The Character of a Quaker

I have lately come across a short piece by William Penn, unpublished, I think, called "A Description of a True Quaker." He aims not to name the individuals who meet the requirement but rather to say "what kind or manner of people are they who obey the Light." It is worthwhile on this occasion to deal with the question directly and at more length, and to indicate the successive criteria that have emerged in our history.

Ever since its earliest days Quakerism has been something appreciated by the adherent rather than deliberately advertised. For that reason it has not depended on definition and formulation. These have followed ex post facto. They are not blueprints of a course of development to be recommended. They are analysis of the deposits of experience. The Quaker mission has been to uncover potential Quakers.