with his People I beheld her Beauty and Comeliness in the Truth and her inward Adorning which was a meek and quiet Spirit seasoned with Graces and Vertue and true Wisdom from above whiâ—h the Lord had largly indued her withal whereby she was always furnished with a Word in season upon all Occasions a true Mother in Israel indeed still making it her greatest concern in her place that all might be kept in right order in the Church of Christ and nothing vvanting tenderly admonishing the young Ones to press forvvard in the vvay of Life and Peace vvhich might make for their everlasting happiness hereafter and gently advising and exhorting the elder Women to vvalk as good examples in all Comeliness in their places that the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ might be adorned by them These things have I many a time been an Ear Witness to and my Soul refreshed thereby though but one of the least of the Lords Servants that may give in their Testimonies yet I could not vvith satisfaction pass by without setting Pen to Paper on this wise having ever since the Lord made me sensible of her Worth had an honourable esteem of her in my Heart and my Soul loved her with faithful Love and as she lived the Life of Truth so she finished her Course with Joy I am satisfied as being an Ear Witness of the many sweet heavenly Expressions that passed from her often times on her Bed of Weakness which I believe will remain weighty upon my Spirit oh her free resignedness up to the will of the Lord with true contentedness in her Condition often saying She had done with all things in this Life that she had nothing troubled her but was at true Peace and Ease every way desiring us that were about her whose Love and tender Bowels towards her she sensibly felt that we would not be troubled but give her up freely saying to me but a few houers before she departed That though she was in a dying Condition yet it was a living Death and that Weakness had seasoned her outward Man but her Understanding and Sense was as perfect and clear as when she was in her perfect Health and that she was in true Love and Charity with all Oh great is the loss of her in the Church of Christ she whom the Lord had so furnished and fitted for his Service which she faithfully performed to the last I pray God grant that we which are left behind may according to our measures follow her righteous Example and walk in faithfulness with God as she did in her day my Heart is full at this very Moment and my Spirit broken before the Lord in the remembrance of our dearly beloved Friend my House being the place where she laid down her Head in Peace with the Lord and although her Body be returned to its Center yet her Spirit and Life is truly felt and witnessed in eternal union amongst us So having eased ' my Spirit thus far in this concern I conclude who am known by Name Bridget Austill Ruth Crouch HER TSETIMONY FOR Ann Whitehead COncerning my dear and entirely beloved Friend Ann Whitehead whom it hath pleased God to remove out of this transitory and fading World and from the Troubles Exercises which attend it and the Lord having yet continued me amongst the Livingand capable to say or write something in Commemoration of her I account my self engaged to perform it for as I had a delight to converse with her and took pleasure to be in her Company when she Lived so her Memory is sweet and the savour of her Life remains in the frequent renewings thereof upon my Spirit and the same shall continue amongst the Faithful through Ages she was not to me a Stranger for besides our unity and oneness in Spirit I knew her personally from my Childhood and many precious Oppertunities God afforded us both Publick Private so that I had a full knowledg of her these thirty two Years as my Capacity could retain and can therefore with a good Conscience testifie on her behalf that she was one whom God had in an extraordinary manner visited with the springings of his everlasting Day and furnished her with Wisdom and Gifts beyond many others she had a gift of Discerning and so quick and ready in Comprehension accompanied with soundness of Judgment which she managed with a Wisdom and Gravity even to admiration all which rendered her honorable in the Church of Christ where her Service was very great and unto which she gave her self up to the utmost of which Service and Labour many upon whom it is since sallen may I believe testifie for her and I in particular am a Witness on her behalf she wanted not but was largly extensive in her Charity for the Poor she was always ready to contribute to the Necessitous she was furnished with Counsel from God to many in Distress both inward and outward which she readily gave the same being often accompanied with a good Effect for she opened her Mouth with Wisdom and in her Tongue was the Law of Kindness and in