Adin Ballou – The Hopedale Community Declaration

I believe in the religion of Jesus Christ as he taught and exemplified it according to the Scriptures of the New Testament.

I acknowledge myself a bounden subject of all its moral obligations. Especially do I hold myself bound by its holy requirements,

Never, under any pretext whatsoever, to kill, assault, beat, torture, enslave, rob, oppress, persecute, defraud, corrupt, slander, revile, injure, envy, or hate any human being-even my worst enemy;

Never in any manner to violate the dictates of pure chastity;

Never to take or administer an oath;

Never to manufacture, buy, sell, deal out, or use any intoxicating liquor as a beverage;

Never to serve in the army, navy, or militia of any Nation, State, or Chieftain;

Never to bring an action at law, hold office, vote, join in a legal posse, petition a legislature, or ask governmental interposition, in any case involving a final authorized resort to physical violence;

Never to indulge self-will, bigotry, love of pre-eminence, covetousness, deceit, profanity, idleness, or an unruly tongue;

Never to participate in lotteries, games of chance, betting, or pernicious amusements;

Never to resent reproof or justify myself in a known wrong;

Never to aid, abet, or approve others in anything sinful;

But through divine assistance always to recommend and promote with my entire influence the holiness and happiness of all mankind.