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You are cordially invited to attend a meeting for worship any Sunday morning at 10:00 A.M. or Wednesday evening at 5:30 P.M.

INTRODUCTION: This website outlines the place, the people and the activities of the Third Haven Meeting of the Society of Friends. Much of the website is open for perusal, but the Members & Attenders portion is password protected. We welcome all to visit and worship with us. Please read the following brief statement of our clerk about Quakerism and the Third Haven Meeting on this Welcome page.

We, who have been called Seekers of the Truth, Quakers and Friends, are members of the Religious Society of Friends. We are a close knit religious community, but we do not separate ourselves from the world about us.

We believe God is present in every person and that peace is preferable to war. We gather in silent communal worship to wait on the Spirit of God.

We have no formal creed, no ritual, dogma nor liturgy. Instead, to help us follow Divine guidance we pose, both individually and corporately, searching queries; we strive in love, rather than react to fear; we work towards peace because we believe it is the only way; we are led to implement our concerns for the equal rights of all. Many of us have been drawn to this religion – Quakerism – because of its dual commitment to Spiritual awareness and social action.

These beliefs are not always easy to hold nor honor with action, but our search has led us to commit ourselves to them.

Our History

In the year 1682, three acres of land were purchased from John Edmondson, and the erection of this Meeting house was begun. Two years were consumed in its construction, as the timbers had to be hewn with a broadax and finished with such tools as were used in that day. Among the builders was William Southeby, said to be the first native American to write against slavery.

In 1797 the building was made wider by extending the rafters only on one side of the ridgepole. The gable or porch entrance of late date. The original approach was at the side shown in the photograph above. It is the oldest documented building in the state.

George Fox, the founder of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), visited this vicinity in 1673, and upon his return to England sent a number of books to this Meeting. This was the beginning of the Meeting's library, often said to be the earliest public library in Talbot County and probably in the province (being established long before the Bishop of London, through Commissary Bray, introduced parochial libraries in this province).

The first meeting held in this building was in the fall of 1684. In 1693 Betty's Cove Meeting (1660-1693) was transferred to this Meeting house. Over the years many notable Quakers have worshipped in this building: William Penn, John Woolman, John Fothergill, Samuel Bownas, Rufus Jones, and many more.

Continuous records of the business transaction of this Meeting have been kept since 1676 to the present time, and they are of such value that the Meeting has placed them on deposit at the Hall of Records, Annapolis, Md.

The brick building used in winter months was built in 1880.

Quoting in part a few of the closing lines in Dr. Kenneth Carroll's book, Quakerism on the Eastern Shore:

‘ A non-violent and peaceful approach to the solution of social problems has been the policy of the Society of Friends throughout its long history.

Third Haven Friends are well aware of the past…at the same time however they are increasingly aware of the fact that Christianity as interpreted by Quakerism is a living religion based upon personal experience.’

Welcome!