Meetings altho she had excellency of Matter and also of Delivery by saying much in a few Words for she used not many neither was she forward or hasty to Speak for I believe it was her care not to prevent or hinder the Brethren in their Testimony for God and his Truth and when any such thing happened it greatly grieved her for she loved good order in the Church and made it her business to promote and advance it and was her self so subjected by a heavenly Wisdom which instructed her in the right seasons to speak or to with-hold even as the same might be of Service in the Church so that may it not be said Many Daughters have done Virtuously but she excelled us all Her constant and long continued care for the Church and Poor of late through providence seemed harder and more difficult to her then formerly it had done which caused her to desire that some other Women would take upon them some part of that which she had long travelled under with some desire to with-draw a little by reason of some Weakuess she found attending her outward Man and accordingly she went into the Country to Southgate where her Weakness encreasing she did in a few Weeks finish her Course and thither I went to visit her and was sometimes with her in her Sickness and am sensible that the Lord was with her in a wonderful manner and furnished her with Patience and Content in her Condition with a Resignation and holy Submission to his Will in which frame she continued unto the end And now that the Lord who is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh would be pleased in Mercy to encrease amongst us the number of such Labourers in his Harvest which is the desire of my Heart and Prayer to God and that he who did in loving kindness visit me early even
in the Morning of this his blessed Day and hath preserved me until now grant an encrease daily of his Wisdom and Counsel unto me that I may serve him and his People in my Generation and may follow the steps of this my dearly beloved Friend who is gone before and through Faith obtained a good Report and her Works praise her in the Gate To God Almighty be Glory and Honour over all for ever and ever Amen Ruth Crouch John Staplo HIS TESTIMONY Concerning Ann Whitehead THE Remembrance of dear A. W. cannot be forgotten she was my endeared Friend and whom I loved right well for the Truth 's sake in the enjoyment of whose Company I have been many a time Refreshed Comforted through the savour of Life in her Communication she was endued with the Vertues of Truth and seasoned with the Spirit thereof which rendered her Converse very acceptable great is the want of so dear a Friend the Lord be pleased to raise up more such spirited VVomen like minded to serve Truth in their Generation in the early of her day she began to Fear Love and Serve the Lord and her Perseverance is known to many my knowledge of her was about twenty six Years and she was affectionately tender to me in the time of my first Convincement when I was a Stranger to most Friends she wanted nâ—t in that day to give good Counsel and godly Admonishion and I have this satisfaction in my self I was glad when I had an oppertunity to serve her and my Spirit hath been tendered in the consideration of what she hath been to the Lord and done for the service of his Truth and People I well remember and believe shall not forget while I retain my Love to Truth what she said to me when I first visited her with another Friend as I did often in the time of her Weakness which she resented kindly being about six Miles from London and said What do you come on purpose to see me I take it as an effect of the Love of God and I pray God Bless thy Children Which render and motherly Expressions came very near and affected my Spirit and there was an earning desire in me Oh that the Lord would please to spare thee how glad should I be 't was more to me what she said at that time then if I had had given me a great deal of this World for that the Blessing of the Lord was and is of value in my Eye above all outward Concerns Another time when I went to see her which was her last day save one in this World her dear Sister Ann-Mary Freeman being present Remember me said she to all Friends and I pray God Bless your Families and if I never see thy Face more 't is well with me God doth know my Integrity and how I have been and walked before him and I am in Charity with all Friends and be not over Careful or Troubled for me but be Retired and Quiet My Heart was Comforted to hear her gracious Words yet Sorrow attended at the thoughts of being deprived of so Dear and Antient a Friend Diligent and Faithful Servant of the Lord one that loved the Peace of the Church as there is a Record of David's mighty Men in another Case so may she be Remembered among the first of the honorable Women for such were her attainments indeed I want Words