VOL. I, NO. 5, INDEPENDENCE, MO. OCTOBER, 1832.

<"Ten Tribes">
William Phelps "Ten Tribes," E&MS 1 (Oct 1832)

THE TEN TRIBES. {beliefs-lds}

PERHAPS some might think, that we ought to embrace the scattering of the twelve tribes in this article, but a moment's reflection will show the propriety of taking the ten lost tribes first. We have a sufficient foundation for the scattering and gathering of Israel in the 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33rd chapters of Deuteronomy: That glorious blessing, [Deut. 28:12, 13, 15, 37] The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasures, if thou shalt hearken unto the commandments to do them; that solemn curse, But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments, that thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a by-word among all nations whither the Lord shall lead thee, and that sacred promise: And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, that the Lord will have compassion upon thee and will return and gather thee from all the nations whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee,--when traced through the bible and fully explained, would be more than the world would believe at once, or do believe now, and so we take the ten tribes as the subject of this essay, allowing all men their own privilege of searching the scriptures for themselves, to know whether these things are so or not; and how much of the blessing fell to the lot of Israel, from the day it was pronounced till Solomon showed the queen of Sheba his glory; and how much of the curse came upon this elect nation, when it went into captivity and was scattered to the four winds: that they may the better judge whether the Lord will return according to his sacred promise, and gather his elect from every country where they were scattered in a dark and cloudy day.

The division of Israel was foretold by Ahijah the prophet, in the days of Solomon, when he tore the new garment of Jeroboam into twelve pieces, saying, [1 Kings 11:31] Take thee ten pieces: for thus said the Lord, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee. Some time after this, the destiny of the ten tribes was made known, for Jeroboams' wife went to the same prophet to inquire concerning the life of her sick child, and received for answer that it should die, [1 Kings 14:15-16] For the Lord shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river, because they have made their groves, provoking the Lord to anger. And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin. Some where about 250 years after this prophecy was given, it was fulfilled: Shalmaneser king of Assyria made Hoshea, king of Israel, tributary, and soon after, finding conspiracy in him, he took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them; until the Lord removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets.--So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day. This is the captivity of Jacob or Israel, and it happened 124 years before the Babylonish captivity of the tribe of Judah. Ezekiel speaking of the whole captivity, says, [Ezek. 17:22-24] Thus said the Lord God, I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant upon a high mountain and eminent: In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell. And all the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the Lord have spoken and have done it.

The highest branch of the high cedar, is Israel, for Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure: For they are gone up to Assyria, A WILD ASS ALONE BY HIMSELF [Hosea 8:8-9]. Having thus traced Israel to Assyria, where he is figuratively declared by Hosea, to be a wild ass alone by himself, and where he has remained in complete obscurity from the world, 2256 years, let us consider what else is to become of him. The Savior declares that he was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and in another place he says: [John 10:16] And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. These words admit of no cavil or supposition; if the Savior came to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and declared that he had other sheep besides the Jews at Jerusalem, we believe him; let us then take his words to the Nephites as recorded in the Book of Mormon:

[3 Ne. 15:11-24, 16:1-4] And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words, he said unto those twelve whom he had chosen, Ye are my disciples; and ye are a light unto this people, which are a remnant of the house of Joseph. And behold, this is the land of your inheritance; and the Father hath given it unto you. And not at any time hath the Father given me commandment that I should tell it unto your brethren at Jerusalem; neither at any time hath the Father given me commandment, that I should tell unto them concerning the other tribes of the house of Israel, which the Father hath led away out of the land. This much did the Father command me that I should tell unto them, That other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. And now because of stiffneckedness and unbelief, they understood not my word; therefore I was commanded to say no more of the Father concerning this thing unto them. But, verily I say unto you, that the Father hath commanded me, and I tell it unto you, that you were separated from among them because of their iniquity; therefore it is because of their iniquity, that they know not of you. And verily, I say unto you again, That the other tribes hath the Father separated from them; and it is because of their iniquity, that they know not of them. And verily, I say unto you, That ye are they of which I said, Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. And they understood me not, for they supposed it had been the Gentiles: for they understood not that the Gentiles should be converted through their preaching; and they understood me not that I said, They shall hear my voice; and they understood me not that the Gentiles should not at any time hear my voice; that I should not manifest myself unto them, save it were by the Holy Ghost. But behold, ye have both heard my voice, and seen me; and ye are my sheep, and ye are numbered among them which the Father hath given me. And verily, verily I say unto you, That I have other sheep which are not of this land; neither of the land of Jerusalem; neither in any parts of that land round about, whither I have been to minister. For they of which I speak, are they which have not as yet heard my voice; neither have I at any time manifested myself unto them. But I have received a commandment of the Father that I shall go unto them, and that they shall hear my voice, and shall be numbered among my sheep, that there may be one fold, and one shepherd; therefore I go to shew myself unto them. And I command you that ye shall write these sayings, after that I am gone, that if it so be that my people at Jerusalem, they which have seen me, and been with me in my ministry, do not ask the Father in my name, that they may receive a knowledge of you by the Holy Ghost, and also of the other tribes which they know not of, that these sayings which ye shall write, shall be kept, and shall be manifested unto the Gentiles, that through the fulness of the Gentiles, the remnant of their seed which shall be scattered forth upon the face of the earth, because of their unbelief, may be brought in, or may be brought to a knowledge of me their Redeemer.

While quoting the Book of Mormon let us take a small extract from the parable of the Lord's vineyard, where it is likened unto a tame olive tree, viz:

[Jacob 5:19-22] And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard saith unto the servant, Come, let us go to the nethermost part of the vineyard, and behold if the natural branches of the tree hath not brought forth much fruit also, that I may lay up of the fruit thereof, against the season, unto mine ownself. And it came to pass that they went forth whither the master of the vineyard had hid the natural branches of the tree, and he saith unto the servant, Behold these: and he beheld the first, that it had brought forth much fruit; and he beheld also, that it was good. And he saith unto the servant, Take of the fruit thereof, and lay it up against the season, that I may preserve it unto mine ownself: for behold, saith he, This long time have I nourished it, and it hath brought forth much fruit.

And it came to pass that the servant saith unto his master, How comest thou hither to plant this tree, or this branch of the tree? for behold, it was the poorest spot in all the land of thy vineyard. And the Lord of the vineyard saith unto him, Counsel me not: I knew that it was a poor spot of ground; wherefore, I said unto thee, I have nourished it this long time; and thou beholdest that it hath brought forth much fruit.

Here we have a clue to the place where Israel is; for while standing upon the centre of the earth, it would be perfectly natural to call the north, south, east, and west, nethermost, or lowest; and as this branch was the first that the Lord had hid, it would evidently mean the ten tribes as they were the first carried away. Again, when the Lord begins to call home his branches that were hid about in the lower parts of his vineyard, he says to the north first, [because first planted] Give up.--The world has been troubled a good deal to find Israel and to get to the north pole, and to search out the Northern Lights, [D&C 133:21-24] but when the Lord shall utter his voice out of Zion, and shall speak from Jerusalem; and his voice shall be heard among all people; and it shall be as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder, which shall break down the mountains, and the valleys shall not be found, he shall command the great deep, and it shall be driven back into the north countries, and the islands shall become one land; and the land of Jerusalem and the land of Zion shall be turned back into their own place, and the earth shall be like as it was in the days before it was divided,--the saints will know how much further the wisdom of God extends on earth, than the knowledge of men. [Jer. 23:7-8] The time must soon come, as the prophet Jeremiah hath said, when they shall no more say, The Lord liveth which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt: But the Lord liveth which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, for the Lord hath said: [Jer. 3:12-14] Go and proclaim these words toward the north, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger forever, Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: [Jer. 3:18] And they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers. And they shall come with weeping, and they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, for it shall come to pass, as the Lord hath watched over them to pluck them up for their iniquity, so also will the Lord watch over them to build them up and to plant them, for good.

We have already brought evidence enough to convince an unprejudiced mind how the ten tribes were scattered; where they went to, and how they will be gathered, but to make the subject still plainer, we add a few more extracts. Firstly, Esdras, (who it may be perceived, by comparing the first chapter of his second book, with the 7th chapter of Ezra, was Ezra, as near as the Hebrew and Greek languages can be defined,) gives this full, and, fair account of the ten tribes.

But he shall stand upon the top of mount Sion. [Zion] And Sion shall come, and shall be shewn to all men, being prepared and builded, like as thou sawest the hill graven without hands. And this my Son shall rebuke the wicked inventions of those nations, which for their wicked life are fallen into the tempest: and shall lay before them their evil thoughts, and the torments wherewith they shall begin to be tormented, which are like unto a flame: and he shall destroy them without labor by the law which is like unto fire. And whereas thou sawest that he gathered another peacable multitude unto him: Those are the ten tribes, which were carried away prisoners out of their own land in the time of Osea the king, whom Salmanasar the king of Assyria led away captive, and he carried them over the waters, and so came they into another land. But they took this counsel among themselves, that they would leave the multitude of the heathen, and go forth into a further country, where never mankind dwelt, that they might there keep their statutes, which they never kept in their own land. And they entered into Euphrates by the narrow passages of the river. For the Most High then shewed signs for them, and held still the flood, till they were passed over. For through that country there was a great way to go, namely, of a year and half: and the same region is called Arsareth. Then dwelt they there until the latter time; and now when they shall begin to come, the Highest shall stay the springs of the stream again, that they may go through: therefore sawest thou the multitude with peace.

This plain unvarnished history of the ten tribes, shows itself to be true as much as the account of the creation in the first chapter of Genesis, and for all that has as yet appeared to the contrary, is as much the word of the Lord. Not to quote a tenth part of the prophets in relation to this subject, (for the last paragraph ought to convince the world where Israel went, and when he will return,) we turn to the Savior's parable of the Gentiles and Jacob, which, while it alludes to the whole house of Israel, is so plain that it makes one's heart leap for joy, when he reads it in the spirit of God.

[Luke 15:11-32] And he said, A certain man had two sons: and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them their living. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat; and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and be merry: for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they begin to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in; therefore came his father out, and entreated him. And he answering, said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: but as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me; and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

Here we have a plain parable of the Gentiles for the elder son, and Israel for the younger son; or, in other words, Esau, and Jacob: For it is written, that Esau is the end of the world, and Jacob is the beginning of it that follows, for when they were born, Jacob's hand held first the heel of Esau. It has been often remarked, that the Two Sons was one of the greatest parables of our Savior, and true it was: For when the younger son came to himself, and said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, who can mistake our day? who, with the love of Jesus Christ in his heart, can view the thousands of meeting houses, chapels, temples and churches, thronged with men, eager to preach; and witness the missionaries sending some to India, some to Africa, some to New Holland, some to one place and some to another; printing the bible in every tongue and language, and blending almost every means on earth with religion,--can mistake the day in which this parable is fulfilled? No one that is lead by the spirit of the Lord. Pardon us, beloved reader! for quoting the parable of the Two Sons, as touching the ten tribes: the allusion is so great; the figure so strong; the reality so true; the language so melting; and the application so merciful, so heavenly and so tender, that we could not omit it, when the Lord left us welcome to it.

Elijah was translated to paradise in a chariot of fire, and Malachi says he shall return before the great and dreadful day of the Lord: [Mal. 4:6] and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers. Now the Savior said he is come already, but the Jews knew it not, so he did not turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the following extract from Ecclesiasticus, chap. 48th, shows that Elijah, as he is called in Hebrew, and Elias in Greek, will yet come and restore the tribes of Jacob:

Then stood up Elias the prophet as fire, and his word burned like a lamp. He brought a sore famine upon them, and by his zeal he diminished their number--By the word of the Lord he shut up the heaven, and also three times brought down fire. O Elias, how wast thou honored in thy wondrous deeds! and who may glory like unto thee! Who didst raise up a dead man from death, and his soul from the place of the dead, by the word of the Most High: who broughtest kings to destruction, and honorable men from their bed: who heardest the rebuke of the Lord in Sinai, and in Horeb the judgment of vengeance: who anointedst kings to take revenge, and prophets to succeed after him: who wast taken up in a whirlwind of fire, and in a chariot of fiery horses: who wast ordained for reproofs in their times, to pacify the wrath of the Lord's judgment, before it brake forth into fury, and to turn the heart of the father unto the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob. Blessed are they that saw thee, and slept in love; for we shall surely live.

We have said enough on so plain a subject, and, will therefore, leave the reader to search for himself, and know for himself: The word of God is free; the Spirit of God is free, and the children of God will soon be free. Let us then, close, by saying that suppositions never go before facts: that man's wisdom soon fails, but the word of the Lord endures forever, and his purposes never fail: [Jer. 30:11] For I am with thee, [Israel] saith the Lord, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have driven thee, I will not make a full end of thee.

<"Law">

Revelations.

ITEMS OF LAW FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, GIVEN FEBRUARY 23, 1831: [D&C 42:78-93]

EVERY person who belongeth to this church of Christ shall observe to keep all the commandments and covenants of the church; and it shall come to pass, that if any person among you shall kill, they shall be delivered up and dealt with according to the laws of the land; for remember that he hath no forgiveness; and it shall be proven according to the laws of the land. But if any man shall commit adultery, he shall be tried before two elders of the church or more; and every word shall be established against him by two witnesses of the church, and not of the world; but if there are more than two witnesses it is better; but he shall be condemned by the mouth of two witnesses; and the elders shall lay the case before the church, and the church shall lift up their hands against them, that they may be dealt with according to the law; and if it can be, it is necessary that the bishop is present also. And thus ye shall do in all cases which shall come before you.

And if any man shall rob, he shall be delivered up unto the law; and if he shall steal, he shall be delivered up unto the law; and if he shall lie, he shall be delivered up unto the law; if he do any manner of iniquity, he shall be delivered up unto the law, even that of God. And if thy brother offend thee, thou shalt take him between him & thee alone, and if he confess thou shalt be reconciled, and if he confess not, thou shalt deliver him up unto the church, not to the members, but to the elders; and it shall be done in a meeting and that not before the world. And if thy brother offend many, he shall be chastened before many; and if any one offend openly, he shall be rebuked openly, that he may be ashamed, and if he confess not, he shall be delivered up unto the law. If any shall offend in secret, he shall be rebuked in secret, that he may have opportunity to confess in secret to him whom he has offended, and to God; that the brethren may not speak reproachfully of him. And thus shall ye conduct in all things.

EXTRACT OF A REVELATION GIVEN FEBRUARY, 1831. [D&C 43:15-35]

AGAIN, I say hearken, ye elders of my church whom I have appointed: ye are not sent forth to be taught, but to teach the children of men the things which I have put into your hands, by the power of my spirit; and ye are to be taught from on high; sanctify yourselves and ye shall be endowed with power, that ye may give even as I have spoken: Hearken ye, for behold the great day of the Lord is nigh at hand; for the day cometh that the Lord shall utter his voice out of heaven, the heavens shall shake and the earth shall tremble, and the trump of God shall sound, both long and loud, and shall say to the sleeping nations, ye saints arise and live; ye sinners stay and sleep until I shall call again. Wherefore, gird up your loins, lest ye are found among the wicked; lift up your voices and spare not, call upon the nations to repent, both old and young, both bond and free; saying, Prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord, for if I, who am a man, do lift up my voice and call upon you to repent, and ye hate me, what will you say when the day cometh, when the thunders shall utter their voices from the ends of the earth, speaking in the ears of all that live, saying, Repent, and prepare for the great day of the Lord; yea and again, when the lightnings shall streak forth from the east unto the west, and shall utter forth their voices unto all that live, and make the ears of all tingle that hear; saying these words, Repent ye, for the great day of the Lord is come.

And again, the Lord shall utter his voice out of heaven, saying, Hearken, O ye nations of the earth, and hear the words of that God who made you; O ye nations of the earth, how often would I have gathered you, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not; how oft have I called upon you by the mouth of my servants, and by the ministering of angels, and by the voice of lightnings, and by the voice of tempests, and by the voice of earthquakes, and great hailstorms, and by the voice of famine and pestilence of every kind, and by the great sound of a trump, and by the voice of judgments, and by the voice of mercy all the day long, and by the voice of glory, and honor, and the riches of eternal life; and would have saved you with an everlasting salvation, but ye would not; behold, the day has come when the cup of the wrath of mine indignation is full. Behold verily, I say unto you, that these are the words of the Lord your God. Wherefore labor ye, labor ye, in my vineyard for the last time, for the last time call ye upon the inhabitants of the earth; for in mine own due time will I come upon the earth in judgment, and my people shall be redeemed, and shall reign with me on earth, for the great millennial which I have spoken by the mouth of my servants, shall come; for satan shall be bound, and when he is loosed again, he shall only reign for a little season, and then cometh the end of the earth. And he that liveth in righteousness, shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and the earth shall pass away so as by fire and the wicked shall go away into unquenchable fire, and their end no man knoweth on earth, nor ever shall know until they come before me in judgment.--Hearken ye to these words, behold I am Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world; treasure these things up in your hearts, and let the solemnities of eternity rest upon your minds, be sober, keep all the commandments, even so: Amen.

A REVELATION, GIVEN NOVEMBER, 1831. [D&C 68]

MY servant, Orson [Hyde], was called, by his ordinance, to proclaim the everlasting gospel, by the spirit of the living God, from people to people, and from land to land, in the congregations of the wicked, in their synagogues, reasoning with and expounding all scriptures unto them: And behold and lo, this is an ensample unto all those who were ordained unto this priesthood, whose mission is appointed unto them to go forth: And this is the ensample unto them, that they shall speak as they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and whatsoever they shall speak, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost, shall be scripture; shall be the will of the Lord; shall be the mind of the Lord; shall be the word of the Lord; shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation; Behold this is the promise of the Lord unto you, O ye my servants: wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God; that I was; that I am; and that I am to come. This is the word of the Lord unto you my servant, Orson [Hyde]; and also unto my servant, Luke [Johnson], and unto my servant, Lyman [Johnson], and unto my servant William [E. McLellin]; and unto all the faithful elders of my church: Go ye into all the world; preach the gospel to every creature; acting in the authority which I have given you; baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned; and he that believeth shall be blessed with signs following, even as it is written: And unto you it shall be given to know the signs of the times, and the signs of the coming of the Son of man; and of as many as the Father shall bear record, to you it shall be given power to seal them up unto eternal life: Amen.

And now, concerning the items in addition to the Laws and commandments, they are these: There remaineth hereafter in the due time of the Lord, other bishops to be set apart unto the church, to minister even according to the first; wherefore it shall be an high priest who is worthy; and he shall be appointed by a conference of high priests. And again, no bishop or judge, which shall be set apart for this ministry, shall be tried or condemned for any crime, save it be before a conference of high priests; and in as much as he is found guilty before a conference of high priests, by testimony that cannot be impeached, he shall be condemned or forgiven, according to the laws of the church. And again, in as much as parents have children in Zion, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance; faith in Christ the Son of the living God; and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old: the sin be upon the head of the parents, for this shall be a law unto the inhabitants of Zion, and their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands: and they also shall teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord. And the inhabitants of Zion shall also observe the sabbath day to keep it holy. And the inhabitants of Zion, also, shall remember their labors, in as much as they are appointed to labor, in all faithfulness, for the idler shall be had in remembrance before the Lord. Now I the Lord am not well pleased with the inhabitants of Zion, for there are idlers among them; and their children are also growing up in wickedness: They also seek not earnestly the riches of eternity, but their eyes are full of greediness. These things ought not to be, and must be done away from among them: wherefore let my servant Oliver [Cowdery], carry these sayings unto the land of Zion. And a commandment I give unto them, that he that observeth not his prayers before the Lord in the season thereof, let him, be had in rememberance before the judge of my people. These sayings are true and faithful: wherefore transgress them not, neither take therefrom. Behold I am Alpha and Omega, and I come quickly: Amen.

Selected. COMPARISON BETWEEN THE HEATHENISM AND CHRISTIANITY. {beliefs-lds}

Continued.

REVEALED religion removes these difficulties, and decides the question. It tells us, that there are two beings in man, &, if I may express my self so, two different men, the material man, & the immaterial man. The Scriptures spake on these principles, thus; "The dust shall return to the earth as it was," this is the material man: "The spirit shall return to God who gave it," this is the immaterial man. "Fear not them which kill the body," that is to say, the material man: "fear him, which is able to destroy the soul," that is, the immaterial man. "We are willing to be absent from the body," that is from the material man: "and to be present with the Lord," that is to say, to have the immaterial man disembodied. "They stoned Stephen," that is, the material man: "calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," that is to say, receive the immaterial man.

2. The disciple of natural religion can obtain only an imperfect knowledge of the obligations, or duties of man. Natural religion may indeed conduct him to a certain point, and tell him, that he ought to love his benefactor, and various similar maxims. But is natural religion, think ye, sufficient to account for that contrariety, of which every man is conscious, that opposition between inclination and obligation? A verry solid argument, I grant, in favor of moral rectitude ariseth from observing, that, to whatever degree a man may carry his sin, whatever efforts he may make to eradicate those seeds of virtue from his heart, which nature has sown there, he cannot forbear venerating virtue, and recoiling at vice. This is certainly a proof, that the Author of our being meant to forbid vice, and to enjoin virtue. But is there no room for complaint? Is there nothing specious in the following objection? As, in spite of all my endeavors to destroy virtuous dispositions, I cannot help respecting virtue, ye infer, that the Author of my being intended I should be virtuous; so as, in spite of all my endeavors to eradicate vice, I cannot help loving vice, have I not reason for infering, in my turn, that, the Author of my being designed I should be vicious; or, at least, that he cannot justly impute guilt to me for performing those actions, which proceed from some principles, that were born with me? Is there no show of reason in this famous sophism? Reconcile the God of nature with the God of religion. Explain how the God of religion can forbid what the God of nature inspires; and how he, who follows those dictates, which the God of nature inspires, can be punished for so doing by the God of religion.

The Gospel unfolds this mystery. It attributes this seed of corruption to the depravity of nature. It attributeth the respect, that we feel for virtue, to the remains of the image of God, in which we were formed, and which can never be entirely effaced. Because we were born in sin, the Gospel concludes, that we ought to apply all our attentive endeavours to eradicate the seeds of corruption. And, because the image of the Creator is partly erased from our hearts, the Gospel concludes, that we ought to give ourselves wholly to the retracing of it, and so to answer the excellence of our extraction.

3. A disciple of natural religion can obtain only an imperfect knowledge of the duration of man, whether his soul be immortal, or whether it be involved in the ruin of matter. Reason, I allow, advanceth some solid arguments in proof of the doctrine of the immortality of the soul. For what necessity is there for supposing, that the soul, which is a spiritual, indivisible, and immaterial being, that constitutes a whole, and is a distinct being, although united to a portion of matter, should cease to exist, when its union with the body is dissolved? A positive act of the Creator is necessary to the annihilation of a substance. The annihilating of a being, that subsists, requireth an act of power similar to that which gave it existence at first. Now far from having any ground to believe that God will cause his power to intervene to annihilate our souls, every thing, that we know, persuadeth us, that he himself hath engraven characters of immortality on them, and that he will preserve them forever. Enter into thy heart frail creatures! see, feel, consider those grand ideas, those immortal designs, that thirst for existing, which a thousand ages cannot quench, and in these lines and points behold the finger of thy Creature wrighting a promise of immortality to thee. But how solid soever these arguments may be, however evident in themselves, and striking to a philosopher, they are objectionable, because they are not popular, but above vulgar minds, to whom the bare terms, spirituality and existence, are entirely barbarous, and convey no meaning at all.

