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Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc.. peuvent Atre fiimis A des taux de reduction dIffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clichA. II est fllmA A partir de Tangle supArleur gauche, de gauche A drolte. et de haut an bas, en prenant le nombre d'Images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 /I ■ n I • THE AHJoF^:;@^@ FROM THE Year 1801 to 1860. BY i>AVID WILLSON. ^ '* God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise ; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty."— 1st Coe., 1st chap. 27th vs. NEWMARKET: BftiSTVS JAOKSOK, FRINTXB, MAIN-ITBin. 18 6 0. I ■i- % G C oO. C'iWx If -J;^ I -it PREFACE. -f I DARE not say, as theologians do, that Scripture is my rule of faith and practice. I am no disputant •with other men's creeds, faiths, or beliefs. If I* should say that the Scriptures are the rule of my faith and practice, it would be no evidence that I had received anything from the Spirit of God ; there- fore, I will commence my rule of faith by believing that a human being may receive faith from the Spirit of God that hath never seen the Scriptures nor read them, nor hath known what they contain ; and, al- though I have read a little in them, they have never taught me to believe in anything but the grace of God for the salvation of the soul. There is a mate- rial difference in believing in the Spirit of God, or in other men's writings. If I should believe (as I do) that all that hath received faith in God bringeth forth fruits of His Spirit; but them that believe in the Scriptures only bringeth forth the fruits of men» Therefore, to mark a note of my faith, I will begin to say, that God is a living Spirit, and the whole creation is the work of His Spirit j and as he still 2 ? ti u IV PREFACE. contains life in himself, he is now as he hath been from the beginning of time with man. He continues to bring forth that which is new, as he hath done— not condemning that which is old — ^from the foundation of the world. As this is my faith, that the Deity yet liveth, and bringeth forth that which is new to the heart of man, I have marked . down my belief of which I may not be ashamed, but wear it as a garment ; and show forth my faith by my works for the world to judge whether I have re- ceived it from God or man. t: 1 t r, 1 ti INTRODUCTION. The simplicity of my mental abilities cannot be con- ceived or known by the regular educated in schools, seminaries, academies and colleges, because they are quite in a different sphere of action from my simple and uneducated life; but, I have believed in my heart that my Creator has required something of me for the peace of my soul, and the rest of my weary and troubled mind ; for, when I had that favor from the Lord, to see myself wanting in that which I should be, I was not disobedient to the feelings of my own mind, and have practiced accordingly, and have brought forth such intimations as I have felt im- pressed upon my heart. And although I cannot write an intelligible hand to the learned, yet by the continuing favors of God, I trust I shall leave be- hind me in the world some marks of God's Provi- dence, that others may see that the illiterate and unlearned are not altogether destitute of the favors and affections of God. I therefore proceed to say unto others that which the Lord hath said unto me by the inward feelings of my own mind ; and although I have been destitute of the abilities that others have received, I have not been necessitated to call on their superior abilities in working out the salvation of my own soul. I therefore have never called on any history, or other men's writings to assist my VI. INTRODHCTION. abilities in penning that which is to come, but my sole dependence hath been upon my own mind, and the operations of grace upon the human heart, by which means I have made use of both pen and tongue, for these have kept pace together since the year 18i2 until the present time, and the proceeds of my life will bear witness to the world when I shall be no more. i ITEMS, &c. TThe following writton Items is a momorandum ^^^7^1' '■ ginniiff to serve the Lord -from a natural mind to l^iat which hath appeared to me superior to my natural un- derstaiiding.] a f OBSERVATIONS ON PREPARATORY PREPARATIONS FOR FUTURE SERVICE. Stillness of the tongue and a retired life hath been my schoolmaster, and the impressionsof my ownsoul my education. I have been separated from all flesh, religious and profane by the moving of a Spmt to me then unknown, but the impression was with be- lief that it was good; and I obeyed the vision and my action became according to the law of my heart Although I hungered for communion, I coul4 not comply without transgressing my inward law. 1 nus I passed seven years in retired life, beginning m the year 1801 ; often seeking lonely places wherein to retire and worship the Spirit that had received my soul in trust, to which I gave full credence and did obey. I was comforted with many visions ot light which gave understanding to my soul. I sealed up 8 ITEMS, ETC. the thouglits of my heart as a miser doth his gold, and had no communion with any. I had precious seasons of mind like rairi upon thirsty ground, or dew from heaven upon a withering herb, for I was indeed solitary and a stranger to that which was to come. Nevertheless,, my silent worship was oftener than the morning, and my retirement as often as my food, and communication on religious subjects was silent with the world. I gained admittance, according to my choice, into the society of the peopla called Quakers, after many years of tribulation and a rising and falling of the mind. I served them according to their laws and discipline for seven years in all good faith and open communion with them concerning the faith and practice of the society, still retaining my secret im- pressions as sacred from the ears of all flesh. I had understood by their profession that they were a peo- ple acting by the Spirit of Grod, and the impressions of the mind by the Holy Ghost, in their practice, ministry, and discipline ; and I had thought they were as I knew I was, — feeling the movings of a Spirit on ihe mind. I continued with them seven years in obedience, fulfilling many appointments con- ferred upon me in support of their system,4n which period of time I was greatly straightened with my own concerns and the impressions of my mind. My soul was not only separated from all flesh as to my inward feelings, but from all religious records, even to the Bible, and I was constrained to live by my own knowledge of the Word of God operating upon my mind. My lonesome and solitary life was be- ' ITEMS, ETC. »' Yond expression to convey to another but is known this da/to the Giver of pftB, and the Purpose for which they are given. My natural food left me in despair; I became a stranRcr to n.ysclf, an^ *«« was none to comfort me but God alone. Although I never saw a vision or spirit with my natural eyes yet they pave light to my soul, and understanding lo my mind, f had many visitations that in time I should speak of the Lord in assemblies, but the want of preparation for such a wo''!'^*""''\T7.T" my mind ; still keeping hope alive in me that those thoughts oi my he.rt were truth and would eome to pass And before I thought myself ready, I found the sentence written in the law of my "-'„art,— to arise and speak of the Lord in the society of Quakers, of which I was then a member in good esteem, by el- ders and ministers, and the keepers of the toltf. l travelled far abroad and near at home to support their profession, to which I did belong. But oh! the disappointment that followed my few words ot utteranreannot be conceived within the bounds of human skill. The pillars of the house apparently rloved from their standing, their love to me became hatred and condemnation rose where justihoation had been, and I was set at nought by my brethren I refused controversy, fled from a'ff"*"*', «"^ was again alone in the world. Through ctifidene* Tn my integrity of purpose, four or five brothers and sLtm didforslke the Society of Friends (so eaUed) and joined themselves with me I contmued to fol- low the guide of my soul, and parted with all on ^th for my Redeemer's sake ; and who demanded 10 ITEMS, ETC. mj heart at my hands as a sacrifice for sin, and the salvation of my life. We instituted a form of wor- ship with our number being six, and no more in the beginning of the system, which until now we strictly attend. But lest I had not done justice to my form- er friends, I stated my case to superior meetings, for we were in Upper Canada, and far from the throne of judgment in that society. JVIy long travels and distant visits were like attending at the tombs, all were silent though error was the sentiment abroad and at home. Then I thought myself honourably clear of my vows to the society, and my pledge re- deemed from being a member any more. My own small cot became our house of worship : I continued utterance. Our members increased ; censurers did abound ; scoffing was without limitation ; the reli- gious and profane both joined in one song, and we became the sport of all that passed us by. We were as the dead by the way side, no invitation was seen in us why others should look upon our infirmities. We were numbered with the incurables, and forsaken by every kind and class of people. We ofiered friend- ship to the people called Methodists, on equal grounds and privileges in speaking of the things of God and a religious life ; but we found their doors closed; our condemnation had entered there, and there was no room for us in their dwelling-place. ^ In this condition of life have I continued in the little village of Sharon, which is now a resting-place for all kinds of people, for they come unto us with- out invitation, as the arm of heaven has brought them as the flook to th^ wafprinfr-rklano I ITEMS, EIO, 11 take of our drop and receiye our cramb, ?»d ^^ a^ at peace with all the femilies of the land I have written much, and have been speaking for a long time —from 1811 till 1852, in this place. Tiiave ^tten many volumes, and puWiBhed but few ST have thonsht it to be my d'jty-th^ufi Zlok I must leave behind- to -press before I d^ the lines of our system, the t«nets of our laith, ana '^Atrwf number hundreds, we are without distinctioS, or excommunication, o'J-^f ^ ^^^^^t tides of faith. AVe are a mixture of Jew and Uen tUe ; and our communion bounds the whole. INTEODUCTION TO CHURCH SYSTEM. As I have experimentally known the