Stourbridge Quakers Lynn Morris and Henry Beakbane review a new book ‘Zealous: A Darker Side of the Early Quakers’ by Erica Canela, published Sept 2025 by Pen and Sword Books.
According to the frontispiece, ‘The early Quakers were a group of people led by charismatic preachers wholly convinced that it was their responsibility to save as many souls as possible. Their methods of convincing others ranged from failed attempts at miracles, to disruptive behaviour and infuriating local authorities by repeatedly breaking the law’.
Erica Canela isn’t a Quaker but she is an academic and is fascinated by early Quakers. In her book (which may well be her Ph.D), she tightly focuses on the rise and establishment of Quakers in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. It is a fascinating read as she examines the relationship between early Quakers and the orthodox church. Richard Baxter, the Puritan vicar of St Mary and all Saints church in Kidderminster is very vocal in his opposition to Quakers. One particularly striking observation is that he believed Quakers to be the enemy of scripture, the clergy and sobriety, who spoke in allegories and, instead of an ordered system of belief, provided ‘incoherent scraps’.
Canela has unearthed (bad unintentional pun) records of at least one Quaker woman insisting she could raise a body from the dead. Strangely, the body was disinterred and she was given the opportunity to exercise her supposed powers. It was a depressing experiment.
She also goes beneath the surface of early Quaker travelling ministers, exploring not only their motivation but the impact such decisions could have on family life. In particular, she follows the life of a little known Quaker, Humphrey Smith. There are quite familiar accounts of Quakers in prison and many ending their days there. Their deaths themselves are, for Canela, part of the Quakers’ deliberate shaping of a narrative that continues through to today. Recorded accounts have Quakers dying noble and peaceful deaths in the direst of circumstances. She suggests this may be a result of the brain action, neuroplasticity. She describes the Quakers’ prolific recording of events and experiences right from the beginning, as being an act of controlling the Quaker narrative, of which a major part has been persecution.
The final paragraph of the book states:
“Throughout Smith’s life, he managed to control the narrative, and, even in death, the image portrayed was one that would have satisfied him. Although his contribution to the early Quaker community is often overlooked, he was a prominent writer and preacher of the early movement and should be remembered as such. However, it is also imperative to view Smith as an individual driven to extreme lengths to pursue his religious identity, who deserted his family, suffered greatly at the hands of the authorities, and died a premature death to satisfy his Quaker beliefs, like many of his contemporaries.”
This was a book that was at once familiar in its content and also, at times, disturbing. It is well worth a read for its alternative ‘take’ on the Quaker historical narrative and also to bring into the light the actions of our 21st century Quaker activists.
Lynn Morris
A couple of weeks ago, I borrowed the book ‘Zealous’ that had just been bought for our Meeting House library. Here I give my reactions to some topics that I related to in the book.
The English Civil War was the background of political and religious unrest, and economic misery in which early Quakerism developed. If you have walked in the woods on the Abberley Hills, you may have seen the display board describing the (unsuccessful) efforts of the local gentry to keep the warring armies away. The Quakers’ refusal to subscribe to their plan did not please either the Catholic royalists or the puritans. Their gatherings were seen as unwanted disruptions. Travelling preachers were absolutely unwelcome.
One chapter details the serious conflict with the established church and the minister Richard Baxter.Growing up I was very familiar with his statue in the middle of Kidderminster. I knew he was a powerful protestant preacher and minister of the imposing St Marys church on the top of the hill. I didn’t know he ran a virulent campaign against the Quakers.
Admittedly, many early Quakers were completely out of hand, not meeting our familiar modern Quaker standards, but driven by zealous belief; then not much different from the Ranters and Ravers. The Quaker movement was kept going by very astute organisation and propaganda.
It is interesting to compare current concerns about truth and fact in the media. Even George Fox, apparently, could be economical with the objective truth, constructing a narrative that promoted himself and the movement.
Just before reading Zealous, I browsed through Advices and Queries in Meeting. Its introduction goes back to early Quaker history and the need to organise, develop the community and bring the wilder elements under control. I was personally interested in the accounts of persecution, prosecution and imprisonment of the early Quakers. Particularly harsh in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, with punishments similar to those given to my ancestors in Lancaster, who were locked up on more than one occasion and had goods distrained because of their refusal to pay tithes or sign the church register. Many here were so zealous in their belief that they were prepared to endure and even die in prison (often ultimately from typhus).
While reading Zealous, I was curious about parallels between their extreme religious convictions and our very strong beliefs about where the world is going with climate change and ecological destruction. How should we act in response to such beliefs?
Henry Beakbane