CHAP. tures, "where there is no vision, the people perish." That is, XII. where there is no present spiritual manifestations and gifts, whatever light the people may have had, they perish from spiritu- Prov. xxix. ality, and fall under the power of the natural earthly principles of this fallen world. 16. 42. Witness the awful fall and destruction of the Jews, when they were no more worthy of revelation. Also, the primitive Church fell to "the earth," when the light of the sun of revela- Rev. vi. 12. tion was covered from them. On the same ground all revivals, up to the dispensation of Christ's second appearing have failed. 43. For these reasons, God in his own way and time, in mercy and condescension to the human race, has opened the doors of spiritual communications and gifts, in this day, in a marvelous manner, adapted more and more to all orders and states of mankind. And we confidently believe that these manifestations will continue to spread in various ways, until they shall extend through all nations, to rescue mankind from their deplorable infidelity; and ultimately prepare the way for the increasing growth of the EVERLASTING KINGDOM OF GOD. CHAPTER XII. PROGRESS OF THE CHURCH IN GOSPEL ORDER. As Christ Jesus came into the world, not to condemn the world, but to redeem and save the world from the nature and effects of the fall, by which their whole life and practice, stood in direct enmity against God; consequently, and of unavoidable necessity, his whole life and testimony, stood in opposition to the life and practice of the world. 2. And hence the words of Christ, "The world hateth me, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.” And as the second appearing of Christ was to complete that which was begun in his first appearing, it could not, in the nature of it, be different from the first. 3. It was hard to the disordered senses of a lost and corrupt world, to bear the light of the divine nature manifested in Jesus, who, in a certain sense, stood remote from all mankind, having descended out of the ordinary course of natural generation; and John, vii. 7. and xv. 18, 19. CHAP. Isa. ii. 11. xxii, 9. who contrary to their exalted expectations of the Messiah, made his appearance in the form of a servant. And so trying was the manifestation, that Divine Wisdom saw it would not be received, without a preparatory work of the Spirit, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 4. But how much more painful must it be to the disordered senses of a lost world, and how much more contrary to the exalted expectations of mankind, when the same fulness of this divine nature is manifested through a woman, of like passions with others, and that in the form of a handmaid, for the discovery of man's total depravity, and for bringing him into judg ment for every secret action of his life. 5. A manifestation of God, so near, so deep and piercing to the pride of fallen man, that nothing could seem to be left remaining, of what God had promised by the mouth of his Prophets, to accomplish in the latter day, for the destruction of iniquity, and for the salvation of his people. 6. And herein may be understood the following express declarations: The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up, and he shall be brought low. The Lord of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth. 7. And upon the same principle that a work of preparation was necessary, in order to the manifestation of Christ in his first appearing, it was required in a more extraordinary manner in his second, to convict mankind of their sins; to break and humble them; to enlighten and encourage them to look for salvation; and to bring them under a sacred obligation, from their own prayers and solemn vows, to accept of salvation in the order of God, through whatever means he would please to send it. 8. Therefore it was, that soon after our blessed Mother, and her companions, came over into America, with the treasures of the everlasting Gospel, the spirit of Elijah was sent forth, and began, in a remarkable manner, to prepare the way of the Lord. 9. The work of preparation in America first began at NeuLebanon, in the county of Columbia, and State of New-York, and at Hancock, in Berkshire county, State of Massachusetts, in the year 1779, with the operations of a remarkable revival of religion, or outpouring of the Divine Spirit, (as has preceded the planting of the Gospel in every other place.) 10. Preachers and people were generally awakened under the mighty power of God, and multitudes flocked to their assemblies, from the adjacent parts around, and were struck with conviction of their sins. Many received the gift of visions and prophecies, by which they saw and testified that the day of full redemption CHAP. was at hand. 11. Their testimony was against all sin, and was attended with great power; and the various exercises and gifts of the Spirit among the people, manifested the most convincing evidences of a real work of God. Some, under deep conviction of their sins, were crying for mercy; others, filled with unspeakable joy, were carried out in visions and revelations of the glory of the latter day; of the coming of Christ; the setting up of his kingdom, and the nature of his government, which was to put an end to wars and fightings, and restore peace to the earth; make an end of sin; bring in everlasting righteousness, and gather the saints into one harmonious communion. 12. The subjects of this work testified, that all their former experience in religion had left them short of real salvation, that is, it had never saved them from their sins, and that nothing short of full salvation could constitute a true follower of Christ; and further, that the day of judgment, the day of full redemption, and the coming of Christ were nigh, even at the door. 13. The work among this people was powerful and swift; yet, as to outward appearance, it was of short duration. In about eight months time, their visions and prophecies ceased, and the extraordinary power of their testimony seemed to be at an end, and none of those things whereof they had testified, as yet appeared. While in this situation, they were in great distress, and applied to their leaders for help, who, being in the same condition, candidly confessed that they were unable to lead them any further. 