SHA K E RS:
A CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN
MARY F. C., OF MOUNT HOLLY CITY.
— — A N D – —
A \|\} \|\|\, \ARA|| ||
of UNION VILLAGE.
EDITED BY
R. W. PELPHIAM,
UNION VILLAGE, OHIO :



2.
TO THE READER.

THF, following correspondence grew out of a vis-
it, made September 5th, 1867, by a very respectable
and pious outside Sister, Mary F. C., to one of the
families at Union Village; and during the short
time she stayed, only a few hours, she was waited
on by one of the Shaker sisters, Sarah L. Mary,
it seems, contracted a remarkable attachment to
Sarah, as will be seen by reading the correspond-
ence about to be detailed. Our outside correspond-
ent is a resident of Mt. Holly City, New Jersey,
where she has been employed some fifteen years
in teaching a primary school. She returned home
soon after her call at Union Village, and the first
notice from her was a news print sent to Sarah,
containing an account of her sojourn in Warren
county, Ohio, including her visit to the Shakers.
Of this part we shall first give a copious extract.
Then will follow a letter of inquiry from Mary to
Sarah, from which liberal extracts are given; and
Sarah’s answer in full is subjoined. A second let-
ter from Mary, with still more important ques-
tions and objections, and their answers by Sarah.
This is followed by a third letter from Mary, ac-
knowledging herself fully satisfied with the argu-
ments and answers.
As the questions put and answered are such as
are very generally asked by earnest inquirers into
our principles, the editor conceived that if printed
in the form of a tract and given to the public, it
might supercede the necessity of writing so many
individual letters, and be as satisfactory to many
other minds as to our Sister Mary. I will only add
that her full and free consent was generously given
for publishing this correspondence, and for the use
of her name. TEIE EDITOR.
VISIT TO THE SHAKER SETTLEMENT.

, “Last, but not least, comes up the remem-
brance of my visit to the Shaker Settlement. That
is a leaf in memory to which I shall often turn. I
have it all before me now. Its broad acres of rich
land; the trees laden with ripe golden fruit,
everything growing in rich profusion that heart
could, wish for; the substantial; pleasantly built
houses; the cheerful ways of the well-ordéred
families; the great, broad-backed, soft-eyed COWS,
themselves partaking of the quiet, gentle ways of
their keepers, the rich, pure milk drawn from
their udders by the pretty young Shakeresses; the
young brother who, passed on before us, showing
us his stock (and with an air of pride pointing Out
his best), with his broad-brimmed hat, fat, rosy
cheeks, and bright black eyes, all these things
make a bright picture that will never fade. . .
“As I passed from one to another and saw the
Calm, happy look on each, I could not but wonder
of their inner lives,--what of their hopes and fears,
&c., &c. * * * * * * %
“As these things crowd my mind the tall, slen-
der figure of SISTER SARAH comes up before me.
Her kind, motherly ways gave me the confidence
to ask what I would. She told how, at seven
years of age, her mother had brought her from the
far-off hills of Vermont, and laid her an offering
upon God’s altar, consecrating her to His service.
Fifty years have passed since then, and her testi-
mony now is, ‘ I am happy.” What a lesson for the
worldling ! I scanned that placid face; no mark
of discontent was there; no hard drawn lines had
settled round any of the features, but a peaceful,
happy expression, telling of the beauty of her life.
As I looked at her I wondered if, when fifty-three

