Anna Trapnell, apocalyptic prophetess
Yesterday I was reading about early Baptists in preparation for a youth lesson when I came across a comment in one book about an "All Hallows Church" in the City of London (that is, a central district of London called "the City"). All Hallows, traditionally a Church of England parish church, was a "gathered church" or Independent congregation during Oliver Cromwell's Protectorate. During the 1650s the church was led by a lecturer named John Simpson, who came to Baptist convictions while maintaining a stance of open communion with paedobaptists.
Much thanks goes to Dr. Freeman for pointing out how Simpson was a leader among the Fifth Monarchists, a radical dissenting group proclaiming the advent of Christ's millennial kingdom, the "fifth" world empire, in the year 1666. Freeman also directed me to the booklet The Cry of a Stone, a pamphlet written by All Hallows member and purported prophetess Anna Trapnell. Trapnell was severely critical of Cromwell and apparently a proponent of greater rights for women. The Cry is an account of her apocalyptic visions she received over the course of a twelve-day trance. Here is a selection:
A third vision followed, wherein I saw great darkness in the Earth, and a marvellous dust, like a thick smoak ascending upward from the Earth; and I beheld at a little distance a great company of Cattel, some like Buls, and others like Oxen, and so lesser, their faces and heads like men, having each of them a horn on either side their heads; For the foremost, his Countenance was perfectly like unto Oliver Cromwels; and on a suddain there was a great shout of thsoe that followed him, he being singled out alone, and the foremost; and he looking back, they bowed unto him, and suddenly gave a shout, and leaped up from the Earth, with a great kind of joy, that he was their Supreme...
Should be an interesting read!
Much thanks goes to Dr. Freeman for pointing out how Simpson was a leader among the Fifth Monarchists, a radical dissenting group proclaiming the advent of Christ's millennial kingdom, the "fifth" world empire, in the year 1666. Freeman also directed me to the booklet The Cry of a Stone, a pamphlet written by All Hallows member and purported prophetess Anna Trapnell. Trapnell was severely critical of Cromwell and apparently a proponent of greater rights for women. The Cry is an account of her apocalyptic visions she received over the course of a twelve-day trance. Here is a selection:
A third vision followed, wherein I saw great darkness in the Earth, and a marvellous dust, like a thick smoak ascending upward from the Earth; and I beheld at a little distance a great company of Cattel, some like Buls, and others like Oxen, and so lesser, their faces and heads like men, having each of them a horn on either side their heads; For the foremost, his Countenance was perfectly like unto Oliver Cromwels; and on a suddain there was a great shout of thsoe that followed him, he being singled out alone, and the foremost; and he looking back, they bowed unto him, and suddenly gave a shout, and leaped up from the Earth, with a great kind of joy, that he was their Supreme...
Should be an interesting read!
Labels: Baptists, Biblical and Historical Studies
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