In a message dated 1/10/2009 11:24:50 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, [email protected] writes: But there are many instances in my Townsend Quakers where individuals married outside of the Quaker Faith (their spouse was of another faith), and were disowned from being a Quaker; they were not given a certificate to transfer, and that meant they couldn't go anywhere else (Quaker) without showing they had transferred from another meeting. Kim, I'm sure there were differences in practice from one Yearly Meeting to another. But I don't think "disowning" meant ostracism. The reasoning (in many Quaker communities, anyway) was that if you were not willing to conform to the accepted practices of Quakerism you should not be considered a member of the Society, to participate in the business of the Monthly Meeting or present yourself to the rest of the community as a Quaker. This did not mean you were disowned by your family, and I'm quite sure you could attend Quaker worship if you chose to. Some of the signers of Quaker marriage certificates were not members of the Society. Again, practices and individual attitudes would vary from group to group. Dolly **************New year...new news. Be the first to know what is making headlines. (http://news.aol.com?ncid=emlcntusnews00000002)