Could they be induced to be more liberal, they would no doubt be more useful to their fellow creatures*. JOANNA SOUTHCOTT+. "The mission of this prophetess commenced in the year 1792, and the number of people who have joined with her from that period to the present time, as believing her to be divinely inspired, is considerable. It is asserted that she is the instrument under the direction of Christ, to announce the establishment of his kingdom on earth, as a fulfilment of all the promises in the Scriptures, and of that prayer which he himself gave to his followers; and more particularly of the promise made to the woman in the fall, *The above account was sent to the author, by a gentleman who was several years a preacher among the Johnsonians, and who holds himself responsible for its accuracy and fidelity. + The author having been frequently applied to respecting the opinions of Joanna Southcott, has procured from a literary gentleman who is attached to her and her cause, the above commu nication. The reader, therefore, may rely on its accuracy; indeed he might be referred to her numerous pamphlets, were their contents accessible to common understandings. They will be found to be a singular compound of prose and verse. The author of the Sketch would just add, that the above is the most intelligible account of her opinions and religious views hitherto submitted to his attention. through which the human race is to be redeemed from all the effects of it in the end. We are taught by the communication of the Spirit of Truth to her, that the seven days of the CREATION were types of the two periods in which the reign of Satan and of Christ are to be proved and contrasted; Satan was conditionally to have his reign tried for six thousand years, shadowed by the six days in which the Lord worked, as his spirit has striven with man while under the powers of darkness; but Satan's reign is to be shortened, for the sake of the elect, as declared in the gospel; and Satan is to have a further trial at the expiration of the thousand years, for a time equal to the number of the days shortened. At the close of the seven thousand years the day of judgment is to take place, and then the whole human race will collectively bring forward the testimony of the evil they suffered under the reign of Satan, and of the good they enjoyed under the spiritual reign of Christ. These two testimonies will be evidence before the whole creation of God that the pride of Satan was the cause of his rebellion in heaven, and that he was the root of evil upon earth; and consequently when those two great proofs have been brought forward, that part of the human race that has fallen under his power, to be tormented by being in the society of Satan and his angels, will revolt from him in that great day, will mourn that they have been deluded, will repent, and the Saviour of all will hold out his hand to them in mercy; and will then prepare a new earth for them to work righteousness, and prepare them ultimately to join his saints, who have fought the good fight in this world, while under the reign of Satan. The mission of Joanna is to be accomplished by a perfect obedience to the spirit that directs her, and so to be made to claim the promise of bruising the head of the serpent; and which promise was made to the woman on her casting the blame upon Satan, whom she unwittingly obeyed, and thus man became dead to the knowledge of the good; and so he blamed his Creator for giving him the woman, who was pronounced his helpmate for good. To fulfil the attribute of justice, CHRIST took upon himself that blame, and assumed his humanity to suffer on the cross for it, that he might justly bring the cross upon Satan, and rid him from the earth, and then complete the creation of man, so as to be after his own image. It is declared that the seed of the woman are those who in faith shall join with her in claiming the promise made in the fall; and they are to subscribe with their hands unto the Lord, that they do thus join with her, praying for the destruction of the powers of darkness, and for the establishment of the : kingdom of CHRIST. Those who thus come forward in this spiritual war are to have the seal of the Lord's protection, and if they remain faithful soldiers, death and hell shall not have power over them and these are to make up the sealed number of one hundred and forty-four thousand to stand with the Lamb on Mount Sion! The fall of Satan's kingdom will be a second deluge over the earth; so that from his having brought the human race under his power, a great part of them will fall with him; for the Lord will pluck out of his kingdom all that offend and do wickedly. The voice which announces the coming of the Messiah is accompanied with judgments, and the nations must be shaken and brought low before they will lay these things to heart. When all these things are accomplished, then the Desire of nations will come in glory, so that every eye shall see him, and he will give his kingdom to his saints! It is represented that in the Bible is recorded every event by which the Deity will work the ultimate happiness of the human race; but that the great plan is for the most part represented by types and shadows, and otherwise so wrapt up in mysteries, as to be inscrutable to human wisdom. As the Lord pronounced that man should become dead to knowledge if he ate the forbidden fruit, so the Lord must prove his words true. He therefore selected a peculiar people, as depositaries of the records of that knowledge; and he appeared among them, and they proved themselves dead to every knowledge of him, by crucifying him. He will in like manner put the wild olive to the same test; and the result will be, that he will be now crucified in the spirit! The mission of Joanna began in 1792, at which time she had prophecies given her, shew. ing how the whole was to be accomplished. Among other things, the Lord said he should visit the surrounding nations with various calamities for fifteen years, as a warning to this land; and that then he should bring about events here which should more clearly manifest the truth of her mission, by judgments and otherwise; so that this should be the happy nation to be the first redeemed from its troubles, and be the instrument for awakening the rest of the world to a sense of what is coming upon all, and for destroying the Beast, and those who worship his image!" Such is the account of the opinions of Joanna Southcott sent me for insertion: it may not be improper to add, that this lady has recourse to pictures by way of illustrating the visions with which she favours the world. She used to travel with these representations of the pencil; and they were held up by a person standing at the |