A brief account of a religious scheme, taught and propagated by a number of Europeans, who lately lived in a place called Nisqueunia, in the state of New-York, but now residing in Harvard, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, commonly called, Shaking Quakers. / By Valentine Rathbun, Minister of the Gospel. ; [Two lines from Proverbs] ; To which is added, A dialogue between George the Third of Great-Britain, and his ministers; giving an account of the late London mob, and the original of the sect called Shakers. ; The whole being a discovery of the wicked machinations of the principal enemies of America.

A brief account of a religious scheme, taught and propagated by a number of Europeans, who lately lived in a place called Nisqueunia, in the state of New-York, but now residing in Harvard, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, commonly called, Shaking Quakers. / By Valentine Rathbun, Minister of the Gospel. ; [Two lines from Proverbs] ; To which is added, A dialogue between George the Third of Great-Britain, and his ministers; giving an account of the late London mob, and the original of the sect called Shakers. ; The whole being a discovery of the wicked machinations of the principal enemies of America.

A brief account of a religious scheme, taught and propagated by a number of Europeans, who lately lived in a place called Nisqueunia, in the state of New-York, but now residing in Harvard, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, commonly called, Shaking Quakers. / By Valentine Rathbun, Minister of the Gospel. ; [Two lines from Proverbs] ; To which is added, A dialogue between George the Third of Great-Britain, and his ministers; giving an account of the late London mob, and the original of the sect called Shakers. ; The whole being a discovery of the wicked machinations of the principal enemies of America.

Table of contents

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Title page

A BRIEF ACCOUNT, &c.

To the MINISTERS of the GOSPEL.

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Title page

A DIALOGUE, &c.

A brief account of a religious scheme, taught and propagated by a number of Europeans, who lately lived in a place called Nisqueunia, in the state of New-York, but now residing in Harvard, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, commonly called, Shaking Quakers. / By Valentine Rathbun, Minister of the Gospel. ; [Two lines from Proverbs] ; To which is added, A dialogue between George the Third of Great-Britain, and his ministers; giving an account of the late London mob, and the original of the sect called Shakers. ; The whole being a discovery of the wicked machinations of the principal enemies of America.[1]

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A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF A RELIGIOUS SCHEME, Taught and Propagated by a Number of EUROPEANS, who lately lived in a Place called NISQUEUNIA, in the State of NEW-YORK, but now residing in HARVARD, Commonwealth of MASSACHUSETTS, commonly called, Shaking Quakers.

By VALENTINE RATHBUN, MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL.

HE THAT IS FIRST IN HIS OWN CAUSE SEEMEST JUST: BUT HIS NEIGHOUBOUR COMETH AND SEARCHETH HIM.

PROVERBS of SOLOMON.

TO WHICH IS ADDED, A DIALOGUE Between George Third of Great-Britain, and his Ministers; giving an account of the late LONDON MOB, and the original of the Sect called SHAKERS.

The whole being a Discovery of the wicked machinations of the Principal Enemies of America.

WORCESTER: Printed in the Year 1782.

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A BRIEF ACCOUNT, &c.

AT the earnest request of many enquiring minds, I have undertaken to present to the publick, the matter, form and manner of a new and strange religion, that has lately taken place among many people in the States of Massachusetts and of New-York; and in pursuing my purpose, I shall take the following method.

In the first place, I will present to view, the leaders and teachers of this new and strange religion.

II. I will shew their manner of address.

III. I will shew their doctrine, with the scripture evidence they bring to prove it.

IV. I will shew their manner of worship.

V. I shall shew the directions which they give to those that come to them, to be instructed.

VI. I will shew the power and effect of their instructions on their adherents.

VII. I shall shew what this new religion is, us pointed out by scripture testimony.

VIII. I shall give some reasons for my knowledge in this new religion, not by mere speculation, but by sorrowful experience.

IX. I shall close the whole by a word of advice to ministers and people.

To return therefore according to my promise, in the first place to present to publick view, the leaders and teachers of this new and strange religion.

The whole number consists of five males and seven females; three of the males, and two females, profess to be perfect, or to have attained a state of perfection; the other [Page]seven not perfect yet, but very far advanced. This people are Europeans, a part of which came from England to New-York in the year 1774, and lived at New-York and Albany, and places adjacent, two years—and in the year 1776, the rest came to Philadelphia, and travelled through Pennsylvania to New-York, where the whole twelve came together, and directly went and made a purchase of land, in a place called Nisqueunia, about nine or ten miles northwest from Albany, where they immediately settled, and went to clearing their land, and following their occupations of blacksmithing, weaving and shoe-making and were unknown and unnoticed, unless by a few of their neighbours, until the 17th day of April 1780; at which time one Talmage Bishop brought tidings into New-Lebanon of a number of strange and wonderful Christians; the people, like the Athenians of old, were filled with define to see new things, and ran to see them. This brings me to shew,

II. Their manner of address.

When any person goes to see them, they all meet him with many smiles, and seeming great gladness; they bid him welcome, and directly tell him they knew of his coming yesterday. This sets the person to wondering at their knowledge, and presently they get the person some victuals; then they sit down and have a spell of singing; they sing odd tunes, and British marches, sometimes without words, and sometimes with a minute of words known and unknown. After singing they fall to shaking their hands in a very extraordinary manner, with their eyes shut and face up; then a woman about forty years old sits and makes a sort of a prayer, chiefly in an unknown tongue (if I may so call it) then one of the men comes to the person, and pretends to interpret the woman's prayer; after which they tell the person the has come to the right place to be instructed; they enquire the person's name, and ever after call him by his Christian name: They use no compliments, but their language is, Yea and nay. If the person have long hair, or a club, they bring the bible, and read to him 1 Cor. xi. chap. and 14th verse, then telling him if he intends to be instructed, he must first have his hair out short; telling of his that he wears the mark of the beast. [Page]If he consents to have his hair cut, after it is done, they come round him, and touch him with their fingers here and there, and give him a fly cross, and in a very loving way, put their hands on his head, and then begin to preach their doctrine to him. But this leads me to enter on the third thing proposed, viz.

III. To shew their doctrine, with the scripture evidence they bring to prove it.

They introduce their doctrine with a multitude of good words; saying, we must hate sin, love GOD, take up our cross, &c. Then proceed to say, in the first place, that there is a new dispensation taking place, in which the saints shall reign a thousand years with Christ, and that in that state the saints shall be perfect, and that they have entered into it, and that they are the only church in the world; telling the person or hearer, that they have all the Apostolic gifts that were ever given; they tell the person that he has come to the right place for instruction, for they only are able to teach; then they pause a while to see how the person receives it, if they find he listens, and seems to be coming, they proceed and say, all the churches now in the world are antichrist, and false churches, and that there is not one person born again among them all, and that there has not one gone to Heaven for these twelve hundred years, no, not since the Apostolick age. If the person makes any objections, they tell him he must not dispute, his business is to hear and receive instruction, and all hands will fall to confirming the truth of what is declared: This puts the person to silence, and then they proceed, with a great laugh, and tell him they have many things to say to him, which he is not yet able to bear; this is to engage to person to hear. Then, secondly, they proceed to say, that all external ordinances, especially baptism and the Lord's supper, ceased in the Apostolick age; and that God had never sent one man to preach, since the Apostles days, until they entered into the new dispensation, and were sent by God, from Great-Britain, to call in God's elect; and to confirm the truth of what the teacher has said, he (the teacher) falls a trembling, and will say he feels the blood of Christ now running down his thigh and leg. Then they [Page]tell the person the cannot bear any more now, but he must come again very soon and they will tell him more; and thus they with many fawning embraces, part with him for that time.

