edge ourselves to educate our children so as, if
possible, to prevent them from becoming members of any society save that
of the Holy Band,--known as the Secret Band of Brothers--the only
correct and Christian people that strive to place all men upon an equal
footing,--and, furthermore, to destroy all principles we may from time
to time see developing in favour of that class of people whom the world
calls Christians, and that we do sincerely feel it a duty we owe to
ourselves and the God of Nature, to try, by every means in our
power--and in this case all means shall be considered justifiable--to
overthrow all institutions which take the Bible as their standard--as we
hold that the God of Nature has set apart for us three principles and no
other.

First: That all men are made to live their time of probation on earth,
and are not answerable hereafter for any deed they may commit, so it be
sanctioned by the laws or constitution of this society.

Second: That the course mankind in general pursues, particularly the
so-styled religious class of community, is wholly contrary to our views,
and therefore wrong; and that the God of Nature, as our God, requires
that we put down the fabulous book called the Bible, to save mankind
from priestcraft and delusion, and bring them over to our principles.

Third: That there is but one unpardonable sin, which is, to allow
Christians, our tyrants, to progress when we can make them retard, by
leaguing ourselves with, and instilling into their minds, and more
particularly their offspring, all the noble sentiments which may tend to
overthrow former prejudice and eradicate the present false views of
moralists, until the Bible shall be looked upon by them in the light it
now is by the followers of Mahomet, and until all the present laws of
society be considered tyrannical and unjust.

_Art. 16._ The God of Nature, we hold as our God, has in no principle
required us, through his wise construction of our component parts, to be
in any manner driven by, or subject to man,--that He, as a wise,
intelligent being, created all mankind upon an equality, and that all
men should so stand in regard to each other--that no being was ever
placed upon this earth to rule as monarch over others,--and, therefore,
that all monarchies, all governments, which are headed by rulers, such
as kings, presidents, governors, &c., are unlawful in the sight of God,
and unjust--and that we, as men and Christians of the Hol