Volume II Part 5 (1/2)
P.S. Your Majesty sees how diligent Governor Nehemiah was in reforming what was amiss in Israel. He was obliged indeed to contend with the n.o.bles and the Rulers who opposed him, but he subdued them, and no wonder! Because he feared G.o.d and not Man.
From a loyal Subject of my King and a sincere Friend to his Kingdom.
TIMOTHY PICKERING.
Mr. Pickering wrote a letter to his son, while the latter was a student at Harvard College, requesting him not to play at cards, a practice which he regarded as wicked. But the son (Colonel Timothy Pickering afterwards), as Mr. Upham, his biographer, well remarks, was altogether too busy with his studies to waste time over cards.
We do not observe in the old papers much that would indicate a belief in modern Spiritualism; but it would seem from some accounts that ”angels”
were occasionally seen. In the cases we quote, the kind of ”angels” is not stated. Whether they were real live beauties, or not, can only be conjectured. Who would not now like to buy one of these books at ”four Coppers,” so as to read all about these angels?
_THIS DAY PRINTED._
(And Sold by _Green & Russel_, in Queen-Street,)
A True & wounderful Relation of the Appearance of THREE ANGELS, (cloathed in White Raiment) to a young Man at _Medford_, near _Boston_, in _New-England_, on the 4th of _February_ 1761, at Night. Together with the Substance of the DISCOURSE, delivered by one of the Angels, from the 3d Chapter of _Colossians_, and 4th Verse.
[Price only four Coppers.]
--> Good Allowance to those that purchase by the Dozen.
_Boston Gazette_, Feb. 18, 1761.
About this time, also, ”angels” made their appearance ”at home”
(England), as will be seen by another notice from the same paper.
This Day Published,
(_And Sold by_ Fowle & Draper, _in_ Marlboro'-Street.)
A full Relation of the surprizing Appearance of an Angel, in the Parish-Church of Gainsbury in Lincolns.h.i.+re, on Christmas-Day last, in the Morning.--From whom was obtained a Prophecy of many Things that should come to pa.s.s in Europe; but more especially in England and France:--The first of which Kingdoms is threatened with several Judgments on Account of their great Misimprovement of peculiar Priviledges: Whilst the latter, notwithstanding their Endeavours to become great, shall be totally destroy'd by Discord among themselves, &c. &c. The whole being a loud Call to Repentance.--Published at the Request of the Paris.h.i.+oners, and attested to by two Ministers, and three Esquires.
1761.
In the ”Boston Post-Boy” for Dec. 12, 1763, is an account of the dedication of the Synagogue in Newport, R.I.
_NEWPORT, December 5._
_On Friday last, in the Afternoon, was the Dedication of the new Synagogue, in this Town. It began by a handsome Procession, in which were carried the Books of the Law, to be deposited in the Ark. Several Portions of Scripture, and of their Service, with a Prayer for the Royal Family, were read, and finely sung by the Priest and People. There were present many Gentlemen and Ladies. The Order and Decorum, the Harmony and Solemnity of the Musick, together with a handsome a.s.sembly of People, in an Edifice the most perfect of the Temple Kind perhaps in America, and splendidly illuminated, could not but raise in the Mind a faint Idea of the Majesty and Grandeur of the antient Jewish Wors.h.i.+p mentioned in Scripture._
We find by the ”Salem Mercury” of March 30, 1789, that New Hackensack was fifty or sixty years before Rochester in ”rappings” and ”table-tippings.” Who shall say that these manifestations, whatever they are, are not as old as man himself? The best and wisest of us do not know everything. There may be some science, yet in its infancy, which will some day be explained, so that all these things will then be perfectly understood. The account here given has no appearance of deception. Had the girl lived a hundred years earlier, she would in all probability have been hanged for a witch; but had she lived in these days, she might have reaped a harvest from lectures and seances.
PHILADELPHIA, March 10.