The nations and civilizations of antiq-not emotional; it is a servant to either uity fell in consequence of the unre- force. These forces are the magazines strained action of the propensities. of human power.

Modern civilizations are taking the same course. It is righteousness alone that exalteth and giveth permanency to nations.

Fourth, what are the products of the action of the objective force?

The product of the action of these atoms is the Adamic community, consisting of father, mother, and their children. When the offshoots have matured, they fly off to fulfill their destiny, as their parents have done. Here we

The mission of Jesus was to begin on earth the Divine order in human society, as was manifested in the Pentecostal Church, and now in that of the Shakers. The Divine faculties were and are called find, first, a force to form a community ; into action, and the propensities exclud-second, a force to disintegrate the same. ed. The results were, and are, a vir- And again, a third force, repelling any gin life and a community of all good coalescence with every other such comthings. munity. Hence family distinctiveness.

If communities, having goods in common, based on the total exclusion of the action of the propensities, exists in our day, the cause must be referred to the divine element in man being quickened. Having classified society according to the organic law of each, and defined the phases thereof, I will now proceed to analyze society, and again inquire,

First, what are the primary atoms of human society? Man and woman are the primary atoms of human society.

Second, what are the forces of these atoms as regards the formation of society?

Their most potent inherent force is an affinity to unite and form matrimonial relationships. This force may be called the animal force, for all animals in com mon with man are its subjects. They all marry as does man.

Having arrived at a knowledge of the forces which create the family relationship, limit its extent and maintain its distinctiveness, we become possessed of a base of operations, to weigh and measure what they are able to do, and what they are not able to effect.

The forces of the physical world are, to some extent, controlled and modified by man, but he cannot change them essentially; whatever form they may assume uuder his hand, they continue to bear a strict relation to their primary forces.

ac

So man or woman, on the Adamic plane or sphere, can be trained, till a great change in the common ceptation of the term has taken place. But, on examination, they are essentially the same, and bear a strict and true relation to the above forces, and to the sphere thereof. And any attempts of Third, the above force is the object- the subjects of said sphere, to raise ive, but what are the inhering forces of themselves out of, and beyond the power each atom? The inhering forces in of the forces thereof, by the aid of said each are dual, one is represented by ani- forces, must prove a nullity. Hence the mal emotions, the other by divine emo- formation of communities, embracing a tions-benevolence, goodness. There is number of families, recognizing the also a neutral force, the intellect, it is forces alluded to, have all died out, or

merely linger along. And so long as the Jesus on this point, gave a practical exprimal forces remain intact, the same re-ample (see New Testament) and said, sults will attend any attempt to establish"Those who do the will of my Father communities having goods in common. who is in Heaven, the same (all humanFirst, because families do not coalesce. ity in that state) is my mother, sister, Second, communities having goods in and brother." Here is a new relationcommon, do not admit of a plurality of ship. His Father is in Heaven-in a centers of affection. And third, utterly heavenly sphere; and those who do the reject the distinctive element. There will of his Father-whose every word fore, Adamic families are incapable of and act are in harmony with the Father, forming communities having goods in are also of that sphere, whether they common, being under the power of the be in a mortal body or not. Here we forces of animal emotional life, repre- find that love to God is the vitalizing sented by the propensities. Said forces element, or creative force of Christ's and propensities being incapable of man- kingdom. And love to those brought ifesting divine emotional life-incapable forth by that force, brings forth a uniof forming a universal brotherhood, versal brotherhood-the Divine order of having one center of affection-God.

Seeing that there is not a kingdom recognized on earth, where the Divine emotional force predominates, and has taken the mental force and subdued the animal in man and brought forth an order of society, with law, order, and a civilization corresponding thereto, perhaps we may find a single individual who may have focalized in himself such a kingdom.

human society. Such a kingdom wil uot be of the world, neither will its government stand in physical power, nor operate by force after the manner of the kingdoms of the animal man.