4

years of my life had passed, I should be able
to bear the same testimony. And then I said to
her: ‘Have you never in all these long years
longed for the pleasures of the world?” With an
eye beaming with truthfulness and a voice full;of
Sweetness, she said: ‘Nay, sister, never.” With this
testimony I was led to believe what I had never
thought before, that the Shakers are a happy peo-
ple. All that I saw led me to think it. It is surely
no convent life with its rigid laws and penances;
no dark vaults, or gloomy cells; no high walls or
grated windows. Strong, willing hearts are there,
bearing a firm but gentle rule. A ready obedience .
from all gives birth to the good order and happi-
ness that are so plainly visible. As I passed
through the cool, pleasant rooms, seeing the happy
faces and hearing the cheerful voices of old and
young, and seeing the well-filled larders, I thought,
‘Oh, what a home for the hungry, what a rest for
the weary!” I know it is very unromantic to talk of
being hungry; but as I am of the earth, earthy, I
confess I was able to do justice to the sweet Gra-
ham bread and golden butter, the fresh milk,
cakes, pies and fruit that were set before us. And
then there was such a delicate politeness in the
offering of this lunch, almost making us feel that
it was by accident while we knew it was placed
there especially for us. . After feasting on these
good things, we were led back to the reception
room by gentle Sister Sarah... I could not but ex-
press my thankfulness for the kindness she had
manifested and the pleasure I had realized, and
looking into her clear, calm eyes, I longed for a
place in her love and memory; and when I asked
her to grant me this boon, bright tears gathered in
those soft eyes, and she bent over and imprinted a
fervent kiss on my face. I shall never forget the
pressure of those sweet lips; and like the child
whom the great Napoleon kissed must ever keep
that spot sacred. I do not know that it was so,
but I shall ever cherish the idea that when the dewy
5
tears gathered in those soft eyes and that warm
kiss was given, there Went up a prayer $ºr my
eternal welfare. Be that as it may, I $1 ºl ever
pray for one who was to me so kind, 3.2d I look
forward to the time when I shall rest beside the
River of Life and hold sweet converse, with the
gentle spirit of Sister Sarah.
... MARY FRANCIS CARR.
EXTRACT FROM MARY's FIRST LETTER.
“SISTER SARAH :—You perhaps think this an
intrusion, but believe me it is no idle curiosity, but
a friendly feeling and a desire to know more of you
and of your people and doctrines, . . .
“You Will perhaps remember my visiting you
last summer. * * * I had long desired to visit
your people to see and know for myself what I
had so long heard of. To say that I was pleased is
useless, for I can never express the gratification
I experienced from that visit. I shall ever look
forward with pleasure to a second coming, and I
shall look back upon it with the same feeling. I
think of it as one of the green spots in the desert
of life. . .Your well-ordered, happy homes often
rise up before me in my lonely hours, and I often
exclaim, ‘Oh, for such a rest from the din and
bustle of the world !' I need not say that you are
spared much that is vexing and trying to the
spirit. No doubt you have your trials, but they
are not as ours. Have you any objections to an-
swering a few questions which I wish to ask?
What were the reasons that these good men and
women had for retiring from the busy world and
leading the life they do? What reason do you
give for dissolving the ties of husband, and wife,

6.

parent and child,—the ties which we consider of
all others the most binding ? Then, again, what
reason Can you give for men and women living in
celibacy? Marriage was appointed by God: by it
the human race is propagated. Perhaps you will
think I should not ask these questions, but believe
me, it is no idle curiosity that leads, to the asking
them.' * * : * If you will reply to my ietter,
recognizing me as a friend and an inquirer after
truth, I shall be greatly pleased and indebted to
you. Please, write and address Mary F. Carr, of
Mt. Holly city, New Jersey.” e
ſº
* * ( . G
º º ſ 0. * Q •
t ºr *
SISTER SARAH's ANSWER.

“DEAR SISTER MARY:—I pray you talk not of
“intrusion.’ You cannot tell how delighted I was
to receive your friendly and very interesting letter.
I was pleased to be informed of your health and of
your safe arrival home, and above all, that you feel
so deep an interest in us and Our religious princi-
ples as to induce you to cultivate a further acquaint-
ance, and to inquire more strictly into our doctrines
and the reasons of the life we live. We feel it a
duty to * be ready always to give an answer, to
every one that asketh a reason of the hope that
is in us.” But I am no theologian, and can not
pretend to answer your questions in orthodox
style, but will endeavor to give you true and sim-
ple answers according to my own experience, feel-
ings and reflections. You ask, ‘What were the
reasons these good men and women had for retir-
ing from the busy world and leading the life they
do?” No other reason or motive than a purely
religious one,—an intense desire to live pure and
spotless lives, in a word, a desire to become true
Christians,—true followers of Jesus , the Christ.
Not merely outward followers, but to gain and
7

possess his inner life, his spirit. “If any man
have not the spirit of Christ he is none of His.”
JRom, 8:9. And if we have His spirit it will be
manifest in us by our ‘walking even as He walked.”
1 John 2:6. You next ask: “What reason do you
give for dissolving the ties of husband and wife,
parent and child,—the ties which we consider, of
all others, the most binding 2' Perhaps you will
understand me as thoroughly as by any other
answer I could give, were I to say, we dissolve
those ties for the very same reason that a young
man “forsakes father and mother and joins him-
Self to a wife.” He has outgrown his childish and
boyish affections and ties, and looks upon the mar-
ried relation as a higher enjoyment and happier
life. So the Christian when he becomes ‘wedded ' to
Christ,-when he gets a taste of His Divine, unsel-
fish love, when he feels that same sacred and holy
tie of love to Christ, in his true members, in his
brethren and sisters in Christ,--he is weaned from
all partial, sensual and lower Joves, and gives his
whole heart and all his faculties to the building up
and Support of this holy relation and institution.
And who can doubt that this divine, spiritual
life of Christian love is infinitely higher, holier
and happier than the sensual life of the World,
with all its comparatively low ties and relation-
ships. If the Christian institution has no ties, no
loves, no relationships nor enjoyments which equal
those natural ties and relations of the world, as
professing Christians testify, what can it do for
the world 2 How make them happier or better?
And with all reverence I would ask: Why should
Jesus expect that men and women would forsake
fathers, mothers, wives and children, houses and
lands for His sake, and in order to become His dis-
ciples, as he required, unless His religion and its
relationships would afford them Shigher enjoy-
ments? Indeed, our Savior did promise ‘a hun-
dred fold’ of gospel relations in exchange for the
natural relations of the world, which He required
8