3. When he comes again they meet him with great joy, clasp him in their arms, and tell him they have the great love of God; and after things are a little settled, they begin with him again, telling him that he must confess his sins to them, from his childhood, that they may take his case and travail for him, that he may be born again. If he be a professor of godliness, and pleads that he hopes his sins are forgiven, and washed away by the blood of Christ; they tell him nay, they are not forgiven. They tell him whatsoever is done in secret must be revealed on the house-top; and that they being the church, are the house-top. Then one takes him alone, and if he confesses his sins to him, then he tells it to the rest: But if it be suspected he keeps back part of his sin, he must confess the whole all being present.

4. They tell him they see angels, and converse with them, and hear them sing, and sing with them; and the spirits of just men made perfect, they also freely converse with. They further tell him, the song that they sing, is the song of the hundred and forty and four thousand, which no man can learn, but only those that are redeemed from the earth. Then tell him, they have got a mother pointing to a woman, one of their company: And that she speaks seventy-two tongues, and that when she speaks in unknown tongues, the living people cannot understand her; yet the dead understand her, for she talks to them.

5. They proceed and say, the judgment is set, the books are opened, and the dead are now rising, and coming to judgment, and they are set to judge the world: Quoting 1 Cor. vi. chap. 2 verse. They tell the person, that the great tribunal is that church, and that the dead are coming before them every day, to be judged. They go on to say, all that have died in an imperfect state, have gone to hell, or to a prison state; and there to pay the debt to divine justice by suffering; and that there are degrees of [Page]punishment, which they are to pass through; great sins, a great degree of hell, small sins, a small hell: And after passing through the several degrees of punishment, and paying the whole debt, out they come, and stand before us (say they) and are acquitted, and go home to Heaven; they quote for proof, Psal. xvi. 10. Psal. lxviii. 18. Ezekiel xvi. 44—61. 1 Peter iii. 18, 19, 20. 1 Peter iv. 6.

They comment on those texts thus: Did Christ go to hell? Yes. When? Why when he was crucified. What did he go there for? Why to preach to the spirits in prison. What did he preach to them? Why the gospel. Why did he preach the gospel to the old world, or to the dead? Why that they might be judged, as unconverted sinners, but finally live, according to God, in the spirit, after they have paid the debt in suffering.

6. They say, that the forecited woman, about forty years of age, is the woman spoken of in the xiith chapter of the Revelations of John, who was cloathed with the sun, having the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and that she has travailed and brought forth the man child. Further, that she is the mother of all the elect; and that she travail, for the whole world; and that no blessing can come to any person, but only by and through her; and that in the way of her being possessed of their sins, by their confessing of them, and repenting of the same, one by one, according to her direction.

7. They hold themselves so far immortal, that they shall never die, but shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and go from this to the upper regions; and that now they are above all temptations and sufferings, and can neither be lifted up or cast down; only as they suffer in travail for the elect. I might still proceed much further on this head; but as it will necessarily fall into their instructions to their adherents, I pass by it for the present, and shall proceed.

IV. To shew their manner of worship (if it may be so called.)

The manner and form of their worship is entirely new [Page]and different from all others: It differs but little on the Sabath, from any other day: They begin by sitting down and shaking their heads in a violent manner, turning their heads half round, so that their face looks over each shoulder, their eyes being shut; while they are thus shaking, one will begin to sing some odd tune, without words or rule; after a while another will strike in; and then another; and after a while they all fail in, and make a strange charm:—Some singing without words, and some with an unknown tongue, or mutter, and some with a mixture of English: The mother, so called minds to strike such notes as makes a concord, and so form the charm. When they leave off singing, they drop off, one by one, as oddly as they come on; in the best part of their worship, every one acts for himself, and almost every one different from the other; one will stand with his arms extended, acting over odd postures, which they call signs; another will be dancing, and sometimes hopping on one leg about the floor; another will fall to turning round, so swift, that if it be a woman, her cloaths will be so filled with the wind as though they were kept out by a hoop; another will be prostrate on the floor; another will be talking with somebody; and some sitting by smoaking their pipes; some groaning most dismally; some trembling extremely; others acting as though all their nerves were convulsed; others swinging their arms, with all vigour, as though they were turning a wheel, &c. Then all break off and have a spell of smoaking, and sometimes great fits of laughter.—They have several such exercises in a day, especially on the Sabbath. When they go to eat, they sit down, and have a spell of singing and shaking the head at the table, before they eat, some times they kneel down, shake their heads and groan, say nothing, and then fall to eating, and will be very merry and airy. If one has done eating before the rest, he kneels down, shakes his head a spell, and off he goes and leaves the rest eating; so each one dismisses the table for himself: But it is impossible to point out any exact form; for they vary and differ, and seldom act the same form exactly over again. They chuse so to do, to be singular, [Page]left, as they say, they should be connected with Babylon Every day their worship is similar to what has been observed. They have no publick prayer, no preaching, and but little reading. Their actions in worship is according to the dictates of the spirit that governs them; then they profess saying, they are in a spiritual dispensation.

Having thus shewn as far as may be, their manner of worship, I proceed fifthly, to shew the directions which they give to those that come to them to be instructed.