The germ of the Adamic family is very limited in its unfoldings. The germ-love to God, in its unfoldings embraces all humanity. And the voice of that unfolding, is ever, "Whosoever will let him come" and inherit the Divine

On looking over the past, we find one life and the true and good flowing thereindividual who states "That his king-from. dom is not of this world, subjects will not fight." couraging indications.

and that his Where the life and love of God is shed Here are en- abroad in human spirits, there is no But what are need to manufacture a community havthe forces by which this Nazarene pur-ing goods in common; it springs up of poseth to create and vitalize his king- itself, and is the result of the internal dom? He says, "Call no man on earth forces of divine relationships. father." Here he abrogates the order Here we find focalized in Christ, first, of the earthly father-the husband, and a force to create a universal brotherof course the wife-the mother. Indeed, hood; second, a force to destroy the oras far as his kingdom is concerned, the ganizing affinities of the Adamic relawhole procreative order. And the rea- tionships. Wherever two or three son is, "For one is your father, even are gathered together in the power of He who is in Heaven "-one center of these superior forces, there will be law affection-God. And in his own life, aud government, and an ultimate civili

zation that eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither hath it entered the heart of the Adamic man to conceive of.

In conclusion, the Divine-the Shaker Order of human society, and the Adamic, will run parallel through the ages. The latter is the boyhood, the former the true manhood of the race. Mt. Lebanon, N. Y.

TRUE TO TRUTH.

True be to Truth, though you serve it alone.
TRUST to Truth always with faith never shaken;
Serving it, shrink not to suffer and dare;
Preach it and fight for it; though it be taken

For Falsehood, for its sake all contumely dare;
God seems to will that the furnac should prove it,
Tested with fire, that its worth may be shown;
Put your firm faith in it, let nothing move it;
True be to Truth, though you serve it alone.
In it God speaks; as IIis awful voice hear it;
Take it, as Moses the tablets received,
Trusted to you still to love it and fear it,

Told evermore till by all men believed;

Be it is fiery pillar to guide you,

You to whose blest eyes its radiance is shown; Led through the desert, whatever betide you,

True be to Truth, though it guide you alone. Ever its prophets the world has derided,

Stoned first the Saints it has learned to adore; Girdled in fire, true to Truth they abided,

Firm in the flames till they suffered no more. Heroes and Saints and new Martyrs, we need them,

The saying that "a sect looks back to its founders, while a church looks forward," is an example of this kind. For while this is true as matter of fact, the implied inference, that one is the exclusive mark of a sect, and the other of a church, is untrue. In the ordinary application of these terms among people professing Christianity, each sect is a church, and a church may be a sect.

Even if it were not so, sects adopting the Christian name, though chiefly stationary, do look forward, and a true church, if it remain true, must look to its founders, and bear them often in mind, for no one can be a member, who is not actuated by the spirit of its foundHence the aforesaid saying has no

ers.

value as a test of truth.

We read in ration" p. 21.

Tests of Divine InspiEvery dispensation of the work of God, commenced in divine revelation, by which its foundations were laid. To support and perfect the work of each dispensation, a continued revelation was also indispensable. And whenever the gifts of the Divine Spirit

Wrong to make right and God's will to make ceased, a "falling away," from founda

known,

Till tyrants are smitten and bondsmen have freedom,

And Truth rules the glad world, supreme and alone. I. C. Bennett.

CHRIST NOT DIVIDED.

ALONZO G. HOLLISTER.

tion principles, among the professors of
that order, was the inevitable result.
"Where there is no vision, the people
perish." Prov.

But although a continued revelation
was always necessary, by which to know
the present will of God (to the living,)
yet an all important principle has ever
been paramount to all others, in every
And that is, an un-

HALF truths told in the form of propositions, to sustain a theory, are sometimes more deceptive and misleading to age of the world. the uncritical mind, than absolute false-erring rule, by which to judge, distinhood. Because the moiety of truth they guish and know divinely inspired revelacontain, like the stamp on counterfeit tions from those which are spurious, and coin, enables them to pass unchallenged where unmixed falsehood would be rejected.

false. Page, 23. "The rudimental laws
of each dispensation, were the rules (r
tests by which to judge all spiritual com-

17

eras.

given in their respective ed. Increase, on a true foundation, will not conflict with, but confirm and strengthen the foundation...

An unerring test being an acknowledged necessity in a church which is Sect, from Latin seco, to cut off, to continually advancing into the ever in- separate, means a party, or division, creasing light of truth, where can we whether in philosophy or religion. It therefore implies a plurality of bodies or parties in religion, etc., separated from each other by conflicting opinions

find it more surely than in the lives and testimony of its founders and perpetuators?

