Wear Thy Sword as Long as Thou Canst
“There is a wonderful and illuminating account from the seventeenth century of how our conscience should direct our actions. It may be apocryphal, but it is so characteristic of the persons involved that it seems authentic.
Young William Penn, a gentleman of high social status, had heard Quakers preach and had experienced an opening of the Spirit in his own life. After a few months he had the opportunity of meeting George Fox, the inspiring leader of the Religious Society of Friends. Penn was obviously troubled in his conscience about following the custom of his class of wearing a sword. So he asked Fox, ‘How long should I wear my sword?’ Fox replied in the Quaker language of that day, ‘Wear thy sword as long as thou canst.'”
— Wallace Collett, 1987 (source)
Quaker and businessman
Today’s Invitation
What is something in your life that you have continued to do despite it weighing on your conscience? Take a few minutes of silence to consider if thou canst still do it.
This Week’s Query
How have you seen Quaker faith and process meet the challenges of our time?
If the world could learn one thing from Quakers, what would it be? How would that change the world?
Banner art by Maggie Fiori