Lord to be meVciful to me a sinner, on this mercy have I built Hschuch in Sharon, and it is the bottom stone of nnr sv^tem which was squared by a preparation m r soul for future service. The bread that my ^eaZiy Father has given I find to be good for othe-s and not to be thrown away. Although l hte notVen a gross sinner by *« measures of men from mv youth upward,— yet have I transgressea Z^ZU law, and wept like a child ; partaking my bitter cup before the Lord-remembered be his Ko mv soul ; his chastisements proved to me iw^terftan honey, for he received my bitter atone- Xt for the sins of my soul. We cast none away, but ditt aJl to the mJrcy of God, and to repentan^ L tv.o fo^yeness of sins. We own no Lord over 12 ITEMS, ETC. US but one God, and his Son, or gift that he has given, to improve for the salvation of the soul and peace with God. We believe in the resurrection of the spirit of the deceased, but are not confirmed as to the return of the person ; but believing the resur- rection to arise by the word of God, is calling us to arise from the death of our sins to a life unto God in which he hath full power over us ; and that the sinner shall rise to conviction we entertain no doubt, but that regeneration will bring the sinner and saint into one communion through the baptism of the spirit ; and they that did not know the Lord by ex- perience to declare the glory of his name. We be- lieve in the restoration of Israel to the Lord, and his spirit to the world. We believe the mind of the saints liveth with the prophets in Israel ; we believe their spirits will return, — that they will appear in the mind, and their spirits speak again to the souls of men. We use no persuasions to others to believe in our theory, knowing that all things are the Lords, and he disposes of them according to his own mind ; and that the human heart hath no right to move in the things of God without a preparation thereunto. We practice no written ordinances, nor pattern after the theory of any other people ; receiving the written ordinances as the signs of more substantial truths. Wc write our own praise, and form our own prayers, as we are taught of God in the soul, which we esteem as the house of the Lord when his spirit doth inhabit there. It hath appeared unto us that it is the will of God that we should live independent, and borrow not 0« th*^ oloT(T\T AT* nViviofipn iiTinynVioa Vviif rv-P liirri ITEMS, ETC. 13 alone \nd we have accordingly been recompensed beyond our expectations, and abundantly satisfied with the measures we have received, and we know that God hath given. Now we sing the songs of Sharon, Hopeful, and oh peaceful land ; The church doth bear that once was barren- Children in our father's hand. Removed from doubting and from fearing, Every trumpet's empty noise, Like a mother dear appearing, ^ ^ Her breasts abound with flowing 3oys. Often meeting, joined together. Rejoicing when we do embrace j Children of a loving father. Constant feeding in this place. Tor our loss there's no repining For all that hath removed away ] Still the furnace is refining, Preparing for a future day. Tho' we rise from sighs and mourning Unto none we can return ; God forbids to be returning, Nor for others' gifts to mourn. Thanks, and praise, and celebration, Is our offerings to the Lord ; Taith and spirit revelation. Are the lines we do record. 14 ITEMS, ETC. REMARKS ON EDUCATION. I was bom in the year 1778, of poor but pious Presbyterian parents, whose fortune in life left me far below the means of common school learning. My occupation was hard labor in cultivating the soil, till I was left an orphan in a friendless world at the age of fourteen, without a father or a mother to assist me in life ; after which I inclined to mechanical business in joining timber one part unto another, by which I have erected in the village of Sharon memorials of the patterns the Lord hath given for the erection of His house ; and with the pen I have drawn the lines of His Spirit as to me they have been given. They are not the hand-writing of the scribe, or eloquent in speech ; they originated in my mind, and I commit them to memory as a debt I owe to the Lord which I am unable to pay ; nevertheless, I trust they will re- main to be a mark of a good design. My education was bounded by one year, and a considerable part of that time almost in my infancy. I trust those who have had wealthy parents and the means of a popular education will excuse my infirmi- ties, and look upon the intentions of my endeavors to serve the Lord. Those that are in a low station are more ready to look above themselves than the high in education are to look down with an eye of pity on them that are almost beneath their feet. A thought hath sometimes glanced over my mind when I was in my silent school of reflection, that popular and literary education was arisin": above inward grace : I have therefore made some small use of the ITEMS, ETC. 15 latter, as thefomer was quite out of my 'reach, men I see the price that education is sold for to the poor and lower orders of life, it has almost weaned my confirncefrom a trust-even n the educated cler^- There appears to be such a mixture of wealth with their relio-ion, that I cannot discern which has the Ire eminence in the mind ; but I know the educated CeT highest station in the now Christian Church. . Trkeep my theory and religion separated from tem- JorSerJst, I have given my crumb fo^y ye«« Uout money or P^-, -ying ^J^Jt Sy°of"ire ^ aTUy acknowledge that 3s merits by preaching should V^oMr^hv^ food and raiment; but as fo;^«S^'"«,™^^°",''tfey limitations and bounds to the servants of God, they arTto be unknown. And as temptation consiss in fte honours of life and the wealth of the world, I think Ttdan-erous for a Gospel preacher to go in Ke with them. I do not hold education as a line ofXarion from the grace of God neither do I un- dertake to reduce the measures of education, and the Merits of the Godly hearted to my simple stage of rnorance Therefore,! have removed out of the way 1" he wt, and the shield of the strong lest I shoiM be slain in my way of reasoning against thsmaje^ic Lve'- of education in the worW. And as I have Tot received from the hands of *« educated, I an under no obligation to them to repay for the gitt liZ at their hands. I have become confirmed, &h long experience, that the si-Ple my J« -^ unto their own salvation, and speak of the Lord trom 16 ITEMS, ETO. the lines af ffrace and impressions of the mind : and liere I leave a mark of my faith for future practice. -The love of God 's my theme of praise, His hand directs the line ; Bo may the Lord direct my days, So may I spend my time. Altho' my mind and measure's small As is to me well known ; I know my life's containing all. And man may sing alone. All that the vessel doth contain Is all that we can do ; The Lord within doth write his name, Our prayer and precepts too. And there he draw& the lines of praise ; And there his spirit sings ; And there the poor can know his ways, And rise on eagle's wings. The Lord 's not bounded by a span ; There 's none directs his ways ; He still doth love his creature, man, With blessings on his days. We have built a habitation for the poor and igno rant of the land. It is found by many to be a place of rest, as far as theory is concerned, for the saiya- tion of the soul. All kinds are welcome m, but there i. «^ rnnjp for learnine of a high degree. The ves- ITEMS, ETC. 17 gel is too small to receive, and the mind Is reduced below the conception of great thingB Peace is our Sto and Union our praise. Our VK,unds are hmit- ed and great things are far off. _ Contentment crwns our offerings, and our time is spent in the S of the Lord. The harp utters the sound of Shation ; and our hymns speak P^^ ^o ojir sods He that believeth not may come and see the mercies "^fhad'biome a member of a religious body ofpe<^ pie called Friends or Quakers, and vms in good esteem or high standing for one of my abilities , but when I began to speak to them from the proceeds of ^vTnward grace, t was excommunicated from them Ts unworthy of the privilege and esteem I had once enioyld a,fd the whole body, save four or five, turn- M aSinst me and I was cast out from the care of BJcie^y "nto tile open world, to loathe the excommu- ZtL they had'placed upon me : I had none U. bok to for help, neither man nor woman, elder nor mm- ktir but was left with the Lord and the whole wld but God and myself. Then I had feelings I rannot describe, nor cannot be known save by another whose fate may be like mine Then the Lord appeared ™to me in the h^t of my soul-of achurch that should bc,-by the likeness of a wo man,-as a representation of that which was to come. EIEST VISION. June 21st, I812.-The following description of the Surch of Christ I received as a blessing to my 18 ITEMS, ETC. soul in my lonely retired waiting on God :— The first that I saw waa her breasts in the cast, and they appeared like two mountains of snow be- Lath tL losing sun, and they were filled with wine and milk to the support of her children. Her man- tle was opened and they were bare before mo and 1 saw that with their beauty she won d t^mpt the na- tions to her love. Her face was like the sun ; her countenance sharper than steel, and the words of lier mouth was sharper than a two-edged sword to the defence of her children. Her mantle was red as scarlet, stained with the blood of saints and martyrs (which was her children) slain since the days ot >esus Christ, from which my blood was not free.