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They were led however, to make some arrangements, in the first place, for their future residence, where they could be united in the mutual enjoyment of their faith, and wait the call of God to more extensive usefulness. Accordingly William Lee and John Hocknell went up the river and contracted for a lot of land near Niskeyuna, in the county of Albany, and returned again to NewYork. John Hocknell soon after sailed for England, to bring out his family, and make further arrangements for the settlement of the society in this country.

Mother Ann accompanied her brother William and some of the rest of the society to Albany, where they found employment in their several occupations. She then returned to New-York, where she continued during John Hocknell's absence to England. She resided in the house of a respectable family, in Queen-street,* by the name of Smith, by whom Abraham, her husband, was employed as a journeyman in the blacksmith's business. She employed herself in washing and ironing for her support; and by her meekness, humility and amiable deportment, she gained the esteem and confidence of the family, and particularly of Smith's wife, who treated her with great kindness. By this woman she was afterwards solicited to take charge of her family affairs, with full liberty to manage therein according to her own discretion. But Mother Ann could not listen to any proposition which was incompatible with the gift and calling of God to her; she chose rather to endure poverty and sufferings, than to turn aside from her duty to God for the sake of any temporal advantages whatever.

During John Hocknell's absence to England, Mother Ann went several times up the river and visited those of the society who resided in the vicinity of Albany, and was occasionally visited by some of them; but still continued her residence in New-York. In the latter part of the summer or beginning of autumn, 1775, Abraham Stanley was visited with a severe sickness. To nurse and take care of him in this sickness, required Mother Ann's whole time and attention. This duty she performed with the utmost care and kindness, tho often at the expense of great sufferings on her own part. Their earnings now ceased, and they were reduced to extreme poverty.

Abraham at length recovered his health, so as to be able to walk the streets; and tho he never had been considered as a faithful and substantial believer; yet he had hitherto supported his credit and reputation, and maintained an outward conformity to his faith. But on regaining his health, and before he was fully able to return to his occupation, he began to associate with the wicked at public houses, and soon lost all sense and feeling of religion, and began to oppose Mother Ann's testimony in a very ungodly manner, and

* Now called Pearl-street.

urged her to renounce it, and live in sexual cohabitation, like the rest of the world. She replied, that she was willing to do any thing for him which justice, reason or humanity required; but she should never consent to violate her duty to God; and endeavored to prevail on him to return to his duty and be faithful.

But as Abraham was determined to pursue the course of the world, he continued his vicious practise, instead of returning to his occupation, and left Ann to provide for herself. At length he brought a lewd woman into the house to her, and declared that, unless she would consent to live in sexual cohabitation with him, he would take that woman for his wife. Ann replied with great firmness and resolution, that she would not do it if he should take her life as the consequence of her refusal. She also informed him, in plain terms, that she considered his cruel and abusive conduct as a very unjust requital for the uniform kindness and attention which she had paid to him, both in sickness and in health; and said she was still willing to take the most tender care of him, if he would return to his duty, and conduct himself as he ought to do, and urged him, in the most feeling manner, to return to the obedience of his faith; but all to no effect. He soon went off with the woman, to a distant part of the city, and it was reported that he was shortly after married to her. Thus ended the connection between Mother Ann and Abraham Stanley.

On the 25th of December, 1775, John Hocknell, with his family, arrived at Philadelphia, accompanied by John Partington and his family. From Philadelphia they proceeded to New-York, where they found Mother Ann. They continued in New-York till some time in February following, and then went on to Albany by land. After the opening of the river, in the spring, they went down to bring up their effects, and Mother Ann returned to Albany with them, and joined the rest of the society. Having taken up a lot of new land, their next object was to prepare for a settlement, in the wilderness, by clearing their land, erecting suitable buildings, and making other necessary provisions. This they accomplished in the course of the summer.

and

Thus, after passing through many trying scenes, Mother Ann and those who stood faithful with her, were collected together, in the month of September, 1776, took up their residence in the woods of Watervliet, near Niskeyuną, about seven miles north-west of Albany. The place being then in a wilderness state, they began, with indefatigable zeal and industry, and through additional sufferings, to prepare the way for a permanent settlement, where they could enjoy their faith in peace, amid the tumults of the war, in which the country was then involved. Here they waited with patience God's appointed time, for the opening of the testimony of that everlasting gospel, for which they had already suffered so much,

and which, above all other things, was the nearest to their hearts. Here they occupied themselves in improving their new settlement, and providing for their comfortable subsistence; and here they held their solemn meetings, and offered up their devotions to God, full three years and a half, until the way was prepared for the commencement of their testimony to the world, in the spring of the year 1780.

In the year 1779, Mother Ann often encouraged her companions, by telling them that the time was just at hand when many would come and embrace the gospel, and directed them to make provisions for it, which they did according to their abilities. This same year, a remarkable revival of religion commenced in New-Lebanon and the adjacent towns, attended with many extraordinary circumstances of conviction, which greatly awakened the zeal of preachers and people. Many were powerfully wrought upon, both in body and spirit, and deeply convicted of their fallen state. Many also, who had been professors of religion, began to see the false foundation on which they had hitherto built their hopes of salvation. Many were favored with gifts of visions and prophecies, by which they saw and testified that the day of redemption was at hand, that the second coming of Christ was nigh, even at the door; and their meetings resounded with loud cries to God for his kingdom

to come.

