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I was born into a Quaker Christian home August 27, 1915 in the same house that my grandfather and my father were born in, in Buffalo, Iowa. However I do not remember anything about my experiences there at that time, as my parents moved to Davenport first and then to Moline, Illinois, which was across the Mississippi river from Davenport, while I was still an infant.

We lived upstairs from a Swedish Baptist family who were very active in their church. Since there was no Quaker Meeting in Moline my parents sent me to Sunday School with the Peterson family, who lived downstairs. I didn't stay for worship as it was all in the Swedish language.

It was in a meeting at the close of Sunday school that I went forward and accepted Christ when I was probably only five years old.

When I had finished the 5th grade my parents moved back to Buffalo, Iowa and we were then able to attend our Friends Meeting again. We always attended both Sunday school and Meeting for Worship and I became very active in these meetings and began to learn the meaning of church membership. When I became old enough I was active in our Christian Endeaver Society. I struggled with the idea of whether I should become a minister or not. As it turned out I did not become a minister at that time, but I did in 1944, after being married and we had three daughters At that time I could not refuse the prompting of the Spirit and with the full support of my wife I began my ministry at New Sharon, Iowa and started my college training at the same time at Wm Penn college in Oskaloosa, Iowa, 15 miles to the south. That was a big change in lifestyles for our family.

I have always accepted the notion of the man, George Fox, who was responsible for the beginnings of the Religious Society of Friends, when he stated that "In the world there is an ocean of darkness and death, but there is also an ocean of light and love that will overcome it."

As Friends we do not recite the creeds nor do we observe the outward sacraments. We believe these are merely symbols of the real inward events. I have never participated in the outward sacraments even though I have had many opportunities to do so.

At the very center of the Quaker faith lies the concept of the Inner Light. This principle states that in every human being there is implanted a certain element of God's own Spirit and divine energy. The element, known to early Friends as "that of God in everyone", "the seed of Christ", or "the seed of Light" that means to Friends, in the words of John 1:9, "the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world."

Friends generally believe that first-hand knowledge of God is only possible through that which is experienced, or inwardly revealed to the individual human being through the working of God's quickening Spirit. This explains the attitude of Friends towards many things, including the person and ministry of Jesus Christ, the scriptures, the establishment and authority of the church, its use of ceremonies, symbols and sacraments, and especially the obligations felt by each individual.

Broadly speaking the concept of the Inner Light is twofold. First the Inner Light discerns between good and evil. It reveals the presence of both in human beings, and through its guidance, offers the alternative of choice. Second, the Inner Light opens the unity of all human beings to our consciousness. Friends believe that the potential for good, as well as evil, are latent in everyone.

Earl J. Prignitz