French Quakerism
May. 17th, 2024 07:41 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poliphilo No-one showed up, and since there seemed little point in having two of us sitting around doing nothing, Ailz went home and I had the Meeting House to myself. I spent the time following up a link in the Friend (the weekly magazine of English Quakerism) and learning about the history of Quakerism in France...
Down in the Languedoc- in the tiny village of Congenies- during the bitter wars of religion of the 17th century- a group of enthusiasts separated themselves from the Calvinist mainstream and called themselves Conflaires- which means something like "the spirit filled people". They were pacifists, they didn't have a clergy and they recognised and set a high value on the ministry of women. They continued in isolation- a number of them suffering imprisonment and even execution for their noncormity- until towards the end of the 18th century- they made contact with British Quakerism, recognised the affinity- and joined the larger and- by now- international body. The first purpose built French Quaker Meeting house was built - in Congenies- in 1822 with funds donated by the Quakers of Philadelphia. British, Irish and American Quakers (solid middle-class Victorian citizens that they were) found the French peasant Quakers rather wonderful- but had difficulty keeping a note of condescension out of their voices when talking about their rustic simplicity .)
The Quaker community in the Languedoc struggled on- losing its young men to conscription; with some joining the military and others emigrating to avoid it- until in 1907 the Meeting House in Congenies had to close- with the last of the community dying in 1928. But by this stage Quakerism had spread to the north of France- thanks largely to a daughter of Congenies- Christine Majolier- who married an Englishman and spent her time shutting between her two nations. French Quakers founded schools, trained nurses and provided medical services at the front during the Great War. In 1995- after many vicissitudes- they bought back the Meeting House at Congenies and have established it as a a place of study and worship- drawing Quaker "pilgrims" from across the world. They are currently looking to recruit a couple (with adequate French) to act as its resident wardens. What a wonderful job that would be.....
Down in the Languedoc- in the tiny village of Congenies- during the bitter wars of religion of the 17th century- a group of enthusiasts separated themselves from the Calvinist mainstream and called themselves Conflaires- which means something like "the spirit filled people". They were pacifists, they didn't have a clergy and they recognised and set a high value on the ministry of women. They continued in isolation- a number of them suffering imprisonment and even execution for their noncormity- until towards the end of the 18th century- they made contact with British Quakerism, recognised the affinity- and joined the larger and- by now- international body. The first purpose built French Quaker Meeting house was built - in Congenies- in 1822 with funds donated by the Quakers of Philadelphia. British, Irish and American Quakers (solid middle-class Victorian citizens that they were) found the French peasant Quakers rather wonderful- but had difficulty keeping a note of condescension out of their voices when talking about their rustic simplicity .)
The Quaker community in the Languedoc struggled on- losing its young men to conscription; with some joining the military and others emigrating to avoid it- until in 1907 the Meeting House in Congenies had to close- with the last of the community dying in 1928. But by this stage Quakerism had spread to the north of France- thanks largely to a daughter of Congenies- Christine Majolier- who married an Englishman and spent her time shutting between her two nations. French Quakers founded schools, trained nurses and provided medical services at the front during the Great War. In 1995- after many vicissitudes- they bought back the Meeting House at Congenies and have established it as a a place of study and worship- drawing Quaker "pilgrims" from across the world. They are currently looking to recruit a couple (with adequate French) to act as its resident wardens. What a wonderful job that would be.....