— She was girt about with a girdle of pure gold, which is faith iS God. And I looked downward to see where she stood, with an expectation that she rested upon the sea ; but when I beheld her feet she stood upon the earth. Then sorrow came upon me, and disappointment took fast hold on me, because she did s and^upon the earth. And as I looked upon her she appeared to be alone and in a mournfu condi- tion and there was no one near to grant her any reUe'f I also saw all kinds of four footed beasts of ■ r,rey 'lying at her feet, and they lay as though they slept; yet they slept not; but they lay and watched with their weapons concealed under their garments to destroy her children as soon as they should be brou-ht forth. And as I beheld her condition my Borrow increased, and I was exceeding sorrowful be- fore God, for she was ready to bring forth children. And as I mourned, I heard a voice say unto me,— ITEMS. ETC. 19 « Bow thy shoulders and wash her feet ; set her feet upon tliy shoulders, or hear her sorrows, and bear her away, and set her feet upon the waters or the wind, that the inhabitants of the earth may behold her beauty, and that she may brin- forth her children in peace ; that her mantle may be no more stained with blood, for beasts of prey cannot walk on the waters." , . , • • j +v« The Lord hath blessed me with visions and the understanding of them to bear up my fainting mmd when I was destitute of all help but God alone. I have been a man of great trouble of mind when no one either put forth hand or tongue against me. i have often walked alone and cried like a lost child in the desert, for so the world appeared unto me. i had neither brother nor sister, nor father on earth to me counsel to my soul, and I cried alone as one forsaken of the Lord, because there was not any to hear my lonesome cry, nor sympathize with me in the mournful feelings of my mind. Then appeared unto me the following vision from the Lord :— And the first that I saw was a stream of pure water de- Bcending from the east ; pure water is the signihca- tion of clear grace form the Lord, and asit was from the east it is an expression of ancient wisdom being restored to the world, and the naked infant walking therein implies walking back to ancient simplicify, —when the heart of man had a communication with God ; and being naked implies a new born soul that is born of the Lord, and has no help but God alone, —and being naked has a signification of putting olt the old man with his deeds, and is prepared to re- ^0 ITEMS, ETC. ^«v.+ frnm tTio Lord. Aiid this cliili oeive a new garment from the WM ^^^^ ^^ is the offspring of the Ch««h «' ^ ^ ^^^ ^i.ion is Bcribed to the T'^W f f the ona ^^^ and continue therein for ever. SECOND VISION* I ,ad now -t -jc^^r rt^ s,ti bear rule on earth and n^;^P™Lr defence of per- ,,y trust was ^'i^drawn toi *e^r d^^^ ^^^ P^^ sonor property- I le ou=ed i y^ ^^^ ^^ ^^^^^ .^^ &ont and wSt ^ Hong yet lasted, he gave I saw a stream ui pui course towards in to hinder the progress « tt^J o^^^^ °^*V ""' ^at the team eontlnued its progress, and I saw that tne stream k, and kept its course through all *f^=^"^ '" ^^ j ^^w Tnd as I was beholding *« ^^^'i^^^f ^^'.^S a^ «„ infant travelling therein against the curreni ITEMS, ETC* •1 XT. «nc.f . U wm tlui^.e of a new-born babo towards tbo cas ^^^^^^j^a ,,aB altogether _jt was f^}'W^ the ways naked bcforQ-tno: . >\ ^i^'^ft-^^ Z .low but to it and speechless to all that were present, x llSefdie^rS mir\e obst Jtions that ^ogS Xugt all, and wan of an exceeding soton Lnteuanco, a°nd travelled alone, I l'?^,''^ *^ J^^^'. and was sorrowful before God, and did pity the con dWon of the infant, and did say in my heart, 1 ather ! Father! what shall I do for the "hil* J f " ^^^ iord of God said unto me " dress the child and keep 22 ITEMS, ETC. I is 11 hi . , .. \„,1 T followed the cliiU three days and it elean." And Y'"'"/"'' V' . „„ti,i„„ therewith three nights; f".-; ^ ^^"^ ^^'^ intm i tl'^'^f^'" to clothe the child, or yet l;««.P > ./f ^ ^ ^^ ^^cend of her infancy Her l''"^^''' . j,^, ,_,,casts were her face was fair as *)« ca.tun Hun , ^^^^^^^^ ^^^^ bare, and she was ^vithont *hamc ^^ ^''''= *''^^^';f r^t: Tn1^ rth« of a virnn that sat upon the sea, ana haii„ u ^ LdiUboendeJdby^^^^^^^ glory, and honor, *anV ^Mn .^1 ^^ ^^^^ that livoth for ever. A"^^;'^,^, '' ',i;„„s of men, for she feared not man nor f « j^«'"P*'7"; , altogether she had received her last robe «"^ ^^'^ „" „,an clean ; and that her power was ^^« ^^^^^j^ ,„, ty^^t should kiss her with h- 1>P ;^^.Af * ^^'^^^ that I her sons was a song ot o "_J*"ii i • f^^^ „,ust return to the earth '"'i f «1^ ^/^^^.Xl her in Lord unto the people ; and as i hf »"''™ ,^ her infancy, so she -o«W guard me mn>y old a^^ , and when I had done with alHhmgs b^ow ^^^ return to her and partake of all her --'« J ^ ^ould learn me to sing '^T^:,^,, ' I that eternal life, thanksgiving and praise u.tv liveth for ever and ever. THE SMNEU'S FRIEND. The vatring world and ficntimcnts concerning a re- liriou' lifoLrcauscd n,e to ,,rite the fo lowing from mv frail l-cart, as God has tanghl mc to know that 7y natund nn'nd is frail yet-not -W-^'-^^f - of that which is right to be offered unto "" ^'^ •>« pcaee of a lost and wandering nnnd, and .on J 'co 1 have marked down my sentiments with the rest ot the world which hath lived before nie ; "«[ now 9 for the ofeervation 6i them that profess to be more reliiiious than tliey profess that i am. God is invariable in his decrees, immovable in dis position, everlastingly one in his Pi^eat deigns ; and tW is 'no pleurality of Gods. 'J he e s but ^ne and there is nothing great nor sma 1 «»»"':"? '^ the same to all being, and the first «"d ^atf time are invariably the same with God. By the imcn r of the nfind sin ente^d^nto the^Hd ; b t .t was first conceived in the mind, ana """ lanie into action. There is no sin when or where the mind is in subjection to supernatural diiection wbiX s the kingdom of heaven to the mind ; because tdtShttnWrsy with the righ^^^^^^^^^ the disposition of sin. He.that worketh and resteth justified, is with the Lord in his rest Bu sin is a position originating from *« """^wWe nurnose xnan family, suffered for the ^ -"1^ ntoTuC of subiecting the mind through aifliction into subor lation tofhe divine will, of ^M'^«knownotthe necessity till our eyes awake from «^«P »« ^J^^ »ad behold our minds clothed with a cloud, the dary 1 ^*i i! I! ' I 24 THE sinner's triend. gaments of sin-the ~es of our ownjnventbn !_the proceeds of *« /^f " "^J' Wittout re- equal, from the cradle to *«> S^f ^: ; &, ^hich great purpose God f assises auw ^^ .g^ty L greatest to the «^f "^ ^e hath Uul ^^^^^ ^^J^ of crowns and princes ^Jf '^ f ' ^,,,t worm in life, and so hath h? do°« jf *« ^m are we debtor We are all gmlty f^^' ^°,^\^ God and Christ ; for the salvation of the mind • iou ^^^^ "for on one hath he laid the miqm 7 ^^^ and in him Ae servant sftee fionU^ ^,^^^^^_ the king hath no P^^ ~Ja Ae door to all the '^'^^l t'''\ iSri She TntrSl salvation of all ^"^ ' W Ml Ae Idndrcd of the earth are e(|nal m r" ■' o? In Hhn s the one saving baptism of afflic- hi3 eyes, in "i'^^ ^" . ^ converts us trom tion that c-vi„ce of sui a.Kl^^ ^^^ ^^^,^ j,,, fi- WndS Quality, «— .^a'pStnX bigotry, and heathenish super^t^o^^^ andp.^ j^^_ unspotted garment that J'"^ « '* ^ jj „^e„ .^.ith- the Word of God ha h o°« ""'V^^ ' peaWd to us m the flesh, lie isoou , deceived our- God hath not deceived us, 0^;^^"^ ^'^,i ^es hath selves. All things written « J^^«J'"Xv did pro- been known to the mind from ^^^^""^ ;?X„, Ae ceed, and are revealed to f ^^J^sen to bo%vi°g, family of God whom he ^th chosen to be n, kind, and tender parents to «^«7°r k„own in the kath been written by men, is to be Know THE sinner's friend.. 25 bodv by the changes of the mind.. It is eyident thSbJk for ou/sake passed tWgh a wM of TY^i^Prv to work a reconciliation With bod , anawneu 1^ ^oJ^rSttt's Mcred ouLf the bo'dy I- CUV sins, in a kingdom of "--y; ^^'^^^^ not revealed unto Bs: ^ve have no V^ootivom the revelations of God. The miseries of hie «« the chastisements of God, to prepare the '-^ ^^ ^J^t ter kinodoia : and man entereth not into everlastins Wr> hut tlu'oi'.h the revealed sorrows of the Son ot lite but till oa.-. " , -g ^ ^^^^ greatest extreme God, as his works may oo. du^ n „ , of sin ean not extend beyond ^^'l^f *'' 3/* fo^ it hath endured for the salvation of the world , tor it \ "r^"t io.rJrGor;:srac!« to Sh S:^:in 1h t ;: may" erfectly see thereby, «iat iKe death of Christ is open eonv.et.on for sin and U e we is the end of misery to the converted ^^'tSrS-on of God put off the wages of .in xn h^s dpnth • but the salvation of the soul Pftainetn Sof to the death of the body, but the change of fte mind; his death and resurrection was m ihy ff* J \^ minded to speak openly, by which means I shall be condemned or find friends of my own mind AH the Scripture doctrines flow into one channel -^Ihave an'endinthe life of Chnst-all direct and lead to him, because he is the visible God and beyond his life there is nothing obscured that is need- THE sinner's FEIEND. 27 ful or essentially necessary for the s,f^f «^. ^*^ mind. In his life obscurity is brought to hghV- the kingdom of misery, and a life justified of God. In hinr mysteries have an end; because in hun the sin- ner is judged for his sins, and converted froin his guilt. ' Ami through tribulation »-\ fie dea h of our sinnino- propensities, God destroycth the old or fir t Xd'ii'thl flame, 'and giveth ^e converted sin^ ner a new mind. Li this change of ^^^ ''^ J?*? nissed thimvh the flaming sword, his spiut partioi Ta n-- nthe^ death of his Redeemer, hath a right to the tree of life-and his mind hath followed his Lord tugh tribulation into Eden osain. Every sound penitent is with the Lord and is small in his own eves as the child or the dust of the earth. 1 his is Id niesto-ed, or paradise regained. The wlmk sys- tem pertainethto the changes of the mmd, without which no man can see the Lord. ThelritualityofGodhath been a transierence of life tl rough all the ages of the world ; and what I out of the body vve know -^. ,"«>*«^^ ^^"^i^^; because « it is spiritually discerned. 1 uture time is future punishment, and joys that "/e to come as our deeds may he. But as tothe end of trme it is not with the Lord; the Wessings of the Loid je^ conferred from age to age on the life "^ *'«;;°;f^ -(which is now as at the ^egmning, ^^*out varia tion), because God is invariably the same When Moses was in the body, he began the sacred records from a communion with God. Ho was near unto Um, and talked together of P^^^V'^'mT h m thS ages of the world, and God revealed unto bim that 28 THE SINNER S FRIEND. ^ which should be hereafter ; but he showed not the- end of time, that should be with him the living God. Now, must a man go out of the body to verify the truth of the Deity, or have knowledge of his Son Jesus Christ ? The spirit of Moses was one of the great talents or attributes of God to the world, known in the flesh : and it is here we are appointed to know the spirit of Moses, and the virtues of his age. He is the revelation of God to the human mind, and Christ followed him in the regeneration, and made a complete end of sin to those that believe, and in them established the salvation of the world ; all known in the flesh and received in the body— and ^vithout which the mind hath no evidence to tlie ^wrld of groaning in misery, or rejoicing and being glad in the heart in the salvation of God, which are his gift& to the human mind. The earth was blessed with a blessing, Through a change 'twill be again ; But oh ! what thousands are professing That they never will obtain. Veiling the truth with eternity is the craft of the age. The ignorant may be sincere ; and those in error verily believe they are right. I accuse no man, but without confidence in the arm of flesh seek the peace of my own mind. No partialist can exhibit the doctrines of universal salvation to the world, nor preach a free gospel to the people. A selection of brethren or friends too often proceed from favoritism to those that believe with us. The atonement of repentance was ever required for sin, which atone-* tHE sinner's TRIEND. 