Editing Ann Lee (section)

==Rise to prominence==
In England, Ann Lee rose to prominence by urging other believers to preach more publicly concerning the imminent [[second coming]], and to attack sin more boldly and unconventionally. She spoke of visions and messages from God, claiming that she had received in a vision from God the message that celibacy and confession of sin are the only true road to salvation and the only way in which the Kingdom of God could be established on the earth. She was frequently imprisoned for breaking the [[Sabbath]] by dancing and shouting, and for [[blasphemy]].<ref name="Francis2001 /> 

She claimed to have had many miraculous escapes from death. She told of being examined by four clergymen of the [[Established Church]], boasting that she spoke to them for four hours in 72 tongues.<ref>{{cite book |title=American History Companion: The Reader's Companion to American History |chapter=Ann Lee |chapter-url=http://www.answers.com/topic/ann-lee |page=[https://archive.org/details/readerscompanion00fone/page/646 646] |editor2-last=Garraty |editor2-first=John A. |editor1-last=Foner |editor1-first=Eric |year=1991 |publisher=Houghton Mifflin |isbn=978-0-395-51372-9 |url=https://archive.org/details/readerscompanion00fone/page/646 }}</ref>

While in prison in Manchester for 14 days, she said she had a revelation that "a complete cross against the lusts of generation, added to a full and explicit confession, before witnesses, of all the sins committed under its influence, was the only possible remedy and means of salvation." She claimed to have seen a vision of [[Adam and Eve]] which told her that sexual relations were the root of all evil, and that she would be the second appearance of Christ. After this, probably in 1770, she was chosen by the Society as "Mother in spiritual things" and called herself "Mother Ann" and also "Ann, the Word", as in "the Word of God". [https://biblehub.com/niv/john/1.htm] After being released from prison a second time, witnesses say Mother Ann performed a number of miracles, including healing the sick.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

Lee eventually decided to leave England for America in order to escape the persecution (i.e., multiple arrests and stays in prison) she experienced in Great Britain. She also saw the religious Awakening in the Americas and felt called to share her beliefs and religion.