02.08.001 That night it was shown me that the cause of God had been wounded in Maine, his children disheartened and scattered by a fanatical spirit.

02.08.002 Persons in whom we had placed confidence, J. T. and J. H., under a cloak of godliness were casting fear among the trembling, conscientious ones.

02.08.003 I saw that it was our duty to go and bear testimony in Maine.

02.08.004 We soon returned to Portland, and found the brethren in great confusion.

02.08.005 A meeting was appointed at the house of Sr. H. that I might have an opportunity to relate what had been shown me.

02.08.006 While praying for strength to discharge that painful duty, I was taken off in vision, and in the presence of J. T., was again shown his ungodly course.

02.08.007 Those present said I talked it out before him.

02.08.008 After I came out of vision he said I was under a wrong influence.

02.08.009 He acknowledged that a part of it was right, but the other part was wrong.

02.08.0010 Said it would take a critical spiritual observer to detect the difference; that this was the same spirit that had always followed him to crush him, &c.

02.08.0011 With anguish of spirit I left the meeting, for I had a message for his wife, a message of comfort to her sorrowing heart.

02.08.0012 I went to bear my testimony, and found her weeping and grieving, as though her heart would break.

02.08.0013 I related the vision, which she confirmed.

02.08.0014 We learned from united testimony, that honest, precious souls had been rejected by these fanatics, and by them told that they were rejected of God.

02.08.0015 We also learned that these officious ones had been flocking to my father's house, making that their stopping place.

02.08.0016 J. T. and J. H. who were leaders in this rank fanaticism, followed impressions and burdens, which led to corruption, instead of purity and holiness.

02.08.0017 Our parents were disgusted as they saw reason and judgment laid aside by them, and protested against their hypocritical course.

02.08.0018 But finding that they could not be freed from this company, they closed their house, and left the city for Poland, where my two married sisters were living.

02.08.0019 This did not suit J. T., and when we arrived at Portland he told me my father was a doomed man.

02.08.0020 My mother and sisters might be saved, but my father would be lost.

02.08.0021 The reason offered was because my father would not give him possession of his house when he left it.

02.08.0022 We then went to Poland, where my parents rehearsed their trials, and mentioned incidents which occurred at Portland, all of which confirmed the vision given in N. H.

02.08.0023 As I returned to Portland evidences increased of the desolating effects of fanaticism in Maine.

02.08.0024 These fanatical ones seemed to think that religion consisted in making a noise.

02.08.0025 They would talk in such a manner as to irritate unbelievers, and cause them to hate them, and then they would rejoice that they suffered persecution.

02.08.0026 Unbelievers could see no consistency in their course.

02.08.0027 The brethren in some places were prevented from assembling for meetings.

02.08.0028 The innocent suffered with the guilty.

02.08.0029 Much of the time I carried a sad and heavy heart.

02.08.0030 It seemed so cruel that the cause of Christ should be injured by injudicious men.

02.08.0031 They were not only ruining their own souls, but placing a stigma upon the cause not easily removed.

02.08.0032 And Satan loved to have it so.

02.08.0033 It suited him well to see the truth handled by unskillful workmen; to have it mixed with error, and then altogether trampled in the dust.

02.08.0034 He looked with triumph upon the confused, scattered state of God's children.

02.08.0035 J. T. labored with some success to turn my friends, and even my relatives, against me.

02.08.0036 Why did he do this? Because I had faithfully related what was shown me respecting his unchristian course.

02.08.0037 He circulated falsehoods to destroy my influence and justify himself.

02.08.0038 My lot seemed hard.

02.08.0039 Discouragements pressed heavily; and the condition of God's people so filled me with anguish that for two weeks my mind wandered.

02.08.0040 My relatives thought I could not live; but brethren and sisters who sympathized with me in this affliction, met to pray for me.

02.08.0041 I soon realized that earnest, effectual prayer was being offered in my behalf.

02.08.0042 Prayer prevailed. The power of the strong foe was broken, and I was released, and immediately taken off in vision.

02.08.0043 In this view I saw that a human influence should never afflict me again in like manner.

02.08.0044 If I felt an influence affecting my testimony, no matter where I might be, I had only to cry to God, and another angel would be sent to my rescue.

02.08.0045 I already had one guardian angel attending me continually, but when necessary, the Lord would send another to strengthen, and raise me above the power of every earthly influence.

02.08.0046 Then I saw for the first time the glory of the new earth as follows.