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same child, when grown to manhood, would be capable of doing much more than he could in his childhood; and, of course, more would be required of him. So when a man comes up to all the requirements of God, he then stands perfectly justified in the sight of God, and is, in that sense, a perfect man, and walks before God with a perfect heart. Hence we may see that perfection, in this sense, (which is all that can be required) instead of being unattainable, is perfectly easy.

7. The idea which most people have of perfection, is a state in which there can be no increase for the better. This is a mistaken idea; such a state never will be attained, neither in time nor eternity: for the very life of all things which have life, whether vegetable, animal or spiritual, consists in an increasing growth of some kind or other. Stop that increase or growth in any thing, and its life will immediately begin to decay, and it must at length die. So it is with the soul of every true Christian; if the increase and growth of the soul in the knowledge and nature of godliness ceases, its spiritual life must begin to decrease and die. Therefore, tho' a soul in the progress of faithful obedience to the increasing light and work of God, may become divested of all sinful desires and propensities; yet his life and happiness must and will consist in a further and progressive growth in the knowledge and nature of God, to the endless ages of eternity. And yet a soul who is perfectly obedient to the revealed will of God, is equally perfect before God, in every step of his travel, according to his capacity and God's requirement.

8. Thus the real nature of perfection, when applied to a christian life, consists in nothing more nor less than in doing what God requires of us, which is to improve all our faculties in doing good, according to the best of our understanding and capacity: and in so doing every person who sincerely desires and rightly pursues it, may attain to perfection.

CONCLUDING REMARKS.

We have not written the preceding pages with a view to multiply books, nor to supersede the necessity of those already published by the Society, and which have proved highly useful, and done much towards effecting the important object for which they were intended; especially that entitled, "The Testimony of Christ's Second Appearing," which has had an extensive circulation.* And if its irresistible truth, and the plainness of its doctrines have excited a few sneering comments, and thus disclosed the rancor of one or two ecclesiastical dignitaries; yet no one has ever been able to overthrow the principles contained in it; nor has any person possessing the spirit of candor and discernment ever attempted it.

Nor have we written with a view to excite controversy, nor provoke the resentment of any class of people whatever. Our only object is to satisfy candid enquirers, and to give information concerning our faith, principles and practice, in plain and intelligible language, to all who are willing to receive it. And as for those who care for none of these things, and have no disposition to hear our testimony, we are quite willing they should enjoy their own opinions, and let ours alone: we do not wish to disturb them. We live in a country which boasts highly of the freedom of its religious institutions; and religion is, or ought to be an object of free choice with

every one.

We are not ignorant that some writers, from a spirit of enmity and detraction, have published contemptuous and defamatory reports, who would gladly renew against us, those scenes of religious intolerance which formerly deluged the earth in blood, were it in their power. However doubtful this may appear to those who know not the enmity of such characters, experience has taught us that the spirit of persecution is the same now that it was then: and would display itself in

*We refer the reader to that book, and to Dunlavy's Manifesto, for further infor. mation.

the same manner, were it under no restraint. The spirit of persecution is not governed by truth and right reason; nor is the tongue of calumny guided by candor and impartiality. And whatever pretences our calumniators may make to either, their writings sufficiently prove that they were under the government of their malignant passions.

It has always been the fate of truth to be stigmatized and slandered by falsehood. Whenever the spirit of truth has, in any age been revealed to any people, the father of lies has never failed to dispense among his children, a sufficient portion of the spirit of falsehood to combat the spirit of truth, and scandalize all who maintain it. The great Captain of our salvation was subjected to the scorn and derision of the children of the wicked one, and endured the reproaches of the emissaries of Satan. He was charged with gluttony and drunkenness, and reproached with associating with publicans and sinners. He was also accused of casting out devils by Beelzebub the prince of devils; and he repeatedly assured his followers that they would suffer the same indignities and reproaches. If they "have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more "them of his household? If they have persecuted me, they will al

so persecute you. If ye were of the world, the world would love "his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen 66 you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you."*

It is well known that the primitive Christians were greatly slandered and stigmatized by their heathen neighbors; and every false report that scandal could bestow or malice dictate, was put in circulation; and urged upon the public as positive facts that could easily be proved by eye and ear witnesses in abundance. And when we take into consideration the remarkable similarity that appears between the reports against the primitive Christians, and those that have been circulated against the believers in the present testimony since it was first made known in this country, especially in the earlier period of their faith, it seems as though the most obstinate unbelievers could not but see and acknowledge the striking resemblance, and conclude that these reports must all have originated from the same source, and that they are directed against the same sort of people.

Celsus the epicurean, upon what he called good authority, charged Jesus Christ with being the offspring of adultery; and asserted, "That the mother of Jesus being great with child, was put away by "the carpenter who espoused her, he having convicted her of adultery "with a soldier named Pantheras." Celsus further adds, "that "having been turned out of doors by her husband, she wandered "about in a shameful manner, till she brought forth Jesus in an ob

Matt. x. 25, and John xv. 19, 20.

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scure place.' Such are the charges of this ancient heathen calumniator against the Virgin Mary. And influenced by the same malignant spirit, some modern Celsuses, npon what they call good authority, have made slanderous accusations of immoral conduct against Ann Lee and her followers. But those who best knew the Virgin Mary and the primitive Christians, knew that the reports of these ancient calumniators were false; and those who best knew Ann Lee, and have been personally acquainted with her successors and faithful followers, well know that the reports of these modern calumniators are equally false.

The apostles and primitive Christians were charged with being drunk with new wine; because under the operation of the Holy Spirit, they worshiped God in a manner so different from that practiced by the Scribes and Pharisees, and the rest of the unbelieving Jews. The unbelievers and enemies of the cross could then say they saw it with their own eyes, and could therefore report it as an undeniable fact. And doubtless many unbelievers who heard and believed this report, thought it as presumptuous in Peter and the rest of the apostles to pretend to deny it, as to deny that their accusers had eyes, seeing their conduct was so visible to all around them. Peter however, did deny it, with boldness and confidence; but we do not find that their enemies were willing to believe him: for their enmity and opposition still continued. Yet this new wine, as they called it, had a powerful effect in producing faith in the multitude, and in turning many souls from the error of their ways: But the apostles suffered much persecution in consequence of it.

The charges against Ann Lee and her companions, had no more foundation in truth, than the charges alleged against the apostles and primitive Christians at the day of Pentecost. The truth is, they were under the operation of the same Spirit; and it was attended with the same effects on those who received it, and excited the same opposition in their enemies, and gave rise to the same false accusations and persecution. "But every tree is known by its fruit."

And it is well known that apostates from any religious society whatever, will naturally incline to seek the friendship of the world, and endeavor to justify themselves to the public for their apostacy; and the only reasonable prospect of success many such can have, depends on successfully slandering the society from which they have apostatized. This is a matter of such frequent occurrence in all so.cieties, that it cannot reasonably be disputed. Indeed it is the natural consequence of their apostacy: for they very well know that if they should speak or write favorably of the society from which they have apostatized, every body would be ready to reproach them

* See Lardner's Works, vol. viii. p. 19.

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