"How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity comes upon them? That God distributes pains in his anger? That they are like straw before the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away? You say, 'God stores up their iniquity for their sons.' Let him recompense it to themselves, that they may know it. Let their own eyes see their destruction, and let them drink of the wrath of the Almighty. For what do they care for their houses after them, when the number of their months is cut off? Will any teach God knowledge, seeing that he judges those that are on high? One dies in full prosperity, being wholly at ease and secure, his body full of fat and the marrow of his bones moist. Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted of good. They lie down alike in the dust, and the worms cover them." Job 21:17-29 (This passage is part of Job's bitter argument (and complaint) about the discrepancy between his terrible fate, though a just man, and the fate of the wicked, who often thrive, and God's apparent indifference to this perceived injustice.)

FROM WORSHIP AND MINISTRY

From Faith and Practice, extract 225, p. 155

Simplicity

It may surprise some of us to hear that the first generation of Friends did not have a testimony for simplicity. They came upon a faith which cut to the root of the way they saw life, radically reorienting it. They saw that all they did must flow directly from what they experienced as true, and that if it did not, both the knowing and the doing became false. In order to keep the knowledge clear and the doing true, they stripped away anything which seemed to get in the way. They called those things superfluities, and it is this radical process of stripping for clear-seeing which we now term simplicity.

Frances Irene Taber, 1985

UPCOMING EVENTS

Friday-Sunday, September 28-30:

Tri-quarterly gathering. Details below, and in flyer in foyer.

FIRST DAY SCHOOL

Adult First Day School Schedule:

Adult FDS begins at 11:00 AM.

Sept. 16 - Opening of Fist Day School. "Getting to Know You" is the theme. This an opportunity to get better acquainted with other Friends and Attenders. Gary Smith will be Facilitator.

Sept. 23 - Guest Speaker from FGC: FGC speaker to be announced.

Sept. 30 - Discussion of Query 10 - Integrity and Simplicity. David Smith Facilitator - Bring Faith and Practice. We will discuss Query 10 - Integrity and Simplicity - Page 214 in Faith and Practice. Friends assess the state of the Religious Society of Friends through the use of Queries. Rooted in the history of Friends, the Queries reflect the Quaker way of life, reminding Friends of the ideals we seek to attain.

YOU CAN DO IT DAY SATURDAY

All First Day School teachers, Religious Education Committee members, parents, and anyone who works with children are invited to attend You Can Do It Day Saturday, September 29, 2001 at Wrightstown Meeting (Bucks County, PA) sponsored by the Religious Education Concerns Group of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting.

Attend interesting morning and afternoon workshops on such topics as teaching First Day School, raising Quaker children, working with special needs children and teaching teens. The cost is $10. Lunch is provided. If you are interested, please contact Jayne Stokes.

SPIRITUAL PASSAGES READING AND STUDY GROUP

The group meeting bi-weekly to read and discuss the book Spiritual Passages took a break for the summer, and will reconvene on Sunday, September 16 at 9:00 AM in the Library.

Please join us to help decide the next direction for the group; whether to continue the book to its conclusion, or take a new direction or format. Previous readings will be helpful but not required - we take each chapter a week at a time. Join us!! For more information call Dave Roulston.

NEW NEWSLETTER EDITOR SOUGHT!

Harley Williams

I have, with a great deal of fun and satisfaction, edited the newsletter since November of 1994. However, all good things come to an end, and over the course of the last year I came to feel that it was time to move on (or get out of the way). I have therefore submitted my resignation effective no later than the end of November, and, if possible, the end of October. Anyone interested in editing these sheets should call me, Mary Pharo or Louise Heritage.

Editing the newsletter has been a wonderful and challenging task, gradually made easier by e-mail and the Web. I want to thank Mary Pharo and Louise Heritage, who have not only done the hardest work of proof-reading, copying, and mailing the newsletter, but have repeatedly saved me from committing embarrassing gaffes. Thanks also to all those who contributed poems, meeting recollections, mini-autobiographical pieces and other items over the years.

