La De Dodd Farm: Day 5- Sawley Meeting House and Pendle Hill

We left this morning realizing we probably were not going to be able to climb Pendle Hill, because of the weather. Our guide Roy said, "I spoke with management, and they can't do anything." One thing most of you probably don't know about Quakers, they have a great sense of humor. We arrived at Sawley Meeting House and had a wonderful view of Pendle Hill. Upon arrival we had tea and biscuits. I love that we are always having tea and biscuits. And, Ben Pink Dandelion gave a talk. I adore Ben and could listen to him all day. I did spend a day with him about a year ago. His knowledge on the history of Friends and his sense of humor are as the English would say "brilliant." Both the Chapel Hill Friends Meeting and the Durham Friends Meeting sent letters, including all of us by name. Copies of the letters will be given to all of the Meeting Houses we visit. I love that there will be a record that I was there.

Sawley Meeting started in 1778, the land was originally bought for a burial ground. Quakers were not allowed to be buried at other burial grounds. The garden space in front of the Meeting House has 150 buried. There are no markers or tombstones. The Quakers didn't believe in that, no one is any different from anyone else. A marker would be a sign of vanity. The Meeting House was built out of necessity, as the Quakers grew in number they needed a place to gather. They originally gathered in barns. There was no steeple, no decoration. It was built for it's function. The windows were built to let light in, but too high to look out- to place emphasis on the inward. The focus is always to find your inward relationship with God. There is also a "coffin door" to the right, perfect dimensions to bring a coffin in for Meeting and a funeral. Originally, the men sat near the door and the women and children near the side "coffin door." This way if they were arrested during Meeting, the men would be arrested first and the women and children would hopefully be able to escape. The first names given to Quakers were "Children of the Light" or "Tellers of the Truth."

In 1647, George Fox (father of Quakerism) was in great despair. He had spent a year with his Baptist uncle in London. But, he found nothing outwardly to help. In 1652, while near Pendle Hill, he felt moved to climb to the top. It was there that he found a direct relationship with God. One that he said, "speaks to his condition." And, he said "my heart did leap for joy." And, he told everyone he met that this relationship was available to everyone. A few years later, Fox along with a few others made a pilgrimage to the Pope. The Pope asked him, "Don't you need remembrance in Christ or anticipation for his return?" Fox said, "No, because we have God in us continually." As if breathing, we don't have to be reminded to breath.

We had silent worship in the Meeting House. I could hear the sparrows outside. I've haven't felt great the past two days, although still able to enjoy myself deeply. My practice was to lift my pain and anxiety out through the top of my head. The second part was to feel held by God and the light. Before, I have gotten to this place and I felt it on the sides of my body as if I was being hugged. Today, I felt a lightness in my heart, and my heart was being held.

We had another three course dinner tonight. Long are the days of Quakers only having bread and stone soup. I chose smoked haddock and fish cake as a starter, and mushroom risotto. I didn't stay for the chocolate mousse. I'm trying to listen to my body, and my body needs more sleep. I had a wonderful conversation with Bob and Carol Passmore. They met in 1967 at the William Penn School on St. Helena Island. Bob was the coordinator at the time. Colin and I have been there with the girls. We went hoping to find a Gullah restaurant, instead we found a Gullah Folk Art Gallery and the school. It was moving to see how the old ruins from the Portuguese were made with stones and plaster with sea shells. Bob said, they still haven't been able to decipher the exact recipe for the plaster. And, to think about how many underprivileged children were helped at that school. Bob was there the first day the Peace Corp was formed. And, he was there for two visits from Martin Luther King, Jr.

I am having a truly amazing experience.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pendle_Hill

The benches were designed to make you sit up straight. I love that there is also a pilgrim walking stick in the photo.

Sawley Meeting House

This Meeting House still operates as a Meeting for worship. It is Ben's Meeting. It is very cold in the winter. They have found the best way to deal with the cold is to pull the curtain back and all crowd together in half of the room. They also have wool travel blankets to wrap around them. That's just part of living in England.

The small upstairs of the Meeting House. This is where women met for Meeting for Business. See how the top of the paneling opened out, open to the bottom of the Meeting House.