from Lebanon, and other eastern parts, resorted there for instruction and counsel; hence, the Believers at Lebanon, Hancock, and other places, who were able, found it necessary to take provisions there for their support, which served as an occasion, to some prejudiced persons, to misrepresent and accuse the people of being enemies to the country, and to stir up those in power to persecute and distress them.

XX. One particular circumstance of this kind took place in the month of July, 1780. As Lavid Darrow was on the way between Lebanon and Albany, with a flock of sheep, which he was driving to Water-liet, he was followed by a company of evil-minded men, who pretended to have authority to arrest him. Accordingly, they brought him back, with his sheep, to Lebanon, and had him before the court, under pretence of treason. But finding no just ground of accusation against him, to answer their purpose, these hungry wolves, after dividing the sheep among them, sent their owner (accomp. nied by Joseph Meacham) under guard, to be tried by the Commissioners at Al any.

Being brought before the Commissioners, they were required to promise obedience to their laws, without being informed what those laws should be. But had the Commissioners even been disposed to form laws consistent with the faith of the Believers, they well knew that it was contrary to their faith to come under any such verbal promise, because they considered all such outward obligations as masks of hypocrisy, under which their accusers themselves were acting in direct violation of those just and equitable principles, in support of which, they pretended to contend with the powers of Britain.

Besides, they were aware of the design of their accusers, to take an undue advantage of such promises, whereby they might either distress them, or compel them to bear arms, and shed human blood, contrary to their faith. And as the spirit of Christ, which they had within them, both disposed and enabled them to keep every just law, without any external obligation; therefore they could not in conscience answer the request. Whereupon Lavid Larrow, Joseph Meacham, and Elder John Hocknell, were put into prison: and soon after, Hezekiah Hammond and Joel Pratt; and then Mother (accompanied by Mary Partington) and Elder William Lee, Elder James Whittaker and Calvin Harlow, all of whom were

leading characters in the work, were arrested and imprisoned at Albany.

All this took place at the instigation of certain designing men in the east, who were continually stirring up those in authority, and other citizens who were otherwise well disposed. Nevertheless, the Commissioners at Albany generally treated Mother and the Elders with kindness; and many sensible and candid men expressed their displeasure at the injustice and inconsistency of imprisoning and oppressing an innocent people for no other cause, in reality, but their peculiar faith; and especially at a time when the nation itself was struggling to get free from the oppression of a foreign yoke.

XXI. But notwithstanding those outward bonds ofaffliction, the word of God was not bound, but even through the grates of the prison, was preached to crowded assemblies. Many received faith through the Elders, while in prison, and came and confessed their sins, and shewed their deeds; and such was the convincing power of God which attended the word, that, frequently in presence of the crowd, open confessions were made, of every known sin: so mightily grew the word of God and prevailed. Although the persecutors intended this imprisonment of Mother and the Elders, for evil; yet the Lord turned it for good, while it wrought effectually to the spreading of the gospel.

Believers were allowed the privilege of communion with those in prison, and of ministering freely to their necessities. But very shortly after their imprisonment, Mother was separated from the rest, and taken from Albany (accompanied by Mary Partington) with a design of banishing her to the British army, which then lay at New-York; but her persecutors failing of their purpose, she was put into prison at Poughkeepsie, where she remained until about the last of December, and was then released by order of Gov. Clinton, who received information of her treatment, having had no certain knowledge of the matter before.

The Elders and Believers at Albany, were also released about the 20th of the same month, without any formal trial. It is particularly worthy of observation, that in all those imprisonments, and the accusations against Mother and the Elders, and others of the Believers, both in England and America, no fault could ever be found, as to their lives and D

moral character; nor any evil alleged against them, but from mere slander, on account of their faith and testimony. Nor was any persecution ever raised against them, but by means of that false religion and spirit of oppression, which had long been established in the British dominions, and whose despotic influence had not yet ceased in America.

XXII. It is unnecessary, however, to enlarge on this subject, or to state all the particulars of the abuse which Mother, and the Elders, and the Believers in America received on different occasions, from lawless ruffians, who were taught by the false religion of their forefathers, to commit the most scandalous outrages upon a harmless people, under pretence of suppressing error. It may here suffice, simply to observe, that Mother was the principal object at which their rage was pointed; that during the time of her ministry, she frequently suffered such cruel and shameful abuse as modesty forbids to mention; and that her testimony was supported, and gained the ascendency, amidst those scenes of trial and difficulty, which, to every outward appearance, were insurmountable, and under which she persevered, unshaken and immovable, with that patience and fortitude of mind which surpassed all human comprehension. And although unsupported by letterlearning, and independent of man's wisdom; yet she was supported by that hidden wisdom and power of God, by which she opened the scriptures, and the very nature of things, in so convincing a manner that none were able to gainsay or resist the force of her words, upon any principle of candour.

