God in a Chair in Colonial America

[CalMeacham]

I just finished reading Ann the Word by Richard Francis. It’s a biography of the Shaker prophet(ess) Ann Lee, who came over to America and founded the Shaker Communities in New England. a fascinaying woman. I hadn’t realized that she hadn’t founded the Shaker religion – she was, herself, a convert. But the founders stayed in Manchester, England, and the faith would probably have died out wiyth them had Ann not carried it to the colonies.

in any event, she arrived at a time of intense religious interest and excitement. One of the other characters at the time was one Nat Smith, who

“proceeded to assume and declare himself to be the Most High God”, and in an odd anticipation of the modern fashion for baseball hats “wore a Cap with the Word Gid inscribed on its front.” Nat also possessed a great chair, which “was a Holy Chair & none but himself must sit in it.”

– Ann the Word p. 163.

Quotes from Ezra Stiles’ book Extracts from the Itineraries:

Extracts from the Itineraries and Other Miscellanies of Ezra Stiles, D. D.,...

I notice that, even though he died in 1793, he still had believers afterwards.

[BigT]

@CalMeacham

I notice that, even though he died in 1793, he still had believers afterwards.

According to my sister’s first year sociology book, this is quite common. It also happened with Father Divine. Many of his followers believed he faked his own death, to get out of the limelight, merely sheding his mortal coil to be reincarnated as someone else. (It helps that he claimed his second wife was a reincarnated version of his first.)