Ann Lee

“Following the doctrines put forth by Ann Lee, and elaborated by her successors, they hold:”

“She never learned to read or write. Aside from her strictly religious teachings, she appears to have inculcated upon her followers the practical virtues of honesty, industry, frugality, charity, and temperance.”

“We are the people who turned the world upside down.”

“It is now spring of the year, and you have all had the privilege of being taught the way of God; and now you may all go home and be faithful with your hands. Every faithful man will go forth and put up his fences in season, and will plow his ground in season, and put his crops into the ground in season; and such a man may with confidence look for a blessing.”

“You ought to dress yourself in modest apparel, such as becomes the people of God, and teach your family to do likewise. You ought to be industrious and prudent, and not live a sumptuous and gluttonous life, but labor for a meek and quiet spirit, and see that your family is kept decent and regular in all their goings forth, that others may see your example of faith and good works, and acknowledge the work of God in your family.”

“You ought not to cross your children unnecessarily, for it makes them ill-natured.”

“Be diligent with your hands, for godliness does not lead to idleness.”

“You can never enter the kingdom of God with hardness against any one, for God is love, and if you love God you will love one another.”

“You ought never to speak to your children in a passion; for if you do, you will put devils into them.”

“Put your hands to work and give your hearts to God.”

“I can freely forgive you, and I pray God to forgive you. It is God that forgives you; I am but your fellow-servant.”

“If you confess your sins, you must confess them to God; we are but his witnesses.”

“The first step of obedience that any of you can take is to confess your sins to God before his witnesses.”

“When I confessed my sins, I labored to remember the time when and the place where I committed them. And when I had confessed them, I cried to God to know if my confession was accepted; and by crying to God continually I traveled out of my loss.”