A Voice of Warning / Or, an introduction to the faith and doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

by Parley P. Pratt

CHAPTER V.

THE RESURRECTION OF THE SAINTS, AND THE RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS SPOKEN BY THE PROPHETS.

This is one of the most important subjects upon which the human mind can contemplate; and one perhaps as little understood, in the present age, as any other now lying over the face of prophecy. But, however neglected at the present time, it was once the groundwork of the faith, hope, and joy of the Saints. It was a correct understanding of this subject, and firm belief in it, that influenced all their movements. Their minds once fastening upon it, they could not be shaken from their purposes; their faith was firm, their joy constant, and their hope like an anchor to the soul, both sure and steadfast, reaching to that within the veil. It was this that enabled them to rejoice in the midst of tribulation, persecution, sword, and flame; and in view of this, they took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, and gladly wandered as strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they sought a country, a city, and an inheritance that none but a saint ever thought of, understood, or even hoped for.

Now, we can never understand precisely what is meant by restoration, unless we understand what is lost or taken away; for instance, when we offer to restore anything to a man, it is as much as to say he once possessed it, but had lost it, and we propose to replace, or put him in possession of, that which he once had; therefore, when a Prophet speaks of the restoration of all things, he means that all things have undergone a change, and are to be again restored to their primitive order, even as they first existed.

First, then, it becomes necessary to take a view of creation, as it rolled in purity from the hand of its Creator; and if we can discover the true state in which it then existed, and understand the changes that have taken place since, then we shall be able to understand what is to be restored; and thus, our minds being prepared, we shall be looking for the very things which will come, and shall be in no danger of lifting our puny arm in ignorance, to oppose the things of God. First, then, we will take a view of the earth, as to its surface, local situation, and productions.

When God had created the heavens and the earth, and separated the light from the darkness, His next great command was to the waters, Genesis, i, 9: "And God said, Let the waters under the heaven, be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so." From this we learn a marvelous fact, which very few have ever realized or believed in this benighted age; we learn that the waters, which are now divided into oceans, seas, and lakes, were then all gathered together, into one vast ocean; and, consequently, that the land, which is now torn asunder, and divided into continents and islands, almost innumerable, was then one vast continent or body, not separated as it now is.

Second, we hear the Lord God pronounce the earth, as well as everything else, very good. From this we learn that there were neither deserts, barren places, stagnant swamps, rough, broken, rugged hills; nor vast mountains covered with eternal snow; and no part of it was located in the frigid zone, so as to render its climate dreary and unproductive, subject to eternal frost, or everlasting chains of ice—

Where no sweet flowers the dreary landscape cheer,
Nor plenteous harvests crown the passing year.

But the whole earth was probably one vast plain, or interspersed with gently rising hills, and sloping vales, well calculated for cultivation; while its climate was delightfully varied, with the moderate changes of heat and cold, of wet and dry, which only tended to crown the varied year with the greater variety of productions, all for the good of man, animal, fowl, or creeping thing; while from the flowery plain or spicy grove, sweet odors were wafted on every breeze; and all the vast creation of animated being breathed naught but health, and peace, and joy.

Next, we learn from Genesis, i, 29, 30: "And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree, yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so." From these verses we learn, that the earth yielded neither nauseous weeds nor poisonous plants, nor useless thorns and thistles; indeed every thing that grew was just calculated for the food of man, beast, fowl, and creeping thing; and their food was all vegetable. Flesh and blood were never sacrificed to glut their souls, or gratify their appetites; the beasts of the earth were all in perfect harmony with each other; the lion ate straw like the ox, the wolf dwelt with the lamb, the leopard lay down with the kid, the cow and bear fed together, in the same pasture, while their young ones reposed, in perfect security, under the shade of the same trees; all was peace and harmony, and nothing to hurt nor disturb, in all the holy mountain.

And to crown the whole, we behold man created in the image of God, and exalted in dignity and power, having dominion over all the vast creation of animated beings, which swarmed through the earth, while, at the same time, he inhabits a beautiful and well watered garden, in the midst of which stood the tree of life, to which he had free access; while he stood in the presence of his Maker, conversed with Him face to face, and gazed upon His glory, without a dimming veil between. O reader, contemplate, for a moment, the beautiful creation, clothed with peace and plenty; the earth teeming with harmless animals, rejoicing over all the plain; the air swarming with delightful birds, whose never-ceasing notes filled the air with varied melody; and all in subjection to their rightful sovereign, who rejoiced over them; while in a delightful garden—the capitol of creation, man was seated on the throne of this vast empire, swaying his sceptre over all the earth with undisputed right; while legions of angels encamped round about him, and joined their glad voices in grateful songs of praise, and shouts of joy; neither a sigh nor groan was heard throughout the vast expanse; neither were there sorrow, tears, pain, weeping, sickness, nor death; neither contentions, wars, nor bloodshed; but peace crowned the seasons as they rolled, and life, joy, and love reigned over all God's works. But, O, how changed the scene!