to express what I have at times felt of her Worthiness in my Spirit One thing I have in memory of her she always stood clear of taking any part with those that ever rose in opposition to the Truth and the Servants of it and had a Testimony against that Spirit in all kinds that hath appeared to make Divisions amongst the Lord s People Well she is gone to her Rest and we that are left behind a little time to sojourn here it remains for us to be mindful of our latter Day and season of Change for that it may be perceived Mortality comes on a pace on this Generation some are concerned in the consideration of how many dear and honest Friends are lately taken from us we had need be girt up in Mind and diligent in Spirit that we fall not short of doing the Work of our Day and while we have Time all to prize it John Staplo VVilliam Ingram HIS TESTIMONY FOR Ann Whitehead AS concerning our dear Friend Ann Whitehead she received Truth at the first breaking forth of it among us and was blessed of God who endued her with many spiritual Gifts and Graces whereby she became a Blessing to others and the sweetness of that Life which flowed through her Earthen Vessel hath often Comforted and Refreshed God's People who in the sence of that living Power which plentifully appeared in her have many times been broke into tenderness before the Lord and in their Hearts have returned Praise unto him on her behalf who was knovvn to be Faithful and Sincere a true Preacher of Righteonsness in her Day and although she outvvardly be taken from us and her Body removed to its place yet her Spirit Lives and the memory of her Faithfulness Exercise and Sufferings for Truth 's sake and Labour for the Prosperity thereof continues amongst us hath a deep impression on the Spirits of many and vvill remain in the Churches of Christ vvhere her Service vvas manifest as a matter of great Value and Esteem not to be forgotten for indeed she vvas a Mcther in Israel a Nursing Mother to many Children begotten by the same vvord of Faith vvhich richly dvvelt in her vvhereby she vvas strengthened vvith Might in the invvard Man so that she vvas strong in the Lord and though many Archers shot at her to Grieve Wound her Life yet her Bow always abode in Strength and she was covered by the heaveuly Power of God out of the Enemies reach as one of the Lords hidden ones in favour with him and I am assured in my Spirit he hath preserved her unto his everlasting Kingdom of Rest and Peace who was a sanctified Vessel unto him fit for his use and to bear his Name forth unto the World and an eminent Example of Righteousness unto all who by her chaste Conversation coupled with Fear and diligent perseverance in the Truth did adorn the Gospel of our Lord being as a true Daughter of Abraham adorned with those inward Ornaments of the hidden man of the Heart as were the holy Women of old who trusted in God and she has now finished her Course fought the good Fight of Faith and I am satisfied hath obtained a Crown of Righteousness as a reward of her Travels and Labours which is prepared not only for her but for all that love the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ a more full Enjoyment of whom she had long been waiting in a preparation for and as sensible of her Dissolution or of her Departure being at hand did often Exhort and Admonish Friends to concern themselves with that
part of the Care which fell on her for the Church and to diligence in the Lords Work and Business which she her self was mightily furnished to the performance of through the Wisdom given her of God and in the consideration of our great loss I have secretly desired of the Lord that he would please to pour out of his Spirit on some worthy Instruments to succeed her in his Work and Service This Testimony is part of what rested on my Spirit on behalf of our dear Friend Deceased who I greatly valued in the Truth having often felt the distillings and dropping down of heavenly Dew and refreshment from her Branch which springing from the living Vine brought forth Fruits Savoury and Acceptable which my Soul did often delight in and the savour of that virtuous life which flowed through her Spirit still is Consolation unto me and the remembrance of it I know will yet be pretious to all who are rightly sensible thereof William Ingram Mary Forster HER TESTIMONY Cencerning Ann Whitehead AH my Sister my worthy Friend Ann Whitehead who was highly favoured of the Lord and endued with an excellent Spirit to follow the Lord fully and to be serviceable to him his Truth and People for the Lord did not only enlarge her Heart but fill it full of his divine Vertue and as a Scribe instructed in the Kingdom she did bring forth of the Treasure which God had given her things both New and Old she fought the Lord in her Youth and betimes tasted and was made partaker of his heavenly