Moreover, the union between the operations of the soul, and those of the body, is so close that all the philosophers in the world cannot certainly determine, whether the operations of the body ceasing, the operation of the soul do not cease with them. I see a body in perfect health, the mind, therefore, is sound. The same body is disordered, and the mind is disconcerted with it. The brain is filled, and the soul is instantly confused. The brisker the circulation of the blood is, the quicker the ideas of the mind are, and the more extensive its knowledge. At length death comes and dissolves all the parts of the body; and how difficult is it to persuade one's self, that the soul, which was effected by every former motion of the body, will not be dissipated by its entire dissolution!

Are they the vulgar only, to whom philosophical arguments for the immortality of the soul appear deficient in evidence? Do not geniuses require, at least, an explanation of what rank ye assign to beasts, on the principle, that nothing capable of ideas and conceptions, can be involved in a dissolution of matter? Nobody would venture to affirm now, in an assembly of philosophers, what was some time ago maintained with great warmth, that beasts are mear self-moving machines. Experience seems to demonstrate the falsity of the metaphysical reasonings, that have, been proposed in favor of this opinion; and we cannot observe the actions of beasts, without being inclined to infer one of these two consequences: either the spirit of man is mortal, like his body; or the souls of beasts are immortal, like those of mankind.

Revelation dissipates all our obscurities, and teaches us clearly, and without a may be, that God willeth our immortality. It carries our thoughts forward to a future state, as to a fixed period, whither the greatest part of the promises of God tend. It commandeth us indeed, to consider all the blessings of this life, the aliments that nourish us, the rays which enlighten us, the air that we breathe, sceptres, crowns, and kingdoms, as effects of the liberality of God, and as grounds of our gratitude. But, at the same time, it requireth us to surmount the most magnificent earthly objects. It commandeth us to consider light, air and aliments, crowns, sceptres, and kingdoms, as unfit to constitute the felicity of a soul created in the image of the blessed God and with whom the blessed God hath formed a close and intimate union. It assureth us that an age of life cannot fill the wish of duration which it is the noble prerogative of an immortal soul to form. It doth not ground the doctrine of immortality on metaphysical speculations, nor on complex arguments, uninvestigable by the greatest part of mankind, and which always leave some doubts in the minds of the ablest philosophers. The gospel grounds the doctrine on the only principle that can support the weight, with which it is encumbered. The principle, which I mean, is the will of the Creator, who, having created our souls at first by an act of his will, can either eternally preserve them, or absolutely annihilate them whether they be material, or spiritual, mortal, or immortal, by nature. Thus the disciple of revealed religion doth not float between doubt and assurance, hope and fear, as the disciple of nature doth. He is not obliged to leave the most interesting question, that poor mortals can agitate, undecided; whether their souls perish with their bodies or survive their ruins. He does not say, as Cyrus said to his children; I know not how to persuade myself, that the soul lives in this mortal body and ceaseth to be when the body expires. I am more inclined to think, that it requires after death more penetration and purity. He doth not say, as Socrates said to his judges; And now we are going, I to suffer death, and ye to enjoy life. God only knows which is the best. He doth not say as Cicero said, speaking on this important article; I do not pretend to say, that what I affirm is as infallible as the Pythian oricle, I speak only by conjecture. The disciple of revelation, authorized by the testimony of Jesus Christ, [2 Tim. 1:10] "who hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel;" boldly affirms, [2 Cor. 4:16, 5:4] "though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. We, that are in this tabernacle, do groan, being burdened; not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. [2 Tim. 1:12] I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him, against that day."

III. We are next to consider the disciple of natural religion, and the disciple of revealed religion, at the tribunal of God as penitents soliciting for pardon. The former cannot find even by feeling after it in natural religion, according to the language of St. Paul, the grand mean of reconciliation, which God hath given to the church; I mean the sacrifice of the cross. Reason, indeed, discovers that man is guilty as the confessions, and acknowledgements, which the Heathens made of their crimes, prove. It discerns that a sinner deserves punishment, as the remorse and fear, with which their consciences were often excruciated, demonstrate. It presumes, indeed, that God will yield to the entreaties of his creatures, as their prayers, and temples, and alters testify. It even goes so far as to perceive the necessity of satisfying divine justice, this their sacrifices, this their burnt offerings, this their human victims, this the rivers of blood, that flowed on their alters, show.

But, how likely soever all these speculations may be, they form only a systematic body without a head; for no positive promise of pardon from God himself belongs to them. The mystery of the cross is invisible; for only God could reveal that, because only God could plan, and only he could execute that profound relief. How could human reason, alone and unassisted have discovered the mystery of redemption, when, alas! after an infallible God hath revealed it, reason is absorbed in its depth, and needs all its submission to receive it, as an article of faith!

But that, which natural religion cannot attain, revealed religion clearly discovers. Revelation exhibits a God--Man, dying for the sins of mankind and setting grace before every penitent sinner: grace for all mankind. The schools have often agitated the questions, and sometimes indiscreetly, whether Jesus Christ died for all mankind, or only for a small number? Whether his blood were shed for all, who hear the gospel, or for those only, who believe it? We will not dispute these points now: but we will venture to affirm, that there is not an individual of all our hearers, who hath not a right to say to himself, if I believe, I shall be saved; I shall believe if I endeavor to believe. Consequently, every individual hath a right to apply the benefits of the death of Christ to himself. The gospel reveals grace, that pardons the most atrocious crimes, those that have the most fatal influences. Although ye have denied Christ with Peter, betrayed him with Judas, persecuted him with Saul; yet the blood of a God--Man is sufficient to obtain your pardon, if ye be in the covenant of redemption. Grace, which is accessible at all times, at every instant of life. Woe be to you, my brethren; woe be to you if, abusing this reflection, ye delay your return to God till the last moments of your lives, when your repentence will be difficult, not to say impracticable and impossible! But it is always certain, that God every instant opens the treasure of his mercy, when sinners return to him by sincere repentance. Grace, capable of terminating all the melancholy thoughts that are produced by the fear of being abandoned by God in the midst of our race, and of having the work of salvation left imperfect. For, after he hath given us a present so magnificent, what can he refuse? [To be continued.]

COX'S TRAVELS.

ANY thing relating to travelling is directly within our province; and were it not so our interest would scarcely be diminished, in the following, Mr. Ross Cox in his six years pegrinations, and singular adventures, and painful sufferings among various tribes of Indians on the Columbia river, hitherto unknown; all of which have been thrown before the public in the shape of a goodly octavo, by the Messrs. Harpers. Numerous extracts had previously come to us, and been published from the London magazine, and our minds were prepared for a work of entire originality and commanding interest. In this we have not been disappointed. Mr. Cox, on his voyage out, in 1811-12, stopped at the Sandwich Islands, of which, and of the manners and customs of the inhabitants, he presents some highly amusing sketches. He next proceeds to the northwest coast, reaches the Columbia river, assends it for some distance, and enters upon a course of adventures in that remote region, that are not only extremely curious, but in some instances, almost marvelous. He then journies through the interior, and arrives at Montreal in 1817.

"In general appearance, and in certain characteristics, the American savage is the same from Chili to Athabasca, and from Nootka to Labrador. There is an indescribable coldness about him, that checks familiarity; he is a stranger to our hopes and fears, our joys and our sorrows. His eyes are seldom moistened by a tear, or his feelings relaxed by a smile; and whether he basks beneath the vertical sun on the burning plains of the Amazon, or freezes in eternal winter on the ice bound shores of the Arctic ocean, the same piercing black eyes, and stern immobility of countenance, equally set at nought the skill of the physiognomist. But in moral character and personal habits, the various tribes, even living adjacent to each other, differ almost as much as do civilized communities. Most of the tribes at the mouth of the Columbia, for instance, are a treacherous, misshapen, thievish set, who smear themselves with fish-oil, and live in filthy hovels, while, as an exception, there are bands which, like the Chinooks, are well formed, frank in their manners, cleanly in their persons, and every way trustworthy. These ingenius people have houses of wood eighty feet in length, by forty feet broad, divided by partitions 18 feet high; they construct canoes 50 feet in length, which will carry 30 persons; and besides the usual offensive arms of the Indians, they wear armor of elk skin, with leather helmets, so prepared as to be arrow proof, and frequently even turn a ball. Again, in advancing into the interior, some miserable, squallid looking, skulking tribes, who live by trapping, are to be found in the immediate vicinity of a thriving race of men, whose habits and appearance are totally the reverse. The last are generally, those who hunt the buffalo on horseback, and with frames invigorated by the chase and spirits nerved by the constant encounter of peril, are equally fearless in character and noble in their carriage. Both on the coast and in the interior, some tribes are entirely absolved from the restraints of chastity, while others punish incontinency with death; many clans again are addicted to stealing and lying, while these vices are held in such abhorrence by others that those who commit them are driven from their communities. Cruelty to their enemies and fortitude under the infliction of pain, seems to be the only qualities which are common to all.

TRANSMIGRATION OF SOULS--HINDOOISM.

THE Hindoo creed derives its peculiar character from the tenet, so generally different throughout the east, respecting the transmigration of souls. According to this belief, the spirit of man, after death, is not conveyed into a different state of existence, but goes to animate some other mortal body, or even one belonging to the brute creation. The receptacle into which it then enters is decided by the course of action followed during the present life. The virtuous man may rise from an humble cast to the rank of a prince or even of a Brantin, while the depraved not only sink into degradation of human beings, but even have their souls enclosed in the bodies of animals. With this view, the Hindoo oracles endeavor to establish a certain conformity between the offences committed and the condition under which they are expiated. The thief is converted into some animal addicted to steal the article which were the wonted object of his owned depredation. The pilferer of grain is metamorphosed into a rat; while he who stole roots or fruit becomes an ape. The person thus lowered in the scale of being, must pass through a long succession of degraded births ere he re-assumes the human form and endowments.--This belief is so familiar with the Hindoo, that his conversation is filled with allusions to it. If he sees any one suffering under evils that seem unmerited, he at once pronounces them the penalty of sin committed in a previous stage and form of existence. Even on seeing a cow or dog receive a severe beating, he infers that the soul which animates him must, under its human shape, have committed some offence worthy of such castigation. Wives who consider themselves injuriously treated by their husbands, or servants by their masters, indulge the earnest hope that in some future state of being they shall exchange conditions, and obtain the opportunity of a signal retaliation.--[Edinburg Cabinet Library.]



THE EVENING AND THE MORNING STAR.

<"Far West">
William Phelps "Far West," E&MS 1 (Oct 1832)

THE FAR WEST. {beliefs-lds}

THE far west, as the section of country from the Mississippi to the Rocky Mountains may justly be styled, is not only distant from the Atlantic States, but different. Its principle river, running rapidly from the 48th to the 39th degree of north latitude, is always rily, always wearing away its banks and always making new channels: It is rightly named Missouri; for in plain English, it looks like the waters of misery,--or troubled water:--even as the sea which the prophet said, Casts up mire and dirt. With the exception of the skirts of timber upon the streams of water, this region of country is one continued field, or prairie, (as the French have it, meaning meadows,) and their is something ancient as well as grand about it, too; for while the eye takes in a large scope of clear field, or extensive plains, decorated with here and there a patch of timber, like the orchards which beautify the farms in the east, the mind goes back to the day, when the Jaredites were in their glory upon this choice land above all others, and comes on till they, and even the Nephites, were destroyed for their wickedness: Here pause and look to the east, and read the words of the prophet: [Isa. 28:1-6] Wo to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which is on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine! Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.--The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet: and the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up. In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people, and for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.

To return: this beautiful region of country is now mostly, excepting Arkansas and Missouri, the land of Joseph or the Indians, as they are called, and embraces three fine climates: First, like that of New-York; second, like Missouri, neither northern nor southern; and third, like the Carolinas. This place may be called the centre of America; it being about an equal distance from Maine, to Nootka sound; and from the gulf of St. Lawrence to the gulf of California; yea, and about the middle of the continent from cape Horn, south, to the head land at Baffin's Bay, north. The world will never value the land of Desolation, as it is called in the book of Mormon, for any thing more than hunting ground, for want of timber and mill-seats: The Lord to the contrary notwithstanding, declares it to be the land of Zion which is the land of Joseph, blessed by him, [Deut. 33:13-17] for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath, and for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon, and for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills, and for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren. His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together from the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.

When we consider that the land of Missouri is the land where the saints of the living God are to be gathered together and sanctified for the second coming of the Lord Jesus, we cannot help exclaiming with the prophet, O land be glad! and O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord: [Isa. 62:1-4] For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou [Jerusalem] shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land [Zion] any more be termed Desolate; but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married, [joined together] so that the land of Zion, and the land of Jerusalem will be one, as they were before the days of Peleg: For in his days the earth was divided or separated to receive the oceans, on account of wickedness. Peleg died 305 years after Noah's flood: Abram's father was born 210 years after the flood, and Abram 288 after, which brings to mind Joshua's words unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor, and they served other gods. The building of Babel was wickedness, and serving other gods was wickedness: so that dividing, or opening the earth to let in the waters, which were in the beginning gathered unto one place, is one of the Lord's great miracles, and shows to the world that them that look for signs among the wicked, have them to their own condemnation in all ages.

But, reader, stop and pause at the greatness of God; and remember that even Moses, when on the top of Pisgah, lifted up his eyes and looked westward first, to view the promised land.

<"To Saints">
William Phelps "To Saints," E&MS 1 (Oct 1832)

TO THE SAINTS IN THE LAND OF ZION, AND ABROAD. {beliefs-lds}

THE Lord chastens them that he loves, and blesses such as keep his commandments. Let us, then, entreat the disciples of the Lord and Savior, to beware of breaking his commandments: Keep them that the world may profit by example. Bring not a reproach upon your Redeemer's cause and kingdom. When vain members transgress, the world stigmatises the whole body, and the innocent suffer wrongfully. Illegal acts and foolish moves pain the sincere. God judges the righteous, and he is angry with the foolish virgins among them, every day.

Brethren in the Lord, good advise is like springs in the wilderness; you may drink at one and drink at another, and pure water always tastes agreeable. Never plan your business on Saturday so that it might interfere with the solemn duties of the Sabbath, for the Lord will not hold you guiltless if you do. His sacred command is: Observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy. The Lord is not well pleased with the disciple that does any thing on that holy day that should be done on laboring day. Nor should a disciple go to meeting one Sabbath here, and another there; let all that can, be strict to attend meeting in their own place, )and let those elders who are faithful, visit the several churches from time to time, instructing them in the knowledge of the truth and in the peaceable things of the kingdom,) that they may surround the sacrament table of the Lord, with a pure heart, as an earnest, that they are at peace with their brethren, and in favor with him whose still, small voice, whispers: Thy sins are forgiven thee. Neither should the children be allowed to slip off and play, rather than meet where they may be trained up in the way they should go to be saved. We are the children of God, and let us not put off his law. When a saint works on the Sabbath, the world can reply: So do we. When the saints travel to do business on the Sabbath, the world can reply: So do we. When the saints go from one meeting to another to see and be seen, the world can reply: So do we. When the children of the saints play on the Sabbath, the world can reply: So do ours. Brethren, watch, that you may enter into the Lord's sacred rest.

<Editorial>
William Phelps ed E&MS 1 (Oct 1832)

THE JUDGMENTS OF GOD.

ONE of the holy men of old says, [Isa. 26:9] When the Lord's judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness, and we sincerely hope and pray that they may; for, if the judgments of God were ever in the earth, now is the time: To say nothing of cholera, that goes from continent to continent; from nation to nation; from kingdom to kingdom; from city to city, and from house to house, taking and sparing and none can find out his coming or going, to stop his dreadful career, let us select the following:

In looking over the English papers received by the last arrival, we have met with the following singular paragraph.

THE PLAGUE OF FIERY SERPENTS.

The following is an extract of a letter dated, Bassorah, the 25 of August, 1831, and received in Calcutta by an Armenian gentleman:--"Almost every country in these regions of the globe has been visited by a dreadful visitor of Providence.--You must have been, long before this, informed of the many calamities that have befallen the devoted city of Bagdad, and the places adjacent to it. News had also been received from Hanadan, or the ancient Ecbatana, of the occurrence of another natural calamity in that place. The city is described to be literally infested with a species of fiery serpents, the bite of which is followed by immediate madness, which in the course of a very short time terminates in the death of the sufferer.--The streets of the town are said to be choked with dead bodies, which are fed upon by dogs and jackals! The inhabitants are seized with consternation and trepidation, not knowing where to fly from the anger of the Almighty."--[India Gazette, December 23rd.]

EARTHQUAKE.--A letter from Smyrna says, "The earthquake which we felt here on the 9th of March, has been very destructive at some places in the interior of Antolia, a few days' journey to the coast of Smyrna. At Ballagda, a town about forty leagues from Smyrna, four minarets and twenty houses were overturned. The small village of Eldrick, one hour's journey from Ballagda, consisting of 40 or 50 houses, was entirely destroyed. A large village called Ienidje, in which there were 2 or 300 houses, also suffered a great deal, as did two other villages within two hours distance of Ballagda. At Degniztu, five or six leagues distant from that town, half the houses and the walls of the ancient fortress tumbled down. In fine, the calamity was general along a line of from 8 to ten leagues, and in addition to an extensive destruction of property, a great number of persons lost their lives.

FOREIGN NEWS.

MANY of our readers, especially in the land of Zion, may be disappointed because we present them with very little foreign news. Should any thing transpire abroad, more than ordinary, it shall be noticed, but, as we are calculating to make our weekly paper worthy of patronage, and a vehicle of the news of the day, in the course of next year, permit us to say, that the Star, hereafter, will contain more matter for the edification and benefit of the soul, to obtain a glorious resurrection; the gathering of Israel, and whomsoever wishes for godliness, than any thing else:--Therefore, let Caesar have his own, and the Lord his own, for we cannot serve God and mammon, although we make friends with the mammon of unrighteousness.

SHORT SENTENCES. {beliefs-lds}

LOVE the Lord and keep his commandments, without being reminded of it every day. Love your neighbor as yourself, and make his welfare your welfare, and the Lord will reward you for it.

Love labor, and whatever you do, remember the poor and needy.

Love goodness because it is good, not because philosophers praise it. Thank the Lord for the blessings you daily enjoy from his holy hand.

Thank the Lord for the light of revelation, whereby men can know his will.

Thank the Lord for all things for his goodness is endless.

Ask the Lord for what you want to sustain life, and not for wealth, for the love of money is the root of all evil.

Ask the Lord to bless your enemies as well as yourself, for they are the workmanship of his hand as well as yourself.

Remember you were born to die, and to live again.

Remember that God requires you to be holy to him, and just to man continually, to be in his favor.

Put away light conversation, and vanity and lies.

Put away every habit that might make a spot on a good name.

And finally: Be wise; be humble; be industrious; be sober-minded; be prudent, patient, and charitable.



THE BOOK OF MORONI. {beliefs-lds}

EVERY well-wisher to the cause of religion, every soul that is possessed of the least spark of divine love, and every disciple that ever had the Spirit of Christ move him to do good, must bear record of the truth of Moroni's last epistle to the Lamanites. He touches the continuation of the gifts according to the promise of the Savior, so truly; and of their being done away for want of faith, so exactly, according to the unbelief of the world now, that we copy it into the Star, as a fair sample of purity: yea, as a guide by which the world may inquire of the Lord and know of a truth, that these things are so.

[Moro. 10] Now I Moroni, write somewhat as seemeth me good; and I write unto my brethren, the Lamanites; and I would that they should know that more than four hundred and twenty years has passed away, since the sign was given of the coming of Christ. And I seal up these records, after that I have spoken a few words by way of exhortation unto you. Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam, even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, and he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost; and by the power of the Holy Ghost, ye may know the truth of all things. And whatsoever thing is good, is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is. And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you, that ye deny not the power of God: for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same to-day, and to-morrow, and forever. And again I exhort you my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God which worketh all in all: and they are given by the manifestations of the spirit of God unto men, to profit them. For behold, to one is given by the spirit of God, that he may teach the word of wisdom; and to another, that he may teach the word of knowledge by the same spirit; and to another, exceeding great faith; and to another, the gifts of healing by the same spirit.--And again, to another, that he may work mighty miracles; and again, to another, that he may prophesy concerning all things; and again, to another, the beholding of angels and ministering spirits; and again, to another, all kinds of tongues; and again, to another, the interpretation of languages and of diverse kinds of tongues. And all these gifts comes by the spirit of Christ; and they come unto every man severally according as he will. And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of Christ. And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that he is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever, and that all these gifts of which I have spoken, which are spiritual, never will be done away, even as long as the world shall stand, only according to the unbelief of the children of men. Wherefore, there must be faith; and if there must be faith, there must also be hope; and if there must be hope, there must also be charity; and except ye have charity, ye can in no wise be saved in the kingdom of God; neither can ye be saved in the kingdom of God,if ye have not faith; neither can ye if ye have no hope; and if ye have no hope, ye must needs be in despair; and despair cometh because of iniquity. And Christ truly said unto our fathers, If ye have faith, ye can do all things which is expedient unto me.

And now I speak unto all the ends of the earth, that if the day cometh that the power and gifts of God shall be done away among you, it shall be because of unbelief. And wo be unto the children of men, if this be the case: for there shall be none that doeth good among you, no not one. For if there be one among you that doeth good, he shall work by the power and gifts of God.--And wo unto them which shall do these things away and die, for they die in their sins, and they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God; and I speak it according to the words of Christ, and I lie not. And I exhort you to remember these things: for the time speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall see me at the bar of God: and the Lord God will say unto you, Did I not declare my words unto you, which was written by this man, like as one crying from the dead? yea, even as one speaking out of the dust, I declare these things unto the fulfilling of the prophecies. And behold, they shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the everlasting God; and his word shall hiss forth from generation to generation. And God shall shew unto you, that that which I have written is true. And again I would exhort you, that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing. And awake and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion, and strengthen thy stakes, and enlarge thy borders forever, that thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father, which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled. Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in no wise deny the power of God. And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father, unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy without spot. And now I bid unto all farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead.--Amen.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES. {beliefs-lds}

OUR reader will expect from us, some of the signs of the times; and, as watchmen that would strive to be approved in all things before the Lord, we will try to collect a few of the many, and lay them before the world. It is a day of strange appearances to them that are without the true knowledge of God. That the watchful might not be deceived, the Lord while speaking of wickedness, which is spiritual Babylon, by the mouth of Jeremiah, says, [Jer. 51:45-46] My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the Lord. And lest your heart faint, and ye fear for the rumor that shall be heard in the land; a rumor shall both come one year, and after that in another year shall come a rumor, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler.

To begin: An eastern paper thus peaks of Europe:--Austria has an immense army in the field. Russia an immense force ready to march upon the Rhine, and a fleet of 42 sail ready for sea! Belgium and Holand are both armed for battle. England has a large squadron, for practice, in the north seas. A large number of National Guards has been called out in France, to form a new army. The Emperor of Russia says Christmas dinners will be eaten by some people with long faces. A Napoleonite has said there will be another march to Paris. Lord Durham has gone to Copenhagen to gain the Alliance of the Danes. The Dutch ambassador has very unexpectedly left England, and Joseph Bonaparte has suddenly departed for that country; the Grey ministry are evidently out of favor with the court, and the French ministry are about adopting Soult's project of moving the French army toward the frontiers.

Such is the prospect of affairs in the East, upon rumor, and our own country is not exactly in a state of peace; for besides the Indian war, which has been a source of considerable trouble upon the frontiers of Illinois, there is raging, to an alarming extent, a war of opinion for political power and party continuance. Our politics are wild. Mark that, our politics are wild! The extremes to which men resort to obtain office, in any present party, is certainly barren of that honor and honesty which produced the exalted privilege. It is said to be an enlightened day and age, but the depravity of the times would argue a state of wickedness similar to that which brought the flood. The United State boasts of the freest constitution, and the happiest government, in the world, but if the county prisons and state penitentiaries, may number their citizens of affliction and crime, especially for the last four or five years, without reference to the many murderers that have filled a large share of the chapter of atrocities, and the keen revenge that has been practiced between freemasons and their opponents:--they might as well fall to the dust, with the other crumbling nations of the earth, and cry, unclean! unclean!