14. Notwithstanding, the people retained their integrity; and in full confidence of seeing their earnest desires accomplished, they continued their assemblies; and from time to time, by such as were moved thereto, received mild and encouraging exhortations to hope and wait, with earnest expectation, for the day of their redemption, which was near at hand. Their cries and prayers were incessant to God for deliverance, beseeching that he would raise up instruments to lead them out of all sin; in this situation they continued about four months. 15. This was the state of the people in the spring of the year 1780, when, having heard a report by Talmage Bishop, a subject of the revival, and others, concerning a very strange people who lived in an obscure place, in the wilderness, northwest of the city of Albany, they appointed Calvin Harlow to go and make dilligent search, who and what these people were, and report accordingly. 16. Calvin Harlow went, and returned; but neither the people nor himself being fully satisfied, he went again, in company with Joseph Meacham, Amos Hammond and Aaron Kibbee. The two XII. CHAP. former were preachers of the Baptist order, to which belonged the greater part of the people in the revival. 17. These four persons returned, being now fully convinced, and established in their own minds, that what they had seen and heard was the work and truth of God. Whereupon the people at large were also encouraged to go and examine for themselves, as these had done, and each one to conduct in relation to those strange people and their testimony, as they thought proper. 18. Accordingly, during the latter part of the spring, and in the course of the ensuing summer and fall, great crowds, both of men and women, from different parts, resorted to the place (then called Niskeuna,) to see and hear, and judge for themselves. And it was found, beyond all doubt or contradiction, to every candid inquirer after truth, that God had verily raised himself up witnesses, and endowed them with all those gifts of the Holy Spirit that were given to the Apostles and primitive Church, in the day of Christ's first appearing. 19. The light and power, and gifts of the Holy Spirit were so great, especially in the Mother, attended with the word of prophecy, in so marvelous a manner, that every heart was searched, and every rein of them that heard, was tried. The loss of man was opened from its foundation; and the way of salvation by Christ, as a straight and narrow way, a way of self-denial and the cross, was opened by a testimony accompanied with the most convincing evidence. 20. Many believed with all their hearts, and according to the requirement of God, manifested to them through the Mother, confessed their sins one by one, and showed their former deeds, and made restitution of all things wherein they had wronged any one in times past, and set out, once for all, to become a harmless, just, and upright people. 21. Many who believed from the heart, and were obedient to the light and revelation of God, made known unto them through the witnesses, received the gifts of the Holy Spirit; such as tongues, and revelation, and visions, and prophecies, and many extraordinary gifts of healing. And all that were honest hearted, without exception, received the internal power of salvation from all sin. 22. These were the gifts and evidences accompanying the testimony, at the first opening of the Gospel in America. And from this small beginning at Niskeuna, (now Watervliet,) the work of God increased and spread to different parts in the States of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New-Hampshire, and Maine. And the multitude of all who believed and were faithful, were filled with great joy and gladness; increased in faith, in power, and in wisdom; and being led by one Spirit, they became of one heart, and of one soul. 23. The opening of the testimony continued about four years successively; after which it was closed, and withdrawn from the world, and a work of preparation continued among the Believers, under the ministry of Elder James Whittaker, and others, for about three years longer, by which they were prepared to come together, as a united body, in Gospel order. CHAP. XII. 24. As the kingdom of heaven is compared to a net that was Mat. xiii. cast into the sea, which gathered of every kind; so the testimony 47. of the Gospel was open and free to all, without exception. It took souls as it found them, all in their sins, of various dispositions and intentions, some honest hearted, faithful and true to their own salvation, others insincere, rotten hearted and deceitful. 25. And as, when the net is full and brought to shore, there is a separation made between the good and bad, and the bad are cast away, and the good cleansed and gathered into vessels and saved; so in the internal and increasing work of the Gospel, there was a constant separation between good and evil, sin and holiness; and while the evil was purged away, the good remained. Like the shaking of a fan, when the chaff is shaken out and carried away with the wind, and there remains only good wheat. In this the words of Christ were fulfilled, that he would gather Mat. xiii. out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do 41. iniquity. 26. Every thing that has life and growth, from a law initself, hath its beginning from a seed planted in its proper season; so the word and testimony of Christ is the seed of God, by which the Church is begotten, conceived and brought forth; and as many as receive the word and testimony of Christ, and are thus begotten and conceived, in any opening of the testimony, are the seed of one distinct body, to be born in due season, in their proper order, as members of Christ. 27. The Church is compared to the human body, which has a head and many members united therewith; or to a tree, which hath many branches united to the root: as every part of the tree is first formed under ground, and the body has all its parts in the womb of her that is with child; so the Church is first formed out of sight, by the invisible operations of the word and testimony proceeding from the Divine spiritual Parentage, and the joint and corresponding influence of the two first-born in the new creation. And as there is a travailing and bringing forth, in the natural case; so there is also in the spiritual. 28. No individual member of the human body can be born separate and distinct from the rest; therefore it is not by uniting members that are separately born, at sundry times, that the human body is formed. But as the whole body is brought forth at one birth, and in order, with all its corresponding parts, so also is the birth of the Church brought forth in its original order, |