V. When any person goes to them to be instructed, they enquire of him, whether he has given his vote and money for the defence of the country, and presently tell him, it is contrary to the Gospel to bear arms, saying Christ's kingdom is not of this world; they labour to convince him that it is a great error to have any thing to do with war and fighting: They directly tell him, he is not born again, and that he must observe their instructions, in order that he may attain to the new birth.—Then they tell him, he must confess his sin to them; for if he hides his sin they can do nothing for him: They further tell him, if he refuses, they can tell him all his sin that he ever committed; and pretend that he can keep nothing hid from them; and when they have frightened him to a confession, then they further tell him, he must renounce and abstain from all the works of the flesh; telling him, that the first fall of our first parents, was carnal copulation, and that this ruined the world; and that every one that has any thing to do with man or woman, in the work of generation, is acting Adam and Eve's sin over again: They tell the man to obstain from his wife, the woman from her husband, and that if the wife doth not agree to it, the husband must put her away; and if the husband will not agree to it, the wife must leave her husband; and for an example, the mother, so called, will tell how she left her husband, in New-York, and one of the men, how he left his wife in England. They tell young men and young women, if they marry, and have any thing to do with the works of lusts of the flesh, they can never be born again: They [Page]shew the necessity of receiving this instruction by quoting Rev. iii 3, 4, 5. They dwell more on this part of their instructions than all the rest. They tell their adherents, if they conform to their instructions in this point, there is no fear of their being born again; but if they disobey, they certainly will be damned. While they are thus instructing their adherents, they sometimes use great severity, and sometimes great flattery, to frighten on the one hand and allure on the other; and while they are thus at work with a person, they come round him, touch him with their fingers in different places, cross him here and there, get their hands on his head, and prophecy, that great blessings are laid up for him: They presently make him believe them, and as soon as they see the spirit begin to operate on him, then they tell him, that now he has received the Holy Ghost, and now if he disobeys, it is a gone case with him: They tell him, if he had never come to see them, and had died in his ignorance without receiving the Holy Ghost, he would have gone to hell or a prison state, and suffered a while, and then come out and gone to Heaven; but now, if he turns back, there is no forgiveness, neither in this world, nor that which is to come: They quote for proof, Matt. xii. 32. This is to terrify the person, and bring him into an absolute dependence on them: Then they tell him, he must come often to them to be instructed, or he will be in danger of being taken by evil spirits and led wrong; and that he must not think he can understand the Bible, or know in any respect how to act, but only as he receives instruction from them: They tell him they have many things for him, which he is not yet able to bear; but as fast as he is able to receive it, they will instruct him: Thus the person is kept in constant expectation of something new. If the person seems to be sober, then one takes him by the hand, and round the floor with him, and make him run and skip about, and laugh heartily at him, and will tell him he must not be melancholy; and when they get him merry with them then let him go: Then they tell the person for his admiration, that since he has been [Page]present, they have had many of the dead come before them to be judged; and make him believe they know his thoughts, and know future events, and nothing can be hid from them; telling how people are together, and talking about them, and what they say, &c. Then they tell the person that they shall never die, and also all those that obey them, and get to be perfect, shall never die, but be changed in a moment, and go home body and soul: But all the bodies of those that die in their sin, shall never rise.—They further tell him, that the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were sealed; twelve thousand out of each tribe, is a work yet to be done; and that they are of the tribe of Benjamin, though the youngest tribe, and last in the account, yet first in the order, of being sealed; and that they are the first fruits of that tribe; and that all that are to be brought in, in America, will belong to that tribe: And thus, the last is to be first, and the first last.

I might still proceed, on this head; but it would be endless to repeat all their instructions to their adherents, as they are ever studying new things to keep up the dependence and admiration of their disciples. I shall therefore pass on.

VI. To shew the power and effect of their instructions, on their adherents.

There is a very extraordinary and uncommon power attends their instructions; in the first place, a total blindness, as to all their former views of religion and the Bible, on the instructed, takes place; and then a strange infatuation of the mind, to believe all their teachers say. Presently a strange power begins to come on, and takes place in the body, or human frame; which sets the person to gaping and stretching; and soon sets him to twitching, as though his nerves were all in a convulsion. I can compare it to nothing nearer in its feelings, than the operations of an electerising machine; the person believes it is the power of God, and therefore dare not resist, but wholly gives way to it.—Thus the power comes on, more and more; and as the power increases, so their faith increases, [Page]in their teachers. If any body opposes them, it brings on the power, quick, strong and violent; and they cry out, on the opposer, that he will be damn'd, for opposing the power of God; and fall to twitching and trembling, as though they had an extreme fit of the ague. This power as it increases, it brings on, many times, extreme weakness of body, so that their limbs fail them, and they fall to the floor, or on the ground, and lie helpless: At other times, it brings on great shakings—and shrugging of the shoulders—and tramping about with the feet—dismal groans and out-cries—and perhaps, may issue, for that time, in great laughter and lightness. And at the time of intervals, they grow very dumb, and say but little; and as the power has its fits on them, so it grows more powerful, until it leads on to what they call signs. The power will take their hand, stretch it up, pull the other down, they interpret it—the hand up, is a sign of mercy, the hand down, of judgment: Sometimes their hand is stretched out forward, then away they run after it; if it leads to some person, they lay their hand on his head—then cross their arms, one across the other—then say he must take up his cross, and renounce the works of the flesh—then they stretch both hands behind them, and say he must leave the world behind him: Sometimes their hands will be cramped up, one finger stretched out strait, another down into their hand, and their hand all out of common shape: Sometimes their hand will stretch out, and after it they run,—through woods—cross lots—over fences, swamps, or whatever, until they come to a house; perhaps they will be stopt several times in their course, and their head turn them round, as though they had lost their way; then take a new set off, and run again; perhaps, when they get to the house, they will lie down on the ground—make a round ring with their finger among the dirt—puther about in it—then start up—double their fist at it—run away from it—come at it again—show the looks of vengeance at it—threaten it with postures—then run and jump into it, and stamp it all to pieces—This sign they interpret to be the old Heavens, [Page]which are to pass away with a great noise.—When he goes into the house, he flutters round with his hands flying, and hissing as if he intended to drive all the flies out of the room—But this, he says, is to haunt the evil spirits out, which the house is full of.

After he has done his errand, he follows his hand off, without asking how they do, or bidding them farewell.—When they meet together for their worship, they fall to groaning and trembling, and every one acts alone for himself; one will fall prostrate on the floor, another on his knees, and his head in his hands, on the floor; another will be muttering over articulate sounds, which neither they or any body else understand. Some will be singing, each one his own tune; some without words, in an Indian tone, some sing jig tunes, some tunes of their own making in an unknown mutter, which they call new tongues; some will be dancing, and others stand laughing heartily and loudly; others will be drumming on the floor with their feet, as though a pair of drum-sticks were beating a ruff on a drumhead; others will be agonizing, as though they were in great pain; others jumping up and down; others fluttering over some body, and talking to them; others will be shooing and hissing evil spirits out of the house, until the different tunes, groaning, jumping, dancing, drumming, laughing, talking and fluttering, shooing and hissing, makes a perfect Bedlam; this they call the worship of God. They speak highly of their teachers, and say those men at Nisqueunia are the angels of God, sent forth to gather in God's elect. Some of them say, that the woman called the mother, has the fullness of the God-Head, bodily dwelling in her, and that she is the queen of Heaven, Christ's wife; and that all God's elect must be born through her; yea, that Christ through her is born the second time. They say, that that church (as they call it) has power to shut Heaven, that it rain not, and to bring on all manner of plagues, as often as they will. They prophecy that this gospel (as they call it) must be preached to all the world, and all those that do not fall in with it will be damned. If [Page]any body opposes them, they get round him, threaten him with damnation, storm and stamp at him, stare open their eyes, pucker up their mouths, and cry oh! oh! oh! at him, and act all the postures of vengeance, which is enough to frighten a Hercules out of his wits.