After Mother and the Elders were released from prison, they again collected together at Water-Vliet, where they were visited by great numbers from distant parts of the state of New-York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New-Hampshire, and the District of Maine, who received faith; and through the power and gifts of God, which were abundantly manifested for the destruction of sin, and the salvation of souls, many were filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory, and increased in their understanding of the way and work of God.

XXIII. In the Fifth month 1781, Mother and the Elders left Water-Vliet, and visited the distant parts, from place to place, where the gospel had been received; and in all the principal places which they visited, they were resorted to from the adjacent parts; and their ministry being every where accompanied with the gifts of the Holy Ghost, in

searching out sin and purging iniquity from the soul, Believers were built up in their most holy faith, received an increase of that overcoming power by which they were enabled to keep out of sin, were filled with consolation and peace, and many more were added to the faith.

Having finished their labours among the distant Believers, they returned to Water-Vliet, where they arrived in the Eighth month 1783,-having been absent about two years and four months. On the 21st day of July, the year following, Elder William Lee departed this life at Water-Viet, being forty years of age.

The decease of Elder William served as a particular means of preparing the minds of Believers for a still heavier trial, in being deprived of the visible presence and protection of Mother, the thought of which seemed almost insupportable to many. But having finished the work which was given her to do, she was taken out of their sight, in the ordinary way of all living, (at Water-Vliet,) on the 8th day of the Ninth month 1784.

Thus, in the early dawn of the American revolution, when. the rights of conscience began to be established, the morning star of Christ's second coming, disappeared from the view of the world, to be succeeded by the increasing brightness of the Sun of righteousness and all the promised glory of the latter day.

And thus the full revelation of Christ, in its first degree, was completed; which was according to that remarkable prophecy of Christopher Love, (who was beheaded under Cromwell:) "Out of thee, O England, shall a bright star arise, whose light and voice shall make the heavens to quake, and knock under with submission to the blessed Jesus."

XXIV. After Mother's decease, the gift and appointment of God, for the lead and protection of the Believers, rested upon Elder James Whittaker; under whose ministration the work continued and increased, in purging away sin and uncleanness, and promoting union and harmony among those who believed and had set out to obey the gospel, in reproving the disobedient, strengthening the weak, and confirming the faithful; till having finished his labours, he departed this life at Enfield, in the state of Connecticut, on the 20th day of July, 1787, being 37 years of age.

Elder John Hocknell (the last of those from Europe who

were called Fathers) survived Elder James many years; and deceased at Water-Vliet, February 1799, being 76 years of age. But after the decease of Elder James, the leading gift, in the visible administration, descended upon those who had received the gospel in America, and was particularly vested in two, namely, Joseph Meacham and Lucy Wright; who, according to the special gift and appointment of God, were known and acknowledged by all to stand in the spiritual relation of a joint parentage to the whole visible body of the Believers. Through their special labours, the Believers were gathered together into families, according to the reve lation of God respecting the Church of Christ in the true order of the gospel, which order was established, in the year 1792. About four years after, Elder Joseph (having finished his work) deceased, at New-Lebanon, August the 16th, 1796, aged 54 years.

XXV. From the beginning of the work in America, in the year 1780, until about the year 1787, there was little to be seen or heard but the out-cry of convicted souls, labouring under the power of God,-and roaring like the sound of many waters and mighty thunderings against the Man of Sin, and all that is of the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-shaking and trembling,-prophesying or speaking with new tongues-singing and dancing-leaping and shouting, day and night; and such various supernatural effects of the power of God, as appeared to the blind spectators of this world like the most unaccountable confusion. But such as were in the work, knew perfectly what those things meant, and felt, therein, the greatest possible order and harmony, it being to them the gift and work of God for the time then present; and which bore the strongest evidence that the world was actually come to an end, (at least to those who were the subjects of it,) and the day of judgment com

menced.

But when they had found a sufficient degree of mortification and death to the life and influence of a corrupt nature, and separation from the spirit of the world, the scene changed, and such righteousness, peace, and order followed, as had never before been established on this earth, since man was created.

XXVI. During the progress of this remarkable change, the testimony was entirely withdrawn from the world: and