QWHP 17TH AND 18TH CENTURIES (NZ.)

QWHP 17TH AND 18TH CENTURY MATERIAL:

Part One: N-Z.

PEARL STREET MEETING, NEW YORK CITY:

A Minute Declining Charge of the City Watch, 1782. Written during a time when English troops occupied the city, and watched then and afterwards until the establishment of a public police system. None the names of Joseph Delaplaine, an underappreciated minister well known at the time although almost forgotten now and of Lindley Murray, who was to become one of the foremost English grammarians of the 19^th century, author of Murray's Grammar (several versions and editions) and editor if several readers.

GULIEMA PENN

Gulielma Penn to Margaret Fell, During Penn's absence.
A Letter to Margaret Fell, 1690. A discussion of a dream she had in which evil spirits strove to attack Fell and George Fox but were unable to hurt them. Also some discussion of Penn's absence (he was in Pennsylvania) and of current financial problems.

WILLIAM PENN

The full text of Advice to His Children.

Other Pieces:

A Letter to Friends at Dantzic. One of a number of letters written by early Friends to encourage fellow Friends facing persecution there. See also the letters of Stephen Crisp and George Fox.
A Letter to the King of Poland, On Behalf of the Friends at Dantzic. An (unsuccessful) appeal written by Penn on behalf of the persecuted Friends, trying to end the inflictions. Dantzic, then in Germany, is known now as Gdansk, Poland.

Letters, before going to America:

To His Wife, Gulielma.

To Margaret Fell.

JOB SCOTT:

On Stumbling Due to the Faults of Others. A still extremely timely and pertinant piece which I believe should be mandatory reading for all Friends. It is about justifying our own errors on the basis of the errors of others and putting on focus on the mistakes others are making at the expense of following Christ now. Though thousands may fall to the right and tens of thousands may fall to the left,...
The Faith and Patience of the Saints Displayed, in Their Not Making Use of Carnal Weapons in Their Own Defense. An extensive discussion of the Quaker testimony regarding war, how it was originally prohibited by the early Church and only came in as the Church became acculturated and lukewarm; reasons for the Quaker position, etc. A word of caution: this material was edited and published by John Comly, whose editorial liberties are well known in the field. I found when working with John Woolman that almost piece Comly worked on was altered in one way or another.

RICHARD SHACKLETON:

A Letter to His Daughter. The first publication of the Tract Association of Friends.

MARMADUKE STEPHENSON:

His Testimony. A summary autobiography and testimony from one of the Boston Martyrs.

CHARLES WETHERILL, ED.

History of the Relgious Society of Friends Called by Some The Free Quakers, In the City of Philadelphia. The first part being a short secondary history of the Friends who were disowned for support of and participation in the American Revolution, followed by documents.

INCREASE WOODWARD:

Notes on attending the Yearly Meeting in Philadelphia, 1790. A detailed and full account of what was, I gather, was one of the more important meetings of that era. I can see several strands coming out of and developing in this little piece, some encouraging and some water for the seeds for later dissension and division.
Her early life. A brief account of her early spiritual struggles and turmoils, in graphic and vivid language.
Some early prayers. Apparently from the early years of spiritual turmoil. What struck me again was the directness and sense of urgency in her language.
A prayer for deliverance. Highly reminiscent of the psalms of David.
Prayers and miscellaneous writings of praise and adoration.

(The following five pieces were written to or about her son William, who left home on 9th of 10th month, 1796, evidently to pursue goals not consistent with Quakerism. pds.)

Letter to her son William. Besides being a letter of exhortation to her son, this piece also shows the common view of the inward light as held by Quakers at the time, as well as illustrating how the belief was translated into action and where it led people.
A poem, occasioned by her son leaving home. A personal glimpse into her fears and feelings.
A second letter to William, then in Georgia, and (as best as I can determine, from only one half of the exchanges) becoming alienated from his family.
Letter to William Woodward, New York, 1799. Apparently, he was planning to go to sea, and still rejecting Quakerism.

Thoughts on the death of William Woodward, 1800. Self explanatory, I should hope.

Written later in life:

Journal entry on Light, 1804.Reflections and meditations on the Light.

JUDITH ZINSPENNING:

An Epistle to the Friends of Truth. (1664) An exhortation to faithfulness, fidelity, etc. despite persecution, extracted from Sewell's History. Zinspenning was Sewell's mother.