About the beginning of May died Mrs. Buchan, the leader of a few deluded people, and who resided in the neighbourhood of Thornton-Hill, near Dumfries, Scotland. Her followers were greatly reduced in number; but Mr. White, once a relief minister, continued with her to the last. Finding she was going the way of all the earth, she called her disciples together, and exhorted them to continue stedfast and unanimous in their adherence to the doctrines which they had received from her.
She then told them she had still one secret to communicate, which was, that she was the Virgin Mary, the mother of our Lord; that she was the same woman mentioned in the Revelations, as being clothed with the sun, &c who was driven into the wilderness; that she had been wandering in the world ever since our Saviour's days; and that for some time past she had sojourned in Scotland; that though she here appeared to die, they need not be discouraged, for she would only sleep a little, and in a short time would again visit them, and conduct them to the New Jerusalem.
After she died, it was a long time before her enthusiastic votaries would straight or dress the corpse; nor did they coffin her until they were obliged thereto by the smell; and after that, they would not bury her, but built up the coffin in a corner of the barn, always expecting that she would rise again from the dead, according to her promise, and conduct them to Jerusalem.
At last, the people in the country around, shocked with these proceedings, interfered, went to a justice of the peace, and got an order that she should be buried.
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