Letters - 11 September 2015
From vocal prayer to phlogiston
Vocal prayer
In response to Metford Robson’s suggestion (21 August) it is perhaps helpful to quote from volume two of Thomas Clarkson’s 1806 A Portraiture of Quakerism: ‘If the minister engage in prayer, he kneels, [he had previously written that this applies to women ministers as well] and the whole company rise up, and the men with the minister take off their hats, that is, uncover their heads. [1 Corinthians 11:4] If he preach only, they do not rise, but remain upon their seats as before, with their heads covered. The preacher, however, uncovers his own head upon this occasion and stands.’
My understanding is that at Friends House the practice ceased sometime after 1927 because when all Friends stood during a prayer the noise caused by the cinema-style seats in the new Large Meeting House was too disturbing. Perhaps that is why the practice ceased among British Friends generally.
John H Hall
Science and religion
Patricia Gosling’s article (28 August) gives an admirable summary of the rapid evolution of scientific understanding of the cosmos and the world which challenges all previously ‘established certainties’.
As to her question ‘Where are the Quakers?’, I suggest that she should read Hugh Rock’s article ‘Two understandings of God: the creative energy in the universe and the creative energy in us’ (the Friends Quarterly, issue three, 2015).
Hugh Rock’s article, in my understanding, explains clearly what she refers to as our awareness ‘of some power beyond ourselves’ and the deep level at which we recognise each other and ‘our role in a wider enterprise’.
Dennis Tomlin
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