them to forsake. This increased and spiritual re-
lationship is the promised inheritance of Christ's
true followers; and to us this promise is fulfilled.
The inworking of the spirit of Christ ultimately
developes this high and holy state of the affections,
and those who hear its still, small voice and follow
it diligently will surely be led in the right way;
and this, dear sister, is my prayer in regard to you.
It is according to the spirit and practice of the
World to propagate its species; but the spirit and
Work of Christ and of Christians, who are one
with him, is to SAVE those that are propagated.
And they have business enough of their own,
without meddling with that of the world, out of
which they are called and chosen. “Come ye out
from among them.”—“I have chosen you out of
the world, therefore the world hateth you,” saith
the Savior to His followers. So, then, as it is the
law of the first Adam, and the propagating order
to “forsake father and mother and cleave to the
wife,” it is the law of Christ and His' order or in-
stitution, to “forsake father and mother, wife and
children,’ ‘ALL’ for Christ's sake and the Gospel.
Luke 14:26, &c. Of course, if any of these rela-
tions choose to go with the christian into the high-
er spiritual life of Christian love, they will be
embraced in that impartial love on equal terms
with others. The gospel is an expansion of love,
not requiring us to love our natural relations less,
but to love others more, and all on a different and
higher principle. It is only such as hate and re-
ject Christ that are to be forsaken, and even they
are still to be loved and prayed for. We can only
know the spirit of Christ by His teaching and ex-
ample, till it takes its abode in us and becomes a
saving power. On a certain occasion, Jesus was
teaching an assembly, mostly of his disciples, and
some one informed him that his mother and broth-
ers stood without desiring to see him. He did not do
as the spirit of the world would have dictated ; he
illustrated his teachings by his example. He
9

asked, “Who is my mother? and who are my
brethren?” and he stretched forth his hand toward
HIS DISCIPLEs, and said: ‘Behold my mother and
my brethren | Whosoever doth the will of my
Father in Heaven, the same is my mother, sister
and brother.” Mat. 12:48, &c. Thus He rejected all
mere fleshly ties, and gave His disciples a practical
lesson to do the same. He owned no parental re-
lations except those of a spiritual nature. With
him the mere fleshly relations of the world were
nothing; those of the kingdom of God everything.
On another occasion Jesus assured His disciples;
‘that there is no man that has left house or parents
or brethren or wife for the kingdom of God’s sake,
who shall not receive manifold more in this pres-
ent time, and in the world to come life everlasting.’
Luke, 18:29. In Mark, 10:30, the things to be re-
ceived and enjoyed in this present life, instead of
those forsaken, are - unore particularly speci-
fied. ‘Houses, and brethren, and sisters, and
mothers, and children, and lands.” Now, as all .
the names of relations here mentioned, as being
restored are the names of spiritual relations, we
must see that ‘wife,' though mentioned among
those to be forsaken, is not named among those to
be restored, because it is the name of a carnal or
fleshly relation,--a relation not known in the King-
dom of Heaven or Church of God. In view of
these sayings and doings of Jesus the Christ, and
more that might be mentioned, we think the ques-
tion, “What reason have we for dissolving the ties
of husband and wife,” is the same as to ask why
we have become practical Christians,—real follow-
ers of Christ. We have dissolved those ties because
Christ required it of all that would become His
disciples—Luke, 14:26,--because our spiritſial na-
tures demand it, because we hungered and thirst-
ed for righteousness, and were totally dissatisfied
with our own earthly, sinful, sensual lives, and be-
cause we longed for a higher, holier inner and
outer life than could be found in any of the earth
10

relations. . I know it is as you say, that those nat-.
ural ties “are, of all others, the MOST BINDING.”
And it is a sorrowful fact that they bind too many
from entering into the more happy relations of the
Fingdom of God. . . . . . . .
“You further ask what reason I can give for men
and women living in celibacy. This question, I
think, has been already in some measure answered,
and much more might be said on the subject; but
the very best reason we can give is, that Jesus.the
Christ, who was set as an example, that we should
follow His steps, did set us this example, and en-
couraged us by the promise of all the blessings of
earth and Heaven, of time and eternity, to follow
IHim in this thing,<-to forsake wife or husband,—
forsake ALL for His Sake and the gospel. You,
add: ‘Marriage was appointed by God, by it the
human race is propagated.” So it was appointed
by God, and’so is celibacy. The first was given to
the old man, Adam,_the second to the Wew Man,
Christ. Therefore Christians are required to “put
off the old man with his deeds, and put on the new
man, which according to God is created in righte-
ousness and true holiness.’ ‘The first man º
is of the earth, earthy; the second man (Jesus
the Lord from Heaven ; and as is the earthy, so
also are they that are earthy; and as is the heavenly;
so also are they that are heavenly.” I Cor., 15:47,
48. That is, the followers of the first Adam are
like him, and the followers of the second man
(Jesus) are like Him. , ‘No man can serve, two
masters.” And now, sister, you say, ‘Perhaps I
think you should not ask such things.” . But indeed
I do think you should ask just such things, and as
many paore as you may feel an interest in asking ;
and ſº in my broken and fragmentary Way, I
have satisfactorily answered you in any one point,
I shall be pleased. If I have failed, do try me
again. Tell me where the lack is, and I will try
and do better next time. • t g”
“I)ear friend, you speak of ‘looking forward to a
second coming.” Be assured we shall be exceed-
11

