The Arrow Over the Door

I intended to only review books about Pennsylvania on this site. But while hunting for books about the Quakers, I discovered The Arrow over the Door. Not only an excellent introduction to the Quakers, the book also described well the conflict that many of the non-resistant religious groups, such as the Quakers, Mennonites, Amish and Brethren, faced during war.

The Arrow Over the Door has two main characters. Samuel, a Quaker boy from New York, who struggles to understand his father's beliefs against fighting when the neighbors are taking sides in the Revolutionary War. Stands Straight is a young Indian who lost his family to the white men. His tribe is being asked by the British to fight against the Americans.

The chapters alternate from Samuel to Stands Straight. While Samuel is determined to fight to protect his family even if his father doesn't, Stands Straight is scouting to find out what kind of people these Americans are. The two boy's lives meet when the Indian scouting party comes upon a Quaker meeting. Struck by the peaceful service and the unarmed men, the Indians leave their "arrow over the door" as a sign of peace and protection.

Based on a true account of a Quaker settlement in New York before the Battle of Saratoga. The Arrow Over the Door is a highly recommended well written story to learn more about the Quakers and the affect war had on both the Indians and the churches who refused to fight.