TRI-QUARTER GATHERING

There will be a gathering of Friends at Camp Ockanickon near Medford Lakes, New Jersey September 28-30, 2001, to participate in workshops, dance, stargaze, canoes, swim, etc. There will be numerous children's activities. Descriptive flyers are available in the Meetinghouse foyer, or call Cindy Cox Crispin for more information.

HFS KUDOS

Harley Williams

The Commission on Elementary Schools of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools evaluated HFS last year, and visited the school from November 5-8, 2000. The school received a glowing evaluation in the Commission's Report. The Commission was very impressed with the school's staff and administration, its planning, the report of the Structure Committee, and the Quakerly spirit in evidence at the school. Given the Meeting's approval of the proposal to add a 7th and 8th grade, thereby evincing its trust and faith in the school, it may take comfort from this evaluation of the school by an outside group that its trust and faith are well-placed.

I will be glad to make a copy of the Report available to anyone who is interested. These are excerpts from the Report:

The school is staffed with trained and caring professionals who are in accord with the mission statement of the school. The physical plant, which is utilized to its capacity and well-maintained, is barely adequate to house the educational program. The school has steadily grown in enrollment over the past 10 to 15 years, demonstrating the program's success. This growth has led to the need for physical expansion. . . .

COMMENDATIONS

The evaluators commend the school:

1. for continuing and effective growth of Haddonfield Friends School since the Middle States accreditation in 1989;

2. for its response to the Middle States recommendation that a professional development position be created to advance the school's long-range plans;

3. for the forward thinking and exceptional preparation for the reaccreditation of school as demonstrated in the project document "Futuring the School" and the presentation of the outstanding

Colloquium;

4. and the Structure Committee for the thoroughness of its report which considered such topics as:

• Seventh and eighth grade expansion
• Curriculum
• Staffing
• Equipment
• Extra-curricular activities
• Facilities
• Marketing and funding;

5. and the School Committee for working diligently with the Haddonfield Monthly Meeting of Friends to advance the "Futuring the School", proposal from vision to reality;

6. and the Structure Committee for engendering the principles and practice of Quaker stewardship among the School Committee, administration, and faculty;

7. and the entire school community as they endeavor to transmute an ideal into reality;

8. The faculty and staff who demonstrate a passion for Quaker education, by embracing the prospect for the expansion of the school to include grades seven and eight;

9. the Head of Haddonfield Friends School for the creation and steady maintenance of a nurturing and supportive working environment for both its faculty and students.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The evaluators recommend that the school:

1. continue to work with the Meeting to establish development goals to meet the needs of a growing school community;

2. continue ongoing ad hoc meetings to ensure open and clear communication among School Committee, administration, faculty, meeting members, and parents;

3. and the Haddonfield Meeting promptly work to answer the most vital question raised by the Structure Committee's proposal: Should Friends School expand to include grades seven and eight?;

4. reexamine the space requirements of its existing program so that any possible expansion of the physical plant includes both: a consideration of the projected needs of the current pre-kindergarten

through 6 program, and the potential needs of a seventh and eighth grade program;

5. Continue to explore and strengthen ways to form regular and effective partnerships with the Haddonfield Monthly Meeting;

6. and the School Committee work to ensure that all appropriate Monthly Meeting Committees be included in the planning and execution of any significant long range plans regarding the school;

7. community be forward-looking as the "Futuring the School" proposal is deliberated in Monthly Meeting committees;

8. seize the opportunity presented by the Structure Committee to further the commitment to Quaker education.

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS

The evaluators left the school with high regard for the school, for those who serve it, and for those who are served by it. We leave you with several challenges, which we believe will advance the reaccreditation project "Futuring the School." Although many challenges present themselves, key among them is that the Haddonfield Monthly Meeting and the school come together to respond to the query: Should Friends School expand to include grades seven and eight? Our hope as we leave, is that the school and the Haddonfield Meeting seize the opportunity presented by the Structure Committee to further the commitment to Quaker education.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the evaluating team congratulates Haddonfield Friends School for providing quality Quaker education for a group of children who will be leaders in our society, and who will shape public policy and effect social reform. . . .

