandoning Quakers for thirty each other, but often end up warring with each other, years: ‘I remember I was about seventeen. I was called with family and friends, and I feel the seeds of war are to speak but couldn’t. I was going to speak about my with us all the time. The need to see where the other brother, who has Down’s Syndrome, and I felt strongly person is coming from is so important.’ called. It was a definite, powerful, feeling, which I didn’t She was able two express some of these ideas in a have the courage to respond to, and I think I was afraid commission she did for the 500th anniversary of the to go to Meeting after that, in case it happened again.’ battle of Flodden. The battle was in 1513 and involved Her re-engagement with Quakerism, she says, came the worst loss of life until the battle of the Somme in about almost by accident.