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Archiver > PA-QUAKERS > 2006-09 > 1159332084


From: "Alice Allen" <>
Subject: Re: [PA-QUAKERS] Disownment
Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2006 21:41:24 -0700
References: <bd2.41bc5c5.32449b12@aol.com>
In-Reply-To: <bd2.41bc5c5.32449b12@aol.com>


I'd like to add a quick comment on this subject as well. When reading
the abstracts, the disownment process seemed very harsh, as the
abstracts would only show that someone was disowned on a particular
date, and often the reason why. What the abstracts don't show is that
the disownment usually came after months of trying to get the member
to change his or her ways. After reading some of the minutes (not the
abstracts), I came away with a better sense of the love our Quaker
ancestors had for their fellow members in trying to work with them to
change their ways.

Alice Allen

On 9/21/06, <> wrote:
> Yes, it was usual in 17th-early 20th century Friends Meetings for a member
> who "married out" i.e., married someone not a Quaker and/or not by Friends
> procedure) to be "disowned." Disowned meant that one was no longer a member - some
> who were disowned continued to attend services, etc., for years and their
> children often joined Meeting. It was NOT shunning, as the Amish and some other
> sects do.
>
><snip>

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