I have been reading the journal of John Woolman (available here), a Quaker who was active in speaking out against slavery in the American Colonies. Just before he died, he had travelled to the UK and was travelling around the North providing ministry to other Quakers. The following quote is by the Yorkshire Meeting where he had his last ministry.
His testimony in the last meeting he attended was on this subject [slavery], wherein he remarked, that as we as a Society, when under outward sufferings had often found it our concern to lay them before those in authority, and thereby in the Lord’s time, had obtained relief, so he recommended this oppressed part of the creation to our notice, that as way may open, we may represent their sufferings in an individual, if not a Society capacity to those in authority.
The Journal and Writings of John Woolman
While the Yorkshire Friends were referencing John Woolman’s last testimony related to slavery in the American colonies, this quote could now be applied to the Religious Society of Friends and the obligation to bear witness to the suffering of other animals
We refused to see the suffering of slavery in Woolman’s time. We refuse to see the suffering of countless trillions of sentient beings in our time.
We have an obligation to speak out against injustice - where is our voice?
May all beings know peace!
Tūruapō
12 November 2025