It now becomes my painful duty to trace some of the important changes which have taken place, and the causes which have conspired to reduce the earth and its inhabitants to their present state.

First, man fell from his standing before God, by giving heed to temptation; and this fall affected the whole creation, as well as man, and caused various changes to take place; he was banished from the presence of his Creator, and a veil was drawn between them, and man was driven from the garden of Eden, to till the earth, which was then cursed for his sake, and should begin to bring forth thorns and thistles; and with the sweat of his face he should earn his bread, and in sorrow eat of it, all the days of his life, and finally return to dust. But as to Eve, her curse was a great multiplicity of sorrow and conception; and between her seed and the seed of the serpent there was to be a constant enmity; it should bruise the serpent's head, and the serpent should bruise his heel.

Now, reader, contemplate the change. This scene, which was so beautiful a little before, had now become the abode of sorrow and toil, of death and mourning: the earth groaning with its production of accursed thorns and thistles; man and beast at enmity; the serpent slyly creeping away, fearing lest his head should get the deadly bruise; and man startling amid the thorny path, in fear, lest the serpent's fangs should pierce his heel; while the lamb yields his blood upon the smoking altar. Soon man begins to persecute, hate, and murder his fellow, until at length the earth is filled with violence, all flesh becomes corrupt, the powers of darkness prevail, and it repented Noah that God had made man, and it grieved him at his heart, because the Lord should come out in vengeance, and cleanse the earth by water.

How far the flood may have contributed to produce the various changes, as to the division of the earth into broken fragments, islands and continents, mountains and valleys, we have not been informed; the change must have been considerable. But after the flood, in the days of Peleg, the earth was divided. See Gen., x, 25. A short history, to be sure, of so great an event; but still it will account for the mighty revolution which rolled the sea from its own place in the north, and brought it to interpose between different portions of the earth, which were thus parted asunder, and moved into something near their present form; this, together with the earthquakes, revolutions, and commotions which have since taken place, have all contributed to reduce the face of the earth to its present state; while the great curses which have fallen upon different portions, because of the wickedness of men, will account for the stagnant swamps, the sunken lakes, the dead seas, the great deserts; witness, for instance, the denunciations of the Prophets upon Babylon, how it was to become perpetual desolations, a den of wild beasts, a dwelling of unclean and hateful birds, a place for owls; and should never be inhabited, but should lie desolate from generation to generation. Witness also the plains of Sodom, filled with towns, cities, and flourishing gardens, well watered; but O, how changed! A vast sea of stagnant water alone marks the place. Witness the land of Palestine; in the days of Solomon, it was capable of sustaining millions of people, besides yielding a surplus of wheat, and other productions, which were exchanged with the neighboring nations; whereas, now it is desolate, and hardly capable of sustaining a few miserable inhabitants. And when I cast mine eyes over our own land, and see the numerous swamps, lakes, and ponds of stagnant waters, together with the vast mountains, and innumerable rough places, rocks having been rent, and torn asunder, from centre to circumference, I exclaim, Whence all this?

When I read the Book of Mormon, it informs me, that while Christ was crucified among the Jews, this whole American continent was shaken to its foundation, that many cities were sunk, and waters came up in their places; that the rocks were all rent in twain; that mountains were thrown up to an exceeding height; and that other mountains became valleys; the level roads spoiled, and the whole face of the land changed. I then exclaim, These things are no longer a mystery; I have now learned to account for the many wonders, which I everywhere behold, throughout our whole country. When I am passing a ledge of rocks, and see they have all been rent and torn asunder, while some huge fragments are found deeply imbedded in the earth, some rods from whence they were torn, I exclaim, with astonishment, These were the groans! the convulsive throes of agonizing nature! while the Son of God suffered upon the cross!

