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The
Foundation and Ideals of London Grove Meeting
In 1714,
families in the neighborhood of London Grove met together for worship,
holding meetings in their friends’ houses for a long period
of 10 years. In the year of 1724, the same group of friends was granted
permission by the Quarterly Meeting to construct a meeting house south
of the present graveyard. In 1743 a new brick building was built very
close to the site of the present meeting house. The brick building
was controversial, and considered dangerous by many, so it was replaced
by the safer, present structure in the year 1818. The “landmark”
of the meeting house is a majestic, large white oak on the south lawn.
It was alive when William Penn landed, and it still stands tall today.
These trees are commonly called “Penn Oaks” in Chester
County. It is the largest recorded white oak in Pennsylvania, it measures
over 21 feet in circumference. The form of London Grove Friends Meeting
House has changed from worships at friends’ houses to the cozy
and welcoming structure that stands in the township of London Grove
today.
- William Penn and London Grove
William Penn is known for being the founder of Pennsylvania, but he
did so much more. William spread the idea of Quakerisim throughout
Pennsylvania. Quakerisim had already had been founded in the thirteen
colonies before Penn’s landing, but it is said that Penn’s
support of the religion increased the appeal of Quakerisim. During
the Revolutionary War, many Quakers did not fight because of the influence
that leaders like William Penn created to not fight, and keep peace
with others.
He was also a very famous Quaker for his “Great Treaty”
with the Delaware. It is often argued if William Penn ever spoke at
London Grove, and it still remains a mystery to us. We know that he
has some connection with London Grove Friends Meeting, because on
the south lawn a rusted plaque that is attached to the white oak states;
“This tree was breast high when William Penn landed in Pennsylvania.”
William Penn was a great Quaker, whether or not he came to London
Grove to worship or speak.
- Quakerisim Today
Quakerisim is very much alive today as it was in the 1700s. Many people
worship at London Grove meeting house today, and there are other Quaker
Establishments all over Pennsylvania. Thanks to a man named George
Fox, the religion is founded on the ideas such as peace, liberalism,
simplicity, equality, honesty, integrity, and other wholesome ideals
that people should endure today. Quakerisim is a very peaceful and
serene religion; probably because of the “Inner Light”
principle which states that harming someone in any way would also
be harming God. One might say that Quakerisim is one of the most peaceful
religions to exist.
-The Future of Quakerisim
Quakerisim is a religion that is based on timeless ideals, such as
equality and peace. These simple ideas are widely accepted today,
and most likely will be accepted by more in the future. These simplistic
and likeable customs will keep Quakerisim alive for a long time.
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