Thomas Story - Quaker

Quaker

Story began to have scruples about the christening of infants and other rites. Story experienced on 1 April 1689 a call or ‘conversion’ to Quaker tenets. He at once ‘put off his usual airs, his jovial address, and the sword which he had worn as a modish and manly ornament.’ He also burned his musical instruments, and divested himself of the superfluous parts of his apparel. In 1693 he began to preach. That year he first met William Penn, who, on his deciding to settle in London (1695), assisted him to find legal employment among the Quakers, in conveyancing and drawing up settlements. He was appointed registrar of the Society of Friends, and employed to abstract and index the deeds of London quarterly meeting. At this time he paid visits to, and discussed Quakerism with, the Countess of Carlisle, Sir John Rhodes of Balbur Hall, Derbyshire; Sir Thomas Liddell of Ravensworth Castle, Northumberland; and the Tsar Peter the Great, then on a visit to Greenwich, whom he presented the Latin version of Robert Barclay's ‘Apology.’

Story accompanied Penn to Ireland in 1698, stayed at Shangarry, and visited his brother, George Story, then Dean of Limerick.