Synopsis
More than three centuries had to elapse before a balanced judgement could be accepted of James Naylor. Formerly a conspicuous figure in Cromwell’s army, he took an inspiring part in the foundation of George Fox’s Society of Friends until, overworked and exhausted, he made no resistance to the fervor of the hypnotic Martha Simmonds who had seen in him in a “sign” of the second coming of Christ. Tried in Westminster Hall by what has been known as “The James Naylor Parliament,” he was condemned for blasphemy and savagely punished. Nayler’s recovery brought out the utmost resources of the human spirit.
The Clouded Quaker Star follows the drama of Nayler’s life, and the clash of character involved in his relationship with George Fox.