Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-01

WHAT LIE IoREsAw IN TIE IUTUkE q lUR
COUNTRY.
The following singular vision was reveal
ed TO Joseph Hoag of the Society OF Friends,
who was born IN Dutchess county, y. Y,
| April %, l162. He first appeared As q eos-
/ pei minister when ne was ABOUT l. years of
age, and was Acknowledged as such by the
/ Society of Friends in the twenty-third year
of his age. 10 l7s9 or 1870. be remOv cd
with his family and settled at Charlotte.
! Vt, and was the first minister who settled
IN that town. lie died there November "a g.
/ 1916, in the eighty-fith year Of his age 1t
was while on Lis farm at Charlotte that lie
! had this vision
In the year 1903. probably in the eighth
| or ninth month, | was one day alone in the
field and observed that the sun shope clear.
| but mist eclipse1 the brightness of its
shining. As reflected upon the singu-
larity of tie event, my mind was
struck into silence the most SOL
emn | ever remember 10 have wit
messed for 1t seemed as If all my faculties
were laid low. and unusually brought into
deep silence. ! said to myself, what can all
this mean? | do not recollect ever before
10 have been sensible Of such feelings and
| heard voice IRON heaven. saying This
that thou seest which dims the brightness
of the sun, Is a sign Of the present ard
coming times. took the forefathers of this
country from land of oppression planted
them here from among the people Of the for
est | sustained them. and while they were
humble blessed them and fed them and they
became a numerous people But they have |
forgotten me. who nourished and protected |
them in the wilderness, and are running
into every abOminstion and evil practice Of |
which the old countries are guilty, and | |
have taken quletude from the land, and suf- |
fertd dividing spirit 20 come among them. |
Lift up thine eyes and behold - And saw |
them dividing in great heat This division |
began in the church, upon points Of doc |
trine. lt commenced in the Presbyterian
society, and went through the various reli-
gious denominations and in its progress
and close the effect was nearly the
same. Those who dissented went of
with high heads and taunting language, but
those who kept to their organized senti-
meuIs appeared exercised and sorruwlul.
When this dividing spirit entered the s0cie-
ty of Friends, it ragged in as high a degree
a. any bad before discovered. and. as be-
fore, those who separated went with lofty
looks and taunting, cencuriDg language
Those who kept TO their ancient principles
retired by themselves 1t next appeared 10
the lodges of the Free Masons. and it broke
out in appearance like volcano, inasmuch
as it set the country in uproar for a long
time. Then it entered politics throughout
the United States, and did not top until 1t
produced a civil war. An abundance of
human blood was shed in course OF the cLm-
bat. The southern states lost their power,
and slavery was annihilated from their Dor
ders. Then monarchial power arose ard
took the government of the states, estab-
ished national religion, and made all
societies tributary TO support its expenses.
saw them take property from Friends, to
, large amount. was amazed al beholdIng J
Ill this. and heard voice proclaim; This J
power shall not always stand. bot with this
power will chastise my church until they re-
urn to the faithiulness !oi their foreiathers.
Thou seest that which is coming upon thy !
native land for their iniquity, and the
blood of Africa the remembrance OF which
las come up before Inc. This vision is yet !
or many days | had not thought Of !
writing this for many years, until If became +.
uch burden that for my OWN relief have
written it," The printed copy from which
his taken, is twenty five years old. and a !
written one is known TO have been in the I
of the family for fifty years OF !
nore.-Er. /.