and whose name, saith the Lord, is recorded on my eternal record, FATHER JAMES WHITTAKER. 2. This witness, by the over-ruling hand of my providence, was, at an early age of his childhood, placed under the special charge of Mother Ann, who brought him up in the path of true godliness and purity; by which means he was protected from all those soul darkening and sinful indulgences of self gratification, which most children are suffered, at a very early age, to run into. 3. Therefore he grew up without defilement, and became an able help and supporter, in the ministration of his blessed Mother. I bestowed on him a peculiar gift, to water and nourish that which his blessed Mother had planted. 4. His whole demeanor was mild, placid and gentle, yet solemn and soul gathering; and by this means, he would water, nourish and strengthen all; and many times cause the weak and drooping plants, that were about to wither before the rays of the scorching sun, to be invigorated with new life and courage to press on their journey with zeal and fortitude. life which he lived, from cause the most beautiful And in proclaiming the 5. And because of the purity of that his childhood up, saith the Lord, I did gospel graces to shine forth in his spirit. testimony of Christ's second appearing, and the way that leadeth to life eternal, to the surrounding multitude, even his wicked persecutors, would acknowledge the goodness of his spirit. 6. Yet, under sufferings was he patient, and in the hours of his rejoicing, I clothed his spirit with feelings divinely sublime and lovely, [and with] a portion of that mantle with which I had clothed the Daughter of Zion from head to foot; and [in which] her spirit was inwrapped, as was measurably Father William's also. 7. And all these, my three first witnesses, who were called first, to open the door through sufferings, that Christ might appear the second time without sin unto salvation, faithfully did the work which was required of them to do, by the over-ruling power of the Most High; and spread their mantles of love, strength and wisdom, as they were about to leave the world, upon all such of their children, as were determined to pursue the gospel path, even to the laying down of their natural lives, should they be called so to do. 8. And upon such as had been prepared, through deep sufferings and tribulation of spirit, to succeed them in leading and directing the sheep of my fold, or the house of Israel, [the foundation of] which was now established on the earth, in its completed order, did they bestow that anointing power, which I had given them for that purpose, saith the Lord. And in this way doth the order of this anointing devolve and rest [upon such as are prepared to receive it.] 9. My church, which is now established, in this day and age in which you live, is governed by an authority emanating from my divine influence, and proceeding directly from my Holy Spirit, through those upon whom I have caused my holy anointing oil to rest. 10. But if any should prove themselves unworthy of this sacred calling and trust, after they had been once anointed by the unction of my Holy Spirit, I should, in my own wisdom, saith the Lord, send forth my anointing and saving power, to rest in other vessels, more worthy; as I did in the case of Saul, whom I anointed king over the children of Israel, but who departed from my statutes, by walking in disobedience to my commands. 11. I did then cause my anointing power again to go forth, through the same prophet Samuel, by whom Saul was anointed, and to rest upon David, the son of Jesse, that he might be king and ruler in Israel. 12. Though the gospel dispensation, both in Christ's first and second appearance, is much superior in its order, beauty and holiness, to that under the law; yet, saith the Lord, in every age of the world, I have always provided means by which the sincere and honest hearted, who desired to do my will, might be instructed.in the path of their duty. 13. And whenever my chosen people, in former dispensations, were left without a true and faithful lead, according to the day in which they lived, it was because of their disobedience and rebellion to that which I had taught them; and I suffered them to run into confusion, each doing that which seemed right in his own eyes, and, by this means, break to pieces. Where this has been suffered, it has been as a scourge, to punish them for their own wickedness, saith the Lord. 14. But as frail and mortal man hath never ceased to pervert the way of the Lord, when it was in his power so to do, both by the means of a lying and slanderous tongue, and by inflicting with his hands, cruel and violent acts of persecution upon the bodies of those who sought to obey Me, rather than man, both in Christ's first and second appearing; so that wicked nature will continue to operate, in the hearts that are hardened in sin and beastly abominations, until my heavy and desolating hand of judgments shall fall on them for the same. 15. But I suffered not the lives of any of my first witnesses to be taken by the hands of persecutors, though that of Mother Ann's, was in a most determined manner sought, time after time; yet I, the God of Heaven, did defeat their plans. I sent my holy Angels to guard and protect her, and those who followed her in truth. 16. As these were my three first witnesses, through which I caused the spirit and likeness of my blessed Son, the second time to appear, without sin unto salvation; the heaviest tribulation and sufferings of soul that ever fell upon any, possessing earthly tabernacles, save that of the Lord Jesus Christ himself, fell upon them. 17. But in Christ's first appearing, I suffered, when his work was done, the life of his animal body, and that of many of his followers, to be taken by wicked persecutors; as this was the beginning of the true gospel dispensation, and a perfect example of sufferings, in both body and mind, was required, even to the laying down of their natural lives, should the wickedness of man rage to that extent. 