29 toent was made visible in Christ ; but the spiritual- minded prophets of the Lord saw all these operations in mind before His birth ; but when he was born into life and suffered for our sins, he groaned aloud in his distress, that we might believe in the agonies of his soul, and how guilt for sin bore upon him, that we might believe in God, and fear the judgements of the Almighty. For he taught us the dangers of life, and gave us a manifestation that it is impossible that sin shall go unpunished, when he groaned or prayed unto God, that the wages of our sin might be remov- ed from him. But he came to fulfil the will of God insuffering for our sins, and when the bitter cup was taken the work was finished. And faith in Christ is practical life, works, and rewards, whether good or evil. As he suffered not for the righteous but for sinners, all flesh that hath knowledge of the Scrip- tures, seeth in him, the inevitable events of sin. Therefore, I believe that all spirits shall suffer in the flesh, for the deeds of sin ; and in the flesh shall the righteous rejoice, and see the Lord, which is the purpose of the resurrection to come. They that have gone to the grave unreformed shall rise in spirit, and suffer for their sins in the life of a Redeemer — put off their iniquity through tribulation, and enter with Him through the gates into the city, and return from whence they came. And that the righteous that hath gone down to the grave through tribulation, shall rise in spirit, and inherit the minds of just men, as vessels prepared of the Lord for their souls — spirits that hath put off corruption, and hath put on incorruption, that habit that never will decay, anjd iii m m mil m 30 THE sinner's friend. enjoy the purposes of tlie creation in life. Therefore I can believe in no other way tiian as it were a trans- ferring of the good and the ill from vessel to vessel till the purposes of God are fulfilled : all which taketh place in the mind of a Redeemer, and is visible in life as his mind is the kingdom of God, and the just and unjust receive their faith in it. For as Christ hath declared himself to be the re- surrection of good and ill— the sinner and the just— the sinful spirit of all ages suffered in Him for their sins ; and in Plim the just are rewarded for their deeds. There is nothing more plain than this, and his mind is the universal space of all flesh, or being, and that he is to be known in person, and that in person all the ages of the world were and are to be rewarded for their deeds. There is, therefore, a time for restitution for all things, and all shall hear the alarming trumpet, and the spirit of the dead shall hear, because the spirit of truth is a quickenino" power over the mind, that calleth every spirit from works to rewards, and the body beareth witness of the Son, and the blessings of God are confer- red upon His own from age to age, through the trans- ferring influence of His will ; and the curse of na- tions is conferred upon the wicked through all the ages of the world, The Lord troubles to convince, and converts to save, and this has been his disposi- tion through time, and will continue through all the ages of ^ eternity ; because he is the one invariable Uod— giving means according to necessity. ^> The End of the World, and the Beffinninff of the World to Come. ^ The end of the world *is a disputed question when It shall be, and how it shall be, and what will follow the event of the end of the world ; and, as I never write from Scripture or history, I have written my opinion from my frail mind, to be judged by the rest of the world that profess to be more ' Scripture-wise than they believe tliat I am. Nevertheless, I have a right from God and our constitution to write and speak as 1 believe of the operations of inward grace in the human mind concerning the Deity and His invisible intentions of what he will do with the globe or the people that are thereon, in time to come. When our first nature doth depart, And heaven above the earth comes in, — Then God lives in the human heart, And makes an end to us of sin. Then grief and trouble may arise As visions in the earth below ; And grief and death doth light our eyes, The world and living God we know. And God doth all our griefs endure, And give us good and ill to see; Our peace and rest is still secure. And never more removed shall be. And this is heaven on earth below, When man doth in the body dwell ; ^ m : ) 52 THE END OF THE WORLD. *Por heaven and hell his soul doth know, And is triumphant over hell. How great the Lord hath laid his plan, ^ When spirit on the earth hath shone ; All's formed in the heart of man, And every creature is his own. The Lord hath made his dwelling place, Where none on enrtli can ever see; And all his works abound with grace, And part of all he's given to me. The whole creation 's but a shade, And moving by a rising sun ; So God the heaven and earth hath made, And God is evermore to come. This world is planted in the mind, The truth of the creation's there ; And there both heaven and earth we i5nd— The trees and every fruit they bear. They only feed us for a time, And then at God's command they part; We know, God, that all are thine, The good and evil of the heart. AH are elected to decay, And in the heart to be no more . Beserved to a future day As garments the first nature wore. There's life in all that Gad doth do,— This in our pilgrimage we find j .,^.. ",■?"•'■* THE END OF THE WORLD. 33 And when we've passed our journey through, See all are living in the mind. There's not a plant that God destroys j Nor doth he burn a fruitful tree j For God our passions all employs, And all, God, are steps to Thee. To life and death there is no end, They're known in measures of our grace ; When we alone on God depend, We see these measures face to face. They are the attributes of Him, That is ordained to never die ; This world doth end as ends our sin. And heaven is over all most high. Our inward eyes begin to see. There was a world to us to come j A home, God, for thine and Thee, A never failing rising sun. Oh I then our life with God begins, Such as we never knew before ; The bird that flies, the fish that swims. Doth now give joys to us no more. The lamb, the lion, wild and tame, Hath far departed from the heart ; In these the Lord doth write his name. Beyond the skill of human art. There doth all things as one agree. And what has been's to us no more : I 34 AN IMPARTIAL VIEW OF SECTARIANISM And all, our God, doth bow to Thee, And Thy decrees all flesh hath bore. i .f i'i- ' An Impartial View of Sectarianism. I have looked over the principles of sectarianism, through my dim and clouded glass, which I have dis- covered in my min 1, and, as far as I can trace back the effects of divisions in the world, I think I per- ceive they are not that which hath been designed the world shall be when divisions and a diversity of re- ligious doctrines, and precepts, and teachers of sects shall be no more ; therefore, I believe that an union of sects and sectarianism to be nearer the designs of Omnipotence than when the world of mankind are one against another, and one above another ; there- fore I believe that all were creative for one good pur- pose and great design. The Scriptures are the various evidences of the will and attributes of God to the world. We cannot rationally believe that the inspired Scriptures are a misapplication to our necessities, seeing all inspired truths have one original. And now to receive the Scriptures according to our necessities — which are many — the first thing to be considered is, for us, or every person to know his own mind, which by nature we are in many parts, and act according to our abilities, given of the one universal Spirit who is God. I cannot conceive God to be in parts, right and wrong ; but that he i& one God in all flesh without variation. I AN IMPARTIAL VIEW OF SECTARIANISM. 35 receive the Scriptures as a garment of the Lord, which is Spirit and not flesh. Men have divided the Scriptures according to the understanding of their several minds, and those divisions have rent the gar- ments of the Lord. I cannot see those divisions to be honourable, or glorious, to the one great name of heaven and earth. There appears to be an exclusion in them — one person from another — as though God was a partialist in this lower world. The excuses for sectarianism is the degree of righteousness which we assumingly profess. I apprehend this station of lifia to be beyond the judgement of men ; but to make this kind of theory good, and to be justified in life, application is applied to from the Scriptures. I ob- serve that these proofs are fallible, and have been ever since God inspired man to do His will on earth as it is done in heaven ; therefore, a war of words and pens has taken place to decide which part is right amongst the various names tbat have been as- sumed to serve the Lord. If the Scriptures can de- cide, then there is no necessity for free grace or the spirit of God to be an arbiter among men. I freely confess that I believe Scripture to be a sure evidence that we are a clouded people, each one according to his mind. This I take to be the great design of the universe, and the former of man. God has given as we can receive. No one mind has received all the Scriptures, therefore it is certain that we have not received the grace of God from heaven — or his given Son Jesus Christ, whom I cannot conceive to be a sectarian. I therefore presume that the Spirit of the Son has but a partial acceptance in the heart of a M AN IMPARTIAL VIEW OF SECTARIANISM, ■! ^HP ^^Hii ., ^^^■i! \i' ^^^^^K ' ^^^Mi H: 't, ^^Hy ^ ;l ^^■iMi -, ^^^^^^^Htt \ ^^Hk ^Hl HHHDl ^^^^^w ^ fiectarian. And now if we admit^ — which I freely and conscientiously do — that there is a p^ood and great purpose in sectarianism, which I conceive to be the knowledge and imperfections of the human mind, which by imitation hath -clothed the mind with a portion or part of the garment of the Lord, partially excluding and separating the great family one part from the other. The extent of sectarianism is to exalt one part above another — receive some, and ob- ject to an union with them by Scripture they cannot receive. This appears to me to be a bewildered mind from God. Notwithstanding, God has graciously given such measures as we could receive ; and I sin- cerely do believe that God has a great purpose in sectarianism, and that is, to teach the wisest of us that we do not fully know the Lord who is one to all people — and that hath divided his garment as we could receive according to our limited minds, by bringing these broken parts or fragments into one cover he will make himself manifest to the world in one mind which is a soul regenerated from sectarian- ism into one mind, i.e. one measure of grace which is the Lord from heaven manifest to this lower world. In such a case no sectarian can have a choice of which part he will serve but the Lord only who is God with man and no other. I believe the sectarian plan of worship to be of great utility in discovering to us there is something wanting that hinders the great family of God to agree. And now as the Scriptures are a book of records of the attributes of God to the world, we are under the necessity of believing that according to the ages of the world God has given to FAITH AND ACCOUNTABILITY. 