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TO THE PUBLIC.

HAVING heard that we, who believe the communications given to Joanna Southcott, and published by her, are from DIVINE authority, are considered by many, and by the polite world in particular, as either fools or madmen; I feel it my duty to answer, for the sake of truth, however contrary it may be to the fashionable opinions of society, whose welfare I ought to respect, that whatever difference there may be in the talents and abilities of men, it is in every one's power, who will freely exercise the gift of reason, to discover truth from falsehood. I find I have not listened to any cunningly devised fable. For I have found Joanna Southcott, both from my own observation, and the evidence of others, who have known her from ten to twenty years, to be a character that is incapable of uttering or writing a falsehood, knowing it to be such. She foretold of the late war, before there was any appearance of it, as also the dearth and scarcity that followed; and for nearly eight years past, foretold every harvest, and how the war would go on in this and other nations. Of these things, there can be no doubt. She wrote to two ministers of the established church, in the year 1796, how the war would end; and published to the world at large when that war would end, which it is known it did for a short period. It is a serious question to know, how she could be wiser than the best informed men, distinguished by learning, and great political foresight. I have found her but a simple woman, innocent and without suspicion, who cannot have any wisdom or foreknowledge of her own. I am also a witness that she writes from no books, and has none to read; but in her hand is the pen of a ready writer. She writes fast, without blots, or any appearance of error. All her predictions have come true, though no one believed them, when first she read them from her writings; but as their unbelief did not prevent the truth of the past, I find no reason to doubt the truth of what she says is hastening on; which the unbelief of the world cannot prevent. I therefore trust and hope, that I and my friends,, being counted fools, may make others wise: and my own experience teaches me now to know, that the wisdom of God is foolishness with men: and that the wisdom of men will be found foolishness in the end. How can any one believe that an industrious woman, always confined to her business, fond of work, by which she had saved money towards her future support, a stranger to craft or cunning, should wish to deceive? What motive could she have to leave her work in the year 1792, to write from any invention or contrivance of her own, about what was coming on the earth? Yet many of what are called inventions have already come true; and the rest may come true also. In the twelfth chapter of the Revelation, her character is described, which her very enemies now fulfil and prove. Will any candid reader say, that a woman, who is an impostor, would wait from time to time to see the truth fulfilled, that she might know on what foundation she had to rest, and be certain of the truth of the Spirit that spoke within her, so as to know if she spake from divine authority, before she imposed her predictions on the world? Thus Joanna Southcott has done; and to all natural appearance became likely to lose all the hard earnings of her industrious days; but though poverty and want were in her view, she firmly trusted that if her visitation was

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from the Divine Spirit, that the hearts of believers would be influenced to assist her. In this manner she continued nine years (injuring no one) and in the tenth year she was ordered to print and publish her mission to the world, believing that if it was of God, he would prove faithful to his promise. All to her expectation has been truly performed, or she no longer could have gone on. Now the Earth may cast its floods against her, where justice is not in the heart, and equity is a stranger. But I cannot condemn a woman, who, with much grief of heart and mind for nine years, is now convinced of the truth of her writings, and has published them to the world: let those who accuse her take care that they do not depart from those principles of justice and upright dealing, which she has so strictly attended to. Thus far, at present, I am not ashamed to take her part; for I see no cause to the contrary; and I firmly believe that the truths which are in the Bible are now hastening on to be accomplished.

London, 24th October, 1802.

WILLIAM SHARP.

The reader must keep constantly in mind the following verses, to enable him the better to understand the true meaning of this sealed book: REVELATION,

xii. 4. "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet; and upon her head a crown of twelve stars."

xix. 7. "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the lamb is come, and his wife has made herself ready."

xxii. 17. "And the Spirit and the Bride say, come; and let him that heareth say, come: and him that is a thirst come: and whoever will, let him take of the Water of Life freely."

xx. 1." And I saw an angel come down from Heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand."

2. "And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is called the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years."

3. "And cast him into the bottomless pit, and
shut him up, and set a seal
aud set a seal upon him."

Printed by Marchant and Galabin, Ingram-Court; and sold by W. TOZER,
Chapel Place, Duke-Street, Westminster-Road, Southwark; also by W.
SYMONDS, Gandy-Lane; and the Miss EVELEIGHS, St. Sidwell's, Exeter;
S. HIRST, Leeds; W. WADMAN, York; JAMES LICHT, Coventry-Street,
Stourbridge; EDMUND BAKER, Ilminster; C. BRADLEY, Digbeth, Bir-
mingham; R, GOLDSMITH, Gravesend; and T. TURPIN, Greenwich.

(Price Two Shillings and Sixpence)

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