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Archiver > QUAKER-ROOTS > 2000-02 > 0949594572


From: Tim Walls <>
Subject: Re: [Q-R] Marriage Customs - Part 2 - Some comments
Date: Thu, 03 Feb 2000 11:16:12 -0500


> Subject: Re: [Q-R] Marriage Customs - Part 2 - Some comments
> Date: Wed, 2 Feb 2000 23:53:48 EST
> From:
> To:
>
> (snip)This following is based on the correct or incorrect understanding that
> the world wide population of The Friends is about 50,000
> In all seriousness, and with NO cynicism, I would very much like to know
> the historical/social/other forces at work that have practically destroyed
> Quakerism. From the point where it was a quite viable albeit oppressed
> minority, to the point where it is disappearing into the woodwork almost
> as fast as Shakers, who do not propagate at all. (snip)
>

Well (smile) I will attempt to answer that query. First, modern
Quakers usually have fewer children. This makes it difficult to grow
from within. Secondly, the children are not automatic members of the
meeting. They must be "upgraded" (my terminology) from Junior Member to
full member status if both the Meeting and the child approve. This is
more an educational process than anything else. Third, Quaker meetings
are very stable and long lived. Even those in Westchester Co. NY and in
or near Cape Cod, MA are still around and active. The members must like
being Quaker. The number of Quakers worldwide is understood to be
overwhelmingly in Africa, especially Kenya and Uganda where there could
be around 300,000 to 400,000 in Africa alone. In the US the numbers
might be around 50,000 but I haven't heard of any dramatic drop lately.
(lately meaning in the past 3 or 4 decades up to and including last
year). Fourth, but not to the exclusion of other additional factors, my
Quaker ancestors (I have an awfully large number of them) sometimes
would join other faiths and continue to attend the Quaker meeting. This
was more common after 1850. Losing members did not necessarily mean
losing attendance, since the Quakers have been in general a very
unevangelical faith and just not prone to try to convert others to their
faith. Some, including myself, say half seriously that George Fox was
the first and last evangelical Quaker- but this has a bit of truth to
it. It's not hard to become a member - but I don't know of any Quakers
who go out and recruit members. I did hear of some radio advertisements
being broadcast in the New York area, though. Pretty unusual.

Regards,
Tim Walls

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