Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-07-23
STAUNTON. VA. WEDNESDAY, JULY %, 1851.
A QUAKER WEDDING.

Married, in this city, yesterday, al tn'
Quaker Meeting House, on Fifth Street
Mr.. Henry Shipley of this city, to Mis-
Hannah D. Taylor, of Newport.
| Alarge company assembled at the unos
tentatious church of the Society of Friend.
yesterday at II o'clock to witness so unusu
al an occurrence as Quaker wedding. Al
the spirit moved us to be present, we pro-
pose to give description of the ceremony
it was 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 filled with young. ladies
who had been attracted there by the curios.
ity, their gay dresses contrasting strongly
with the sober drab ofthe three or four rows
of Quaker ladies occupying seats on the op-
posite side of the house, and fronting the
main audience. The broad brims slipped
quietly into the seats in the mems devision
of the house, and commenced their silent
communion with their own spirits and the
spirits of the unseen world. After half
hourss profound silence, there was some
appearance of uneaslness among the spec
tators. We were amused at a whispered
conversation between country girl and her
more knowing city companion.
"What do these women wear such awful
looking bonnets for They look like half
hornets half coal scuttle."
"Hush; that's the Quaker fashion"
"Where is the pulpit" said the first men,
toned.
"The Quakers have no pulpits."
"Where i, their minister"
"They have no minister"
"Who breaches then -
Gall 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 half hour"
"Why, no body has said word, ,and those
men opposite have got their hats on"
"Never mind, somebody will speak soon,
provided the spirit moves them, and they
always wear their hats at church.
30, I know they are waiting for the
bride and groom"
"No, indeed; they have been here half
an hour don't you see them sitting direct
ly opposite that handsome young man in
gold specs, s,and the lady beside him dressed
i'll plain white satin.'
81 want to know if that's them; they don't
look Quakerish bit. | should like to know
who's going to marry them?'
Nobody; they'll marry themselves
"Marry themselves! well, why in the
world don't they begin What are they
waiting for -
waiting for the spirit to move"
Another half hour was passed in solemn
silence, at the end of which time the bride
and bridegroom rose, facing the audience,
the bridegroom pronouncing the following
words:
81, in the presence of God, and of this
assembly, take this woman to be my welded
wife, promising, with divine assistance, to
be her faithful, loving husband as long as
we both shall live"
The BRIDE. then, in a voice somewhat fall
tering, repeated similar declaration, and
both sat down.
Two young men of the Society then plac-
ed before them small table containing a
huge parchment scroll, which they opened
and in the presence of the assembly, the
bride and groom affixed their signatures
An elder of the church then read the doc.
ument aloud to the audience. 1t sets forth
that the parties had, at the regular monthly
meeting preceding, signifed their intention
of marriage, that the Society had approved
of the same, and that, by their joint declara'
tons and signatures they had arrived at &
''full accomplishment of their intentions.
He then stated that all the Friends were
invited to sign as witnesses after the close
of the meeting.
After few minutes more of silence, th'
newly married couple suddenly rose ant
left the church, and were followed by thu
whole congregation. The audience wa'
well pleased with the ceremony, which w
think was the most sensible we ever wit
nessed.-Cin, Ddper