Not Ego, After All

[poliphilo]

I had no intention of ever standing up and speaking in the Meeting because I've been a vicar and I don't want to do anything that harks back to that time.

Only this inner voice started up.

We have books laid out on the table in the centre of the circle. "Pick up the Bible," said the voice.

"No".

"Pick up the Bible..."

"No, you're just Ego speaking. You want me to make an exhibition of myself."

"Pick up the Bible."

One of the Friends stood and told a story about how all living things are connected.

"Pick up the Bible."

"O very well, but I'm not agreeing to actually read anything out of it."

I got up, went to the table, picked up a book. It was the wrong book. The Bible was at the far end. By the time I got back to my seat I'd already drawn attention to myself.

Another Friend stood and said something that enlarged on what the first Friend had said.

I opened the Bible at the Book of Psalms. "That's where you'll find the bit you need to read," said the Inner Voice.

I lit on Psalm 148. And, O yes, the Inner Voice was right.

I mentally edited the text. I wasn't going to read the whole thing- just the bit that capped and rounded off everything that had already been said. Keep it brief. Friends aren't about words. Not lots of words, anyway.

"Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights
Praise him all his angels, praise him, all his host!"

And so on... through the ranks of creation, down to the "Young men and maidens together, old men and children."

There was even a particulary timely mention of the "Kings of the Earth."

"Go on," said the Inner Voice. "Your turn now"

So I stood and spoke as directed...

Comments

[cmcmck]

This is why they call us 'Quakers.' :o)

The spirit moved you. It took twenty odd years to move me............

[poliphilo]

It bloweth where it listeth...

[heleninwales]

It took a couple of visiting Quakers who attended our face-to-face meeting at the beginning of the month to point out that we don't have a Bible on the table. This wasn't a deliberate omission. We used to have a Bible at meeting when we met in the founder members' house, but the meeting itself doesn't own one. We have a World Bible with selected passages from all the worlds religions, which is quite interesting, and of course Quaker Faith & Practice. As treasurer, I probably ought to buy a Bible if the other members agree, but we're a rather godless meeting, to be honest.

[poliphilo]

It's nice to have books available. One of our members remembers going to a Meeting where the books on the table included a Koran. I'd like to see other texts. A Gita perhaps- and something contemporary- like Conversations with God.

[poliphilo]

PS Ailz is reading a Quaker text called Godless For God's Sake. She wonders if you know it...