Woman has many striking examples of her influence and acts in the history of religious empire-founding. Miriam charmed the congregation of Israel with her songs, and strengthened her brother Moses' power by her prophesies; Esther rendered the captivity of her people lighter by her mediation; Judith delivered her nation from the Assyrian captain; the two Marys and Martha seemed to have understood Jesus better than did his apostles even, and they saw first their risen Lord; St. Helena did much to make her son, Constantine, the imperial champion of Christianity; perchance had there been no Cadijah the world would never have known a Mohammed; the Catholic Church has been more potent through the sisters of its various orders; and the examples which the Mormon sisterhood have given are almost as striking as those of the sisters of that church.
These are some of the views which may be presented of the sisters in their great missionary work abroad, and they are also fit illustrations of the spiritual movement, which they represent, in the age.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
MORMONISM AND THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND—PRESENTATION OF THE BOOK OF MORMON TO THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT—ELIZA R. SNOW'S POEM ON THAT EVENT—"ZION'S NURSING MOTHER"—HEBER C. KIMBALL BLESSES VICTORIA.
Here an interesting story is to be told of Mormonism and the Queen of England.
It will be remembered that Victoria ascended the throne of Great Britain just three days before Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde and Willard Richards arrived in her realm to preach the gospel of Messiah's coming.
There was something poetic in this. Victoria became connected in some way with the new dispensation. She alone of all the monarchs of the earth was prophetically cast in its dramatis personae. Poetry and prophesy both were pregnant with much of subject and promise that concerned Victoria of England. She may not be aware of it, but there is quite a romance of the British Queen in Mormon history, to which the presentation of the Book of Mormon to herself and the late Prince consort gives pictorial display.
Before leaving England, President Brigham Young, who had succeeded in raising means to publish the Book of Mormon, gave directions for copies to be specially prepared and richly bound for presentation to her Majesty and the Prince consort. The honor of this devolved on Lorenzo Snow, who was at that period President of the London Conference. The presentation was made in 1842, through the politeness of Sir Henry Wheatley; and it is said her Majesty condescended to be pleased, with the gift. Whether she ever read the Book of Mormon is not known, although, if the presentation has not altogether faded from her memory, Mormonism has been since that date sensational enough to provoke even a monarch to read the book, if for nothing better than curiosity; so, not unlikely Queen Victoria has read some portions at least of the Book of Mormon. The unique circumstance called forth from the pen of Eliza R. Snow the following poem, entitled "Queen Victoria:"
"Of all the monarchs of the earth
That wear the robes of royalty,
She has inherited by birth
The broadest wreath of majesty.From her wide territorial wing
The sun does not withdraw its light,
While earth's diurnal motions bring
To other nations day and night.All earthly thrones are tott'ring things,
Where lights and shadows intervene;
And regal honor often brings
The scaffold or the guillotine.But still her sceptre is approved—
All nations deck the wreath she wears;
Yet, like the youth whom Jesus loved,
One thing is lacking even there.But lo! a prize possessing more
Of worth than gems with honor rife—
A herald of salvation bore
To her the words of endless life.That gift, however fools deride,
Is worthy of her royal care;
She'd better lay her crown aside
Than spurn the light reflected there,O would she now her influence lend—
The influence of royalty,
Messiah's kingdom to extend,
And Zion's 'nursing Mother' be;She, with the glory of her name
Inscribed on Zion's lofty spire,
Would win a wreath of endless fame,
To last when other wreaths expire.Though over millions called to reign—
Herself a powerful nation's boast,
'Twould be her everlasting gain
To serve the King, the Lord of Hosts.For there are crowns and thrones on high,
And kingdoms there to be conferred;
There honors wait that never die,
There fame's immortal trump is heard.Truth speaks—it is Jehovah's word;
Let kings and queens and princes hear:
In distant isles the sound is heard—
Ye heavens, rejoice; O earth, give ear.The time, the time is now at hand
To give a glorious period birth—
The Son of God will take command,
And rule the nations of the earth."
It will be seen that our Hebraic poetess has suggested for Victoria of England the title of "Zion's Nursing Mother." The reference is to Isaiah's glorious song of Zion. He, according to the universally accepted interpretation, foresaw the rise of Messiah's kingdom on the earth in the last days.