Briefer Notices (1974)

BRIEFER NOTICES Prepared by John and Barbara Curtis im'íA assistance from Henry J. Cadbury Under the sponsorship of Friends Home Service Committee in London there has appeared a very competent account of the history of Friends in the west country of England, particularly in the town of Cirencester in Gloucestershire. Leslie Stephen has prepared this 58 page illustrated pamphlet Cirencester Quakers which deals with many aspects of the life of Friends. History, biography and genealogy are all pleasantly interwoven in this excellent work based in large measure on the actual minutes of the 300 year old meeting. Economics and The Gospel by Richard K. Taylor is a well researched and simply written brief book designed "to try to look at economic life in the United States from a Judeo-Christian point of view." It is a critique of the whole system of values found in Western culture which results in denial of human dignity and the poverty and deprivation of substantial numbers of people. Discussion questions are provided with each chapter and there is a useful list of suggested readings. Friends Home Service Committee has chosen an interesting journal of one of the first proponents of the religious faith of die Quakers for republication in one of its Quakerback editions. The prominent British historian, Christopher Hill, himself well schooled in the political and religious intricacies of the seventeenth century, writes a helpful introduction to die Memoirs of the Life of John Roberts, 1623-1683. The Spring-Summer issue 1973 of Art Quarterly contains a comprehensive study of die religious ideas which permeate the painting done by Edward Hicks, Quaker primitive artist. Eleanore Price Madier illustrates her article widi plates of several samples of Hicks art, pp. 84-97. The newly active Canadian Friends Historical Association has completed its first full year. The organization is located at 60 Lowther Avenue, Toronto. Their publication, "Canadian Quaker History Newsletter" appears bi-mondily. The cost is $5.00 per annum. They welcome new subscribers. Edmund Goerke of Highlands, New Jersey, published under die auspices of Friends Fellowship of Healing, in England, a tract entitled The gift of healing in the life of George Fox. Copies may be obtained in die United States from Friends' bookstores. An article by William Derrick Barns on "Status and sectionalism in West Virginia" contains a section in which die Society of Friends is examined as an example of a group with fluctuating ' status. This material appeared in West Virginia History, April, 1973, pp. 265-272. Friends Home Service Committee in London has published for die Friends Fellowship of Healing an anthology of relevant quotations from Fox, Eckhart, Fenelon, Underhill, Jones, and Steere under the title, "More 66 BRIEFER NOTICES67 than conquerors." Charles Stevenson, clerk of Adelaide meeting, has written With Unhurried Pace: A brief hutory of Quakers in Australia. A second item coming out of Australia this year is a pamphlet by Charlotte Meacham called Listen to the Aborigines. This survey of die interaction of Australian Friends with some representatives of the Aborigines in their land is introduced by A. Barrie Pittock. It contains a useful bibliography of books and pamphlets on pp. 34-35. The Wider Quaker Fellowship has published an address given by Helen C. Hole, "Spiritual roots of change." This lecture was given at Southeastern Yearly meeting in 1972. Madeline and Herbert Nicholson published a volume of reminiscences and reflections on a lifetime of Quaker missionary work under title: "Treasure in earthen vessels." Copies may be purchased through Friends bookstores . Phillips P. Moulton had an article in Christian Century, Oct. 4, 1972 on "John Woolman, exemplar of ethics," pp. 984-986. The pioneer president of Penn State was Evan Pugh, born February 28, 1828 in a Quaker family in Chester County, Pa. After a local teaching position he decided on further training in chemistry which he pursued in Germany and England until he was asked to become president of the future Pennsylvania State College, a post he filled until his death in 1864. The account of this little-known Quaker educator is given in the September issue of Town and Gown, State College, Pa., by Jo Chetworth. The tercentenary of a significant sector of American...