Their meetings were also attended with great power of God, and a strong testimony against all sin; and the various exercises and gifts of the spirit among the people, manifested the most convincing evidences of a real work of God. Some, under a deep conviction of their sins, were crying for mercy; others felt unspeakably happy in the joyful visions and revelations of the glory of the latter day, and of the commencement of the kingdom of Christ on earth, which was to put an end to wars and fightings, and all manner of violence, restore peace on earth, make an end of sin, bring in everlasting righteousness, and gather the saints into one harmonious communion.

The work was powerful and swift, but of short duration. In a few months their visions and prophecies ceased, the extraordinary power of their testimony seemed to be at an end, and none of those things of which they had testified, as yet appeared. In this situation they were filled with deep distress and anxiety of mind; yet still retained their confidence in the near approach of Christ's kingdom, and continued their assemblies with earnest prayers, and exhortations, encouraging one another to maintain their faith and hope, to wait with patience, to pray and not faint.

This was the state of the people in the spring of 1780, when some of them providentially visited Mother Ann and her little family, and were soon convinced that they were in the very work for

which they themselves had been so earnestly praying, and for which they had been looking and waiting with such ardent expectations. Attracted by the report of these, others were induced to visit them; and the fame of these strange people, who lived in this. obscure corner in the wilderness, soon extended far and wide. Many resorted to see them, from New-Lebanon and the country round, and when they heard the new and living testimony, and saw the various and extraordinary operations of Divine Power among them, they were fully confirmed in the belief, that Christ had, in very deed, appeared again on earth. Many from various parts of the country, and of almost every denominaton, embraced the faith of the society.

Many of the new converts, as might be expected, were filled with great power and zeal; but for the want of experience and understanding, they were not able, at all times, to exercise their zeal according to the dictates of wisdom. Many times they exhibited a degree of wildness and enthusiasm in their conduct, which, to the beholders, appeared like the greatest inconsistency and delusion, and especially to such as trusted in the forms of religion, while they were ignorant of its internal power. To the natural man, such views of a new and singular manifestation of religion, were very natural; especially as its light and testimony struck at the very root and foundation of the fallen nature of man.

These things, however, were viewed in a very different light by those who were spiritually minded. But if it sometimes happened that irregularities took place, which were inconsistent with the faith of the testimony, they were discountenanced by the leading characters of the society. The work was all new to those who embraced it, and the leaders being few in number, and the work extensive, irregularities could not always be foreseen nor prevented. And where the destruction of the old heavens, with all their false systems, and of the old earth with all its corruption and wickedness, was beginning to take place in the soul, in order to establish the new in the place thereof, it must necessarily produce a commotion in the human system, like the clashing of two opposite elements. These effects will always be viewed in their true light, by those who are divinely enlightened, and who are able to discern the true source from whence they proceed.

Such a remarkable event, however, could not take place without exciting great agitation in the public mind. Hence many conjectures were in circulation concerning these strange people, and especially concerning their female leader. By some she was strongly suspected of witchcraft, and the old accusation was in substance revived She casteth out devils by Beelzebub." But as it was a time of wars and fightings, (the country being then engaged in its sevolutionary struggle,) and those who received the testimony, were

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averse to war, advantage was taken of this circumstance to represent them as enemies to the country. Accordingly they were accused of maintaining a secret correspondence with the enemy, and the charge of treason was publicly alledged against them. In consequence of these accusations, which had no foundation, but in the enmity of a persecuting spirit, Mother Ann, and a number of the leading characters were, in the month of July following, imprisoned in Albany.*

Tho the charge of treason was the ostensible cause of this imprisonment; yet it appeared evident that the real object of their accusers was, to break up the society, and thereby suppress the growing testimony. But so far from effecting this object, the testimony had afterwards a more rapid and extensive circulation than before. For when it was once understood that an innocent people were actually thrown into prison, on account of their religion, the circumstance naturally excited great sympathy among the more considerate part of the community, and great inquiries were made concerning the religious tenets of a people who were judged deserving of such harsh treatment.

Hence they were visited by multitudes of people from various quarters, and from many miles distant; and every honest and candid enquirer was soon convinced, not only of the innocence of the people, but of the truth of their testimony. There were also many sensible men who expressed their disapprobation of these intolerant proceedings against an innocent people, for no other cause, in reality, than their religious faith and testimony, and especially at a time when the nation itself was contending for its civil and religious rights. And all who were seriously awakened to a feeling sense of their loss from God, and of their need of salvation, and who were willing to endure the cross of Christ, regardless of popular clamor and the enmity of persecutors, readily embraced the testimony.

Their enemies were highly offended when they saw their main object defeated by this success of the testimony. And as Mother Ann was the founder and principal leader of this new sect, which was "every where spoken against," they naturally concluded that, by separating her from her followers, they would soon be dispersed, and the society come to an end. Accordingly, about the middle of August, they sent her down the river, with a view to banish her to the British army, which was then in New-York. But not being able to accomplish their object, she was landed at Poughkeepsie, and imprisoned in the jail of that town. But notwithstanding all

* Nothing could be more unjust and unfounded than this charge Mother Ann, at the commencement of the war, and frequently afterwards, testified by the spirit of prophecy, that it would terminate in the separation of the colonies from the British government; that liberty of conscicace would be established in this country; and that the way would be t....us prepared for the building up of Christ's Kingdom in this favored land. She could not theres fore act against her own testimony.