37 the various conditions of the mind such as human mind could receive. And he hns sent to the heathen messengers of the Scriptures, and they have gone in various njinds, and numerous creeds, and the end must be to bring the heathea to the knowledge of the Scriptures. But who can minister the life of God to the world, till he is known of us,, and we have received him according to the purpose of his own glory who rules the world in mercy and is righte- ous in his judgements, as we deserve, according to the works we have done in his own name. And now my impartial view of sectarianism is this : that God will show himself more merciful to the world than any sectarian hath done, and receive them to himself that hath been rejected by the wise builders of the present age, and gather into one basket the fi-agments that remain when all the variegated sectaries are ac- complished in their various minds about the mind of God and measures of righteousness. FAITH AND ACCOUNTABILITY. Faith is the main spring of action ; and belief itt God inspires the actions of life. God has created all things according to His own purpose and glory ; and God has not left any part of the creation to live and exist without his direction, either man or beast; therefore, I have said that God is accountable, by His several abilities, to dwell in all He hath created, therefore God hath not left any part of the creation T'-r-^, ■■f>-/*r ■■ / 38 FAITH AND ACCOUNTABILITY. to live separate from the means that He has given for existance. But man is accountable for more than any other part of the creation, because God has given to man a heart, soul or mind, which He hath design- ed for the dwelling-place of His own spirit. As we can receive measures He hath given, and it is there w^e are accountable to God ; it is the source of good and evil, the knowledge of heaven and hell, the feel- ings of joy and misery, and there we have to answer to God for all we have received ; whether mercy or judgement, man is accountable to God for all. God and the creation is all that there is in the world, and one part is accountable to the other. God is accountable to the creation and man is accounta- ble to God. God is accountable to the creation, be- cause he hath created it, and man is accountable to God because he hath received it. Man is more ac- countable because he hath received all that God has created, he is possessed with a double portion of accountability, because he hath received the whole creation into his presence, and the Spirit there- of in the human mind ; and all the creation is less in the sight of God than the heart of a man. This is God's resting-place, his tabernacle, and his throne of judgment where all the world is judged in the heart of a man. God is accountable to the creation because he hath created it. Man did not create himself, nor the beast of the field, nor the fowl of the air, nor fish of the sea. God has crea- ted man for his own companion to live with him, and him with God. He has given part of his own mind to human life. That man ought to live with FAITH AND ACCOUNTABILITY. 39 God in his own mind ; and we receive the whole creation as in the mind of God himself. Great ia the accountability of man to God, and boundless is the accountability of God to man ; which never can be fulfilled or accomplished till the full stature of the mind of God is equal to all that God hath created. There is no end to the creation because the Lord liveth ; God hath not only created us, but continues to add wisdom to all which he hath created, and this is a growth in the heart of man from the beginning to the end of life. God never calls for accountabili- ty until he first giveth something for which we are accountable for the performance thereof ; after which death and hell cometh into the mind because we have not performed our accountability to that which God hath given. God would be wanting unto us if he did not fulfil his accountability to the works of his own hands, or the creation with which he hath en- dued the mind of man ; therefore he manifests his own dignity and magnitude. He hath called on the whole creation to fulfil the purpose of the Crea- tor in the practice of life ; and every part of the crea- tion answers unto God in their distinct part of crea- tion ; but man is accountable to God for all that is created, because God hath made him lord over that which he hath created, that he might show forth his dignity and magnitude over all the rest of the crea- tion. God hath made man lord of his visibility, and made him like himself, save one measure hath the Lord reserved to himself^ which is the dignity and magnitude over the heart of man and all his works. Herein hath God made himself susceptible of our I i 4Q TAITH AND ACCOUNTABILITY. accountability with a thankful heart for all of which we can offer unto him, and for thanks to the crea- tion for fulfilling the purpose of the Creator. He giveth thanks unto us that we may thank him for his immutability and be so far joined or united with him that created us. Judgment and mercy are the divine attributes of him that liveth forever ; mercy is first to our necessity if not received, judgment pursues our accountability, this is God's judgment to the whole human family. And who can say that God hath not been merciful to man and beast since they were first created, giving unto man and beast according to their created necessity, and all have a way through life in themselves — the beast of the field, the fish of the sea, and fowl of the air. And man has a way in himself according to his necessity through life for which he is accountable to the giver. A way which he could not have received but by the hand of the giver. But to conclude and to come to the practice of life which is the only indisputable evidence of our faith, which is the evidence of the writer, i.e. God is supreme in all his attributes, judg- ments and mercies ; the earth trembles at his frown, the seas give way at his command, earthquakes con- vulse the whole earth, and who can say that God is accountable to man that he should withohold these visitations to teach mortal man the fear of his name. Oh that my soul could praise the Lord, For lines that he has drawn j Or read in me his just record, Or put his garments on. , FAITH AND ACCOUNTABILITY.. 'Tis him alone that clothes the mind. And made the sun to shine ; Within my heart his name I find, O'er all his name's divine. His love's in mercy and in care, In wisdom doth chastise ; In hell he forms the highest prayer, That up to him doth rise. His mercy lives in all his ways, In heaven, in earth, and sea ; For judgment I the Lord can praise. For all he troubles me. Long have I found his name within, His records written there ; And, as at first, I now begin, With garments of despair. A gloom attends my living mind. Through which I cannot see ; And hope through mercy still I find. There is a way for me. Accountable I must pursue. My life and time fulfil ; And give to every part their due. This is Jehovah's will.' 41 M ■*i.i ■s Observations on a Religious Life. I / I ! The scenes of life are so various, and there is such a diversity of belief about the practice of time and the end of lif(^, that I have become so confounded by looking; over the present condition of the world, that I have not known on which part to place my faith or confidence. Beinii: separated fro]n all reliL>ious bodies, I have found it in my heart to make my own ob- servations concernino- the practice of time and the end of life. I, therefore, have thoujj^ht it safest for nu3 to ])elieve in one Deity, the author of all good, and i^overnor of all he hath made and is in operation in the various and present scenes of life. Therefore, as there is one JIuler over all things, I dare not say which ])art is ri<>ht ; and upon the same principle I cannot obstu've that which is wrons:, therefore, in the natural ignorance of my life, I must leave all things in the hands of (JJod to determine, and place myself with the rest of the world, without making a distinc- tion of sects or parties. And I have drawn up this conclusion, that man is accountable to God for all that he receiveth from the sacred hand of God ; and have therefore made the followino- mark of what I have foumi in my own mind for the observation of others that are more skilled in sacred history than I am, and the operations of a religious life, without which no man shall see the Lord. The AVord of the Lord is the breath of life ; a liv- ing soul is the pleasure of the Lord. I am, and there is not another in the likeness of my mind. I am separated from the living and hath become the com- OBSERVATIONS ON A RELIGIOUS LIFE. 43 panion of the dead that sleepeth, and none wakcth them. I am placed the hindmost of all societies, and eyes are given my spirit to look upon them. I am separated from all flesh in spirit, because the Jjord hath done it for his own purpose. I am despised because I am not like unto others that hath, lived before me; my hopegoeth not out, because the Lord hath lighted my lamp, and it will not decay. My spirit hath been anointed with oil unseen ; I have