FAREWELL TO CARE CIRCLES

Flora McKinney

After three years it has been decided to "lay down" the Care Circles. A hearty thank you to all the Facilitators who put in much time and effort to help us all know each other better. Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

JUNE 2001 MONTHLY MEETING FOR BUSINESS

Monthly Meeting was held June 10, 2001. Peace and Social Concerns presented a list of concerns from which monies from the Special Concerns Fund would be given. These included $390 to Leven House, $390 to New Visions, $290 to China summer (a work camp sponsored by Westfield Meeting), $30 to Marietta Donovan for her class and $100 to Kitty Mizuno for her class.

A combined meeting of Worship and Ministry and Religious Education reported that First-day School will meet after Meeting for Worship. (See schedule).

Finance Committee presented the 2001-2002 budget. It was approved with thanks for the time and effort made.

Our annual report to Quarterly Meeting was approved with thanks to our clerk, Pam Perry, for her guidance.

AUGUST 2001 MONTHLY MEETING FOR BUSINESS

August meeting for business was held August 12, 2001. Kristin Oberfeld (daughter of the late Winnie Stout) and Michael Freebury have requested marriage under the care of the Meeting. Overseers met with Kristin and Michael and recommended the Meeting approve the marriage. The Meeting did approve the marriage that will be held on September 22. The marriage oversight committee will include Louise and Harold Heritage, Judy and Wayne Smoot and Daryl Stout.

Overseers have met with Justin Loughry and recommended membership. The Meeting approved, final membership will be held until the September Meeting for Business.

Jean Landis reported that we ended the 2000 - 2001 fiscal year with a surplus of almost $27,000.00. We approved moving forward with a computer and software for the Treasurer. Other Finance Committee considerations will be held until next month.

After a brief discussion of the property now for sale across Lake St., the Meeting approved a minute adding 7th and 8th grade to Haddonfield Friends School. (See below). Finance, Property, and School Committees were authorized to further investigate the Lake St. property.

We agreed that if we were to move forward with an expansion we would need to make a commitment to work on the relationship between the school and the Meeting. We also agreed that all of the issues with which we have concerns, physical space, finances, our ability to incorporate this age group into our school, etc. will be addressed as we move closer to a fully realized expansion. Underlying all discussion was the thought that HFS is a religious school and we will have the opportunity to lead our children in a spiritual direction as they approach adulthood.

THIS SUMMER'S BUSINESS

Pam Perry

It is with great pleasure and gratitude for the efforts of many of our members that I write to share the happy news that Haddonfield Monthly Meeting has reached unity on the School Committee's recommendation that Haddonfield Friends School offer 7th and 8th grades. On August 12, 2001, at our regularly scheduled Business Meeting, after a gathered sharing of the light, the Meeting approved the following Minute:

Haddonfield Monthly Meeting approves the recommendation of the School Committee that Haddonfield Friends School offer 7th and 8th grades.

It will be necessary to get approval from Haddonfield Monthly Meeting if, in order to implement the 7th and 8th grades, Haddonfield Monthly Meeting or Haddonfield Friends School will be asked to contribute money or assume financial obligations.

It will be necessary to get approval from Haddonfield Monthly Meeting if, in order to implement to 7th and 8th grades, Haddonfield Friends School needs to purchase or build additional space for the school.

With this Minute, Haddonfield Monthly Meeting also makes the following commitments:

1) to continue to work with Haddonfield Friends School on the relationship between Haddonfield Monthly Meeting and Haddonfield Friends School and

2) to encourage and support others who have leadings not related to Haddonfield Friends School.

With this Minute, Haddonfield Monthly Meeting will remain mindful of the following concerns as we implement the 7th and 8th grades:

- that Haddonfield Friends School seek out administrators, teachers, and students who are members of the Religious Society of Friends,

- that Haddonfield Friends School continue to emphasize spirituality and Quaker values, and

- that Haddonfield Friends School recognize and strive to meet the many challenges associated with adding a middle school to the cherished grammar school. (Some of these challenges were noted in the Report from the Clerk dated May 29, 2001 entitled "Where we are on the 7th and 8th grades for HFS".)

