Patsy, there is every difference between a Puritan's belief and a Quaker's. I don't think the two could be more diametrically opposite. There are some here who could give better details than I can be 2 generations removed from it myself. Suffice it to say that Quakers never burned witches or hanged members of opposing faiths.

My greatx9 grandfather was a Quaker who was fined 1 pound sterling for not tithing to the Anglican church in 17th century Virginia. The good Anglican who brought the charge before the grand jury was his own brother. But all in all they were treated better in Virginia than they ever were in Massachusetts Bay Colony. Two of my mothers great-grandfathers were among a group of Friends who relocated from Virginia to Ohio in 1807 because of their opposition to slavery, founding the towns of Alliance, Sebring and Salem.

My brother was active in the AFSC, the only private organization to be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize.

Joe said that The better-known Quakers are the ones who gather in "meetings," sitting in silence until somebody is inspired to speak. They sing a lot - but not during services [the Rise Up Singing songbook has Quaker roots - for better or for worse]. These Quakers are generally pacifists - don't know about the Nixon Quakers and pacifism. I know a lot of folkies who are Quakers.

They may be better known but my understanding is that the Evangelical style Friends are now much more numerous in America than old meeting ones. I think 85% is a number I heard.