[Allen annotation: This, the first of Benjamin's divine writings was also the principal document, the charter of faith and discipline of the Seventh Church. The size of the edition is not known but quite likely did not exceed 500 sets. A large percentage of the first edition was sent to the followers of John Wroe in Australia and to the followers of the Jezreel Church in England. The balance of the edition no doubt going quickly to the various followers in the United States and Canada. A second edition was printed at Benton Harbor immediately after establishing their printing office in 1903. Of this second edition a quantity were burned along with the plates for printing in the fire that destroyed the printing office in the winter of 1907-1908. In the late fall of 1910 the following announcement appeared in "Shiloh's messenger of wisdom" "on account of many printers' errors in the first edition of the Star, which in many placed changed the original meaning, it was necessary that it be revised and these errors corrected. We have been busily engaged on this winter and announce that the first volume of the Star of Bethlehem, the corrected edition, is ready to be sent out to those who are ready to receive same."
"Many changes of things written pertaining to the two Old Houses has been taken out and replaced with later writings pertaining more to the present time. Therefore we wish to ask all those who are in possession of the old Star, having paid for same, to kindly return them to headquarters and we shall exchange the new Star for them which will be sent to you immediately upon receipt of the old Star." This request for the return of the first (and second) editions of the Star was apparently honored almost without exception as only a single surviving set has been located ant that in the files of the House of David.
The Star was not distributed indiscriminately and was available to "Israel only." Prospective converts were expected to study the introductory works and the Seven books of wisdom then, upon showing evidence of their faith the Star of Bethlehem was supplied. During the 1927 trial the state attacked the Star charging that it taught perjury to the membership. Fearing that the state might confiscate and destroy their most precious book, many copies were hidden.
After the trial and the death of Benjamin many copies were destroyed by members who "lost faith," or, feeling that Mary had some part in writing the Star they destroyed them during the difficulties prior to the separation when feeling against her ran high. Wm. Barnard, as attorney for Mary and a portion of the membership recommended to the Michigan Supreme Court that the so called perjury books be destroyed ant that the objectionable portions of the Star be deleted. In the edition printed later by Mary's City of David these portions no longer appear in the work and it was again distributed on the same restricted basis as formerly. The old House of David did not reissue the work and no longer distributed it at all. All mention of the Star was removed from the literature lists and as far as the public was concerned it no longer existed.]
