,,letters    ,,exhibiting ,,the ,,most  
,,prominent ,,doctrines    ,,of ,,the   
,,church ,,of ,,jesus ,,christ ,,of     
,,latter-,,day ,,saints4        ,,by    
,,orson ,,spencer1 ,a4,b41    ,president
 of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of    
,l4,d4,s41 in ,europe4    ,,in ,,reply  
,,to ,,the ,,rev4 ,,william ,,crowell1  
,a4,m41    ,boston1 ,massachusetts1     
,u4,s4,a4        ,,the ,,wise ,,shall   
,,understand4--,daniel4                 
,,liverpool3 ,,published ,,by ,,orson   
,,spencer1    #ci1 ,,torbock ,,street4  
#ahdh4        ,,liverpool3 ,,printed    
,,by ,r4 ,,james1 ,,south ,,castle      
,,street4        ,,contents    ,,the    
,,author',s ,,preface    ,,letter ,,from
 ,,the ,,rev4 ,w4 ,,crowel ,a4 ,m4      
,,letter ,i4    ,,general ,,introductory
 ,,remarks    ,,letter ,,ii4            
,,immediate ,,revelation    ,,letter    
,,iii4    ,,on ,,faith    ,,letter ,,iv4
    ,,on ,,water ,,baptism    ,,letter  
,v4    ,,the ,,gift ,,of ,,the ,,holy   
,,ghost    ,,letter ,,vi4    ,,apostacy 

,,from ,,the ,,primitive ,,church       
,,letter ,,vii4    ,,the                
,,re-,,establishment ,,of ,,an          
,,apostolic ,,church    ,,letter ,,viii4
    ,,the ,,true ,,and ,,living ,,god   
,,letter ,,ix4    ,,the ,,priesthood    
,,letter ,x4    ,,on ,,gathering        
,,letter ,,xi4    ,,the ,,latter-,,day  
,,judgments    ,,letter ,,xii4    ,,on  
,,the ,,restitution ,,of ,,all ,,things 
,,letter ,,xiii4    ,,miscellaneous     
,,remarks ,,on ,,restitution    ,,letter
 ,,xiv4    ,,summary ,,and ,,final      
,,appeal    ,,farewell ,,address        
,,night ,,of ,,martyrdom    ,,death ,,of
 ,,the ,,author',s ,,wife    ,,lines1   
,,on ,,reading ,,the ,,author',s ,,first
 ,,letter ,,in ,,the ,,series1 ,,by     
,,miss ,e4  ,r4 ,,snow        ,,preface4
    ,the ,author has1 for some time1    
felt desirous to see the most prominent 
subjects of the faith of ,latter-day    
,saints brought before the public in    
continuous order1 in one volume4        
,this series of ,letters was called     

forth by the letter of inquiry          
prefixed1 from the pen of the ,rev4     
,william ,crowel4 ,this gentleman was   
at the time1 and still is 7for ought ,i 
know7 ,editor of ,the ,christian        
,watchman1 ,boston1 ,massachusetts1     
,u4,s4,a4--a leading paper of the       
,baptist denomination in the ,united    
,states4    ,the ,editor was also a     
clergyman of high repute for learning   
and piety  in that denomination of      
people1 and missionary elect to a       
foreign  land4 ,from the elevated       
standing of this gentleman1 and the     
nature of  his inquiries being such as  
have come from many other distinguished 
acquaintance1 relative to the author's  
change of views1 it seemed  wisdom1     
after consultation with the ,prophet and
 ,patriarch 7since  martyred71 to       
publish a brief reply to his minute and 
interesting  inquiries4    ,the author  
was extensively known in the ,new       
,england and ,middle ,states1  as a     
,preacher of the ,baptist denomination4 

,reference for his character  is given  
to his ,excellency ,george ,n4 ,briggs1 
,governor of the ,state of              
,massachusetts1 by whom he was once     
invited to take the pastoral charge  of 
the church where his ,excellency        
resided1 and of which he was a  member2 
also to ,g4 ,read1 ,esq41 ,connecticut1 
and ,eliphalet ,nott1 ,d4,d41           
,l4,l4,d41 ,president of ,union         
,college1 ,new ,york1 under whose       
,presidency he  graduated in #ahbd2 and 
also to ,n4 ,kendrick ,d4,d41 ,president
 of ,hamilton  ,literary and            
,theological ,college1 from whence the  
author graduated in  #ahbi4 ,the records
 of both these institutions will show   
that the author  held the ,,first grade 
of honourable distinction at the time he
 left them4    ,these references are not
 given from vanity1 but from the fact   
that  almost every man's character is   
traduced and villified1 the moment he   
embraces the faith once delivered to the
 ,saints4    ,the present volume        

constitutes the third re-print1 several 
thousand  copies having been exhausted  
in a tract form1 the present edition1 in
  book form1 was repeatedly inquired    
after4    ,the edition has been got out 
in the midst of multiplied engagements4 
,truth in studied brevity has been aimed
 at1 without seeking the least          
embellishment of diction4    ,if there  
has1 in part of the volume1 been the    
appearance of severity  towards the     
religions of modern ,christianity1 it   
has been prompted  solely by the impulse
 of truth1 in order to demolish error1  
before the  ,destroyer of the ,gentiles 
should expose iniquity with             
irretrievable  loss to its victims4     
,scripture references have been         
studiously omitted1 believing that      
honest minds would readily find ample   
support from the scriptures  for all    
that is contained in this little volume4
 ,it is1 therefore1  commended to the   
faith and cordial reception of all who  
desire the  salvation of our ,lord and  

,saviour ,jesus ,christ1 in sincerity   
and truth4    ,,orson ,,spencer4        
,liverpool1 ,january #a1 #ahdh4         
,,letter ,,from ,,the ,,rev4 ,,william  
,,crowell1 ,a4 ,m4 ,,to ,,orson         
,,spencer1 ,a4 ,b4    ,boston1 ,october 
#ba1 #ahdb4    ,,my ,,dear ,,sir1--,on  
the confidence of an old acquaintance   
and kindly  intercourse1 ,i have long   
wished to address a friendly line to    
you2  for1 ,i am sure1 you have not     
forgotten the pleasant1 though brief1   
interviews which we enjoyed at          
,middlefield4 ,since ,i saw you there1  
a great change has taken place1 as ,i   
have been led to believe1 in  your      
religious views1 and a corresponding one
 in your relations and  circumstances2  
still1 ,i trust1 that you have not      
forgotten the claims  of friendship and 
acquaintance4    ,i need not tell you   
how much ,i became interested in your   
family--so  young and so full of        
promise--nor of the strong confidence   
which ,i  reposed in your piety and     

conscientious regard for the will of    
,god4 ,i  would not allow myself to     
believe that you would profess what you 
did  not sincerely believe1 nor that you
 would believe without good reasons2    
still the change in your views excited  
in me no little surprise4 ,i  have1     
therefore1 been desirous to receive from
 yourself an account  of your views1 and
 the reasons of your change4 ,i am also 
desirous to  obtain from one in whom ,i 
can confide--one who is acquainted with 
the facts--and one who is not prejudiced
 against it at the outset1  some account
 of the faith which you have embraced2  
of the personal  character1 doctrines1  
claims1 and influence of him who is     
called the  leader--,i mean ,joseph     
,smith4    ,does he claim to be         
inspired8 ,is he a man of prayer8 a man 
of pure  life8 a man of peace8 ,where is
 he now8 ,does he appear at the head of 
his troops as a military commander8     
,what is the nature of the worship      
among you1 and wherein does it differ   

from that of religious people  with whom
 you have been acquainted elsewhere8    
,how many inhabitants has the city of   
,nauvoo8 ,what is their condition1      
occupations1 and general character8     
,what are the dimensions of  the        
,temple1 now in course of erection8 ,do 
the ,mormons suffer much  persecution8  
if so1 from whom8 ,are the children     
instructed in learning  and religion8   
,it would give me great pleasure to     
learn1 also1 how you  are employed8     
whether your family are with you8 and   
also your present  views of truth and   
duty1 and in what respects they differ  
from the  views which you formerly      
entertained4    ,excuse the number and  
minuteness of these inquiries4 ,i take  
an interest  in all that affects the    
welfare of my fellow-men1 and especially
 in  what is so important as their      
religious views and hopes4 ,i am aware  
that the people1 and the views which you
 have adopted as your own1  are         
peculiarly liable to misrepresentation2 

but from you ,i may expect  something   
more impartial4 ,now1 if you do not find
 the task too great  a tax upon your    
time1 ,i should be much gratified in    
receiving as full  and as speedy an     
answer to the queries above proposed1   
with any other  information in your     
possession1 as may be convenient to     
yourself4    ,it may be gratifying to   
you1 to learn that a powerful revival of
  religion has been enjoyed in          
,middlefield1 within a few weeks        
past1--an  account of which1 ,mr4       
,bestor1 the present pastor1 has sent to
 me for  publication in ,the ,christian 
,watchman1 a copy of which ,i send you4 
,i  visited the town in the summer1 and 
found your old friends well4 ,i also    
attended a minister's meeting at        
,brother ,bestor's1 and enjoyed a very  
pleasant interview4 ,several of the     
brethren spoke of you in terms of       
kindness4    ,my best wishes attend you4
 ,present my regards to ,mrs4 ,spencer1 
and    ,believe me1    ,very truly      

yours1    ,,william ,,crowell4    ,p4   
,s4--,you will understand that ,i ask   
for information for my private  benefit 
and satisfaction4 ,i do not ask for     
anything to be published1  unless you   
see fit to give it for that purpose4 ,i 
wish you to write as  an old friend4    
,w4 ,c4        ,,letters ,,in ,,reply   
,,by ,,orson ,,spencer1 ,a4 ,b4         
,,letter ,i4    ,,general ,,introductory
 ,,remarks4    ,nauvoo ,november #ag1   
#ahdb4    ,my ,dear ,sir1--,i received  
yours of the #bast ult4 about a week    
since1 but  many engagements have       
prevented a more early reply4    ,your  
inquiries were interesting and          
important1 and ,i only regret that  ,i  
have not more time and room to answer   
them as their importance and  minuteness
 demand4    ,i am not at all surprised  
that my old friends should wonder at my 
change of views2 even to this day it is 
marvellous in my own eyes1  how ,i      
should be separated from my brethren to 
this 7,mormon7 faith4 ,i  greatly desire