But men have degenerated, and greatly changed, as well as the earth. The sins, the abominations, and the many evil habits of the latter ages, have added to the miseries, toils, and sufferings of human life. The idleness, extravagance, pride, covetousness, drunkenness, and other abominations, which are characteristics of the latter times, have all combined to sink mankind to the lowest state of wretchedness and degradation; while priestcraft and false doctrines have greatly tended to lull mankind to sleep, and cause them to rest infinitely short of the powers and attainments which the ancients enjoyed, and which are alone calculated to exalt the intellectual powers of the human mind, to establish noble and generous sentiments, to enlarge the heart, and to expand the soul to the utmost extent of its capacity. Witness the ancients conversing with the Great Jehovah, learning lessons from the angels, and receiving instruction by the Holy Ghost, in dreams by night, and visions by day, until at length the veil is taken off, and they are permitted to gaze, with wonder and admiration, upon all things past and future; yea, even to soar aloft amid unnumbered worlds, while the vast expanse of eternity stands open before them, and they contemplate the mighty works of the Great I AM, until they know as they are known, and see as they are seen.

Compare this intelligence with the low smatterings of education and worldly wisdom which seem to satisfy the narrow mind of man in our generation; yea, behold the narrow-minded, calculating, trading, overreaching, penurious sycophant of the nineteenth century, who dreams of nothing here, but how to increase his goods, or take advantage of his neighbor; and whose only religious exercise or duties consist of going to meeting, paying the priest his hire, or praying to his God, without expecting to be heard or answered, supposing that God has been deaf and dumb for many centuries, or altogether stupid and indifferent like himself. And having seen the two contrasted, you will be able to form some idea of the vast elevation from which man has fallen; you will also learn how infinitely beneath his former glory and dignity he is now living, and your heart will mourn, and be exceedingly sorrowful, when you contemplate him in his low estate—and then think he is your brother; and you will be ready to exclaim, with wonder and astonishment: "O man! how art thou fallen! Once thou wast the favorite of heaven; thy Maker delighted to converse with thee, and angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect, were thy companions; but now thou art degraded, and brought down to a level with the beasts; yea, far beneath them, for they look with horror and affright at your vain amusements, your sports, and your drunkenness, and thus often set an example worthy of your imitation. Well did the Apostle Peter say of you, that you know nothing, only what you know naturally as brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed. And thus you perish, from generation to generation, while all creation groans under its pollution; and sorrow and death, mourning and weeping, fill up the measure of the days of man!" But, O my soul, dwell no longer on this awful scene! let it suffice to have discovered, in some degree, what is lost. Let us turn our attention to what the Prophets have said should be restored.

The Apostle Peter, while preaching to the Jews, says: "And He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you, whom the heavens must receive, until the times of the restitution (restoration) of all things which God hath spoken, by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began." It appears from the above, that all the holy Prophets from Adam to Christ, and those that followed after, had their eyes upon a certain time, when all things should be restored to their primitive beauty and excellence. We also learn, that the time of restitution was to be at or near the time of Christ's second coming; for the heavens are to receive Him, until the times of restitution, and the Father shall send Him again to the earth.

We will now proceed to notice Isaiah, xl, 1-5. "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she hath received of the Lord's hand, double for all her sins. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain; and tho glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."

From these verses we learn, first, that the voice of one shall be heard in the wilderness, to prepare the way of the Lord, just at tho time when Jerusalem has been trodden down of the Gentiles long enough to have received, at the Lord's hand, double for all her sins, yea, when the warfare of Jerusalem is accomplished, and her iniquities pardoned. Then shall this proclamation be made as it was before by John, yea, a second proclamation, to prepare the way of the Lord, for His second coming; and about that time every valley shall exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain, and then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Thus you see, every mountain being made low, and every valley exalted, and the rough places being made plain, and the crooked places straight—that these mighty revolutions will begin to restore the face of the earth to its former beauty. But all this done, we have not yet gone through our restoration; there are many more great things to be done in order to restore all things.

Our next, is Isaiah, twenty-fifth chapter, where we again read of the Lord's second coming, and of the mighty works which attend it. The barren desert should abound with pools and springs of living water, and should produce grass, with flowers blooming and blossoming as the rose, and that, too, about the time of the coming of their God, with vengeance and recompense, which must allude to His second coming; and Israel is to come at the same time to Zion, with songs of everlasting joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Here, then, we have the curse taken off the deserts, and they becomes fruitful, well-watered country.

We will now inquire whether the islands return again to the continents, from whence they were separated. For this subject we refer you to Revelations, vi, 14. "And every mountain and island were moved out of their places." From this we learn that they moved somewhere; and as it is the time of restoring what has been lost, they accordingly return and join themselves to the land whence they came.

Our next is Isaiah, xiii, 13, 14, where "The earth shall remove out of her place, And shall be as the chased roe, which no man taketh up." Also Isaiah, lxii, 4: "Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate; but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah; for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married."