Every one, as soon as they fall in with this new religion, immediately throw down their arms, and cry out against the means of defence made use of against the common enemy, and appear the most obstinate against all the proceedings of the country. I have heard some of them say, that all our authority, civil and military, is from hell, and would go there again. The effect of this scheme is such, that men and their wives have parted, children run away from their parents, and society entirely broke up in neighbourhoods; it makes children deny and disown their parents, and say they are full of devils. They are continually throwing out their curses on all that do not fall in with them; prophesying the destruction of the country; declaring they belong to the kingdom of God, and at the same time, if they are asked whether they are born again they will say nay. If any person goes to reason with them, they immediately put their singers in their ears, or run off out of hearing, or else drown him with clamour, noise and curses: And as their teachers advise and order children to run away from parents, and men to shut their doors against their own brethren, by blood, and refuse them any admission into their houses; all their orders are punctually obeyed.

They make great dependence on their signs, and say it is the power of God, and God has taken that way to preach by them: One of them had a sign, that a certain man had committed murder, and charged him with it, which the man denied; he again had a sign, that a certain man intended to kill two children and their mother, on a certain night; then he had a sign for two of his associates to go and lie all night behind the house, and watch for him, and when they heard the children cry, to rush in, take the man and bind him, and bring the man to him; the two men obeyed [Page]his orders, believing in his sign: About break of day he had a sign, that they catched the man and bound him; however, in the morning, the two men returned having not seen the man. Thus their signs in general prove false; however they get out this way, that the sign is true, but that they made a false interpretation. I knew another, who under the operation of the spirit prophesied, that at the end of two weeks, New-London would be destroyed, and at the end of four weeks, Albany would be burnt, and the next day the world would be at an end; all which proved false. Another had a sign, that a certain man, on such a day, would kill him, and on the third day he should rise again into life and action; which likewise proved false. One of their postures which increase among them, is turning round very swift for an hour, and sometimes for two hours at a time, until then are all wet with sweat; this they say is to shew the great power of God.

They meet together in the night, and have been heard two miles by the people, in the dead of the night; sometimes a company of them will run away to some house, get into it, raise a bedlam, wake up all in the house, and the neighbours round about for a mile: They run about in the woods and elsewhere, hooting and tooting like owls; some of them have stripped naked in the woods, and thought they were angels, and invisible, and could go about among men and not be seen, and have lost their clothes, and never found them again. Sometimes while eating at the table, they say their dead parents and brethren come on the table and set on a pye, and they see them, &c.

At one of their meetings they hung a woman by the neck, but took her down before she was dead, to shew as a sign, how they were to be persecuted; and now while I am writing, I am informed by good authority, that two men in the scheme have murdered themselves, one cut his throat, the other stabbed himself, after he had tried twice to kill his wife, &c.

I might proceed much further, but it is as impossible to [Page]fully set forth the power and effect of this new religion, as to trace the airy road of the meteor; I therefore proceed.

VII. To shew what this new religion is, as pointed out by scripture testimony.

In opening this proposition it will be necessary to observe, on the great purposes of God, which will terminate in two grand events; first, the deliverance of his people, and fulfilling his promises to them: Secondly, the destruction of the man of sin. These events will conclude and finish the reign of Antichrist: And the work of God in general, has a special respect, both in his providence and grace, to the grand conclusion.

Every age of the church have had their trials and combats, with the great enemy of God and his people; and as God's work and designs have advanced forward, so the power of the enemy has increased; and it is very evident, that the last struggles of the enemy will be the most powerful and dangerous; this God saw, and in his great goodness has advertised his people of the delusions and errors that would take place in the last days; knowing that the crafty serpent would act over again, his subtil wiles, in the highest pretensions of the greatest good. We are informed by our Lord, in Matt. xxiv. 24. that false Christs and false prophets shall arise, and shall shew great signs and wonders in so much that if it were possible, they should deceive the very elect.

This matter is more fully opened and illustrated by the great apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Thessalonians, ii. 3—12. he gives advice, not to be deceived; for the day of Christ shall not come, before there come first a falling away; and that the man of sin be revealed, whom he calls the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped: So that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing that he is God;—he shews in the 7th verse, that it is the great mystery of iniquity, whose coming shall be after the working of satan, with all power, and signs and lying wonders, with all deceivableness of unrighteousness, &c. As this great delusion [Page]is to take place in the last days, before the coming of Christ, we are charged by our Lord to watch, we are therefore to watch the signs of his coming, and to watch the motions of the mystery of iniquity, which if well attended to, it will appear most evident, that this is the day in which we may expect to see satan, in the highest, and most delusive machinations, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time. Rev. xii. 12. And while men are looking for the great revolution, or change of times to take place, when Christ shall reign in and with his church a thousand years;—satan finds it the most fit season to present a counterfeit, drest in the highest colours of sanctity and holiness; and as many expect to see new things take place in the Millenium state; so satan improves his advantage on such, by presenting new religion, new laws, new modes and forms, new churches, new preaching, new doctrine, new views, new discoveries, new spirit, new bibles, or seen in a new light, new Heaven and new glory.—And that all old things are to pass away, no more old religion, no more old modes and forms, old churches, old preaching and doctrine are to cease; old views, old experiences, and old conversion to be rejected; old friendship, old relations, and old love to be known no more. And while the pleasing picture by the arch enemy is presented to view, it finds many admirers.

It is very evident, that this is the very day in which this work of Satan is on the wheel: And notwithstanding, it may appear unaccountable to every rational mind, that any of the human specie should fall in with so diabolical a scheme; yet when we consider its fine dress of perfection, and the spirit of infatuation and witchcraft, that attends it, it may form our minds into a belief, that it can be and really is so.

It is further evident that Antichrist cannot appear in any other light or path, but only that which Christ and his Apostles has marked out for it.—I will therefore compare the works and character of Antichrist with this new and strange religion, as it is delineated and set forth.

[Page] The Apostle Paul, in his second epistle to Timothy, iii. 1—9, points out this very people, in this new religion, and shews they were to appear in the last day, bearing the character of God's enemies. Again, in 1 Tim. iv. 1, 2, 3. The Holy Ghost points out the doctrines of this new religion, and calls them the doctrines of devils, which are taught them by seducing spirits. Again, 2 Peter, ii. 1, 2, 3. Their heresies are spoken of, and of their denying the Lord that bought them. Nothing is more evident than that the Apostle points out this very people, for they throw away their conversion and begin to repent of their sin which they committed in their childhood; and thus to attone and make satisfaction, and step up the ladder of their own works, into a state of perfection; but if death should overtake them before they get to be perfect, then down to hell they must go, to pay the remainder in suffering, and when they have paid the debt and are born again in hell, then to come out and go to Heaven; will they thank Christ, as the great mediator, and adore him, for his attoning blood and righteousness? No, not at all; Oh, dreadful scheme, that stands opposed to the glorious plan of redemption by Christ! Well might Peter and Jude say of them, wells without water, clouds without rain, twice dead, pluckt up by the roots, wandering stars; for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. Again,

I find this new religion differs from the true religion of the gospel, respecting saith.