 to see my ,baptist brethren face to    
face1 that ,i may tell  them all things 
pertaining to my views and this work2   
but1 at present1  the care of my wife   
and six children1 with the labours of a 
civil  office1 forbids this privilege4  
,a sheet of paper is a poor conductor of
 a marvellous and controverted  system  
of theology2 but receive this sheet as  
containing only some  broken hints upon 
which ,i hope to amplify in some better 
manner  hereafter4 ,you have expressed  
confidence in my former conscientious   
regard for the will of ,god4 ,i thank   
you for this1 because the virtues  of   
many good men have been disallowed upon 
some supposed forfeiture of  public     
esteem4 ,i thank ,god that you1 and many
 of the churches where ,i  once         
laboured1 are more liberal4    ,you1    
more than common men1 know that it is in
 accordance with all past  history1 that
 men's true characters suffer           
imprisonment1 scourging1  and death1 as 
soon as they become innovators or       

seceders from  long-established and     
venerated systems4 ,many have suffered  
martyrdom  for literary and also        
religious improvements1 to whom after   
ages have  done better justice4 ,which  
of the prophets have not your fathers   
persecuted1 and slain them which told   
before of the coming of the ,just  ,one8
    ,it was the misfortune of many of   
the former prophets1 that they were     
raised up at a period of the world when 
apostacy and corruption  rendered their 
efforts indispensable1 although such    
efforts proved  unacceptable to those   
who were in fault4 ,ancient prophets1   
you know1  did not merely reiterate what
 their predecessors had taught1 but     
spoke hidden wisdom1 even things that   
had been kept secret for many           
generations2 because the spirit by which
 they were moved had knowledge  of all  
truth1 and could disclose and reveal as 
it seemed wisdom in ,god4    ,the       
spirits that were disobedient1 while    
once the long-suffering of ,god  waited 

in the days of ,noah1 doubtless despised
 the prophet that taught  a universal   
deluge4 ,but ,noah had a special        
revelation of a deluge1  although the   
religious people of his day counted him 
an enthusiast4 ,the  revelation given to
 ,moses to gather an opprest people to a
 particular  place1 was equally one side
 of1 and out of the usual course of     
former  revelations4 ,john came to the  
literal followers of ,abraham and       
,moses2  but he escaped not persecution 
and death1 because he breathed an       
uncharitable and exclusive spirit       
towards the existing sects of the  day4 
,still he was a revelator and seer      
approved of ,god4    ,and is it a thing 
incredible with you1 brother1 that      
before the great  sabbatic era1 world's 
rest1 or millennium1 ,god should raise  
up a  prophet to prepare the people for 
that event1 and the second coming of    
,jesus ,christ8 ,would it be            
disagreeable to those who love the unity
  of ,saints1 or improbable or          

unscriptural to expect such a prophet to
  be possessed with the key of          
knowledge1 or endowed1 like ,peter1 with
  the stone of revelation8 ,if the many 
hundred religious sects of this  age    
should hereafter harmonize into one     
faith and brotherhood1 without  the aid 
of special revelations1 it would        
constitute an unparalleled  phenomenon4 
,should they become a bride fit to      
receive ,jesus ,christ  at his coming1  
it could not be according to ,paul's    
gospel4 ,for six  thousand years1       
apostles and prophets have constituted  
an essential  part of the spiritual     
edifice in which ,god dwells4 ,paul says
 it is by  them the church is perfected 
and brought to unity of faith4    ,i    
know that you and ,i have been taught   
from our childhood1 that the  church can
 be perfected without prophets2 but     
where1 ,i ask1 is the  first scripture  
to support this view8    ,as you kindly 
say1 ,i have always been accustomed to  
offer a reason for  my faith2 but be    

assured ,i was confounded and made dumb1
 when asked  why ,i taught another      
gospel than what ,paul did--why ,i      
taught that  revelation was ended1 when 
,paul did not--or why ,i taught that    
prophets  were not needed1 when no      
inspired teacher ever taught such a     
doctrine4  ,error may become venerable  
by age1 and respectable from the number 
of  its votaries1 but neither age nor   
popularity can ever make it truth4      
,you give me credit for a conscientious 
regard for the will of ,god4  ,it was   
this that gave me the victory where many
 others1 ,i fear1  are vanquished4 ,the 
spirit of ,god wrought mightily in me1  
commending  the ancient gospel to my    
conscience4 ,i contemplated it with     
peaceful  serenity and joy in believing4
 ,visions and dreams began to           
illuminate1  occasionally1 my slumbering
 moments2 but when ,i allowed my selfish
  propensities to speak1 ,i cursed      
,mormonism in my heart1 and regretted   
being in possession of as much light and

 knowledge as had flowed into  my mind  
from that source4 ,when ,i preached or  
conversed according to  my best         
convictions1 peace reigned in my heart1 
and truth enlarged  my understanding4   
,conviction and reverence for the truth1
 at such  times seemed to reign in the  
hearts of those that heard me2 at times1
  however1 some were ready to gnash     
their teeth1 for the truth that they    
would not receive and could not resist4 
,i counted the cost1 to myself and      
family1 of embracing such views1  until 
,i could read it like the child his     
alphabet1 either upward or  downward4   
,the expense ,i viewed through          
unavoidable tears1 both in  public and  
private1 by night and by day2 ,i said1  
however1 the ,lord ,he  is ,god1 ,i can1
 ,i will embrace the truth4    ,when ,i 
considered the weakness of the human    
mind1 and its liability  to be deceived1
 ,i re-examined and held converse with  
the most able  opposers to ,mormonism1  
in a meek and teachable spirit2 but the 

ease  with which many1 wearing a high   
profession of piety1 turned aside  the  
force of palpable truth1 or leaned on   
tradition or inextricable  difficulties1
 that they could not solve into harmony 
with their  professions1 was very far   
from dissuading me from my new views4   
,what  could ,i do8 ,truth had taken    
possession of my mind--plain1 simple1   
,bible  truth4 ,it might be asked if ,i 
could not expel it from my door2 yes1 ,i
  could do it2 but how would that       
harmonize with a sincere profession  to 
preach and practice the truth1 by way of
 example to others8 ,it was  a crisis ,i
 never shall--,i never can forget4 ,i   
remember it as an exodus  from parents1 
kindred1 denomination1 and temporal     
support4 ,has any  one ever passed such 
a crisis1 they will say1 at least1 be   
careful of  ,brother ,spencer's         
character and feelings4    ,little as ,i
 supposed that ,i cared about           
popularity1 competence1 or  the         
fellowship of those who were sincerely  

in error1 when ,i came to  be stretched 
upon the altar of sacrifice1 and the    
unsheathed blade  that was to exscind   
from all these hung over me with        
perpendicular  exactness2 then1 then1   
brother1 ,i cried unto the ,lord to     
strengthen me  to pass through the scene
 with his approbation4    ,while ,i was 
inquiring to know what the ,lord would  
have me to do1 many  brethren of        
different denominations warned and      
exhorted me faithfully2  but their      
warnings consisted very much in a lively
 exhibition of evils  to be endured1 if 
,i persisted2 or1 in other words1 they  
appealed to my  selfish nature4 ,but ,i 
knew too well that truth should not be  
abandoned  through the force of such    
appeals1 however eloquently urged4 ,some
  with whom ,i conversed1 gave glowing  
descriptions of the obnoxious  character
 of ,joseph ,smith1 and of the          
contradictory and unscriptural  jargon  
of the ,book of ,mormon1 but it was     
their misfortune usually to be          

deplorably ignorant of the true         
character of either4    ,of the truth of
 this statement many instances might be 
furnished1 if  the limits of my sheet   
would allow4 ,my own solicitude to know 
the  character of ,mr4 ,smith1 in order 
to judge of the doctrines propagated  by
 him1 was not so great as that of some  
others4 ,my aversion to the  worship of 
man1 is both educational and religious2 
but ,i said boldly1  concerning ,mr4    
,smith1 that whoever had arranged and   
harmonized such  a system of            
irresistible truth1 has borne good      
fruit4 ,some suggested  that it would be
 wisdom to make a personal acquaintance 
with ,mr4  ,smith1 previous to embracing
 his doctrines2 but to me the obligation
  to receive the truths of heaven seemed
 absolute1 whatever might be the        
character of ,mr4 ,smith4    ,i read    
diligently the ,book of ,mormon from    
beginning to end1 in close  connexion   
with the comments of ,origen ,bachelor1 
,laroy ,sunderland1  and ,dr4 ,hulburt1 

together with newspapers and some       
private letters  obtained from the      
surviving friends of ,mr4 ,spaulding1   
the supposed  author of that book4 ,i   
arose from its perusal with a strong    
conviction  on my mind1 that its pages  
were graced with the pen of inspiration4
 ,i  was surprised that so little fault 
could be found with a book of such      
magnitude1 treating1 as it did1 of such 
diversified subjects1 through  a period 
of so many generations4 ,it appeared to 
me1 that no enemy to  truth or godliness
 would ever take the least interest in  
publishing the  contents of such a book2
 such appeared to me to be its godly    
bearing1  sound morality1 and harmony   
with ancient scriptures1 that the enemy 
of  all righteousness might as well     
proclaim the dissolution of his own     
kingdom1 as to spread the contents of   
such a volume among men2 and  from that 
time to this1 every effort made by its  
enemies to demolish1  has only shown how
 invincible a fortress defends it4 ,if  

no greater  breach can be made upon it1 
than has hitherto been made by those    
who have attacked it with the greatest  
animosity and diligence1 its  overthrow 
may be considered a forlorn hope4 ,on   
this subject ,i only ask  the friends of
 pure religion to read the ,book of     
,mormon with the same  unprejudiced1    
prayerful1 and teachable spirit that    
they would recommend  unbelievers in the
 ancient scriptures to read those sacred
 records4 ,i  have not spoken of the    
external evidence of the truth of the   
,book of  ,mormon1 which is now worthy  
of much consideration2 but the internal 
evidence1 ,i think1 will satisfy every  
honest mind4 ,as you enquire after  the 
reasons that operated to change my mind 
to the present faith1 ,i  only remark   
that ,steven's ,travels had some        
influence1 as an external  evidence of  
the truth of the ,book of ,mormon4      
,my present view1 after which you also  
enquire1 is1 that the evidence1  both   
internal and external1 have been        

multiplied4 ,it may have caused         
surprise and wonder to many of my       
respected and distinguished friends  in 
,new ,england1 how ,i could ever        
renounce a respectable standing in the  
churches and in the ministry1 to adhere 
to a people so odious in every  one's   
mouth1 and so revolting to every one's  
natural liking2 the answer  in part is  
this3--,as soon as ,i discovered an     
identity in the doctrines  of the       
,latter-day ,saints and the ,ancient    
,saints1 ,i enquired whether  the       
treatment bestowed upon each was also   
similar4 ,i immediately  began to dig   
deep to find the foundation and         
corner-stone of the  true church2 ,i    
looked at the demeanour and character of
 those who  surrounded the ,ancient     
,saints4 ,the result of my observation  
seemed to  be1 that even ,jesus ,christ 
had many objectionable points of        
character  to those who observed him4   
,those who were reputedly most          
conversant  with ,abraham1 ,moses1 and  