been ordained without hands, and my spirit liveth. The Lord, by supernatural power, hath interfered between me and the rest of the world, and that which He hath set apart, let none join together, lie hath gathered me a people to my mind of his own choos- ing ; and none can divide them or turn them back from whence they came. He hath clothed them with innocence, and marked out their paths through life ; they are alive for him that liveth, and are known to God alone. No priest nor prophet can judge them in righteousness, nor no clergyman be a light unto their feet ; they are known to God, and to Him alone ; despised of the wise because they are simple ; fulfil- ling that which hath not been fulfilled ; bringing that to pass which hath not been known ; they inherit the earth and none taketh from them that which God hath given ; they are the Lord's interest, and none is able to dispute the title of his own inheritance. He has placed my soul with them, and it remr)veth not away. The kSon of Righteousness shineth upon the inheritance of the Father, and none cometh between the Son and God. He has given unto me the mea- sures of life, and I have received from the Hon that 44 OBSERVATIONS ON A RELIOIOUS LIFE. 11 1 ' wliich none had to give but God alone. He halli blotted out all written ordinances from my sight ; I see them nofc ; they are the interest of them that are before me. I follow them but I overtake them not ;. they are swift on foot, and laws and ordinances with them ; they are their goods, I envy them not, nor' steal in the poverty of my soul. The Lord is my Father and is kind to my hunger and thirst, and I covet not that which belongeth to others. I am the Lord's, he hath begotten me and feedeth me with the bread of life and the milk of his own Spirit. I have spoken as a child and wrote as a scribe for the Lord ; he hath received it, and he will compile it together, and it shall be unto the world as a book unknown, and many shall stumble over the truths that are written therein. Now I write as a man that hath known the Lord,, to him I am known but to no other. I have no judge to confound my ways ; I have no scribe to £ice me or teach me the paths of life. I live for him that hath created me to fulfil the pur- pose of his own glory, by raising man from his low estate., I rejoice in my poverty, and praise when I am healed. I live for God and not another. The Lord hath made no man my master to direct me in life; the learned in letters may boast of skill, but my joy is in the Lord. He hath clothed my soul with flesh, and my mind with a garment, that the eyes of the wise in life seeth not through ; therefore, I am not known unto them to be judged by them, and confounded in letters which they have received; therefore, I am at peace with them having an inherit- ance that none taketh away., I am the work of the OBSERVATIONS ON A RELIGIOtJS LIFE. 45 Lord, born in spirit, in heart, soul and mind to do his will on earth, which hath not been known from the beginning of time with man until this day. His Son ariseth and looketh down on the world with light, power and glory, on this present age of life ; He is a Spirit sent from heaven by His Father to do His will on earth, and to finish that which hath been be- gun and not accomplished. He hath planted my feet in the eai'th, as a tree that hath roots in the ground ; and my soul beareth fruit to His people Is- rael : because the Lord hath watered it, and said Tinto my soul, — come forth, and live, thou art the Lord's inheritance — and the house of Spirits — the ^ead in person liveth there, and are the fruits of the Lord unto eternal life. Yield, Lord, my spirit saith, The fruit the tree of life doth bear ; Build up thine house by deeds of faith, Let all the earth assemble there. What is known unto me I cannot conceal, nor be affrighted by the noisy trumpets blown by men who know not the Lord. The Lord hath not covered my spirit with a mantle to be unseen ; but he hath made my spirit low in the world, that he may try the wis- dom of this world, by life that he hath planted in my breast, and written his will there as the law of life for me to pursue in the practice of my time. So am I exposed to the world, but not taken away by the shadow of death, till the Lord shall have accom- plished his designs in all he hath required of me, then shall I be no more. But the Remembrance o^ y^ i!^s,sf^i I I 46 OBSERVATIONS ON A RELIGIOUS LIFE. my life will be for ever,— written in a book to be read ia time to come, when priest nor prophet, scribe nor law^-iver shall be known no more amongst the present race of men. The Lord liveth and reigneth over all in my soul, thus saith my spirit. His name is written in my mind. He is my Scripture,and my law ; I lean upon him as the staff of life, and rest in his presence as the pillow of my head : He is my God ; He hath ordained my soul unto life and it will not die, nor be taken away from this world till it hath answered the purpose of my creation and the Giver of my soul. Now I conclude that all are thine, - That hath to give and take away ; My life is but a feeble line Compared with the eternal day. To men in wisdom, I'm no more, But as the lost I'm set apart ; I follow them that runs before, It is not I, but my own heart. I feel as feeble as the clay When I behold the works of God ; My very flesh doth dark my day. Clothed with life and ancient blood. My beating veins pronounce my woe. Death's in the throbbing of my heart; I'm one amongst a thousand names, But with the dead I have a part. Because they're dead and come again, Spirits unseen, but still doth live; God's giv'n to them a lasting name. J. AiVJ are what God to me doth give. THE RELIGIOUS TENETS. 47 My friends, fear not, the coming day, Nor trembling stand with doubt and fear ; The Lord's before us in the way, And God has made his passage clear. THE RELIGIOUS TENETS. Being destitute of creeds or any written law of discipline, and being numbered with infidels, and tinctured with deism, we have given the following satisfaction to others, that we do believe something, and although not so extensive as others profess to believe, we have thought it may suffice, that we are neither deists or atheists ; and although we have not extended our belief to every particle that others profess to believe, (as faith is a subject of diversions in the world,) we have been careful not to condemn the belief of others, but are willing to do by others as we wish others to do unto us, that every one may practice their own faith. Our belief is not obligato- ry to any others to believe as we do, and to them only that have subscribed thereunto. We believe in one God the author of all living ; that now is the time of salvation, and that all other time is to us conjecture and imagination. We be- lieve confidentially in that which can be known by practice ; that a reconciliation with God is the end and purpose of our creation. The Spirit of God is practicable with us as far as we have received his di«- vine nature. We believe the human mind is the in- i II 48 THE RELIGIOUS TENETS^ heritance of the Lord as his given grace hath accept- ance with us. We argue not about things unknown. There is no time known unto us but that which is present. We believe a reconciliation with God is the com- pletion of the salvation of the soul, and a heaven to the human mind. We believe in all the calamities of the world to be the present judgements of the Lord, for th6 purpose of increasing our fears of that which is constantly coming on the world as the chas- tisements of God to subject the human will into a passive state of mind for the disposal of God. We have no evidence that the bodies of good and evil will arise from the dead ; but that a practicable resurrection is a returning from the evil of our ways to live in unison with the grace of God. We believe the day of judgement and mercy to be the present time to all living ; and that all future time to us is unknown when we inherit this body of clay no more. We believe the attributes of God to be his, either in peace or war, famines, pestilence, earthquakes, or diseases of various kinds, and that tiot any thing can transpire unknown to God ; that the end of the world is in the heart of man when sin ceaseth against God and is no more. How time doth spread her golden wings, And far abroad she flies : With her the hovering cherub sings, And God her songs supplies. Her theme and tone's for ever new, She never doth decay j SA^PTISM. Time past is naked in her view, She is the present day. She's ever on the flitting wing, In every age doth light ; And ages past to light "doth bring, And ever is in sight. Signed for the '' Children of Peace "— 49 David Willson, Peter Lepard, J. D. WiLLSON, Job Hughes, Beuben Lundy, Jacob Lundt, Rachel Lundy, Elizabeth Doan, Phcebe D. Willson, Sarah Dennis. BAPTISM. Baptism is a disputed question in this day, some holding water baptism to be essential to the purify- ing of the soul, others to a mental baptism that re- forms the heart that the deeds of life maybe improv- ed through the regeneration of the grace of God* in the human mind ; I have therefore written as I have received, and submit it to them that are more skilled in those operations than I am. ! was my Saviour understood, He is the author of all good; By him alone we live, and see What things have been and yet will be^ He is our judge and doth baptise — And he doth call the dead to rise ; 50 BAPTISM. So ho renews all ages past, And makes the first to be the last. 'Tis him alone the soul doth hear, He gives the mind a listening ear ; And" every heart he doth renew, That hears his word, his way pursue. He in tlie heart doth find a place, To sow in man the seed of grace; And there he plants and gathers m. And saves the soul from every sin. Then do we know that Christ's arose. In mind he conquers all our foes ; And he doth righteous garments wear, Clear as the sun or morning star. He makes our lives again anew, His Father's will he doth pursue ; Nor spotted garments doth he wear, To every sect he's bright and clear. No pharisee doth with him join, He's living in this present time ; In Adam all the living sleep. Like him, we all have cause to weep, Till Jesus to our souls return. To teach us all have cause to mourn. And him that doth of wisdom boast, Has never known the Holy Ghost ; Been with the Father nor the Son ; Knows not what's been, nor is to come. There's many preaching, teaching me, — They truly give me light to see ; The Pharisees again arise. And they can teach and can chastise. TIME. And ancient garments they can wear, Without the Scriptures would be bare. Oh I what a doleful noise they make The heavens move, the earth doth shake : And them that hath a sandy frame Is often moving in their name. ' But he's baptised that never moves But every time he still improves. ' It's not the dust the Lord doth hear It's the spirit's listening ear j ' And then the heart from death doth rise And every sin doth God chastise • ' And this is called the coming day When all our sins shall flee away 51 TIME. There IS a great diversity of opinion about the divisions of time. It is indeed spent in various ways and many conjectures about time to come, of which 1 am so ignorant, about— a general resurrection of the body and a time unknown that is preached to be that I must be silent about time to come, the end of the world, and a day of judgment, when all must appear before the Lord to receive a recompense for the deeds done in the body.