ingly pleased to see you at any time when it may
suit your convenience to give us a call, and we hope
it may not be long. I shall be glad to continue a
correspondence with you as long as you may feel
an interest in it, and shall look for an answer to
this in due time. Truly your friend,
SARAH,”
MARY'S REPLY TO THE ABOVE.

“DEAR SISTER SARAH :—Your letter came at a
time when it was most neéded. It came at a time
when I felt that I needed something to cheer and
comfort. It came when I was worn and weary, -
weary in spirit as well as in body. I was longing
for something to change the current of thought.
Your kind letter was a real rest ; and then I was
so glad to know that mine had not been an intru–
sion. I was glad to know, too, that you appreci-
ated my motives, and was kind enough to answer
all my questions. You certainly defend your
cause with an ardor worthy of a crown, and your
reasons are good. And yet I must confess that
much of the scripture you gave to prove your faith
right, I should have taken for the opposite. You
have thrown light where it was darkness to me.
But, my dear sister, it seems to me that there is
so much of the earth, earthy, about me, that I never
could live the pure and holy life that your faith
calls for; and yet I see it in all its beauty . When
I compare your manner of living and your homes
to those of the worldling, or even to professing
Christians, it brings a train of thoughts and ques-
tions which I cannot solve. I love to think of all I
saw, heard and felt the day that I visited you. I
think of it more especially when I am tired,—
12

when, after combating with the world, I am weary
of its strife. Then, it is my mind turns to your
Eden of repose, then it is the memory of your
quiet homes comes to me, and it seems like the
shadow of a great rock in a weary, land. . There
was one thing that I meant to have asked you in
my last letter; that Was, if you, as a people, be-
liove in the divinity of Christ. But ſrom your let-
ter I suppose you do, and I judge that our faith is
very much alike, But tell me, do you regard all as
lost sinners who are not of your faith ? Do you
believe yours to be the only true way,+the only
safe way to the better land? You say Christ gave
us (by His life) an example of celibacy. So He
did; but then He certainly approved of marriage,
for He was present at a marriage in Cana. , And
He also forbade the separation of husband and
wife, And then He tells us that God made them
male and female, and for this cause shall a man
leave all and cleave to his wife. Now you may be
able to throw a different light upon this; but it
seems to me that it is God’s holy will that this re-
lation should exist. I know the example of Christ
is before us, but then He was divine, and He said,
*I must work the works of Him that sent me.”
He had a mission to perform that was not of a car-
nal nature. Now the question comes up, agº, not
all sent into the world with a mission? and are not
those who are living a pure and good life in the
married state doing God's will as much as they
that have chosen to remain free from such entan-
glements & The married relation is very often dis-
honored. Men and women rush into it without a
thought as to their fitness for each other. There is
no unity of spirit, no affinity between them, and
oh, what a life is theirs! Too late they find out
their mistake. Perhaps I am Wrong, but it seems
to me thaf, such have no right to live together and
bear children. A loveless marriage will not make
a loving family, And I believe such Jilarriages
are the cause of nearly all the sin in the world.
13

Children bred under such circumstances cannot be
What they should. &
“Will you please tell me who was the founder
of your Society? When and where was the first
Settlement made? How many settlements are
there in America? Are there any in Europe?
Do you have a regular school system among you?
and what branches do you teach 2 By this time. I
am Sure you are ready to say I am a true daughter
of Eve. But as I have said before, it is no idle
Curiosity that prompts the asking of these ques-
tions. I am fully satisfied that your motives are
all pure. I only wish the world would séem so
much of a nothing to me as it does to you. I wish
I could give up its pleasures and work for good as
willingly as you. * * * Please write again to
your friend, & MARY.”
SARAH's ANSWER TO THE ABOVE LETTER.