A few members of Haddonfield Monthly Meeting stood aside from this Minute. The following member of Haddonfield Monthly Meeting asked to be minuted as standing aside from this Minute:

Joanne Heizer

The following members of Haddonfield Monthly Meeting asked to be minuted as opposed to this Minute:

S.E. Watson, Henry Watson

After a brief celebration of the Minute on 7th and 8th grades at HFS, we next turned our attention to considering whether and/or how to take advantage of the unique opportunity presented by the availability of the property at 65 Haddon Avenue (a property directly across Lake Street from Haddonfield Friends School). We decided to schedule a called Meeting for Business following Meeting for Worship on Sunday, August 19, 2001 to consider the purchase of that property.

School Committee, Finance Committee and Property Committee, in consultation with other Meeting members and the administration of Haddonfield Friends School, met and considered purchase of the property during the intervening week. Each committee reported their support for purchase of the property on the terms outlined in the Minute presented by the Finance Committee. That background work and support, coupled with some further discussion and reflection at our called Meeting, resulted in the Meeting approving the following Minute:

Haddonfield Monthly Meeting authorizes a negotiating team, to be appointed by the School Committee, to negotiate an offer to purchase the property at 65 Haddon Avenue with the goal of taking the property off the market, subject to understandings in the Finance Committee Minute and subject to formal, good faith agreement by Haddonfield Monthly Meeting.

Even more important than the substantive results of these two momentous decisions, I perceive that we reached closure on both issues with grace and joy. We should all congratulate ourselves on this accomplishment and commit ourselves to this course in the future.

SAUL

Harley Williams

This summer I reread I and II Samuel. I was struck by what a classically tragic figure Saul was. The dice were rigged against him from the start. Neither God nor God's agent Samuel thought he could do anything right, and they let him know their opinion so often and so forcefully that they drove him mad. Again, the books are a story of realpolitik; they read like stories from a third world dictatorship (which, in a sense, they were), with betrayal, struggles for the throne, reliance on family connections, and the like. The David propaganda machine is clear throughout; Saul was incompetent, David was not, David loved and served God, Saul always let Him down. And there is truth to the portrayal of David' intense Yahwism: David's dancing before the Ark alone suggests the truth to his love of his God. But there is no reason, at least until late in the story, to believe otherwise of Saul; and his warmth, simplicity, and vigor, his openness and humanity - he refused to slay Agag - come through.

I also read Job. Saul is a little like Job without the "happy" ending.

And where was God in all this all this carnage and betrayal; though the Davidic writers had no problem seeing His hand, we cannot follow their lead in most cases. Yet the world we live in is also confusing, and we must work hard to discern the workings of God in this world, and often - perhaps usually - we don't succeed.

I certainly don't know the answer to questions about God's role in this world, much less any particular desire He may have concerning some aspect of our lives in this world. I and II Samuel at least suggest that God does operate providentially; that His workings are, as Lincoln observed, hard to discern, and often not those which we expect; and that His workings are often misunderstood, or frustrating to us. Job suggests the same. (See the quote at the beginning of the Newsletter.) And we must respond to books like I and II Samuel, and situations like those portrayed in those books, as Lincoln did, by recognizing our own limitations, and try to respond with charity, without malice, but with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right.

One last thing: if you read I and II Samuel, try it in the King James version, even if you have to have another, more modern (and annotated) version by your side to help with the occasional obscurities and mistranslations. The King James is the translation from which comes the verse, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!"

POEMS OLD AND NEW

Even to Byzantium

from I'm No Acrobat

Sam Duryee

This is no ordinary place to learn. Each stone

Piled one above the other reflects a time, may atone

For man's thoughts, his literary concern

To explore the unexplained and when they meet

Refute futility with singular promise;

Tragedy is not synonymous with defeat.

The inquisitive does not possess his legacy

But is possessed by more, in spite of inadequacy

He's long since learned. Without Romanesque,

Gothic won't withstand scrutiny of another time:

The medieval troubador in a lusty tavern

Singing of war or love in borrowed rhyme.

Here in this monument to the printed word

I understand how syllables were selected, stirred

Into nobility forming language! Man need not forget

His past but stay unencumbered, enjoying integration

Of arts to art, remembering each holds his special century,

Makes verbal pilgrimage in every age, empire or nation.