other prophets of the ,lord1 pronounced 
him  unfit for the respect and          
confidence of a pious community2 and why
  did such men find so many             
objectionable points in the character   
and  conduct of ,jesus ,christ8 for     
substantially the same reasons that men 
of high intelligence and devotion find  
fault with ,joseph ,smith and his       
doctrines4 ,those who bore down with    
heavy opposition to ,jesus ,christ  were
 honourable men1 whose genealogy took in
 the worthiest ancestry2  they were the 
orthodox expositors of revealed truth4  
,those who now  oppose ,joseph ,smith 7a
 person ordained and sent forth by      
,jesus ,christ71  occupy the same high  
and respectable standing1 and manifest a
 similar  bearing towards the reputed   
impostor of the present day4 ,the       
ancient  worthies were the repositories 
of learning1 and so are the modern      
worthies4 ,the ancients taught many     
things according to truth and           
godliness1 and verily believed they were

 substantially right in faith  and      
practice2 this is also true of modern   
religious teachers4    ,but1 in reply to
 my own question1 why the ancient       
religionists opposed  ,jesus ,christ8 ,i
 answer2 in the first place1 they       
mistook his true  character and conduct2
 in the second place1 they were palpably
 ignorant  of the wisdom and godliness  
of many things in the character and     
conduct  of ,jesus ,christ2 they        
considered that there was absolutely a  
wide  difference in the views and       
conduct of ,jesus ,christ and           
themselves4  ,the same is true of many  
distinguished opposers to ,joseph       
,smith2 they  consider that there is an 
irreconcilable difference between       
themselves  and ,mr4 ,smith2 and ,mr4   
,smith1 of course1 is in the wrong1 and 
they are  in the right4    ,now let us  
consider1 first1 wherein the ancients   
mistook the character  of ,jesus        
,christ1 and modern opposers to ,mr4    
,smith do the same of him4  ,the true   

character of ,jesus ,christ was very    
imperfectly known to those  who opposed 
him in his own time4 ,many impostors    
that had preceded1 had  guarded the     
public mind against a repetition of     
further abuse4 ,he was  eyed with dark  
suspicion wherever he went4 ,it may well
 be supposed1  that sage precaution     
against him was vehemently urged1 lest  
through his  great subtlety he might    
mislead even some that were respectable4
 ,and  what could he do to disabuse the 
public mind8 ,prejudice and calumny     
outrun and prepared a thorny reception  
for him in all places2 and so  thick and
 dark was the fog and cloud of          
misapprehension and falsehood  that     
followed him1 that dark suspicions and  
foul inferences would  obtrude upon the 
minds even of the honest1 to weaken     
their convictions  in his behalf1 and   
shake their conclusions4 ,the tale of   
calumny never  lost in sharpness and    
effect by time or distance4    ,those   
who had not the privilege of a personal 

acquaintance with ,jesus1  might be     
supposed to have no interest in         
favouring a personage whose             
pretensions1 if countenanced1 would     
disturb their quietude1 and impugn      
their motives1 and threaten the         
prosperity of a system that they        
supposed as old as the days of ,abraham1
 and teachings as orthodox as  the      
sayings of ,moses4 ,but whatever was    
said or done by ,jesus that  could      
possibly be construed by prejudiced     
minds to his disadvantage1  these things
 were heeded with readiness1 and        
published in the social  circle1 and    
riveted by the butt of ridicule upon    
every mind2 and those  who loved to     
laugh at the expense of the innocent1   
could furnish stock  for the purpose1 by
 retailing tales about the supposed     
impostor1 that  had their origin in     
misapprehension and falsehood2 but they 
were well  received and cheered by those
 who affected grave reverence for the   
,supreme ,deity1 while they could       

trample with scorn 7unconsciously7 upon 
the brightness of ,his glory in the     
person of ,his ,son4    ,now let me ask 
if the character and conduct of ,mr4    
,smith is not equally  misunderstood by 
modern religionists4 ,mr4 ,smith only   
claims to be a  prophet1 raised up to   
usher in the last dispensation1 while   
,jesus  ,christ was more obnoxious in   
proportion to the superior magnitude of 
his claims as the ,son of ,god4 ,how    
difficult it is for persons1 in the     
present age1 to form a correct estimate 
of the true character and views  of ,mr4
 ,smith4 ,the public mind is always     
forestalled concerning him4 ,it  is     
taken to be sound orthodoxy that there  
is no more need of prophets  or         
revelations2 the canon of scripture is  
full2 consequently the man  that will   
claim to be a prophet1 or revelator1 and
 seer1 must be a base  impostor and     
knave4 ,with this educational prejudice1
 sanctioned by the  best men for a      
thousand years past1 and riveted by     

solemn vows to abide  in orthodoxy1 they
 see as though they saw not1 and hear as
 though they  heard not4    ,if         
excellent things are taught by ,mr4     
,smith1 it is considered by  prejudiced 
minds as a good bait employed to cover a
 well-barbed hook2  by many he is       
considered more detestable and          
dangerous1 because1 say  they1 if he did
 not mix so much good with his system1  
he would not be  so dangerous and so    
likely to deceive4    ,again1 can the   
people of this country obtain a correct 
knowledge of  the prophet through the   
religious prints8 ,i apprehend they     
never will4  ,those who control the     
religious prints1 conceive they know in 
the  premises1 that ,god has not raised 
up such a prophet1 therefore they  will 
not tarnish the columns of their        
periodicals by publishing any  thing    
favourable to him4 ,while they feel     
bound to withhold whatever  might       
commend the prophet to the favourable   
regards of impartial men1  they feel    

solemnly constrained to advertise the   
public of all rising  heresies4 ,thus   
while our supposed heresies are         
published from very  questionable data1 
our real virtues are buried in oblivion4
 ,we do not  murmur2 if ,jesus1 the     
master1 could not be known in his true  
character1  but said with mingled pity  
and forgiveness1 they know not what they
 do1  we cannot expect better treatment 
from those who know but little of us1   
while they say much to our disadvantage4
    ,paul did the ,ancient ,saints much 
harm1 and wasted them greatly1  being   
ignorant of their true character1 and   
unbelieving as to their  doctrines4 ,it 
is certain that ,latter-day ,saints have
 received much  harm from those who are 
ignorant of their character1 and        
unbelieving  as to their doctrines4     
,religious editors1 generally1 know very
 little  of us1 except what they have   
learned from our enemies4 ,jesus ,christ
  was entirely stript of his reputation 
by his enemies1 and was put to  death by

 learned1 yet ignorant1 zealots1 who    
were too self-wise to be  taught by one 
whom they knew to be an impostor in the 
start2 but those  men were mistaken in  
the character of our ,lord2 and so are  
our enemies  mistaken in the character  
and views of the modern prophet4    ,my 
own personal observation teaches that it
 is a very difficult matter  to instil  
into the minds of sectarian churches1 a 
true knowledge of the  faith and        
practice of ,latter-day ,saints4 ,though
 one should go among  them that was once
 highly esteemed by them1 they are      
alarmed at his  approach1 and his       
virtues are conceived to render him more
 deserving  of a repulse4 ,his          
influence1 say they1 may be formidable2 
we must not  bid him ,god speed1        
consequently he is not asked to pray in 
the family  or public meeting4 ,if he   
can1 by great effort1 get an opportunity
 to  preach1 it is not thought advisable
 for any body to go and hear him1  lest 
they should be led away by his errors4  

,thus you see1 brother1 how difficult in
 former and latter days to bring  the   
true faith to the knowledge of men1     
through prejudice4 ,they have  prejudged
 a matter of which they are almost      
wholly ignorant4 ,this same  notion of  
treating new matters has veiled the sun 
in darkness1 and  hung the ,prince of   
,life in agonies4 ,how long shall this  
treatment of  the ,saints be persisted  
in8 ,how long shall prophets be         
persecuted and  slain1 without being    
fully known1 and the servants of ,god be
 excluded  from an impartial hearing1   
when they seek to publish good          
tidings--even  salvation to the         
inhabitants of the earth8    ,now let me
 ask my former friends in the eastern   
churches1 with whom  ,i once held sweet 
intercourse1 how it is possible for the 
,latter-day  ,saints to introduce their 
views among the sectarian churches and  
the  world1 with any more favourable    
reception than the ,ancient ,saints  had
 in introducing theirs8 ,prejudice and  

persecution faced them down  always1 and
 so it is in these days4 ,it is         
certainly a mistaken idea  to suppose   
that people are much better now than    
they were anciently1  when the true     
gospel was misunderstood1 and its       
promoters sincerely  accounted          
disturbers1 and heretics worthy of      
exemplary punishment4  ,but1 say the    
wise and great men among the sectarian  
churches1 we  do understand the true    
gospel1 and have already embraced it1   
and it  is only error and heresy we     
oppose2 and the weight of our contempt  
and ridicule is hurled at impostors and 
knaves1 who palm off gross  deceptions  
upon the public1 and lead captive       
ignorant zealots by  pretended          
revelations and spurious miracles4 ,but 
do they not know that  substantially the
 same charge was brought against ,jesus 
,christ and the  primitive disciples4   
,let it be proved that we are what our  
enemies  call us2 let us file our       
respective pleas and come to a speedy   

and  impartial trial4 ,to this our      
opposers will not consent2 they intend  
to  employ all the advantage of         
education and prejudice to exclude us   
from  a hearing--so did the opposers of 
the ,ancient ,saints3 but ,i solemnly   
ask whether it has ever been necessary1 
in any moral enterprise1 for  those who 
have the truth on their side1 especially
 gospel truth1 to  defend that truth by 
foreclosing discussion1 and shunning    
public  investigation1 and then carry on
 their depredations by the use of such  
small arms as ridicule and preconceived 
objections1 that need only be  brought  
to light to be dissipated like fog in   
the meridian sun8    ,do temperance     
lecturers1 bible and education agents1  
and other  moral reformers find it      
necessary to carry on their enterprises 
by  such means8 ,do they seek to avoid  
an open and frank discussion with  the  
intemperate portions of the community8  
,do they avoid a manly  investigation   
because the intemperate portions of the 

