Spring Hill in Racoon Valley belonged to Abraham, the oldest of the twelve sons of my departed friend Christian Long. Christian was one of the students of my German books, and strong witness of our mission; but his son Abraham preaching water baptism was not prepared to receive his testimony. But Christian and others in his company amongst the departed, were operating and preparing this place, while we thought that we had already succeeded in taking another place in possession, seventeen miles from this place, and we have been in quite an unexpected manner instructed that Springhill is the place in which we should start the Peace-Union Centre, and we have received the place as cheap as the worth of its improvements may be valued. This is according to our principles, according to which the land belongs to the whole human family, and to the improvements only each individual may claim as much right as he has consumed labor to produce them. But it is evident also that labor never can be exactly valued, and I had to write a very large volume to expose the manifold forms of labor, in which time is wasted, to corrupt and ruin human society. All the hints given in this book, may convince any investigating mind, that there is no redemption of the degraded and wretched condition of mankind except in the community in which men will be brought gradually into the true happy state in this life and in the spirit world, and will draw their departed friends into higher spheres.
Being compelled by circumstances to take away manuscript containing the spirit battle by which not only this, that we have to start our Peace-Union as a community and in Springhill, but also many other important points have been disclosed, which although they were known to us long time before that, may arouse the attention of those who would not hear us otherwise, except when they hear extraordinary spirit manifestations, which in connexion with starting our Peace-Union Centre on this place may be published another time. But here we must mention that by quite an unexpected vision against the wishes of the medium and his wife our doctrine has been illustrated, to wit, that those who make a covenant with our Peace-Union community, separate so from those who remain in Babylon, that if of those who are married, one partner would make such a covenant, but the other would remain in Babylon, we would do all in our power to draw also that partner into our community. But if he or she would remain obstinate despiser of our Heavenly message, we according to Divine law would consider the person who made the covenant with our Peace-Union as perfectly free to marry a person belonging to our community, and labor at the same time to convert the Government to acknowledge our mission and the Divine law made manifest by our mediumship. "What God hath joined together let no man put asunder." Matth. xix: 6. "What the devil has joined together, God puts asunder." If we have the mission expressed on the title-page, and confirmed by all signs and wonders which have been mentioned in this book, and with which hundreds of volumes could be filled, then it is evident that the devil has joined those together or the devil will keep them together, when one understands our mission and advances so far that he or she makes the covenant with our community and the other resists and will keep him or her in Babylon, when he or she starts to come out of her not to be partaker of her sins. The partner, may be he or she, who remains obstinate, remains in the great whore of the 17th chapter of the Revelation, is an adulterer or adulteress in the spiritual sense, and certainly with whoredom or other abominations he or she became so endarkened, that when the partner progressed so far, as to comprehend our Heavenly message, the destroying devil will detain him or her from the truth made manifest in our message. Those who have comprehended this book to this point, know that our case is just the contrary to the so called Free Love, diametrically opposed to it. A chaste husband or wife will comprehend us, but those who will continue in their fornication and adultery, will cry against us and misrepresent truth for their destruction. Here is no room for explanation of a point, on which I will write an extraordinary treatise, in which I will report and explain also the mentioned vision, when the diseased stomachs will be ready to digest our most wholesome medicine.
