days. And they that are God's people, in deed and in truth, would sooner lay down their lives than violate his will, when made known to them. 23. And they worship Him by assembling themselves together, in whatsoever place He may appoint, regardless of their own personal convenience; whether it be upon the mountains, or in the valleys; in the day or in the night; and this they will always do, in true sincerity of heart, possessing his holy fear. 24. And all such as attend, whether belonging to the body so assembled, or as spectators, are required by the laws of their God, to attend with sincere hearts, and show respect to his holy worship, though it may look never so strange and singular to them. For, stranger still, God's work will appear among the children of men, saith the holy and mighty Angel of God. Again I say, fear the Lord your God. 25. I now require the inspired writer of this Roll and Book, first, to sign his name as an Instrument, regardless of all present, or after consequences; and then, he may write a few words, expressing his own feelings, in short, and sign his own name to it, says the Angel. 26. And God does also require, that a goodly number of both male and female instruments, who have had that indisputable evidence of his Almighty and supernatural power, operating directly upon both soul and body, to direct their speech and to guide their pens, that they are ready, if God suffereth it so to be, to seal the truth of what is herein contained, with their own blood, as martyrs to his cause, should also sign their names as witnesses. 27. First, briefly expressing their own feelings, in short, saith the Angel; for to the inhabitants of the earth this will appear extremely strange, and incredible to their understanding, at first. It will feel to many, like mortals blaspheming the name of the Deity; therefore, other witnesses, than the inspired writer, of the reality of this work, and its truth, are necessary. 28. And if mankind will wait a little season, says the Angel, these operations of the spirit of God, will be brought more to their understandings. Inspired Writer, PHILEMON STEWART. SUPPLEMENTARY ARTICLE BY THE WRITER. 1. Beloved fellow mortals, I consider myself a poor worm of the dust; in my creation no better than any of you; and if in any way, I have found favor in the sight of my God, it has been by and through the means of this one true and sin-destroying gospel, plainly stated in the foregoing pages, which I embraced in my childhood, and have sincerely labored, according to the best of my understanding, to walk agreeable to its requirements, unto the present day. 2. I am now at the meridian age of life, being in possession, as it respects letter learning, of hardly a common country school education: but my labor, through life, has been devoted to the gospel, and sincerely to obey the call of God, when made known by indisputable evidence, regardless of all personal consequences. 3. And so it has been, in the duty to which I have been called by the power of the Most High, as a mortal instrument in the hands of Holy Angels, in writing the foregoing sacred pages; the reality and truth of which, I stand ready at any time, if so suffered by the Almighty, and my fellow mortals require it, to seal with my blood. 4. These sayings, contained in this book, are made to me far more real, than any thing possessing flesh and blood; and never could I submit myself as an instrument, in a matter of such vital importance to the human family, and to my own soul also, until this evidence was brought clearly to my view; and then, I no longer dared withstand, for fear of the immediate judgments of God, and of an eternal banishment from his presence. 5. It is not my province or duty, to labor to convince my fellow beings, that the contents of the foregoing pages are the subjects of divine and immediate revelation, from the Most High, through his holy and mighty Angels, for they will prove themselves; but it is my duty, and that which the Holy Angel requireth me to do, to declare, in the sincerity of my heart, to all the inhabitants of earth, that such is the solemn truth of God, and such it will forever remain. 6. And I do solemnly testify, that no natural wisdom, either of man or of woman, has dictated a sentence herein contained; and that I, the mortal agent, used in the hands of the Angel to pen this word, knew nought of the subject before me, only as opened and brought forward, word after word, by the mighty Angel. 7. And who is there among you all, my beloved fellow beings, that would dare withstand the requirements of a righteous and holy God, when brought thus plain before you, both by sight and feelings? not feelings wrought up by excitement, into wildness and fanaticism, nor feelings of self exaltation, to which the unsubdued passions and nature of man are so exceedingly prone, wishing to sound his name abroad in the world; but by such feelings as come down from God, out of Heaven, and rest upon the soul, as a consuming fire, until the requirement be fulfilled. 8. And be assured, all ye who may read this word, that I feel my nothingness, and unworthiness in the sight of my God; and on Him does my poor soul daily depend for mercy and protection, as much as any of you. And I would much rather, if this would answer the mind and will of my God, never to have my personal name go abroad upon the earth; For if there be honor due, it is unto God, not unto man, who is at best, a poor worm of the dust, before God, his Creator. 