Gezicht op Jordan's Meeting House 1865 - 1870

This is H.V. Lemenager's photograph, "Gezicht op Jordan's Meeting House," a modest image, yet it speaks volumes about the intersections of faith, history, and personal identity. Enclosed within the pages of a book, the photograph captures Jordan's Meeting House, a site central to the Quaker community. The Religious Society of Friends, known as Quakers, emerged in England during the mid-17th century amidst social and political upheaval. Rejecting elaborate rituals and ordained clergy, they emphasized direct spiritual experience and the equality of all individuals, regardless of gender, race, or social status. Meeting Houses like this one became sanctuaries for a community that valued peace, equality, and social justice. As you contemplate this image, reflect on the ways in which spaces of worship can foster community, and challenge the dominant narratives of their time.