Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-05-08
A Vision Of .Toseph Hong.

mir. Hoag was an acknowledged minister
of the Society of Friends. He was born in
Dutchess county, N. L., in 1852, and died in
1916, being in his S5th year. He was Al
when he had the following vision, which Is
recorded in the printed Journal Of his life: J
In the year 1903 probably in the eighth
or ninth month. was one day alone in the
field, and observed that the sun shone clear
but a mist eclipsed the brightness OF ms
shining. AS reflected on the singulartty Oh
the event, my mind was clothed with ST.
lence the most solemn that l remembered
ever to have witnessed, for all my faculties
were laid low and unusually brought into
silence. / said to myself, what can all this
mean? | do not recollect ever before to
have been sensible of such feelings. And
heard voice from heaven. saying: This
that thou seest, that dms the brightness OF
the sun, is a sign of the present and coming
times. | took the fathers of this country
from the land of oppression; planted them
here among The people OF the forest; blest
them and sustained them; and while they
were humble fed them, and they became
numerous people. But they are now
become proud and lifted up: and have for
gotten me, who nOurished and sustained
them in the wilderness; and are running
into the same denominations OF which the
Olu COuUJTy was SullUN1 duh h"'N
uuietude from the land; and have suffered
n dividing spirit to come amongst them
Lift up thine eyes, and behold" And l
saw them dividing in great heat. This di-
vision began in the church on points OF doc
trine. 1t commenced in the Presbyterian
society, and went through the various re-
ligious denominations, and in its progress
and close its effects were nearly the same.
Those who dissented went off with high
heads and taunting, censuring language;
and those who kept tn Cheir original senti-
ments appeared exercised and sOrrowful.-
And when the dividing spirit entered the
Society OF Friends, it ragged in as high de-
gree as in any / had before discovered
And AS before, those who separated went
with lofty looks and censuring language.
Those who kept to the ancient principles
retired by themselves.
1t next appeared in the Lodges of Free
MasOns. and set the country in an uproar
for length of time.
Then it entered politics throughout the
United States, and did not stop until itpro-
duced civil war, and an abundance of
human blood was shed in the course of the
combat. The Southern States lost their
power, and slavery was annihllated from
their borders. Then a mOnarchical power
arose, took the government ot the States,
and est ,blished a national religion; and
made all societies tributary to support its
expenses. saw them take property from
friends to a large amount. | was amazed
at beholding all this and heard voice,
saying: This power shall not always
stand; but with this power will chastise
my church until they return to the faithful
ness of their fOrefathers. Thou seest what
is coming on thy native land for their
iniquities. the remembrance of which is
come up before me. This vision is yet foT
many days" l had no idea of writing il
for many years, until it became such bur
den, that for my own relief | have so writ
ten.