Again: Are they free from censure, that pretend to worship God? Is there not something strange, or, at least, a falling away from the ancient order of divine things? In the days of Christ and the apostles, religion was preached and practiced for the sake of eternal life in the world to come: But now religion is preached and practiced for the sake of this present world and the things that are in it. Christ said: Follow me, but now the language is: Follow ME! [man] Christ asked no aid of the governments of the earth to spread the gospel. He rendered to Caesar his own, and to God his own. Now nearly all denominations are eager to obtain converts for temperance societies, and bible societies, when a large portion of these proselytes are unbelieving, and probably die so, with a full knowledge that Christ said, except a man be born again he can not enter into the kingdom of God. When no such societies existed, we were at war for our liberty and the blessings that have resulted from it, and it has been told us that our ancestors prayed to the Lord, for assistance, and he granted it, and we believe it, for it is thus recorded in the Book of Mormon:

[1 Ne. 13:14-19] And it came to pass that I beheld many multitudes of the Gentiles, upon the land of promise; and I beheld the wrath of God, that it was upon the seed of my brethren; and they were scattered before the Gentiles, and they were smitten. And I beheld the spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the Gentiles; that they did prosper, and obtain the land of their inheritance; and I beheld that they were white, and exceeding fair and beautiful, like unto my people before that they were slain.

And it came to pass that I Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles which had gone forth out of captivity, did humble themselves before the Lord; and the power of the Lord was with them; and I beheld that their mother Gentiles was gathered together upon the waters, and upon the land also, to battle against them; and I beheld that the power of God was with them; and also, that the wrath of God was upon them that were gathered together against them to battle. And I Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles which had gone out of captivity, were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations.

As to so many appendaged societies to the gospel, we must say, that neither the Savior, nor his apostles, nor the Scriptures, have taught any thing more necessary, than to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus, and be baptized for the remission of sins; to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; and continue faithful to the end, to inherit eternal life. Camp-meetings and protracted meetings, like the wind that blows before a storm, seem to increase, as the judgments of the Almighty are sent forth to purify the world. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord, is a command from the most High, out when we observe, ministers and members, among almost every sect upon the globe, not only mingling in all the political rancor, and crowding themselves into the contentions and broils of the day; not only engaged in nearly every speculation that the love of money urges the avaricious into, but, as often as the world that lays no claim to goodness, found guilty of every crime that disgraces the human family, they might, with all them that pestilence is hurrying to their long home, shrink from their greatness, and cry: God be merciful to us sinners!

Such are the signs of the times, from the king upon the throne to the beggar upon his knees.--Such is the commotion of the world; her pain has begun, and trouble succeeds trouble, as wave follows wave upon the ocean. Instead of the good old times, when men would inquire of the Lord on all great matters, and pray to the Lord when trials come, the faithless days have arrived when the majority of men seek for Public Opinion, whether it comes from wise men or fools; from the moral or wicked. All flesh in the world seems to trust in an arm of flesh, even while the Lord is feeding the inhabitants with judgments. From the east comes a rumor; from the west comes a rumor; from the north comes a rumor, from the south comes a rumor, while the Lord is sending forth judgment unto victory, among the nations, great are the times with events, for this generation: And while the solemnities of eternity are thus bursting upon our minds, we do humbly beseech the disciples, the wicked, yea, all flesh, to watch, for the signs in heaven, and the signs on earth, like the hand writing upon the wall of Belshazzar, declare that the world has been weighed in the balances, and is found wanting.

The set time to favor Zion, is come; and when the righteous are gathered, the wicked will be cutoff, for the earth must rest from sin.



Worldly Matters.

ON the 19th of September Capt. Sublett's Fur company returned from the Rocky mountains with 168 packs of fur, valued at about $80,000. The company was attacked in Piers Hole, on the 12th of July last, by the Black feet Indians, and lost in killed of their own men, 6, & 4 wounded, among whom was Capt. S; and of the friendly Nepersee Indians, 7 killed, and 6 wounded. On the 17th, five were again attacked by these Indians at Jackson's hole, near the Three Tetons, and 3 of them were killed. We learn that the Black feet Indians, said to be numerous, are becoming more and more war-like towards the mountain hunters; so much so, that some of the hunters returned, say, they will hardly be able to hunt two years longer. In the engagement in Piers Hole, there were, of Capt. S's Fur company, Capt. Wythe's Oregon company, &c. about 250; of the Nepersee Indians 50, making a force of 300 against from 30 to 100 of the Black feet, Indians, and yet the action lasted some time. In about a year, 28 trappers have been killed, the remainder is said to be healthy.

Washington Irving (and a couple of foreign gentleman,) upon a literary expedition, and H.L. Ellsworth and others, as commissioners to settle the location of the western Indians, were in this town the last of September, on their way to Cantonment Gibson, Arkansas Territory.

The season for crops has ended. A frost visited this section of country, the first of October, and we are happy to say the corn crops in general are good.

THE ISLAND OF MADERIA.

The first view of this island is the most striking ever beheld; a large white town on the beach, with immense mountains rising close at the back of it, sprinkled with the villas of the merchants, amidst vineyards and orange groves, placed terrace about terrace, like steps, up the steep ascent, and clouds almost constantly resting on its summit; such is the picture. After being here two or three days, we made a visit into the interior, twelve or thirteen miles off, to view the greatest curiosity in the island, and perhaps a more stupendous scene is not to be found among the Alps; it is a precipice, from which you may look down three quarters of a mile perpendicularly. When we reached it the abyss was filled with clouds; but these gradually dispersed, and discovered to us a new world beneath us, hills and valleys, vineyards, houses, and a village church, all of course in miniature, and glowing with softer tints than I had supposed to exist in nature.--[Bishop Middleton.]

THE PLAGUE.

The prevalence of the plague, says the Baltimore Gazette, has always been marked by licentiousness and depravity. Thucydides thus speaks of the manners of the people during the plague at Athens. For people now dared to do many things openly which they were heretofore compelled by shame to conceal; and they calculated on their sudden change of fortune, seeing that many of the rich perished, while those who formerly were destitute became rich with their property.--They therefore deemed it right to set about the immediate enjoyment of it, and gave up all their mind to pleasures, considering they might, in turn, be deprived of their treasures and life itself in a few days. Nor was any individual disposed to undertake any labor for an honorable reward, because he was not certain he might not die before he could obtain it.--Whatever each person deemed agreeable or lucrative to himself he considered as expedient and honorable; and he did not allow himself to be restrained in the pursuit by the fear of God or human laws."

The plague at Marseilles was as fruitful in horrors. M. Bertrand says, "While the arm of the Lord was yet extended over us, a general license was seen to reign among the people and depravity of morals frightful to think on. Some seized on houses left vacant by the mortality; others forced open those which were shut up or guarded by persons incapable of resistance. They entered those where perhaps there remained only one person languishing with the malady, forced open the drawers and closets, and took away whatever they found most precious, often carrying their guilt to the length of delivering themselves from an opportune witness who otherwise had but a few moments to live.

Intelligence was received at Falmouth on the 24th of July that a battle had been fought on the 23d, near Oporto, which terminated in the total defeat of Don Miguel's forces. Letters from Oporto to the 24th July confirm the account of the victory of Donna Maria's army headed by her father, Don Pedro. It was stated in these letters, that the Don had made 2000 prisoners, and captured all the enemy's artillery, baggage, &c. with little loss on his own side. The fighting lasted two days.

The merchants of Oporto, who had been in great alarm, had regained their confidence after the battle.

The Duke of Richstedt (Young Napoleon) died at Vienna on the 22d July. He died at 5 o'clock in the morning. On the 19th the symptoms of the last stages of consumption became manifest, and his physicians gave over all hopes of saving him. He died very tranquilly. His grandfather of Austria directed his funeral to be attended with the same forms and honors as those paid to a deceased Archduke.

It is stated that General Lafayette declined an invitation of the French King to review the troops assembled in Paris.

Ireland was in a state of great ferment and disorder.

CHEROKEE PHOENIX.

Mr. Elias Boudinot has resigned his situation as editor of this paper, and recommends that it be discontinued, on account of the pecuniary embarrasments of the Cherokee nation. Mr. Ross, the principal chief, in communicating the resignation to the Committee and Council says:

I deem it to be essentially important that the paper should be kept up. It is an incontrovertible fact, that the circulation of that paper has been greatly instrumental in the diffusion of science and general knowledge among our own citizens.--The pecuniary embarrasments of the nation by no means ought to influence you to discontinue the paper, if a suitable person can be found to conduct it.

We sincerely hope the paper will not be discontinued; and we cannot refrain from expressing our surprise at the recommendation of Mr. Boudinot. "Knowledge is power,"--and the publication of a weekly paper among the Cherokees, in which the subject of their rights shall be freely discussed, and containing such other articles as shall be calculated to instruct and reform the people, and afford them necessary information of passing events, will be of incalculable benefit. We say to them, "Don't give up the ship;" maintain the paper, if possible; it may be that God will yet send you deliverence.--[C.Soldier.]

THE COTTON CROP.--So frequently have we been deceived respecting the Cotton Crop, that we had almost determined not to trouble our friends again on this subject, but we are induced to change this determination, from the extraordinary appearance of the cotton fields at this time. A general gloom pervades the planting interest of this state.--Many planters, who, with only ordinary seasons, would have made 200 bales of cotton, cannot now, under any circumstances, make 50.--Many fields have already been abandoned, and stocks turned into them.

In many counties, the drought and the rust have destroyed entire fields of cotton. We have cried Wolf, Wolf, Wolf, again and again, when there was no Wolf, but rely on it, there is now no mistake. We have just returned from a tour through the counties of Walkes, Green, Morgan, Oglethorp, Clarke, Walton, Newton, Henry, Batts, Monroe, Crawford, Upson, Pike, Jones, Jasper, Talbot, Troup, Fayette, Harris, Baldwin, Warren, &c. &c. and hesitate not to say, that in the aggregate, a half a crop of cotton, under the most favorable circumstances, cannot be made this year.

ASTRONOMY.--He who can look upon the firmament in a cloudless night, with a soul untouched, must be wholly incapable of relishing any intellectual food. If there be any safe criterion to prove the depth of the mind, it may unhesitatingly be said, Astronomy. It may be sat down as indisputable, if the mind of a child cannot be excited to inquiry, by explaining the dimensions, distances, and revolutions of the planets, there is a vacuum that can never be filled. The remark of an experienced teacher is, "Many a dunce and many a truant has been put into my hands, and pronounced nearly hopeless, who has approximated to first rate scholarship, by a faithful elucidation of this sublime science, and where this has failed, all other expedients are unavailing. What a pity, then that this important study should be so much neglected in the early education of children, that Orin and his belt, Pleiades and Arcturus, are not as familiar to the child, as the marble and ball he tosses.

SINGULAR FACT.--Among the applicants for pensions before the Vice Chancellor's Court, in this county, a few days since, were two men, a father and his son!--the former aged 94 years, and the latter 70. They both served two years or more in the Revolutionary War; and the father had been through the old French war. While the son was giving in his declaration to the court, the father caused much laughter by occasionally correcting him, with "Tut, BOY, you are mistaken."--"You are wrong, BOY!" The term "boy" applied to a war worn vetran of '76, whose whitened locks and wrinkled visage evinced extreme old age, was irresistably amusing. It may well be doubted whether a similar case exists in the state.--[Chenango Tel.]

The cold weather of Friday and Saturday, 24 and 25 of August, was unusual and extreme. In the vicinity of this city there was frost more or less severe. The Kingston U.C. Chronicle of the 25th says:--"The oldest resident in this country does not remember to have experienced, at this season of the year any thing equal to the cold of last night; it actually froze and froze hard. A slight coating of ice was seen on the bay at an early hour."--[Albany Argus.]

A very sick infant was lately found in Philadelphia, whose mother had died of cholera, and the father was "bringing it up on apples and whisky." The latter article was doubtless the favorite of the father.

A letter from Cincinnati states that fifty new steam boats are building to be used upon the western waters! and that in the fall, there will probably be 50,000 tons in active employment, at a cost of between three and four million dollars.

The first impression of a drunkard is a grin, the last a gasp; sizzled, he imagines himself a prince; sober, he finds he is only a pauper.

It has been estimated, says the Massachusetts Spy, that the number of applications for pensions under the late law, in the county of Worcester alone, will be from 300 to 500.

The Spanish slave vessels, bound to Cuba, with 989 slaves, have been lately captured by British cruisers and carried into Nassau.

At the shanties, near Albany the following persons are congregated. viz: 71 men 90 women, 220 children 30 men working on the railroad, 23 at other places, 18 sick, 31 widows with small children, and 52 families receiving assistance.



The measles have made great and fearful ravages in Marblehead, having occasioned a mortality equal relatively to the arising from the cholera in New-York.--No less than 60 children have died the last two months.

The port of Tobasco has been declared to be in a state of blockade by a Mexican vessel of war.

The Ship Corinthian, arrived at Balitmore from Calcutta, brings intelligence of the plague having broken out at Bussarah.

The present season has been remarkable for the abundance of venomous reptiles, which are to be found in the pastures and fields in many towns in the vicinity of Salem, Massachusetts.

TWILIGHT.

Of all the myriad sources of enjoyment which nature unfolds to man, I know few equal to those elicited by a balmy summer sunset. The idea is old, but the reflections it excites are perpetually varying. There is something in this hour, so tender so truly fraught with simple, yet sublime associations that it belongs rather to heaven than to earth. The curtain that drops down on the physical, also descends on the moral world. The day with its selfish interest, its common-place distractions, has gone by, and the season of intelligence, of imagination, of spirituality, is dawning. Yes, twilight unlocks the blandusian fountain of fancy; there, as in a mirror, reflecting all things in added loveliness, the heart surveys the past; the dead, the absent, the estranged, come thronging back on memory; the paradise of inexperience, from which the flaming sword of truth has long since exiled us, rises again in all the pristine beauty of its flowers and verdure; the very spot where we breathed our first vows of love; the slender girlish figure, that, gliding like a sylph beside us, listened entranced to that avowal, made in the face of heaven, beneath the listning evening star; the home that witnessed her decline; the church yard that received her ashes; the grave wherein she now sleeps, dreamless and happy, deaf alike the syren voice of praise, and the withering sneers of envy--such sweet but solemn recollections, sweep in shadowy pomp across the mind, conjured up by the spells of twilight, as he waves his enchanted wand over the earth.

NATURE.

THE contemplation of the works of nature, affords some of the noblest & purest pleasures of the human mind. Gazed upon as the workmanship of a great, & wise, and good Being, who can consider them without feelings of mingled admiration and awe. Even in the inferior parts of creation, among the little things of our own earth, how much do we find to call forth wonder and inspire delight. Animate & inanimate nature is full of beauty & astonishing displays of superior wisdom. How surprising the order and regularity of the crystal. So exact, that amidst a million of the same species, no difference in angle and form can be detected. How beautiful the little vernal flower! Its leaves seem touched by the pencil of an angel.

But let us rise still higher and take a wider survey. Let us gane some commanding eminence and look off upon hill and dale, and field, and forest; and stream.--What a boundless variety, and yet all beautiful! Whose eye is so dull--whose soul so insensible that he cannot gaze and admire with almost insatiable delight? Whose heart is not enlarged, whose feelings are not refined, whose pleasures are not multiplied, by mingling with, & contemplating the beauties of creation. It is here we seem to commune with ourselves and with our Creator in his works. It is here that is placed the first impress of our Maker's character. The mysteries of nature we should study, the loveliness of nature we should admire, as the work of the Almighty. And how easy thus would become our pathway from nature up to nature's God. Let me say with Dr. Beattie,

Oh, how canst thou renounce the boundless store Of charms, which nature to her votary yields? The warbling woodland, the resounding shore, The pomp of groves and garniture of fields, All that the genial ray of morning gilds, And all the echoes to the song of even, All that the mountain's sheltering bosom shields, And all the grant magnificence of heaven-- Oh how canst thou renounce and hope to be forgiven?

Who does not retire from the contemplation of nature with feelings of a tender relation to his Father in heaven? He can say "in wisdom hast thou made them all." But when he turns to the region of animal life, he finds still more to gratify and delight, than in mere inanimate matter. Here is superior wisdom and greater goodness. Look at the diminutive insect that crosses your path. Learn his mode of existence, his habits of life, the nice adaptation of his size and form, to all the circumstances of his being, to all the necessities and means of individual happiness. Examine the little fly that buzzes about in all the sportiveness of youth, and all the bliss of conscious being and overflowing joy. Admire his gossamer wing, his fixed but bright and animated eye! The sun sheds upon him as cheering a ray, and the summer air breaths as mildly around him, as the bosted Lord of creation. How true is the declaration of the Psalmest [Ps. 145:9] "The Lord is good unto all and his tender mercies are over all his works."

But when we have travelled over our little earth and witnessed all it possesses of the beautiful & the sublime, when we have listened to the roar of ocean, & the song of birds, when we have looked upon the forest's gorgeousness and the flowret's beauty, when we have seen the limpid, and purling rill, and the majestic river, when we have turned our eye upon the vine-clad hills and towering mountains; when we have seen and heard all this, we have but entered the vestibule of the great temple of nature.

There are other worlds around us to which probably our earth with all its grandeur is but as dust in the balance. The eye wanders off enraptured with its discoveries amidst the bright orbs of heaven. Infinity of space is before it. Unnumbered spheres are above, and below, and around us. And when the eye is tired of gazing, and when its spirit flying vision has reached its utmost goal, it calls to its bid the benefits of scientific discovery, and stretches out into still more distant space, and there enjoys the new pleasure of seeing other worlds and beholding other wonders. [Christian Messenger.]

DESCRIPTION OF LAKE SUPERIOR.

LAKE Superior, without the aid of any great effort of imagination, may be considered as the inexhaustible spring from whence, through ages, the St. Lawrence has continued to derive its ample stream. This immence lake, unequalled in magnitude by any collection of fresh water upon the globe, is situated between the parallels of 56 deg. 25 min. and 49 deg. 1 min. north latitude, and the meridians of 84 deg. 34 min. and 92 deg. 14 min. west longitude. Its length, measured on a curved line through the center, is about 350 geographical miles, its extreme breadth 140, and its circumference, in following the sinuosities of the coast, about 1500. Its surface is about 627 feet above the tide water of the Atlantic; but the shore exhibits almost conclusive indications of its having been, in former ages, as much, perhaps, as 40 or 50 feet above its present level. Various soundings have been taken from 80 to 150 fathomes, but its greatest depth probably exceeds 200 fathoms; thus demonstrating the bottom of the lake to be nearly 600 feet below the level of the ocean. The chrystaline transparency of its waters is unrivalled, and such as to render rocks at an extraordinary depth distinctly visible.--The bottom of the lake chiefly consists of a very adhesive clay, which speedily indurates by atmospheric exposure, and contains small shells of the species at present existing in the lake. A sea almost of itself, this lake is subject to many vicissitudes of that element, for here the storm rages, and the billows break, with a violence scarcely surpassed by the tempests of the ocean, but is not subject to the oceanic phenomena displayed by an unerring and periodical flux and reflux. Its expansive surface, however, yields to the influence of heavy winds; so that, when these blow strong from one quarter, they produce a very perceptible rise of the lake in an opposite direction. The spring freshets are also known to have occasioned a rapid swelling of the waters, which has been especially conspicuous after a rigorous winter. That its waters were once salt is by no means unlikely, and the supposition stands, in some degree, supported by the nature of the fish that inhabit them, and the marine shells that are found by the nature of the fish that inhabit them, and the marine shells that are found along the beaches or imbedded in the shores.--[Bouchette's British Dominions in North America.]

SELECTED HYMNS

God our guide.

GUIDE us, O thou great Jehovah, Saints upon the promised land, We are weak but thou art able, Hold us with thy powerful hand: Holy Spirit, Feed us till the Savior comes.

Open, Jesus, Zion's fountains; Let her richest blessings come; Let the fiery, cloudy pillar Guard us in this holy home; Great Redeemer, Bring, O bring the welcome day!

When the earth begins to tremble, Bid our fearful thoughts be still; When thy judgments spread destruction, Keep us safe on Zion's hill, Singing praises, Songs of glory, unto thee.

New Jerusalem.

WE'RE not ashamed to own our Lord. And worship him on earth; We love to learn his holy word, And know what souls are worth.

When Jesus comes as flaming flame, For to reward the just, The world will know the only name, In which the saints can trust.

When he comes down in heav'n on earth, With all his holy band, Before creation's second birth, We hope with him to stand.

Then he will give us a new name, With robes of righteousness, And in the New Jerusalem, Eternal happiness.

The Evening and the Morning Star

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VOL. I, No. 6, INDEPENDENCE, MO. NOVEMBER, 1832.

THE TRIBE OF JOSEPH. {beliefs-lds}

HAVING given a sketch of the history of the ten tribes, in our last, the next subject which presents itself, is the tribe of Joseph. The Lord was with Joseph in his youth and not only his dreams, one of which says, that the sun and moon, and the eleven stars made obeisance to him, but much of his life was a type of future events in relation to his seed. His being sold unto the Egyptians, was a wise plan of the Lord to show his power to Israel, and to convince the world, that he is merciful to such as keep his commandments, and seek the path of endless virtue; yea, all the workmanship of his hands. The history of Joseph, in full, cannot at present be given; but in part, it will occupy a great place in the hearts of such as seek diligently the kingdom of God and the welfare of scattered Israel. It is so well known that Joseph was the beloved of his father, that we can quote the words of the good old man pronounced upon him, as what should befal him, or come to pass among his seed, in the last days, without the fear of contradiction, and with a great deal of pleasure, as well as satisfaction, knowing that the very days have arrived for the fulfilment of that prophecy: [Gen. 49:22-26] Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over the wall: The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: But his bow abode in strength, & the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob: (from thence is the Shepherd the Stone of Israel:) Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee, and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breast and of the womb: The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills; they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

This is one of the greatest prophecies in the bible, and contains more of the economy of the Lord than will be seen till the Redeemer comes to dwell on the earth. What an admirable expression is that; the branches run over the wall; as plain as to have said, some of his seed shall cross the ocean. But the most profound is, From thence is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel. It could not mean the birth of the Savior, for Paul says it is evident our Lord sprang from the tribe of Judah: But when Paul said to the Romans, [Rom. 11:26] There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and turn away ungodliness from Jacob, he must have meant the Deliverer, which is to come and gather his sheep into his fold, and becomes the good Shepherd: and according to the blessings of Moses, Joseph is the firstling of his bullock. Let us read it: [Deut. 33:13-17] And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the Lord be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath, and for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon, and for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills, and for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren. His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together from the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.

