Howard Collier, a physician and surgeon in Worcester, England, gave the Swarthmore Lecture in 1936, and sojourned in 1938 at Pendle Hill. This pamphlet is framed as an answer to questions which were often asked of Friends. Dr. Collier's approach to the subject of the meeting is that of an experimental scientist guided by scientific procedure.

This bold approach starts from an explanation of The Nature of Religious or Mystical Experience, leading to a clear view of Meditation: 'Waiting'; Inward Stillness. Prompted by George Fox ("There is one, even Christ Jesus, that can speak to thy condition") Collier presents his own experiences in Contemplation or 'Seeking'. The topic of Corporate Worship, and Adoration or Communion in Corporate Worship conclude his presentation.

Quoting liberally from Fox, Pennington, Barclay, Bellers and Penn, Howard Collier grounds his explanations and descriptions in his own Quaker experiences. Speaking as a physician, meditation, and the preparation for meditation are key precedents of his own spiritual direction. Yet, "When all has been said the most skilled of us is only a novice in the art of meditation. None of us is too skilled to profit by the experience of others or too ignorant to be unable to help someone."

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