served only to accelerate the means of extending the_testimony, which greatly increased the number of believers. It may be proper to remark here, that notwithstanding all the persecutions and imprisonments that Mother Ann, and the Elders with her, suffered from time to time, both in England and America, and all the accusations ever raised against them by the tongue of slander; yet no charge against their moral characters was ever substantiated. The Cain-like enmity of their persecutors was evidently directed against their religious faith, and the purity of their lives, which was a living testimony to condemn those abominations in which their persecutors lived. "If they have called the master "of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his household?" During the residence of Mother Ann and the Elders, in Harvard, they visited many places in that quarter, and passed through many severe trials and sufferings for the testimony of the gospel; but were blessed, in their labors, with many powerful gifts of God, and succeeded in planting the word of God in the hearts of many. In the course of their labors with the believers, they ministered much divine instruction, enlightened the understandings of many who embraced the testimony, and taught them how to bear their crosses, how to overcome their evil propensities, and gain a final victory over the nature of evil in their own souls. In short, they were taught how to travel in the way of God, how to increase and grow in love and union, peace and harmony, and how to gain that abiding treasure which was necessary to support them through all the trying scenes of this life, and fit them for the everlasting kingdom of Christ hereafter.

About the beginning of July, 1783, they left Harvard to return

to the westward. On their journey they visited Petersham, Cheshire, Richmond, Hancock and Stockbridge, in Massachusetts, and New-Lebanon and Stephentown, in the state of New-York. In all these places they were followed by great multitudes of people, had many powerful meetings, and suffered much persecution, particularly in New-Lebanon, where they were most shamefully and cruelly abused. On the 4th of September, they left New-Lebanon and returned to Watervliet, having been absent two years and three months. Here they were again visited by great numbers from all parts of the country where the testimony had been received; and here they continued their powerful meetings, where many souls were awakened by the sound of the gospel, and felt the purifying fire of Zion; and all who were faithful and honest-hearted, were instructed, strengthened and encouraged, according to their needs and circumstances, in all things, both spiritual and temporal. On the 21st of July, 1784, the society was called to sustain a serious and affecting trial in the decease of Elder William Lee, who had been a powerful support to Mother Ann, in the great

weight of care which such a body of believers brought upon her. This event was the means of preparing the minds of the believers for a still heavier trial, which they sensibly felt that they must soon experience, in the loss of the visible presence and protection of their dearly beloved Mother, the thought of which seemed almost insupportable to many. Being herself sensible that her time was short, she often reminded the people of it, and often exhorted them to faithfulness and perseverance in the way of God. Having finished her work on earth, she was called to bid adieu to all terrestrial things, and was released from her labors, her sorrows and her sufferings, and calmly resignsd her soul to God, on the morning of the 8th of September following.

This solemn event was severely felt and deeply deplored by all her faithful children; but their present loss was greatly compensated by the faithful labors of Elder James Whittaker, who succeed ed her in the ministry, and who was henceforth called Father James.

The society being now deprived of the visible presence and protection of Mother Ann, Father James saw and felt, with many others, the necessity of laboring for an increase of the substance of the gospel among the people, in order to maintain the testimony and protect them from the snares of wickedness which surrounded them, and the flood of opposition which now seemed ready to burst in upon them from every quarter. Mother Ann's decease being publicly known, it was generally and confidently believed by the world around them, that the society would be dissolved, and the people return to their former course of life; so that (as they often expressed themselves) "the delusion would soon be at an end.” According to this belief, every means which Satan could devise, was made use of, to seduce the believers from their duty, and turn their minds from the faith.

But the foundation being laid by Jesus Christ, and established by the will of God, upon the rock of ages, it could not be overthrown by the agency of man nor the malice of devils. And tho numbers, from time to time, fell off, and lost their union and relation to the work of God; yet this did not destroy the testimony, nor weaken the confidence of the faithful. For it has ever proved true, as testified by Mother Ann, and the first witnesses of the gospel with her, that no truly faithful soul has ever been left without the protection of God; because the faithfulness and obedience of such will always ensure God's protection. And it has proved equally true, according to the same testimony, that the unfaithful are like withered branches; tho they may hang on for a season, and be sustained by the tree; yet when storms arise and the winds blow, and there is a shaking among the green trees, then the dry limbs and branches must fall off; for they can hold on no longer.

The society having, through great labor and much tribulation, purged out many remaining corruptions, and gained an increasing power and victory over the fallen nature of the flesh, and having attained to a greater degree of spiritual light and sensation, were able to discern and mark, more clearly, the distinction "between the precious and the vile," and to draw more closely, the line of separation which was necessary to protect the people from the snares of sin. And all those who had been faithful and honest hearted, being now firmly established in the increasing work of God, were led in their travel to see and feel the necessity of being gathered into a more united body, for the benefit of greater protection, and a further increase of their spiritual travel. In the autumn of 1785, was raised the first house for public worship ever built by the Society. From this time the affairs of the Society began to assume a more regular form and order.

During the ministration of Father James, he visited almost every place where the testimony of the gospel had been received, teaching, encouraging and strengthening the believers in their most holy faith. In this time they found a great increase in their faith and understanding, and in their power and victory over the nature of evil, and were gradually prepared for that gospel order and union, in things spiritual and temporal, which was afterwards established among them. Father James having laid the foundation for the establishment of order, and finished the work which was given him to do, departed this life at Enfield, in Connecticut, July 20th, 1787.