In the first instance, we have the earth on a move like a chased roe; and in the second place, we have it married. And from the whole, and various Scriptures, we learn, that the continents and islands shall be united in one, as they were on the morn of creation, and the sea shall retire and assemble in its own place, where it was before; and all these scenes shall take place during the mighty convulsion of nature, about the time of the coming of the Lord.

Behold! the mount of Olives rent in twain:
While on its top He sets His feet again,
The islands, at His word, obedient, flee;
While to the north He rolls the mighty sea;
Restores the earth in one, as at the first,
With all its blessings, and removes the curse.

Having restored the earth to the same glorious state in which it first existed—leveling the mountains, exalting the valleys, smoothing the rough places, making the deserts fruitful, and bringing all the continents and islands together, causing the curse to be taken off, that noxious weeds, and thorns, and thistles shall no longer be produced; the next thing is to regulate and restore the brute creation to their former state of peace and glory, causing all enmity to cease from off the earth. But this will never be done until there is a general destruction poured out upon man, which will entirely cleanse the earth, and sweep all wickedness from its face. This will be done by the rod of His mouth, and by the breath of His lips; or, in other words, by fire as universal as the flood. Isaiah xi, 4, 6-9: "But with righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth; and He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion, and the falling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the suckling child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."

Thus, having cleansed the earth, and glorified it with the knowledge of God, as the waters cover the sea, and having poured out His Spirit upon all flesh, both man and beast becoming perfectly harmless, as they were in the beginning, and feeding on vegetable food only, while nothing is left to hurt or destroy in all the vast creation, the Prophets then proceed to give us many glorious descriptions of the enjoyments of its inhabitants. "They shall build houses and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them; they shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blest of the Lord, and their offspring with them; and it shall come to pass, that before they call I will answer, and while they are yet speaking I will hear." In this happy state of existence it seems that all people will live to the full age of a tree, and this, too, without pain or sorrow, and whatsoever they ask will be immediately answered, and even all their wants will be anticipated. Of course, then, none of them will sleep in the dust, for they will prefer to be translated, that is, changed in the twinkling of an eye, from mortal to immortal; after which they will continue to reign with Jesus on the earth.

Thus we have traced the Prophets through the varying scenes which conspire to restore the earth, and its inhabitants, to that state of perfection in which they first existed, and in which they will exist during the great Sabbath of creation. Having seen all things restored among the living, we will now inquire after those who sleep in the dust; but, in order to understand precisely the nature of their restoration, we must ascertain the particulars concerning the resurrection of Jesus, for He was an exact pattern after which all His Saints will be raised. We recollect, first, that he was clothed upon with flesh, and blood, and bones, like another man, and every way subject to hunger, thirst, pain, weariness, sickness, and death, like any other person—with this difference, that He was capable of enduring more than any other human body. Second, this same body was hung upon the cross, torn with nails, which were driven through His hands and feet, and His side pierced with a spear, from which there came out blood and water. Third, this same body, being perfectly lifeless, like any other corpse, was taken, without a bone being broken, and carefully wrapped in linen and laid in the tomb, where it continued until the third day; when, early in the morning, the women came to the sepulchre, and His disciples also, and found the linen clothes lying useless, and the napkin which was about His head carefully folded and laid by itself, but the body which had lain there was gone.

From all these circumstances, we discover that the same flesh and bones which were laid in the tomb were actually re-animated, and did arise and lay aside the linen which was no longer needed. And Jesus Christ came forth triumphant from the mansions of the dead, possessing the same body which had been born of a woman, and which was crucified; but no blood flowed in His veins, for blood was the natural life, in which were the principles of mortality, and a man restored to flesh and blood would be mortal, and, consequently, again subject unto death, which was not the case with our Savior, although He had flesh and bones after He arose, for when He appeared to His disciples, and they were afraid, supposing it was only a spirit, in order to show them their mistake, He said: "Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have." And calling for something to eat, He was provided with a piece of broiled fish and honeycomb, and He did eat. And even afterwards, Thomas was invited to put his finger into the prints of the nails in His hands and feet, and to thrust his hand into His side, from which it was evident that He not only possessed the same body, but the same wounds also continued to show themselves for a witness, and will continue until He comes again, when the Jews will look upon Him whom they have pierced, and inquire, "What are these wounds in thy hands and in thy feet?"

O ye hard hearted, ye ungodly children of men! your eyes will very soon behold Him who was crucified for your sins; then shall ye see that the resurrection of the dead is a reality, something tangible, and that eternity is not a land of shades, nor a world of phantoms, as some suppose.