community  combine1 in their life and   
conduct1 beastly sottishness1 unprovoked
  abuse to wives and children1 a        
prodigal waste of competence and ample  
fortunes1 and the overthrow of          
intellect1 and the dissolution of all   
moral ties8 ,no1 by no means6 ,they seek
 the broad day light of public          
discussion1 because they know the truth 
and power of that side of the  cause    
which they have espoused4 ,they know    
that intemperance cannot  survive the   
impartial observation of good men4 ,all 
we ask is that the  word of ,god may    
have free course4 ,we wish that it may  
come distinctly  to the knowledge of    
men1 that they may sit in impartial     
judgment upon  it4    ,by the word of   
,god1 we mean not only what was revealed
 for the  ancients especially1 but also 
what is now revealed for this           
generation4 ,oh6 says the objector1 he  
wants the word of ,joseph ,smith to     
have a free circulation1 and this we    
oppose1 because it is blasphemous  and  

preposterous4 ,yes1 we want the word of 
,god by ,joseph ,smith1 to be  known and
 read of all men1 because it is written 
not with ink1 but by  the spirit of the 
living ,god4 ,what were ,peter1 ,elijah1
 or ,moses1 but  earthen vessels1 by    
whom ,god communicated his own          
knowledge1 power1  and glory8 ,does not 
the word by ,joseph commend itself to   
every man's  conscience where it is     
heard with due candour8 ,i have never   
seen that  person who had read the ,book
 of ,mormon1 and the ,book of ,doctrine 
and  ,covenants entirely through1 with  
an earnest desire to know whether it    
was of ,god or not1 who could raise any 
worthy objection against them4  ,a few  
isolated portions of these books are    
often selected out and made  to speak   
some other besides their true meaning1  
and thereby a dislike  for these books  
is created2 consequently1 some refuse to
 read them at  all1 while some others   
read only to confirm their              
prepossessions and  prejudices2 and     

superficial inquirers hear with         
credulity that such a  minister1 editor1
 or professor of some ,college1 has     
published an expos  or refutation of    
,mormonism1 that will inflict a fatal   
wound upon  this glaring and blasphemous
 heresy4    ,now it is well known that  
the novelties of this age are so many   
and  so various1 that no man has time to
 examine into them all2 and many        
consider that a hint from a pious       
editor1 or distinguished reviewer       
against ,mormonism1 is sufficient       
apology for them not to examine  it4    
,now under these considerations1 it is  
easy to divine that the  doctrines of   
the ,latter-day ,saints must travel     
through obstacles and  difficulties of  
the greatest magnitude2 and ,i am ready1
 dear brother1  to mourn over the       
prospect1 because many bad men1 and some
 good men1  will fight against the      
faith1 not knowing what they do4 ,my    
bosom heaves  with the deeper concern1  
because ,i know this to be the true     

gospel1  and that it will prevail1 even 
though the foe should be so great and   
powerful as the ,lord's enemies were in 
the days of ,noah4 ,pardon my  assurance
 when ,i say that those beautiful       
systems1 called benevolent  operations1 
must come to nought2 not because they   
are not honestly  designed for some good
 effect1 but because they are a mixture 
of human  device with the wisdom of     
,god1 or the gospel perverted4 ,i know1 
too1  that these beautiful systems1     
together with the various orders of     
sectarianism1 cannot well be vanquished 
without a desperate struggle  ensue4    
,sectarianism is old and venerable1 and 
having undergone many  costly repairs1  
without much substantial improvement1 it
 never can be  demolished without       
violent resistance4 ,there is an air of 
sacredness  around it that will         
stimulate its votaries insensibly2 and  
when they  are assailed by the strong   
hand of ,bible truth1 rather than see   
their  fortress taken by the illiterate 

followers of the despised prophet1  will
 summon to their aid the worst passions1
 and push matters to the  greatest      
extremities4 ,these remarks are amply   
supported by the history  of the past1  
both in respect to ,former and          
,latter-day ,saints4    ,see the ancient
 ,jew of our ,lord's day--his piety was 
scrupulously  exact--he knew the worth  
of his religion by the pains and expense
 it  had cost him4 ,every thing had with
 great trouble been fashioned into  a   
system of sacredness4 ,they had been    
striving hard for a beautiful  system of
 perfection that would commend them to  
,god1 and mourned that  any of          
,abraham's children should teach that   
there was no resurrection1  c41 and not 
harmonize with them in bearing heavy    
burdens in order  to save men's souls4  
,and when an obscure personage sprung   
up1 and  broke over their rules of      
piety1 and mingled with the profane     
without  ceremonious washing1 and was   
seen to drink wine1 probably1 and eat   

with  the boisterous and odious classes1
 without pretending to wash away  the   
contagion that accrued1 and to travel on
 the ,sabbath day1 and to  pluck ears of
 corn without any signs of confession1  
and to heap harsh  sounding and heavy   
anathemas upon the most intelligent and 
devoted men  of the age1 and claim to be
 a prophet1 while he ignorantly         
conversed  with an adulterous woman4    
,all this1 the scrupulous ,jew could    
not1  and would not1 bear2 and his anger
 was heightened to madness when he      
found that many adhered to the new      
teacher1 and occasionally a person  of  
wealth and standing was won over to the 
impostor by his artifice  and jugglery4 
,and as the influence of this odious    
personage spread1  especially among the 
common people1 who had not sufficient   
sagacity to  detect his fraudulent      
tricks2 and as the orthodoxy and piety  
of the  children of ,abraham and ,moses 
began to be suspected1 and suspicion    
even preached in synagogues that were   

too holy for such pollution1 the        
devoted children of ,abraham became     
exasperated4 ,if we let him alone1  say 
they1 all men will believe on him4      
,fearful to use the rod and  power1 by  
reason of the ,romans1 to the utmost    
rigour1 they1 at first1  sought to      
render him obnoxious to ,caesar2 but as 
measures successively  failed1 they     
thirsted for his blood until their pious
 malice was  glutted in his expiring    
agonies4 ,then thought they1 every body 
may know  that his miracles are all a   
humbug1 because he could not save       
himself4    ,now1 brother1 ,i ask you to
 stop and make a full pause by way of   
reflection4 ,how do devoted sectarians  
entertain the ,latter-day ,saints8  ,not
 surely by a candid exposure of our     
errors1 coupled with a patient  effort  
to reclaim us4 ,by no means1 said a     
highly respectable  deaconess1 ,brother 
,spencer1 ,i would rather have heard    
that you were  dead4 ,she knew in the   
general that ,i had embraced ,mormonism2

 but of  the true character of          
,mormonism she was grossly ignorant2 and
 she was  actually driven into fits when
 she found ,i defended the doctrines of 
,latter-day ,saints4 ,look at the       
conduct of devoted sectarians towards   
the ,latter-day ,saints1 and mark the   
resemblance to that of ancient ,jews  to
 former ,saints4 ,the same proscriptive 
spirit reigns now as then1--  the same  
spirit that dictated expulsion from the 
synagogue then1 now  closes the doors of
 meetinghouses against us1--the same    
spirit that  closed men's ears against  
the burning eloquence of ,stephen then1 
counsels men not to hear or go nigh     
,mormon preachers now4    ,you ask ,if  
the ,latter-day ,saints are persecuted2 
if so1 by whom are  they persecuted8    
,the answer is a painful one1 because it
 inculpates  those who were bound to us 
by many tender ties4 ,as a people we    
have  been truly persecuted from the    
beginning4    ,from the moment we       
embrace this doctrine1 in most cases we 

are  virtually banished from friends1   
and rank1 and station1 and business4    
,says the venerated father1 if you have 
embraced that doctrine1 my son1  ,i     
never want to see your face any more4   
,says the partner in trade1 if  you are 
a ,mormon1 we must dissolve partnership 
forthwith4 ,if such an  one occupying an
 important office of profit and honour  
does not give  up his ,mormonism1 we    
will sue him at the law1 and calumniate 
him1 and  embarrass him until he is     
ousted and broken up1 and obliged to    
leave  our village4 ,we are separated   
from men's company1 while the           
licentious1  and profane1 and           
intemperate are suffered to dwell in    
peace2 while our  opposers cherish to   
their bosom the rankest infidels1 they  
repulse us  with disdain2 though none   
can point out ought wherein we differ   
from  the ancient apostles and prophets4
 ,almost daily my eyes behold those  who
 have suffered too much to mention2 but 
,i would rather refer you to  printed   

documents1 than to attempt a description
 of the sufferings of  our people in    
,missouri4 ,from forty to sixty of our  
brethren suffered  death1 by violent    
hands1 in ,missouri1 and as many more1  
in consequence  of the abuse and        
privations to which they were exposed by
 an infuriated  and bloodthirsty mob2   
and the disappointment1 privation1 and  
homeless  condition of survivors was    
very great4 ,many widows and orphans    
knew not  what to do1 having just begun 
to live in a comfortable and thriving   
manner4 ,they had almost forgotten their
 first sorrow of parting from  early    
friends and possessions1 when lo6 the   
hideous mob came upon them2  at one blow
 their homes were made desolate2 in some
 instances father  and son were no more2
 their sufferings in planting themselves
 anew in  this ,state1 without means or 
friends1 though ,i have often heard them
  told1 ,i will not attempt to rehearse4
    ,perhaps some will say1 we          
understand the ,mormons were in fault in

  that matter1 and brought merited      
sufferings upon themselves by their     
misconduct4 ,the same has always been   
understood to be true of all  persecuted
 ,saints4 ,the greater part of people   
probably thought ,stephen  deserved the 
punishment that terminated his life4    
,the same might be  said of ,john the   
,baptist1 who meddled with the          
matrimonial concerns  of those who did  
not acknowledge his ecclesiastical      
jurisdiction4 ,the  prophet ,elijah was 
designated to death because he troubled 
,israel4  ,daniel refused lawful        
obedience to the established governor of
 the  realm4 ,in short1 persecutors in  
every age1 have always had a plausible  
pretext for their doings1 in the popular
 estimation of their own day  and age4  
,you ask1 ,by whom we are persecuted8   
,in reply ,i could mention as           
instigators of mobs1 the names of a     
,baptist missionary1 a ,methodist  and  
,presbyterian minister4 ,you may also be
 apprised that ex-,governor  ,boggs1 of 