I find gospel religion says, being justified by faith, Rom. v. 1. but this new religion says by works.—To decide this matter, I shall attend to the Apostle, in Rom. iv. 4, 5. where he says, To him that worketh, is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt;—but to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. The true Christian sees by saith, lives by faith, walks by faith, fights the good fight of faith, and gets the victory by faith: But the people in this new religion, do not so much as talk about faith in Christ, but they place their whole knowledge in their religion, on their pretended visions, prophesies and [Page]signs.—Another thing which proves this new religion to be false, is what follows.—The Apostle James, in his epistle i. 5, says, If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God who giveth liberally. But this people go to Nisqueunia, to ask of a number of Europeans, what they shall do — who tell them, agreeable to what I find 2 Peter, ii. 18, 19. They speak great swelling words of vanity, and allure through their much wantonness, those that were clean escaped, from them who live in error; and while they promised them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption.—And further, instead of attending to the worthy instructions of our Godly teachers, they are burning all the books of divinity, and learning, they come at.—In this new religion is the whole magazine of error, treasured up in the great mystery of iniquity, in which is found all the power of delusive witchcraft, to blindfold souls, and lead them to hell. I might cite a multitude of scripture in proof of this point, but shall only say, the whole canon of God's word is levelled against this new religion, and doth and will eternally conderin it, and all its propagators shall not be able to stand the trial; with which I close this head and proceed,

VIII. To give some reasons for my knowledge in this new religion, not by mere speculation, but sorrowful experience.

On the 13th day of May last, I received a request from a church at Stillwater, above Albany, to attend on a conference, the 25th day of the same month; and being disposed to go, two of my brethren offered to bear me company, provided I would return back by the way of Nisqueunia with them, to see a new and strange people living there. I consented to their proposition, in consequence of their company in my journey, and on the 26th day of May last we arrived at Nisqueunia: The Europeans, though strangers, received us very kindly, and presently told us they knew of our coming the day before; this set me to wondering at their knowledge. After they had got us some victuals, one of them came and sat down by me, [Page]and began to speak many good words, saying, I must hate sin, love God, and take up my cross, &c. then went on to tell about a new dispensation, and that they had got into it; his words seemed so well placed, that I heard them with attention: Mean while a man, one of their company, stands up before me, and began to stretch and bend, and extend his arms up and down, and to act all manner of postures, and turn his eyes almost inside out; I had never seen or heard of such actions before, and it set me a wondering what he meant. By this time my mind was much engaged, attending to one that spoke good words, and to the other that acted so oddly. Mean while he that spoke drew near to me, and every little while would touch me with his finger; but I thought it was that I might mind well what he said; he likewise would give me a sly cross, and put his hand on my head or about me, which I took not much notice of. The mother, so called, looked very smiling, came and sat down, and began to sing a strange tune, with a mystical voice, in a mixture of words, known and unknown, which seemed to be a perfect charm.

After they had been the object of attention for some time, I turned my thoughts on my former views of religion, and found, to my admiration, my mind was turned wholly up-side down; and began to think I had been all my life in a dream about religion.—After a further discovery of their worship, I felt greatly shocked and confounded; yet a secret belief kept prevailing, that they were the people of God. I tarried all night, but sat up, hearing and seeing those strange things until the break of day, in which time they gave me a hint of their purgatory scheme, which greatly shocked my mind: In this tumult of thought I left them in the morning, about eight o'clock, and returned home.

In a very short time I found a power come on me, different from what I had ever felt before, and made me feel very weak and maugre, and in a little time it so affected my nerves that they gave a twich, as sudden as a flash of lightning; at first I thought what can that be? But immediately [Page]the answer was ready, It is the power of God: This made me give way to it, daring not to resist it, and immediately it gave me another twitch; it had this effect on me, to make me attend to the power, and in so doing I thought I attended on God: It never brought me to what they call signs, and to so great shaking as some have; however, I fully believed it was the work of God, and yet I found great difficulties to get along; to give up my old experience, appeared a great thing, and to hold them was contrary to the scheme. However, I reconciled my difficulties as well as I could, by concluding, that in the new dispensation, new things would appear, and greater light would shine, and whatever was wanting in my old experience would now appear; yet so far as they went they might be good; yet many told me, I would ever be weak in the new, until I threw away all the old.

I went again to Nusqueunia and received further instructions from the Europeans, and seemed to be more confirmed. Having given them a relation of my life, they made me many large promises of very great blessings and still I remained under the operation of the spirit.—But in a little time the effect of this new work in many, appeared so wild that it troubled me much, and I thought it my duty to sever between the precious and the vile; which when I began to do, they rose upon me with a dismal hiss, and had a sign to stop me; however, I went through against their signs; and as the work went on, more inconsistencies and falshoods appeared, which made me repeat a rejection of such things, and made mention of some imperfections I have seen in their teachers; this made them rise in such a clamour, hiss and uproar, as though the infernal den had broke loose: This gave me such a shock, that I could go no further until I had examined the scheme over again. For this purpose I attended to my Bible more carefully, and my eyes began to be opened, and the power on me began to decrease; but had great threatnings sent to me from the teachers and others; telling me if I turned back, damnation was my portion.—Their prophesies [Page]and their signs appeared more and false false, which still opened my eyes, and gave me great jealousy, that this new religion was led by a false spirit, and in a little time the operation wholly left me; my eyes were wide open, and I was as though I had come out of a dark cellar, into the brightest beams of the noon day sun.

I am very sensible, that the spirit which leads on this new scheme, is the spirit of witchcraft, and is the most powerful of any delusion I ever heard or read of except what I find in Acts viii. 9, 10, 11. It I have been in any measure a means of leading any person into this wicked and dreadful delusion, I am very sorry, and as I heartily repent of my folly, I ask the forgiveness of all, especially those, that like myself, have been attending to creatures instead of lookin to God.

Having thus given a short, but true relation, of this new religion, in its several parts, together with my real and absolute knowledge of the same, by sorrowful experience, I pass on to the 9th, and last proposition, viz. To close the whole by a word of advice to ministers and people.

To the MINISTERS of the GOSPEL.

Reverend Sirs,

AS God has called you to the great and arduous work of the ministry, to teach the way of life, and watch over souls; it becomes my duty to advertise you of the growing evils and dangerous errors that are prevailing in our land, that by a timely information you may be able to guard against those damnable heresies, abominable impieties, and horrible blasphemies, pointed out in this piece.

When I consider the distresses of my bleeding country, the burthen of war, and want of religion, it may justly serve, as a strong motive, to engage every true lover of God and his country, to use his utmost endeavours to promote the union, peace and tranquility of the people in the civil state, and to quicken all into action, in the great and momentous concerns of eternity—While the infernal designs of an unwearied enemy are ripening into action, in leading souls to destruction, by delusive charms, it becomes [Page]your duty to use your utmost exertions to prevent their calamitous shipwreck, by the overflowing deluge of an infinite brood of evils.