“DEAR SISTER MARY:—Yours of January 22 is
received, and manifests those same soul-breathings
for a higher, holier and better life, for which I feel
so much sympathy. The soul-pangs which you
seem to forebode, in passing from your present
condition to a higher spiritual life;—the life of
Christ,-can no more be avoided than the pains of
parturition in the case of a natural birth. Hence
our separation and deliverance from the fetal con-
dition of our natural and worldly life is called a
birth by our Savior. We must be born out of the
world State into the Christ state. ‘That which is
born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of
the spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I say unto
yeu, ye must be born again.” John, 6.7. But
14'

sister, you lack faith. You say, ‘It seems to me
there is so much of the earth, earthy, about me, that
I never could lead the pure life your faith
calls for, and yet. I sae it in all its beauty.’ It is
well that you should have both a lively sense of
your worldly condition, and of the purity of the
true Christian’s life; but it is not well that you
should despair of the power of Christ to deliver
you from a sinful state. The apostolic faith is,
“Through Christ's strengthening us we can do ali
things.” That is, all things necessary to work out
our salvation and separation from the world and
its evil influences. But faith, as our Savior said,
is like a grain of mustard, small in the beginning
and must have time to grow, and if it grow it .
must be cultivated. We must receive the truth in
the love of it, and increase faith by living right up
to its requirements. Our Savior said, “If ye do
whatsoever I command you, then shall ye know of
the doctrines.” Thus it must be practically worked
out, “For faith without works is dead, being alone.”
You say that in your former letter you had in-
tended to ask if we believed in the divinity of
Christ, but conclude from my letter that we do, and
that your faith and ours is nearly alike on that sub-
ject. I do not know your views well enough to
verify your conclusion. There are many shades of
difference among the various Seotaries on this
question, and though we would answer in the
affirmative, yet we are aware that our views are
not strictly orthodox. We believe in His divin-
ity, and we also strictly believe in His humanity.
“You ask: “Do you regard all as lost sinners
who are not of your faith?' We regard all sinners
as lost. But if you mean by ‘lost sinners’ those
that are doomed to eternal perdition, then we an-
swer in the negative: we do not so regard them.
When Jesus sent out His disciples to preach, He
said: “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,
% * for the Son of Man is come to Save
that which was lost', to save ‘lost sinners' from
their sins. . So we have the parable of the lo&
15

sheep (Luke 15:4–6), and of the Prodigal Son. “For
this my son was dead and is alive, again ; he was
lost and is found.’ Whoever, then, has found
Christ, or rather is found of Him, and saved by
Him from sin, no matter where he is located, even
to the farthest verge of this green earth, he is not
lost. Jesus came to Save those that were already
bost,-the whole race,—not merely such as Were in
danger of being lost. • *
“Again you ask: “Do you believe yours to be the
only true way, the only safe way to the better
land?' We certainly believe so. The loss of man
is substantially one, and the way out of that loss is
one. We have no faith in a multitude of ways,
schemes and gospels, all of man's inventions, for
though there be “lords many and gods many,’ yet
to us there is but one God, one Gospel, one Lord,
one faith and one baptism. r &
“In reference to my former communication you
make this remark: “You say Christ gave us (by
His life) an example of celibacy. So He did ; but
then He certainly did approve of marriage, for
He was present at a marriage feast in Cana.” I am
pleased with your candor in acknowledging that
Christ did by His life give us an example of celib-
acy. As to His being present at a marriage, and
turning so much water into wine “after men had
well drunk,” and ordering it to be handed round,
the advocates of alcoholic drink have claimed that
He encouraged drinking, if not drunkenness,
rather than marriage, and I am inclined to think
they have the best of the argument. You remem-
ber, He was charged with being ‘a wine bibber.”
It appears Guite unreasonable to me that this sin-
gle fact of Jesus attending a wedding should can-
cel and invalidate all His plain teaching on this
subject, and His whole life's exampie. And it
seems quite as reasonable to say that He sanctioned
all the Wickedness of the rabble that followed Him
and the publicans and sinners whose houses He
visited, and with whom He ate and drank and as
Sociated. The Pharisees seemed to be of this opin
16

ion when they reproached Him, saying: ‘This,
man receiveth sinners and eateth with them,” and
certainly thereby approves their sinful lives 1 Up-
On the Whole, I think it quite imprudent to con.
jecture the designs of Jesus in such movements, in
order to justify that which we are in favor of,-—
that which goes to indulge our earthly, carnal
natures. Fortunately, we are not left to conjecture
on this subject. The inspired evangelist has re-
corded the motives of Jesus in working this IHis
first miracle. Thus he says: , ‘This beginning of
Imiracles did Jesus, and manifested His glory, and
JHis disciples believed on Him.” Thus it is plain He
Was there and wrought that miracle, not to sanc-
tion marriage nor drunkenness, but to give proofs
of His divine mission and confirm the faith of His .
disciples. Let us then leave this matter where the
Sacred penman left it, and not be wise above what
is written. If there was any reason for believing
that Jesus by His presence intended to sanction that
marriage, I should not hesitate to admit it. I
should not consider it any sanction or authority for
introducing marriage into His church or Kingdom
of God on earth; for there is not the least proof
that either of those married partners were His
disciples, and He might consistently sanction the
marriage of ‘the children of this world,” as the true
light had not reached their minds, nor were they
professed disciples of Christ. You further say that
Christ also forbade the separation of husband and
wife. Now, sister, let us take a fair view of this
matter. Jesus certainly did encourage men by all
the rewards of earth and heaven, of time and eter-
nity, to ForsAKE their wives. “Every one that hath
forsaken houses, wife, &c., for my name's Sake,
shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit
eternal life,” (Matt. 19:29). Mark says, “He shall
receive an hundred fold now in this time, and in
the world to come eternal life.” Now, would Jesus
make such promises and hold Out such powerful
inducements for-men to forsake their wives, and
idthem doing it? I dare not accuse Him
17

