About

This is Nayler, an entirely free (online) magazine for Quakers to share with each other and newcomers their experience of the Quaker way.

Articles can be submitted by email to Jez Smith and a reply will be given within a week and hopefully much sooner than that. Contributors are kept informed about progress in publishing their article and if it is not to be published will be given a reason why not.

Nayler.org is published and edited by Jez Smith. Jez has been a co-editor of Young Quaker magazine (2004-7) and production editor of The Friend (2007-10).

Many people contribute to Nayler.org and it is their spirit that makes Nayler.

In 1660, after his release from prison, James Nayler set of to see his wife and children. However, on the way, he was robbed and found towards evening in a field. He was taken to a Friend’s house near King’s Ripton, where he died. These were some of his last words (recorded in Quaker Faith & Practice 19:12):

There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things, in hope to enjoy its own in the end. Its hope is to outlive all wrath and contention, and to weary out all exaltation and cruelty, or whatever is of a nature contrary to itself. It sees to the end of all temptations. As it bears no evil in itself, so it conceives none in thoughts to any other. If it be betrayed, it bears it, for its ground and spring is the mercies and forgiveness of God. Its crown is meekness, its life is everlasting love unfeigned; it takes its kingdom with entreaty and not with contention, and keeps it by lowliness of mind. In God alone it can rejoice, though none else regard it, or can own its life. It’s conceived in sorrow, and brought forth without any to pity it, nor doth it murmur at grief and oppression. It never rejoiceth but through sufferings; for with the world’s joy it is murdered. I found it alone, being forsaken. I have fellowship therein with them who lived in dens and desolate places in the earth, who through death obtained this resurrection and eternal holy life.

This is the inspiration for nayler.org.

 

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