The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1920-08-12
would seem to Indicate that it was

WOulu Seeht " luuICdue tDdl IL NuS
published some years age.
According to the story (now many
times told the letter was first found
under Il stone mt the foot of the cross
ON which Christ was cricitied. On the
stone was written. $ Blessed is he who
shall turn me over No one knew
what this inscription meant until
child turned the stone over and discov-
cred the letter.
The letter came into the hands Of il
man who had been converted. and who
kept it as /; sacred memento of the
Savior. He. however. refused to have
it published according to the orders
of Christ, and, consequently. he never
prospered. He kept the fact that he
possessed the letter ii secret. and Oh his
death gave it to his eldest SON.. Thus
the letter was kept in tile family for
over a thousand years. and was brought
to this country by the early settlers.
1t was kept a secret by the family
| while they lived iii Virginia. hut they
never prospered. and i'll luck continu-
ally followed them, as it did their an
cestors. until on the death of the only
| daughter the letter was turned over to
| a lady by the name of Mrs. Townson.
| who. not wishing to disobey the order
| of Christ. at once had it published in
| the Tribune of Rome. Ga, October 81,
| 1891. Other newspapers then began to
clip and publish the letter Also, oc-
caSionaIly there was published the
/ story of the i'll luck that followed those
into whose hands the letter fell and
who made no effort to have it published.
We suggest to the Banners readers
| that the letter may be published to
others . without actually being printed
| in a newspaper, or in other form. II
YOU tell others, about it. or show Il
clipping to them, YOU make public, y
make known and therefore also
publish.
THE LETTER.
!" whatsoever works on the Sabbath
day shall be cursed. command you to
1 go to church and keep holy the Lords
Day without any manner of work. You
shall not idle or misspend your time in
bedecking yourselves in supertiuities OF
costly apparel and vain dressing, fox
have ordered it day of rest. | will
have that day kept holy that your sins
may be forgiven you. You will not
break my commandments. but observe
and keep them. they being written by
my hand and spoken from my mouth.
! You shall not only go to church your
selves, but also your man servant and
your maid servant. Observe my words
and learn my commandments. You shall
finish your work every Saturday ut SIX
o'clock in the afternoon. ut which houl
the preparation for the Sabbath begins
l advise you to fast five Fridays III
the year. beginning on Good Friday AND
continuing the five Fridays following
in remembrance of the five bloody
wounds l received for you and man
kind You shall love one another ant
4 cause them that are not baptized tt
come to church and receive the holy
sacrament-that is to say, baptism ant
the supper of the Lord, and be made 1
member thereof. and in SO doing l viii
give you long life and many blessings
Your land shall be replenished and brin:
forth abundance and will comfort 70,
in the greatest temptation. and surel!
he that slOeth to the contrary shall b
cursed. l will also send hardness O
heart on them, and especially on hard
ened and unpenitent unbelievers. HI
that hath given to the poor shall tint
it profitable. Remember to keep hol.
: the Sabbath day. fois the seventh day
have taken as resting day for myself
THE INJUNCTION.
And he that hath copy of this let
ter written by my own hand and spokel
: from my own mouth, and keepeth il
without publishing it to others, shall
not prosper; but he that publisheth
] to others shall be blessed by me. an
\ if their sins be as many as the star
of the night. and if they truly beliey
they shall be pardoned. and they tina
believe not this writing and my con
mandments will have my plaques upo
!. you. and you be consumed with you
children. goods, cattle and all othe
worldly enjoyments that | have give
: YOU. Do but once think of what hav
: suffered for you--if you do. it will b
j well for you in this world and in th
I | world which is to come. WhOsoeye
: shall have "a copy Of this letter al
{ keep it in their house. nothing sha
hurt them. neither pestilence, l1ghtn1n
:, or thunder. and if any woman be
= birth and put her trust in Inc she sha
he delivered Of her child. You shall hea
I. no more news of me, except thrOug
II the Holy Scripture. until the day {
Judgment. All goodness and prosperit
:, shall he in the house where a copy {
this letter shall he found. Finished.