,missouri1 made affidavit that ,joseph  
,smith was accessory to  an attempt to  
murder him2 and that ,governor ,carlin1 
of ,illinois1 in  the face of           
superabundant testimony and law1 gave a 
warrant to arrest  him 7,joseph ,smith7 
on that affidavit4 ,a heavy reward has  
been offered  for his apprehension1 and 
bold menaces are occasionally hung over 
our  heads1 that we1 as a people1 shall 
be driven from the ,state4 ,these       
things have a tendency to check our     
prosperity4 ,in one instance some  of   
our brethren were kidnapped by          
,missourians from this ,state1 and put  
to shame and scourging4 ,the malignant  
and vexatious lawsuits to which  our    
people have been subject1 are           
exceedingly numerous2 and owing to  our 
impoverished condition1 rendered        
sometimes distressing4 ,but none  of    
these things move us1 because we know   
that if they have hated the  master1    
they will also hate the disciples4 ,such
 as are born of the bond  woman1 will   

persecute them that are born of the free
 woman4 ,but it  seems like a           
discouraging effort1 to attempt to      
convince our opposers  that we are      
persecuted1 because editors and other   
philanthropic men are  reluctant to tell
 to the public our side of the matter4  
,they themselves  would thereby become  
suspected of espousing our cause4 ,men  
are so  sensitive on the subject of our 
religion1 that whoever speaks peaceably 
of it1 perils his influence and         
reputation2 but hireling editors and    
priests will speak and publish against  
us4    ,you ask me to give an account of
 the faith which ,i have embraced4 ,i   
believe that ,jesus ,christ is ,god1    
co-eternal with ,god the ,father2 and   
that such as have the knowledge of the  
gospel and believe upon him1  will be   
saved2 and such as believe not1 will be 
damned4 ,i believe the  ,old and ,new   
,testaments to be the word of ,god4 ,i  
believe that every  person should be    
born1 not only of the spirit1 but also  

of the water1  in order to enter into   
the kingdom of ,god4 ,there are three   
that bear  witness on earth1 as there   
are three that bear record in           
heaven--the  spirit1 the water1 and the 
blood1 bear concurrent testimony to our 
obedience on earth2 for the want of any 
one1 or all of these witnesses  on      
earth1 in our favour1 there will be no  
registry of our perfect  acceptance in  
heaven4 ,hence the baptism for the dead4
 ,the righteous  dead have a merciful   
provision made for them in the testimony
 of the  three witnesses on earth1 which
 secures a record of their perfect      
acceptance in heaven1 without which they
 cannot attain to the highest  glory4 ,i
 believe in the resurrection of the     
dead1 the righteous to life  eternal1   
and the wicked to shame and everlasting 
contempt4 ,i believe  that repentance   
towards ,god1 and faith in our ,lord    
,jesus ,christ1 are  among the          
elementary and cardinal truths of the   
gospel4    ,in some1 and1 indeed1 many  

respects do we differ from sectarian    
denominations4 ,we believe that ,god is 
a being that has both body and  parts1  
and also passions2 also in the existence
 of the gifts in the  true church spoken
 of in ,st4 ,paul's letter to the       
,corinthians4    ,i believe that every  
church1 in gospel order1 has a          
priesthood1  consisting of prophets1    
apostles1 elders1 c41 and that the      
knowledge  and power of a priesthood1   
ordained of ,god1 as the ancient        
priesthood  was1 is indispensably       
necessary to the prosperity of the      
church4 ,i do  not believe that the     
canon of sacred scripture was closed    
with the  revelation of ,john1 but      
believe that wherever ,god has a true   
church1  there he makes frequent        
revelations of his will3 and as ,god    
takes  cognizance of all things1 both   
temporal and spiritual1 his revelations 
will pertain to all things whereby his  
glory may be promoted1 and  the temporal
 and spiritual well-being of his people 

advanced4 ,any  people that are         
destitute of the teachings of prophets  
and apostles1  which come by immediate  
revelation1 will soon fall into         
divisions and  strifes1 and depart from 
the truth as it is in ,jesus4    ,you   
wish to know1 ,what is the personal     
character and influence1  doctrines and 
claims of him who is called the leader1 
,joseph ,smith8  ,joseph ,smith1 when   
the great designs of heaven were first  
made known  to him1 was not far from the
 age of seventeen2 from that time to    
this  he has had much said about him1   
both of a favourable and unfavourable   
nature4 ,i shall only speak of his      
character as ,i believe it to be from   
an intimate acquaintance of more than   
one year1 and from an intimate          
acquaintance with those who have been   
with him many years4 ,no man is  more   
narrowly watched by friends and enemies 
than ,mr4 ,joseph ,smith2  consequently1
 if he were as good a man as any prophet
 that has preceded  him1 he would have  

as violent enemies as others have had4  
,but ,i hasten  to give my own opinion4 
,i firmly avow1 in the presence of ,god1
 that ,i believe ,mr4 ,joseph ,smith  to
 be an upright man1 that seeks the glory
 of ,god in such a manner  as is well   
pleasing to the ,most ,high ,god4       
,naturally he is kind and  obliging2    
pitiful and courteous2 as far from      
dissimulation as any man2  frank and    
loquacious to all men1 friends or foes4 
,he seems to employ  no studied effort  
to guard himself against                
misrepresentation1 but  often leaves    
himself exposed to misconstructions by  
those who watch  for faults4 ,he is     
remarkably cheerful for one who has seen
 well-tried  friends martyred around    
him1 and felt the inflictions of        
calumny--the  vexation of lawsuits--the 
treachery of intimates--and multiplied  
violent attempts upon his person and    
life1 together with the cares  of much  
business4 ,his influence1 after which   
you inquire1 is very  great4 ,his       

friends are as ardently attached to him 
as his enemies are  violently opposed4  
,free toleration is given to all        
opposing religions1  but wherever he is 
accredited as a prophet of the living   
,god1 there  you will perceive his      
influence must be great4 ,that lurking  
fear and  suspicion that he may become a
 dictator or despot1 gradually gives    
place to confidence and fondness1 as    
believers become acquainted with  him4  
,in doctrine1 ,mr4 ,smith is eminently  
scriptural4 ,i have never known him  to 
deny or depreciate a single truth of the
 ,old and ,new ,testaments1  but ,i have
 always known him to explain and defend 
them in a masterly  manner4 ,being      
anointed of ,god1 for the purpose of    
teaching and  perfecting the church1 it 
is needful that he should know how to   
set  in order the things that are       
wanting1 and to bring forth things new  
and old1 as a scribe well instructed4   
,this office and apostleship he  appears
 to magnify2 at his touch the ancient   

prophets spring into life1  and the     
beauty and power of their revelations   
are made to commend  themselves with    
thrilling interest to all that hear4    
,you inquire1 ,does he claim to be      
inspired8 ,certainly he does claim to   
be inspired4 ,he often speaks in the    
name of the ,lord1 which would be  rank 
hypocrisy and mockery1 if he were not   
inspired to do it4 ,it seems  very      
difficult for those who stand at the    
distance of many generations  from the  
true prophets1 to realize what prophets 
are1 and what ought  to be expected from
 them4 ,i do not chide them for their   
ignorance  and folly1 however1 because  
,i have nothing to boast of1 previous   
to embracing the faith of the           
,latter-day ,saints4 ,i understand that 
prophets may speak as they are moved by 
the ,holy ,ghost at one time1  while    
they may be very far from being moved by
 the ,holy ,ghost as they  speak at     
another4 ,they may be endowed with power
 to perform miracles  and mighty deeds  

at one time1 while they have no         
authority1 and there  is no suitableness
 in doing the same at another time4     
,you ask1 ,is he a man of prayer1 of a  
pure life1 of peace8 ,does he  appear at
 the head of his troops as a military   
commander8 ,these  questions ,i answer1 
according to the best knowledge ,i have1
 in the  affirmative4 ,as a people1 we  
perform military duty as the laws of the
  ,state of ,illinois enjoin and        
require4 ,the legion answers the purpose
  to keep the lawless and mobocratic at 
a respectful distance2 and the  more    
earthquake and storm our enemies raise  
about the ,nauvoo ,legion1  and a       
military chieftain like the ancient     
,mahomet1 the greater fear and  dread of
 us will be conveyed to the minds of the
 lawless1 who watch for  prey1 and      
spoil1 and booty4 ,i can assure you1    
that neither ,mr4 ,smith1  nor any other
 intelligent ,latter-day ,saint1 ever   
intends to make one  convert by the     
sword2 neither are we such tee-total    

peacemakers1 that  any savage banditti  
of lawless depredators could waste our  
property1  violate virtue1 and shed     
innocent blood1 without experiencing    
from us a  firm defence of law1 of      
right1 and innocence4 ,we are to this   
day very  sensitive to a repetition of  
past wrongs that we still smart under4  
,the  ,lord our ,god1 who was once      
called 7by a man after his own heart7 a 
man of war1 we trust will be our defence
 and strong tower in the day  of battle1
 if our country should ever call us to  
scenes of carnage and  blood4    ,you   
ask1 ,what is the nature of the worship 
among you1 and wherein  does it differ  
from that of religious people with whom 
you have been  acquainted elsewhere8 ,on
 the sabbath some person usually        
preaches a  sermon after prayer and     
singing1 and1 perhaps1 reading some     
scripture4  ,we have1 also1 frequent    
prayer meetings1 in which all that are  
so  disposed may join4 ,the gifts are   
variously exercised1 sometimes in the   

way of prophecy1 or in tongues2         
sometimes in discerning of spirits1 or  
interpretation of tongues4 ,the         
ordinance of baptism1 together with the 
imposition of hands for the gift of the 
,holy ,ghost1 is administered  as       
occasion may require4 ,thus you will    
perceive that our worship  differs from 
what we both have been accustomed to in 
times that are  past4--,anxious seats   
and inquiry meetings1 c41 are not in use
 at  all with us2 although converts to  
our faith have swelled our numbers      
greatly in every year that is past1 yet 
we are very far from employing  any     
blustering effort to convert men4 ,the  
spirit of ,god attends the  truth with  
sufficient power to save the upright2   
while those that hold  the truth in     
unrighteousness1 and contend with it1   
are beyond the  legitimate exercise of  
divine power to save1 and are led       
captive by the  devil at his will4      
,our worship differs from that of other 
religious people1 inasmuch as  we have  

the knowledge of ,god1 and the true     
doctrine and order of his  kingdom1     
beyond all perplexing doubt and         
diversity of opinion4 ,it is  utterly   
impossible for intelligent and devoted  
sectarian clergy to lead  their hearers 
into any considerable knowledge of ,god1
 for this very  potent reason1 that they
 neither know much of him themselves1   
nor1  indeed1 have they the means of    
knowing him4 ,for this they are not at  
all culpable2 but the fact is1          
nevertheless1 incontrovertible4    ,i do
 not now speak to please men1 nor to    
mortify them1 but ,i know it to  be     
true1 my brother1 and therefore speak it
 boldly4 ,are you offended8  ,will you  
stop here and throw down my letter with 
contempt1 as though an  ignorant upstart
 had abused you8 ,if ,i write plainly1  
it is with deep  and painful emotions4  
,while writing ,i can hardly suppress a 
flood of  tears4 ,i know the dilemma in 
which many of my religious brethren are 
placed1 and the extreme difficulty of   

