We come to meeting because of the silence, because of our hunger for God. Quakerism is about hearing God and bringing God's word to the world, not a private love fest with God. Rufus Jones provided a gift in offering mysticism as the framework for Friends in the twentieth century, but it is not the core. The presence of God is most often in the still, small voice, the quiet leadings which are easily overlooked in the throes of daily life. These are more reliable than the peak experiences which are only discerned afterwards.
Corporate mysticism allows for the engagement of the intellect as well as the emotions.
Quakerism is not a religion of pure feelings. She conveyed this idea through the story of Friends who were asked to walk next to the Anarchists in a peace march, and bring their inner stillness to witness to the reality of peace. Fox's language is full of the visionary and poetic. Fox, without a doubt, knew of the direct presence of the Inward Christ in his life, inspiring his words in worship, transforming him, and guiding his daily actions. Fox's language and experiences have become familiar to me in the past few years as I have strong, transforming mystical experiences.