The beauty, the wisdom, and the extent of this blessing upon the seed of Joseph, have never yet been found out by the world, nor fully understood by all the saints.--In the first place, Moses says, Blessed of the Lord be his land, &c. And why?--Because it is the land on which the saints of the living God shall gather in the last days, to receive the Savior at his second coming. It is blessed of the Lord, too, for the precious things of heaven: the fulness of the gospel in the Book of Mormon: for instance, [2 Ne. 3:4-21] I am a descendant of Joseph, which was carried captive into Egypt--And great was the covenants of the Lord, which he made unto Joseph: wherefore, Joseph truly saw our day. And he obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins, the Lord God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel; not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off; nevertheless, to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord, that the Messiah should be made manifest unto them in the latter days, in the spirit of power, unto the bringing of them out of darkness unto light; yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto freedom. For Joseph truly testified, saying: A seer shall the Lord my God raise up, which shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my loins. Yea, Joseph truly said, thus saith the Lord unto me: A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and he shall be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins.--And unto him will I give commandment, that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them, even to the bringing of them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers. And I will give him a commandment, that he shall do none other work, save the work which I shall command him. And I will make him great in mine eyes: for he shall do my work. And he shall be great like unto Moses, whom I have said I would raise up unto you, to deliver my people, O house of Israel. And Moses will I raise up, to deliver thy people out of the land of Egypt. But a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins; and not to the bringing forth my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them. Wherefore, the fruit of my loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines, and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days; and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord. And out of weakness he shall be made strong, in that day when my work shall commence among all my people, unto the restoring thee, O house of Israel, saith the Lord. And thus prophesied Joseph, saying:--Behold, that seer will the Lord bless; and they that seek to destroy him, shall be confounded: for this promise, of which I have obtained of the Lord, of the fruit of thy loins, shall be fulfilled. Behold I am sure of the fulfilling of this promise.--And his name shall be called after me; and it shall be after the name of his father. And he shall be like unto me; for the thing which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand, by the power of the Lord shall bring my people unto salvation; yea, thus prophesied Joseph. I am sure of this thing, even as I am sure of the promise of Moses; for the Lord hath said unto me, I will preserve thy seed forever. And the Lord hath said, I will raise up a Moses; and I will give power unto him in a rod; and I will give judgment unto him in writing. Yet I will not loose his tongue, that he shall speak much: for I will not make him mighty in speaking. But I will write unto him my law, by the finger of mine own hand; and I will make a spokesman for him. And the Lord said unto me also, I will raise up unto the fruit of thy loins; and I will make for him a spokesman. And I, behold, I will give unto him, that he shall write the writing of the fruit of thy loins, unto the fruit of thy loins; and the spokesman of thy loins shall declare it. And the words which he shall write, shall be the words which is expedient in my wisdom, should go forth unto the fruit of thy loins. And it shall be as if the fruit of thy loins had cried unto them from the dust: for I know their faith. And they shall cry from the dust; yea, even repentance unto their brethren, even that after many generations have gone by them.--And it shall come to pass that their cry shall go, even according to the simpleness of their words. Because of their faith, their words shall proceed forth out of my mouth unto their brethren, which are the fruit of thy loins; and the weakness of their words will I make strong in their faith, unto the remembering of my covenant which I made unto thy fathers.

Thus spake Lehi to his son Joseph, and who is there that can not rejoice when he reads such a glorious and sacred promise? When we look abroad in the earth and view the extent of the Lord's dominions in this world; when we reflect upon the space of time that the Lord has allowed the sons of men to set these dominations in order, by giving them the privilege of the gospel; and when we consider how much the Lord has promised to such as build up his kingdom on the earth, we are astonished! When Jacob, or as he was named, Israel, blessed the children of Joseph, he crossed his hands and put Ephraim the youngest first, saying his seed shall become a multitude of nations; and Lehi says, repeating the words of Joseph of Egypt, [2 Ne. 3:12] the fruit of my loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write, &c. and the writings shall grow together. Let us now compare these great sayings with the prophecy of Ezekiel: [Ezek. 37:16-28] Moreover thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thy hand. And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these? Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in my hand. And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be one in thy hand before their eyes. And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. And David my servant shall be King over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgment's, and observe my statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt, and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children forever: and my servant David shall be their prince forever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for ever more. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

So, then, it appears, that Ephraim, besides becoming a multitude of nations, writes and keeps one of the sticks or books of the Lord. The stick of Judah, the bible, is about as much acknowledged and received as the Savior was, when he came to fulfil the words of the prophets, to be offered a sacrifice for sin. But there is another light, which presents itself to us, which ought not to be omitted. Say, our Savior came through the tribe of Judah, and the Jews kept the record or the bible, as it is called, for the scepter was not to depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his met, until Shiloh come; and then, that the Redeemer, shall come the second time, to the tribe of Joseph; and they have also written and kept a record, called the book of Mormon, for, from thence is the Shepherd the Stone of Israel: who can mistake what Ezekiel meant by the Two Sticks? They are the Lord's reading sticks [or records] for the benefit of Israel. The circumstance of Jacob's serving seven years for Rachel, and his great disappointment when finding himself wedded to Leah, may with propriety be connected with the history of Joseph, as one of the great similes of the Lord to show great things to some, according to their faith, and nothing to others agreeable to the blindness of their minds. Passing, however, this with many other circumstances, which are connected with the well-being and final glory of Joseph, but, which can be sought out and read by the humble searcher for truth, with pleasure, in the bible and book of Mormon, we proceed to quote the word of the Lord, in relation to saving of the House of Joseph: for Joseph may now be considered as bearing the ensign of the Lord to the nations. As the Lord hath written unto Ephraim the great things of his law, and they are counted as a strange thing: so also, is the Lord preparing to show unto him the glory of the last days; [Deut. 33:17] for his horns are the horns of Unicorns, with them he shall push the people together from the ends of the earth. Now what a sublime figure this is! The sons of Joseph among the nations, to come forth as the servants of the Lord, in the last days and push the people to Zion; for at the same time, saith the Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. [Jer. 31:2-21] Thus saith the Lord, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O Virgin of Israel; thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry. Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things. For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our God.--For thus said the Lord; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel. Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither. They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them; I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a strait way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first born. Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all. Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord. Thus said the Lord; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke:--turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote on my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord.

Now mark, Ephraim is the first born; the Lord's dear son, and a pleasant child, and the Lord will have compassion upon him, notwithstanding it is said by the prophet Hosea, that they, (the seed of Ephraim) shall be wanderers among the nations; notwithstanding Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone; notwithstanding Ephraim hath mixed himself among the people; notwithstanding Ephraim is a cake not turned; notwithstanding Ephraim is like a silly dove without a heart, and notwithstanding Ephraim is a heifer taught, and loves to tread out the grain, Ephraim shall ride, for the Lord hath spoken it. Half the tribe of Manasseh, being absent near the lost tribes in the region of Arsareth, we shall not pretend to say as much in relation to Mansseh as Ephriam.

But to make all things plain let us remember, what the Lord has said in relation to Joseph as a house, or particular portion of Israel; that he would save it. The words of Zechariah are in point: [Zech. 10:6-12] I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again and place them: for I have mercy upon them; and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the Lord their God, and will hear them. And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man and their heart shall rejoice as through wine; yea their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the Lord. I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them; and they shall increase as they have increased. And I will sow them among the peoples and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again. I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather, them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilgad and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them. And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away. And I will strengthen them in the Lord; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the Lord.

How plain the Lord has told the world, that he would do great things for the house of Joseph, and well might the Psalmist exclaim: [Ps. 80:1-19] Give ear, O shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us. Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people? Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure. Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbors: and our enemies laugh among themselves. Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt, thou hast cast out the heathen and planted it. Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river. Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it. Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold and visit this vine: And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself. It is burnt with fire, it is cut down, they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself. So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

Here let us pause. The Lord is great and his words fail not. The shepherd of Israel, which comes leading Joseph like a flock, stir up thy strength before Ephraim, and Benjamin, and Manasseh. Ah what precious words! Judah is to be gathered at old Jerusalem; the lost tribes, with the half tribe of Manasseh, will be restored by Elijah, which leaves Ephraim, the remaining half tribe of Manasseh, and Benjamin to be stirred up by the good shepherd. What a consolation! No wonder Ephraim was likened unto a green fir tree, for says the Lord: [Hosea 14:8] From me is thy fruit found. When the Savior was on the Earth, he spake this parable: [Luke 18:2-13] There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet, because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

Now, beloved reader, when the Son of man comes shall he find faith on the earth? He will find some with Ephraim, if Hosea's words are true, that--From me is thy fruit found. Again, taking this parable for a sample, will he come to those that pray in fine houses and fast by states and nations, as it were, giving bountifully of their wealth, to Bible societies, and temperance societies, while the poor, are forgotten by them, or will he come to them that humble themselves and cry mightily, Not our will but thine, O God be done?

Joseph was a type of coming events unto his seed; Ephraim was to become a great many nations, and all these things were to be fulfilled in the last days.--The land of Joseph was to be blessed above all others, and Joseph was to be honored by his parents and brethren, according to his dream of the singing hosts of heaven. Joseph was sold into Egypt to save his father's household from famine as a type of what should be afterwards. It is thus said in the Book of Mormon, by Moroni the chief captain of the Nephites, who lived about seventy years before the birth of the Savior: Behold, we are a remnant of the seed of Jacob; yea, we are a remnant of the seed of Joseph, whose coat was rent by his brethren, into many pieces; yea, and now behold, let us remember to keep the commandments of God, or our garments shall be rent by our brethren, and we be cast into prison, or be sold, or be slain; yea, let us preserve our liberty, as a remnant of Joseph; yea, let us remember the words of Jacob, before his death; for behold, he saw that a part of the remnant of the coat of Joseph was preserved, and had not decayed.--And he saith, [Alma 46:24] Even as this remnant of garment of my sons hath been preserved, so shall a remnant of the seed of my son be preserved by the hand of God, and be taken unto himself, while the remainder of the seed of Joseph shall perish, even as the remnant of his garment: And again: [Ether 13:4-8] Moroni the son of Mormon, who sealed and hid up this record, says in the book of Ether: Behold, Ether saw the days of Christ, and he spake concerning a New Jerusalem upon this land; and he spake also concerning the house of Israel, and the Jerusalem from whence Lehi should come; after it should be destroyed, it should be built up again a holy city unto the Lord; wherefore it could not be a New Jerusalem, for it had been in a time of old, but it should be built up again, and become a holy city of the Lord; and it should be built up unto the house of Israel; and that a New Jerusalem should be built up upon this land, unto the remnant of the seed of Joseph, for the which things there has been a type: for as Joseph brought his father down into the land of Egypt, even so he died there; wherefore the Lord brought a remnant of the seed of Joseph out of the land of Jerusalem, that he might be merciful unto the seed of Joseph, that they should perish not, even as he was merciful unto the father of Joseph, that he should perish not; wherefore the remnant of the house of Joseph shall be built upon this land; and it shall be a land of their inheritance; and they shall build up a holy city unto the Lord, like unto the Jerusalem of old; and they shall no more be confounded, until the end come, when the earth shall pass away.

Now as Joseph caused all the Egyptians to leave the room when he made himself known to his brethren: So the branch of his seed, which was lead to this continent by the hand of the Lord, to prepare the land of their inheritance, and the other branches which are wandering among the nations, may be brought from the east, and gathered from the west, ready to meet the Redeemer when he brings again Zion.

In the view of this coming scene is a joy, which can not be known by them that are without the hope of a glorious resurrection. Before Joseph went into Egypt the great day of a thousand years' holiness on earth, was better known among some men than now. What started a party of high-mined men to build a Tower to go to heaven? The world had just been immersed with water: Zion had previously been taken to paradise, and for fear that it might again be destroyed, as they had again begun to trust in themselves, this evil generation, sat out to force themselves into heaven, without coming in as the Lord had appointed. Now, it is well known that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were so much in favor with the Lord, that he talked with them and gave them commandments, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and knew many things in relation to the last days, which they taught, to their posterity.

Although Joseph, or Ephraim, may be mixed among the nations, so that feet have scarce trod where he hath not been, & good and evil have not come to the lot of any on earth, more than him, still as the blessing to him was the greatest, and as he was lord over all Egypt, so shall he become a multitude of nations, reaching from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth, among the rest of the saints. [Micah 4:2-13] For it shall come to pass, that many nations shall come, and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and fig-tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it. For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever. In that day, saith the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that was driven out, and her that I have afflicted; And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever. And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem. Now why doest thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail. Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail; for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies. Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion. But they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor. Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thy horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.

To close: what can be said more than the Lord hath said? Judah would not receive the Savior at his first coming, and he was crucified. He then manifested himself to the other tribes and remnants. The word was, whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. The Jews fall upon that stone and were broken: and, O ye inhabitants of the earth, beware! for if that stone falls upon you, it will grind you to powder. Remember that Joseph's glory, is the firstling of his bullock, & also, that with his horns, he is to push the people together from the ends of the earth.

God made the world in six days, and rested on the seventh, and blessed and sanctified it: and thus will he do with creation, for the creation of the spiritual world was in the likeness of the temporal; the temporal a preparation for man to enter into the Sacred Rest: The Lord has now begun to feed the flock of his heritage with the rod, [or word of truth] as in days of old, and according to the days of his coming out of the land of Egypt, will he show marvelous things. The oceans have to roll back into one place; the valleys have to be exalted; the mountains have to flow down at his presence, the sun has to be darkened, and the moon turned into blood, and stars have to fall, then behold, he will come to reign on the earth with power and great glory, and all the holy angels with him; yea, with the church of the first born, even Zion which was received up to the bosom of the Father, in the days of Enoch, before the flood; that the righteous that died in the hope of a glorious resurrection, may arise and meet the Lord in the air, and live again, in the flesh, on the earth.

Selected.

COMPARISON BETWEEN HEATHENISM AND CHRISTIANITY. {beliefs-lds}

Concluded.

"HE that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" Grace, so clearly revealed in our Scriptures, that the most accurate reasoning, heresy the most extravagant, and infidelity the most obstinate, cannot enervate his declarations. For, the death of Christ may be considered in different views: it is a sufficient confirmation of his doctrine; it is a perfect pattern of patience, it is the most magnanimous degree of extraordinary excellencies, that can be imagined: but the gospel very seldom presents it to us in any of these views, it leaves them to our own perception; but when it speaks of his death, it usually speaks of it as an expiatory sacrifice.--Need we repeat here a number of former texts, and express decisions on this matter? Thanks be to God, we are preaching to a christian auditory, who make the death of the Redeemer the foundation of faith! The gospel, then, assureth the penitent sinner of pardon. Zeno, Epicurus, Pythagoras, Socrates, Porch, Academy, Lycaeum, what have ye to offer to your disciples equal to this promise of the gospel?

IV. But that, which principly displays the prerogatives of the Christian above those of the philosopher, is an all-sufficient provision against the fear of death. A comparison between a dying Pagan and a dying Christian will show this I consider a Pagan, in his dying-bed, speaking to himself what follows. On which side soever I consider my state, I perceive nothing but trouble and despair. If I observe the fore-runners of death, I see awful symptoms, violent sickness, and intolerable pain, which surround my sick-bed, and are the first scenes of the bloody tragedy.--As to the world, my dearest objects disappear; my closest connexions are dissolving; my most specious titles are effacing; my noblest privileges are vanishing away; a dismal curtain falls between my eyes and all the decorations of the universe.--In regard to my body, it is a mass without motion; and life: my tongue is about to be condemned to eternal silence; my eyes to perpetual darkness; all the organs of my body to entire dissolution; and the miserable remains of my carcass to lodge in the grave, and to become food for the worms. If I consider my soul, I scarcely know whether it be immortal; and could I demonstrate its natural immortality, I should not be able to say, whether my Creator would display his attributes in preserving, or in destroying it; whether my wishes for immortality be the dictates of nature, or the language of sin. If I consider my past life, I have a witness within me, attesting that my practice hath been less than my knowledge, how small soever the latter hath been; and that the abundant depravity of my heart hath thickened the darkness of my mind. If I consider futurity, I think I discover through many thick clouds a future state; my reason suggests, that the Author of nature hath not given me a soul so sublime in thought, and so expansive in desire, merely to move in this little orb for a moment: but this is nothing but conjecture; and, if there be another economy after this, should I be less miserable than I am here?--One moment I hope for annihilation, the next I shudder with fear of being annihilated: my thoughts and desires are at war with each other, they rise, they resist, they destroy one another. Such is the dying Heathen. If a few examples of those, who have died otherwise, be adduced, they ought not to be urged in evidence against what we have advanced; for they are rare, and very probably deceptive, their outward tranquillity being only a concealment of trouble within. Trouble is the greater for confinement within, and for an effected appearance without. As we ought not to believe, that philosophy hath rendered men insensible of pain, because some philosophers have maintained that pain is no evil, and have seemed to triumph over it: so neither ought we to believe, that it hath disarmed death in regard to the disciples of natural religions, because some have affirmed, that death is not an object of fear. After all, if some Pagans enjoyed a real tranquillity at death, it was a groundless tranquillity, to which reason contributed nothing at all.

O! how different do Christians die! How doth revealed religion triumph over the religion of nature in this respect! May each of our hearers be a new evidence of this article! The whole that troubles an expiring Heathen, revives a Christian in his dying bed.

Thus speaks the dying Christian. When I consider the awful symptoms of death, and the violent agonies of dissolving nature, they appear to me as medical preparations, sharp, but salutary; they are necessary to detach me from life, and to separate the remains of inward depravity from me. Beside, I shall not be abandoned to my own frailty; but my patience and constancy will be proportional to my sufferings, and that powerful arm, which hath supported me through life, will uphold me under the pressure of death. If I consider my sins, many as they are, I am invulnerable; for I go to a tribunal of mercy, where God is reconciled, and justice is satisfied. If I consider my body, I perceive, I am putting off a mean and corruptible habit, and putting on robes of glory. Fall, fall, ye imperfect senses, ye frail organs, fall, house of clay, into your original dust; ye will be [1 Cor. 15:42] "sown in corruption, but raised in incorruption; sown in dishonor, but raised in glory; sown in weakness, but raised in power." If I consider my soul, it is passing, I see, from slavery to freedom. I shall carry with me that which thinks and reflects. I shall carry with me the delicacy of taste, the harmony of sounds, the beauty of colors, the fragrance of odoriferous smells. I shall surmount heaven and earth, nature and all terrestrial things, and my ideas of all their beauties will multiply and expand. If I consider the future economy, to which I go, I have, I own, very inadequate notions of it: but my incapacity is the ground of my expectation. Could I perfectly comprehend it, it would argue its resemblance to some of the present objects of my senses, or its minute proportion to the present operations of my mind. If worldly dignities and grandeurs, if accumulated treasures, if the enjoyments of the most refined voluptuousness, were to represent to me celestial felicity, I should suppose, that, partaking of their nature, they partook of their vanity. But, if nothing here can represent the future state, it is because that state surpasseth every other. My ardor is increased by imperfect knowledge of it. My knowledge, and virtue I know will be perfected; I know I shall comprehend truth, and obey order; I know I shall be free from all evils, and in possession of all good; I shall be present with God, I know, and with all the happy spirits, who surround his throne; and this perfect state, I am sure, will continue for ever and ever.

Such are the all-sufficient supports which revealed religion affords against the fear of death. Such are the meditations of a dying Christian; not of one, whose whole Christianity consists of dry speculations, which have no influence over his practice; but of one, who applies his knowledge to relive the real wants of his life.

Christianity, then, we have seen, is superior to natural religion, in these four respects. To these we will add a few more reflections in farther evidence of the superiority of revealed religion to the religion of nature.

1. The ideas of the ancient philosophers concerning natural religion were not collected into a body of doctrine. One philosopher had one idea, another studious man had another idea; ideas of truth and virtue, therefore, lay dispersed. Who doth not see the pre-eminence of revelation, on this article? No human capacity either hath been, or would ever have been equal to the noble conception of a perfect body of truth. There is no genius so narrow, as not to be capable of proposing some clear truth, some excellent maxim:but to lay down principles, and to perceive at once a chain of consequences, these are the efforts of great geniuses; this capability is philosophical perfection. If this axiom be incontestable, what a fountain of wisdom does the system of Christianity argue! It represents us, in one lovely body, of perfect symmetry, all the ideas that we have enumerated. One idea supposeth another idea; and the whole is united in a manner so compact, that it is impossible to alter one article without defacing the beauty of all.

2. Pagan philosophers never had a system of natural religion comparable with that of modern philosophers, although the latter glory in their contempt of revelation. Modern philosophers have derived the clearest and best parts of their systems from the very revelation which they effect to despise. We grant, the doctrines of the perfections of God, of providence, and of a future state, are perfectly comfortable to the light of reason. A man, who should pursue rational tracks of knowledge to his utmost power, would discover, we own, all these doctrines; but it is one thing to grant, that these doctrines are conformable to reason; and it is another to affirm, that reason actually discovered them. It is one thing to allow, that a man, who should pursue rational tracks of knowledge to his utmost power, would discover all these doctrines: and it is another to pretend, that any man hath pursued these tracks to the utmost, and hath actually discovered them. It was the gospel that taught mankind the use of their reason. It was the gospel, that assisted men to form a body of natural religion. Modern philosophers avail themselves of these aids; they form a body of natural religion by the light of the gospel, and then they attribute to their own penetration what they derive from foreign aid.
3. What was most rational in the natural religion of the pagan philosophers was mixed with fancies and dreams. There was not a single philosopher, who did not adopt some absurdity, and communicate it to his disciples. One taught, that every being was animated with a particular soul, and on this absurd hypothesis he pretended to account for all the phenomena of nature. Another took every star for a God, and thought the soul a vapour, that passed from one body to another, expiating in the body of a beast the sins that were committed in that of man. One attributed the creation of the world to a blind chance, and the government of all events in it to an inviolable fate. Another affirmed the eternity of the world, and said, there was no period in eternity in which heaven and earth, nature and elements, were not visible. One said, every thing is uncertain; we are not sure of our own existence; the distinction between just and unjust, virtue and vice, is fanciful, and hath no real foundation in the nature of things. Another made matter equal to God; and maintained, that it concurred with the Supreme Being in the formation of the universe. One took the world for a prodigious body, of which he thought God was the soul. Another affirmed the materiality of the soul, and attributed to matter the faculties of thinking and reasoning. Some denied the immortality of the soul, and the intervention of providence; and pretend, that an infinite number of particles of matter, invisible, and indestructible, revolve in the universe; that from their fortuitous concourse arose the present world; that in all this there was no design; that the feet were not formed for walking, the eyes for seeing, nor the hands for handling. The gospel is light without darkness. It hath nothing mean; nothing false; nothing that doeth not bear the characters of that wisdom, from which it proceeds.

4. What was pure in the natural religion of the Heathens was not known; nor could be known to any but philosophers. The common people were incapable of that penetration and labor, which the investigating of truth, and the distinguishing of it from that falsehood, in which passion and prejudice have enveloped it, required. A mediocrity of genius, I allow, is sufficient for the purpose of infering a part of those consequences from the works of nature, of which we form the body of natural religion; but none but geniuses of the first order are capable of kenning those distant consequences, which are enfolded in darkness. The bulk of mankind wanted a short way proportional to every mind. They wanted an authority, the infallibility of which all mankind might easily see. They wanted a revelation founded on evidence plain and obvious to all the world. Philosophers could not show the world such a short way: but revelation hath showed it. No philosopher could assume the authority, necessary to establish such a way; it became God alone to dictate in such a manner, and in revelation he hath done it.--[Saurin.]

AUTUMN.

AUTUMN comes. The spring with her flowers; the summer with her heat and thunder, is past; and autumn--sear, fruitful autumn, appears at last.--Well so it is--and so it has been--and so it will be, while the seasons come and go over our earth. Autumn is pleasant; autumn is sweet. True, in it there is a shade--a more sober aspect thrown around us. But it is as the soft twilight of eye, closing over the theatre of mirth, of bustle and confusion. Like the youth, who has been, by the flight of time, brought to the sedateness of manhood--so is autumn. Along the horizon, the dark hills stretch away, bearing the heavy forest; the vales are no more an ocean of living green, but they are wide and naked; the hand of the reaper has been there, and nought but the short, yellow stubble, and the fresh, tender growth which followed the swing of the sythe, lays before the eye. Plenty--the harvest of the year--the toil of the husbandman, is here. Bending to the earth and loaded to profusion, stands a group of yonder trees, whose fruit one by one, as the breeze stirs through its branches, strikes the earth, ripened and delicious, by the sun and rains of the by-gone summer. The song of the bird wakes not the echoes of autumn--but in its stead the crickets, beneath the soft, bland beams of a meridian moon, join in one solemn song, which throws over the listener, a shroud of thought, pointing backward to the things which have been; which now are past, and which shall be no more. Autumn--autumn; there is a thousand recollections connected with the season. I love the social few, who have with me passed over the flowers of spring; who have laughed away the sultry hours of summer beneath the projecting arms of the oak, or took the cool draught at the bursting spring--I say, I love to meet them again, when the heat of summer is tempered away, and autumn reigns over the wide earth. I love to repeat the sweet communion which we have had together. I love to catch the tear which glistens in their eyes, as they bend along the world below, and catch the expression, which doubly saith, "All things must fade." It seems to me that feeling grows stronger at this season. It seems as if we, to, with the departing year, were hastening to a close, and that now, even now, we were treading the threshhold of eternity. And again, the rich banquet which is spread over the earth, inspire us with a noble gratitude to its Giver and Benefactor. We see pictured out in "bold relief," the certainty of a Supreme Being, and cannot refrain from adoring him for his goodness.