The great and glorious doctrines of the gospel are intended as a sacred barrier against bewitching error: O then endeavour to inculcate in the minds of your hearers, the great mediatorship of Christ—the necessity of regenerating grace, and a divine faith in God through the blood and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ; and to maintain practical Godliness, by carefully and closely attending and adhering to every divine requirement.

DEAR SIRS,

THERE never was a day that more loudly called for faithful watchmen, than the present time; while we see Satan transforming himself into an angel of light, and bringing forward his deep laid scheme, to undermine the glorious plan of Redemption by Christ: And as he at first deceived the woman, and made use of her to delude the man; so he is playing his old prank over again, sending one woman from the State of New-York, and another from the State of Rhode-Island, who vie with each other, and are as dangerous to the heedless passenger as Scilla and Charibdes are to the unskilful mariner. O then! what need is there of skilful pilots and experienced helmsmen, to steer the ship of Zion, and keep her in the true channel of faith and love to God.

The battle is now begun, Michael and his angels, and the dragon and his angels are now formed one against the other, for the grand decision. Now, we may expect the whole artillery of the infernal den, charged with error, delusion and blasphemy, attending with all the power of hellish fury, in the last struggle of the enemy.

Now therefore, you are to fight against all the powers of darkness, and withstand Satan not only in his malignant rage and envy, but also in his deceitful flatteries and counterfeit friendship. For the old enemy of God and his people, like a grand politician, will try every method, by power, fraud and lies, to carry his diabolical designs [Page]into execution.—You need therefore the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand, and having done all to stand; but there is no fear to them that put their trust in Christ, who will again come up from the fields of Edom, glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength, and will trample his enemies in his fury, and sprinkle his garments with the blood of his enemies. You know your leader and where your strength lies; it is your duty to attend closely to his directions, that you may be powerful in your warfare, to pull down the strong holds of sin and Satan, and in so doing save yourselves and them who hear you, and at last receive a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give at that day.

Dear Fathers in Christ, I close my address to you, by wishing you the blessings of God in your pious labours to promote religion and virtue, and the advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom. I commend you to God, and the power of his grace, who is able to make you successful in building up your churches in the most holy faith, and at last to give you all an inheritance among them that are sanctified.

I now turn myself to the people in general. My dear countrymen, I am deeply affected at the fearful omens of impending destruction that so loudly threaten our bleeding land. Surely God is angry, and the tokens of his displeasure are plainly discovered. It is a day that calls for lamentation and mourning, repentence and reformation; it is for our sin that God has permitted the sword to be unsheathed upon us; and tyranny to clank its chains and threaten us with slavery. Notwithstanding it was our duty to look to God for help, and in an humble dependence on him to stand forth in our defence, against a cruel enemy; yet how has our armies degenerated into nurseries of impiety, and the contagious distemper that we have been opposing, spread itself in our land? Vice and immorality abounds; stupidity and profanness prevails; ambition and discord has been a growing evil; and how [Page]many of our countrymen, lost to the tender feelings of the human heart, been found more cruel than the Ostrich. How many traiterous plans have been formed for our blood and treasure, by a banditti of infernal miscreants? And notwithstanding God has prevented, and his good providence blasted the designs of those Cains [...], that have combined against us, yet how have [...] forgot the danger, without being found in suitable returns to God.

The great enemy of God that has filled the world with uproar, war and death, has ever envied the recovery of man, by a glorious mediator; and has ever been trying to circumvent the merciful designs of God, through Christ, for the salvation of souls. And in addition to all his subtile wiles, he takes the advantage of the great decay of religion and virtue, and makes it his opportunity to play his magic games, attended with the doctrine of purgatory, the worship of the creature instead of the creator, and an earthly and creature tribunal, to bring the whole creation of men to trial. The scheme is so naked and balled, with all its splendid shew of perfection, that every rational mind would recoil at the thought of falling in with such a diabolical plan, was it not for a bewitching power that attends it, which turns every thing upside down, and puts darkness for light, error for truth, bitter for sweet, and hell for Heaven.

Multitudes have fallen in with this dreadful scheme, and are so infatuated in their senses, that they are deprived of their reason, and past recovery, unless God interpose for them. While the leaders of this dreadful catastrophe, like the bowels of Aetna, are ever vomiting up their sulphur; like wild-fire it flies, and catches at a distance, and spreads like a plague. For such a delusion to take place in the land, loudly proclaims the judgment of God. For a people to be carried away with the power of error, bespeaks their great darkness and ignorance of the truth.

Men, Brethren, and Fathers, suffer me to address you with a word of advice. One great end and design of this piece is to timely advertise you of the growing evils that [Page]are prevailing in our land, especially the fatal delusion set forth in this narrative. Consider the great and noble end of your creation. You were not made to be the meer play-things of time, nor to furnish Satan with materials to carry on his dark designs and horrid intrigues against the Most High, but to honour and glorify God. Therefore, for this great end and purpose break off from sin of every kind, encourage religion and virtue in each other; carefully attend to the doctrine and advice of your godly teachers; lift up your hearts in your desires to God, for his holy spirit to enlighten and lead you into the truth; closely attend to the word of God; make it the man of your counsel. Let all your conduct speak forth your belief of the Deity, and judgment to come; and by becoming holy we shall be a happy people, and shall see the return of God's blessings, Satan disappointed and blasted, and the glorious kingdom of Christ advancing. I close my address to you, by heartily recommending to your serious consideration the great duty of guarding against those dangerous errors, and destructive delusions, which lead the misguided soul into the endless mazes and winding labyrinths of trouble and sorrow.

And may God preserve you and lead you to himself, through faith in Jesus Christ, with which I close, and subscribe myself the publick's real friend, and humble servant,

VALENTINE RATHBUN, (Minister of the Gospel.

Pittsfield, December 5, 1780.

A brief account of a religious scheme, taught and propagated by a number of Europeans, who lately lived in a place called Nisqueunia, in the state of New-York, but now residing in Harvard, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, commonly called, Shaking Quakers. / By Valentine Rathbun, Minister of the Gospel. ; [Two lines from Proverbs] ; To which is added, A dialogue between George the Third of Great-Britain, and his ministers; giving an account of the late London mob, and the original of the sect called Shakers. ; The whole being a discovery of the wicked machinations of the principal enemies of America.[2]

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A DIALOGUE, BETWEEN GEORGE the THIRD of GREAT-BRITAIN, and his MINISTERS; giving an Account of the Late MOB in LONDON, And the original of the Sect called SHAKERS. Who lately went from ENGLAND to NORTH AMERICA.

LONDON, Printed: WORCESTER, Re-printed, 1782.

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A DIALOGUE, &c.