Among other things which Jesus did after the resurrection, we find Him in the humble attitude of broiling fish, and calling His disciples to come and dine. O what simplicity, what love, what condescension! Wonder, O heavens! Be astonished, O earth! Behold the Redeemer clothed upon with immortality, and yet seated by a fire of coals, in the open air, with His brethren, humbly partaking of a meal of fish, actually prepared by His own hands! O ye great and noble of the earth, who roll in luxury and refinement! O ye priests, who are loaded with the honors, titles, dignities, riches, and splendor of the world, here is a lesson for you, which will make you blush: boast no more of being followers of the meek and lowly Jesus!

But to return to the subject of the resurrection. Having proved to a demonstration, that our Savior rose from the dead, with the same body which was crucified—possessing flesh and bones, that He ate and drank with His disciples, it puts the matter forever at rest respecting the resurrection of the Saints. But if more proof were wanting, we have it in the prophecy of Job, quoted in a former part of this work, where he declares that his Redeemer will stand, in the latter-day, upon the earth, and he should see Him in the flesh, though worms should destroy the body which he then had. The fact is, the Saints will again receive their bodies, every joint being in its proper and perfect frame, and clothed upon with flesh, sinews, and skin, like as we now are; the whole being immortal, no more to see corruption, and clothed with a white robe of fine linen, suitable for immortality to wear. Well did the Apostle say, In heaven we have a more enduring substance (not shadow).

But in order to illustrate this subject still farther, we will carefully examine Ezekiel xxxvii, which we have touched upon before. In this vision, the Prophet is carried away in the Spirit, and a valley of dry bones is presented before him, and they are very numerous and very dry; and while he stands musing and contemplating the awful scene, a very wonderful question is proposed to him: "Son of man, can these dry bones live?" and he answered: "O Lord God, thou knowest." And the Lord said: "Son of man, prophesy upon these bones, and say, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord." So he prophesied as he was commanded, and, as he prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone, and the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them. And again he prophesied to the winds, saying: "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live;" and the breath entered into them, and they lived and stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army. We have heard many comments upon this vision; some compare it to sinners being converted, and some to the body of Christ, the Church, when dead as to the spiritual gifts; but the Church becoming dead, can no longer be said to be the body of Christ, as when she abides in the true vine, she lives and bears fruit, and is not dead, and when she does not abide in Him, she is cut off as a branch withered, and burned, instead of rising again. But did you ever hear the Lord's own explanation of this vision, in the same chapter? It so far surpasses all other comments, I am inclined to believe it; I will therefore write it in preference to any other, and run the risk of becoming unpopular by so doing. The Lord says: "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." Thus you have the whole vision unfolded plainly, if the Lord's authority can once be allowed, which is seldom the case in this age of wisdom and learning. The fact is, all the seed of Israel are to be raised from the dead, and are to be brought into the land of Israel, which was given to them for an everlasting inheritance. And in order to do this, their old dry bones are to be brought together, bone to its bone, and every part of their bodies is to be reinstated; and it will make a great noise, and a wonderful shaking when they come together; and surely when they stand upon their feet they will make an exceeding great army.

This just explains the promise, so oft repeated in Scripture: "My servant David shall be their prince for ever;" indeed this same chapter makes the promise to them, that His servant David shall be raised up, and shall be a prince among them, while the Lord shall be their King; while both they that are alive, and they that are dead, shall be restored, and become one nation, in the land, upon the mountains of Israel; while David comes forth and reigns as a prince and shepherd over them for ever; and the Lord Jesus reigns as King of kings, and Lord of lords, in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His ancients gloriously.

O glorious day! O blessed hope!
My soul leaps forward at the thought;
When in that happy, happy land,
We'll take the ancients by the hand;
In love and union hail our friends;
And Death and Sorrow have an end.

I now no longer marvel, when I call to mind that Abraham counted himself a stranger and a pilgrim, seeking a better country, and a city whose builder and maker is God. It seems after this restoration there will be but one more change necessary, in order to fit the earth for man's eternal inheritance; and that change is to take place at the last day, after man has enjoyed it in peace a thousand years. We have now discovered the great secret, which none but the Saints have understood (but was well understood by them in all ages of the world), which is this, that man is to dwell in the flesh, upon the earth, with the Messiah, with the whole house of Israel, and with all the Saints of the Most High, not only one thousand years, but for ever and ever. There our father Adam, whose hair is white like the pure wool, will sit enthroned in dignity, as the Ancient of Days, the great Patriarch, the mighty Prince; while thousands of thousands stand before him, and ten thousand times ten thousand minister to him; there he will hail all his children, who died in the faith of the Messiah; while Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Job, and Daniel, with all the Prophets and Apostles, and all the Saints of God of all ages, hail each other in the flesh. Jesus, the great Messiah, will stand in the midst, and, to crown the whole, will gird himself, and administer bread and wine to the whole multitude, and He himself will partake of the same with them on the earth, all being clothed in fine linen, clean and white. This is the marriage supper of the Lamb, Blessed are they who partake thereof.

