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 excused 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

from the awful state of misery which she clearly foresaw awaited sinners, that she was often in the deepest agony of soul, and the most fervent cries to God for their salvation. In expressing her compassionate feelings to the believers, on this subject, she often wept like a child under the most excessive sorrow.

Mother Ann, in her ordinary manners and deportment, was meek, simple and harmless, very just, upright and conscientious' in all her conduct, and very careful to wrong no one in any manner whatever, and she was always ready to acknowledge an act of kindness from any person, even from her most inveterate enemies. She often manifested, with great humility and thankfulness, her continual dependence on the gift of God, and humbly acknowledged his goodness and mercy to her under all her trials and sufferings, and frequently expressed her thankfulness for the blessings she received. She was far from assuming to herself any power or authority whatever; but that which was given her of God, she felt herself bound to exercise in strict obedience to his Divine Will. When any of the believers kneeled before her, she would often say," "Dont kneel to me, but kneel to God; I am but your fellow servant." She often kneeled herself, when any one kneeled before her.

In her daily deportment she manifested the most distinguishing marks of humiliation. She frequently waited on those who came to see her, with the same attention and assiduity as tho she had been a mere servant in the family. When people came who were fatigued with their journey, who were feeble, wet or cold, she often used to wait upon them with the greatest kindness, and with her own hands, make all necessary provision for their comfort. Sometimes, while waiting upon them, she would say, "I am among you as one that serveth.” When great numbers of people were collected and assembled at the table, she often waited upon them with all the attention of a dutiful and faithful servant.

She never repined at poverty, nor desired delicious fare for herself; but always accommodated herself to her circumstances, however poor or scanty her provisions; and would readily economize in such a manner as to render the poorest fare comfortable, and make a little suffice. When occasion required, she would cheerfully make her meal on the fragments left by others, and say, "This is good enough for me; for it is the blessing of God, and must not be lost." She many times took such occasions, both at home and abroad, to teach the people prudence and economy, and was often heard to speak to them after this manner: "You “must be prudent and saving of every good thing that God bless"" es you with; so that you may have wherewith to give to them "that stand in need. You cannot make a spear of grass nor a “ kernel of grain grow, if you knew you must die for the want of

❝ it. It is by the blessing of God that these things come: there"fore you ought not to waste the least thing."

Mother Ann was very remarkable, not only for her humility, charity and zeal to do good; but also for her temperance, sobriety, industry, prudence and good economy. Being herself wholly devoted to the cause of God, she was ever faithful in her endeavors, both by precept and example, to plant the same good qualifications in her followers; so that in all things, she was a pattern of godliness, and showed herself to be a Mother indeed, in every good word and work.

In her labors and instructions for the increase of the gospel among the believers, she spared no time nor pains; but seemed willing at all times to spend her strength and her life for the advancement of the work of God. She often used to say to the believers who visited her, and were about to return home, "The (6 gospel is the greatest treasure that souls can possess; go home "and be faithful; put your hands to work, and give your hearts "to God. Beware of covetousness, which is as the sin of witch"craft; if you have any thing to spare, give it to the poor." Her love and charity seemed boundless, always ready to succor the afflicted, and minister to the wants of the needy. She often said to those in comfortable circumstances, "How many poor crea❝tures there are in the world who suffer with hunger and cold, "and here you have enough! How thankful you ought to be to "God for his tender mercies towards you!"

Mother Ann often called the attention of the believers to faithfulness in the care and management of their temporal concerns. She frequently enjoined it upon them as a necessary duty, to be industrious in business; to be neat and cleanly, and observe good economy; to be prudent and saving, and let nothing be lost through carelessness or neglect; to use the things of this world as not abusing them; to avoid equally covetousness and prodigality; to be kind and charitable to the poor, and to keep clear of debt. These things were strictly enjoined upon the believers, from time. to time, as matters of importance to secure a spiritual blessing. For it was often testified by Mother Ann, and proved by the experience of many, that those who were unfaithful in temporal things, could not find the blessing and protection of God in their spiritual travel: hence a faithful and wise improvement of their time and talents, in the things of time, was essentially necessary in order to inherit the true riches.

In the spring of 1783, while Mother Ann was at Ashfield, in Massachusetts, where many believers had collected from a distance; and having had considerable opportunity to be taught and instructed in the way of God, they were about to return home. In taking leave of them, Mother Ann spoke to the brethren as follows:

"It is now spring of the year, and you have all had the privilege ❝of being taught the way of God; and now you may all go home ❝and be faithful with your hands. Every faithful man will go ❝ forth and put up his fences in season, and will plough his ground “in season, and put his crops into the ground in season; and such. a man may with confidence look for a blessing. But the sloth❝ful and indolent will say, to-morrow will do as well, and to-mor“ row will do as well. Such a man never finds a blessing; if he "has any thing it is afterwards, and there seems to be no blessing "in it. Just so he is in spiritual things; he will be slothful in "the work of God, and he will reap his reward. He that is un“faithful in the unrighteous mammon, how can he be trusted with “the true riches ?”*

In addressing a certain sister who was the mother of a family, and had considerable charge upon her, Mother Ann spoke thus ; "Be faithful to keep the gospel; be neat and industrious; keep your family's clothes clean and decent; see that your house is CC kept clean; and your victuals prepared in good order; that “when the brethren come home from their hard work, they can "bless you, and eat their food with thankfulness, without mur"muring, and be able to worship God in the beauty of holiness. "Watch and be careful; don't speak harsh, nor cast reflections upon them; but let your words be few and seasoned with grace." The mother of a large and respectable family, who had all embraced the testimony, asked Mother Ann's counsel concerning some superfluities which her family had in possession; such as gold necklaces, jewels, rings, silver buckles, and other ornaments of the kind, and desired to know what she should do with them. Mother Ann replied, "You may let the moles and bats have "them, that is, the children of this world: for they set their "hearts upon such things; but the people of God do not want "them." She then added, "You ought to dress yourself in mod"est apparel, such as becomes the people of God, and teach your "family to do likewise. You ought to be industrious and prudent, "and not live a sumptuous and gluttonous life; but labor for a "meek and quiet spirit, and see that your family is kept decent ❝ and regular in all their goings forth, that others may see your "example of faith and good works, and acknowledge the work " of God in your family."

Again: in addressing the same sister, together with a number of others who were in good temporal circumstances, she said, "You must remember the poor and needy, the widow and the "fatherless; and deal out your bread to the hungry and your "clothes to the naked. Your natures will say, They may work · "and get these things for themselves; but Christ said, Give to

* See Luke xvi. 11.

D 2

† Isaiah ii. 20.