The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-07-05
From de Cincinnati NoHgarsR
A QUAKER WEDDING.


Married in this city. ycsierday,at the Qua
ker Meeting House, on Fifth street Mr. Hen
~ Shipley, of this city, 10 Miss Hannah ID.
Taylor, Of Newport.
A large company assembled at tho unos-
tentaious church Of the Society Of Friends
yesterday at o'clock, 10 witness 80 hnusu-
al an occurrence ~ a Quaker wedding. As
the spirit moved ms 10 be present. We pro-
pose 10 give description Of the CEREMONY
II was a regular monthly meeting of the
Friends, a small though highly respectable
Society worshipping regularly at the house
above mentioned When. we arrived, the
house was nearly filed with young ladies who
had been attracted there by the curiosity their
pay dresses contrasting strongly with the so-
Der drab Of the three or four rows of Quaker
lASlies occupying seats on the opposite side of
the house, and fronting the main audience
The shad-bellies and broad-brims slipped
quiouy into the seats in the mems division
OF the house, and commenced their silent
communion with their own spirits and the
spirits Of the unseen world. Aftcr half
hours profound silence, there was some ap-
pcaUncc Of uneasness among the spectators
We we're amused at n whispered convcrsa-
ton between a country girl and her more
knowing city companion.
what do these women wear such awful
looking bonnets for? They look like half
Hush that's the Quaker fashion
Where is the pulpit" said the first men
iinndd-
THE Quakers have no pulpits.'
Whore is their ministcrY
''They have no minister -.l'
Who breaches then 2
Ah of them, or any Of them, just as they
happen to feel
Why don't the meeting begin
Hush up the meeting has been begun this
-l.=lc hour,
why, nobody has said a word, and fiiJ,se
7-rr5rrr- opposite f1avr got their ir1ts
Never mind, somebody will speak soon,
provided the spirit moves them and they afs
Waysawear their hats at church.
eO,Tknow, they are waiting for the bride
aud groom
No, indeed they have been here half an
hour; don't you see them sitting directly OPP
posite; that handsome young man in gold
specks and the lady beside him, dressed in
plain white satin.
Il want to know if that's them; they don't
look Quakerish bit. | should like 10 know
who's going to marry them ?
Nobody; they'll marry themselves
Marry themselves we'll why in the world
don't they begin What are they waiting
for ?
Waiting for the spirit to move
Another hali nour was passed ~ solemn 81
lence, at the end of which time the bride and
bridegroom rose, facing thy audience, the
bridegroom pronouucing the following words:
u, in the presence of God, and of this as
semby, take this woman to be my welded
wife, promising, with divine assistance, TO be
her faithful, loving husband as long as we
both shall i've
The bride, then, in voice somewhat fal-
-iering rcpented similar declaration, and
both sat down.
The young men of the Society then placed
before them small table containing a huge
parchment scroll, which they opened, and in
presence of the assembly the bride and groom
affixed their signatures. An elder of the
church then read the document aloud to the
audience 1t set forth that the parties had
at the regular monthly meeting preceding
signifed their intention of marriage, that the
Society hail approved of the same, and that
by their joint declarations and signatures
they had arrived at full accomplishments of
their intentions He then stated that all the
Friends were invited to sign as witnesses af-
ter the close of the meeting.
Ailer few minutes more of silence, the
newly married couple suddenly rose and left
the church, and were followed by the whole
congregation. The audience was we'll pleas
I'd with the ceremony, which we think was
the most sensible we ever Witnessed.