Having traced the great restoration of the earth and its inhabitants, until we find them in the full enjoyment of the promises made to their fathers; and having learned that a future state is not a state of shadows and fables, but something tangible, even a more enduring substance, we shall now take a view of the division of their land, and the laying out of their city, oven the holy city, where the tabernacle of God and His sanctuary shall be forevermore, for of course this was the city sought for by Abraham and others, who found it not.

This view is given in the last chapter of Ezekiel, where he divides the land, by lot, to the whole twelve tribes; and lays off the city, and sanctuary in the midst, with its twelve gates, three on each side, the whole lying four square. But in the forty-seventh chapter, we have a description of a beautiful river, which will issue forth from the eastern front of the temple, from under the sanctuary, and run eastward into the Dead Sea, healing the waters, and causing a very great, multitude of fishes; so that from Engedi, and Eneglaim, the fishers spread forth their nets; while the miry places shall not be healed, but shall be given to salt. And on either side shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, nor shall the fruit thereof be consumed; it shall bring forth new fruit according to its months, because of the waters issuing from the sanctuary; and their fruits shall be for meat, and their leaves for medicine.

But to set forth more fully the building of the city, and the materials of which it will be built, we quote Isaiah, liv, 11, to the end of the chapter: "O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established; thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together, against thee shall fall for thy sake. Behold I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that 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."

From these verses we learn something of the beauty of their city, and of the materials of which it is composed. Their stones of fair colors, their foundations of sapphires, their windows of agates, their gates of carbuncles, and all their borders of pleasant stones, are well calculated to beautify the place of His sanctuary, and to make the place of His feet glorious, as well as to give a lustre and magnificence to the whole city, of which the Gentiles, with all their boasted wealth and grandeur, can form but a faint idea; and then to mark, in the same description, the knowledge, as well as the peace and security, of all the inhabitants; while they who gather together against them to battle are sure to fall for their sake: surely this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, surely this is a delightful city, and well worth a pilgrimage like Abraham's.

But in order to form a still more striking idea of the prosperity, wealth, beauty and magnificence of the cities of Zion and Jerusalem, we will quote Isaiah lx: "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes, round about, and see; all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. Thou thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Epha; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory. Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because He hath glorified thee. And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favor have I had mercy on thee. Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought. For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish: yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir-tree, the pine-tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious. The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

"Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time."

In this chapter we learn—First, that there is a city to be built in the last days, unto which, not only Israel, but all the nations of the Gentiles, are to flow; and the nation and kingdom that will not serve the city shall perish and be utterly wasted. Second, we learn that the name of that city is Zion, the city of the Lord. Third, we learn that it is called the place of His sanctuary, and the place of His feet. Fourth, that the best of timber, consisting of fir, pine, and boxwood, is to be brought in great plenty, to beautify the place of His sanctuary, and make the place of His feet glorious. Fifth, the precious metals are to abound in such plenty, that gold is to be in the room of brass, silver in the room of iron, brass in the room of wood, and iron in the room of stones. Their officers are to be peace officers, and their exactors righteous exactors; violence is no more to be heard in the land; wasting nor destruction within their borders. Their walls are to be Salvation, and their gates Praise: while the glory of God, in the midst of the city, outshines the sun. The days of their mourning are ended; their people are ail righteous, and are to inherit the land forever, being the branch of the Lord's planting, that He may be glorified. A little one shall become a strong nation, and the Lord will hasten it in His time.

The Psalmist David has told us, concerning the time of the building of this city, in his one hundred and second Psalm, from the thirteenth to the twenty-second verse: "Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion; for the time to favor her, yea, the set time, is come. For Thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favor the dust thereof. So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth Thy glory. When the Lord shall build up Zion, He shall appear in His glory. He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. For He hath looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from Heaven did the Lord behold the earth; to hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death; to declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem; when the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord."

From this scripture we learn—First, that there is a set time to build up Zion, or the city of which Isaiah speaks, namely, just before the second coming of Christ; and that when this city is built, the Lord will appear in His glory, and not before. So from this we affirm, that if such a city is never built, then the Lord will never come. Second, we learn that the people and kingdoms are to be gathered together, to serve the Lord, both in Zion and Jerusalem; and third, that this Psalm was written expressly for the generation to come, and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord, when they read it and see it fulfilled.

