From the age of five or six years old I have been an observer of nature and a documenter of natural history Click here to view an example. The nesting habits of wild birds is of particular interest. The method I use to survey breeding birds in an area is to sit quietly in one spot for a set number hours (4 to 8 hours) observing the bird activity around me over a period of days. Over time, a flash point usually happens where certain lines take on a relevance within the context of varied and seemingly unrelated observations and suddenly some lines or paths of bird activity stand out in relief over against the natural world. Out of the tapestry of life before me threads of activity reveal the locations of various bird nests and suddenly (and always with intense excitement and anticipation no matter how many times over the years I have experienced it) I begin recording the locations of the nesting sites of birds in the area. I find myself pointing and saying: Here and Right over there is a Canada Warbler nest and There is the nesting cavity of a Northern Saw-whet Owl which was excavated by the Pileated Woodpecker last year. And all this before I have actually visually confirmed the nests.

I have been researching early Quaker documents using somewhat the same methodology during the past three years of a planned ten year project. I root myself down into the documents by typing them first to immerse myself into the content in an intimate way. The Christonomy project View is slowly growing out of this effort. The overarching motivation behind this effort is to show the Natural History of the spiritual experience of some early Friends who did not share the spiritual inclinations of many others in the early fellowship of Friends. In essence, it is my intent to observe and bring to the forefront a spiritual experience in the fellowship of Friends that existed and exists in the duff beneath the relative conservative and liberal dynamic of the fellowship of Friends. It is hoped this Natural History will be a source of encouragement to those in (and outside) the gathering of Friends, who share the experience today, to know other have shared their experience from the earliest days of fellowship of Friends .

Below is a link to a document showing how the effort is taking shape. This draft copy of an ongoing research document is an example and realization of a vision to publish highly sourced documents that link directly to complete texts of primary sources. This offers readers the opportunity to explore the subject materials in real time and as deeply as they wish. As the library of keyboarded early Quaker texts increases, cross-referencing will become more and more complex and dynamic. One reference will be traced to other related references in different texts developing support documentation of relative topics that is nuanced; following multiple threads revealing a tightly woven tapestry.

Click on Title to Read Draft Copy of: The Relative Propriety of the Inshining Light in the Consciences of the Early Gathering of Friends.