Grace so that her Experience was great and the fresh living Springs of Life did often run through her to the refreshment of many and in the spirit of true discerning she did divide the Word of God aright to the Poor Penitent and Broken-Hearted Peace Mercy and Forgiveness but to the Stubborn Idle and Disobedient Righteous Judgment and indeed such could not stand before her yet could she bear the Burdens of the Weak and Suffer with the Afflicted Ones I have for about twenty seven Years known her her ability and readiness to serve the Lord in his Church and more especially in the affairs of the Poor which she did in much Wisdom and Prudence not sparing her Person or Substance when either could be serviceable indeed it was her Meat and Drink to do the Will Work of God she was a chearful Sufferrer for the Name and Truth of our Lord Jesus Christ and did encourage others so to do and to hold out to the end What can I say her Worth is sufficiently known to the Children of the Day especially those amongst us and blessed be our God although her Person be removed from us yet that Spirit which made her amiable to us in all her Services is not departed but remains with us and hath its operation in many Sons and Daughters but she is gone and we shall see her no more here and it hath often run through me whose Faith follow she had an inward Life and Conversation in Heaven and whilst here on Earth was clothed upon with Life and Immortality and was entered into the Rest of God and having run the Race having fonght the good Fight having kept the Faith she had the Crown of Life is now Crowned with Glory in that Mansion which Christ our Lord hath prepared for her and not for her only but for all them who love his appearance and in their day diligently wait for his coming to finish Transgression and to make an end of Sin and to bring in everlasting Righteousness so come Lord Jesus The 10th of the 8th Month 1686. Mary Forster A TESTIMONY concerning Ann Whitehead AS the Lord alone is the Author of every good thing that a People or Person doth enjoy which causeth them to differ in any excellent Vertue so he is to have the Praise and Honour over all yet in a living sence which I feel upon my Spi-rit there is a Testimony remains with me for my dear Friend Sister in the blessed Truth Ann Whitehead who was an honorable Woman in her Day and very serviceable in the Churches in and about London and in other parts of the World where her hand of Love and motherly Instructions did reach yea to the Isles afar off oh what shall I say or write concerning my dear Friend whose Body is laid in the Grave but her worthy Acts yet liveth in the memory of the Faithful and time would fail to make mention of the many particulars in which her service was very weighty but this I may say of her that she was a faithful Steward of the manifold Gifts and Graces which she received from the hand of the Lord and that in a plentiful manner and she did not hide her Talents but improved them daily for the benefit of the Churches of Christ being always ready fitted for every good Word and Work and the fervency of her Spirit to serve the Lord his People did often carry her above the weakness of her Body who did attain to a good age and now is gone to her rest in God like a shock of Corn in its season though I with many more are often bowed in our Spirits in the sense of the great want of her yet I am satisfied her gain is great and she is entered into everlasting Joy and Peace with the Lord God and the Lamb forever and evermore and it is the desire of my Soul and Spi-rit to the Lord that I with all the Handmaids of the Lord in and about this City and every where may so attend upon the Lord in our several Places and Services which we are or may be called to that we may receive more and more of his Wisdom and Counsel that according to the ability that God gives unto us we may in some measure supply the place of our dear Friend who is gone before us that the great wise God may be honored by us through us who is worthy of all Praise and living Obedience from me and all that know him in Truth both at this time and for evermore Amen Writ in the 8th Month the 5th Day 1686. S. Plumley Ann Travers HER TESTIMONY Concerning Ann Whitehead I Having been well acquainted with our dear and wel-beloved Friend and Sister Ann Whitehead could do no less then bring in my Testimony with the rest of my Sisters in the blessed Truth of God I having known her above thirty Years at my first Convincement she gave up her self to serve the Church of Christ and abode faithful to the Truth and was endued with heavenly Gifts and was able to lend a hand to the Weak for the Lord had endued her with a large measure of spiritual Wisdom and in outward things also she was capable and also willing to help any in Distress as for the Sick her care was for them and for the Fatherless and the Widow she was as a Mother in care for them and the loss
