PART IV. The fall, loss and depravity of man, including God's progressive work, and his dealings with man in his fallen state. СНАР. I. The cause, nature and effects of man's loss from God, III. The subject continued, in which further objections are stated IV. The figurative import of circumcision and other ceremonies under the law, PAGE. 129 143 155 164 V. A few remarks on the nature and typical design of the Jewish wars, showing that the law could not decide the future state of the soul, 168 173 VI. An illustration of the progressive increase of the work of God CHAP. PART V. The second appearing of Christ. I. Various opinions concerning the manner of Christ's second appearing, II. The second coming of Christ not the appearance of the same personal Being, but a manifestation of the same Spirit.This illustrated by various similitudes. which also point out the increasing work of his Kingdom, III. The second manifestation of Christ not instantly universal, but gradual and progressive, like the rising of the sun, IV. The Manifestation of Christ in the Female, 184 PAGE. 195 201 207 213 224 235 VI. Concerning Baptism and the Lord's Supper, PART VI. The Faith and Principles of the New Creation. СНАР. PAGE. I. The twelve Foundations of the law of Christ, exemplified in the twelve christian virtues, 245 II. The seven moral principles of the Church of Christ, as reduced to practice in the United Society, VII. A few Remarks concerning the true nature of perfection, 319 RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE UNITED SOCIETY, INCLUDING SOME ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST WITNESSES. CHAPTER 1. Introductory Remarks, comprising a short sketch of the state of Religion, and the operations of the Spirit of God which led to the rise of the Society, and to the commencement of the present testimony of the Gospel of Christ's Second Appearing, DURING the ministration of Jesus Christ upon earth, his life and doctrines were in direct opposition to all the inclinations of the fallen nature of man, He revealed the Will of his heavenly Father, and this Will was the very essence of the gospel. After his ascension, a church was formed and established according to the genuine operations of his divine Spirit. This was accomplished by the agency of the Holy Spirit, through the ministry of the apostles, and was a pattern of the true order of the church of Christ, and "a kind of first-fruits" of the Kingdom of Heaven upon earth. But that order was of short duration. By a declension of the true spirit of christianity it gradually fell away, until the spirit of Antichrist, through the influence of false teachers, under the christian name, gained the ascendency, and began his dark and deplorable reign, which continued for the space of twelve hundred and sixty years. During this long and gloomy period, "darkness covered the earth, and gross darkness the people :" so that there was not found upon earth a church which stood in the true order and power of the primitive church of Christ. For altho there were many bright and powerful witnesses of the truth, during the whole of that period, who testified against the growing corruptions of the times; yet in consequence of the tyrannical dominion assumed over the consciences of men, these witnesses were not suffered to build in the true order of the church of Christ. This dominion, which originated in the spirit of Antichrist, was strengthened and supported by the combination of the civil and ecclesiastical powers which were concentrated in their own established churches. Hence these churches became the churches of Antichrist, and under the name of Christ, assumed the authority of persecuting the true witnesses of God wherever they could be found; because the testimony of these witnesses stood in opposition to their antichristian dominion, and was a testimony of condemnation to their false religion; and thus the power of the holy people was scattered. But when the persecuting power of Antichrist began to be weak B plishment of their predictions at which we look; not at the false coloring and evident misrepresentations which have been put upon them by the unbelievers of their times. That the work has already commenced, we ourselves are witnesses; but how long before it will be fully accomplished, must rest with that Almighty Being who has already begun the work, and will complete it in his own due time. Notwithstanding these witnesses of God met with much opposition from the unbelieving world, and were continually persecuted by the wicked; yet they greatly increased in numbers, and boldly continued their testimony for many years; so that their prophetic warnings extended over the greatest part of Europe. About the year 1706, a few of them went over to England, where they renewed their testimony; and through the ministration of the same spirit to others, many were united to them; so that in a short time they became very numerous, and their testimony became extensive and powerful. Being commissioned by the Divine Spirit, and sent only as witnesses to warn a sinful world of approaching events, they formed no regular societies, and established no churches; but faithfully executed their office and delivered the messages which were given them, and thus finished their work and left the event to God. And tho the greater part, after having finished their testimony, soon died away; yet many of them maintained their confidence through life, and a portion of them, who still retained the power of their testimony, in a greater or less degree, and having full faith in its accomplishment, stood as living witnesses of God, and, like faithful watchmen of the night, waited the approaching dawn. About the year 1747, a small number who were endowed with the spirit of these witnesses, were led by the influence of the Divine Spirit to unite themselves into a small society, in the neighborhood of Manchester, under the ministry of James and Jane Wardley. These were both sincerely devoted to the cause of God, and were blest with great manifestations of divine light. James was greatly gifted in