Father James was succeeded in the ministry by Joseph Meacham, who was a native of Enfield in Connecticut, born February 11th, 1740. He was a man of deep penetration and strong mental powers; he had formerly been a Baptist preacher, and was a leading character in the forementioned revival at New-Lebanon. Lucy Wright, a woman greatly distinguished for her faithfulness, wisdom and discretion, was also chosen and appointed as the first leading character in the female line. She was a native of Pittsfield, in Massachusetts, born February 5th, 1760. These two had been eminently useful during Father James's ministry, and had ably supported him in protecting, strengthening and encouraging the people, and preparing them for the increasing work which was to follow.

In the progressive manifestations of spiritual light which brought that increase to view, these two were established by the gift of God, as spiritual parents in church relation, and first ministers of gospel order. Under their ministration the people began to gather into a united body, and were gradually formed into church relation at New-Lebanon, and united their interest in one common stock, şo as to become one in all things, both spiritual and temporal, having all things common."

After the example of the church in this place, societies were formed in many other places where the gospel had been planted, and successively established upon the same foundation and principles of order and government, as branches of the Mother-church at New-Lebanon.

CHAPTER IV.

Some further account of the life, character and ministry of Mother Ann Lee.*

MOTHER ANN LEE, in her personal appearance, was a woman rather below the common stature of woman; thick set, but straight and otherwise well proportioned and regular in form and features. Her complexion was light and fair, and her eyes were blue, but keen and penetrating; her countenance was mild and expressive, but grave and solemn. Her natural constitution was sound, strong and healthy. Her manners were plain, simple and easy; yet she possessed a certain dignity of appearance that inspired confidence and commanded respect. By many of the world, who saw her without prejudice, she was called beautiful; and to her faithful children, she appeared to possess a degree of dignified beauty and heavenly love, which they had never before discovered among mortals.

She possessed remarkable powers and faculties of mind in nature, which were greatly enlarged and strengthened by the gift of God. At times, when under the power and operation of the Holy Ghost, her countenance shone with the glory of God, and her form and actions appeared divinely beautiful and very angelic. The power and influence of her spirit, at such times, was great beyond description; and no one was able to gainsay or resist the authority by which she spoke.

Tho her words were few, yet they always seemed adapted to the occasion, and it did not appear that she ever spoke in vain. Her whole soul appeared to be always engaged in the work of God, and the Spirit of God seemed to breathe through all her words and actions. She inspired into the hearts of her faithful children the greatest fear of God, and excited their highest admiration, love and respect. But in reproving sin and sinners, the power of her spirit seemed irresistible, and often struck terror into the souls of every one present. Her admonitions were sharp, powerful and penetrating; yet while she struck at that which was evil, she seemed always anxious to separate and preserve the good.

* Tho the mere description of Mother Ann's person and manners cannot perpetuate the memory of her heavenly virtues; yet as some very distorted representations of both have been published to the world by those who never saw her face, and who were indebted to her most malicious enemies for their disingenuous descriptions, we cannot therefore be exeused in passing them over in silence.

D

Her soul was frequently inspired with such divine efficacy, that, with a single word or touch of her hand, she would often raise individuals, and many times, with a few words, a whole assembly, from a state of deep distress and tribulation of soul, to a state of great heavenly joy and comfort. Again, she has often ministered, in a few words, to a large assembly, such a measure of the power of conviction and repentance, that in a few minutes the floor has been wet with tears.

She possessed a degree of discernment and penetration which nothing short of Divine Wisdom could inspire. In her labors with young believers, she seemed to penetrate the inmost recesses of their souls, and would often lay open the state of their minds more clearly than they were able to do of themselves. It often seemed that not a soul near her could hide the most secret feelings from her; and in whatever she asserted for truth, tho at the time ever so doubtful to others, she was never known to be in the least mistaken.

Her mind rose superior to the ordinary passions of human nature, and her great labor seemed to be, to subdue those passions in her followers, and to inspire their souls with divine and heavenly affections. During the whole period of her ministry, she was never known to be in the least degree ruffled, or out of temper with any one; but even in the severest reproof, she appeared to feel unbounded charity for those she reproved, and anxious only to put away the evil and cherish the good.

Tho Mother Ann, in the course of her ministry, passed through many scenes of sorrow and tribulation of soul; yet she was often filled with heavenly joy and comfort. When she rejoiced under the influence of Divine Power, her joy seemed far above all earthly joys; the heavenly melody of her voice, in the gift of divine songs, was beyond description; and to those around her, it seemed as if her whole soul was in harmony with the angelic host, rejoicing in the mansions of glory. When she wept, it appeared as tho every feeling person was constrained to weep with her. She was often in tears and supplication before God; and such was the divine sympathy of her weeping soul, as often to melt the feelings of a whole assembly into tears with her; and it seemed at such times, as tho the very sound of her voice was enough to cause the most adamantean heart to break and yield before God. In times of tribulation she was often heard to say, "There is no sorrow like my sorrow. It appeared that every feeling and faculty of her soul and body was wholly devoted to the will of God in all things. She often said, "Once I served God through fear; but now I serve "him through love."

So great was her sense of the lost state of mankind, and so ardent her desire for their deliverance from the bondage of sin, and