¹ I might here take notice of the married women’s being ordered to wear blue knots, the single women pink, and those that are just marriageable, pink and white; the widows that are past child-bearing, to wear white, and those that are not so, blue and white knots; and also of the _episcopal knot_ of Mrs. _Hannah Nitschman_, (who is, I am informed, the present general Eldress of the congregation) which is sometimes of a purple, and sometimes of a rose colour. These, with many other fanciful things, might be considered; but my mind at present is too full of concern to dwell upon any thing but what more immediately strikes at the welfare of society, and what hath a still more fatal tendency to draw away unwary souls from the simplicity of the gospel. Would to GOD I could with a safe conscience be excused even from this!
Again, my Lord, I beg leave to enquire, whether we hear any thing in scripture of eldresses or deaconesses of the apostolical churches seating themselves before a table, covered with artificial flowers, and against that, a little altar surrounded with wax tapers, on which stood a cross, composed either of mock or real diamonds, or other glittering stones? And yet your Lordship must be sensible this was done in _Fetter-lane_ chapel, for Mrs. _Hannah Nitschman_, the present general eldress of your congregation, with this addition, that all the sisters were seated, cloathed in white, and with _German_ caps; the organ also illuminated with three pyramids of wax tapers, each of which was tied with a red ribbon; and over the head of the general Eldress, was placed her own picture, and over that (_horresco referens_) the picture of the Son of GOD. A goodly sight this, my Lord, for a company of _English_ protestants to behold! Alas! to what a long series of childish and superstitious devotions, and unscriptural impositions, must they have been habituated, before they could sit silent and tame spectators of such an antichristian scene. Surely, had _Gideon_, though but an Old Testament saint, been present, he would have risen and pulled down this, as he formerly did his father’s altar. Or had even that meek man _Moses_ been there, I cannot help thinking, but he would have addressed your Lordship, partly at least, in the words with which he addressed his brother _Aaron_, “What did this people unto thee, that thou hast introduced such superstitious customs among them¹?”
¹ A like scene to this was exhibited by the single brethren, in a room of their house at _Hatton Garden_. One of them, who helped to furnish it, gave me the following account. The floor was covered with sand and moss, and in the middle of it, was paved a star of different coloured pebbles, upon that was placed a gilded dove, which spouted water out of its mouth into a vessel prepared for its reception, which was curiously decked with artificial leaves and flags; the room was hung with moss and shells; the Count, his son, and son-in-law, in honour of whom all this was done, with Mrs. _Hannah Nitschman_, and Mr. _Peter Boehler_, and some other labourers, were present. These were seated under an alcove, supported by columns made of pasteboard, and over their heads was painted an oval, in imitation of marble, containing the cyphers of Count _Zinzendorff_’s family. Upon a side-table, was a little altar covered with shells, and on each side of the altar was a bloody heart, out of, or near which proceeded flames. The room was illuminated with wax tapers, and musicians placed in an adjacent apartment, while the company performed their devotions, and regaled themselves with sweet-meats, coffee, tea, and wine. After this the labourers departed, and the single brethren were admitted in. I am told, that most, if not all of these leading persons were present also at the celebration of Mrs. _Hannah Nitschman_’s birth-day.
But this is not all: I have another question to propose to your Lordship. Pray, my Lord, did any of the _Apostles_ or leaders of the primitive churches, ever usurp an authority, not only over people’s consciences, but their properties also? Or draw in the members of their respective congregations to dispose of whole patrimonies at once, or to be bound for thousands of pounds more than they well knew they were worth? And yet your Lordship knows this has been done again and again, in order to serve the purposes of the brethren for several years last past; and that too, at, or very near the time, when, in order to procure an act in their favour to go abroad, (which now appears to be rather a scheme to settle at home) they boasted to an _English_ parliament, how immensely rich they were¹.