world for the sake of our dear Redeemer, who suffered so much ridicule from man for our sakes, and laid down his life to redeem us from the Fall, as you know is so clearly explained to me in my writings. But here I must conclude with my earnest prayers for you, that the Lord will strengthen you in the great work He hath commanded you to do. May the Lord pour down every blessing on your head, is the earnest prayer of your sincere friend and fellow labourer in the Lord's vineyard. I conclude with my kindest Christian love to you, and please to remember the same to your servant. I am, with the greatest Respect, Your sincere Friend and humble Servant, JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. N°4 Tuesday, May 22, 1804. A little after eleven o'clock, Miss Townley and her servant went to the funeral of the child, and a vislent trembling came over her when she arrived at the church yard. They were disappointed in sending these letters, for the post goes out at four, and they thought not till five. The letters being returned, gave them much pain and confusion, and they were blaming themselves that they were not soon enough for the post, when the following communication was given to Joanna : DEAR MISS TOWNLEY, Here I send you the Communication about the burial of the child, and the returning of the letters. "Now from this shadow I shall answer here: Thou judg'st the substance must the same come here; They'll blame themselves, as these this day have done : To have the letter printed as 'tis sent, And let them boldly, stand the Woman's friend; This is a calling never come from Heaven; That is, the clergy would send the letters back. } † The child was buried the day before, instead of the day fixed upon N:4 Send every letter, and they'll see they're foil'd; (Signed,) JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. May 23, 1804. Now, to tell the sense of this, the child was appointed to be buried this day, Wednesday, the 23rd, but the nurse thought it would not keep, and the letters were ordered to be sent at the child's burial; so, as the father had altered his plan, the letters were sent the same day and turned back, being too late for the post. Now I shall give you part of the meaning of the letters being sent, from the child's death. DEAR MISS TOWNLEY, I now send you the words given to me by the Spirit, about the burial: "I shall tell thee the shadow of the childThey had it buried sooner than they proposed, fearing a putrefaction in the child that it would not keep. Now I tell thee, here is the shadow for thee: sooner than thou mayest expect, thy trial will come on, as men will fear the putrefaction in thee.-If it be from a disorder in thy head, they will say it is time to put a stop to it; but if it be of God they will say, it is time to fear what judgments are com ing on man. Now I shall come to another type and shadow remember when thy writings were proved, I ordered them first to be buried in the cave, or the dark regions like a grave, as a type of the shadow of death: soon after that, the wind rose high.Now after the child was put in the grave, see how hard the rain came, and the heavens were covered with blackness: and now they are writing to warn the bishops and clergy. "Here is a type stands deep for all :- They'll find these shadows first were there: And every substance will be known, In perfect likeness to appear: They'll find the substance now is near; For all as shadows I plac'd first, And Townley's trembling will be known, As in thy stead I've now plac'd her, And in thy stead she bold may stand The heavens with blackness now command, And now my blackness will appear, If men don't hasty waken here, As she so early did awake, I say, my clouds on them shall break; Such things were ne'er brought round by thee, To place the shadows at the first, That like a funeral this should burst⚫ And now the funeral doth appear, Ever committed by the child And here the learned men are foil'd; As I compared with my own: Then here the child must sure be known In innocence, I say, to die And mark the words were said to thee, N°4 That is, the writings put in a vault at Paddington, a shadow then of the burial now. B |