In this compression is also to be remembered, that the promise given on the 45th page in regard to the four in Baltimore executed in connexion with my visit to President Buchanan appears in a more dreadful shape in the portion of the 4th treatise which will appear in the second edition of this book if that edition shall be demanded, than I would have expected, when I mentioned that case. When President Buchanan, Governor Hicks and other Grandees of Washington and Maryland were not prepared to afford money for buying Springhill for our Peace Union Centre and for publishing this book, we read on the 42d page: "The same time a great sign was given so that I was sent speedily from Baltimore to the Western Reserve of Ohio." A.D. 1854 we commenced to prepare Brother Robert D. Eldrige in Baltimore for our mission. Then happened many wonders and signs in connexion with him, till at length a sign was given in Baltimore. But the principal of the four executed in Baltimore was brought before me in the Western Reserve of Ohio, and you will hear of strange spectacles in the next edition regarding that manifestation in connexion with the four Presidents Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce and Buchanan. After having performed the trials of spirits in the Western Reserve of Ohio, Eldrige started with me, and after having tried spirits in different places during our travelling, we arrived at length at Abraham Long's, and I showed to Brother Eldrige some of the secret treasures on the premises of Springhill, where Heavenly Wisdom[AC] prepared a great variety of most beautiful sceneries, magnificent fairviews on a number of sites very suitable for excellent buildings, and to all those places excellent springs of soft water may be derived by few rods of pipes, and excellent stone for buildings and superabundance of wood is most handy. We took then the deeds in the name of our Peace Union Community[AD], and we appear as Trustees, I by virtue of my mission, in duty bound to communicate the spirit who has sent me for the fulfilment of the most glorious promises to mankind, with those who will receive this spirit and will be drawn from Babylon into the New Jerusalem, and Robert D. Eldrige by virtue of his mission, who came with money and paid for the place with the rights which are given in this plan to those who invest money, and with the duty of superintendency for a good success. In those our duties all are bound to support us, who join with the Peace Union.
On the 11th day of July, 1859, my Document, entitled: "Great News for the Friends of Progression in Truth and Righteousness towards the promised New Era of Harmony and Peace amongst all nations" was set in type, the proof-sheet corrected by me, and a portion of copies struck off on the same day. We were preparing readers for the first convention which will be held in the New Hall on the Peace Union settlement in the latter part of the next month, and requesting Editors to publish that Document. But I think that the warlike spirit of destruction kept most of them in the servitude of monarchs. But that document was to be set in type and printed on the same day, on which Napoleon and Francis Joseph made their treaty of peace at Villafranca for an important testimony, that spirits from our sphere have controlled the affairs also there, so that if you hurry to do what is required in this book, you will prevent immense destruction of human life and property in this country, otherwise you should know that I have done more than from a mortal man could be expected, to move you for action. But when men become such beasts that they have no sense for spiritual things, destruction is a necessary consequence. At the commencement of the first treatise page 6 you see that Mr. Belly gave occasion to that treatise. Last month he came again to Paris and remains there according to newspapers until the 20th of the next month; and I proposed that on the same day our first convention should commence in the New Hall. We quote from said document in which the title of this book is copied, the close as follows: "The book with the above copied title will be published by Robert D. Eldrige in our Convention, and then copies will be sent by him to those who send to him the money (50 cents fur one copy, twenty dollars for 50 copies, 35 dollars for 100 copies) either before or after or at the Convention. He being a man of property and known as our trusty fellow labourer for improving the condition of mankind, has charge of the business department at our Peace Union, while, I the writer of this book and of this article am bound to devote my precious time to spiritual objects for Harmony and Peace of Nations, requesting to direct letters which do not belong particularly to my sphere, to him under the direction: Robert D. Eldrige, Donnally's Mill, Perry Co: Pa." This book appears small for this price; but remember the contents of page 169, and collect subscribers, and as soon as we print the second edition, we will send a large pamphlet as supplement without additional charge. In the mean time we assure you that also this small book contains so large an amount of most important points for you, that the oftener you study it, the more you will learn to appreciate its value; and the enormous labour for obtaining all the parts contained in this book cannot be paid with money, and my labour never was paid.
On the 11th of this month, August, 1859, there came many people to Springhill. An extraordinary medium who had been in England an Elder amongst the Baptisers wrote on the 13th Instant to me: "I came on foot to Springhill, Peace Union Centre, a long walk of about 17 miles in hot weather. We raised the frame work of the Large Hall. The day (11th inst.) was fine, and all things went on well, and the work that is done, looks well and in good order. All kinds of rumors and talk: What the house is for? What they will do? Why did they not build so as the Hall could be seen? Some one thing, some, other things, &c."
The Periodical, entitled: "Peace Union Message." Conventions at the Peace Union Centre in Springhill Toscarora Township, Perry Co: Pa. 6 miles west of Millerstown, the stopping place for the Cars.
