The Light in Their Consciences: Early Quakers in Britain, 1646-1666 (review)

Book Reviews Edited by Thomas D. Hamm The Light in Their Consciences: Early Quakers in Britain, 1646-1666. By Rosemary Moore. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2000. xiii + 314 pp. Illustrations, appendixes, notes, bibliography, and index. $29.95. This is an excellent book in form and substance! In addition to text, the book includes preface, appendixes describing sources and methodology, page-referenced endnotes, bibliography, index, and illustrations. Her work builds upon that of Braithwaite, Nuttall, Barbour, Carroll, Bailey, Reay, Ingle, Gwyn, Punshon, and others. She challenges her peers on occasion, respectfully. Solidresearchhas yieldedexcellentdocumentation forMoore's picture of the early Quaker movement as a gathering of diverse and often disputatiouspeople unitedby experiential faith, and a shared conviction that Christ was re-gathering the Church. The book cogently describes leaders: George Fox, Elisabeth Hooton, James Nayler, Margaret Fell, Edward Burrough, William Dewsbury, James Parnell, George Bishop, and others whose stories she portrays sympathetically, but critically. She describes our spiritual ancestors ministering their Christian faith through evangelism, prophetic witness and publication. Moore portrays early Quakers as seeking to respond to the light ofChrist in their consciences ("consciousness"). The light ofChrist was forthem "an overwhelming invasive force, not a vague mental illumination." Moore correctly observes that the phrase "inner light" never occurs in early Quaker writings, and "inward light" was rare (p. 81). She traces vicissitudes of persons confident of their infallible Guide, and struggling to interpret in word and in deedwhatthat Guide saidto them, andto the world—in amilieu ofrapidly increasing adherents. "Fourmain factors," shewrites, contributed to the early success ofthe Quaker movement: One was the personality ofGeorge Fox, and his ability to inspire other people. Another was the resonance ofQuaker teaching with the wants and feelings of many people. Third was the quality of some ofthe individuals whojoined the movement, above all Margaret Fell. . . . Fourth . . . opportunity to consolidate the early gains by putting down deep roots. ... (p. 21) Moore chose a twenty year period, 1646-66, to define the early Quaker movement. Although the Restoration date, 1 660, offers a political marker with acknowledged impact upon religious movements, 1666 does more clearly closethe first Quakerchapter. Itmarks thejelling ofamovement into an organized church. In such transitions questions arise; does the new form diminish or strengthen the vision? Does "Gospel order" correlate with "a 60Quaker History people to be gathered to the Lord?" Did the "Quaker awakening of the Church" end, or facilitate covenant faithfulness? Did such order indicate mature conciliarjudgments or administrative control? The book informs a discussion ofthese questions. Moore's chapter on "Walking in the Light" was helpful in respect to the developing peace testimony. She shows that although as participants in the covenant of peace they eagerly abjured violence in favor of spiritual weapons, Quakers weren't of one mind about how the state should be an instrument of Divine will in a fallen world. This issue has continued to trouble Friends, although disciplinary statements tend toward an absolutist position. On some points I think Rosemary Moore makes unwarranted inferences. First, about apocalyptic fervor. In my judgment there were significant Quaker differences from the Muggletonians, which Moore glosses over in her first chapter (p. 13) but makes clearer in her chapter on "The Kingdom ofthe Lord". For Quakers the phrase "come and coming" signified "realizing (not realized) eschatology. Their enthusiasm for the Day of Visitation notwithstanding, they saw the second coming of Christ as a fulfillment beyond the age ofthe Spirit they were enthusiastically experiencing. And as Moore rightly indicates, "church reform" was the driving concern of Quakers and other radical groups, (p. 65) Second, about flowery religious language. Although metaphors from the Song of Songs are obviously used allegorically, e.g. Camm praising Fox as "beautiful and comely", to infer that "unexpressed sexuality was probably at the root" of such correspondence reflects a reductionist bias inadequate to interpret the significance ofreligious speech, whether among Quakers or medieval mystics. Third, about miracles andthe supernatural. Here again areductionistbias yields anunwarranted inference, thatmiracle workingwas apublic relations ploy. Moore writes, "Quakers knew that they needed miracles to support their claims, and were not good at performing them." (p. 131) The author cannot interrogate the intentions ofthese Quaker evangelists. Nor does data about...