At another time she spoke to a number of believers as follows: "Some of you think that you will yet subdue and overcome the "nations of the earth; but you are mistaken: they have that work ❝ to do themselves. They will fight and devour and dash each other "to pieces, until they become so humbled as to be willing to re"ceive the gospel." Again she spoke with great power and energy of spirit, and said, "They will build up; but God will pull "down! they will build up; but God will pull down, until they can build no more! but you will have nothing to do with it."

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Being one day in deep tribulation of soul, she wept with fervent cries to God, in consideration of the scattered state of believers. 66 But,' ," said she, "the time will come when the church will be "gathered into order; but not till after my decease." She also said, "After my departure there will come grievous wolves, who will "destroy many of the flock." Again she said, "The wisdom " and knowledge and light of God will increase in the church until "Zion shall travel to her full glory." Afterwards she said, "It "will not be my lot, nor the lot of any that came with me from "England, to gather and build up the church; but it will be the "lot of Joseph Meacham and others." Again she said, "Joseph "Meacham is my first-born son in America; he will gather the "church into order; but I shall not live to see it.' ""

One day, as she was walking the floor under great power of God, and singing a very melodious song by divine inspiration, her mind apparently abstracted from all the objects which surrounded her, she suddenly stopped, and turning to the people in the room, she said, "I feel a special gift of God; I feel the power of God ❝running all over me." And extending her hand towards the southwest, she added, "The next opening of the gospel will be in "the southwest; it will be at a great distance, and there will be "a great work of God." And turning to Eliphalet Slosson, she said, "You may live to see it; but I shall not." This prophecy she repeated at different times, and in different places, of which numbers now living can bear witness. These predictions have been amply fulfilled.

As Mother Ann was one day viewing an apple tree in full blossom, she said, "How beautiful this tree looks now! But soine "of the apples will soon fall off; some will hold on longer; some "will hold on till they are full half grown, and then fall off; and

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some will get ripe. So it is with souls that set out in the way of "God. Many will set out very fair, and soon fall away; some "will go further, and then fall off; some will go still further, and "then fall; and some will go through."*

Near the close of Mother Ann's labors in this world, a number *This natural similitude shows not what necessarily must take place where the seed of the gospel is sown, but what actually does take place, and is similar to Christ's parable of

the sower.

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CHARACTER AND MINISTRY

[PART 1.

of young people from New-Lebanon, came to Watervliet to see her. Having had considerable opportunity of instruction in the things of God, before they took their leave of her, to return home, she addressed them as follows:

"I have taught you the way of God; you must keep it. I am "but one; I do my work; you must do yours. I wish you knew 66 your day and your privilege; you have a privilege which many "souls have desired and could not obtain. You are young, and 66 you have a privilege to take up your crosses in the prime of your (( activity. If you take up your crosses against the lust of the "flesh, while you have power to please yourselves, you offer to "God the first fruits of your lives; and there is a glorious crown "for all who take up their crosses against the flesh in this world: "such souls will receive that honor and crown of glory which no "other souls can ever obtain. All souls will have a privilege of "this gospel, either in this world or in the world of spirits; but "those that have the offer of the gospel in this world, if they final❝ly reject it, they will never have another day.* You have your day now; you can travel out of your loss by obedience, by tak❝ing up the same cross that Christ did; but souls in the world of spirits have to travel through sufferings, passing from prison to 66 prison, until they find the mercy of God. But those who voluntarily take up their crosses in this world, and faithfully endure "to the end, will be more bright and glorious than any others; 66 they will be kings and priests unto God.”

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After the decease of Elder William Lee, who had been an able support to Mother Ann, in the great weight of care and burden which such a body of believers brought upon her, she began visibly to decline in bodily strength; and knowing that her work on earth was nearly at a close, she endeavored to prepare the minds of the believers for the event. She repeatedly told them that she was about to leave them, and often warned them to be faithful. She said, "Brother William is gone, and it will soon be said of me, "that I am gone too." She was continually visited by believers from a distance, and while her strength remained, she continued to counsel and encourage them to faithfulness in the way of God, telling them that her time was short, and they must keep the way of God for themselves.

About three days before her decease, Job Bishopt came to Watervliet, and feeling a great desire to see her once more in the body, she sent for him into her room. She was sitting in her chair; her bodily strength was far exhausted; but her mind was sound, and

* Meaning that they will never have another dispensation of the gospel after death; because this being the last dispensation of God's grace to man, those who finally reject all its offers, can have no more.

A faithful young believer and laborer among the people, who is now the first elder and father of the church in New Hampshire.

her spirit firm and solid; but calm and serene. She spoke to him and said, "I shall soon be taken out of this body; but the gospel “will never be taken away from you, if you are faithful. Be not "discouraged, nor cast down: for God will not leave his people "without a leader. Elder James and Elder Joseph will be left, “and there will be a great increase of the gifts of God to all who 66 are faithful and obedient. Now you are a young man, and have "received many blessed gifts of God; go, be faithful and zealous ; "and when you travel to your lot in the church, all these beautiful "gifts will be yours." Job wept, and expressed his sorrowful feelings in parting with her, never expecting to see her any more in this world. "Be of good comfort," said she; "cleave to Elder "Joseph; he will be your father, and will take care of you."

Thus she continued, as long as her strength remained, to exhort and comfort all who came to see her. She discovered no anxiety for herself; her principle concern seemed to be to encourage her children to persevere in the way of God, to comfort them in their sorrow, and reconcile them to her departure. And altho her bodily sufferings were great; yet she appeared calm, peaceable and comfortable in spirit, and her usual patience and fortitude appeared conspicuous to the end. She continually grew weaker in body until the 8th of September, between twelve and one o'clock in the morning, when she breathed her last, without a struggle or a groan. Before her departure, she repeatedly told those about her that she was going home. Just before she expired, she said, “I see brother William coming in a glorious chariot to take me home.” Elder John Hocknell, who was greatly gifted in visions, testified that when the breath left her body, he saw in vision a golden chariot, drawn by four white horses, which received and wafted her soul out of his sight.*

* The visions, prophecies and revelations mentioned in this work, will perhaps be rejected by an unbelieving world, as the effects of enthusiasm, superstition and fanaticism. But tho there may be many, even among the professors of christianity, who, generally speaking, have no faith in such manifestations beyond the comprehension of their natural senses and daily experience; yet this cannot alter the truth, nor disannul facts. Therefore, let the sneering unbeliever reflect that the same charge will equally apply to the prophets and saints of all preceding dispensations, who abounded in those gifts. Elijah went up in a fiery chariot, and a cloud received Jesus out of sight. The prophets saw many wonderful visions, and received many revelations, and by divine inspiration, delivered many remarkable prophecies of future events; and who has ever assured man that those who walk in the Spirit of Christ, and enjoy communion with the heavenly world, shall not be able to see heavenly visions, and discern spiritual things, and be blessed with spiritual understanding, in this day, as well as under former dispensations? It is the darkness of a fallen nature which obscures the light of the soul, and the veil of the flesh which shuts celestial scenes from the view of man; but the Spirit of God is, "the same yesterday, to-day and forever."

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Thus departed from this mortal stage, that extraordinary female who was chosen of God to commence, in this latter day, the regeneration of a lost world; in whom Christ, in very deed, appeared the second time without sin unto salvation; whose life of righteousness excited against her the enmity of the wicked, and against whose character the envenomed tongue of slander has never ceased to pour forth its calumnies even to this day. In her the sufferings of Christ appeared conspicuous; in her the righteousness of Christ was clearly manifested to all her faithful followers. In her Christ was revealed the Lord from Heaven, a quickening Spirit; in her was renewed his example of perfect obedience to the will of his heavenly Father; in her was revived the way of life and salvation by the cross, and she plainly taught the impossibility of obtaining it in any other way. In her was first wrought the complete redemption of the female; and through her ministration a way was opened for the restoration of the female character to its proper lot and dignity, from which it had been degraded by the transgression · of the first woman.

CHAPTER V.

A short account of the life and character of Elder William Lee.

WILLIAM LEE was the fourth son of John Lee, and the brother of Mother Ann Lee. He was born in the town of Manchester, in England, in 1740, and was brought up in the occupation of a blacksmith by his father. He was married, and had one son; and was afterwards an officer of horse in the king's royal guard, belonging to a volunteer regiment called the Oxford Blues.

In his person he was of a commanding figure, rather above middling height, thick set, large limbs and strong body. His hair was of a light chesnut brown, his eyes blue, his countenance open and very bold, calculated to inspire confidence and respect. He possessed a strong and robust constitution; his voice was strong, clear and sonorous; in short he was very remarkable for his strength, both of body and mind. In his faith he was firm, zealous and powerful. He feared not the face of man; but was faithful, laborious and persevering in the cause of God. In times of mobs and persecutions he was always undaunted, and often testified against the wickedness of his persecutors with a boldness and confidence which clearly evinced that he was a stranger to the fear of man.

Concerning his first embracing the testimony of the gospel, he gave the following account of himself. That, he was a proud, haughty young man, fond of dress and gaiety, and ambitious of honor and fame: that in the midst of his pursuit of worldly glory

he fell under deep conviction of sin. In this state of mind he went to see his sister Ann, who was then a member of the society under the ministry of James and Jane Wardley. When he arrived at his sister's, being very gaily dressed, she reproved him for his pride, showed him his dangerous situation, and greatly increased his convictions. He immediately threw off his ruffles and his silks, and put his hands to work and his heart to God, and faithfully labored to find the forgiveness of his sins and acceptance with God.

Concerning some of his religious exercises, in the first of his faith, he gave the following account. "Before I confessed iny "sins, I felt great tribulation; and after I had confessed them, I ❝cried to God, day and night, till I heard an audible voice from "Heaven, saying, William thy sins are forgiven." He further said, "Mother's testimony was so awakening to my soul, that "when I was at work over my anvil, I sometimes felt so weary "that I would have given any thing if I could have set down and "rested myself upon my anvil one minute; but I durst not; for I "felt my soul, as it were, upon the point of a needle, and there"fore kept my hands to work, and my soul in continual labor to “God. And often when I went to my meals, I felt so unworthy "to put any of the creation of God into my mouth, that I could not eat, but wept and went back to my work again.”

He further stated, that he frequented the society of James and Jane Wardley; and when he was in tribulation, he sometimes opened his trials and feelings to them, and was encouraged by them; but instead of crying to God for victory over the evil which caused his tribulation, he suffered himself to rest upon their encouragement, which gave him some releasement of mind. But when he returned to his sister again, she would often spoil his comfort by shewing him his real situation, which would again plunge him into deeper tribulation than he had felt before. This made him cry earnestly to God, till he gained releasement for himself, according to her counsel.

When Mother Ann received the revelation of God against the flesh, William united with her, and zealously stood forth in her defence against her persecutors. This raised the enmity of his neighbors and acquaintances, who opposed and persecuted him. He frequently suffered abuse from mobs and persecutors, and some of the scars which he received from the wicked, in consequence of his faith and testimony, he carried with him through life. He once received a stroke upon his head, from a mob, with an iron fire-hook, which fractured his scull; he fell apparently dead, and bled profusely. But the wicked, with all their abuses, were never able to overcome his faith, nor suppress his testimony. He passed through many scenes of suffering, both of body and

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