Ann Lee
14 quotes
Biography
Ann Lee, commonly known as Mother Ann Lee, was the founding leader of the Shakers, later changed to United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing following her death. She was born during the Evangelical revival in England and greatly influenced religion of that time, especially in the Americas.
"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."
"The first step of obedience that any of you can take is to confess your sins to God before his witnesses."
"If you confess your sins, you must confess them to God; we are but his witnesses."
"I can freely forgive you, and I pray God to forgive you. It is God that forgives you; I am but your fellow-servant."
"Put your hands to work and give your hearts to God."
"You ought never to speak to your children in a passion; for if you do, you will put devils into them."
"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."
"Be diligent with your hands, for godliness does not lead to idleness."
"You ought not to cross your children unnecessarily, for it makes them ill-natured."
"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."
"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."
"We are the people who turned the world upside down."
"Mother Ann Lee, in her personal appearance, was a woman rather below the common stature of woman; thick set, but straight and otherwise well proportioned and regular in form and features. Her complexion was light and fair, and her eyes were blue, but keen and penetrating; her countenance was mild and expressive, but grave and solemn. Her natural constitution was sound, strong and healthy. Her manners were plain, simple, and easy. She possessed a certain dignity of appearance that inspired confidence and commanded respect. By many of the world who saw her without prejudice she was called beautiful; and to her faithful children she appeared to possess a degree of dignified beauty and heavenly love which they had never before discovered among mortals."
"Following the doctrines put forth by Ann Lee, and elaborated by her successors, they hold:"