London, 1781.

WHEN the people on this Island began some time ago to enter into Associations, in order to defeat the schemes of wicked and corrupt rulers, the King and his Ministers were much alarmed. A Cabinet Council was held at Whitehall in consequence thereof. There were present among others his Majesty, Lord Bute (under the rose) Lord North, Lord Germaine, Lord Mansfield, and a well known toryistical Bishop. After the debates on this important business were over; the following conversation or Dialogue took place, which laid that scene of disturbance and confusion, which lately took place in this Metropolis, and by which so many innocent persons unfortunately lost their lives: By this conference we are also led to the discovery of a low and contemptible scheme for raising commotions and disturbing the peace of our brethren in America, by introducing a new, strange and foolish religion, which, unaccountable as it may seem, it is said has already created much mischief in that quarter. The conversation was began by his Majesty, and was neaily as follows, viz.

His Majesty.

These Associations and Committees of [Page]correspondence, now forming with such rapid progress in England, appear to be similar to those by which the Americans first dared openly to oppose our government.

Lord Mansfield.

Very true, may it please your Majesty, and you cannot be too sensible of the great danger of such unlawful combinations.

Lord Bute.

Indeed, may it please your Majesty, I look upon these measures to be worthy of our most serious attention.

Lord North.

May it please your Majesty to allow me to express my sentiments relative to the alarming opposition now making in this realm to the measures we have adopted for the security of your Majesty's government—For the people in a cool and determined manner to associate and enter into covenants, and chuse men of property and influence to preside over and direct them in the means of opposition to government, appears to me to be big with the most fatal consequences.

Lord Germaine.

These are the very measures which were taken by the Americans in the beginning of their rebellion. Your Majesty may recollect their regular advances in this way. Ten thousand mobs could not have done half so much injury to this Kingdom.

Lord Mansfield.

It is a just maxim, That desperate diseases require desperate remedies. Mobs, may it please your Majesty, often produce the best effects; they tend to strengthen government, and in their consequences to weaken the opposition of the people, as they introduce anarchy and confusion, whereby the more serious and sensible part of the community are plundered and ill-treated, which will make them rather submit to some small infringement of their liberties, than to be harrassed by a mob raised out of the lowest and most abandoned of the people; and even acknowledge that absolute government is better than none.

Lord Germaine.

We must then take the hint, and raise a mob that will effectually answer our purpose at this day.

His Majesty.

My Lords, I look to you for advice in [Page]this important matter—if you think it worthy of attention you will please to point out the means of redress.

Lord Bute.

May it please your Majesty, your faithful servants now present have devised ways and means to counteract those dangerous measures adopted by the people; we only want your royal approbation.

His Majesty.

Please to make them known to me.

Lord North.

May it please your Majesty, we really think it expedient to raise a mob chiefly out of the lower sort of the people, to be headed by a person of some consequence. This riotous assembly when raised may easily be led to commit such outrages as will alarm all the sober and more sensible part of the nation, who will then wish for and request the interposition of government. Let military power be exerted in a proper moment—a few of the most worthless be taken, and after trial executed, and at the same time extend mercy to a few who are the least attrocious. The riot will then subside—a new face will appear upon our political affairs—the different passions of the people will be wrought upon—the moderate men will have more influence upon those in opposition—the dignity of government will acquire new lustre—those in opposition will loose ground—and finally all their pleasing expectations from Associations, &c. will vanish like the dew upon the rising of the morning sun.

His Majesty.

Your scheme appears something plausible—But how can the matter be properly conducted? For it appears to me to be an exceeding delicate affair.

Lord North.

May it please your Majesty, some trusty person or persons must be employed who are favourites of the people;—your Majesty's faithful ministers have already had a conference with Lord Gordon—he has the petition of the protestant association in trust, to present to your Majesty and Parliament against the bill of Toleration, &c. His character answers to a hair.—He has agreed if your Majesty approves the measure, to issue an advertisement, inviting the people to attend him in presenting the petition; and we have agreed with a number of [Page]cunning, artful fellows to influence the mob so assembled to burn a few buildings, &c. at which time we can set on our dogs of war, &c.

Lord Bute.

And one thing more must be done, the leading magistrates in the city must be brought into the secret, otherwise they will blow up our whole scheme by raising the posse comitatus on the first appearance of Lord Gordon's advertisement.

His Majesty.

That's right, a better plan could not be devised.—I thank you my good friends. As for Lord Gordon I will make him shine in due time; he is young and may live to enjoy his earnings.

Lord Mansfield.

We have assured Lord Gordon that his popularity will be equal to his most sanguine expectations—and he appears to be well satisfied with the idea of being the darling of the people. Something, however, must be done to bring him off from that punishment, which in the eye of the law he will justly merit. It will be proper that he undergo confinement, and stand a trial for his life; but matters being properly managed, there will be no danger of his suffering a greater evil than a confinement for a short time, and we make no doubt but he will receive full compensation for that inconvenience by your Majesty's royal bounty.

His Majesty.

He may rely on my assistance—and I think the sooner this plan is put in execution the better.

Lord Germaine.

It is now an excellent time, as we have caused such a clamour to be raised against popery.

His Majesty.

I could wish we had as good a plan to settle our affairs in America.

Lord Germaine.

The people in Great-Britain are pleased with the notion of our having a right to tax America; they think it will help to relieve them of their burthens; besides an English chimney-sweeper plumes himself on his English blood, and thinks he has a right to govern and make laws for America.

Lord Bute.

I fear, may it please your Majesty that all our money, blood and treasure expended there is lost, and [Page]America also. The money we have expended in bribery seems to have had but little good effect, but few of those we have retained appear to act conformable to our wishes; they seem to have but little courage to stand forth in the defence of our interest.

Lord North.

We must make some allowance for that, our affairs are so ruinous there, that they see they stand a great chance to be hanged or be obliged to leave their country forever, and self-preservation is one of the first laws of nature we all know: But we must make use of every stratagem; we find they answer when nothing else will. My Lord Germaine has lately had intelligence from some agents we have lately sent to America, to work upon the superstition of the people there. They have had tolerable success. My Lord will inform your Majesty concerning them.

His Majesty.

My Lord Germaine I am all attention.

Lord Germaine.

