Catechism of The Great Weep
From: An Ethics of Tears: Variants of Practice among New Utah Adherents of the Church of Him, A.S.A.C.H. Quinn
The Great Weep variant of the catechism of the Church of Him is practiced by all Himmists of New Utah, known locally as “gatherers.”
His Gatherings
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His sisters sail to New Caledonia to create islands of peace, and He smiles with joy.
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Consumed by Mammon, the brothers of New Scotland and New Ireland turn their faces from Him, and attack all those who would Gather.
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The brothers and sisters cease Gathering.
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He Awakes! The Great Opening, also called the Revelation of His Face, in which he reveals his true substance as a quadripartite God.
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The First Gathering! He sees our Prophet Littlemead and founds His Church on New Scotland.
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Alas! The Second Gathering! The Gathering of the Great Weep! He gathers his cloak about His Face, and closes His eye, as it is filled with angry tears. Our Prophet is sent in haste to plead for His mercy. We flee to the island of our sisters in New Ireland, and begin The Great Wandering. We wander for three Gatherings.
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Our sisters dispatch His Mission to Maxroy’s Purchase, to found a new island. The sisters make many islands of the sisters cast out by the True Church Militant.
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The Great Wandering Ends! He dispatches His Mission to Heaven! Our Foundation Gathering, also called the Fifth Gathering.
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Our First Gathering, in which His Earthly Eye is Revealed! Also called the Sixth Gathering.
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Our Second Gathering, also called the Seventh Gathering.
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Our Third Gathering, also called the Eighth Gathering.
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Our Fourth Gathering, prophesied the gathering of the Revelation. Also called the Ninth Gathering.
His Numbers
Five fingers to a hand, four hands to a gathering, His perfection is Revealed in Fours.
One century plus one half had we peace.
Two centuries had we war.
Three gatherings had we rebellion, until we Gathered.
Alas! Began the Great Weep, and we Gathered.
Three Gatherings we wandered, until we found Heaven on Earth.
We met the Gaze of His Earthly Eye, our First Gathering in Heaven.
Three Gatherings have we waited! May His Face be Revealed!
A Seer spans two Gatherings. My Gathering is number [my Number here.]
His Tenets
It is the duty of every pilgrim to sail to her island for her Gathering, to prepare pilgrims for the next Gathering, and to honor the wisdom of the pilgrims of Gatherings past, who have gazed into His earthly Eye and believed.
It is the duty of every Seer to maintain the Watch for the Waking of His Eye, and to guide all pilgrims in safety and secrecy to the Gathering.
It is the duty of every island to give aid and support to the Seers, that they may be of aid to all pilgrims.
In His Gaze, we are all pilgrims, we are all Seers, and all islands are One.
His Creed
The quadrine perfection of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is Revealed to all in His true Face.
[Amen]
He is not a Faceless God! With His Heavenly Eye, He Sees all who See Him.
[Amen]
He is not a Faceless God! With His Earthly Eye, He Sees all who See Him.
[Amen]
On the Day of Revelation, will His true Face be Revealed.
[Amen]
On the Day of Revelation, will He Gather all Churches to Him.
[Amen]
He is not a Faceless God! May we face one another and pass His Gaze among Gatherers.
[Amen]
He is not a Faceless God! May we face the worlds and pass His Gaze to All.
[Amen]
He is not a Faceless God! May we turn our Gaze from those who refuse to See, praying fervently that they may not remain Blind.
[Amen]
In the name of Him who has shown His Face, may we all truly See.
[Amen]
The Gathering Hymn
The pilgrim’s song. Sung in procession to Gatherings of the Great Weep.
‘Twas brother’s peace with brother for
One hundred fifty years
Then brother smote his brother for
Two centuries of fear.
Three score of sad rebellion
Three score of hate and ire
Three score of living hell, then
Awoke His watchful Eye!
For twenty years we faltered
For twenty years we hid
And then He sent his Prophet:
Our speaker, Littlemead!
Oh Lo! We were not faithful!
Oh Lo! They did not heed!
He pulled his cloak about Him
Oh Lo! How he did Weep!
Three Gatherings we wandered
To seek his gracious eye
Dispatched to gather faithful
Across the starless skies.
A Gathering we struggled
A Gathering we cried.
Each Gathering he shows us:
Salvation Day is nigh!
Oh weak were we to flee that Face
And weak were we to fear
For through our sin he closed His eye
And shed His awful tears.
So now we wait in endless toil
For gifts and grace He sends
And when His angels cross our doors
We’ll know we’ve made amends.
Arise! And leave no stone unturned!
Arise! And plow each field!
Arise! Believe! That all who yearn
Will see His Face revealed!
We fled in fear His awful Gaze
But with His Earthly Eye
He sees, He knows, He sends His Grace
Across all starry skies.
So shoulder all your burdens!