The Hard Work

The African Great Lakes Region

In these times, I find that my spirit hungers for wisdom, passion, and evidence that courage and love will always prevail over fear and distrust.

John Woolman was a mid-eighteenth century Quaker whose powerful and personal way of "living into the testimonies" earned him great respect among his peers... even when he was challenging the very roots of their belief systems.

Because he was such a clear and powerful thinker, and because his family's land holdings lay between Burlington and Mount Holly, there is an annual John Woolman lecture here in New Jersey every year. I was unable to attend the lecture this year. But I am grateful to Tom Hoopes, who shared with me a synopsis of some of John Woolman's teachings as highlighted in this year's address by Friend David Zaremka.

Here are some of Woolman's lessons, as evidenced by his life and writings, in a distilled form:

1. Rather than run from those in conflict, let us visit them.
2. Do not let danger deter us.
3. Let us confront the violence in the United States so that we lessen the wars, conflicts, and economic exploitation that the United States brings to other parts of the world.
4. Let love replace hatred. Let us restore that of God in those who have done bad things.
5. Let us address the roots of violence in order to reduce societal and domestic violence.
6. Let us bring enemies together to “look each other in the eye.”
7. Let us stop judging people as “good” or “bad” but answer to that of God in absolutely everyone.

And the unifying lesson:
8. Let us dwell deep that we may feel and understand the spirits of people.

~ ~ ~

Can you imagine what we could achieve, as individuals and as a people, if we were to take up this hard work?

(The full text of David's remarks can be found here: http://woolmancentral.com/lecture2006.html)