-I have thought it time, that if it is well spent it will be well with my soulm the day of judgment, and, therefore, I dare not confound the world with prospects and specula-^ tions which at present is to us unknown. Ill 52 TIME. The present time is all we have, Our peace to make — our souls to save", Anticipation is a sham, And is deceiving mortal man. Our shepherds feed on barren plains, And still repeating ancient names ; ^ For want of grace they drink them in — In ancient robes rebuking sin. ^ Oh ! had they garments of their own, The ancients would be better known ; Oh I that some souls would come and feed, That did with saints and martyrs bleed. Then our dim eyes would clearly see * Those spirits living where we be ; But, oh ! it is for want of grace, These spirits have tio resting-place. But, oh I if we could like them feel, Messiah would their lives reveal. Nor would we see the judgment day, As others preach, so far away ; But we would know the time had come, To know the Father and the Son, — Nor would we longer here delay To see a resurrection day. It is for want of prose we rhyme, And so we dribble out the Une ; We're feeding in the valleys low, But few and small's the things we know, The great Goliah's armour wear; But sling and stone will meet them there. Oh I could we have some just replies, 'T would warm our hearts and light our eyes. ' AN "UNION SONG. Oh ! then our souls would clearer see, The time is now that was to be ; And we'll no more of men complain, Still trusting in Messiah's name- That he through grace will set us free, To sing the lasting jubilee. P.S. — Our ministers, the type and press, By these we do our neighbors' bless — With little crumbs we have to share, While trusting in our Shepherd's care. 53 8. An Union Song for the Children of Peace. Union is the bottom stone of my belief, and a separation and deviation of sects, creeds and doc- trines is at variance with my practice of life, is an increasing trouble in the world, and confounds the simple of which way can be right ; and by a con- tinuation of divei^ions the world of mankind is de- prived of their rest, and it is at variance with God and his Son Jesus Christ that receiveth all that com- eth unto him. And I am firm in the belief, if we would or could come into an union with the spirit of the Lord, that diversions would cease, and there would be no diversity of doctrines to preach to the world, but all would cease with confidence in one God and Saviour of the world. As sun and moon doth light the skieS; May ancient glory now arise, And God alight the mind : I* I 54 AN UNION BONO. May Clirist and Moses be as twins, And here our Union Song begins, And more the Lord will find. As stars in darkness doth appear, So God willjight the coming year^ And every life be known ; The dead will rise from earth and sing. And so shall live each creeping thing, All's on the bottom stone. The fish and fowl, the wild and tame, Shall celebrate Jehovah's name, And heaven to earth shall join ; The ancient and the present days, Will give our great Redeemer praise, And bless the present time. The Lord the lion will subdue, And make the serpent tribe but few, The adder's ear shall hear ; And Zion's sons the trumpet blow. Our enemies be bending low. And David's name be near. Jehovah I top and bottom stone. And he doth build his house alone, 'Tis given in our care ; And there the tribes of Israel meet. Their praise and mercies to repeat, And ancient glory wear. Their daughters, cup and table fill, With blessings of Messiah's will, .X. UV NT J. rx" - -- ■- - - UJ.\^iJ\JXi.i.i:^>j vx f the field j I THE lord's DAT. And here the stranger finds his rest, Bfjcause the house of God is blest, And endless blessings yield. Ood on the mind doth write his naine, And here he gathers wild and tame, They in his house agree ; And here the Son of God shall rise, With peace and glory in his eyes, Forever there to be« And to his name shall Israel come, And tribes shall worship there as one, Nor wander more abroad ; And here this troubling world shall end, And all shall on one God depend. This is the House of God. 55 THE LORD'S DAY. Where or when the human heart is illuminated hy the Spirit of God shining therein, as the sun in the firmament ^iveth light unto us— it is the Lord's day — a Sabbath of which a sinful world knoweth not, it is where and when our acting propensities are all bowed in reverential submission before the living God, who is the builder and maker of the universe. The Spirit of the Lord hath formed the heart of man to be a kingdom of his own ; and although ojir limits or extent may not be equal to all the works of God, yet it becomes a dwelling-place for his Spirit, and all tkat he hath given is submissive to him that sits on 56 THE LORD'^S DAY^ 'lit the throne in the human mind. It is a kingdom of great joy and lasting benefits to all that know the Lord as a Sovereign to rule over all the governing passions of the mind. And this is the mysterious kingdom about which there is so much talk in this restless world, and preaching about unknown things, because in our natural capacities of action they are so far off, or at an unmeasured distance to us. I have found it in my way to make these few remarks of what I have found in my own mind. I have partaken a little thereof, and believed there is more to come, as there are no limitations to the wisdom of God,, nor the end of life, when a man's soul hath entered into peace with God, and the Spirit of God rules over him in all the actions of his life. He is then only fit to live or to die to this mortal body of clay. The kingdom of the Lord hath no end, but is a king- dom of increasing joys, because God sustains the im- mortal soul which he hath given with perpetual and increasing joys. And this is the bread the departed saints live on in heaven, and without this bread every soul would perish after they had become in peace with the Spirit of God» To view heaven at a dis- tance, or far above the measures of the mind, is a confounding speculation about unknown things, and leaves all the world in a mystery of darkness without any known light. The Spirit of the Lord is the light of the mind and everlasting life to all that re- ceive him ; and all that receive him hath received his kingdom into their minds, and their hearts are a new gift from God that governs all things. Then heaven i^ known. \mt.o us^ while we dwell in the body, and THE LORD^S DAY. 57 the mind is at peace with God. And God is known on earth as he is known in heaven ; and that which was mysterious has come to light, and the Lord dwelleth with his creature man . And this is the kingdom come, and the will of God done on earth as it is done in heaven ; and every faculty of the mind that God has given liveth in and by the Spirit of the Lord, and the joys of heaven become the daily bread of all our acting abilities. And God liveth and dwelleth below as he does above, and is known in the heart of man by sparks of inward grace that ceaseth not, or the living kingdom would have an end^ Therefore, as God is life, he hath given to man his own life, that man may have life within himself and live for ever. The death of the body is only a chas- tisement from the Lord, to purify the soul with fear, lest the human mind should not be ready for the im- mortal change. All that God docth it is for ever ; and not any thing is lost that God has made or cre- ated, therefore, eternity is with us, because God liveth, and all are with him in spirit in his own mind, therefore, all that God doeth is in eternity, be- cause God liveth and the spirit of all living is with God and God is with man, and man is with God from the beginning of the visible works of God, and heaven is in God, and God is in heaven ; and heaven was in God before man was made, and is appoint- ed for the rest of man, and to continue for all living souls that are born into the world. If the works of God are to perish, then there is no God with men any more, nor man with God. Therefore God is as lie ever was, the life and light of the human mind, 58 THE lord's day. I and liveth on earth in judgment and mercy, and governs the world as we partake of his attributes, and believe that all things are right that happens unto us through the Providence of God. But I must speak more of this government hereafter, and conclude that God has one great purpose and design in all that he doth transact with the human family, i.