I will now call the attention of the reader to the first paragraph of the sixth chapter of the Record of Ether, contained in the Book of Mormon: "For he truly told them of all things from the beginning of man; and how that after the waters had receded from off the face of this land (America), it became a choice land above all other lands, a chosen land of the Lord, wherefore, the Lord would have that all men should serve Him who dwell upon the face thereof; and that it was the place of the New Jerusalem, which should come down out of heaven, and the holy sanctuary of the Lord. 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 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 up on 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. And there shall be a new heaven and a new earth, and they shall be like unto the old, save the old have passed away, and all things have become new. And then cometh the New Jerusalem: and blessed are they who dwell therein, for it is they whose garments are white through the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who are numbered among the remnant of the seed of Joseph who were of the house of Israel. And then also cometh the Jerusalem of old, and the inhabitants thereof; blessed are they for they have been washed in the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who were scattered and gathered in from the four quarters of the earth, and from the north countries, and are partakers of the fulfilling of the covenant which God made with their father Abraham. And when these things come, bringeth to pass the Scripture which saith, "There are they who were first, who shall be last: and there are they who were last, who shall be first."

From this prophecy we learn—First, that America is a chosen land of the Lord, above every other land. Second, that it is the place of the New Jerusalem, which shall come down from God, out of heaven, upon the earth, when it is renewed. Third, that a New Jerusalem is to be built in America, to the remnant of Joseph, after a similar pattern, or like unto the old Jerusalem in the land of Canaan; and that the old Jerusalem shall be rebuilt at the same time, and, this being done, both cities will continue in prosperity on the earth, until the great and last change, when the heavens and the earth are to be renewed. Fourth, we learn that when this change takes place, the two cities, together with the inhabitants thereof, are to be caught up into heaven, and being changed and made new, the one comes down upon the American land, and the other to its own place as formerly: and, fifth, we learn that the inhabitants of these two cities are the same that gathered together and first builded them. The remnant of Joseph, and those gathered with them, inherit the New Jerusalem. And the tribes of Israel, gathered from the north countries, and from the four quarters of the earth, inhabit the other; and thus all things being made new, we find those who were once strangers and pilgrims on THE EARTH, in possession of that better country, and that city, for which they sought.

We will now turn to John's Revelation, and examine the city after it is made new, and see if it is anything like the pattern which it exhibited previous to its final change, Rev. xxi: "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write, for these words are true and faithful. And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst, of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

"And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; and had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates, twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. On the east, three gates; on the north, three gates; on the south, three gates; on the west, three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth four square, and the length is as large as the breadth. And he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs: the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was of pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it; and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day; for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie; but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life." Also, twenty-second chapter, he says: "And He showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him. And they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign forever and ever. And He said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show unto His servants the things which must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book."

From this beautiful description, we learn—First, that the new earth is not to be separated by any sea, consequently, what is now called the Eastern and Western Continents will then be one land. Secondly, we learn that the Lord will make not only the heavens and earth, but all things new (including of course, the cities of Jerusalem and Zion, where His tabernacle will have been for more than a thousand years). Thirdly, we learn that the city will lie four square, and have twelve gates, with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, inserted, one on each gate; three gates on the north, three on the south, three on the east, and three on the west; precisely after the same manner in which it will exist temporally during the thousand years, as described by Ezekiel. Fourthly, we learn that it will be composed of precious stones, and gold, as the temporal city also will be, as described by Isaiah. Fifthly, a pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal, will flow through this renewed city, proceeding from the throne of God, just as living waters will flow from the sanctuary in the temporal city, as described by Ezekiel. Sixthly, the tree of life will stand on either side of the river, even the tree which will have once borne twelve manner of fruits, and have yielded its fruit every month, its leaves having been for the healing of the nations. But now, when John sees it, the nations have no need of healing, for there is no more death, neither pain, nor sorrow, for the former things have passed away, and all things are become new, consequently, he speaks in the past tense, and says they were for the healing of the nations; of course, referring to the times when they existed temporally, according to Ezekiel, before their final change.

Now, of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: Ezekiel and the other Prophets have presented us with the view of the cities of Zion and Jerusalem, as they will exist during the one thousand years of rest called the Millennium; and John has given us a view of the same cities, after their final change, when they come down from God out of heaven, and rest upon the new earth. But Ether has given us a sketch of them as they are to exist, both in their temporal and in their eternal state: and he has told us plainly concerning their location, first and last, namely, the New Jerusalem, in America, inhabited by the remnant of Joseph, and those gathered with them, who have washed their robes, and made them white, in the blood of the Lamb: and the other Jerusalem, in its former place, inhabited by the house of Israel gathered from the north countries, and from all countries where they were scattered, having washed their robes, and made them white, in the blood of the Lamb. And here is the end of the matter.

