Jane Ward Lead, the 17th century visionary, Beheminist, and millenarian, was a founder of the Philadelphian Society for the Advancement of Divine Philosophy, a forerunner of the Theosophists, a group still active in the 21st century. A religious leader and prolific writer, she penned a multi-volume spiritual autobiography and numerous spiritual guides. Her mystical and chiliastic texts are deeply rooted in Sophianic spirituality.
Born March 1624 at Norfolk, she was the daughter of Hamond Ward and his wife Mary Calthorpe, members of the landed gentry. Her first mystic experience occurred in midst of a Christmas dance during her teenage years when she heard a whispering voice urging her to turn from her worldliness. The experience ushered in a period of religious crisis. In the next
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Citation: Malpezzi, Frances. "Jane Lead". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 21 December 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=2656, accessed 25 November 2024.]