of such an inconsistency. Let us then examine
fairly, and see what He did say, which is supposed
to have cancelled those plain promises, and we may
say, requirements, and if possible harmonize the
sayings of Christ. I will refer you to Mark 10:2,
&c.—“And the Pharisees, came to Him and asked
Him, saying, “Is it lawful for a man to put away
his wife?” tempting Him.” We must notice here
that the Pharisees’ question is one of “LAw,’ not
of Gospel. They did not ask Him what He would
teach in this case, but what Moses had taught, ‘is
it lawful,” or according to Moses? Hence, Jesus
answered by asking, ‘What did Moses command
you?” What does the law say? “And they said
Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and .
to put her away.” Now we acknowledge that
Jesus did find fault with this precept of Moses,
and referred to a law anterior to that of Moses.
“From the beginning of the creation, God made
them male and female. For this cause a man will
leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife,
and they twain shall be one flesh. What, there-
fore, God hasjoined together let not man put asun-
der.” This is the old Adamic law, the law given
by God to the first Adam. Hut surely this can not
be Gospel / This can not be the institution of the
Second Man, the Lord from Heaven “For they
that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh;’ this “one
flesh” with the rest. It is according to the order of
the first Adam to “forsake father and mother and
cleave to the wife.” But it is according to the or-
der of the ‘Second Man” to forsake father and
mother and wifetoo, and cleave to Christ. ‘For he
that is joined to an harlot is one flesh, but he that
is joined to the Lord is one spirit. (1 Cor. 5:6–17)
The key to this whole subject is, the wide difference
between “forsaking’ the wife and divorcing or ‘put-
ting away’ the wife. In every instance where Jesus
encourages men to 'forsake? their wives it was to
be done “for His sake and the Gospel,” for His
name’s sake,” or ‘for the sake of the Kingdom of
God.” (See Matt. 15:29, Mark 10:29, Luke 18:29.)
18

But why should Jesus expect His followers to for-
sake their wives for His sake unless He required
it ‘’’ This must be the motive. But the Sole mo-
tive for divorcement is to put the man or the
woman, as the case may be, in a legal condition to
get another wife or husband, and not for Christ's
sake. No doubt but this precept of Moses had
been basely abused, which abuse Jesus designed to
check by holding those who were living according
to the first Adana, who “was of the eartli, earthy,'
to God’s original law for such. This is n 'ade plain
from what follows: “And in the house His disci-
ples asked Him again of the same matter, and He
said unto them, whosoever shall put away his wife
and marry another committeth adultery against
her, and if a woman shall put away her husband
and be married to another, she committeth adultery.”
So, then, the case stands thus: “Whosoever shall
jorsake his wife for the sake of the Kingdom of
God shall receive an hundred fold now in this
time, and in the world to come eternal life; but
whosoever divorces or ‘puts away’ his wife and
marries another commits adultery and therefore
“cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.” (See 1 Cor.
6:9.) I would here observe that forsaking the
wife for Christ’s sake does not necessarily imply or
require a separation, but divorcing does. Only the
yelation of husband and wife;-the married rela-
tion,--is to be forsaken, and not the person or per-
sons; and as Paul says of Peter, a man may “lead
about a wife a sister,’ there being no other rela-
§ § between them but that of brother and sister in
T I’ISU, © s • .
[NotE BY THE EDITOR.—The Geneva version
reads: “A wife being, or having become a sister.”
A commentator says: “A wife who is, or has be-
come, a sister in Christ.’ Im. ver, note.]
After all, we do not say that Jesus forbade mar-
riage, for he said: ‘The children of this world
marry,' but declared at the same time that they
that shall be counted worthy to obtain that .*.*
world do not marry. He told His disciples tha