REMARKS.--The above essay on autumn,is extracted from one of the literary papers of the day, and it is not unworthy of a place with us. Autumn is a season for reflection. It seems indicative of the end or close of something. The glory of the earth passes. The birds that filled the woods with their melody, have flown away with the falling leaves, and the beautiful bloom of summer, is fading into a holy gloom, that carries on its very brow, the everlasting promise of God:--While the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease. But there is another idea attaches itself to autumn, of more consequence, than all the rest; it is this; it is the season to gather and secure the fruits of summer before winter: An emblem that the fruit of man must be gathered and secured before the great day: For when John the Revelator, [Rev. 14:14-15] looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. Yes, beloved reader, and behold the time draws nigh, when not only the autumn of the year, but the autumn of our lives, and of the world, shall come, and there shall be time no longer.

WE accidentily came across the following sketch:--"NEW ZEALANDERS.--The natives are cast in beauty's perfect mould: the children are so fine and powerfully made, that each might serve for a model of the statue of the Infant Hercules; nothing can excel the graceful and athletic forms of the men, or the rounded limbs of their young women. These possess eyes beautiful and eloquent, and a profusion of long, silky, curling hair; while the intellects of both sexes seems of a superior order. All appear eager for improvement, full of energy, and indefatigably industrious:" And it really affords consolation to think that such a people exists upon the Islands of the sea, for the Lord will not forget them. The Isles are to wait for his law, and the gospel of the kingdom, is to be preached to every nation on the globe so that some may be gathered out of every kindred, tongue and people, and be brought to Zion.

LETTERS.

Letters have been received, at the office of the Evening and Morning Star since our last, from Eden, (Maine,) and answered; from Prattsburgh, (N. Y.) from Mount Eden, (Ky.) and answered; from Spafford, (N. Y.) and answered; 2 from Kirtland Mills, (O.) answered; and from New-York City.

Unpaid letters remaining in the Post office: Celais, (Me.) Hickory Swale, (N. Y.) Wooster, (O.) Chillicothe, (O.) Elyria (O.) Martin, (N. J.) Winchester, (Con.)



THE EVENING AND THE MORNING STAR.

<"Sacred Poetry">
William Phelps "Sacred Poetry," E&MS 1 (Nov 1832)

SACRED POETRY. {beliefs-lds}

EVERY thing that comes from the Lord, is sublime; this sublimity clothing the prophecies, and giving the Psalms a glory and sweetness, touching the saint's heart with thoughts that whisper like the still small voice to Elijah, and delighting the souls with words that moisten, as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for ever more; yea, this sublimity, which may be called the beauty of holiness, common writers have never touched: no; never; for that flight of mind which caused the Psalmist to exclaim: [Ps. 139:7-14] Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? if I assend up into heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darknes hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day, the darkness and the light are both alike to thee? For thou hast possessed my reins, thou hast covered me in my mother's womb; I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well: Yes, that peace of mind; that love of divine things; that confidence in the Lord; that saith in the world to come; that dependence upon Jesus Christ; and that joy of heart that gladdens the soul, and happifies the body in every place, and under all the trials and troubles of this present life, can not be found in common books: comfort and satisfaction, like light and truth, come from God. One reason, perhaps, that the sacred poets came nearer the standard of truth, or, in fact, came up to it, with less fancy, and more beauty, than common poets, is because the Hebrew, in which they wrote, was nearer the pure language, with which Adam gave names, than any other since used by man. Another reason, and one, too, that never fails, is that those holy men wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. One of the greatest specimen of Prophetic poetry, is found in the song of Moses. Nothing but the Spirit of the living God could have directed such sublime ideas: the first line is not spoken to earth, or heaven, alone, but is addressed to the heavens; and who can read it without being almost led within the veil; let us read: [Deut. 32:1-43] Give ear O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb , and as the showers upon the grass: because I will publish the name of the Lord: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation. Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee? Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee. When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. For the Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. As an eagle stireth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings; so the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him. He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger. They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee. And when the Lord saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters. And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith. They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains. I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mind arrows upon them.--They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust. The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs. I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make them the remembrance of them to cease from among men; were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely, and lest they should say, our hand is high, and the Lord hath not done all this. For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them. Oh that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up? For their Rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges: for their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter: their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps. Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures? To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants; when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left. And he shall say, where are there gods, there rock in whom they trusted, which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink-offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection. See now that I, even I am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever. If I whet my glittering sword, and my hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me. I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy. Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people:--for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.

What a prophecy is contained in the last verse! He will be merciful unto his land, and to his people: so he will; and we can exclaim: O that the Lord were come to Zion, that his saints might see eye to eye, and might speak a pure language! But the time is short, for Zephaniah says, the determination of the Lord is, to gather the nations, that he way assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them his indignation, even all his fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of his jealousy. For then will he turn unto the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia his suppliants, even the daughter of his dispersed, shall bring his offering. In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against him; for then he will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of his holy mountain. He will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid. Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thy hands be slack. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty, he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. He will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden. Behold, at that time he will undo all that afflict thee: and he will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and he will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. At that time will he bring you again, even in the time that he gathers you: for he will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when he turns back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord.

<Editorial>
William Phelps ed E&MS 1 (Nov 1832)

THE following sketch of a NIGHT SCENE IN THE DESERT, is extracted from Fuller's Tour in the Turkish Empire, and is really a beautiful description. It would be somewhat gratifying to the eastern citizens of our country, if some experienced one of the Santa Fee Traders, would give a prospect of their Caravan. To see twenty or thirty wagons drawn by six or eight mules each two or three 4 pounders well mounted, with 80, or 100 men, part mounted riflemen, passing across a naked prairie, with little or no timber for nearly 900 miles, and making a virtue of necessity, by living on Buffalo meat, fortifying themselves with their wagons every night, against the attacks of the Indians, would almost equal a figure, to that of the company of Ishmaelites that carried Joseph into Egypt. But to the subject:

A CARAVAN presents in the evening a very active and cheerful scene. The camels, which had been turned out to graze as soon as they had halted and been unloaded, now return in separate groups, each of which, following the bell of its leader, proceeds directly to the spot where its master's tents are pitched. When arrived there the docile animals lie down of their own accord in a row, and their heads are attached by halters to a rope, which is fastened to a range of stakes about four feet high, extending along the front of the camp. They are then fed with large bells composed of barly-meal and lentils, mixed up with water, which they swallow whole, and are left to ruminate till morning. As soon as the night closes in, fires begin to blaze in every direction.--They are made with dry thorns and stunted shrubs, collected round the camp, and their flames throw a bright light on the different groups of travellers who are seen squatted on the ground in front of their tents, or beside their piles of merchandize, some occupied with their pipes and coffee, and others enjoying their frugal evening's meal. In an oriental company, of whatever class it is composed, the harsh sounds of vulgar merriment are never to be heard; a low hum of conversation spreads through the camp, and as the evening advances, this gradually sinks into a silence, disturbed only by the occasional lowing of the camels. All those persons who have once tried it, and who understand the eastern languages, speak of a caravan as a very agreeable mode of travelling. The wild and solitary scenery through which it generally passes, the order and tranquillity with which it is conducted, the facility of conveying baggage, and the feeling of security which prevails, amply compensate for the slowness of its movements; and among hundreds of persons collected from the most distant parts of the Turkish empire and the neighboring states, many of whom have spent their lives in travelling, there is to be found a never-failing variety of associates and of anecdotes.

<"The Gathering">
Simeon Carter "The Gathering," E&MS 1 (Nov 1832)

THE GATHERING. {beliefs-lds}

THERE is a great anxiety manifested to learn how the church of Christ prospers, since it commenced settling in the western part of the state of Missouri. To satisfy this inquiry, and more especially to publish the truth upon this great subject, that none may be deceived by flying reports, we shall endeavor to give all the information in our possession. Since the gathering commenced, which is a little over a year, the number of the disciples which have come from the east, and which have been baptized in this region, is 465 Children and those not members, about 345 Total 810

This little flock, which is now enjoying the glorious privileges and blessings of the everlasting gospel, preparatory to the second coming of the Savior, have, as it were, almost simultaneously come together from New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee and Missouri, to worship God and keep his commandments, on the land of their inheritance.--So far, the disciples have been highly favored; coming, as most of them have, from different climates, and changing, as is necessarily the case, their modes of living, undergoing the troubles and hardships of a long and tedious journey, and planting themselves down without the conveniences and even necessaries, which most of them have been used to, it is certainly a matter of great joy, if not a miracle, that they are generally so healthy, so industrious, so thriving, and more than all, so contented to love the Lord and their neighbors as themselves. Reports, to be sure, have been circulated, that so many were moving in, that a famine must succeed, and some starve to death; perhaps a few believed so, but in the joyful language of the Psalmist we can exclaim: [Ps. 37:25] We have been young, and now are old; yet have we not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. The great consolation is, the promises of the Lord never fail; nor is his store-house ever empty. Virtue, honesty, diligence, industry, economy, and patience, added to that pure religion, and undefiled before God and the Father: To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world, bring about the purposes of God, in their eternal salvation, and blesses the contrite soul with a sweet consolation and a prospect before it, that the world, with all its alluring, but vanishing appearances, can neither give nor take. We admit that the flowing together of so many saints has the appearance of a meeting of strangers; but as they already begin to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord, the world may witness that it is the preparation of Israel to meet his God. As the prophet said, Zion is a wilderness, but with faithful hearts raised to God, the wilderness will soon blossom as the rose, and, as the prospect brightens, we look forward with joy to the day when Zion shall arise and put on her beautiful garments and become the joy of the world.

Amid all things, for it is appointed for all once to die, twelve persons have died since the emigration commenced to this land: that is, nine here, and three upon the way. There have been solemnized six marriages.

Our news from abroad is cheering. The harvest is truly abundant, but the laborers are few.--New churches have been built up in Missouri; in Illinois; at Fulton, near Cincinnati, Ohio; at Guyandotte, Virginia; in Spafford, Onondaga Co. at Tompkins, Delaware Co. and at Essex Co. N. York; at Benson, North Troy, and Charleston, Vermont; at Bath, New Hampshire; in N. Rowley and Boston, Massachusetts, and how many in other places we can not say: while we look at the distress of nations, and hear how the judgments of God sweep off the inhabitants of the earth, we must exclaim, The Lord is making a short work. It was but two years last April, since the church of Christ was organized, by special revelation; now branches are rising up in almost every state in the Union, which, willing to overcome the world for the sake of Christ, the Redeemer, will come to Zion, and assist in enlarging her borders; and stretching forth the curtains of her habitations: [3 Ne. 22:17] No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue which shall rise against thee in judgment, thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.

To continue: It gives us pleasure, knowing that these are the last days, and making it our duty, as faithful servants of the Lord, in the hope that the example will cause the elders generally, to go and do likewise, to lay before the disciples, all the news that will benefit Zion, or cheer the inquiring soul abroad: For this purpose we give the following extract of a letter, from one of the elders of this church, to a brother of this place,--Dated Benson, (Vt.) September 20, 1832.

BROTHER SIDNEY:--Through the mercy of God, I have the pleasing moments of time to redeem that promise I made you while in Buffalo, N. Y. I can assure you that the Lord has been merciful and kind towards me ever since I left you; he has protected me on the right hand and on the left; his blessings have been given me, health I have enjoyed all the day, and my sleep has been sweet to me all the night, and my food has been nourishment unto me: and his blessed Spirit has been my joy and comforter, director, instructor, teacher and guide, and it has not suffered me to be confounded by the high-minded pharisee or priest; but truth has cut its way and pierced the hearts of many; and the Lord has blessed me with many sheaves; even sons and daughters for Zion.

{conversion} I took passage in the boat you saw me on board of, and went to Palmyra; from thence to Benson, where I found a company of dear brethren and sisters very much persecuted; but they are firm in the faith of the everlasting gospel; the number was about thirty, but is now about forty. When I arrived I found them in meeting; I spoke the word of the Lord unto them and it was an affecting scene to them and me. I visited my old neighbors, many of whom I found very unbelieving. I went to visit my wife's brother David, I heard that himself and family were opposed to the work of the Lord; but I went in faith, and when I came there I found two young women on a visit; they were about to go away, but David's wife went out with them and saith they had better stay, for she had heard that the Mormons could cast out devils, and that brother Sim. was a Mormon, and she thought she had a devil in her and they had better stay and see him cast out. Brother David soon came in and I began to converse with them, and the devils were cast out, for the word cut them to the heart, and it fastened like a nail in a sure place; and they wept like little children, and their minds were opened to receive the truth, and wept like little children, and their minds were opened to receive the truth, and their hearts ready to embrace it; and in a few days the Lord blessed me with the opportunity of leading them into the waters of baptism, and the Lord blessed them with the Comforter; and they are firm and unshaken in the faith. The Lord has prepared brother David to do much good if faithful; he has been ordained an elder under my hands; he is meek, humble, bold, firm and persevering.

We met in conference the tenth of August: There were fourteen elders and several priests and teachers present. Great union dwelt among us; two were ordained to the priesthood: two others were ordained, one an elder, and the other a priest. Brethren, O. [Orson] Pratt and L. [Luke] Johnson, were there; they have planted three or four churches since last February, and have baptized in all about seventy.--Brother Collins and others from Essex county N. Y., (where there are about forty disciples,) were also present. Brother Jared has labored there also, and has been a partner in baptizing about seventy souls since April. I have baptized forty two since the first of July. I have been laboring west of the Lakes in Bolton, and br. Jared has been with me a part of the time, and we expect to continue together for a while. Some powerful manifestations of healing have been wrought through our ministry; but the people are generally very unbelieving in this region of country, and ready to rail at us and to persecute us; and the hirelings make their bitter cries, for fear they will loose their wages, and are rallying their forces to bind their flocks or bundles of tares to be burned, or ready for the destroying angel.

O that the Lord would save his people from Babylon! O Lord, speed on the gathering of thy people that Babylon may linger! O Lord, who hath believed our report since thou hast sent us to Babylon to make known thy coming? O Lord, rend the heavens and come down, and let the mountains flow down at thy presence, that thy sons and daughters may see thy glory and speak of thy mysteries? And make known thy power to thine enemies!

Surely the earth is ripe in iniquity, and it does seem to me that the priests are the most corrupt of all the branches, for they are binding thousands with their strong cords; but the Judge of all the earth will do right. And I rejoice much, that the time will soon come, and that the day is near at hand when the earth will rest, and when it will be cleansed from its wicked polluters. I still feel resolved to continue my labor in the vineyard of the Lord, and pray without ceasing unto him, that his kingdom may roll forth, and that he will bring out sons and daughters for Zion, O that God would arm me for the battle and prepare me for the war;-
"For I will fight until I conquer, though I die."-
Then arm me with thy strength, O God, that I may count my victories over when the war is ended, and thou takest me to thyself and crownest me thy son in thy kingdom. When I look forth upon the broad field and see the thick veil that satan has spread over all nations, I am ready to cry out in the language of Jesus, that it will be as it was in the days of Noah. And when I look round and see how few the faithful laborers are, and that the destroying angel has already begun to reap down the tares that they cumber not the vineyard, I cry unto the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers into the field. And that he will not keep any idle servants at home, (the same I fear is the case,) let me exhort such to look a little forward of them , to the day when the good master of the vineyard shall call unto him his servants, and say, Bring forward your sheaves: and each at his bidding presents himself and his sheaves at his right hand. And what if you instead of sheaves, should present your dear wife and little children, and one of your fellow servants should claim them to be the fruit of his labors; and you should look down into the pit and see your sheaves in the gulf of black despair; would the Lord say, well done thou good and faithful servant, thou hast gathered me many sheaves; therefore thou shalt be crowned over a great dominion in the kingdom of my Father, and your dear companion who has suffered tribulation and privation, shall be crowned with you, and shall partake with me and her husband my faithful servant in all the fruit of my vineyard? O then brethren, be gathering sheaves, for the time of harvest is short and the laborers are very few. Go out and labor with me, for the harvest will soon be over; then we will return, laden with sheaves, to sit down in the kingdom of Jesus with wives and children to rest forevermore.

Be faithful brethren and sisters, keep your hearts pure before the Lord, press on, run in the strait way that leads to life; for the just shall live by faith. And remember Simeon in all your petitions before the Lord. Remember God's promise to Abraham as possessor of heaven and earth: and you are his children if you are of his faith; and the day is not far distant when Abraham is to receive the end of his faith; and bless the Lord, so will all his children. And I thank the Lord that I have found some of his children in this country, and I hope to find some more of them the Lord being willing. Give my love to my dear wife and my dear children, and to all that love the Lord.

SIMEON CARTER.

<Editorial>
William Phelps ed E&MS 1 (Nov 1832)

CHOLERA.

WE make an extract of a letter from a mercantile house in St. Louis, to Br. A. [Algernon] S. Gilbert Dated October 26, 1832.

"We have the painful duty to perform of communicating the melancholy death of your brother William L. who died in this place on Wednesday night, the 23th inst. of the Cholera, after a few hours illness. Every thing was done that medical skill could devise to save him, but the attack was so severe, that all remedies failed.

The cholera has raged here for the last few days, with unprecedented violence, but we think it is abating."

TO THE SAINTS.

[D&C 59:1] THE Lord has said, Blessed are they who have come up to this land with an eye single to my glory, according to my commandments. Brethren, have you all done so? Have you fulfilled the commandment, which saith: [D&C 61:24-25] Behold I the Lord have appointed a way for the journeying of my saints, and behold this is the way: That after they leave the canal, they shall journey by land, inasmuch as they are commanded to journey and go up unto the land of Zion; and they shall do like unto the children of Israel, pitching their tents by the way? Have you all fulfilled the law of the church, which saith: [D&C 42:30-31] Behold thou shalt consecrate all thy properties, that which thou hast, unto me, with a covenant and deed that cannot be broken; and they shall be laid before the bishop of my church? And also the commandment which saith: [D&C 58:35-36] It is wisdom in me, that my servant Martin [Harris] should be an example unto the church, in laying his money before the bishop of the church; and also, this is a law unto every man that cometh unto this land to receive an inheritance? and he shall do with his moneys according as the law directs. Brethren, have you all kept the commandments thus far? If you have the Lord will keep you from danger. Let each look to these great queries, and ask himself the question, HAVE I?



Revelations.

REVELATION, GIVEN MAY, 1831.

[D&C 49] HEARKEN unto my word, my servant Sidney [Rigdon], and Parley [P. Pratt], and Lemon [Leman Copley], for behold, verily I say unto you, that I give unto you a commandment, that you shall go and preach my gospel ,which ye have received, even as ye have received it, unto the Shakers. Behold I say unto you, that they desire to know the truth in part, but not all, for they are not right before me, and must needs repent: wherefore I send you, my servants Sidney and Parley, to preach the gospel unto them; and my servant Lemon shall be ordained unto this work, that he may reason with them, not according to that which he has received of them, but according to that which shall be taught him by you, my servants, and by so doing I will bless him, otherwise he shall not prosper: Thus saith the Lord, for I am God and have sent mine only begotten Son into the world, for the redemption of the world, and have decreed, that he that receiveth him shall be saved, and he that receiveth him not, shall be damned: and they have done unto the son of Man even as they listed; and he has taken his power on the right hand of his glory, and now reigneth in the heavens, and will reign till he descends on the earth to put all enemies under his feet: which time is nigh at hand: I the Lord God have spoken it; but the hour and the day no man knoweth, neither the angels in heaven, nor shall they know until he come: wherefore I will that all men shall repent, for all are under sin, except them which I have reserved unto myself, holy men that ye know not of: wherefore I say unto you, that I have sent unto you mine everlasting covenant, even that which was from the beginning, and that which I have promised I have so fulfilled, and the nations of the earth shall bow to it; and, if not of themselves, they shall come down, for that which is now exalted of itself, shall be laid low of power: wherefore I give unto you a commandment, that ye go among this people and say unto them, like unto mine apostle of old, whose name was Peter: Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus, who was on the earth and is to come, the beginning and the end; repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, according to the holy commandment, for the remission of sins; and whoso doeth this shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of the hands of the elders of this church.

And again: I say unto you, that whoso forbideth to marry is not ordained of God, for marriage is ordained of God unto man: wherefore it is lawful that he should have one wife, and they twain shall be one flesh, and all this that the earth might answer the end of its creation; and that it might be filled with the measure of man, according to his creation before the world was made. And whoso forbiddeth to abstain from meats, that man should not eat, is not ordained of God; for behold the beasts of the field, and the fowls of the air, and that which cometh of the earth, is ordained for the use of man, for food, and for raiment, and that he might have in abundance, but it is not given that one man should possess that which is above another: wherefore the world lieth in sin; and wo be unto man that sheddeth blood, or that wasteth flesh and hath no need. And again: verily I say unto you that the son of Man cometh not in the form of a woman, neither of a man travelling on the earth: wherefore be not deceived but continue in steadfastness, looking forth for the heavens to be shaken; and the earth to tremble, and to reel to and fro as a drunken man; and for the valleys to be exalted; and for the mountains to be made low; and for the rough places to become smooth; and all this when the angel shall sound his trumpet, but before the great day of the Lord shall come, Jacob shall flourish in the wilderness; and the Lamanites shall blossom as the rose; Zion shall flourish upon the hills, and rejoice upon the mountains, and shall be assembled together unto the place which I have appointed. Behold I say unto you, Go forth as I have commanded you; repent of all your sins; ask and ye shall receive; knock and it shall be opened unto you: Behold I will go before you, and be your rereward; and I will be in your midst, and you shall not be confounded: Behold I am Jesus Christ, and I come quickly; even so: Amen.

<"Work">
William Phelps "Work," E&MS 1 (Nov 1832)

HE THAT WILL NOT WORK, IS NOT A DISCIPLE OF THE LORD. {beliefs-lds}

PURPOSING to do the will of God in all things, every disciple must do with his might, whatsoever his hand finds to do, knowing that the idler is to be had in remembrance before the Lord. There is no respect of persons; every one ought to do his best to be approved in the sight of God. The old command is: Six days shalt thou labor and doo all thy work, and no one will pretend that this commandment has been revoked or made void; on the contrary, Paul, at least 1500 years after this commandment came from the Lord, says, in his second epistle to the Thessalonian church, Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labor night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busy bodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

It is no more than reasonable or right, to say, that he that will not work, should not eat, for as saith Alma, [Mosiah 23:7] Thus says the Lord: ye shall not esteem one flesh above another, or one man shall not think himself above another. All men are after the sample of their father Adam. He was put into the garden to dress it; or, in other words, man was made to be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it. All men, then, to live according to the will of the Lord, must labor.--And what can be more just? for there is no specimen of idleness in the creation, or works of the Lord. When the morning dawns, the invisible hand that drew the curtains of night around us for sleep and repose, opens the windows of day for the labor and refreshment of them that live upon the earth: And who can view the busy multitudes of created beings, and things, from the mite to the mammoth; from the spring to the ocean; from the mole-hill to the mountain; from the garden to the globe, and from man to his Maker, and not exclaim like Lehi of old; [1 Ne. 1:14] Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy, is over all the inhabitants of the earth.

