Lewis Benson papers

Lewis Benson (August 15, 1906 - August 23, 1986) was born to Clara [Claretta] (Morris) and John Benson. He was born into and raised in Manasquan Friends Meeting, New York Yearly Meeting. He rejoined the meeting in his retirement, and is buried in its graveyard. However, his religious life in his youth was rooted in two places as well: Lewis and his mother attended a Scotch Presbyterian Church, and in the summers he spent time at Sea Girt-Manasquan with his cousins. Benson attended Executive Meeting and Half Yearly Meeting, where he was able to socialize with Quakers his own age, and learn Quaker business practices. He did not graduate from high school, which prevented him from permanent positions at Quaker organizations later in life. He became interested in the metaphysical system of Gurdjieff, which left him in self-described despair. At 25 he was drawn to George Fox’s Journal, wherein reading about Fox’s struggle with despair, he found kinship and support. He became a life-long student of George Fox’s message, studying his work for over fifty years. He worked with Quakers in Britain. He participated in dialogues with Anabaptists and Quakers, including publishing much of his writings in “The Call,” which was published in Britain and the United States. He was a prolific writer and lecturer. The New Foundation Fellowship was started in the 1970s, with Benson as as founding member. He was also part of the Young Friends movement in Philadelphia, which was concerned with reunification of the two yearly meetings. He met his wife Sarah at Pendle Hill (uaker retreat in eastern Pennsylvania) the winter of 1933-1934, they were married in 1937 in Germantown. He later became the first librarian at Pendle Hill. Their son John was born in 1940.

(The Friend, September 19, 1986; Sarah Benson biography of Lewis)