approaching them2 but whether  they hear
 or forbear1 ,i must tell them that it  
is out of their power to  attain to any 
considerable knowledge of the true and  
living ,god4 ,but1  say they1 have we   
not got the good old ,bible1 which makes
 men wise unto  salvation8 ,you have1   
indeed1 those venerable truths which    
have many  ages since made men wise unto
 salvation2 and those truths will teach 
you1 if you take heed to them1 that the 
,gentiles have been broken off  from the
 covenant favour of ,god as the ,jews   
were4 ,but these scriptures  cannot     
impart to you the gifts of the ,holy    
,ghost2 they cannot ordain  and qualify 
you to teach and preach the gospel1 and 
administer the  ordinances2 they cannot 
give you promises and revelations that  
are  expressly for you4    ,when the    
apostle ,paul was in danger of being    
shipwrecked with his crew  7see ,acts of
 ,apostles71 it would have been poor    
consolation to him  to read the ancient 
history of ,jonah's shipwreck1 and pray 

over the  subject in order to know how  
the voyage would result to him2 but how 
much greater his consolation1 and how   
much more certain his knowledge1  when  
,god ministers to him by visions and    
angels1 and promises both him  and the  
crew preservation4 ,philip wanted no    
better assurance of his  duty to go to  
,gaza1 than for an angel of ,god to tell
 him to go2 but if  he had pored over   
ancient revelations1 with prayerful     
anxiety1 in order  to know the same1 it 
would have been a poor guide4 ,the ,new 
,testament  ,saints did not lean upon   
,old ,testament revelations for the     
knowledge of  present duties1 or for aid
 in their present contingencies2 they   
looked  directly to ,god for present    
fresh instruction and aid--they obtained
  what they looked for4    ,the ancient 
,jews 7contemporary with ,christ71 that 
leaned on the  venerated sayings of     
,abraham and ,moses1 and other old      
prophets1 abode  in darkness1 and became
 the prey of foul spirits1 while the    

advocates  of present revelations were  
mighty through ,god1 in signs and       
wonders1  and marvellous deeds4    ,now1
 let the religious people of this day   
depend exclusively upon the  ancient    
scriptures1 rejecting present           
revelations1 and they will be  filled   
with ignorance1 and the spirit of       
unrighteousness will possess  them2 and 
they cannot act with that certainty and 
power that those can1  who know for     
themselves by immediate revelation4 ,but
 ,i have said it is  impossible for them
 to know much of the true ,god3 the     
careful observer  knows1 that what one  
sect or denomination teaches for        
doctrine1 another  will controvert and  
deny4 ,there is not that power in the   
doctrine of  any one sect that gives    
them much ascendancy over any other     
sect4 ,the  doctrines of all sects1     
though adverse to each other1 are about 
equally  weighty and plausible2 no one  
gets any considerable ascendancy2 if    
there appears to be light in one sect   

over another sect1 it shows an  equal   
amount of an opposite character4    ,it 
is an acknowledged duty of parents1 in  
this church1 to teach their  children   
the elementary principles of religion1  
training them up in  the way they should
 go4 ,you ask if they are instructed in 
learning4  ,as a people we aim most     
diligently to give our children         
learning4 ,our  persecutions1           
oppressions1 and poverty have operated  
greatly to the  disadvantage of our     
children2 still we have a chartered     
,university1  that promises much benefit
 to us2 and common schools are          
extensively  multiplying throughout the 
city4    ,the present population of the 
city is from ten to twelve thousand4    
,you  ask1 ,what is their condition1    
occupation1 and general character8 ,the 
condition of the people is as prosperous
 as circumstances will permit4  ,many of
 them1 like ,jacob of old1 have left a  
good patrimony at home  that they are   
not benefitted from1 by reason of their 

being every where  spoken against2 but  
though they had nothing but their staff 
in hand1  and a little bundle upon their
 back when they came1 they have now in  
many instances a comfortable cottage1 a 
flourishing garden1 and a good  cow4    
,there are many instances of families   
being subject to privations1  beyond    
what they were accustomed to in early   
days2 and there are some  instances of  
deep penury1 through sickness1          
persecution1 and other  uncontrollable  
causes2 and there are also instances of 
wealth2 but  be assured1 sir1 there is  
not a more contented and cheerful people
  to be found4 ,families will consent to
 let father and brother go out          
preaching1 when their daily bread is    
barely supplied for a few months4       
,believing as we do1 that these are the 
last days1 and that signal  matters     
await this generation2 and that the     
harvest must be gathered  soon1 if at   
all1 you must not marvel if we do not   
all at once become  rich1 and build     

large houses1 and enclose productive    
farms4 ,if riches  were our object1 we  
might readily gratify the most ambitious
 grasp4  ,we possess every facility for 
being rich1 but we long to behold the   
beauty of the ,lord1 and inquire in his 
holy temple4 ,the place of his          
sanctuary1 which we greatly desire to   
beautify1 is a site of surpassing       
natural beauty4 ,upon it stands the     
incomplete structure of a temple2  in   
dimensions1 a little over one hundred   
and twenty-eight feet long1  by         
eighty-eight feet wide1 to be elevated  
in height a little under  sixty feet2   
the walls are made of a well-wrought    
handsome stone4 ,the  inhabitants are   
very industrious1 being occupied in     
agriculture and the  various mechanical 
arts4    ,our people are mostly the     
working class of the community1 from the
  ,united ,states1 and ,great ,britain  
and her ,provinces4 ,they are a very    
intelligent people1 especially so far as
 common sense and a general  knowledge  

of men and things are concerned4    ,our
 ,elders are versed in religious        
polemics1 from discussions in the       
pulpit1 stage1 bar-room1 canal1 and     
steam-boat1 of the fireside and  highway
 side3 and1 perhaps1 you are not aware  
that many1 very many1 are  from the most
 enlightened portion of ,new ,england2  
men that have been  rocked in the cradle
 of orthodoxy and liberty2 accustomed to
 fatigue1  privation1 and opposition2   
and knowing that their religion has more
  light and truth1 and the power of the 
,holy ,ghost to support it1 than  any   
other that has existed since the days of
 the apostles1 they are  prepared to    
endure all things with the assurance    
that their reward is  great in heaven4  
,you wish to know the general character 
of the people4 ,there is probably  less 
profanity1 drunkenness1 lewdness1 theft1
 fighting1 gambling1 and                
tavern-haunting1 than in any other city 
of the same magnitude4    ,but ,i must  
close my answer to your many and minute 

inquiries1 having  already protracted   
them beyond my original design4 ,your   
letter contains  many important         
inquiries1 similar indeed to what ,i    
have received from  other distinguished 
friends from different parts of the     
,union4 ,you will  accept my apology for
 not answering at an earlier date2 and  
though ,i  design this epistle to be a  
general answer to all similar inquiries1
  yet shall hereafter readily           
reciprocate all private communications  
in  the usual method of friendship and  
affection4    ,most sincerely and truly 
yours1    ,,orson ,,spencer4            
,,letter ,,ii4    ,,immediate           
,,revelation4    ,liverpool1 ,may #ae1  
#ahdg4    ,reverend ,sir1--,agreeable to
 promise made in my first answer to your
  letter1 ,i now resume my pen to inform
 you1 in a series of letters1 of  the   
distinguishing tenets of the ,church of 
,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day  ,saints1 
according to the faith which ,i myself  
do entertain1 with all  sobriety and    

integrity of heart1 before ,god and all 
good men4 ,i had  hoped1 however1 that  
more leisure would have favoured me1 not
 only that  ,i might more minutely and  
perspicuously maintain the primitive    
faith1  but also do it in such          
conciseness and embellishment of        
diction1 as  both to please and         
enlighten4    ,the first subject to     
which ,i will invite your attention will
 be that  of ,,immediate ,,revelation4  
,it shall be my direct aim to show in   
this  letter1 that no person ever did   
partake of the gospel of salvation1 or  
ever will partake of it1 without the    
spirit of revelation dwelling  in his   
breast4 ,this is the first and also the 
last round in the ladder  that leads to 
the perfect knowledge of ,god4 ,without 
the same spirit  of revelation that     
dwelt in the breasts of prophets1       
patriarchs1 and  apostles in ancient    
time1 no man can begin to know ,god1    
neither can  any man or set of men make 
any progress in the knowledge of ,god1  

when  that spirit is withdrawn from him4
    ,a word from the mouth of the ,great
 ,arbitrator of all controversy ought   
to suffice4 ,,he1 ,,the ,,great ,,god   
,,and ,,judge ,,of ,,all1 has said that 
no man  knoweth the ,father but the     
,son1 and no man knoweth the ,son but he
 to  whom the ,son revealeth him4 ,words
 cannot bear a plainer import4 ,if any  
man knows ,jesus ,christ1 it is by      
revelation1 and in no other way can  he 
be known4 ,will you say that apostles   
and prophets know him in this  way2     
while others may know him without       
themselves being gifted with  the spirit
 of revelation8 ,absurd6 ,others must   
know him by revelation  as much as      
apostles and prophets4 ,if they have not
 the spirit of  revelation1 they cannot 
judge what is a genuine and infallible  
revelation when it proceeds from the pen
 of apostles1 or even the  lips of      
angels1 or of ,god himself2 for the     
things of the ,spirit are  correctly    
judged only by those who have the same  

spirit2 hence all men  must not only be 
born of the spirit1 but likewise be     
baptized into  one and the same spirit4 
,this spirit is the ,spirit of ,god1 and
 nothing less2 and the ,spirit  of ,god 
is the spirit of revelation1 because it 
is expressly declared  that the spirit  
takes of the things of ,god1 and shows  
them unto men3  even the deep things of 
,god are searched out and dispensed to  
men  for their comfort and the          
illumination of their minds4 ,hence     
,jesus  declared that he would send them
 another comforter1 even the spirit  of 
truth2 and the office of this spirit of 
truth was to lead into all  truth4 ,by  
this means we perceive that the         
universal store-house of  all truth is  
thrown open and rendered available to   
such as have been  properly baptized    
into the spirit1 as their occasion may  
demand4 ,even  the apostles were forbid 
to go out and preach until they were    
endowed  with the gift of the ,holy     
,ghost4 ,after they should receive this 

gift1  it would then become their duty  
to impart it unto all others freely1 by 
the imposition of hands1 who should obey
 the gospel4 ,males and females  were to
 partake of it1 and see in vision things
 to come1 and have  their remembrance of
 things past quickened into vivid and   
unambiguous  recollection4    ,it was   
this spirit of revelation that gave to  
the primitive church  the power of      
godliness2 for it was simply the ,holy  
,spirit of ,god that  rendered the      
gospel the power of ,god unto salvation 
to them that  believed2 for therein was 
the righteousness of ,god revealed from 
faith to faith4 ,the gospel never took  
any effect upon men's hearts1  unless   
the ,spirit of ,god attended it4        
,whenever ,god takes away from the      
church the spirit of revelation1 he     
thereby takes away the light of the     
church--the good spirit of the church1  
and the truth and integrity of  the     
church1 and the comfort of the church1  
and also the power of it4 ,it  becomes  