Who can fail to see industry in the fly that furbishes her wings in the window? or among the cattle grazing upon a thousand hills? or with the bees culling the flowers of the land-scape for their sweets? or in the river running with all its glassy majesty? or in the green growing race of earth, from the grass to the trees, each with every blade, and every limb pointing to heaven? yes, who can look upon so much industry, and suppose that man was made to live without labor? Not the disciple of Jesus Christ.

Since the heaven was stretched out as a curtain between this world and the world beyond, neither the sun, nor the moon, nor the planets, nor the stars, have ceased for a moment, (except when Joshua commanded otherwise,) from performing their daily labors, and why does man, while he lives, shrink from what the Lord meant he should do? why not fill the measure of his days in helping himself and assisting others, that, when he appears before the bar of God, to give an account of his stewardship, he may hear the pleasing acceptance of his Lord and Master:--Well done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a few things, now be lord over many.

<"Book of Job">
William Phelps "Book of Job," E&MS 1 (Nov 1832)

THE BOOK OF JOB. {beliefs-lds}

MEN of moral characters, as well as the disciples of Jesus Christ, generally venerate sacred or sublime writings. Faultless rules, pure principles, and the truth, coming from man, or through the Spirit of the living God, have ever found friends, and while virtue has a mansion in the heart of man, we fear no change. Dr. Blair, who lived up to such good opinions of good things, when reviewing the bible, thus speaks of the book of Job: It is known to be extremely ancient; generally reputed the most ancient of all poetical books; the author uncertain.--It is remarkable, that this book has no connexion with the affairs or manners of the Jews, or Hebrews. The scene is laid in the land of Uz, or Idumaea, which is a part of Arabia; and the imagery employed is generally of a different kind, from what I before showed to be peculiar to the Hebrew poets. We meet with no allusion to the sacred history, to the religious rites of the Jews, to Lebanon or to Carmel, or any of the peculiarities of the climate of Judaea. We find few comparisons founded on rivers or torrents; these were not familiar objects in Arabia. But the longest comparison that occurs in the book, is to an object frequent and well known in that region, a brook that fails in the season of heat, and disappoints the expectation of the traveller.

The poetry, however, of the book of Job, is not only equal to that of any other of the sacred writings, but is superior to them all, except those of Isaiah alone. As Isaiah is the most sublime, David the most pleasing and tender, so Job is the most descriptive, of all the inspired poets. A peculiar glow of fancy, and strength of description, characterize the author. No writer whatever abounds so much in metaphors. He may be said, not to describe, but to render visible, whatever he treats of. A variety of instances might be given. Let us remark only those strong and lively colours, with which, in the following passages, taken from the 18th and 20th chapters of his book, he paints the condition of the wicked; observe how rapidly his figures rise before us; and what a deep impression, at the same time, they leave on the imagination. [Job 20:4-9, 16, 22, 24, 26-28, Job 18:7-8, 11, 9, 15, 17-18, 20, Job 21:20] "Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon the earth, that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment? Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach the clouds, yet he shall perish forever. He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found; yea, he shall be chased away, as a vision of the night. The eye also which saw him, shall see him no more; they which have seen him, shall say, where is he? He shall suck the poison of asps, the viper's tongue shall slay him.--In the fulness of his sufficiency, he shall be in straits; every hand shall come upon him. He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through. All darkness shall be hid in his secret places. A fire not blown shall consume him. The heaven shall reveal his iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against him. The increase of his house shall depart. His goods shall flow away in the day of wrath. The light of the wicked shall be put out; the light shall be dark in his tabernacle. The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own counsel shall cast him down. For he is cast into a net, by his own feet. He walketh upon a snare. Terrors shall make him afraid on every side; and the robber shall prevail against him. Brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation. His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name in the street. He shall be driven from light into darkness. They that come after him shall be astonished at his day. He shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty."

Again: Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen, and lead in the rock forever!--For I know my Redeemer liveth, and he will stand at the latter day upon the earth.

<Editorial>
William Phelps ed E&MS 1 (Nov 1832)



Worldly Matters.

INDIAN CORN.

SINGULAR FACT.

IN the course of some experiments made by the editor of the American Farmer, for the purpose of improving Indian corn last year, he impregnated the pistils (silk) of the large white Tuscarora with the pollen from the tassels of the golden Sioux. The result was a perfect hybrid between the two. The grain being of a pure brimstone color, of the size and form of the Tuskarora, and like that with eight rows on the cob. It was a most beautiful variety of corn; partaking of all the good qualities of both, without the disadvantage of the large cob and small grain of the golden Sioux. We planted this corn last spring; the stalks were very dwarfish, resembling those of the Sioux, and the corn very early fit for use. It is now ripe, however, and on examining it a day or two since we find that the two original colors have separated, and instead of the brimstone color, we have on every ear grains of the bright yellow Sioux, and the pure white Tuskarora; but the quality of the corn is evidently superior to either of the original parents, although the colors have resumed their original tints. This is, to us, a singular circumstance, and one which we are unable to account for. The only thing analogous to it we have read of, is the proposition advanced by an able writer some time since in the columns of the Farmer, that the offspring of cross breeds of animals, would instead of partaking of the mixt character of their immediate parents, assume that of one or the other of their original progenitors. How far this proposition may hold good with animals we do not know, but it certainly appears to be the case in the vegetable world, at least so far as the fact above stated warrants the formation of an opinion.

There is a good deal of difficulty in reconciling the above fact with the law of nature, which requires two parents for the production of every organized being, animal or vegetable. If the two kinds of corn which were combined in the hybrid have become again distinct varieties, they are each of them the produce of but one parent--the Tuskarora is the produce of a female parent exclusively, and the Sioux that of a male parent; for it must be recollected there was no male Tuskarora nor female Sioux present, either during the origin of the hybrid, last year or the subsequent culture and separation of varieties this year. Yet we know, that if we deprive the corn of either the male or female flowers, (tassel or silk,) there will be no corn formed on the cob. How then are we to account for the present fact of the separation of the two varieties? It was this difficulty that made us doubt the correctness of the proposition relative to cross breeds of animals above refered to, and although we have the fact before us in the case of the corn, we are still compelled to doubt its general application. We do not think that each variety has resumed all its original characters; one of them we know it has not--the size of the Sioux grain is larger than the original, and there are but eight rows on the cob;in these respects retaining the hybrid character derived from the Tuskarora; but then the original color and flintiness of the grain is resumed; the Tuskarora has resumed its original character entirely, with the exception of the soft flowerly quality of the grain, the flintiness of the hybrid derived from the Sioux parent is retained. As the Tuskarora was the female parent of the hybrid, the number of rows and the size of the grain would of course be like those of that variety, and hence the presence of those characters in the present seperated varieties. We should be glad to receive an explanation of this circumstance from some of our practiced naturalists.

PEARL FISHERIES.--The Pearl Fisheries of Ceylon are among the most noted. The most skilful divers come from Collesh on the coast of Malabar, and some of these are alledged to have occasionally remained underwater for the lapse of seven minutes. According to the testamony of Mr. Le Beck, this fete was also performed by a Gaffre boy at Carrical. The following is the usual mode of diving for pearls:

By means of two cords, a diving stone and a net are connected with the boat. The diver putting the toes of his right foot on the car rope of the diving stone and those of his left on the net, seizes the two cords with one hand, and shutting his nostrils with the other, plunges into the water. On gaining the bottom he hangs the net around his neck and throws into it as many pearl shells as he can collect while he is able to remain beneath the surface, which is generally about two minutes. He then resumes his former posture, and making a signal by pulling the cords, he is instantly hauled up into the boat. On emerging from the sea he discharges a quantity of water from his mouth and nose. There are generally ten divers to each boat, and while five respiring, the other five descend with the same stones. Each brings up about 100 oysters in his net at a time, and if not interrupted by any accident will make 50 trips in the course of a forenoon.--The most frequent and fatal of the catastrophes to which they are subject, arises from the sharks, which by biting the diver in two, prevent his reascending to the surface.--[History of British Italy.]

FROM CANTON.--We are indebted to the politeness of Mr. James F. Thorndike for the Chinese Courier of April 14th. Mr. T. came passenger in the ship Hamilton. The Courier states that the insurrection against the reigning Emperor was assuming a very serious aspect.--[Boston Paper.]

It is said that great difficulties are experienced in getting the imperial troops to face the enemy, and that better provisions, and even the forbidden opium were given to the forces, to induce them to perform their duty. Several large bodies of his Majesty's troops have been sent to the scene of action, where they were in several affairs worsted by the rebels, and in one instance, it is said that of 3000 men but seven escaped to tell the story of their defeat. There are many tales in circulation relative to these mountaineers and their success, which are evidently exaggerated. Two large towns, several villages and military posts have fallen into their hands.

The rebels have communication with the mountaineers in their neighborhood, and the hill-people of Kwag-se; and the Chinese say that very judicious measures have been adopted by the rebels for carrying on the campaign, they being well furnished with provisions and war-like stores. Many of the officers commanding the forces sent against them have been taken and destroyed, and after a serious defeat, in which his troops were entirely routed, the Foo yuen of Hou-Kwag was made prisoner.

The temper of the Chinese people, generally, in regard to the present imperial government, if far from loyal, and there is little question that should the new self-nominated Emperor of China carry his success much farther, thousands who want but favorable opportunity to proceed to open rebellion, will join his standard.

The amount of property brought from Santa Fee, this year, is, about $190,000; consisting of coin, gold and silver bullion, peltry and mules.

Supposing the earth to contain 800,000,000 of inhabitants, the cholera has already swept off more than a 16th of them.

COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES.--We have received a copy of the detailed report of the Secretary of the Treasury, of the Commerce and Navigation of the United States, for the year ending on the 30th Sept. 1831. The following is a statement of the value of the Imports and Exports of that year into the several States and Territories.

IMPORTS.

Maine 941,417 New Hampshire 146,295 Vermont 166,20 Massachusetts 14,269,036 Rhode Island 562,161 Connecticut 405,066 New York 57,077,417 New Jersey --- Pennsylvania 12,124,083 Delaware 21,656 Maryland 4,826,577 Dist. of Columbia 193,555 Virginia 488,522 North Carolina 196,356 South Carolina 1,238,164 Georgia 399,940 Alabama 224,451 Mississippi --- Louisiana 9,766,693 Ohio 61 Florida 115,710 Michigan 27,29

Total $193,196,124

EXPORTS.

Main 805,573 New Hampshire 111,222 Vermont 925,127 Massachusetts 7,733,763 Rhode Island 367,465 Connecticut 482,883 New York 25,535,144 New Jersey 11,430 Pennsylvania 5,513,713 Delaware 54,514 Maryland 4,308,647 Dist. of Columbia 1,220,975 Virginia 4,150,475 North Carolina 341,140 South Carolina 6,575,201 Georgia 3,859,813 Alabama 2,4 ,894 Mississippi --- Louisiana 16,76 ,989 Ohio 14,728 Florida 30,495 Michigan 12,392

Total $81,310,583

SELECTED HYMN.

The younger son.

BEHOLD the son that went away, And wasted his estate! He feign would beg among the swine, To taste the husks they eat.

I die with hunger here, he cries, I starve in foreign lands; While father's house hath bread enough, And many hired hands.

I'll go, and to my father say, For follies I have done, O father, father, I have sin'd, And hardly am thy son!

He said, and hasten'd on his way, To seek his father's love; The father saw his Israel come, And all his bowels move.

He ran, and fell upon his neck, Embrac'd and kiss'd his son; The son exclaim'd, I've sin'd, I've sin'd, And how can we be one?

But O the joy that Israel has! The father gives command: Dress him in garments white and clean, With rings adorn his hand.

A day of feasting let there be; Let mirth and joy abound; My son was dead and lives again, Was lost and now is found.

It is meet that we be merry now; Let endless peace abound; For Israel died, and lives again, Was lost and now is found.

The Evening and the Morning Star

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VOL. I, NO. 7, INDEPENDENCE, MO. DECEMBER, 1832.

<"Resurrection">
William Phelps "Resurrection of the Just," E&MS 1 (Dec 1832)

THE RESURRECTION OF THE JUST. {beliefs-lds}

THE resurrection of the just, though one of the greatest promises of the Lord, in the gospel, is, we think, less understood, by the world at large, than many other things revealed to man, by his holy prophets. At present, excepting the church of Christ, which the world calls Mormonites, we do not know of a single sect that holds to, or has faith in the resurrection of the just in the flesh; or, in other words, a church or society that mean and hope, by obeying the commands of God in all things; by repentance and baptism for the remission of sins, to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands; hold out faithful to the end, and after death, rise, when the Redeemer comes in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, and live in the flesh, on earth, and reign with him a thousand years. It is a solemn fact that the right meaning of scripture, has been perverted, and the light of the gospel darkened, by the wisdom or cunning of man. Enoch, who walked with God, and built up Zion, in the latter part of the first thousand years of this world, preached the resurrection, and confirmed the doctrine by being translated, with Zion, to the bosom of God. The promise of the resurrection, to Enoch, as published in the third number of the Star, is: [Moses 7:60-65] As I live, even so will I come in the last days, in the days of wickedness and vengeance, to fulfil the oath which I have made unto you, concerning the children of Noah: and the day shall come that the earth shall rest, but before that day the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth; and the heavens shall shake, and also the earth; and great tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve; and righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth to bear testimony of mine only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men: and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine own elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an holy city, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for their shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called ZION, a new Jerusalem. And the Lord said unto Enoch, Then shalt thou and all thy city meet them there, and we will receive them into our bosom, and they shall see us, and we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other, and there shall be mine abode, and it shall be Zion which shall come forth out of all the creations which I have made; and for the space of a thousand years shall the earth rest.

This promise to Enoch, and many others to others, have been withheld from man, for many generations, on account of wickedness, and for want of faith;--Still the bible has ever contained the blessed promise, though not as plain as the Lord has revealed in these last days. In fact the redemption of the bodies of the righteous, is one of the glorious mysteries of the Lord, unfolded unto them in the gospel: that they, by obeying the commandments of the Lord, in all things, may live again in the flesh, on earth. Thus Job, who was a man perfect and upright, and one that feared God and eschewed evil, came so near to his privilege that he knew that these things are so, and exclaimed: [Job 19:25] I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.--And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reigns be consumed within me. But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me? Be ye afraid of the words: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment. This is a positive declaration, and leaves no room for doubt or cavil. It is to the point: I shall see God in the flesh, for myself and not for another, and that, too, in the last days, when he shall stand upon the earth. No wonder the two men that stood by when the Savior ascended up to heaven, after the crucifixion, could say: [Acts 1:11] ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner, as ye have seen him go into heaven. Truly, he went in a cloud and shall come in a cloud; he went in the flesh and shall come in the flesh: For, as saith the Lord, [D&C 45:45-46] But before the arm of the Lord shall fall an angel shall sound his trump, and the saints that have slept, shall come forth to meet me in the cloud. Wherefore if ye have slept in peace blessed are you, for as you now behold me and know that I am, even so shall ye come unto me and your souls shall live, and your redemption shall be perfected, and the saints shall come forth from the four quarters of the earth. And the language of the Psalmist is very plain on this subject: The righteous shall inherit the land. David rested on this promise when he said: [Ps. 27:4]--One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days af my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. Let it be remembered that David desired this thing, before the temple of Solomon was built: Knowing as he says in the 71st Psalm, Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles shalt quicken me again, and shall bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

The prophets knew what the resurrection meant, having had the eyes of their understandings opened, in some instances, by the power of God, to behold the just rise from the dust, at the morning of the resurrection to meet Christ in the air: and live again in the flesh, on earth, a thousand years, while satan is bound. The apostles preached this doctrine with great power, showing that Christ had actually risen from the tomb, in the flesh, as a sample of what should follow.--The 15th Chapter of first Corinthians, contains many important things on the resurrection of the just, at the second coming of the Savior as well as hints and instructions, on the resurrection of all: Paul says: [1 Cor. 15:1-23] Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all, that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me, was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was in me. Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed. Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen. And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only, we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

Again: after Zion was taken up to heaven; yea, after the world had been, as it were, baptized for its former sins, the Lord revealed himself to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, wherefore, the children of Jacob, or Israel, as the Lord named him, became the elect nation to receive the Savior, and heirs of the promise, to rise in the first resurrection, and live again, in the flesh, on earth, if they walked in all the commandments of the Lord blameless: and there is something great promised to that nation, yet, notwithstanding it was scattered abroad for transgressing the commandment. It is the powerful word of the Lord, by the mouth of Ezekiel, which brings flesh upon the dry bones of Israel, and they are alive again. Ezekiel says: [Ezek. 37:1-14]--The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, and caused me to pass by them round about, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? and I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus said the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: and I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live, and ye shall know that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.--Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, and exceeding great army. Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my Spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord.

This dromise alone, to the house of Israel, is enough to establish the resurrection of the righteous, in the flesh; and the remainder of the chapter goes to confirm it, so that Israel may dwell in the land of his fathers; but to make the matter plainer, let us quote Paul's words to the Thessalonians: [1 Thes. 4:13-17] But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the arch-angel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever by with the Lord. In this Paul does not say the righteous rise in the flesh, but he says, we which are alive, and remain, shall be caught up together with them, (the rising dead, such as the pure members of the Lord's church in the days of the apostles, &c., that died in the hope of a glorious resurrection) to meet the Lord in the air, which is just as plain as to have said, we which remain when the Lord comes the second time, shall be caught up in the body to meet him.

To the saints that trust in the Lord, the whole bible, seemingly, has a reference, in a greater or less degree, to the resurrection of the just. The Psalmist said the righteous shall inherit the land, and Christ said the meek shall inherit the earth, and so we might go on, and make quotations, till we had brought all that relates to the gospel, from Genesis to Revelations, but, to shorten the matter, and, we may say, to unfold the subject, and bring it to the common understanding of such as seek the truth, let us take a paragraph or two from the book of Mormon. In that, Alma says: [Alma 40:2-26] Behold, I say unto you, that there is no resurrection; or I would say, in other words, that this mortal does not put on immortality; this corruption does not put on incorruption, until after the coming of Christ. Behold, he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead. But behold, my son, the resurrection is not yet. Now I unfold unto you a mystery; nevertheless, there are many mysteries, which are kept, that no one knoweth them, save God himself. But I shew unto you one thing, which I have inquired diligently of God, that I might know; that is, concerning the resurrection. Behold, there is a time appointed that all shall come forth from the dead. Now when this time cometh, no one knows; but God knoweth the time which is appointed. Now whether there shall be one time, or a second time, or a third time, that men shall come forth from the dead, it mattereth not; for God knoweth all these things; and if sufficeth me to know that this is the case; that there is a time appointed that all shall rise from the dead. Now there must needs be a space betwixt the time of death, and the time of the resurrection. And now I would inquire what becometh of the souls of men, from this time of death, to the time appointed for the resurrection? Now whether there is more than one time appointed for men to rise, it mattereth not; for all do not die at once; and this mattereth not; all is as one day, with God; and time only is measured unto men; therefore there is a time appointed unto men, that they shall rise from the dead; and there is a space between the time of death and the resurrection. And now concerning this space of time. What becometh of the souls of men, is the thing which I have inquired diligently of the Lord to know; and this is the thing of which I do know. And when the time cometh when all shall rise, then shall they know that God knoweth all the times which are appointed unto man. Now concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection. Behold, it hath been made known unto me, by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body; yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life. And then shall it come to pass that the spirits of those which are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise; a state of rest; a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles, and from all care, and sorrow, &c.--And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the wicked, yea, which are evil; for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil works, rather than good; therefore the spirit of the Devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house; and these shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth; and this because of their own iniquity; being led captive by the will of the Devil. Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked; yea, in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for of the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, untill the time of their resurrection. Now there are some that have understood that this state of happiness, and this state of misery of the soul, before the resurrection, was a first resurrection. Yea, I admit it may be termed a resurrection; the raising of the spirit or the soul, and their consignation to happiness or misery, according to the words which have been spoken. And behold, again it hath been spoken, that there is a first resurrection; a resurrection of all those which have been, or which are, or which shall be, down to the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Now we do not suppose that this first resurrection which is spoken of in this manner, can be the resurrection of the souls, and their consignation to happiness or misery. Ye cannot suppose that this is what it meaneth. Behold, I say unto you Nay; but it meaneth the re-uniting of the soul with the body of those from the days of Adam, down to the resurrection of Christ. Now whether the souls and the bodies of those of which have been spoken, shall all be re-united at once, the wicked as well as the righteous, I do not say; let it suffice, that I say that they all come forth; or in the other words, their resurrection cometh to pass before the resurrection of those which die after the resurrection of Christ. Now my son, I do not say that their resurrection cometh at the resurrection of Christ; but behold, I give it as my opinion, that the souls and the bodies are re-united, of the righteous, at the resurrection of Christ, and his assension into heaven. But whether it be at his resurrection, or after, I do not say; but this much I say: That there is a space between death and the resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in happiness or in misery, until the time which is appointed of God that the dead shall come forth, and be re-united, both soul and body, and be brought to stand before God, and be judged according to their works; yea, this bringeth about the restoration of those things of which have been spoken by the mouths of the prophets. The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost, but all things shall be restored to its proper and perfect frame. And now my son, this is the restoration of which has been spoken by the mouths of the prophets: And then shall the righteous shine forth in the Kingdom of God. But behold, an awful death cometh upon the wicked; for they die as to things pertaining to things of righteousness; for they are unclean and no unclean thing can inherit the Kingdom of God; but they are cast out, and consigned to partake of the fruits of their labors or their work, which have been evil; and they drink the dregs of a bitter cup.

[Alma 41:1-15] And now my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the restoration of which has been spoken; for behold, some have arrested the Scriptures, and have gone far astray, because of this thing. And I perceive that thy mind hath been worried also, concerning this thing. But behold, I will explain it unto thee. I say unto thee, my son, that the plan of restoration is requisite with the justice of God; for it is requisite that all things should be restored to their proper order. Behold, it is requisite and just, according to the power and resurrection of Christ, that the soul of man should be restored to its body, and that every part of the body should be restored to itself. And it is requisite with the justice of God, that men should be judged according to their works; and if their works were good in this life, and the desires of their hearts were good, that they should also, at the last day, be restored unto that which is good; and if their works are evil, they shall be restored unto him for evil; therefore, all things shall be restored to their proper order; every thing to its natural frame; mortality raised to immortality; corruption to incorruption; raised to endless happiness, to inherit the Kingdom of God, or to endless misery, to inherit the kingdom of the Devil; the one on one hand, the other on the other, the one raised to happiness, according to his desires of happiness; or good, according to his desires of good; and the other to evil, according to his desires of evil; for as he has desired to do evil all the day long, even so shall he have his reward of evil, when the night cometh. And so it is on the other hand. If he hath repented of his sins, and desired righteousness until the end of his days, even so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness. These are they that are redeemed of the Lord; yea, these are they that are taken out, that are delivered from that endless night of darkness; and thus they stand or fall; for behold, they are their own judges, whether to do good or do evil. Now the decrees of God are unalterable; therefore the way is prepared, that whosoever will, may walk therein and be saved. And now behold, my son, do not risk one more offence against your God upon those points of doctrine, which ye hath hitherto risked to commit sin. Do not suppose because it hath been spoken concerning restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness. Behold I say unto you, Wickedness never was happiness. And now my son, all men that are in a state of nature, or I would say, in a carnal state, are in the gall of bitterness, and in the bonds of iniquity; they are without God in the world and they have gone contrary to the nature of God; therefore they are in a state contrary to the nature of happiness. And now behold, is the meaning of the word restoration, to take a thing of a natural state, and place it in an unnatural state, or to place opposite to its nature? O, my son, this is not the case; but the meaning of the word restoration, is to bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for carnal, or devilish, for devilish; good for that which is good; righteous for that which is righteous; just for that which is just; merciful for that which is merciful; therefore, my son, see that ye are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things, then shall ye receive your reward, yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again: for that which ye doth send out, shall return unto you again, and be restored; therefore the word restoration, more fully condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all.

