Some participants may be praying silently, some may be meditating, others are thinking. But the feeling is not the same as if each were alone. We recall Jesus's statement that he will be present whenever two or three are gathered together. After a while, a feeling may develop that a divine presence has settled over the group. When this happens, any spoken message seems to flow seamlessly from, and strengthen, the silence.
Friends bring away from meeting a sense of renewal and divine love.
For some of us it becomes a necessity of life. Today's Friends try to witness to our beliefs through our actions. We use a series of testimonies to guide our actions. The best-known is the peace testimony. Because we believe there is something of the divine in each person, it is intolerable to commit violence.