like the branch without sap1 or the pale
 mortal corpse without  the living      
spirit4    ,a church that is built upon 
the principle of revelation by the ,holy
  ,spirit can never be prevailed against
 while that spirit continues  with it4  
,it then becomes the power of ,god      
personified4 ,mere men and              
women--servants and                     
handmaidens--attended by the ,holy      
,spirit of ,god1  know about men and    
things1 and matters and events1 even as 
,god knows2  because they have precisely
 the same spirit that ,god has4 ,things 
that  never entered the heart of man to 
conceive1 and things that the tongue    
could never utter1 are revealed by the  
,spirit of ,god4 ,as bodily eyes  are to
 the corporal organization 7causing all 
that wide difference that  exists       
between him that sees and one that is   
wholly blind7 so are the  eyes of       
intelligence which the ,spirit imparts  
to a believer1 whereby  he comprehends  
the different spirits of men from time  

to time1 and  sees events in the future 
as though they were actually and        
presently  at hand4 ,the daughters of   
,philip can speak prophetically1 with as
  much unerring certainty as ,god       
himself1 according to the measure of    
the spirit given them1 because they have
 ,his ,spirit1 and consequently  a given
 measure of intelligence4 ,and the scope
 of this increase of  intelligence is   
expanded or diminished as ,god pleases  
to suit the  occasion4    ,when there is
 occasion to prophecy1 or speak with new
 tongues1 or  interpret1 or rebuke      
diseases and cast out evil spirits--,his
 ,spirit is  given4 ,and it could be    
given as well to a beast as to a man for
 the  same purpose1 and the same effect 
would follow4 ,the beast of ,balaam1    
when inspired of ,god1 rose immediately 
above his legitimate sphere of  action1 
and spoke with a man's voice1 forbidding
 the madness of the  prophet4 ,the same 
spirit by which he spoke1 would have    
enabled the dumb  ass to rebuke disease1

 cast out devils1 or speak a variety of 
tongues4  ,but ,god might withdraw that 
spirit1 and he would then be only a dumb
  ass1 fit only to bear burdens1 c4 ,men
 are but little more competent  to heal 
the sick1 cast out devils1 and discern  
spirits1 or know the  things of ,god or 
eternity1 and make preparations for the 
future1  than the beasts1 without the   
,spirit of ,god4 ,when ,god wants to    
punish  a generation or generations1 he 
does it effectually by withholding  ,his
 ,spirit4 ,the world travels in pain1   
and groans in bondage1 and  oppression1 
and cruelty1 and strife1 and bloodshed1 
and in ignorance1  superstition1 and    
zeal without knowledge1 when ,god shuts 
out the light  of revelation4 ,the      
revelations given to the primitive age1 
bear about  the same relation of benefit
 to the people of this age1 that the    
gift  of food and manna1 to those       
starving in former ages1 bears towards  
the  supply of such as are in want now4 
,jesus ,christ winds up his sermon on   

the mount1 by calling him a ,,wise man  
that hears and obeys the voice of       
revelation1 and he shall never fall4 ,at
 the same time he calls him  that hears 
and obeys not the voice of revelation a 
,,fool1 and such a man  will fall1 and  
his fall will be great4    ,we cannot be
 in any doubt what is meant by the      
expression hearing  ,christ1 or these   
sayings of mine4 ,jesus says to such    
servants as he  sends out to preach1    
7and none but such as are sent by       
revelation can  preach71 he that heareth
 ,,you heareth ,,me4 ,but while they    
cannot hear  without a preacher1 neither
 can they hear with a preacher1 except  
the ,father draw them2 or1 in other     
words1 except they have the ,spirit  of 
,god1 which is a spirit of revelation4  
,how could ,peter know ,jesus1  when he 
heard his conversation and preaching8   
,jesus testifies that1 by  the wisdom of
 flesh and blood1 ,peter did not know   
him1 but by the  spirit of revelation   
from ,god out of heaven2 and in order to

 end all  controversy throughout all    
ages1 he declares that not only ,peter1 
but  ,,no ,,other ,,man1 ever did or    
ever can know ,god1 only as he is       
revealed  to him from heaven2 and that  
man is blessed that has the spirit of   
revelation to know the only true ,god   
and ,jesus ,christ4 ,that man is        
accounted as a thief and a robber that  
would know ,god or ,jesus without  the  
spirit of revelation4    ,the ,spirit of
 ,god was sent into the world for the   
express purpose of  acquainting men with
 ,jesus ,christ4 ,by this spirit it was 
an easy matter  for men to know ,jesus  
,christ1 though he was everywhere spoken
 against1  and the whole country teemed 
with lies1 and the great mass of people1
  reputedly good as well as bad1 thought
 that he ought to be stoned1  mobbed1   
and crucified3 still it was easy to know
 him by the spirit  of revelation1 and  
it was impossible to know him without   
that spirit4  ,thus1 dear sir1 it is    
easy for you1 and all my former         

associates in  the sectarian ministry1  
to know that ,joseph ,smith was a       
prophet of the  ,lord1 sent to prune the
 ,lord's vineyard for the last time4    
,says the scripture1 no man1 speaking by
 the ,spirit of ,god1 can call  ,jesus  
accursed1 although he hung upon a tree4 
,and ,i add1 sir1 with  perfect         
assurance1 that no man can call ,joseph 
,smith accursed1 or an  impostor1 while 
speaking by the ,spirit of ,god2 for the
 ,spirit of ,god  will never dictate any
 one to speak against the servant of    
,god2 but the  spirit of the world and  
of ,satan1 will stir up men to speak    
against  prophets and saints1 and       
persecute and assassinate them4 ,the    
scripture  also says1 that no man can   
call ,jesus ,lord1 but by the ,,holy    
,,ghost4  ,thus1 reverend sir1 you      
perceive that ,,no ,,man1 in former ages
 or latter  ages1 can call ,jesus ,lord1
 but by revelation from the ,,holy      
,,ghost4 ,it is  by the person and      
agency of the ,,holy ,,ghost only1 that 

,jesus promises  to be with his         
preachers always unto the end of the    
world1 in order to  reveal the truth    
unto honest hearers1 and show them who  
are prophets  and true ministers of     
,christ1 and also what is true doctrine4
 ,the ,,holy  ,,ghost will always attend
 a true minister of ,god1 and reveal to 
his  humble honest hearers1 his mission 
and authority beyond all reasonable     
doubt4    ,now1 sir1 let me say1        
distinctly1 that the testimony of any   
number of  men1 or of all men together1 
is no proof either for or against the   
authority1 doctrine1 or mission of a    
prophet or true minister of ,god4  ,for 
if no one man can know a minister of    
,god without revelation1 then  no large 
body of men can know him2 and surely    
they cannot testify of  what they do not
 ,,know4 ,no matter what is said against
 ,joseph ,smith1 or  who1 or how many1  
say it1 or however credible the         
witnesses1 they are  not competent to   
testify1 because they have not the gift 

of revelation4  ,this position1 sir1 is 
invincible1 because it is fortified by  
the voice  of eternal truth1 even the   
word of ,god1 which you profess publicly
 to  believe1 and preach1 and print4    
,flesh and blood cannot reveal spiritual
  things1 but our ,father in heaven4    
,the things of the spirit require  the  
same spirit to discern them4 ,he that is
 spiritual can judge all  things1 while 
he that has not the spirit of revelation
 cannot judge any  spiritual matters    
correctly1 of any name or nature4       
,now1 my dear friend1 ,i close this     
second epistle1 praying that ,god  will 
give you the spirit of understanding1   
which ,i assure you ,he will  do1       
inasmuch as you are humble and contrite1
 and seek it with all your  heart4      
,your obedient servant1    ,,orson      
,,spencer4        ,,letter ,,iii4       
,,on ,,faith4    ,liverpool1 ,june #a1  
#ahdg4    ,reverend and ,dear           
,sir1--,the next subject to which ,i    
will invite your  careful consideration1

 is that of ,,faith4    ,do not be      
surprised that ,i should attempt the    
investigation of a  subject so          
common-place1 with the view of imparting
 any new or useful  instruction4 ,the   
numerous elaborate treatises that have  
heretofore been  bestowed upon this     
subject1 have1 ,i boldly aver1 been like
 ,goliath's  armour against             
,david--massive and imposing1 but1 at   
the same time1  alike inapplicable and  
ineffectual to the case at issue4    ,in
 order that you may be apprised of my   
position1 without needless              
circumlocution1 ,i here distinctly      
observe1 that there neither is1 nor     
ever was1 any gospel or saving faith1 in
 former or latter days1 but  the faith  
of miracles1 or the faith of immediate  
revelation4 ,can any  man know ,god     
without faith8 ,certainly not4 ,the     
gospel of ,christ is the  power of ,god 
unto salvation4 ,to whom8 ,to the       
unbelieving8 ,no6 but to  them that have
 faith4 ,the gospel of ,christ is1 then1

 brought only  to such as have faith4   
,but what faith are they to have in     
order to  receive it8 ,the answer1 is   
the faith of immediate revelation1 or of
 the  supernatural agency of the ,holy  
,spirit4    ,now1 sir1 ,i ask you to    
listen a moment1 and hear what the voice
 of  ,god says to you and me on this    
subject4 ,the righteousness of ,god is  
revealed from ,,faith to ,,faith4 ,here1
 it is conceived1 my position  is       
invincibly fortified beyond the power of
 rational conquest4 ,god's  righteous   
will is revealed to ,,faith4 ,it is     
written1 ,the just shall  live by faith4
 ,by what faith shall the just live8    
,surely1 nothing less  than the faith of
 immediate revelation4 ,the fact that   
,god's will was  revealed to the faith  
of the ,saints anciently1 does not      
supersede the  necessity of his will    
being revealed to your faith and to my  
faith  now4    ,the ancients could not  
believe for us2 or1 in other words1     
their  faith could not be a substitute  

for our faith4 ,he that believeth not1  
for himself1 shall be damned4 ,neither  
could a revelation to them be           
necessarily a revelation to us4 ,a      
revelation to ,noah to build an  ark1 is
 not suited to ,abraham1 or ,peter1 or  
,francis ,wayland1 or ,dr4  ,chalmers4  
,no man1 in this day1 can know that ,god
 ever revealed himself  to ,noah1 or    
,abraham1 unless it is now revealed to  
him from heaven2  and he cannot know    
that it is revealed from heaven to him  
now1 unless  he has faith unto himself  
before ,god2 and this faith which he    
must  exercise for himself1 is the faith
 of revelation1 or the faith of         
miracles4    ,what ailed the ,judaic    
churches in ,christ's day8 ,they        
certainly believed  on ,moses and       
,abraham1 and made habitual sacrifices  
in support of  their faith4 ,paul was a 
bright example of sincerity and fidelity
 in  support of the ,judaic faith4 ,he  
verily thought that he ought to do many 
things contrary to the name of ,jesus of

