George
Fox
was born in Fenny
Drayton, Leicestershire, in 1624. Apprenticed to a Nottingham
shoemaker, Fox developed strong opinions about religion. Fox rebelled
against the state control of the Church of
England and in 1643 began toured the country giving sermons where
he argued that consecrated buildings and ordained ministers were irrelevant
to the individual seeking God. Three years later Fox had a divine
revelation that inspired him to preach a gospel of brotherly love.
Fox formed a group called the Friends of Truth.
Later they became known as the Society of
Friends. Fox's central dogma was that of the inner
light, communicated directly to the individual soul by Christ.
After 1656 followers of Fox refused to attend Anglican
services or pay tithes. This resulted in
Fox being arrested. According to Fox's journal, Justice Bennet of
Derby "was the first that called us Quakers, because I bade them
tremble at the word of the Lord". Eventually members of the Society
of Friends became known as Quakers.
During
the reign of Charles II, 13,562 were
arrested and imprisoned in England and 198 were transported as slaves,
and 338 died in prison or of wounds received in violent assaults on
their meetings. The Society of Friends
continued to grow and by 1660 Fox had made more than 20,000 converts
and missionaries were at work in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the
American colonies.
After considerable debate, the Quakers
evolved a form of organization with regular monthly, quarterly, and
annual meetings. They selected elders, to watch over the ministry,
and overseers to make provision for the poor and secure the education
of the children. They wore sober clothes and used the terms 'thee'
and 'thou' to all as a sign of equality. The use of titles or honours
and "doffing the hat" were to be avoided even in the presence
of the royal family.
During his lifetime George Fox visited Barbados, Jamaica, America,
Holland and Germany. Fox was accompanied on his travels by William
Penn and in 1661
he founded the American Quaker Colony of Pennsylvania. Fox continued
as a travelling preacher until his death in 1691.
Three years after death, a committee of leading Quakers
under the leadership of William Penn, edited
and published his journals. George Fox's
Journal (1694) describes his visions, his teachings and
his frequent imprisonments.
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