The chocolate Christians
Workers – and customers – get a taste of heaven on earth!
Indulging in a box of chocolates might seem almost akin to a religious experience for some. Perhaps there is an element of truth to that – and I am not talking about Easter eggs – because virtually all the big chocolate companies were founded by Christians; and there is even a link with Israel (as I will explain in due course)!
Most of them were practicing Quakers, who were radical disciples of Jesus much persecuted for their faith in days gone by as their exuberance and passion literally shook the foundations of formal religion. At times they would tremble with emotion as they worshipped – hence their nickname.
But their principles barred them from many trades. For example, they were unable to stand for Parliament because they refused to swear allegiance to the King (rather than God) and were restricted in what they could do as lawyers because they refused to take oaths (on the basis of Jesus’ words
“Do not swear at all…” – Matthew 5.34). The military wasn’t an option either due to their pacifism and, because they were convinced of the detrimental effects of alcohol on family life at a time when drunkenness (and the proliferation of inns) was rife, involvement in the drinks trade was also taboo. And so it was that they went into business producing non-alcoholic beverages.
Household names
Joseph Rowntree and other Quakers likeFry and Cadbury hit upon the idea of using the humble cocoa bean (imported from South America) to create a delicious chocolate drink – the bars came later – with the help of a spoonful or two of the precious sugar extracted from the Caribbean cane plantations.1
The industry took off and soon provided employment for thousands in Bristol, Birmingham and York, with the latter now home to a museum – York’s Chocolate Story – attracting visitors from around the world.
Situated in King’s Square just a stone’s throw from the imposing York Minster, the inter-active venue run by York-based Continuum Attractions is set on three floors with enthusiastic guides leading 90-minute tours showing how the sweets are made, giving ample opportunity for tasting and telling the story of the happy factory workers who benefited from the foresight and Christian generosity of the founders. Packed full of interest with moving images from the past, there is even a chance to make your own chocolate lolly.
With a 350-year history in York, chocolate has become as famed in the city as the Roman wall, the Vikings, the railways and the Minster. It dates back to the time when ‘chocolate houses’ began to rival tea and coffee houses in London, and the idea soon spread up north. But it was a drink long before the development of the chocolate bar we know today.
By the 1650s York had become a stronghold of Quakers, who still run independent schools in the area. Honesty and integrity was their watchword in dealing with others – a reputation that was to stand them in good stead in an age before weights, measures and contents were enforced by law, and in due time the confectionery industry became the second largest employer in the city.
A practical faith
The welfare of their workers, and of the community in general, was always at the heart of what they did and was borne out of their strong Christian faith.
The establishment of a retreat to care for the mentally ill in a humane way was an example of their early philanthropy. And Rowntree’s were among the first to offer paid holidays and a company pension scheme along with a works doctor and dentist. Indeed, they were ahead of their time as regards industrial welfare, providing terms of employment and working conditions which only came much later in other industries.
Rowntree’s also built New Earswick on the outskirts of York to provide clean, affordable, housing – following the example of George Cadbury who had created a model village at Bournville, near Birmingham, still said to be among the most desirable residential areas in the country. There were obvious business benefits from having a contented workforce living in a pleasant environment.
Rowntree’s also manufactured other famous sweets such as pastilles and fruit gums, borrowing from the knowledge of pill manufacturing gainedby Joseph Terry, founder of another York chocolate empire, who was a chemist.
One of Rowntree’s most famous brands, KitKat, was launched in 1935 and is still a global phenomenon – a billion-dollar business with sales to 72 countries including Japan where much smaller bars contain six times the amount of caffeine (not allowed in the UK) and come in all kinds of flavours including sushi and chicken korma!
An Israel connection …
Captain Scott stocked up with supplies of Rowntree’s famous Elect Cocoa for his expedition to the South Pole in 1911 and the company teamed up with Fry’s and Cadbury’s to comfort Boer War and World War I soldiers with tins of chocolate. With their common faith having built up a strong network of dependable friends and contacts, the three giant firms tended to co-operate rather than compete for business.
Richard Cadbury, George’s brother, also became linked with mission to the Jews, and in fact died in Jerusalem. It was on a tour of the Middle East in 1899 that he contracted diphtheria in Egypt and was cared for by the Church’s Ministry among Jewish people in the hospital they had built on Prophets Street. Sadly, he died there, but not before being hugely impressed by the work of CMJ.
The Anglican International School in Jerusalem.
A hospital ward was subsequently named after him. But after Jewish residents began building their own hospitals, the premises became an educational centre now known as the Anglican International School teaching pupils from some 40 different nations.
In 1917, when British-led forces liberated the city, it was used as a temporary military headquarters at which leading officers including the famed Lawrence of Arabia (Col. T E Lawrence) held court.
Richard’s 22-year-old daughter Helen, who accompanied him on the tour, later married American singing-evangelist Charles Alexander and went on to develop the Pocket Testament League into a global enterprise, borne of a childhood vision to share the gospel at school by sewing pockets into dresses so she and her friends could carry their New Testament.
Helen died, aged 92, in 1969. And inscribed on her gravestone is the Bible reference Romans 1.16 – “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
As well as focusing on business, John Cadbury (Richard’s father) also invested his energies in campaigning against industrial pollution, child labour and animal cruelty, founding the society which became the RSPCA.
Joseph Fry held a prayer meeting for all workers and Cadbury’s followed his example while Rowntree’s hired a Congregational minister to look after the young men’s pastoral needs. Free breakfast was also provided along with a myriad of social and recreational facilities.
Sounds like heaven on earth – and certainly a challenge for today’s business world!
Friends of Jesus who shook the world!
The Quakers were a radical Christian movement who reacted against the formal religion of 17th century England by proclaiming Christ as a personal Saviour who could change lives by taking up residence within the individual heart. Led by a fearless and charismatic preacher, George Fox, they were established as the ‘Society of Friends’ in keeping with the words of Jesus to his disciples, “You are my friends, if you do what I command you”.
Earning their nickname from the trembling of followers who sometimes shook with emotion during meetings, they had gained 100,000 members within 50 years.
In 1650 a youthful Fox was sentenced to six months in jail on charges of blasphemy, having claimed that Christ had taken away his sin ! He told Derby’s Judge Bennett that professing Jesus was not enough; every man must follow him. Fox had spent years searching for truth. Not satisfied with reading about Spirit-led people in the Book of Acts, which was all second-hand, he wanted to experience Christ for himself, and eventually did so.
He attracted much opposition, but a great following too, as he began preaching to thousands in the open air. Many were imprisoned for offences such as meeting in forbidden religious assembly or refusing to pay the compulsory state church tithe.
A London Quaker, James Naylor, stirred great controversy when he got carried away with enthusiasm by illustrating the inward coming of Christ into the heart through staging a ‘triumphant entry’ into Bristol complete with donkey and hosannas (in the manner of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday).
His detractors missed his symbolism and he was imprisoned after being branded ‘B’ for blasphemer on his forehead with his tongue bored through with a hot iron. He bore no grudge, but one disastrous consequence was that, in a bid to check future fanaticism, Quakers became over-cautious in succeeding centuries. And it wouldn’t be unfair to say that much of their fire has since been extinguished with some present- day meeting houses seeming to lack exuberance or passion in proclaiming the message so real to Fox.
They were particularly successful in reaching Aboriginal people with the gospel. But we all owe them a tremendous debt for their fearless-ness and faithfulness in literally putting Christianity to work.