Our Periodical, spoken of in the plan, will be published as soon, as there will be a sufficient number of subscribers. In the expectation that those who are versed in English, will comprehend us first, we will publish it first in English, in Quarto, to be preserved in books and translated in as many other languages as needed; because it will contain social, ecclesiastical and political matters and movements of nations and daily news of importance, considered from our position, to draw nations from the existing confusion and degradation into the new order of things. All that will improve the condition of mankind, and what is hurtful for them, as far as we will have opportunity[AE] to reach it, will be examined from our position. But there not being room in this book, we will publish in the first number which will issue, when we are secured by subscriptions, what we will find proper to draw those amongst all nations who have somewhat new for improving mankind, to send it for publication in our Periodical. Every one who sends somewhat of this kind, will add his full direction and occupation. If his or her communication is found by those whom we find to be competent judges in that branch, to be such as required, it will be published when room will be for it in our Periodical. But if it is not found such as to be published, the writer will be named and the reason given, why it cannot be published. If the writer should think to have been injured, our Periodical would be open to publish his complaint with the preliminary requisites which will be made known in our first number as quite reasonable to save time to him and us and to the readers as well as to the printers and others. I quoted purposely some passages from the letter of our friend Peter assuring that he is ours truly "in bonds for truth waiting for deliverance." If the talkers of nonsense had asked those to whom we told, why we selected that place for that building, near the farm house and the springs, they had received information. The basement of the new building is a large cellar, the first story a large Hall, having in the midst a partition, which we remove when we use the whole Hall, but the second story has a partition which cannot be removed and each department has its own stairs. The farm house and the new building are in a cove. The first story of the building will be provisionally[AF] used for our Conventions, till the substantial edifice within the most magnificent fairview will be established. With this fairview we entreat most earnestly every reader to collect as many subscribers for this book as well as for the Periodical, as he or she is able to collect. The book is to be paid for at the delivery, and the Periodical will cost $2 a year, money to be paid for half a year or a year at the delivery of the first number.
Whoever secures us five subscribers receives six copies. And those who will act as agents, after having comprehended by studying this book our plan and adopt it, are regarded as our fellow-laborers, when they show practically that they belong to our Peace-Union. If the expected exertions are made, we may be able to publish the first number of our Periodical at the commencement of the year 1860.
Our first Convention next month at the Peace Union Centre is announced in our Circular. But readers of this book are requested to proclaim, that on the first day of November 1859, the second Convention will commence and continue for two weeks, and that only those persons of both sexes are invited to attend, who after having comprehended our mission are ready to act as missionaries or to support with their means our enterprises to establish what is needed at the Centre. And for this purpose we intend to hold successively a number of Conventions. The second could be attended by those who belong to the Cabinet and the Congress of Washington, or to any legislature. Each Convention will last one or two weeks. Those who comprehend this book will tell or write to those with whom they are acquainted, that although the contents of this book are of importance for any body, those who belong to the Government need most to understand them. This book will be taken as the text-book, but also those who may have read it before many times, will receive in the Convention new light to understand it better and to hear many things which are not mentioned in the book. There may be so many aroused to attend the Convention that all could not be accommodated. Therefore whoever and whenever he determines to attend one of our Conventions, he is requested to write directly, and to give an exact direction, and put a letter stamp into his letter, and we will answer it, and tell, whether he could be accommodated in that or in any of the following Conventions. Boarding is to be had as moderately as we can afford it. The rule is to be observed also afterwards in this and in the next year, that whoever wishes to attend our Convention, is requested to write directly, and he will receive an answer when he could be accommodated. Answer may come sooner or later, because it may depend upon circumstances, when after the receipt of his or her letter our next Convention would be held. Probably there is in this last "form" no room, to say more than that our Post-Office address is on the title-page and also three or four pages before this. It has been said that the stopping place for the cars is Millerstown, Perry Co.: Pa. I desire nothing more than to draw you into the sphere of our Heavenly abode as your sincere brother.
ANDREW B. SMOLNIKAR.