Piety Promoted BY FAITHFULNESS Manifested by several TESTIMONIES Concerning that true Servant of God Ann Whitehead The Righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance Printed in the Year 1686 George Whitehead HIS Epistle and Account Concerning The Life and Death of Ann Whitehead his dear Wife To be Communicated to Friends especially those who knew her in Truth and Faithfulness MY dear and tender hearted Friends who truly love the Name of the Lord and the precious and living Unity and Society of his holy Spirit whereunto he hath called and gathered us by his invisible Power you are truly dear unto me in that life which shall never die and in that love which is stronger then Death and therein my Soul truly loves all the Faithful in Christ Jesus and such have been and are my Joy and Crown of rejoycing in him and such can sympathize one with another and bear one anothers Burdens in all Afflictions Tryals and Sorrows which befall the Righteous in this short time of our Pilgrimage here on Earth And my dear and tenderly beloved Friends though my Spirit be greatly bowed down and my Heart daily broken before the Lord under my present Exercise and Affliction in parting with so dear and true a Companion and faithful Servant of Christ and his Church as my dear wife was well known to be yet I feel secret peace and acceptance with the Lord in an humble submission to his blessed Will and in being reconciled to him in all his Ways and Dealings with us under all such Tryals as he sees meet to bring upon us as well knowing that precious to the Lord is the death of his Saints and that the Lord who gives he takes away at his pleasure none can hinder him nor may we say to him What dost thou But whâ—re Friends so nearly related have so long lived together in that sincere love unity concord and tender heartedness one to another as we have done 't is a tryal to part 't is a day of exercise and heaviness and requires some time to get thorow it 't is the Lord alone that can effectually relieve comfort and bind up the broken hearted in such Cases and distressed Conditions Yet we sorrow not as those that have no hope of Immortality or of meeting together in immortal Glory and Felicity hereafter for Life and Immortality is revealed and come to light in a good measure and therein have all the faithful Members of the Church of the first Born some spiritual Sense and Union with the Spirits of all just Men and Women who have faithfully served the Lord in their Generation and finished their course with Joy and the real sense of the Sincerity Love and Zeal of my dear Wife for the Name of the Lord lives and has deep impression upon my Heart and upon the Hearts of many more She truly loved Truth and Righteousness and hated Wickedness and Deceit Loosness and Pride She was plain hearted and true and of a right Mind sound Judgment and near and dear to the Lord and therefore I always valued her in Truth esteemed her as one whom God had effectually endued and qualified with Wisdom for her Service which was required of her She truly and tenderly considered the Poor the Widows and Fatherless and spared not her self to serve them that were in distress She was faithful and kept her integrity to the end and the Lord has taken her to himself her Spirit is received into rest with God in Christ She has obtained that blessed end that Crowns all her Labours Sufferings and Service I cannot forget her lively Testimonies and Expressions upon her dying Bed nor be clear without communicating something of the substance thereof unto you my dear and tender Friends who knew and truly loved her as she did you my Soul hath been and still is deeply affected in the sense and seeling of that tender Love and Union that is among you and was between you and her in her Life time and with your tender heartedness towards her and in remembrance of her Life and Testimony and Service for Truth she had among you and therefore recommend unto you some of her living Testimonies Expressions and Desires to Almighty God for his People upon her dying Bed and near her latter end in testimony of her real and tender love in Christ Jesus unto Friends as followeth viz Upon some discourse which a Friend had with Ann Whitehead of the great service which her Husband was in and had done for suffering Friends she answered The Lord has blessed and prospered my Husband in his Service which is great satisfaction to me and this I shall leave behind me as that which is satisfaction to me thâ—â— I never did detain him one quarter of an hour out of the Lord's service c. On the 23d 5th Month 1686 in the presence of several Friends she declared as followeth viz. I would not have you too much concerned about me as to my going hence I am in the hand of the Lord c. and