[Alma 42:1-28] And now, my son, I perceive there is somewhat more which doth worry your mind, which ye cannot understand, which is concerning the justice of God, in the punishment of the sinner: for ye do try to suppose that it is in justice that the sinner should be consigned to a state of misery. Now behold, my son, I will explain this thing unto thee: for behold, after the Lord God sent our first parents forth from the garden of Eden to till the ground, from whence he was taken; yea, he drew out the man, and he placed at the east end of the garden of Eden, Cherubims and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the tree of life. Now we see that the man had became as God, knowing good and evil; and lest he should put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever, that the Lord God placed Cherubims and the flaming sword, that he should not partake of the fruit; and thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man, to repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God. For behold, if Adam had put forth his hand immediately, and partook of the tree of life, he would have lived forever, according to the word of God, having no space for repentance; yea, and also the word of God would have been void, and the great plan of salvation would have been frustrated. But behold, it was appointed unto man to die; therefore as they were cut off from the tree of life, therefore they should be cut off from the face of the earth; and man became lost forever; yea, they became fallen man. And now we see by this, that our first parents were cut off, both temporally and spiritually, from the presence of the Lord; and thus we see they became subjects to follow after their own will. Now behold, it was not expedient that man should be reclaimed from this temporal death, for that would destroy the great plan of happiness; therefore, as the soul could never die, and the fall had brought upon all mankind a spiritual death as well as a temporal; that is, they were cut off from the presence of the Lord; therefore it was expedient that mankind should be reclaimed from this spiritual death; therefore as they had become carnal, sensual and devilish by nature, this probationary state became a state for them to prepare; it became a preparatory state. And now remember my son, if it were not for the plan of redemption, (laying it aside,) as soon as they were dead, their souls were miserable being cut off from the presence of the Lord. And now there was not means to reclaim men from this fallen state which man had brought upon himself, because of his own disobedience; therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could not be brought about, only, on conditions of repentance of men in this probationary state; yea, this preparitory state; for except it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except it should destroy the work of justice. Now the work of justice could not be destroyed: if so, God would cease to be God. And thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were in the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned them forever to be cut off from his presence. And now the plan of mercy could not be brought about, except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect just God, and merciful God also. Now repentance could not come unto men, except there were a punishment, which also was as eternal as the life of the soul, should be affixed opposite to the plan of happiness, which was as eternal also as the life of the soul. Now, how could a man repent, except he should sin? How could he sin, if there was no law? How could there be a law, save there was a punishment? Now there was a punishment affixed, and a just law given, which brought remorse of conscience unto man. Now if there was no law given, if a man murdered he should die, would he be afraid he should die if he should murder? And also, if there was no law given against sin, men would not be afraid to sin. And if there was no law given if men sinned, what could justice do, or mercy either, for they would have no claim upon the creature? But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and repentance granted; which repentance, mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creatures, and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God. But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works; according to the law and justice; for behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved. What, do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto you nay; not one whit. If so, God would cease to be God. And thus God bringeth about his great and eternal purposes, which was prepared from the foundation of the world. And thus cometh about the salvation and the redemption of men, and also their destruction and misery; therefore, O my son, whosoever will come, may come, and partake of the waters of life freely; and whosoever will not come, the same is not compelled to come; but in the last day, it shall be restored unto him according to his deeds. If he hath desired to do evil, and hath not repented in his days, behold, evil shall be done unto him, according to the restoration of God.

Our extract from Alma is somewhat long, but it is so full of instruction, that it needs no apology. What greater object can there be of the gospel, which was sent from heaven to Adam, and which has been preached at sundry times from his days until now, than that men might be prepared for the kingdom of God, that the kingdom of heaven might come down, and the righteous rise from the dead, and live again, in the flesh, on earth, a thousand years, before they go into eternity to dwell in the celestial kingdom? This subject is made very plain by the following extract from one of our late commandments from the blessed Redeemer: [D&C 63:47-54] He that is faithful and endureth, shall overcome the world. He that sendeth up treasures unto the land of Zion, shall receive an inheritance in this world, and his works shall follow him; and also, a reward in the world to come; yea, and blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from hence forth, when the Lord shall come and old things shall pass away, and all things become new, they shall rise from the dead and shall not die, and shall receive an inheritance before the Lord, in the holy city, and he that liveth when the Lord shall come, and have kept the faith, blessed is he, nevertheless, it is appointed to him to die at the age of man: wherefore, children shall grow up until they become old; old men shall die, but they shall not sleep in the dust, but they shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye: wherefore, for this cause preached the apostles unto the world, the resurrection of the dead: these things are the things that ye must look for, and speaking after the manner of the Lord, they are now nigh at hand; and in a time to come, even in the day of the coming of the Son of man, and until that time, there will be foolish virgins among the wise, and at that hour cometh an entire separation of the righteous and the wicked; & in that day will I send mine angels to pluck out the wicked, and cast them into unquenchable fire.

Not to go beyond our knowledge, there are at least two resurrections yet: one of the just, at the second coming of the Savior, and another at the day of judgment, after the thousand years of peace, when the books are opened, and all men judged according to their works. Concerning the first resurrection the Vision, published in the second number of the Star, says thus: [D&C 76:50-70] And again, we bear record for we saw and heard, and this is the testimony of the gospel of Christ, concerning them who come forth in the resurrection of the just: they are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name, and were baptized after the manner of his burial, being buried in the water in his name, and this according to the commandment which he hath given, that, by keeping the commandment, they might be washed and cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power; and who overcome by faith, and are sealed by that Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheddeth forth upon all those who are just and true: they are they who are the church of the first-born: they are they into whose hands the Father hath given all things: they are they who are priests and kings, who having received of his fulness, and of his glory, are priests of the most High, after the order of Melchisedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the only begotten Son: wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God: wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs, and they are Christ's and Christ is God's; and they shall overcome all things: wherefore let no man glory in man, but rather let him glory in God, who shall subdue all enemies under his feet; these shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and ever: these are they whom he shall bring with him, when he shall come in the clouds of heaven, to reign on the earth over his people: these are they who shall have part in the first resurrection: these are they who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just: these are they who are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly place, the holiest of all; these are they who have come to an innumerable company of angels; to the general assembly and church of Enoch, and of the first born: these are they whose names are written in heaven, where God and Christ is the judge of all: these are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood: these are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the Son, even of God the highest of all; which glory the sun of the firmament is written of as being typical.

The above paragraph is so plain, that we might leave the subject here, but lest any should be left in doubt, or blend the second coming of the Savior with the day of judgment, we continue. In the first resurrection, Christ comes to the righteous, but at the last day, the wicked stand before God and are judged according to their works: let us read the 20th chapter of Revelations: [Rev. 20:1-15] And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil, and satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled; and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. And when the thousand years are expired, satan shall be loosed out of his prision, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city:--and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.--And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

<"The Jews">

THE JEWS.

[From the Columbian Register.]

IN Palestine of late years, the Jews have greatly increased. It is said that not fewer than 10,000 inhabit Saphet and Jerusalem. At this time the Jews are nearly as numerous as when David swayed the sceptre of the twelve tribes; and on whatever part of the earth's surface they have their abode, their eyes and their faith are all pointed in the same direction--to the land of their fathers and the holy city where they worshiped. Though rejected by God, and persecuted by man, they have not once during 1800 long years, ceased to repose confidence in the promises made by Jehovah to the founders of their nation; and although the heart has often been sick, and the spirit faint, they have never relinquished the hope of that bright reversion in the latter days, which is once more to establish the Lord's house on the top of the mountains, and to make Jerusalem the glory of the whole earth.

<"Remarks">
William Phelps "Remarks," E&MS 1 (Dec 1832)

REMARKS. {beliefs-lds}--The scripture shows two places of gathering: one at Zion, and the other at Jerusalem, for the law shall go forth out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. To make the subject plainer, let us read the 18th chapter of Isa.: [Isa. 18:1-7] Wo to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia: that sendeth ambassadors by sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and troden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled! All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye. For so the Lord said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest. For after the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning-hooks, and take away and cut down the branches. They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, & all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them. In that time shall the present be brought unto the Lord of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, the mount Zion. Again in the 24th chapter is the following: [Isa. 24:16-23] From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, wo unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously. Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth. And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake. The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited. Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion & in Jerusalem, & before his ancients gloriously. Again, in the 62d chap. we read: For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. Jeremiah says, in the 23rd chapter and 3rd verse: And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And again, in the 31st chapter, 4th, 5th, and 6th verses: Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry. Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things. For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our God. Joel says in the last verse of his second chapter, [Joel 2:32] that it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.--And the book of Mormon says, in the sixth chapter of Ether: [Ether 13:4-8] Behold, Ether saw the days of Christ, and he spake concerning a New Jerusalem upon this land; and he spake also concerning the house of Israel, and the Jerusalem from whence Lehi should come; after that it should be destroyed, it should be built up again a holy city unto the Lord; wherefore it could not be a New Jerusalem, for it had been in a time of old, but it should be built up again, and become a holy city of the Lord; and it should be built up unto the house of Israel; and that a New Jerusalem should be built up upon this land, unto the remnant of the seed of Joseph, for the which things there has been a type: for as Joseph brought his father down into the land of Egypt, even so he died there; wherefore the Lord brought a remnant of the seed of Joseph out of the land of Jerusalem, that he might be merciful unto the seed of Joseph, that they should perish not, even as he was merciful unto the father of Joseph, that he should perish not, wherefore the remnant of the house of Joseph shall be built upon this land; and it shall be a land of their inheritance; and they shall build up a holy city unto the Lord, like unto the Jerusalem of old; and they shall no more be confounded, untill the end come, when the earth shall pass away.

This being the case, the above article gives us some joy: the word of the Lord has gone out in righteousness, and will not return void: Israel will now be gathered from all the countries where he was scattered, ready to enter into the sacred rest with all that have part in the first resurrection. It is not scripture, however, that Jerusalem is to become "the glory of the whole earth" but the Lord says, a praise; and beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the Great King.

The command of the Lord to restore, has gone forth, that Israel may prepare to meet his God; and how easy it would be for the world to know it, if they would search the words of the Lord, and watch the signs of the times: for the Holy One of Israel, the Savior, while ministering to the Nephites, which dwelt on this continent, and who were a branch of Israel, and of the tribe of Joseph, thus said: [3 Ne. 20:46, 3 Ne. 21:1-21] --"Verily, verily, I say unto you, All these things shall surely come, even as the Father hath commanded me. Then shall this covenant which the Father hath covenanted with his people, be fulfilled; and then shall Jerusalem be inhabited again with my people: and it shall be the land of their inheritance. And verily, I say unto you, I give unto you a sign, that ye may know the time when these things shall be about to take place, that I shall gather in from their long dispersion, my people, O house of Israel, & shall establish again among them my Zion. And behold, this is the thing which I will give unto you for a sign: for verily, I say unto you, That when these things which I declare unto you, & which I shall declare unto you hereafter of myself, & by the power of the Holy Ghost, which shall be given unto you of the Father, shall be made known unto the gentiles, that they may know concerning this people which are a remnant of the house of Jacob, and concerning this my people which shall be scattered by them; verily, verily, I say unto you, When these things shall be made known unto them of the Father, and shall come forth of the Father from them unto you: for it is wisdom in the Father that they should be established in this land, and be set up as a free people by the power of the Father, that these things might come forth from them unto a remnant of your seed, that the covenant of the Father may be fulfilled which he hath covenanted with his people, O house of Israel; therefore, when these works, and the works which shall be wrought among you hereafter, shall come forth from the Gentiles unto your seed, which shall dwindle in unbelief because of iniquity: for thus it behooveth the Father that it should come forth from the Gentiles, that he may shew forth his power unto the Gentiles, for this cause; that the Gentiles, if they will not harden their hearts, that they may repent and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, and know of the true points of my doctrine, that they may be numbered among my people, O house of Israel; and when these things shall come to pass, that thy seed shall begin to know these things, it shall be a sign unto them, that they may know that the work of the Father hath already commenced unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the people which are of the house of Israel. And when that day shall come, it shall come to pass that kings shall shut their mouths: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. For in that day, for my sake shall the Father work a work, which shall be a great and a marvelous work among them, & there shall be among them which will not believe it, although a man shall declare it unto them. But behold, the life of my servant shall be in my hand; therefore they shall not hurt him, although he shall be marred because of them. Yet I will hear him, for I will shew unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the Devil. Therefore it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not believe in my words, which am Jesus Christ, which the Father shall cause him to bring forth unto the Gentiles, and shall give unto him power that he shall bring them forth unto the Gentiles, (it shall be done even as Moses said,) they shall be cut off from among my people which are of the covenant; and my people which are a remnant of Jacob, shall be among the Gentiles, yea, in the midst of them, as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he go through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. Their hand shall be lifted up upon their adversaries, and all their enemies shall be cut off. Ye, wo be unto the Gentiles, except they repent: for it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Father, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots, and I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds; and I will cut off witchcrafts out of thy hand, and thou shalt have no more soothsayers: thy graven images I will also cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee, and thou shalt no more worship the works of thy hands; and I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee; so will I destroy thy cities. And it shall come to pass that all lyings, and deceivings, and envyings, and strifes, and priestcrafts, and whoredomes, shall be done away. For it shall come to pass, saith the Father, that at that day, whosoever will not repent and come unto my beloved Son, them will I cut off from among my people, O house of Israel: and I will execute vengeance and fury upon them, even as upon the heathen such as they have not heard."

Thus said the Lord unto the Nephites, upon this land, and it will come to pass. But this is not all, for Zechariah says, by the power of the Lord, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him: [Zech. 12:2-14] Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all the people: and all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. In that day saith the Lord, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness, and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God. In that day will I make the governors of Judah like a hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah. In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart and their wives apart; all the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.

Thus spoke Zechariah unto Israel, and it will come to pass, for Jacob while telling his sons what should befall them in the last days, says of Judah, and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. And Moses said: [Deut. 33:7] Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people. Well may the Jews look for the Lord, and well may Israel begin to lift up his head, for the hour of his redemption is nigh.

THE EVENING AND THE MORNING STAR.

<"Journeying">
William Phelps "Way of Journeying," E&MS 1 (Dec 1832)

THE WAY OF JOURNEYING FOR THE SAINTS OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST. {beliefs-lds}

FEELING a great anxiety for the welfare of the disciples of our coming Lord, that they may keep his commandments blameless, at all times, and in all things relative to their salvation, it is thought proper to give some instruction upon the subject of journeying to the land of Zion. Fulfilling the commandment, and experience, have already shown, that, to come by land, especially from the state of Ohio, and this side, is the safest, and generally the quickest, and cheapest. Besides the saving of time and money, you save risks and many dangers: Firstly, of disasters upon the waters, and secondly, in some degree, the fear and trouble of the Cholera, which the Lord has sent into the world, and which may, without repentance, ravage the large towns near the waters, many years, or, at least, till other judgments come.

Again: when a number of disciples are crowded together upon a boat, they can not attend to their prayers before the Lord, in the season thereof, that they may enjoy the influence of the Holy Spirit: Wherefore, they can not set that example before the world, which will be seen among them that journey like the children of Israel, pitching their tents by the way; preaching to the inhabitants as much by deeds, as by words; walking so worthily before the Lord; keeping his commandments so strictly, in very deed, and bearing their fatigue so patiently, that the most careless people, about things of eternity, will be constrained to say: They act like the children of God. Brethren, great things are required at your hands: you have the immediate commandments of the Lord to walk by, and if you do not keep them, in every point, how do you suppose that the unbelieving can be made to believe them? or how can you expect the blessings of heaven? If you would persuade the people to keep the commandments, you must first keep them yourselves. If you would entice men to flee from the wrath to come, you must go yourselves: If you would urge men to leave the houses they now live in, you must show them better ones. Evil must be overcome with good.

In the commandment which follows, the Lord points out the way for his saints to journey. In others there are necessary cautions and hints: For instance:--The bishop, or his agent, is to make known the privileges of the land from time to time, &c., that the gathering be not in haste, or by flight. Again: Every disciple that comes to Zion, as a faithful servant that would be approved, must bring with him, a certificate from the bishop in the east, or from three elders; [D&C 133:15] and let not your flight be in haste, but let all things be prepared before you. [D&C 63:24] And now, behold, this is the will of the Lord your God, concerning his saints: That they should assemble themselves together unto the land of Zion, not in haste, lest there shall be confusion, which bringeth pestilence. Now brethren, you behold for yourselves, that the language of the Lord is plain, and positive, and, if you should act contrary to his commandments, you may not only be sorely chastened, but even consumed by the pestilence, for as sure as the Lord lives, he will not be mocked with the pretensions of any in these last days: The Lord requires of all men to fulfil their vows unto him: Therefore, if you promise to keep his commandments, do so, and the blessings of heaven are yours.

<Editorial>

A REVELATION GIVEN AUGUST, 1831. [D&C 61]

BEHOLD, and hearken unto the voice of him who has all power, who is from everlasting to everlasting, even Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Behold, verily thus saith the Lord unto you O ye elders of my church, who are assembled upon this spot, whose sins are now forgiven you, for I the Lord forgiveth sins, and am merciful unto those who confess their sins with humble hearts:

But verily I say unto you, that it is not needful for this whole company of mine elders, to be moving swiftly upon the waters, whilst the inhabitants on either side are perishing in unbelief: nevertheless, I suffered it that ye might bear record: behold there are many dangers upon the waters and more especially hereafter, for I the Lord have decreed, in mine anger, many destructions upon the waters; yea, and especially upon these waters: nevertheless, all flesh is in mine hand, and he that is faithful among you, shall not perish by the waters.

Wherefore it is expedient that my servant Sidney (G.)[Gilbert] and my servant William, (P.) [W. Phelps] be in haste upon their errand and mission: nevertheless I would not suffer that ye should part until you are chastened for all your sins, that you might be one; that you might not perish in wickedness; but now verily I say, it behooveth me that ye should part: wherefore let them my servants, Sidney and William take their former company, and let them take their journey in haste that they may fill their mission, and through faith they shall overcome; and inasmuch as they are faithful, they shall be preserved, and I the Lord will be with them.

And let the residue take that which is needful for clothing; let my servant Sidney take that which is not needful with him, as you shall agree.

And now behold, for your good I gave unto you a commandment concerning these things: and I the Lord will reason with you as with men in days of old.

Behold I the Lord in the beginning, blessed the waters, but in the last days by the mouth of my servant John, I cursed the waters: Wherefore, the days will come that no flesh shall be safe upon the waters, and it shall be said in days to come, that none is able to go up to the land of Zion, upon the waters, but he that is upright in heart.

And, as I the Lord in the beginning cursed the land, even so in the last days have I blessed it, in its time, for the use of my saints, that they may partake the fatness thereof.

And now I give unto you a commandment, and what I say unto one I say unto all, that you shall forewarn your brethren concerning these waters, that they come not in journeying upon them, lest their faith fail and they are caught in her snares: I the Lord have decreed, & the Destroyer rideth upon the face thereof, and I revoke not the decree:

I the Lord was angry with you yesterday, but today mine anger is turned away: wherefore let those concerning whom I have spoken, that should take their journey in haste: again I say unto you, let them take their journey in haste, and it mattereth not to me, after a little, if it so be that they fill their mission, whether they go by water or by land: let this be as it is made known unto them according to their judgments, hereafter.

And now, concerning my servants Sidney [Rigdon], and Joseph [Smith, Jun.], and Oliver [Cowdery], let them come not again upon the waters, save it be upon the canal, while journeying unto their homes, or in other words they shall not come upon the waters to journey, save upon the canal.

Behold I the Lord have appointed a way for the journeying of my saints, and behold this is the way: That after they leave the canal, they shall journey by land, inasmuch as they are commanded to journey and go up unto the land of Zion; and they shall do like unto the children of Israel, pitching their tents by the way.

And behold this commandment, you shall give unto all your brethren: nevertheless unto whom it is given power to command the waters, unto him it is given by the Spirit, to know all his ways: wherefore let him do as the Spirit of the living God commandeth him, whether upon the land or upon the waters, as it remaineth with me to do hereafter; and unto you it is given the course for the saints, or the way for the saints of the camp of the Lord, to journey.

And again: verily I say unto you, my servants Sidney [Rigdon], and Joseph [Smith, Jun.], and Oliver [Cowdery], shall not open their mouths in the congregations of the wicked, until they arrive at Cincinnati; and in that place they shall lift up their voices unto God against that people; yea, unto him whose anger is kindled against their wickedness; a people which is well ripened for destruction; and from thence let them journey for the congregations of their brethren, for their labors, even now, are wanted more abundantly among them, than among the congregations of the wicked.

And now concerning the residue, let them journey and declare the word among the congregations of the wicked, inasmuch as it is given, and inasmuch as they do this they shall rid their garments, and they shall be spotless before me; and let them journey together, or two by two, as seemeth them good, only let my servant Reynolds [Cahoon], and my servant Samuel [H. Smith], with whom I am well pleased, be not separated until they return to their homes, and this for a wise purpose in me.

And now, verily I say unto you, and what I say unto one I say unto all, be of good cheer little children for I am in your midst, and I have not forsaken you, and inasmuch as you have humbled yourselves before me, the blessings of the kingdom are yours: gird up your loins and be watchful, and be sober, looking forth for the coming of the Son of man, for he cometh in an hour you think not. Pray always that you enter not into temptation, that you may abide the day of his coming, whether in life or in death; even so; Amen.

A REVELATION GIVEN DECEMBER 4, 1831. [D&C 72]

HEARKEN and listen to the voice of the Lord, O ye people who have assembled yourselves together, who are the high priests of my church, to whom the kingdom and power have been given.

For verily thus saith the Lord, it is expedient in me, for a bishop to be appointed unto you, or of you unto the church in this part of the Lord's vineyard: and verily in this thing ye have done wisely, for it is required of the Lord, at the hand of every steward, to render an account of his stewardship, both in time and in eternity.

For he who is faithful and wise in time, is accounted worthy to inherit the mansions prepared for them of my Father.

Verily I say unto you, the elders of the church in this part of my vineyard, shall render an account of their stewardship, unto the bishop which shall be appointed of me, in this part of my vineyard.

These things shall be had on record to be handed over unto the bishop in Zion; and the duty of the bishop shall be made known by the commandments which have been given, and the voice of the conference.

And now, verily I say unto you, my servant Newel [K. Whitney] is the man who shall be appointed, and ordained unto this power: This is the will of the Lord your God your Redeemer; even so: Amen

THE word of the Lord, in addition to the law which has been given, making known the duty of the bishop, which has been ordained unto the church in this part of the vineyard; which is verily this:

To keep the Lord's storehouse; to receive the funds of the church in this part of the vineyard; to take an account of the elders as before has been commanded, and to administer to their wants, who shall pay for that which they receive, inasmuch as they have wherewith to pay; that this also may be consecrated to the good of the church, to the poor and needy:

And he who hath not wherewith to pay, an account shall be taken and handed over to the bishop in Zion, who shall pay the debt out of that which the Lord shall put into his hands:

And the labors of the faithful who labor in spiritual things, in administering the gospel and the things of the kingdom, unto the church, and unto the world, shall answer the debt unto the bishop in Zion:

Thus it cometh out of the church, for according to the law, every man that cometh up to Zion, must lay all things before the bishop in Zion.