A pure stream never came from a cor- and usages, but classified under one rupt fountain, neither a pure stock from name. Hence the so called Christian hybrid seed. The first, universally rec-sects, Jewish sects, Mohammedan sects, ognized criterion of truth, is its perfect are so many independent heads or paroneness, from whence arises harmony, ties, professedly Christian, Jewish, or consistency and agreement. This fact Mohammedan, divided in particulars, lies at the basis of all true reason, and but agreeing in some generalities. sound understanding. The gospel itself The church or congregation of Christ, must agree with certain concepts is his visible body, which, as it is raised of truth in the mind to which it is ad- up and sustained by Divine Power and dressed, or it will not be received. It Wisdom, can never have but one head, was the work of Moses and the proph- and is therefore indivisible. As it emets, and of Christ in his first appearing, braces all the interests of man in his reto form a foundation in the human mind deemed and complete state, including all for a class of concepts that do not spring truth necessary to raise, endow, and perup spontaneously, nor originate in natu- fect mankind in that state, it is not, and ral causes, but in revelation, and are never can be a sect. For as the Aposcommunicated from mind to mind by tle declares, Eph. i., 10. It is the Dispirit intelligence, or the holy spirit of vine purpose in the fullness of times, to Divine wisdom, whether by the agency gather all things into one Christ, both of spirits in the body or spirits out of the things in heaven and the things on the body. It is the work of Christ's earth, it must draw all that is salvable second appearing to build upon and in- from every sect, being as superior to all crease those concepts. sects, as the heavens are superior to

Some twelve years ago, E. Amos Parkhurst, queried in himself. What is the body of Christ? There opened to

Hence we cannot ignore the past alto-earth. gether, without severing the trunk from the roots which nourish and keep it alive. without ignoring the wisdom, strength, and growth of the past, so far as that was growth in light and right, it forms the basis of present attainments.

his view, a great multitude of Shakers,
disciples, perhaps a million of them to-
gether, and all were actuated and moved
by the one spirit of Christ.
the body of Christ.

May those who view the past, as a limit to all increase, or as sanctioning acknowledged error, reject with discrim- get this one spirit?

That was

Well, how do they

How does it oper

ination lest their light become extinguish-ate? It seemed to operate through the

nerve fluid, or nerve spirit, so that what but the serious, and almost ominous one knows, they all know.

question comes up, what social relations Again, electricity was presented as are best to supersede the present objecanother medium of operation, for the in- tionable ones? That is one of the hardfluence proceeding from the fountain est questions of today, and it calls loudhead, which must be an individual intel-er and louder for reply. ligence of course. This spirit began to be manifested in Jesus Christ, and can never come only through him. The work has been increasing since, and when it is perfected, such will be the 'body of Christ. "For though it is one body, it hath many members." This view was not to represent what is now, But what is to be when the church is perfected.

Mt. Lebanon, N. Y.

Suppose all were Shakers. Depopulation would be the result. Suppose all were Mormons. The tangled relations and resultant misery would be greatly increased. Monastic celibacy is but outward show, accompanied by crime and degradation such as few would believe who have not investigated. Our present system most in vogue is full of unhappy marriages, frequent divorce, over population, poverty, crime, lunacy.

My own opinions here would not weigh as a teather's weight, and therefore need not even be glanced at.

Be assured of my kind regards, how much soever our opinions may differ. Yours truly,

Osceola, Iowa. Oct. 4, 1884. DEAR MADAM ;-I received your paper the "Manifesto"-There are people who are better than their systems of reLigion-the Shakers, the Quakers, and some others. I respect those people more than their opinions. We live in a free country (at least we flatter ourselves Datavya Bharata Karyalaya, Calcutta,

F. J. Emory.

The 13, April 1884.

DEAR BROTHER;—A. G. Hollister,
I have read your letter as also the

so) and none should be ostracised or persecuted on account of their religious. opinions. As a general rule the most numerous and dominant sect in religion several publications you have kindly sent try to convert the others, and if unsuc-me with great interest. I knew somecessful, they persecute. I think the thing of your brotherhood before, and I Shakers and the Quakers are both free have already esteemed it highly. The from that intolerant spirit and so I re- end you have proposed to yourselves is a spect them. The late D. M. Bennett and noble one. May the common father of his wife once belonged to the Shakers; the indoo and Christian prosper it, and they were both very good people, and bring it nearer to accomplishment. great credit is due to those who raised them.

I do not concur in Shakerism, nor its apposite Mormonism, nor in monastic celibacy, nor even in the present reckless marriage system and its frequent divorce,

The publications you have kindly sent me, I will place in the "Library" where they may be seen by thousands of Hindoos and Moslems and Christians, and where they are sure to attract attention. I inclose a few copies of a printed