Trinity Library is oasis for future. What is past

May preview this present, allows us to sense how vast

Our heritage. The courage that it takes us to record

All inner hopes, our inmost converations, may sustain

Us through the uncertainties. ..even to Byzantium! ...

Though storms may test all efforts to explain.

The Feet of People

Emily Dickinson

The feet of people walking home

With gayer sandals go -

The Crocus - till she rises

The Vassal of the snow -

The lips at Hallelujah

Long years of practise bore

Till bye and bye these Bargemen

Walked singing on the shore.

Pearls are the Diver's farthings

Extorted from the Sea -

Pinions - the Seraph's wagon

Pedestrian once - as we -

Night is the morning's Canvas

Larceny -- legacy -

Death, but our rapt attention

To Immortality.

My figures fail to tell me

How far the Village lies -

Whose peasants are the Angels -

Whose Cantons dot the skies -

My Classics veil their faces -

My faith that Dark adores -

Which from its solemn abbeys

Such resurrection pours.

THE JOURNAL OF GEORGE FOX

[Continued from June.]

By this time the general quarter-sessions drew nigh; and the jailer still carrying himself basely and wickedly towards us, we drew up our suffering case, and sent it to the sessions at Bodmin. On the reading thereof, the justices gave order that Doomsdale door should be opened, and that we should have liberty to cleanse it, and to buy our meat in the town. We also sent a copy of our sufferings to the Protector, setting forth how we had been taken and committed by Major Ceely; and abused by Captain Keat as aforesaid, and the rest in order. The Protector sent down an order to Captain Fox, governor of Pendennis Castle, to examine the matter about the soldiers abusing us, and striking me.

There were at that time many of the gentry of the country at the Castle; and Captain Keat's kinsman, that struck me, was sent for before them, and much threatened. They told him that if I should change my principles, I might take the extremity of the law against him, and might recover sound damages of him. Captain Keat also was checked, for suffering the prisoners under his charge to be abused.

This was of great service in the country; for afterwards Friends might speak in any market or steeple-house thereabouts, and none would meddle with them. I understood that Hugh Peters, one of the Protector's chaplains, told him they could not do George Fox a greater service for the spreading of his principles in Cornwall, than to imprison him there.

And indeed my imprisonment there was of the Lord, and for His service in those parts; for after the assizes were over, and it was known that we were likely to continue prisoners, several Friends from most parts of the nation came in to the country to visit us. Those parts of the west were very dark countries at that time but the Lord's light and truth broke forth, shone over all, and many were turned from darkness to light, and from Satan's power unto God. Many were moved to go to the steeple-houses; and several were sent to prison to us; and a great convincement began in the country. For now we had liberty to come out, and to walk in the Castle-Green; and many came to us on First-days, to whom we declared the Word of life.

Great service we had among them, and many were turned to God, up and down the country; but great rage possessed the priests and professors against the Truth and us. One of the envious professors had collected many Scripture sentences to prove that we ought to put off our hats to the people; and he invited the town of Launceston to come into the castle-yard to hear him read them. Amongst other instances that he there brought, one was that Saul bowed to the witch of Endor. When he had done, we got a little liberty to speak; and we showed both him and the people that Saul was gone from God, and had disobeyed God when he went to the witch of Endor: that neither the prophets, nor Christ, nor the apostles ever taught people to bow to a witch.(To be continued)

AMONG FRIENDS

We know we haven't gotten all the news. Please keep it coming.

New addresses:

Alice Roberts Itagaki

6 Rue de la Bosse

F67000 Strasbourg

France

Attenders at Friends General Conference were Connie Brookes and daughters, Meredith and Maureen, David Marshall, Wayne, Judy and Clifton Smoot.

We miss Nancy Duryee and Dorothy Collier who have sold their cars and are now piloting much smaller vehicles.

Congratulations to Ty Drago. His book The Franklin Affair has just been published.

Congratulations to Bill Peters. He was just awarded the Sol Schoenbach Award for outstanding service and employee excellence from Settlement Music School where he has taught for over 20 years.

Dorry Mulloy passed away July 9th in New Hampshire. We extend sympathy to her husband, Chuck, son Rob and daughter-in-law Sue.