19

He had chosen them out of the world, and that
they were no more of the world than He was of
the world; and if they were not of the world what
were they of? Why, evidently, they were ‘child-
ren of the Kingdom of Heaven.” Jesus designed
to make a clear separation and distinction between
‘the children of the Kingdom’ and the children
of this world,—between His followers and the
followers of the first Adam, between those who
multiplied the subjects of the world and those who
multiplied the subjects of the Kingdom of God, by
calling lost souls into the work of regeneration,-to
be born again,_to become as little children ; “for
of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.” g
“You say, dear sister, that it seems to you that
it is God’s holy will that the married relation
should exist. I do not feel disposed to dispute
this ; nor do I doubt that it is His holy will that
His kingdom on earth, His holy church,--should
maintain a pure Continent life, and that the two
orders should not be blended. There are in my
opinion but two relations of the sexes which God
approves. The married relation, when the laws of
God and nature are strictly observed, and no carnal
intercourse indulged except for issue, is undoubt-
edly God’s method for peopling the world. The
other relation of the sexes is the pure spiritual re-
lation of father and mother, brother and sister in
Christ. This is God’s method of saving lost sinners
and peopling His kingdom on earth, that king-
dom for which Christ taught His disciples to pray,
and which He came to set up on earth. . . . .
“You further say: “I know Christ’s example is
before us, but then He was divine.” We must not
forget that He was also human, and well qualified
to set us an example in everything pertaining to
our duty on earth as His followers and subjects of
His gospel. As to His humanity, it is said that He
took not on Him the nature of angels, but the seed
of Abraham, and was tempted in all points like as
we are. (See Hebrews 2:16 and 4:15.) Thus He
20

had our human nature, and set us an example how;
as Christians,—as, His followers, we should treat
it; how we should hold it to the cross by living a
pure continent life, and never indulging that
which is carnal, and by this means sanctify the
human and make it divine, You say *He had a
7mission,’ and so He had, and that very mission was
“to set us an example that we should follow His
steps.” And it seems to me that there is no part of
human life or relations in which a true exam-
ple, is so much needed as in the married relation.
You seem to realize this from the terrible picture
you draw of the evils attending those pelations.
You say, and say truly, “they are the cause of
nearly all of the evil in the world.” And let me
ask: “Is this evil confined to the non-professing
part of the world? Must it not be acknowledged
that professing Christians are equally involved in
it? This being so, it must appear that Jesus utterly
failed in His mission of setting mankind an exam-
ple how to live in a married State So as to avoid the
great evils so justly complained of, provided it was
His design that His followers should live in the
married relation. The only remedy for all those
evils is the pure continent life which His example
and teachings mark out. Sister, there are the two
Orders, the generation and the regeneration,-the
order of the old man, Adam, which is of the earth,
earthy, and the order of the New Man, Christ, the
Lord from Heaven. We cannot belong to both ;
for ‘all in Adam die; but all in Christ are made
alive.” “Put off, therefore, the old man, which is
corrupt with his deceitful lusts, and put on the
New Man (Christ) which after God is created in
righteousness, and true holiness.” (Eph. 4:22–24.)
And, dear sister, as free agents, we are left to choose
between these two. The law was given by Moses,
but grace and truth (the Gospel) came by Jesus, the
Christ. If we choose the work of generation we
come under Moses’ laws which regulate it, as in
Leviticus, 12th chapter. If we choose to follow
21

Christ in the regeneration, we are delivered from
the law by being raised above it, and living such
pure and holy lives that we do not come under its
cognisance. If we commit no uncleanness, we
are not required to observe its ‘divers washings and
carnal ordinances.” If we bear no children we are
not to be turned out of the church or congregation
and not be suffered to come in again till at the end
of forty or eighty days we, ‘offer a sin offering for
our sin”. (Lev. 12th chap.) The law of Moses is a
system of commandments and penalties, adapted
to the Order of the generation,-‘thou shalt and
thou shalt not.’ The Gospel is a system of grace
and gracious invitation to a holy life. “Whosoever
will, let him,' is the language of the Spirit. ‘If
any man will be my disciple, let him,”—not make
him or coerce him, but, “let him take up his cross
and follow me.” But what if he refuse? Just
what happened to those in the parable of the feast
who rejected the invitation,-‘they shall not taste
of my supper.” Those who continue in the genera-
tion, and hold their union and relation to a sinful
world, must share in its sins and its sorrows, its
troubles and its guilt, and remain destitute of that
justification and purity of life which give quiet-
mess, peace and assurance forevermore. &
“Sister Mary, I do not know as you are yet pre-
pared to make the wise choice of your ancient
name-sake, -that better portion which will never
be taken from those who truly devote themselves
to Christ. But when I contemplate the turmoil
and trouble, the weariness of your body and
spirit, my heart is touched with deep sympathy,
and I say to myself, Oh, if she would come to
Christ and consecrate herself wholly to Him and
His cause ! He would say to the troubled waters,
“Peace I Be still !!” I cannot help hoping and be-
lieving that these soul-struggles indicate a tran-
sition state,<-a preparation to break the shell and
come forth into a new and brighter sphere of life,
in which you will have wings of faith and hope
which will waft you high above the dark troubled