9. Consider, O my fellow mortals below, that we are all alike in the hands of a just and holy God; and, that we are all created with immortal souls, which are accountable unto Him for every deed done in the body, while passing through the scenes of time, in this terrestrial state, whether they be good or whether they be evil. This our Lord and Savior plainly taught when he was upon earth. 10. Remember and bear in mind, my dear friends, that I, (the inspired writer,) have been called by the irresistible power of God, to act only as an agent under his Almighty influence, in conveying this word to all my fellow beings upon earth, who are, in their creation, as precious in the sight of a just and righteous God, as I, or any other one. But all professed christendom should bear in mind, that God, from the foundation of the world, hath always noticed mankind for their works' sake; whether they merited mercy, or whether they merited judgment. 11. And I do solemnly testify to all the human family, in the fear of that holy God who created me with immortality, that the society of people in which I live, either Leaders or any of its members, have had nothing to do in controlling and directing this word to the nations of the earth; and that I, the inspired writer, have not been suffered by the power of the Mighty Angel, to alter or vary from what he brought forth, whether it was in reproof and admonition, directly to the society, or to the inhabitants of the earth. 12. But I have been compelled to write the foregoing pages, as held forth, by the Mighty Angel, to my view, and read aloud in my presence, without regard to any particular sect or denomination now in existence. And I do furthermore solemnly testify to the whole human family, that the testimonial evidences, which here follow, respecting this Sacred Roll, word and work, to the inhabitants of earth, were written, many of them, more than a hundred miles apart; 13. And that the inspired writers, had no knowledge, by any earthly communication, of the work and operations of the spirit of God in distant branches of the society, respecting this very Roll and Book, which is now, by the kind and tender mercy of an Allpowerful and wise God, placed before us, that he that runneth may read and understand; and wisely fear that God, by whom he was created with an immortal soul; and before whom, I, with the rest of my fellow mortals in time, must shortly appear at his eternal bar of justice; where we shall all receive the just reward of our works. 14. And I do testify to all the children of men, that my soul feels perfect peace and quietness as it respects this work; for I have an indisputable evidence within my own soul, that the hand of God hath done this; not the hand of man, or the power of evil. 15. And I do daily fear and love that God, by walking softly in his presence, who hath called me, with the rest of my dear brethren and sisters, (companions in tribulation,) from the paths of sin and death, to walk in the way of true gospel light, and life eternal, where a salvation through the spirit of the blessed Savior, is found, that is able to save the soul from sinful works in the present tense. 16. Where souls can walk, day by day, in true obedience to the revealed will of God; and by this means are prepared at any time to do his will on earth, or to leave their house of clay, and enter eternity at his call, justified before Him, whose summons must shortly sound in every heart to bid farewell to earth and all its fleeting glories, and close their eyes to all her transitory enjoyments. 17. To be enabled to do my duty day by day, in the true fear of the Lord, regardless of all other personal, or private considerations, is all that my soul can pray for, ask or desire; And I do earnestly entreat of my fellow beings, and of every reasonable mind, candidly to read the foregoing sacred pages from beginning to end, and seriously consider, and ponder well the subjects therein contained; and this do, unclothed of prejudice from any quarter. Do not be hasty, beloved fellow mortals, in casting forth epithets of scorn and derision, before you know even the record of that solemn and weighty word, contained in this Roll and Book. 18. Give place in your hearts for sober and solemn reflections; look not at this denomination, or that; but look with me, to that God who gave us being; and to that sacred and solemn impression of eternal truth, which his Almighty hand hath stamped upon the foregoing pages. 19. And in the tenderest feelings of love and good will, to all my brethren and sisters of the human family, and in obedience to the direction of the Holy Angel, do I sound forth these sentences unto you, my companions and sojourners in time's dark vale below. And let all the inhabitants of the earth remember, of whatever nation they may be; rich or poor, professors or profane, that by one just and righteous God, we must and shall all be judged, according to our works; before his holy throne and tribunal of eternal justice, none can be wronged of that which is their just due. PHILEMON STEWART. |