May it please your Majesty, our accounts from the persons who were sent to propagate a new religions scheme in America are very flattering. They make converts daily, and it is merry to hear of the weakness and folly of their tenets, and how aptly adapted to work on the foolish and superstitious passions of the most ignorant of the Americans. You must note, Sir, they have ever been taught to believe in miracles and supernatural operations. Their leaders, our agents, who stile themselves elders, profess to have all these powers, viz. To heal the sick, lame, wounded, &c. to have the gift of prophesy, divine revelations, and of conversing in unknown tongues, &c. and to be perfect and infallible; the spirit, as they term it, works upon and agitates their whole bodies; they have holy dances, turnings, shakings of the head and limbs, fall down and have terrible agitations; and many excel so much in these things, especially their converts, that they appear meagre, pale, and their visages ghastly; they are taught that they must confess their sins to their elders, and at such times are inquired of, Whether they have been guilty of taking up arms, which [Page]is represented as the greatest sin; whether they have been guilty of carnal knowledge with brutes; whether they have been guilty of whoredom, and with how many women; whether they have had carnal knowledge of a woman in her pregnancy, &c. and at the confession of each sin kneel and put up ejaculations to Heaven for pardon: The wretched converts to this religion, flock after their teachers, and at certain places are entertained on free cost, and are led to believe that the means of their support is furnished in a miraculous manner: This religion, contemptible as it may appear, is calculated to infatuate weak minds; and those who are but little acquainted with the construction of the human body, really think the teachers of this scheme have power from Heaven to work miracles, and never consider that the violent agitations of their bodies in the execise of their absurd shakings, will in particular cases give a fresh spring to the blood, and cause a circulation in parts which were before obstructed; and by means of which people who were before lame, may chance by the violent frenzy they have worked themselves into, cause a circulation to take place in a lame limb, and and thereby recover the use of it; this is held up as a real miracle, and does not fail to bring over fresh converts, particularly of those whose nerves are weak. They are taught to believe that the time draws near when the whole of the saints shall be sealed, and when the remaining wicked, among whom are those who have taken arms against us, shall be destroyed, to make room for the saints to reign with Christ a thousand years. They are great adepts in the use of the scriptures, and never fail to interpret it directly to their purpose. These people, if properly increased, might be worked up to any thing, and to any purpose by their leaders, on whom they solely depend for direction, only let them have a divine revelation to take arms and destroy rebels to God, and rebels to man; but I fear we are almost too late in this affair—we should have began sooner—but it may be that we may yet use these Shaking [Page]Quakers, as they are called, to good advantage—I look upon them at least late recruits for Britain.

Bishop.

I have often been told that the people in some of the colonies were great bigots in their religion; especially the dissenters—I am somewhat surprised that these Shaking Quakers should have any influence on them, especially as they are reputed to be foremost in the rebellion, and great opposers to any religious scheme that bears any resemblance to popery.—Now, if I am rightly informed, this new scheme bears a strong resemblance in many particulars to the catholick church—for instance, their profession of being perfect, infallible, confessions of sin, bodily agitations, out-side shews, &c. this answers directly to the mother papal church, together with their power of working miracles, &c. However, if we can but get this scheme to go down, it will have, I believe, a good tendency to cut the sinews of their rebellion, as the numerous converts will refuse to bear arms against the forces sent to subdue the Americans by your Majesty.

His Majesty.

I could wish the plan might succeed—but I must confess I am not without my doubts.

Lord Germaine.

May it please your Majesty, our agents, the teachers of this strange religion, are very cunning, and cover their designs thick with art.

Lord North.

It is certain from the intelligence we have received—that these people have made great progress in carrying on their plan—And it is well known that when a people are deluded by an appearance of supernatural power, that great things have and may still be done towards bringing them under a proper subjection to government, when the force of arms have failed.

Bishop.

All governments that are worth any thing are supported by the influence of the clergy—no Bishops, no King, is the old true maxim.

Lord Bute.

I am a great friend to the clergy, and am sensible of their importance in the pillars of our state, no gentlemen have so unanimously supported our measures [Page]for the recovery of America, as the Lords Spiritual.

Lord North.

May it please your Majesty, we may see by the easy manner in which the Americans are taken and duped by those shakers, that the bulk of the people there were never fited by wisdom and virtue for freemen; such ignorant and stupid wretches ought never to be free—they never acted from any principle of knowledge, founded in their understandings, in their rebellion and opposition to our government; they were dictated by only a few speculative men who foresaw the evil of our claims of making laws for them in all cases whatsoever.

Lord Germaine.

But, Sir, you must acknowledge that some of our laws; by which their charters were almost annihilated, and they subjected to be brought to England for trial, &c. might be seen through by weak minds.

Lord North.

That's true, Sir, and were intended to be seen by the commonality, you know, Sir, we had our aims by drawing them into rebellion, but consequences have turned out contrary to our expectations.

His Majesty.

True, gentlemen—I have been waiting for the joyful news of the conquest of the rebels in America, and expecting it as a consequence of your councils and measures, but have been continually disappointed; it is assurance, gentlemen, that I want, that the work will be soon compleated, and for the want of such assurance, my soul is almost starved. Shall it be said, that in the reign of George the Third, a native born King of Britain, that America was torn from his Crown! Forbid it Heaven! Forbid it Earth, and all the powers of darkness: Rather than such an event should take place, I would wish that the whole continent of America might be sunk into the bottom of the ocean, or consumed like Sodom with fire and brimstone, and every cursed rebel in it.

Bishop.

Amen, may it please your Majesty.

Lord Bute.

Amen.

Lord Germaine.

Amen.

[Page]Lord North.

Amen.

Lord Mansfield.

Amen.

Bishop.

And let all the people say Amen, and God bless and prosper your Majesty.

FINIS

Information about this book

Title statement

A brief account of a religious scheme, taught and propagated by a number of Europeans, who lately lived in a place called Nisqueunia, in the state of New-York, but now residing in Harvard, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, commonly called, Shaking Quakers. / By Valentine Rathbun, Minister of the Gospel. ; [Two lines from Proverbs] ; To which is added, A dialogue between George the Third of Great-Britain, and his ministers; giving an account of the late London mob, and the original of the sect called Shakers. ; The whole being a discovery of the wicked machinations of the principal enemies of America.

Rathbun, Valentine, b. 1724.

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI :

Date

2011-05.

ID [DLPS]

N13972

ID [TCP]

N13972

ID [STC]

Evans 17681

ID [NOTIS]

APV4985

ID [IMAGE-SET]

17681

ID [EVANS-CITATION]

99000315

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 17681.

Notes

(Evans-TCP ; no. N13972)

Transcribed from: (Readex Archive of Americana ; Early American Imprints, series I ; image set 17681)

Images scanned from Readex microprint and microform: (Early American imprints. First series ; no. 17681)

Source

— A brief account of a religious scheme, taught and propagated by a number of Europeans, who lately lived in a place called Nisqueunia, in the state of New-York, but now residing in Harvard, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, commonly called, Shaking Quakers. / By Valentine Rathbun, Minister of the Gospel. ; [Two lines from Proverbs] ; To which is added, A dialogue between George the Third of Great-Britain, and his ministers; giving an account of the late London mob, and the original of the sect called Shakers. ; The whole being a discovery of the wicked machinations of the principal enemies of America., Rathbun, Valentine, b. 1724..

Extent

36 p. ; 17 cm. (12mo)

[s.n.].. Worcester [Mass.]: :: Printed in the year 1782.. ("A dialogue, between George the Third of Great-Britain, and his ministers ..."--p. [27]-36, with separate title page.)

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