1789 Letter from a Philadelphian to a Friend Discussing a Women’s Quaker Meeting
- Single three-page letter measuring 7 ¾ x 9 ¾ inches
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , 1789
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1789. Single three-page letter measuring 7 ¾ x 9 ¾ inches. Folded with large tears at folds; excellent.. A letter from H. Cathrall in Philadelphia to her friend Amey Thurston, dated October 20th 1789. The letter discusses her health and the health and lives of their mutual friends. She also describes her experience of hearing ministry at a women’s Quaker meeting:
“our yearly Solemnity was uncommonly large and much sisterly condescension was comfortingly evidencd; and thro the condescension of Isarels [Israel’s] King and Shepherd we were made in some sittings reverently to rejoice in that the Lord in wondrous Mercy had not forgotten Sion ‘nor yet in Anger cast off his People’~”.
Though Quaker worship meetings did not exclude women, Philadelphia did have a women’s monthly meeting as well; Haverford College holds its membership book for 1793 (Cathrall does not appear in it, but at least one other name mentioned in her letter does).
Of interest to scholars of Philadelphia’s long Quaker history, especially the role of Quaker women.
“our yearly Solemnity was uncommonly large and much sisterly condescension was comfortingly evidencd; and thro the condescension of Isarels [Israel’s] King and Shepherd we were made in some sittings reverently to rejoice in that the Lord in wondrous Mercy had not forgotten Sion ‘nor yet in Anger cast off his People’~”.
Though Quaker worship meetings did not exclude women, Philadelphia did have a women’s monthly meeting as well; Haverford College holds its membership book for 1793 (Cathrall does not appear in it, but at least one other name mentioned in her letter does).
Of interest to scholars of Philadelphia’s long Quaker history, especially the role of Quaker women.