waters, of the earth sphere. But, sister, I do not
want.to hurry you. Consult the highest, holiest
dictates of your own heart and conscience; listen
honestly, sincerely and lovingly to the soft whis-
pers, and obey the teaching. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
“You ask my prayers. . . You have them, and
shall have them ; for within you I'recognize a sis-
ter-soul, struggling to break forth into the light and
liberty of the sons and daughters of God. . . . . . . . . ."
“You want to know the founders of our Society.
We claim Ann Lee, of Manchester, England, 'as-its
human founder. The true Gospel of Christ was
lost from among men, though there were thousands
of ‘lo-heres 1 and lo-theres?” She was illiterate, as
was Jesus, (see John 7:15); and received the Gospel
in its purity, by revelation from God and, promul-
gated it in England; was persecuted, innprisoned
and suffered much ; was warned of God to come
to America, which she did ln 1774, being accorn-
panied by eight of her followers. They settled in
the state of New York, at . Niskayuna, now
"Watervliet, near Albany, where the oldest Society
still exists. They continued quietly to lay a foun-
dation for an in-gathering, which MOTHER ANN
(for so we call her) confidently declared would take
lace. Continuing for three and one-half years
É. and two months) they finally opened aud
promulgated the testimony that a second revelation
of Christ's pure Gospel had been given through
Ann, of Manchester, which would, as in primitive
times, save souls: from sin. Many believed, con.
fessed and showed their deeds. Persecution began.
Mother was imprisoned, in Poughkeepsie jail, but
the word and work of God grew mightily, and
prevailed till there were, in a few years, eleven
Pentecostal Societies established in New York and
New England. In 1806 the work began in Ohio
and Kentucky, and there have been since then six
new Societies established, making eighteen in all.
There are no other Societies of our people in any
other country or nation, though there are individ-
ual members elsewhere. -
23
“We have a regular school, taught under the
supervision of the proper state officers, in con. .
formity to the common School Jaws, and teach all
branches common to such Schools, making no dis-
tinctions. . . .
“I shall now close, having, as I hope, satisfactor-
ily answered all your questions, and shall be inter-
ested to hear from you again whenever you feel
inclined to Write. Truly your friend, &
D. SARAH. .


& -
\
AN EXTRACT FROM MARY's ANSWER.

“DEAR SISTER SARAH :—I did not intend to let
your kind letter remain so long unanswered. It
did me good to read it ;, there was so much in it to
refresh and comfort the tired spirit. The kindly
spirit you manifest, and the promise of your
prayers, all seem like water to the thirsty. Your
arguments are good; they are forcible and conclusive.
I can not refute them, so I will take them and try to
digest them. I long to tread the King's high way
of holiness. I want the teaching of those that
know more of Christ than I do myself. Frora
early infancy I have been taught to...love and re-
spect God and His teachings. As a child I was pe-
culiar. I would not believe unless I had a reason
for so doing. I Was left to form my own conclu-
sions of things. I was fond of reading, and read
much that was beyond my comprehension. I read
the Bible as a text-book, and was my own com-
mentator. For years I drifted about as a ship with-
out a pilot in an unknown sca. But at last I seem-
ed to hear a voice say: “This is the way, walk ye
in it.” And I found harbor in the Episcopal
Church. For twelve years I have found a com-
24

fort in striving to conform to the demands of that
faith, and by teaching the poor and aiding and
visiting the sick. I have tried to do my duty.
But in quiet hours the thought comes up.:
what if, after preaching to others, I myself am a
castaway? I long for a deeper peace. I want the
abiding presence of Him who has said: ‘I will be-
troth thee unto me forever.'. The world never has,
and I know it never can, satisfy the demands of my
nature. I long for a rest frem sin. * * * My
parents are living, and my home is with them. In
early life I became a teacher, and have taught for
fifteen years. I have held the position of Principal,
of the Primary Department of the Mount Holly
City Public Schools for twelve years. I have had
the charge of one thousand children in that time.
I have had a good opportunity of sowing good
seed. But the question often comes up :; what
fruit will it bear? I often wonder if, when the
great harvest of the world shall come, there will be
any to rise up and call me blessed. As I said be-
fore, I want help from some one who will, guide
me in the right path. The first and the only time
I ever saw you, my sister, my heart was drawn
out toward you. I felt that ours were kindred
soirits. I feel so yet. I love to think of
you as my friend. Ever let me claim you as
such... I do not often feel so to strangers; have al-
ways been very choice of my affections and where
I piaced Iny cofidence, and can accºunt for this
only as the inner workings of the Spirit. The lit-
tle tract you sent me (the Shakers's Answer) I read
and like very much. It is a true version of Christ-
tan love. Such reading I like, and at any time it
will be welcome. * * * Now, asking your love
and prayers, I must say good night. *
MARY F. C.
24%
/ ?/ ? 7T) *
2/ "a “”, /K. <-> (0. - Co-Cé. v 6 ſ.
. . R. /- /4 - 43
* 12-6 77 . *