Re: Quaker term "under care" + more questions regarding membership

In general, a wife would request membership separately from her husband when and if she felt "led" (Quaker term) to do so on her own.

The fact that they were possibly members of the local parish church prior to coming the Friends Mtg. may have had something to do with the husband being "under care." Friends would have wanted him to be sure he was ready to give up that membership and to be sure that his wife would not be obstructive in any way.

If you can get microfilm of the actual proceedings of the Men's Meeting for Business for those months, there may be some clues. Women had their own Business Mtgs. and would have dealt with the wife's desire to join, assuming she did apply. (No longer separate today, but would have been then).

Joy Weaver
(Co-Clerk, Conscience Bay Friends Mtg, in USA)

Symonds wrote:
Thank you, James, very much for this explanation. Further questions: this couple was married in 1801 in the parish church before application for membership in 1804. When this man applied for membership, was his wife then similarly "under care"? And was the family admitted to membership, or just the husband?

Marilyn

James D. Thomas wrote:

There will probably be others on this newsgroup better qualified to answer this, but here is my understanding.

When applying for membership of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) the normal practice was (and as far as I am aware still is) that the applicant is visited by two Overseers - longstanding members of the society, there are few paid workers in the Quakers - to ensure that the new person was in sympathy with the ethos of the society. They would report back to the Monthly Meeting (the main Meeting of the group, meeting weekly for worship and monthly for business). Three things could be decided at that meeting. The applicant could be welcomed into membership, rejected (very unusual!) or asked to continue attending under the supervision of the Overseers. I would assume that this last is what meant by the case quoted. In 1804 this might simply be that the Overseers felt the person needed further guidance before taking the step of membership.
Incidentally Quakers do not take votes in their meetings - even business meetings, those attending have to come to agreement. I am not sure if this is democracy, but it does make for strength and unity in the group!

James

----- Original Message ----- From: "Symonds" <sysite@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <GENBRIT-L@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, November 14, 2005 11:49 AM
Subject: Quaker term "under care"


What is the meaning of "continued under care" in the case of a man who applied in 1804 to become a member of the Quaker Friends Meeting in Nottinghamshire in 1804? Apparently after some months he finally became a member.

Marilyn


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