I would only add, that the government of the United States has been engaged, for upwards of nine years, in gathering the remnant of Joseph to the very place where they will finally build a New Jerusalem, a city of Zion, with the assistance of the Gentiles, who will gather them from all the face of the land: and this gathering is clearly predicted in the Book of Mormon, and other revelations, and the place before appointed, and the time set for its fulfilment. And except the Gentiles repent of all their abominations, and embrace the same covenant, they will soon be utterly destroyed from off the face of this land; as it is written by Isaiah: "The nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish. Yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted." And as it is written by the Prophet Nephi in the Book of Mormon (n. e.), 3 Nephi, xxi:

"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, and which I shall declare unto you hereafter of myself, and 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 who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, and concerning this my people who 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 behoveth 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 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 who 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 who 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 heal 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, who am Jesus Christ, whom 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 who are of the covenant.

"And my people who 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.

"Yea, 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 strongholds;

"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 whoredoms, 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.

"But if they will repent, and hearken unto my words, and harden not their hearts, I will establish my Church among them, and they shall come in unto the covenant, and be numbered among this the remnant of Jacob, unto whom I have given this land for their inheritance,

"And they shall assist my people, the remnant of Jacob, and also, as many of the house of Israel as shall come, that they may build a city, which shall be called the New Jerusalem;

"And then shall they assist my people that they may be gathered in, who are scattered upon all the face of the land, in unto the New Jerusalem,

"And then shall the power of heaven come down among them; and I also will be in the midst;

"And then shall the work of the Father commence at that day, even when this Gospel shall be preached among the remnant of this people. Verily I say unto you, at that day shall the work of the Father commence among all the dispersed of my people; yea, even the tribes which have been lost, which the Father hath led away out of Jerusalem.

"Yea, the work shall commence among all the dispersed of my people, with the Father, to prepare the way whereby they may come unto me, that they may call on the Father in my name;

"Yea, and then shall the work commence, with the Father, among all nations, in preparing the way whereby His people may be gathered home to the land of their inheritance

"And they shall go out from all nations; and they shall not go out in haste, nor go by flight, for I will go before them, saith the Father, and I will be their rearward."

O ye remnant of Joseph, your secret is revealed, ye who are despised, smitten, scattered, and driven by the Gentiles from place to place, until you are left few in number! "O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest and not comforted," lift up your heads and rejoice, for your redemption draweth nigh: yea, we have found your record, the oracles of God once committed to your forefathers, which have been hidden from you for a long time, because of unbelief. Behold! they are about to be restored to you again; then shall you rejoice; for you shall know that it is a blessing from the hand of God; and the scales of darkness shall begin to fall from your eyes; and the Gentiles shall not again have power over you; but you shall be gathered by them, and be built up, and again become a delightsome people; and the time has come; yea, the work has already commenced; for we have seen you gathered together, from all parts of the land, unto the place which God has appointed for the Gentiles to gather you; therefore lay down your weapons of war, cease to oppose the Gentiles in the gathering of your various tribes, for the hand of your great God is in all this, and it was all foretold by your forefathers, ten thousand moons ago. Therefore suffer them peaceably to fulfil this last act of kindness, as a kind reward for the injuries you have received from them.

It is with mingled feelings of joy and sorrow that I reflect upon these things. Sorrow, when I think how you have been smitten; joy, when I reflect upon the happy change that now awaits you; and sorrow again, when I turn my thoughts to the awful destruction that awaits the Gentiles, except they repent. But the eternal purposes of Jehovah must roll on, until all His promises are fulfilled, and none can hinder; therefore, O God, Thy will be done! But while I still linger upon this subject, with feelings that are easier felt than described, methinks I can almost hear the Indian's mournful chant resounding through his native woods. It whispers thus:

Great Spirit of our fathers, lend an ear;
Pity the red man, to his cries give ear;
Long hast Thou scourged him with Thy chastening sore;
When will Thy vengeance cease, Thy wrath be o'er?

When will the white man's dire ambition cease,
And let our scattered remnants dwell in peace?
Or shall we, driven to the western shore,
Become extinct, and fall to rise no more?

Forbid, great Spirit! make Thy mercy known;
Reveal Thy truth; Thy wandering captives own;
Make bare Thine arm of power, for our release,
And o'er the earth extend the reign of peace.