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George Fox was born at Drayton, Leicestershire, England in 1624. He was educated in the Episcopal church and led a devout life as a Christian. Early in his life he began to be concerned with the sinful lives that the people around him lived. He increasingly removed himself from former friends to spend most of his time reading the holy scriptures.
In 1647, George Fox began traveling (on foot) through England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland preaching. He even went to Holland and the English Colonies in North America. He preached that every person was guided by the Lord who shone an 'inner light' on the soul of each human. It was up to each person to discover and follow that inner light. Some traditions claim that the teachings of George Fox were influenced by the dissenting group, the Legatine-Arians. The Legatine-Arians (named for the Legate brothers: Bartholomew, Thomas and Walter) were also known as the 'Seekers' who sought God's revelation through personal soul-searching and Bible study. The Seekers, just one group among many, were called 'dissenters' because they opposed the established Church of England. Because they believed that the Roman Catholic Church (and also the Church of England and all of the Protestant groups that questioned Catholicism) had become corrupted, they were seekers of the true gospels. They attempted to take Christianity back to its source.
The people who were attracted to Fox's sermons based on the gospels of the Bible referred to themselves as Friends. That was based on Jesus' words in the gospel of John, chapter 15, verse 14: Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Their critics and opponents called them Quakers. That name was based on a tradition that a judge ordered Fox and his followers to 'quake' before his authority and Fox responded by demanding that judge to quake before the almighty God's authority. Despite it originally being intended as an insult toward them, the followers of George Fox embraced the name 'Quakers'.
Quakers chose to wear plain (unadorned) clothes and were often identified by the wide-brim black hats they wore. They believed in greeting everyone with the same respect, and they often ran afoul of the law because they did not remove their hats to anyone, not even to royalty.
Quakers do not concentrate on religious doctrine. They believe that while the New Testament of the Holy Bible recorded primarily how Paul interpreted the Old Testament scriptures and taught the people to whom he ministered his own revelations of Christianity, Paul's revelations were simply one of a long line of possible revelations. They believe that as time goes on, new revelations might be revealed to other individuals, even those living at the present-day.
Quakers believe in practicing Christianity rather than simply reading and learning about other people's experiences and revelations.
Quakers do not believe in baptism as other Christian denominations do; they believe in the baptism of the Spirit. Neither do they practice the rite of communion (i.e. The Lord's Supper).
Quakers believe that an understanding of and relationship with God can lead to perfection. They do not believe that only by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ can mankind be delivered from sin. They encourage their followers to study the scriptures so that they can be closer to perfection than to sin. They refer to the scriptures, where in Matthew 5, verse 48 it states that "Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." In that sense, the Quaker is similar to Zen Buddhists who believe that a person's soul passes from body to body, constantly learning more until they reach enlightenment, or 'oneness' with the Lord.
Quakers do not hold church services like other denominations. They meet and sit in silence, thinking to themselves. If someone feels moved to speak to the rest, he or she may do so. If someone feels called to sing, it might be by themselves or requesting the others to join them. The Quaker Meeting (meaning a "simple gathering") may or may not have someone presenting a sermon. The Meeting is conducted as what might be called 'spontaneous worship'.
The Philadelphia Yearly Meeting published the Rules of Discipline and Christian Advices of the Yearly Meeting of Friends in 1797. The following description of the schedule of Meetings was given:
And for the worship of God, and the more regular and easy proceeding in the service and discipline of the Church, Meetings have been by Divine assistance, as above hinted, set up and established, serviceable and subordinate to each other, as particular meetings Meetings for worship, one or more of which constitute a Preparative Meeting. Monthly, which mostly take In several particular or Preparative Meetings, who are to meet together once a month. Quarterly, including so many monthly Meetings as may under right direction most usually meet together once every three months. And Yearly, which is composed of so many Quarterly Meetings as may most conveniently attend the same; each of which have their respective Powers and Service for the well ordering of Society, and advancement of Truth and Righteousness.
At the present day there are a number of Quaker "denominations" although they are not called that. Instead, the various groups of Quakers are named The Religious Society of Friends of the Truth which is a very conservative group and adherents of traditional Quaker beliefs; the Friends General Conference; the Friends United Meeting; and a faction which has embraced evangelical leanings called the Evangelical Friends International.
The first schism within the Society of Friends happened at a meeting held on 21 Apirl 1827 with the teachings by Elias Hicks who preached that the embrace of the "inward light" was more important than following scriptural authority. His followers were known as the "Hicksites". Hick's claimed that he was trying to return the Society of Friends back to the original teachings of George Fox. He felt that the Friends had begun to stray from the original teachings. The Friends who were not convinced that Hicks was correct, and who felt that the Bible scriptures should be honored over the inner light became known as "Orthodox" and they condemned Hicks for being an heretic.
In 1902 a number of Orthodox Meetings joined together in what was known as the Five Years Meeting. But a split in the Five Years Meeting came about in 1926 with the withdrawal of the Northwest Yearly Meeting.
The Association of Evangelical Friends was formed in 1947. In 1965 the name was changed to Evangelical Friends Church International. The 'evangelical' movement within the Religious Society of Friends was actually begun as early as the 1840's with the teachings of Joseph John Gurney. The friends who accepted his interpretations of the doctrines of atonement and the nature of Jesus Christ, became known as "Gurneyites".
During the 1950's a number of the Yearly Meetings in North America rejoined together under the name of the Friends General Conference.
The Five Years Meeting changed its name to the Friends United Meeting in 1963.
For a better understanding of what the Society of Friends believe, check the official website at the url address: https://quaker.org/