And now, verily I say unto you, that as every elder in this part of the vineyard, must give an account of his stewardship unto the bishop in this part of the vineyard, a cirtificate from the judge or bishop in this part of the vineyard, unto the bishop in Zion, rendereth every man acceptable, and answereth all things, for an inheritance, and to be received as a wise steward, and as a faithful laborer; otherwise he shall not be accepted of the bishop in Zion.

And now, verily I say unto you, let every elder who shall give an account unto the bishop of the church, in this part of the vineyard, be recommended by the church or churches, in which he labors, that he may render himself and his accounts approved in all things.

And again; let my servants who are appointed as stewards over the literary concerns of my church, have claim for assistance upon the bishop or bishops, in all things, that the revelations may be published, and go forth unto the ends of the earth, that they also may obtain funds which shall benefit the church, in all things; that they also may render themselves approved in all things and be accounted as wise stewards.

And now, behold this shall be an ensample for all the extensive branches of my church, in whatsoever land they shall be established. And now I make an end of my sayings: Amen.

A FEW words in addition to the laws of the kingdom, respecting the members of the church; they that are appointed by the Holy Spirit to go up unto Zion; and they who are privileged to go up unto Zion.

Let them carry up unto the bishop a certificate from three elders of the church, or a certificate from the bishop, otherwise he who shall go up unto the land of Zion, shall not be accounted as a wise steward. This also is an ensample: Amen.

<"The Indians">
William Phelps "The Indians," E&MS 1 (Dec 1832)

THE INDIANS. {beliefs-lds}

IT is not only gratifying, but almost marvelous, to witness the gathering of the Indians. The work has been going on for some time, and these remnants of Joseph gather by hundreds and settle west of the Missouri, and Arkansas. And is not this scripture fulfilling: [Ps. 80:1] Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock, through the instrumentality of the government of the United States? For it is written, [1 Ne. 21:22] Behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. Thus said the prophet and so it is; and there is reason to rejoice that the great purposes of the Lord are fulfilling before our eyes, and that the time is approaching when his people will be willing in the day of his power. Last week about 400, out of 700 of the Shawnees from Ohio, passed this place for their inheritance a few miles west, and the scene was at once calculated to refer the mind to the prophecies concerning the gathering of Israel in the last days. For the instruction of our readers, we make a quotation from the Book of Mormon: [3 Ne. 16:4-7] And I command you that ye shall write these sayings, after that I am gone, that if it so be that my people at Jerusalem, they which have seen me, and been with me in my ministry, do not ask the Father in my name, that they may receive a knowledge of you by the Holy Ghost, and also of the other tribes which they know not of, that these sayings which ye shall write, shall be kept, and shall be manifested unto the Gentiles, that through the fulness of the Gentiles, the remnant of their seed which shall be scattered forth upon the face of the earth, because of their unbelief, may be brought in, or may be brought to a knowledge of me, their Redeemer. And then will I gather them in from the four quarters of the earth; and then will I fulfil the covenant which the Father hath made unto all the people of the house of Israel. And blessed are the Gentiles, because of their belief in me, in and of the Holy Ghost, which witness unto them of me and of the Father. Behold, because of their belief in me, saith the Father, and because of the unbelief of you, O house of Israel, in the latter day shall the truth come unto the Gentiles, that the fulness of these things shall be made known unto them.

[3 Ne. 21:1-9] And verily, I say unto you, I give unto you a sign, that ye may know the time when these things shall be about to take place, that I shall gather in from their long dispersion, my people, O house of Israel, and shall establish again among them my Zion. And behold, this is the thing which I will give unto you for a sign: for verily, I say unto you, That when these things which I declare unto you, & which I shall declare unto you hereafter of myself, & by the power of the Holy Ghost, which shall be given unto you of the Father, shall be made known unto the Gentiles, that they may know concerning this people which are a remnant of the house of Jacob, and concerning this my people which shall be scattered by them; verily, verily, I say unto you, When these things shall be made known unto them of the Father, and shall come forth of the Father from them unto you: for it is wisdom in the Father that they should be established in this land, and be set up as a free people by the power of the Father, that these things might come forth from them unto a remnant of your seed, that the covenant of the Father may be fulfilled which he hath covenanted with his people, O house of Israel; therefore, when these works, and the works which shall be wrought among you hereafter, shall come forth from the Gentiles unto your seed, which shall dwindle in unbelief because of iniquity: for thus it behooveth the Father that it should come forth from the Gentiles, that he may show forth his power unto the Gentiles, for this cause that the Gentiles, if they will not harden their hearts, that they may repent and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, and know of the true points of my doctrine, that they may be numbered among my people, O house of Israel; and when these things come to pass, that thy seed shall begin to know these things, it shall be a sign unto them, that they may know that the work of the Father hath already commenced unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the people which are of the house of Israel. And when that day shall come, it shall come to pass that kings shall shut their mouths: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.--For in that day, for my sake shall the Father work a work, which shall be a great and marvellous work among them; and there shall be among them which will not believe it although a man shall declare it unto them.

<"Zion">
William Phelps "Zion," E&MS 1 (Dec 1832)

ZION. {beliefs-lds}

IT was said, when the righteous gathered together, in the days of Enoch, that the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and of one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them: and such must be the case in these last days, when the Lord is pruning his vineyard for the last time, and gathering his elect from the four quarters of the earth. One can not be above another in wealth, nor below another for want of means, for the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof. Neither shall men labor for the Lord for wages. As it is written in the Book of Mormon: [2 Ne. 26:30-31] Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment, that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity, they were nothing: wherefore, if they should have charity, they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish. But the laborer in Zion, shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money, they shall perish.

Men have no right to trust in an arm of flesh, and for this reason, that Zion may again be built up on earth, that faith may increase, and the saints rely upon the mercies of God, and as the Lord hath said in the preface to his commandments: [D&C 1:17-23] Wherefore I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph, and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments; and also gave commandments to others, that they should proclaim these things unto the world, and all this that it might be fulfilled, which was written by the Prophets: The weak things of the world should come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones; that man should not counsel his fellowman, neither trust in the arm of flesh, but that every man might speak in the name of God, the Lord, even the Savior of the World; that faith also might increase in the earth; that mine everlasting covenant might be established; that the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple, unto the ends of the world; and before kings and rulers.

THE book of Mormon declares that the land which is now called America, is a choice land above all others, and we believe it, because the Lord has said it, and we have seen it. At present, the world thinks much of America because it is trying the experiment of a free government; and the people of the Lord are beginning to lift up their heads and rejoice, because Jesus the Redeemer is setting up his kingdom upon this choice land above all others, and it is no more to be confounded.

We came across the following, which brought to mind, the above reflections:-
<Editorial>
William Phelps ed E&MS 1 (Dec 1832)

A LEAF FROM AN OLD ALMANAC.

[FROM THE NEW ENGLAND MAGAZINE FOR SEPTEMBER.]

The father of the late Fisher Ames, it is generally known, published an Almanac for a long series of years, which in its day was highly appreciated and extensively circulated. A mutilated file of this annual was lately found among a bundle of rags, and rescued from the devouring maw of the paper-mill. It affords, if not a feast, a comfortable luncheon or tit-bit to an antiquarian appetite. The contents of one leaf are worthy of preservation. It has already escaped the "conflagration" dreaded by its publisher, for almost three quarters of a century; and should it be republished, verbatim et literatim, some future antiquarian may be pleased to find it, as long hence, and pass it on to still future generations. According to all present appearances, the dream of the almanac-maker seems likely, in every respect, "to come to pass."

"America is a subject which daily becomes more and more interesting:--I shall therefore fill these pages with a word upon its past, present and future state.

"I. First, of its past state: Time has cast a shade upon this scene.--Since the creation innumerable accidents have happened here, the bare mention of which would create wonder and surprise; but they are all lost in oblivion: the ignorant natives for want of letters have forgotten their stock; and know not from whence they came, or how, or when they arrived here, or what has happened since. Who can tell what wonderful changes have happened by the mighty operations of nature, such as deluges, volcanoes, earthquakes, &c.--Or whether great tracts of land were not absorbed into those vast lakes or inland seas which occupy so much space to the west of us--But to leave the natural, and come to the political state: we knew how the French have erected a line of forts from the Ohio to Nova Scotia, including all the inestimable country to the west of us, into their exorbitant claim. This, with infinite justice, the English resented; and in this cause our blood has been spilled: which brings to our consideration,

"II. Secondly, The present state of NORTH AMERICA. A writer upon this present time says, 'The parts of North America which may be claimed by Great Britain or France are of as much worth as either kingdom.--That fertile country to the west of the Appalachian mountains (a string of 8 or 900 miles in length) between Canada & the Mississippi, is of larger extent than all France, Germany & Poland; & well provided with rivers, a very fine wholesome air, a rich soil, capable of producing food and physick and all things necessary for the conveniency of life: in fine, the garden of the world!'--Time was, we might have been possessed of it: at this time two mighty kings contend for this inestimable prize:--their respective claims are to be measured by the length of their swords.--The poet says, the gods and opportunity ride post; that you must take herby the forelock being bald behind.--Have we not too fondly depended upon our numbers?--Sir Francis Brown says, the wolf careth not how many the sheep be:' but numbers well spirited, with the blessing of heaven will do wonders, when by military skill and discipline, the commanders can actuate (as by one soul) the most numerous bodies of armed people:--our numbers will not avail till the colonies are united; for whilst divided, the strength of the inhabitants is broken like the petty kingdoms in Africa.--If we do not join heart and hand in the common cause against our exulting foes, but fall to disputing among ourselves, it may really happen as the governor of Pennsylvania told his assembly, 'we shall have no privilege to dispute about, nor country to dispute in.'-
"III. Thirdly, of the future state of NORTH AMERICA. Here we find a vast stock of proper materials for the art and ingenuity of man to work upon:--treasures of immense worth; concealed from the poor ignorant aboriginal natives! The curious have observed that the progress of human literature (like the sun) is from east to west; thus has it travelled through Asia and Europe, and now is arrived at the eastern shore of America. As the celestial light of the gospel was directed here by the finger of GOD, it will doubtless, finally drive the long! long! night of heathenish darkness from America:--so arts and sciences will change the face of nature in their tour from hence over the Appalachian mountains to the western ocean; and as they march through the vast desert, the residence of wild beasts will be broken up, and their obscene howl cease forever;--instead of which, the stones and trees shall dance together at the music of Orpheus,--the rocks will disclose their hidden gems,--and the inestimable treasures of gold and silver be broken up.--Huge mountains of iron ore are already discovered; and vast stores are reserved for future generations: this metal more useful than gold or silver, will employ millions of hands, not only to form the martial sword, and peaceful share, alternately; but an infinity of utensils improved in the exercise of art, and handicraft amongst men. Nature through all her works has stamped authority on this law, namely, 'that all fit matter shall be improved to its best purposes.' Shall not then those vast quarries, that teem with mechanic stone,--those for structure be pilled into great cities, and those for sculpture into statues to perpetuate the honor of renowned heroes; even those who shall NOW save their country.

O! ye unborn inhabitants of America! should this page escape its destined conflagration at the year's end, and these alphabetical letters remain legible,--when your eyes behold the sun after he has rolled the seasons round for two or three centuries more, you will know that in ANNO DOMINI 1758, we dreamed of your times.

NATH. AMES."

GREAT DROUGHT.

THE following account of a great drought, is taken from Niles' Register; and, while we read, we cannot help exclaiming: The judgments of God are in all the earth! All flesh is grass, and the wicked shall be cut off, for the Lord will cleanse the world of its corruption.

THE CAPE DE VERD ISLANDS.--No considerable quantity of rain has fallen on these islands for three years--and the land has become parched, and unfit for cultivation; the seed that was sown in the present year remains without the appearance of vitality. Most of the animals had died of starvation, and the people were hardly able to keep up a miserable existence--their means of purchasing provisions being exhausted by the long duration of the drought--and 12 or 14 were dying daily at Port Praya, only. These islands were inhabited by 60 or 70,000 persons; and it is thought that the greater part must perish, if charitable relief be not speedily obtained.

Again: the same paper has an account, also of the following "NEW DISCOVERED ISLANDS! Capt. Hiram Covell, of the barque Alliance, has just returned to Newport, R.I. from the Pacific ocean, and states that on the 7th of May, 1831, in latitude 4 deg. 30 min. N. longitude 168 deg. 40 min. E. he discovered a group of 14 islands not laid down on any chart. They were all inhabited, and the natives spoke the Spanish language. He called them the Covell Group."

So the great purposes of the Lord are unfolding to the view of the inhabitants of the earth: for he has some choice souls among every nation, kindred, tongue, and people; and they must hear his voice and be gathered to Zion, for he hath said the isles shall wait for his law.

IT is the will of God that the truth should be known by all men, and it is also, according to the order of the Lord, that the church of Christ should have the gifts as in the days of the apostles and prophets: The following letter, which appeared in the N. Y. Evangelist, makes a disciple of the Savior, think that the Lord will pour out his Spirit upon all flesh that will serve him in truth, in the last days.

Bradford county, Pa. August, 1832.

{miracles} "Sir--The prayer of my heart to God is, that you may believe the scriptures of the old and new Testament, if you do not believe what I write. But I now tell you what has taken place since I arrived here. On the 30th of July, there was an appointment for preaching, at 4 o'clock P. M. by a Methodist. We went to the place but he did not attend; and we occupied the time by prayer and exhortation. The company were Methodists, and a class of people called Mormonites. After the meeting was over, notice was given that there would be a meeting in the evening at my brother's house. Some of the Mormonites, together with others, collected, and the meeting commenced and went on the same as your meetings do, until about 10 o'clock, when I should say, by what I saw and felt, of a truth the Lord was present with us. The spirit seemed to rest and clothe upon a Mrs. Conkling, and I thought, and think yet, that I heard a few words of a language that I could not understand. You must know that my mind was on the look out. And not long after, perhaps forty-five minutes, she broke forth in prayer to God, in a language that I could not understand, and continued two or three minutes, and then in our language, she gave an interpretation of what she had said. Then she broke out again, in the same language and was more lengthy than the first time. This last prayer or exhortation she did not interpret. I am credibly informed that they have these gifts and all the gifts of the gospel. I trust that I shall see and hear more yet; when I do I will write. I leave all to God whether you believe or disbelieve."

THE Lord says, in these last days, that his voice is to all men; yea, verily he says, [D&C 1:1,2] hearken ye people from afar, and ye that are upon the islands of the sea, listen together; there is none to escape; there is no eye that shall not see neither ear that shall not hear, neither heart that shall not be penetrated. In solemn view of these things, we select the following item from a late New York paper:-
SANDWICH ISLANDS.--The population of these Islands is estimated at 185,000 souls; more than one quarter of whom are under instruction. The number of schools and scholars in the islands is as follows:

Schools Scholars. Hawaii 338 20,396 Maui 274 11,170 Molakai 31 1,426 Lanai 9 522 Kahoolawe 1 32 Oahu 250 10,336 Kaui 200 9,000

1,103 52,882

The greater part of the New Testament, and a considerable portion of the Old, have been translated and published in the language of the Islands. Also a Hymn Book, and various elementary and other books. The whole number of copies printed is about 556,000, comprising 21,031,380 pages. Numerous churches have been erected in different parts of the Islands, some of which are generally attended on the Sabbath by congregations of more than 3000 persons. Of course they must be immensely large, tho' constructed of light materials, and we suppose not very expensive. The whole number of native church members is about 550, nearly 400 of whom were added during the year embraced in this Report. A vast improvement has taken place in the social condition of the people, as well as in every thing else which distinguishes civilized man from the savage.

BOMBAY.--At Bombay and vicinity, there are 34 schools under direction of the missionaries, containing 1940 scholars, of which 455 are girls; a fact which Americans will hardly appreciate as they ought. Until very recently, the idea of a female learning to read, would have been regarded by the native population as the height of absurdity. The Mission Press is very active, having printed during the year 1831, 1,481,300 pages, and since the first establishment of the mission 11,481,000 pages.

CEYLON--This mission has been, in many respects, far more successful than that at Bombay. The number of native children and youth in the Schools, is 3,650, of whom 617 are females. There is a sort of High School at Batticotta, to which students of promise in the lower schools are transferred, after they have advanced to a certain stage of progress, containing 83 native young men, 38 of whom are members of the Mission Church. The whole number of native church members connected with the mission, is 170.

CHINA AND SIAM.--The only missionary which the Society has in China, is Rev. Elijah C. Bridgeman. He has not been long there, and has been engaged, so far mainly in acquiring a knowledge of the language. A printing press has been sent out to his aid, and a printer, Mr. S. W. Wells of Utica, is expected to go out in the course of a few months. The missionary at Siam is Rev. David Abeel formerly of this city.

To all these inhabitants of the Islands of the sea, the gospel of the kingdom has to be preached, before the Son of man comes in the clouds of heaven, that some may be gathered to Zion.

{beliefs-lds} MEN in general, feast upon the errors of their fellow beings, rather than teach them how to unlearn them. Nation watches nation, state watches state, society watches society, sect watches sect, family watches family, and man watches man for iniquity. Such is the condition of the world now. The only way that many seem to take to become popular, is to paint the vices of others. A Paris correspondent of the New York Courier and Enquirer, while speaking of the American politics, says:--Let me add however, that there are among us those who congratulate themselves on the prospect of the spirit of rivalship excited by the question of the tariff being converted into the hatred and of local discontents being fanned into open war. The admirers of what is called the strong form of government, are delighted at the prospect which your differences afford them, of the destruction of that model to which the people of the old world look forward as an object of study and imitation. They do not scruple to assert that the cause of all this angry discussion is to be found in a defect inherent and inseparable from the republican form of government. They tell us that the constitution of the United States would be infinitely improved if that very spirit of centralization could be infused into it which in the provinces of France is so bitterly complained of. In the mean time your dissensions are held up to our young republicans as a lesson that ought to teach them, that the mere forms of democracy are not an infallible cure for all political evils.

Without venturing to express any personal opinion on this interesting and important subject, I shall think it my duty to report to you from time to time the views which I hear expressed on it in general society, in order that you may have the benefit as far as my opportunities of observation extend, of that sort of reaction which is naturally produced by the reflections of distant and disinterested observers.

By this short extract, we see there are men feasting upon the errors of our republic: and we might bring forward something, to show how many are watching for iniquity, among the various denominations that profess to serve the Lord, to be saved, but we forbear, beseeching our brethren to set a better example, knowing that all that watch for iniquity shall be cut off. We have said, and we repeat it, that evil must be overcome with good. Our Lord said: [Matt. 5:3-10]--Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peace-makers: For they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Such are the blessings which are promised to all who keep the commandments of the Lord, for the sake of eternal life; but if there are any disciples, in Zion or abroad, that watch for iniquity; or, in other words, that wait until their brethren become perfect, before they themselves strive with honest hearts to become pure, will the Lord hold them guiltless? The world watches for iniquity, because satan is spreading his dominions over the face of the earth, and is reigning in the hearts of the children of men; but you who are instructed by the revelations of the Lord, if humble, and guided by his Holy Spirit, have no excuse to watch for iniquity, or be jealous of your brethren. Every soul is to be saved for itself.--Watch, therefore, that you may stand in your lot, O disciple of the living God!--Watch, we do entreat, and do your duty.

THE CHOLERA.

OUR exchange papers, generally carry the idea, that the cholera has left the northen states: in the southern, however, its desolating ravages continue. Natches, is said to be afflicted to a verry great extent. As to New Orleans, the following will suffice:--The Argus of the 29th of October says:--The cholera and yellow fever continue to send great numbers to the grave. The Protestant cemetery last week amounted to 71, and in the Catholic' to 121,--total 192.--We have been unable to find out the number of victims of each malady. The cholera, as far as we have been able to learn, has principally attacked the slaves, and persons of intemperate and unclean habits.

It is added by the Courier that some of the physicians designate the prevailing disease as the Asiatic cholera, whilst others pronounce it the cold plague. The same paper complains much of inattention to the immediate burial of those who have died, and alleges that corpses are taken to the cemetery at night and allowed to remain until the next day unburied. "Last evening," says the editor, "at six o'clock, no one was employed in digging graves, and 10 bodies remained all night unburied. We understand that this morning there were twenty!"

ANCIENT.

THE following is given as an exact copy of the thirteenth, chapter of first Corinthians, from an ancient manuscript, and which is the oldest English translation of the New Testament, at present known to exist. The precise date is not known; but supposed to be about the year 1350, or about twenty years before the introduction of printing into England.

It is taken from the copy given by Dr. Adam Clark, the only alteration being the substitution of Roman print for the old black letter English.

[1 Cor. 13] "Gif I speke with tungis of men and aungels sotheli I have not charitee: I am maad as brasse soundynge or a symbale tinking. And gif I schal have prophecie and have knowen alle mysteries and alle kunnynge or science. And gif I scha have al feithe so that I over bere hills fro on place to an other, forsothe gif I shal not have charitee: I am nought. And gif I shal departe al my goodis into metis of pore men. And gif I schal bitake my body so that I brenne forsothe gif I schal not have chatitee, it profiteth to me no thing. Charitee is pacient or sufferinge. It is benynge or of good will. Charitee envyeth not. It doth not gyle. It is not inblowen with pride it is not ambyciouse or covetouse of wirschippis. It seekyth not the thingis that ben her own. It is not stirred to wrath it thinketh not yvil. It joyeth not on wickedness. Forsothe it joyeth to gydre treuthe. It suffereth alle thingis. It bilieveth alle thiugis. It hopith alle thingis. It susteeneth alle thingis. Charitee fallith not doun. Whether prophecies schuln be doid eythen langagis schulen ceese: eyther science schal be destruyed. Forsothe of party we han knowen: and of partye prophecien. Forsothe whenne that schal cum to that is perfit: that thing that is of partye schal be avoyded. When I was a litil chiilde: I spake as a litil childe. I understode as a litil chiilde. I thoughte as a litil chiilde. Forsothe when I was maad a man: I avoyded tho thingis that weren of a litil chiilde. Forsothe we seen now bi a miror in darcness: thanne forsothe face to face. Nowe I know of partye: thanne forsothe I schal know as I am knowen. Now forsothe dwellen feith hoope charitee. These three: forsothe the more of hem is charitee.

REMARKS. Notwithstanding the bad spelling in this chapter, there is an air of solemnity, full as striking, and touching, to the heart of the saint, as there is in the learned translation, where many words are supplied with Italics. What a blessing it would be to man, if he had the bible in its original purity! even as in the days of the apostles.

ONE good rule to live by, is to talk little: hear much, and reflect upon every thing you have done during the day, and then ask the Lord to forgive your trespasses as you forgive those that trespass against you.

The second coming of the Savior.

JOY to the world! the Lord will come! And earth receive her King; Let ev'ry heart prepare him room, And saints and angels sing.

Rejoice! rejoice! when Jesus reigns, And saints their songs employ: While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains, Repeat the sounding joy.

No more will sin and sorrow grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He'll come and make the blessing flow Far as the curse was found.

Rejoice! Rejoice! in the Most High, While Israel spreads abroad, Like stars that glitter in the sky, And ever worships God.

LETTERS.

LETTERS have been received, since out last, from Liberty, and Walnut farm Missouri; Ewington, Illinois; Canton, and Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Hollis, Main; and Kirtland Mills, Ohio.

Unpaid, remaining in the Post office, from Schenectady, New-York; and from Cincinnati, Ohio.

We again request the elders, abroad, to send up to the land of Zion, an account of their doings in the world: And also, to receive subscriptions for the Star, as heretofore directed:

And for the Book of Commandments, now Printing, which will be published as soon as the Lord will.

ERRATUM.--For after the harvest, &c., on the last line of the third page, read AFORE.

The Evening and the Morning Star

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THE EVENING AND THE MORNING STAR

VOLUME 1, NO. 8-10
JAN, FEB, MAR 1833

INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI