taken there, but alas! alas! no satisfaction could be obtained there; but alas, I, even I, when I was in the ball chamber, was sensible there was a God, who did truly see me. My mind struck me oftentimes with dread, and fear, while going on in vanity, serving my master the devil; if God should smite me this moment, and death should strike me, what should I do? it would strike me so, that I, even I! could not take satisfaction in the thing. But thanks be to our God, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, he has pleased to incline me to run after him, drew me with the cords of his love. that I might be inclined to run after him. I, even I, tell you of my former vanities, not that they are unto me pleasing; but unto you, oh youth, I tell them, that you may yet come and choose that comfort, that will be substantial. Think not to say that I am deceiving you. I say, they that have the grace of God in their hearts, they are the happy people, they belong to another and a better country, where pleasures flow from the throne of God. Be not discouraged O my Brethren and Sisters, but pray for sinners; for when Zion travaileth, she shall bring forth children to the praise of the Grace of God; for this reason I would beseech of you to wake out of stupidity. "Arise and put on your beautiful garment that you may appear bright as the sun, clear as the moon, and terrible as an army with Banners." O my friends may you therefore be faithful servants of the Lord; that you may be of the happy number that shall come out of the great tribulation, having washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. Angels and archangels, yea they do dwell in the heavens above, they are clothed in dazzling light, so bright that mortals cannot look upon them, nor carnal eye behold them; these beautiful beings cease not at all, but do cast a glittering crown before our Father and are crying holy! holy! holy! Lord God Almighty which was and is, and is to come, worthy is the lamb to receive everlasting praises from eve ry creature. Saints, yea saints, that have arrived there hundreds and thousands years ago, they have one continual song in praising God and are not wearied. The Patriarchs, prophets and apostles are there, they have long white robes presented to them and they have not changed their garments, but they are as beautiful as they were when they first put them on; they immediately joined the angels in heaven in praising God and have continued praising God to the present moment. Their clothes have not become motheaten for they appear dressed in fine linen white and clean. Saints that have died in the Lord's later years do join in praising God, "All shining like the sun; No less days, to sing God's praise, Jesus is the light of the city; there needeth no light of sun moon or stars; for Jesus is the light of the city; no, no night there, but all is day. Our Father he smileth upon his children, he biddeth them hearty welcome, beloved to live in heaven, let us follow on to please the Lord, by walking near him and obeying his commands. Here there was an interruption by a question. Rachel, do you think the people will believe you? Ans. Do I think the people will believe me when I speak the truth in Christ Jesus; I even I, do speak the truth; whether I do speak the truth or not, judge ye; better for them not to hear than not to believe; for there is a God to whom they are accountable for what they hear. I know and am persuaded, my brothers and sisters will witness to the truth. Furthermore will I tell you, and leave you in the hands of the Lord, there is no other way; he hath said, I am the door, by me if any nian enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. O, that the Lord our righteousness would help us his children to draw water out of the well of salvation, that our minds may be fed with the bread of life. Oh that the Lord would clothe us in the righteousness of Christ, that we may be enabled to cleanse our hands from every thing that appears like evil. I leave you in the hands of the Lord, and when you pray, forget me not; praying that I may be kept to the end, for the prayer of the righteous availeth much. I will therefore turn my attention to poor sinners. Here she was interrupted by a second question. Rachel! Ans. What do you want my friend. Can you address the people of New York, for you are in New York, and they are now about you? Answer, I am at Scipio (the town of her residence) and am talking to my brothers and sisters, and repeated, I will therefore turn my attention to poor sinners, and in a few words exhort you if haply I may be an instrument of turning them from the evil of their ways. Sinners continue no longer in sin, lay down the weapons of your rebellion, and fly to Christ. Many times have I taken words and exhorted you. What, more sinners shall I say, shall I spend this vile body of mine and you not hearken unto my voice? I, even I, would be willing to spend this body, if I could be the instrument of turning one soul unto the Lord, I perceive thy soul is worth more than hundreds and thousands of worlds. What profit is unto a man if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul. What profit unto you to gain this earth and lose your soul? we read the rich man had the love of this earth and it bound him down to the dark regions of endless wo. He lifted up his eyes in hell, being in torment, he beheld Father Abraham afar off with Lazarus, who was a beggar and would have eaten the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table, but now after death he was in glory, and the rich man was in hell. This rich man was like unto the fool who saith in his heart, there is no God. He said no doubt, eat, drink and be merry, for I have enough, and what careth I. He did truly make a god of this world, but at last the grim messenger, death, came and deprived him of this life, and he was plunged into wo because he would not hearken to the voice of our God. Will it not be more dreadful for you in the day of judgment than for Sodom and Gomorrah? Will not you come and be partakers of the gospel feast? lay down the arms of rebellion and turn unto the Lord. Dearly heloved friends, you are the beloved of my soul. As I do love my own soul, so I love you. Comé, be partakers of riches, yea durable riches, and honour, and when I pray unto my Father, I will pray that he would direct me how to pray; for, if I should take words and not offer my heart, it will not profit me any thing. Therefore, I will desire to reverence my God, with my heart; also it becometh us to honour him with our hearts, that the words of our lips may be right before him; for our God will not be mocked by such things. CONCLUDING PRAYER. O! thou that dwellest in dazzling light and makest the throne above the place of thy rest, thou didst create all nature by the word of thy power. The heavens and the earth are the work of thy hands; the fishes that swim in the sea, the beasts that walk on the earth; the great waters and the dry land, also the creeping thing; and they ought to praise thee, yea they do seem to speak thy praise. The winged fowls do praise thee for thou art worthy; thou didst create the sun, moon, and stars, and they speak forth thy wisdom. Thou didst place them in their proper order, thou speakest unto them and they cease not to obey thee, thou didst create man out of the dust of the earth, thou breathedst into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a being a living soul, thou didst place him in a state where he could enjoy thee, but he fell, and by the fall of our forefather sin entered into the world, and if not for the sake of thy beloved son, we must have perished. Thou didst make thy son, to come into this world; he took upon him the pains of death for his children; thanks be to thy name that there is such a glorious way of salvation found out. Thou didst send hira to open a way and a consistent way, whereby the children of men might come unto thee and be saved; help us thy professed children to believe, to repent of all our sins, so that our sins may be blotted out of the book of thy remembrance, that our names may be written afresh in the lamb's book of life; that we may have a right to the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Though thou art in heaven, and we on earth, condescend to visit us, speak peace unto our souls, give us of thy reconciled spirit, that we may be enabled to walk humbly with our God, while we dwell on earth. Clothe Zion with thy salvation that she may be able, to give glory to thy name. Wilt thou appear in behalf of thy disciples who are chosen to preach thy word, may they be men that lie low in the valley of humiliation, servants of the Lord, who shall preach Christ Jesus and him crucified. Raise faithful labourers and send them into thy harvest, for the harvest truly is great and labourers are few. Bless thy disciples who go into the dark caverns of the earth to preach the gospel to the heathen; where darkness is, may light break forth, where gross darkness is, may the sun of righteousness arise with healing under his wings. How long will it be. before the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ, whose kingdom is, an everlasting kingdom and all dominions shall serve and obey him. How long shall I cry unto thee, and pray that a reformation may take place on the earth? Help O God! for the goodly man ceaseth; for the faithful fall from among the children of men. Help! or we perish, for I am sensible and persuaded that vain is the help of man. Put it into the hearts of our enemies to return unto their own land in peace, put it into the hearts of this American nation to desire peace; I pray thee if it can be consistent with thy will that thy judgment may be removed. May thy kingdom come and thy will be done on earth as it is D |