Joanna Southcott: Unpublished Manuscripts

 

The Vision of Candles and the spacious Room

 

The Vision of Candles and the spacious Room that was seen by Joanna 1794, these words were spoken to her.

Arise and shine for thy Light is come, and Glory of the Lord is Risen.

 

Now Joanna thee I’ll answer

As these two Visions do appear

All will know I am thy Master

When they both I’ve made them clear

Arise and shine ‘twill by high time

When both together come

The mysteries deep are now behind

Like sparkling Rays of Sun.

 

In glory bright to see the sight

When I’ve fulfilled my word

To bring these shadows all to light

Then men will know their Lord

Did strong appear in Visions here

To shew you all the end

For every Mystery then I’ll clear

And Prove myself your Friend

But see the bed where Thousands laid

And all before thy view

And mark the words that I have said

You’ll find these Visions true

For I shall shine in every mind

And shew the Mystery clear

The lighted candles then will find

The way I shall appear

To slide them up so they may hope

Tho’ glimmering now they see

I tell thee now no one shall drop

That’s on the line with thee.

 

I tell the no, it is not so

I’ll slide them up through all

And they shall see the Light from Me

To make their foes to fall

So do not fear the shadows here

Tho’ dangers over their heads

This way their foes do now appear

But now mark what I’ve said

I’ll slide them up thy friends may hope

Tis not thy friends must mourn

When I’ve begun to work in man

And make the candles burn

Then they’ll confound in every sound

Mark what was said before

I said the end would so be found

When I in Power appear

So I shall come in Power strong

And make thy foes to fall

Thou’lt see the sparkling light to burn

These Visions shew you all

What I’ve said be not misled

The End will so appear

The candles see will lighted be

And make thy foes to fear.

 

For to hang there they may appear

As lighted candles come

And of the Grave thou’st nought to fear

For now I’ll tell thy doom

In Glory Bright before my sight

Thou surely wilt appear

The candles they will all burn bright

When I have ended here

So rise and shine tis then the time

For sparking light you’ll see

But should I make them drunk with wine

And drown’d the eyes of thee

In tears to flow I well do know

If I should light too soon

Therefore this way I on do go

The setting Sun must come

For all to see the Mystery

The clouds I must dismiss

And every foe that’s join’d with thee

I tell thee must be cast

Before the time I’ve told my mind

The hearts of Men I know

Mark how thy spirit is confin’d

When joined with a foe

And mine’s the same behold my name

With foes I’ve join’d thee here

As well as friends to shew the end

 

That Satan may see clear

I gave him Room it must be known

To work his every will

But now the light will soon be shewn

That he with all his skill

Could not work round in any sound

To quench the light in thee

Thy obedience so is found

That all my friends may see

Their light to burst thy foes are cast

But now thy thoughts I know

Why is this written on their heads

Must they Receiv’d A Blow?

 

The Vision see is drawn by thee

A way you don’t discern

I told you like the setting sun

Thy ending sure will come

So perfect like the setting sun

In sparkling Rays, all round

In lustre bright before your sight

The vision so is found.

 

So discern the way I warn

Mark what I told thee first

Arise and shine behold the time

This vision so is plac’d

As seen before doth now appear

The other visions see

I told thee like the setting sun

Thy end would surely be

When sparkling bright before my sight

And so thou’st drawn it here

When I all mysteries bring to light

They’ll see the Visions clear

That thy must join as now they hang

To conquer every foe

Tho’ on their head is malice laid

By Satans arts I know

That is work’d round in every sound

And I shall work Round all

Till men shall see they lighted be

And very mystery shine

In wonders here for to appear

When I have work’d Round all

Now from this writing who can clear

For up and down I call1

So up and down in every sound

You’ll see the truth come on

A mystery the end will be

Unto the sons of men

But mark this writing how tis plac’d2

My ways are placed the same

For who can find in every line

A straight path to go on

So ‘tis with mine the end they’ll find

For Crooked Paths seem here

But in the end ‘tis my intend

To make them straight appear

As this might be I now tell thee

The lines may all be Plain

Upon another Paper wrote

And so I’ll make the end

 

How different here doth it appear

The Vision thou hast drawn

Than in the way thou see’st it here

And so the end will come

So like the first I say ‘twill burst

For all may rise and shine

You’ll see the Mystery at the last

In sparkling light divine.

 

The candles see are plac’d by thee

And in the sockets here

And perfect so mankind do see

But I shall make all clear

These Visions two before thy view

Shews plain to all your end

A mystery you all will see

For I this way shall Bend

The candles all when Loud I call

I’ll make their Light more strong

For I shall slide them up of all

That now with thee will hang

Upon the Line they’ll see the time

When I shall slide them up

All will know my words divine

Tho’ simply I did stoop

To come to man in simple form

As I told thee at first

And in the stable to be born

That way my Bible did burst

So now again ye sons of men

I humbly have stoop’d low

In the same manner I had done

And so my words do flow

In simple manners to appear

But should I lead thee on

In wondrous wisdom bright and clear

In likeness of my throne

Should I come down in every sound

To make these Mysteries known

I ask thee how I should be found

In mercy for to come?

 

Simplicity you all must see

Was surely seen at first

And so the end was my intend

That way again to burst

So simple here doth all appear

And simply I go on

To work in thee they all shall see

 

But now discern thy hand

How do appear thy visions here

And mark how now thou’st drawn

The sparkling lustre now see clear

They’ll find the end is so

When I do come to make an end

To visions Both fulfil

Around thy bed as I have said

They’ll see the mystery still

 

But now within thou dost begin

To ask what this doth mean

I could not come in mystery here

To speak in nobler strain

But I’ll appear to answer here

And tell thee what I mean

Why I in mystery could not come

To spear in nobler strain

Had I come down in every sound

In Language like a God

The sons of men must so be found

To tremble at my Rod

Because that clear it must appear

The calling it was mine

Yet Satan would mens hearts ensnare

To mock me at the time

Then how could I who dwell on high

Shew pity unto man

That did my mercies so deny

My Gospel all discern

 

To Rise and shine tis then the time

When I’ve work’d all through

And from the Vision here are seen

They’ll find my words are true

So from the Sun I shall begin

And place the Vision here

Because I tell thee, like the Sun

The Ball doth so appear

Then shewn to thee in fire to be

But rounded like the sun

And so they’ll find the Mystery

When I begin to burn

Like fire below they friends will know

That I shall make them mine

So cut no more the time is oer

 

For now I’ll shew the sign

So perfect as this vision is

I’ll make the end appear

To every friend tis my intend

To make them sparkle here.

 

 Notes:

1The verses placed irregular

2Irregular not in the order of the figures