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Faith and
Practice
INTRODUCTION The Expanding
Appreciation of Truth
Human understanding of truth is always subject to
growth. This basic principle also underlies the development of the
organizations and institutions through which the spirit of Christianity
is made operative in life. While fundamental principles are eternal,
expressions of truth and methods of Christian activity should develop in
harmony with the needs of the times. God, who spoke through the
prophets, and supremely in Jesus Christ, still speaks through men and
women who have become new creatures in Christ (II Cor. 5:17), being
transformed by the renewing of their minds (Rom. 12:2) and, therefore,
able and willing to receive fresh revelations of truth.
Frequently, however, we see "through a glass, darkly," (I Cor. 13:12)
and may misinterpret or make incorrect applications. Therefore, as the
stream of life flows on, bringing new conceptions, insights and
situations, it is necessary to strive constantly for a clearer
comprehension of divine truth that will enter vitally into personal
experience and become a creative factor for the redemption of human
character and the remolding of society on the Christian pattern. "A
religion based on truth must be progressive. Truth being so much greater
than our conception of it, we should ever he making fresh discoveries."
(London Yearly Meeting 1920).
Origin and Development of the Discipline
The term "discipline" is used by Friends to designate
those arrangements which they have instituted for their civil and
religious nurture and guidance as a Christian group. For almost a decade
following the beginning of the ministry of George Fox, the founder of
the Society of Friends, his followers were without organization, but as
they grew in unity and in numbers there arose responsibilities to
admonish, encourage, and help one another both in spiritual and in
temporal affairs. They found it necessary to make certain provisions for
the preservation of order in their fellowship and for the care of the
poor and those who suffered for conscience sake.
There was also need for the supervision of the exercise of spiritual
gifts and of the work of publishing truth. The rules and advices
pertaining to such ministrations were finally incorporated in the
discipline. The earliest Quaker advice on Christian practice was issued
by the famous gathering of Friends at Balby in Yorkshire in 1656, a
statement that well describes the spirit which should characterize all
books of discipline: "Dear beloved friend, these things we do not lay
upon you as a rule or form to walk by, but that all with the measure of
light which is pure and holy may be guided, and so in the light walking
and abiding these may be fulfilled in the spirit, not from the letter;
for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life."
An important step in the development of the discipline was the drafting
by George Fox in 1668 of a body of advices and regulations to which his
opponents gave the name of "Canons and Institutions." This served for a
long time as the discipline of the Society, although the name was
formally disclaimed by Friends in 1675. It formed the basis for the
Discipline of London Yearly Meeting and for all later books of
discipline. As the various Yearly Meetings were established in America,
each prepared and adopted its own book of discipline but there was much
similarity because of the common use of material from older editions.
These disciplines were revised from time to time as the rules and
advices which they contained became inadequate and inappropriate. Thus,
as the conscience of Friends became aware of the evils involved in human
slavery or in the use of intoxicating drinks, these convictions were
expressed in their disciplines.
WILMINGTON YEARLY MEETING
Adoption of the Uniform Discipline
Many diverse factors during the latter half of the nineteenth century
had affected the outlook, activities, and relationships of members of
the Society of Friends in America. As those cross currents were faced in
the conferences of Yearly Meetings held in 1887, 1892, and 1897,
sentiment developed for a closer union of the Yearly Meetings to be
accomplished partly by a general representative meeting and partly by
the adoption of a uniform discipline. A committee of two representatives
from each of the Yearly Meetings taking part in the conference of 1897
was appointed to formulate a plan of union and to prepare the proposed
discipline. "The Constitution and Discipline for the American Yearly
Meetings of Friends", the official name of the new discipline, was
adopted by the Yearly Meetings of New England, Wilmington, Indiana, and
Kansas in 1900; California, New York, Western, and Baltimore in 1901;
Oregon, North Carolina, and Iowa in 1902; Nebraska, when it was
established in 1908. Canada Yearly Meeting, when received in the Five
Years Meeting' in 1907, was given the privilege of adapting the
Discipline to its own needs.
The Book of Faith and Practice
The Uniform Discipline met quite acceptably the needs of the Yearly
Meetings which adopted it. But the revolutionary changes in life and
thought experienced in the twentieth century brought to Friends the
realization that the statements of faith and practice as set forth by
the Discipline should be re-examined and revised that they might more
adequately meet the needs of the Yearly Meetings. This concern found
expression in numerous proposals by Yearly Meetings for amendments to
the Discipline. Eventually in 1940, the Executive Committee of the Five
Years Meeting recommended to that body that steps be taken for a
revision. The Five Years Meeting of 1940 adopted a method of procedure
providing for the appointment of a committee which was instructed to
prepare a revised draft of the Discipline for the consideration of the
Five Years Meeting and its constituent Yearly Meetings.
The revised copy was submitted to the constituent
Yearly Meetings. Some of the Yearly Meetings adopted the revised text as
submitted to them, making slight revisions and adaptations. Others
adopted parts of the text. One Yearly Meeting adopted Part II only.
Practically no two Yearly Meetings took identical action with regard to
it.
Thus, the necessary acceptance of the revision by four-fifths of the
Yearly Meetings was not attained. Since two of the doctrinal statements
included in the revision were from the Uniform Discipline, and since the
revision was not approved, some concluded that the entire contents of
the revision (except the business procedure) were "unofficial".
Friends from several Yearly Meetings requested clarification of the
status of the three-fold doctrinal statement adopted by the Five Years
Meeting in 1902, and which in 1922 was re-affirmed. (The doctrinal
statements referred to were "Essential Truths", "Extracts from George
Fox's Letter to the Governor of Barbadoes, 1671", and the "Declaration
of Faith" issued by the Richmond Conference of 1887. These had all been
part of the Uniform Discipline.) Careful inquiry by the General Board of
Friends United Meeting and the 1975 Sessions led to the following
minute:
"Research indicated that the action taken in 1922 reaffirming the
Authorized Declaration was probably not affected by subsequent attempt
to revise the Discipline and thus has never been rescinded.... We accept
the findings of this research and recognize that the Authorized
Declaration of Faith reaffirmed in 1922 remains the official statement
of Friends United Meeting. We note the conditions under which it was
adopted. It is our understanding that these conditions left constituent
Yearly Meetings free to be guided by their own inspiration and did not
impose a particular phraseology on staff or officers of Friends United
Meeting." (1975 Minutes of Friends United Meeting, page 30.)
Thus Friends United Meeting Yearly Meetings are no longer operating
under a Uniform Discipline except the section of Business Procedure for
Friends United Meetings and the Authorized Declaration of Faith.
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