Here is part of what Sara posted:
Dear All,
I'm working on my English Quakers and recently transcribed a published
testimony about Elizabeth (Ryley) Wetherald (abt 1735-1784), a "Minister
near eighteen years." The the account also mentions: "She was often engaged
in visiting Families both in our own Monthly Meeting and several others, in
which she was often Baptised into the States of the People, was very
Serviceable in our Preparative and Monthly Women’s Meetings wherein she
labored to promote good order, with truly Christian Concern."
I'd like to understand the part about being "Baptised into the States of
the People."
There were several good answers to this question. I started to file them in my crazy inbox. But decided that if Sara and others were willing, I would be more likely to be able to find these answers if I added them to my blog. So here goes:
From Jeff Palmer:
My understanding of Quaker baptism seems to be well expressed by https://classroom.synonym.com/the-quaker-view-on-baptism-12085718.html :
"... Quakers believe that all of life is a sacrament and that special sacramental rites are, at best, unnecessary and, at worst, hypocritical.... Quakers often point to John the Baptist's claim that 'I baptize you with water, but after me comes One who is greater than I... He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.' .... When Quakers speak of baptism, they generally mean 'baptism in the Holy Spirit.' According to their teachings, this is when a person has experienced an inner change as the result of God's presence. Quakers tend to view this as an ongoing experience [rather than as a one-time sacramental ceremony]."
I suspect the terminology to which you refer reflected the above, i.e., merely that the woman was thought to have had spiritually fulfilling interactions with the families and meetings she had visited.
Jeff Palmer
From Tom Hamm:
In this case, "Baptised" meant that she was led to insights and empathy with the spiritual states of individuals she encountered. That was considered one of the marks of good Quaker ministry.
Tom Hamm
From Dan Treadway:
Would it help to replace "baptized" with "immersed"? That's the literal meaning of the Greek word baptized comes from.
and Jeff Palmer added to Dan's comment:
I also liked the response by Daniel Treadway I think who said something about the Greek origin of the word “baptize” meaning “immersion.” According to https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/baptizo.html , baptize (“baptize”) meant an immersion which changed the thing being immersed. That’s sort of the point of a Quaker meeting.
Jeff Palmer
From Richard White:
Dear Sara and friends all,
I am a 12th gen Quaker and am glad to have been enlightened by your query and the thoughtful and informed replies you have received.
I make no exception to what’s been offered by others, but thought I would complement their responses by providing a “translation” of the phrase, “baptized into the states of the people,” by suggesting what a more contemporary Friend might have said (or penned a minute) in place of those words:
“The Friend was so open to the light (or the lord) in her worship with us, that she seemed to gather a true sense of our condition and, indeed, did speak to that condition and minister to us in a loving and truthful way, which was beneficial to our spirit.”
Someone here suggested “immersion” in place of “baptized”... I like that... immersion is suggestive of that corporate mysticism, I believe uniquely Quaker, to which Fox alludes:
"All Friends mind that which is Eternal which gathers your Hearts up to the Lord and lets you see that ye are written in one another's Heart."
Richard White
From Sara Scribner:
Here is my transcription of the testimony :
Anon. 1784. *Testimonies Concerning Friends Deceased*. Vol. 3, pp. 271-2.
TCMD. London: Library of the Society of Friends, 1784. Testimony from York
Quarterly Meeting Concerning Elizabeth Wetherald, pp. 271-2.
“Elizabeth Wetherald, wife of Joseph Wetherald, was one who the Lord
visited in her early youth and as she gave up to the manifestation of Truth
in her own Mind, she became more and more enlightened and fitted for use
and service in the Church. Her first appearance in the Ministry was about
the year 1766 and we believe she Laboured Diligently according to the Gift
received, not being forward but Solidly waiting in awful reverence for the
arising of Life whereby she was many times enabled to Speak to the States
of the People __
She visited some parts of the County, and some others adjoining several
times, and in the year 1778 visited the Cities of London, Norwich, And
Bristol, and several other parts of the Southern Counties__
She was often engaged in visiting Families both in our own Monthly Meeting
and several others, in which she was often Baptised into the States of the
People, was very Serviceable in our Preparative and Monthly Women’s
Meetings wherein she labored to promote good order, with truly Christian
Concern.
She had for several years been in a [S]ickening State of Health and for
some Months mostly confined at Home, yet appeared to be in a lively frame
of Mind, and to Rejoice in having been made willing to give up to the
Requiring of Truth, in which she then had Peace.
She was a Loving and Affectionate wife, a tender and prudent Parent and
kind Neighbour__
She departed this Life in the eighteenth day of the first Month 1784, and
was buried in Friends’ Burying ground at Bainbridge the 21st of same, aged
about 54 years, a Minister, near 18 years.
Signed in and on behalf of Richmond Monthly Meeting, held at Aysgarth the 4
th of 3rd Month 1784 by
Mathew Middlebrook
Joseph Wetherald
Isabelle Wetherald
Joseph Wetherald Junr
Margaret Wetherald
George Wetherald
Elizabeth Thompson
John Wetherald
Martha Wetherald
John Heldon
Jane Wetherald
John Thompson
Mary Wetherald
Thomas Culworth
Sara Wetherald
Christopher Myers
Jane Carter
Thomas Lambert
Ann Lambert
James Scott
Agnes Thistlethwaite
John Hunter
Margery Horner
John Raw
Alice Culworth
John Beezon
Isabel Hesltine
Thomas Carter
Elizabeth Thwaite
William Middlebrook
Hannah Harrison
John Baynes
Ann Middlebrook
Osward [Oswald?] Baynes
Ann Baynes
Joseph Webster
Hannah Lambert
Simon Hunter
Mary Baynes
William Baynes
Daniel Harrison
Richard Carle
Read and Approved in our Quarterly Meeting held at York the 24th of the 3rd
Month 1784 by
Robert Grubb
Clerk to the Meeting this Quarter”
END OF TRANSCRIPTION
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