An Early Quaker "Found Poem"

Quaker women could speak in meeting!

David Teague has kindly assented to let me repeat his recent blog about a poem written by Margaret Fell.  The feelings expressed by Ms. Fell reflect the Quaker belief that women were worthy vessels for God's word.  This countered the Puritan and Anglican conviction that women should remain silent in church.

Herodias Long never heard this poem, but I believe it would have matched her personal beliefs.  And now, here is David's blog post from:  http://davidteague.blogspot.com/2012/10/an-early-quaker-found-poem.html

If George Fox was the father of Quakerism, Margaret Fell (1614-1702), was its mother. In 1666, she published Women's Speaking Justified, the earliest known defense of women's ministry actually written by a woman.

While Margaret's writing style is a bit rambling for modern tastes, and some of her arguments are more clever than profound, some of her language approaches the lyrical. I have always found Margaret's observation that women loved Jesus because he was kind to them, and so they kept faith with him even after he was buried, to be quite moving.

FROM WOMEN'S SPEAKING JUSTIFIED:

Those that speak against
the Spirit of the Lord
speaking in a woman,

simply by reason of her sex,

or because she is a woman,

not regarding

the Seed

and Spirit

and Power

that speaks in her,

such speak against

Christ and his Church. . . .

God the Father

made no such difference

in the first Creation –  

nor ever since –
between the male

and the female,

but always,

out of his mercy

and lovingkindness,

had regard unto the weak.

So also his Son,

Christ Jesus,

confirms the same thing. . . .

Also,
that woman  

that came unto Jesus

with an alabaster box

of very
precious

ointment,

and poured it

on his head

as he sat at meat—
this woman knew more
of the secret power
and wisdom
of God
than his disciples did. . . .

Jesus

owned the love and grace
that appeared in women

and did not despise it:
and he received as much love,

kindness,

compassion,

and tender dealing

from women
as he did from any others,

both in his lifetime,

and also

after they had exercised their cruelty upon him. . . .

Mark this,

ye despisers

of the weakness of women:
if these women

who had received mercy
and grace

and forgiveness of sins

and virtue

and healing from him –  

if their hearts

had not been so united

and knit unto him

in love

that they could not depart

(as the men did)

but sat watching,

and waiting,

and weeping around the Sepulchre

until the time of his Resurrection,

and so were ready

to carry his Message,

how should his disciples have known

(who were not there)?

Image:
http://www.favimp.com/Quakers.html