The Beginnings of Quakerism
In 1652, George Fox arrived at Swarthmoor Hall near Morecambe Bay, the estate of Judge Thomas Fell, a highly respected member of the aristocracy. Judge Fell, whose position required traveling around on a circuit, was not home, nor was his wife Margaret, an accomplished aristocratic woman who managed the estate whenever her husband was away from home. Fox talks a long time with the Fells' parish priest William Lampitt, who Fox refers to as "a man full of filth." Lampitt does not want Fox at Swarthmoor Hall.
Margaret Fell soon comes home and hears Fox. She is impressed and invites Fox to the parish church. Fox comes in as Lampitt is about to speak and asks permission to preach. As Lampitt is beholden to the Fells, he gives Fox permission. Margaret Fell finds Fox is preaching the truth she has been seeking for. Over the next three weeks, Fox stays at Swarthmoor Hall and Fell's family and servants also become convinced of the Truth.
When Judge Fell comes back, Lampitt warns him about Fox and what he perceives as Fox' dangerous influence over Margaret and others at Swarthmoor Hall. Judge Fell listens to Fox, and Margaret reports she felt the power of God go through her husband. Judge Fell never actually becomes a Friend, but allows Friends to meet at Swarthmoor Hall and serves in many ways to help protect them from persecution.
From this point, Swarthmoor Hall becomes the nerve center of the burgeoning movement. It is a place where traveling Friends evangelists came to rest and receive encouragement. Margaret administers a fund to help those imprisoned for the faith and to help meet expenses of Friends traveling in the ministry. She keeps in correspondence with the "Valiant Sixty," the traveling evangelists (men and women) and other key people in the movement. After Judge Fell's death, she marries George Fox, a marriage of equals in keeping with Friends' principles. This unites perhaps the two most important figures of the early period of Quakerism, although George is traveling or in prison during most of their married life and they spend very little time together.
I have barely touched upon the faith of early Friends, and there is much more that could be written. But I wish to keep this article reasonably short, and so will stop here. A number of writings of early Friends can be found at these two Web sites:
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