Josiah Wolcott Dreams of the New Motor
Josiah Wolcott, “Letter,” New Era; or, Heaven Opened to Man (Boston), July 5, 1854.
At first appeared the Machine or New Motor with some spectators gazing in wonder at it. Then appeared some persons ridiculing and deriding it, while others threw stones and other missiles at it designing to destroy it. But the Machine seemed to grow in bulk and stature, in spite of all their efforts, and threw off from itself smaller machines after its own pattern. Here the people were greatly amazed and began to talk about the matter seriously, thinking “there might be something in it after all.” The small ones grew also around their parent, and in their turn threw off a multitude of other little ones, covering a great space of ground, and forming a high pyramid. At this period, several clergymen appeared with sermons in black covers which they read to the people who had gathered to witness the new wonder. The people heard the sermons, then looked at the vast pyramid, in doubt which to believe. The priests seeing their sermons were of so little avail, brought out great folio Bibles richly gilt and embossed, from which they read passages denouncing the new marvel, as of Satanic origin. Still the people were in a dilemma which course to pursue, or whom to believe. Next there appeared a movement among the machines, and the larger ones, which were now fully developed, moved away over the plain into the distance. In their path stood a great number of churches, of every size and variety, from the diminutive Methodist Chapel up to the stately gothic Minster, and St. Paul’s Cathedral. But the machines did not turn out of their courses at all—running over and through those temples, completely demolishing them to heaps of worthless rubbish.
The worshipers in those churches bemoaned, most piteously, the destruction of their sacred edifices; but it was of no avail. The work of demolition went on without interruption. Beyond the churches were a vast number of people, who were slaves to no sect or creed, but whose minds were free and open for the reception of any and all new truth. These hailed the new revelation with shouts of joy and acclamation.
Last appeared a bright light at the horizon, which increased until it was a most gorgeous Sun, rising into the heavens, surrounded by a brilliant halo of light. Upon the sun stood the figure of Christ clad in brilliant white garments, leaning with the right arm on a cross, and pointing upward with the left hand to this inscription on the circle of light: “BEHOLD I BRING YOU GLAD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY, WHICH SHALL BE TO ALL PEOPLE.” “THE LONG SOUGHT PHILOSOPHER’S STONE IS AT LENGTH DISCOVERED, AND ALL THE EARTH SHALL HAVE A PORTION.”
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