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Finally, to Mario Francisco, my non-Quaker hero, I want to say something in plain speech: thank thee for listening to all my yarns, and for thy support throughout the journey.

Contents

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AN INTRODUCTION

QUAKER ROMANCES

Quakers and their Testimonies

The Religious Society of Friends, as Quakers are officially known, began in the 1640s in the North of England, at the end of the Civil War. George Fox (1624-1691) was the primary founder of the movement, though he was supported by many other religious seekers in this turbulent time. His ascent of Pendle Hill in May 1652 is considered “a critical moment in Quaker history as it marked the idea of starting the new church” (Dandelion 2008: 7). Fox’s movement soon stood out due to several features that seemed revolutionary and threatening. Above all was the belief that God had placed within every person an Inward or Inner Light that they could turn to, which allowed for a direct relationship with God. The consequences of putting this belief into practice were enormous. There was no longer a need for ministers, pastors, priests, and the like, as Friends required no intermediary with God. With the discarding of ministers came, too, the irrelevance of sacraments (Dandelion 2008: 9). Scripture became secondary, used to confirm individual revelations.