with respect to Friends I desire the God of Peace and Love may be among all Friends and that they may be kept in Love and Peace and Concord unto which we were gathered in the Beginning that the same that gathered us in the beginning may always preserve Friends in the spirit of Love and of a sound Mind these words she expressed several times over so as the God of Peace and Love may continue with them and be with them to the end and as for me however the Lord shall please to dispose of me I am content in his will And Friends Visits she several times acknowledged as their great kindness and love to her though her weak Condition for some time could not bear much Company at once She further declared after this manner viz. And as to my Husband I have signified my mind as to what I would have done and leave it to him to do as he sees meet Hee 'l do what s just and right In our first coming together I had an Eye to the Lord that I might do nothing but what might be accerding to his will and that I might serve the Lord and his Church and the Lord has answered my desire and he has been a tender and true Husband to me in all respects c. I have nothing desireable to me in this World save my Husband but I am content given up in the will of God however he shall please to dispose of me c. On the 24th 5th Month 86 being asked how she was she said I am well I know nothing in this World nor that to come but all 's well Implying that all was well with her A little after again expressing how well she was and given up in the will of the Lord and signified her unity with all faithful Friends as being a living Member of the Body of Christ with them and her great love to all Friends in the Truth
oppose In Males or Females All Are one in Christ and those oppose His Work shall surely fall God will raise up and furnish more For to supply her Place Vessels of honour sanctifi'd And season'd by his Grace To carry on that blessed Work Of Righteousness which He Will cause to spread and prosper still To all Eternitie Benjamin Antrobus A Short TESTIMONY Concerning our dear Friend Ann Whitehead A Dear and Precious Holy and Upright Woman was she in her day loved Truth and Righteousness and hated all Iniquity she was a Mother in Israel indeed O how did she make it her great Care and Business to serve the Lord his Truth and his People the Widow Fatherless and Stranger she was a good Steward in the House of the Lord her care was that none should suffer Want that all things might be keep Sweet and Clean and in good Order she was a Valiant Woman in her day my Soul loved her my Life was knit unto her how did she travel before the Flock in great Wisdom and Power of the Almighty O when I consider the many blessed sweet and heavenly opertunities that we have had together with her in our retired waitings upon the Lord I am ready to mourn apart for her methinks I feel a miss of her more and more O how did she wait at Wisdom's Gate to be endued with it and when through the operation of the same divine Life and Power opened in her she spoke in Power and demonstration of the Spirit and great Wisdom so that she was a Comfort Refreshing and Edifying unto all to the building of us up in our most holy Faith so it oft rose in me That the Words of the Wise are as Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver and Wisdom is Justified of her Children for so it was indeed for as she Lived so she Dyed in universal Love to all but more especially to the Houshould of Faith for whom her Prayers was Night and Day that they might be keep pure and clean without Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing O she was an upright Woman in her day and the Lords powerful presence was with her from the beginning unto the end to the laying down of her Head in Peace and is at rest with the Lord and I am fully satisfied concerning it and my Soul blesses the Lord on her behalf and magnifies his Name who is worthy of all Praises and Glory and Honour forever Amen amen Ann Mackett A TESTIMONY concerning Ann Whitehead Dear Friends THere was a concern upon me in a short Testimony to give in amongst you with whom my Soul hath Unity concerning our dear and tender Friend Ann Whitehead that she was a Woman whom the Lord greatly honoured with a large measure of his heavenly Wisdom and Power and in that she was made able to speak aword in season to the strengthening of the Weak and the bowed down one and many living Testimonies she bore amongst us in brokenness of Spirit and in that heart melting love of God in which I can truly say my Soul hath often been livingly refreshed with the Souls of many more Friends my Heart is overcome and my Spirit bowed down at this time in a living sence of our loss which indeed is very great the Lord make it up unto us in continuing his presence amongst us and in a sence thereof strength will be