€, to bring man back in his mind to where he was, which is to live with God. Man is not righteous in his birth, neither is he perfect before God, because he is born in a capacity to sin, and come to the know- ledge of God by transgression, which is not anything more than practising his own creation, by which means he cometh to the knowledge that God is great- er than himself, which hath formed the bottom stone of repentance by which he is received into favor with God as he had not been before, and his heart becomes a dwelling-place for all that is made and created. Therefore all the spirits of the creation hath a dwel- ling in the mind, and the mind liveth with God in everlasting light, and God revealeth his invisibility to the world by the practice of those spirits of which he hath given to man to reveal to the world, that God may be known on earth as he is in heaven. As heaven was in God before the creation, and the ap- pointed rest for all he hath created, it is the purpose and glory of God that man should enter there and enjoy the sweets of this heavenly kingdom. There- fore as God is preparing man through all the pro- pensities of his actions to receive this kingdom, we should receive his chastisements with a cheerful heart and a believing mind, that all these varying abilities THE LOBD'S DAT. 59 with whicli the human family appears to be endued, they are for the great purpose of bringing man to the appointed rest prepared for him from the begin- ning of time with man on earth, or the foundations of the world which are in God, the bottom stone of all living. Why did my soul have light to see ? Why did my mind from death arise ? My God, both these have come from thee, And these are given to realize. Though man may wander to and fro, And seeking that he cannot find j The distance that he hath to go, Is secret to his human mind. The kingdom's there he would obtain, 'Tis not the height that he should rise ; Within he'll find Jehovah's name, That did ordain the earth and skies. There's none so far as him that knows. The things he never saw nor knew ; 'Tis where the human will doth close, That heaven and God to him are new. The close of that which hath been, till March sec- ond, one thousand eight hundred and sixty. I MEMOIR OF THE PAST. [A Memoir or memorandum of tbe origin, principles, and practice of the Children of Peace, now in existance in Sharon, in the Township of East Gwillimbury, County of York, and Province of Canada, February 22nd, 1860. J The first union of this little body of worshippers were from the society of Friends or Quakers. They were a people in high standing in the society of which they were constant believers and practisers of both the principles and discipline of said society: but believing these things already mentioned had be- come too formal, without much, if any, improvement in life, they were looking forward for a time to come when the Spirit of the Lord would dwell nearer his people than had been since their first rise.. And, now to draw their present system in a line, we must first connnence on the principles which are now be- lieved in and practiced, which is the union of all kinds of people that believeth in and profess to prac- tice the Spirit of God in their various systems of worship, and by adhering to these uniting principles, and finding by practice they fcend to peace and tran- quility in the great family of the world, therefore, they continue in them from the year 1814, until the present date. And although their first numbers were only six ; but by the fcxvors of almighty God, their numbers have increased to hundreds, and they enjoy the fruits of their first principles, and continue in them until this day. They are not combined to- gether by any hand writing that hath been written by the hands of men, — being so confirmed that the MEMOm 01' THE PAST. 61 'Spirit of the Lord and the proceeds thereof is suifi^ cient to save all flesh that calleth on the name of the Lord ; therefore they have separated themselves from all sects and creeds, and all that worship God by a written law, having a constant trust that God will be with them in future time, as he hath been from the beginning, administering faith unto them from time to time, in whom is all their hope. But as they are a people not joining in worship with others of various beliefs upon the same principle, others have no part nor place with them, they are therefore a distinct body, and living alone, excluded from the rest of the world, in which singular condition of life they have believed it to be their duty to God and the world to reveal their situation, principles and practice, to the rest of the world where they are not known. They have no written test whereby others shall be known before uniting with them in practice, therefore they have no written creed whereby any person may be desirous to meet with them in worship, but keep an open door and open heart to receive ail who hath a desire to join with them in the worship of Almighty God ; therefore, as all that meet cometh together by good-will one to another, they practice no line of distinction whereby any shall or may be excluded from participating with them in the wor- ship of God. They continue in the first principles of union, that all that will come may come, and share alike in the favors of God. They have not varied in principle nor practice from the beginning until now, but have extended their uniting j^inciples to all kinds of people, by two general days for worship i;,g 62 MBMOIB OP THB PAST. i in the year, to make known their principles to all Wnds o^pe^e, and preach accordin^y. These days are known as feast days, because they furnish an Con table of good things, excluding all animal diet ; and at these tables there are no presiding offi- ce neither is there head or foot m the House of the Lord, for all are an equal people froni the least to the greatest, from the young to gray hairs. They Appoint no ruling officers in the House of the Lord and this is omitted for the honor of the Lord Jesu3 Christ, that he may be the only ruler among his ceople that his Providence may have all the honor Tnd p aise now and for ever. Church members that wbrship God according to a written law, stand far from them in their general meeting days, by whom they are accounted in error, having no obligatory creid or description of their lives, whereby they should live and serve God and man, trusting in God their Saviour, that he will pre^rve them by his in- ward grace. So they live and have hope in time to come without the least dependance on written laws, believing the inspired Scriptures to have been writ- ten by the Spirit of God ; and where the letter is re- vived without the Spirit it only tends to the practice of a dead formal life, which is too obvious m the various churches or sects, so called, by which appr^ hension they have set themselves apart from all others to do for themselves, and are daily trusting in the favors of God alone for the salvation of sou s by the practice of life. They neither baptise with water nor communicate broken bread in the name of the suffering body of Jesus Christ, fully believing that MEMOIR OP THE PAST. 63 where the grace of God is in the heart, and the life of Christ is fully known there, they have no need of Bigns to testify of his remembrance because his Spirit is present and is teaching them all things that is need- ful to be known, while the grace of God is with them in this present life. They do their own preaching, sing their own hymns and spiritual songs (of their own composition), and they are an independent peo- ple to the rest of the world ; and have borne much persecution of the tongue, but little of the pen, and not anything from hands, but enjoy the law of the Lord, according to their understanding and are peaceable and unoffending citizens of the laws of their country, resisting not offences, and are living in peace with all men, unknown to the rest of the world, and them that worship God by means that are not given to them whereby to serve the Lord. This limited information is far short of that which might be written of this little and lonesome body of people, trusting, hereafter, that a more full explanation of what is past will be given to the world. They have built two houses in Sharon, (of no inferior dimen- sions) for the service of one God. They are a liberal people in their contributions, and charitable to the poor, for which purpose they assemble once in the month to lay up alms for a needful time, lest any of the body should wander and beg for food and rai- ment, which alms are committed to the care of a committee of nine persons, (five men and four wo- men) to distribute as they by searching may find necessity, without being known to the rest of the body. Such as join the above in worship are mostly of 1i C4 TESTIMONY. ! I! I non-professors of the law or creed, and are not sub- ject to the church ordinances of any sect or kind of people, and may justly be termed as belonging to the gentile ftiniily of the world. Written by one of the number, and acknowledged by the body, and subscribed to by the title of the *^ Children of Peace," TESTIMONY. The following is a testimony of the Children of Peace, concerning the life of David Willson, by whom we have been brought together for the worship of God. He early made choice of a religious life, joined the Friends or Quakers' society, and was a zealous and faithful member thereof for a number of years, and having the esteem and confidence of the society, was appointed to attend to many religious duties of the society, which he always faithfully performed. Although a poor man, possessing barely the neces* saries of life, and having to depend alone on the labour of his own hands for the support of his family^ he never made his poverty an excuse for neglecting to perform the duties to which he was appointed, although the performance of them necessarily took much of his time. After faithfully serving the society for a number of years, he had an impression of mind to speak in their meetings for worship ; but his religious opinions being judged erroneous and condemned, it was evi- TESTIMONY. 65 i>Msf!«fei-i 72 DISPENSATIONS. ii kingdom now on earth as he had when David was king in Israel ; and Jerusalem received and govern- ed the people according to the will of him that hath lived, doth live, and will live, as he lived in David, whose flesh brought forth that saving Son, that saveth from all superstition, bigotry and presumption of one man ruling over another in religious life, therefore, until we know the Father we know not the Son, and until we know the first church we know not the mo-^ ther, and until we know the molher we know not the daughter, and until we know the Old Testament we know not the New ; and, therefore, because we know n' it the voice of God in the soul, or the pro- phets, and Christ to be the law of the heart, we know not God, and can know not anything aright, because we build not on the first stone, that was in Israel ; that the God of Jacob and of Israel hath re- called unto us and until the day shall come, which is prophesied shall come, we are living in a restless world, and know not God or his kingdom, or that that has come to pass that passeth not away; and God dwelleth in the heart of man as he did in Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and with his people Israel. When man talketh with God in his own soul, and his in- ward ear heareth the voice of God, crowns. and sys- tems will rule and govern the world ; but when that day cometh, there shall be but one God known unto man, and but one law written in the heart and the imaginations, and the presumptions — the rule of man — shall be no more. Then sh;dl we desire na Gods but one, — the Lord God of J;