18. But in the finishing and completing of that order, or gospel dispensation, I suffered none of my first witnesses' lives to be taken in that way. But for years were they inhumanly persecuted at times, both by night and by day; and in the midst of their most severe sufferings, from the hands of the wicked, my holy Angels have often beheld them kneeling, and praying unto Me, that I would forgive them, for they knew not the wickedness they were doing. 19. But these, my witnesses, are now in the eternal mansions of my rest, my glory and my delight, which I had prepared for them, and for those who had suffered before like unto them; while those who hunted them from place to place, for the purpose of gratifying their own wicked and malicious spirits, are banished from my presence, sunk in the depths of hell, in anguish and horror, drinking the bitter cup, filled to overflowing, which they labored, [while on earth,] to make my faithful witnesses drink. not 20. Their cries and groans, their shrieks and lamentations, pierce the gloomy prisons of hell, beseeching Me, the God of mercies, to condescend, once more to warn their fellow creatures on the earth, to pursue the steps they have tred; not to lift their hands, nor their hearts, to fight against that of which they know not; but wait, and the work of the Lord will prove itself; and the work of man will also prove itself. 21. O merciful God, in thy everlasting kindness, warn them! O Holy Creator of all things, O warn them! warn them! lest they also pursue that course of persecuting thy righteous saints on earth, and thereby fall into this awful place of torment where we are bound in the flames of hell, suffering the just reward of our works. 22. O Eternal Father of all mercies! if we may be suffered, in the flames of hell, to breathe forth supplications unto thee, in the midst of our unspeakable torment, suffer, O suffer thy word of warning to reach the ears of our brethren on earth, who will be liable to pursue the same course that we did. 23. But could we, O could we have heard but one word of warning, direct from thy eternal and hallowed lips, we surely should have hearkened, O righteous God! We know that our sufferings are just, for fighting against thee, through those whom thou didst send upon the earth to open a door of salvation, in thy everlasting kindness, lost souls. to poor 24. We indeed, justly suffer the punishment thou hast inflicted upon our souls. While those whom we distressed on earth, are comforted in thy presence, we are banished far from thee, to suffer the just reward of our doings. 25. But understand my words, saith the God of Heaven; Those who will not hearken unto those whom I have sent on earth, to warn the inhabitants thereof of the certain destruction they will bring upon themselves, by pursuing the paths of their forefathers, would not hearken and believe, though I should cause one to rise out of the grave, and go and declare my word unto them. 26. And should I cause it to roll upon the earth, like peals of thunder, yet would it quickly be forgotten: for a moment, it would strike consternation and terror, upon mortal man; but how soon would my solemn lessons of warning be disregarded, and the ways. of wickedness again be resorted to! 27. And, as your Lord and Savior said, in his parable to the Jews, respecting the rich man and Lazarus, so do I, your God and Creator, say unto you; If you will not hearken to my word in past dispensations, nor in the present, sent unto you through means of my own choosing, neither would you hearken, if I should send it through means that you yourselves might choose. 28. Understand, O ye people; I have not ushered in this latter day of my glory, with great signs and wonders, working of miracles, by raising the dead from their graves, as was suffered in Christ's first appearing. You have the records of what I then suffered to be done; and if ye believe in the sacred volume, then ye must believe the things therein recorded, respecting the Christ, and those who followed him. 29. But must I always be compelled, saith the Lord, to call the natural body, resting in the grave, again into life; or command fire to come down from Heaven in the sight of men, and destroy my enemies, before man will be convinced that there is a God, who ruleth at his will; after all that I have caused for thousands of years, by my Almighty Hand, to take place upon the earth? 30. Not so, saith the CREATOR of all things. Though I vested supernatural power in MOTHER ANN, to work miracles, and that power is still retained in my holy Church; yet, I suffer it not to be applied, in a natural point of view, to the external sight of men, only at my command; whether it be much or little. 31. My work in this dispensation, saith the Lord, as effecting the work of salvation in the hearts of the children of men, is far greater and more powerful, than any that has ever preceded it; yet, to external appearances, it is not so great; therefore, I warn souls to be the more careful how they treat it. 32. I often suffered the power of working miracles to be made use of by my first witnesses, as they were but few in number, and the work was new and strange to all people; for Christ, in truth, had become a great stranger on the earth; and moreover, there was no body or church then established, only what consisted in these few first witnesses. 33. And the opposition of an unbelieving world was so great, that I suffered, in many instances, miraculous power to be displayed in a natural point of view, from the Queen of Zion and those with her, insomuch that the unbelieving world acknowledged, they knew there must be a supernatural agency attending them. 34. But now, saith the Lord, my power, strength and substance for the protection of souls, are concentrated in my Church, or Zion, which has been tried or proved on earth for more than sixty years. But this spiritual and divine power, has never, from the beginning, ceased entirely to show itself to the external view; yet I have suffered her to feel great leanness, and much tribulation, so that at |