administred to do the VVork of the Lord acceptably fot this was the Labour and Travel of our dear and wel-beloved Friend whilst she was amongst us That all be done in Love in the blessed order of Truth and where any thing hapned contrary it became her Burden for she delighted in the prosperity of Truth and in them that lived in it this is my Testimony from a certain knowledg of her in my measure though one of the least amongst you yet as one whom the Lord had reached unto in visiting my Soul in his everlasting Love and Power in the day of my Affliction and hour of Temptation which my Soul was under then did the Lord appear in his unlimitted power for my preservation and limitted the power of Sathan so that deliverance was witnessed to my Soul And this Servant and Handmaid of the Lord travelled amongst us whom he hath removed from amongst us but to her great advantage for she rests from her Labours and her Works follow her the memorial of whom will Live forever in the Hearts of all the Faithful O Lord that it may be thus with me and with all thy whole Heritage is the cry of my Soul This lay as a weight upon me being eased I desire to rest fully satisfied in the will of the Lord London 25th of October 1686. Elizabeth Haynes Senior A short TESTIMONY for Ann Whitehead COncerning dear Ann Whitehead and my truly loving Friend whom I have kown above 20 Years I have this in my Heart to say That she was a Good Woman fearing God and doing that which was right in his sight having a Tender Heart and a Charitable Mind being a Help to the Poor and a Strength to the Weak doing always what she did for the Lord his blessed Truth-sake Oh how good hath her Counsel been and how sweet and refreshing were her Words unto me many a time which begat great Love in my Heart towards her and a true Sorrow for her removal because of the great loss and miss I know there will be of her among Friends Well but the will of the Lord must be submitted to and we therewith contented for she is at Rest and Peace with our God there to abide in everlasting Happiness forever and evermore Dear Ann is gone unto her Rest Of Women sure one of the Best True Wisdom had she from above Filled with Vertue and true Love So that to us her loss was such Caus'd Tears and Sorrow very much But since it doth to us befall And God did to himself her call Let us beg of him that he will Our Women with his Spirit fill And make them able to withstand Truth 's Opposers on ev'ry hand Till they Gods Work have finished And all in Peace laid down the head And Crown'd with Glory in Heaven So let it be O Lord Amen Jane Sowle A TESTIMONY concerning Ann Whitehead COncerning our dear and wel-beloved Friend Ann Whitehead whom I truly Loved and Honoured in the Lord for the Truth 's sake This Testimony arises in my Heart It was her faithfulness to the Truth that made her truly honourable that is her Crown and is now set upon her Head for evermore She having set her House in order the Lord hath gathered her by his gentle hand into Rest and Peace where her Reward is sure with him and through her Faith in Christ Jesus and her steadfastness in the Truth she hath obtained a good Report in her Day and Generation She truly Loved Feared and Served the true and living God being made subject to the Truth through the mighty Power
of God She was adorned and furnished by the Truth with a good Understanding true Wisdom and sound Judgment to discern between things that differ whereby she was made a very serviceable Member in the Church of Chrst and a Mother in Israel to many Children ministring the Word in due season sutable to every State and Condition and I can truly say we have been often Refreshed and Comforted together in the Lord and one in another in our Women's Meetings where the Weak and Feeble have been strengthened and that which was heady high abased and brought low and Truth over all exalted and we as Members of that one Body of which Christ Jesus our Lord is the Head build up together a spiritual Houshhold unto God And this was the Labour Travel of our dear Friend and faithful Labourer in the Work Service of the Lord who was therein drawn forth to visit us at our Quarterly-Meeting at the Bull and Mouth the 5th of 5th Month 86. and it was the last publick Meeting she was at amongst us for she was then weak in Body yet she was strong in the Lord and in the power of his might was she enabled to bear a faithful Testimony for the Truth against all such that made a profession of it and was high and lifted up above the pure fear of the Lord and that measure of Truth which many had received and been partakers of in the beginning also signifying of what little value all the Glory Pride vain Fashions Customes and Friendships of this World are and how they all pass away and will not stand any one in stead in the day of account which will certainly