public speaking; and was remarkably clear, solid and powerful in his testimony against sin. Both he and his wife possessed great meekness and humility, were very plain and decent in their dress and deportment, and unassuming in their manners. This infant society practiced no forms, and adopted no creeds as rules of faith or worship; but gave themselves up to be led and guided entirely by the operations of the Spirit of God. Their meetings were powerful and animated, attended with remarkable signs and operations, and with the spirit of prophecy and divine revelation. The manifestations of divine light in visions and revelations, raised in them the warning voice of God against all sin and every evil work. They boldly testified, that the second ap pearing of Christ was at hand; and that the church was rising in her full and transcendent glory, which would effect the final downfall of Antichrist. They affirmed that the work of the great day of God was then commencing, and would increase until every promise of God should be fulfilled. Sometimes, after sitting awhile in silent meditation, they were seized with a mighty trembling, under which they would often express the indignation of God against all sin. At other times they were exercised with singing, shouting and leaping for joy at the near prospect of salvation. They were often exercised with great agitations of body and limbs, running and walking the floor, with a variety of signs and operations, and swiftly passing and repassing each other, like clouds agitated with a mighty wind. No human power could imitate the wonderful operations with which they were affected while under the influence of these spiritual signs. From these exercises, so strange in the eyes of mankind, they received the appellation of Shakers, which has been the most common name of distinction ever since. These various and extraordinary operations, together with the singularity of their lives, and their powerful testimony against the wickedness of the world around them, naturally exposed them to much persecution. Their houses were often beset by mobs, their windows broken, and their persons shamefully abused. But they bore these things patiently, and fearlessly continued their assemblies and their testimony. Their meetings, which first began at Bolton, near Manchester, were afterwards held alternately at Bolton and Manchester; and occasionally at Cheshire, Mayortown, and other places in the vicinity of Manchester. They continued to increase in light and power, with occasional additions to their number, till about the year 1770, when by a special manifestation of Divine light, the present testimony of salvation and eternal life was fully revealed to Ann Lee, and by her to the society. As this extraordinary woman, concerning whom so much has been reported and published abroad in the world, was the distinguished personage to whom Christ revealed himself in his true character, in this day of his second appearing, it will be necessary, in proceeding with this work, to give some account of her life, character and ministry. CHAPTER II. Sketches of the life of Mother Ann Lee: her birth and parentage: her connexion with the society of James and Jane Wardley: her religious exercises and sufferings: her revelation and testimony: persecutions in England: voyage to America. ANN LEE was the daughter of John Lee, of Manchester, in England. She was born in the year 1736.* Her father was by occupation a blacksmith, and tho poor, he was respectable in character, moral in principle, honest and punctual in his dealings, and industrious in business. Her mother was esteemed as a religious and very pious woman. They had eight children, five sons and three daughters. Their children, as was then common with poor people in manufacturing towns, were brought up to work instead of being sent to school. By this means Ann acquired a habit of industry, but could neither read nor write. During her childhood and youth, she was employed in a cotton factory, and was afterwards a cutter of hatter's fur. She was also, for some time, employed as a cook in the Manchester infirmary, and was peculiarly distinguished for her faithfulness, neatness, prudence and economy. In her childhood she discovered a very bright and active genius, was remarkably sagacious, but serious and thoughtful, and never addicted to play like other children. In early childhood she was the subject of religious impressions, and was peculiarly favored with heavenly visions. As she advanced in years she was strongly impressed with a sense of the great depravity of human nature, and of the odiousness of sin, and especially of the impure and indecent nature of sexual coition. She often expressed her feelings to her mother concerning these things, and earnestly desired that she might be kept from the snares of sin, and from those abominations which her soul abhorred. But not having attained that knowledge of God which she early desired, and finding no one to strengthen and assist her in the pursuit of that true holiness which she sought after, nor even to encourage her to withstand the powerful examples of a lost world, (her mother having deceased while she was yet young,) she grew up in the same fallen nature with the rest of mankind, and through the importunities of her relations, was married to Abraham Stanley, a blacksmith by trade. By him she had four children who all died in infancy; one only, which was a daughter, attained to the age of about six years. They lived together at her father's house, in peace and harmony, and procured a comfortable living. But the convictions of her youth often returned upon her with great force, which at length brought her under excessive tribulation of soul. In this situation she sought earnestly for deliverance from the bondage of sin, and gave herself no rest, day nor night, but, often spent whole nights in laboring and crying to God for deliverance from sin. While under these exercises of mind, she became acquainted with James and Jane Wardley, and the society under their care. It is said she was born the last day of February. |