overtake all therefore she exhorted and laboured in the Word of Truth that all might be warned against awakened out of all those things which grieves the good Spirit of the Lord are contrary to the pure mind will of God that so your Souls might live to God through your obedience to the Truth and the operation of his Power which works in them that believe to do those things which are acceptable in his Sight that God over all may be glorified for he alone is worthy of all Glory and Praise for evermore Oh that we which yet remain may be found following the footsteps of this our dear Friend as she followed Christ leaving us a good example in all manner of god-like Conversation She was a pattern of Wisdom and Sobriety and her Integrity to God was manifested through her labour of Love and faithful Service for the Truth's-sake In her Life time she sought the good of all and at her Death manifested her Love the same to all being sweetly kept in a living Injoyment of true Peace and Rest with the Lord her Love flowed forth uoto all the whole Flock and Family of God desiring that we might all live in Love And the God of Peace said she be with you preserve you and keep you all in true Love Peaece and Unity with himself and one with another And in this peaceable frame of Spirit I am satisfied that this our dear Friend resigned and gave up to the will of the Lord as in her Life time so at her Death having fought the good Fight finished her Course and kept the Faith and is at Rest with the Lord and her Memory is blest forever Susanna Dew AND I was truely glad I had an oppertunity to visit her in the time of her weakness for I was Comforted and well refreshed with the rest of my Friends then present in the feeling and injoyment of that Love Life which still lives and will remain with all the upright in Heart And altho her Body be removed from us her memory lives in that which is beyond words So unto that pure everlasting Power which works in us and for us both to will and to do according to his good pleasure be all Glory and Honour with Everlasting pure holy Prayses it ascends and is ascribed and given unto him that lives for ever and for evermore S. D. A TESTIMONY FOR Ann Whitehead A Living Testimony springeth in my Heart concerning that worthy Friend and Sister yea Mother for so she was to many Anne Whitehead who was endued with much Wisdom from above and one of great Courage with godly Zeal in the Work and Service of the Lord and a godly care she had over the Flock and Family of the Lord oh often would she come forth in our Womens-Meeting with a living Testimony which hath much refreshed my Heart and Soul and I doubt not but many more can say the same with me stirring up the pure Mind in many and often did exhort all to see how and in what they were gathered often did the Spirit of God move on her Heart to put all in mind that they might have their Minds exercised in their own Gift oh the great care she had to exalt the Name and Power of the Lord over all and that all might come to feel the Power to administer Life to their Souls Blessed be the Lord and Magnified be his pure and holy Name I have often felt him in the midst of our Assembles as an overflowing Fountain and that our own have overflowed to the praise and glory of his Name this is not to adore the Creature but that as she was a faithful Follower of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ so we may be found walking in her steps that as I am fully satisfied this dear and wel-beloved one hath finished her Course and laid down her Head in perfect Peace with the Lord and is enrered into her Rest it may be so with us Dear Ann is fallen asleep yet doth her memorial live and will be had in everlasting remembranee So dear Friends let us be diligent in our places and be found good Examples as dear Ann was in her Day being nursing Mothers and Patterns of Gravity to those Young Ones that are coming up that they may have cause to praise the Lord on our behalfs as a remnant hath on behalf of her that is gone and we must follow the Lord knows how soon therefore dear and wel-beloved let us in all things be careful that we set no bad example to any neither in our Habit or Behaviour I have seen much in my time since the Lord convinced me of his ever blessed Truth that lawful things have not been expedient in Apparel as well as other things So dear Friends this is the true desire of my Heart and Soul and the breathing of my Spirit that we may walk so circumspect in our Day Age and Generation so that when our Change cometh we may lay down our Heads in Peace also to the Praise and Glory of the great Name of the Lord our God who is worthy of all Honour Glory and living Thanksgiving not only at this time but henceforth and for evermore Amen Mary Plumsted MAny are the Testimonies concerning our dear Friend and Sister Ann Whitehead