 ,nazareth4 ,but was the faith  of      
,paul1 and of the ,judaic church        
generally1 the faith of immediate       
revelation or the faith of miracles8 ,by
 no means4 ,paul originally1  and his   
associates in the ministry1 believed the
 ,mosaic scriptures  from tradition and 
education1 and not from immediate       
revelation4 ,they1  indeed1 believed    
that ,abraham1 and ,moses1 and ,samuel1 
and ,noah1 had  the faith of miracles1  
and enjoyed immediate revelation1 and   
the  spirit of prophecy1 c4 ,they       
believed that such an high order of     
faith  as prevailed in the ,mosaic and  
prophetic days was no longer necessary4 
7,but1 afterwards1 ,paul concedes that  
one in his own state was one in         
ignorance and unbelief47    ,hence the  
spirit of prophecy1 spoken of by ,joel1 
as poured out in the  apostolic day1    
was1 in their estimation uncalled for4  
,they supposed  the canon of scripture  
was sufficiently full1 when the prophet 
,malachi  finished his testimony1 and   

closed up the age of miracles6 ,men may 
sincerely believe the ,bible1 as many of
 the sects do believe it1  without      
having it revealed from heaven that the 
,bible is true1 and it  will never save 
them4 ,they may believe the ,bible even 
without knowing  ,god2 for the simple   
reason1 that no man can know ,god       
without ,god  reveals himself to him4   
,this was the condition of the ,judaic  
church4  ,many of them sincerely        
believed the ,mosaic writings1 but      
detested and  rejected the principle of 
immediate revelation1 by which alone    
they  could know the only true ,god and 
,jesus ,christ whom he had sent4 ,if    
they had believed heartily in the       
doctrine of immediate revelation to  all
 believers1 in all ages1 they would have
 known ,jesus ,christ to be  the        
,messiah1 as well as ,moses1 or         
,abraham1 who saw his day1 and was      
glad4 ,on the same principle1 dear sir4 
,christian denominations1 in this  day1 
believe the apostolic scriptures        

sincerely1 and do many things           
accordingly2 but rejecting the principle
 of immediate revelation to  them-ward1 
they neither know ,jesus ,christ nor his
 prophet ,joseph1 nor  the power of     
,god1 as it is revealed from faith to   
faith in our day4    ,we1 sir1 contend  
for the faith of miracles in our own    
day2 but you and  your associates       
contend against it4 ,the disciples of   
,jesus contended  for it1 in their day2 
but the professed followers of ,moses   
and ,abraham  contended against it4     
,now1 sir1 to which of these sides do   
you belong8  ,can you find that any     
people1 who ever contended against the  
faith of  immediate revelation and      
miracles1 such as was maintained by     
,samuel1  ,abraham1 ,barak1 ,daniel1 and
 ,noah1 ever prospered4 ,is there a     
single  instance in scripture1 from     
,genesis to ,revelations1 where ,god    
manifests  any fellowship for any faith 
short of a faith of miracles and        
immediate  revelation8 ,if an inferior  

kind of faith has been got up since the 
,new  ,testament age1 is it not well to 
inquire from whence it has sprung1 and  
what is the scriptural basis of its     
support8 ,if such an inferior faith  is 
not revealed from heaven1 it must       
certainly be from beneath1 and1         
consequently earthly1 and sensual1 and  
devilish4 ,if it springs from  the      
precepts of men1 and not from the direct
 and positive revelation  of ,god1 it   
ought surely to be abandoned and        
forsaken at once4 ,when  men believe the
 ,old and ,new ,testament scriptures    
from tradition1 and  the lips of a      
ministry that is not sent out and called
 by immediate  revelation from heaven1  
their faith is dead2 and all such as    
float in  this broad stream of          
traditionary faith1 are not and cannot  
be built up  as lively stones to offer  
up spiritual sacrifices to ,god4        
,hence1 sir1 the concession of ,mr4 ,c4 
,g4 ,finney1 and ,nettleton1 and of     
your own ,mr4 ,knapp1 all great         

,revivalists1 and talented and devout   
men1 that the sectarian churches need to
 be converted over again4  ,and ,i am   
constrained to add1 without any         
inviduous feelings1 that such  teachers 
themselves need to be converted from a  
traditionary faith into  the same faith 
with the ancient worthies spoken of in  
the eleventh  chapter to the ,hebrews4  
,they themselves cannot know ,god       
without that  same ancient faith that   
secured to its possessors revelation    
from ,god1  and the power of working    
miracles1 c4 ,god has never called men  
to  testify to the truth of the ,old and
 ,new ,testament1 unless the truth  has 
been revealed to them personally from   
the heavens4 ,when it is  thus revealed1
 they will obey like the ancient saints1
 and the power of  godliness will follow
 their faith1 even healing the sick1    
casting out  devils1 and speaking with  
new tongues4    ,you1 sir1 will surely  
admit1 that the faith of the ancients   
was  far superior to modern traditionary

 faith1 and was attended with  a power  
which this latter faith cannot1 in its  
very nature1 ever  attain to4 ,by the   
ancient faith1 or faith of immediate    
revelation1  men wrought righteousness1 
subdued kingdoms1 stopped the mouths of 
lions1 and quenched the violence of     
fire--stayed the sun in the             
firmament--sealed up the heavens as     
brass for the space of three years  and 
a half1 or opened the windows thereof   
for the rain to descend in  showers or  
torrents1 even to a universal deluge4   
,surely it will be  no disparagement to 
such exalted names as yours1 and that of
 my old  acquaintance ,president ,barnas
 ,sears1 and my former instructor       
,president  ,e4 ,knott1 to turn1 like   
,paul1 to the banner and standard of    
such a  faith4 ,by such a faith they are
 prepared to work the works of ,god2 and
  either in time or eternity1 to work   
even far greater works than ,jesus  ever
 wrought on the earth1 as his own word  
declares2 for1 sir1 this  kind of faith 

shall abide beyond the veil2 for ,god   
himself made the  world by faith1 and   
the spirits of the just work by faith1  
and obtain  revelation from ,god1 and   
minister the same to militant believers 
on  earth1 from the faith of the        
sanctified in light1 to the faith of the
  militant here below4 ,the             
righteousness of ,god is revealed from  
faith  to faith4 ,surely we may count   
all things but loss for the excellency  
of the knowledge of ,christ ,jesus our  
,lord2 for he that gets the  knowledge  
of ,christ by revelation to himself1 and
 keeps it1 shall never  fall4    ,do you
 not preach1 sir1 the ancient faith     
spoken of in the eleventh  chapter of   
,hebrews1 for modern believers to       
imitate8 ,or is the  miraculous faith of
 the ancients to be pourtrayed to men in
 this day1  only as a beautiful picture 
to be admired by spectators1 and not    
copied  and imitated as a doctrine of   
modern practice8 ,if there is such a    
thing  as common faith1 in distinction  

from the supernatural and miraculous    
faith1 named in the eleventh of         
,hebrews1 what part of the scriptures   
teach it8 ,please to name the chapter   
and verse2 and when you have  pointed   
out to me the specific scriptures that  
teach a faith inferior  to that of      
prophecying or working miracles1 c41    
please to tell me  wherein lies the     
power of such a faith8 ,if it cannot    
reveal any thing  to the children of    
men1 how can it increase the sum of     
knowledge with  any reasonable prospect 
of filling the earth with knowledge1 as 
the  waters cover the bed of the great  
deep8 ,if it cannot forecast events     
beyond the mere common prescience of    
human minds1 how can the wise man       
foresee the evil in time to hide        
himself8 ,is it not passing strange1    
sir1 that from ,adam to ,noah1 and from 
,noah to ,abraham1 and from  ,abraham to
 ,david1 and from ,david to ,malachi1   
and from ,john the ,baptist  to ,john   
the ,revelator1 the miraculous faith    

should be tenaciously  and rigorously   
contended for2 while since that day1    
men1 professing  godliness1 not only    
contend for an inferior faith1 but      
contend against  the antiquated faith   
that was sustained for more than four   
thousand  years1 giving to ,god a great 
and glorious name for all his wonderful 
works and mighty deeds4    ,why do the  
modern clergy commend the faith that put
 to flight the  armies of the           
aliens--quenched the violence of        
fire--and staggered  not at promises    
that required supernatural agency to    
fulfil1 if we  are not to imitate and   
practice such faith8 ,why so much time  
and  labour exhausted in order to define
 and extol a faith that belonged        
exclusively to past ages2 and if the    
scriptures speak of no other  faith that
 is pleasing to ,god1 would it not be   
better that mankind  be informed more   
explicitly what is the nature and effect
 of that  common and inferior faith of  
which the ,bible illustrations are so   

inapplicable8 ,seeing that the ,bible   
illustrations of faith pertain to       
examples of a supernatural order1 will  
you please to give us those that  are of
 a natural and common order1 suited to  
our age1 that is1 and1  of a right1     
ought to be free from supernatural and  
miraculous deeds1  signs1 wonders1 and  
prophecyings8 ,in so doing1 and         
publishing the same  through your       
widely-circulated paper1 you may rest   
assured that it  shall have prompt      
insertion in the ,,star1 and greatly    
oblige4    ,your humble and obedient    
servant1    ,,orson ,,spencer4          
,,letter ,,iv4    ,,on ,,water          
,,baptism4    ,liverpool1 ,june #ad1    
#ahdg4    ,reverend and ,dear           
,sir1--,you1 sir1 need no argument to   
convince you that  ,,water ,,baptism is 
the first ordinance1 after faith and    
repentance1 that  initiates the believer
 into the kingdom of ,god4    ,the      
kingdom of ,god is to be established    
upon the earth1 according to  the       

pattern of the heavenly order1 which is 
the first principle taught  in the      
memorable prayer of our ,lord ,jesus    
,christ1 which prayer will be  pertinent
 to all believers on earth1 until the   
object of the prayer is  fully achieved 
and the kingdoms of this world have     
universally become  the kingdom of ,god4
 ,and if we were to search the kingdom  
of ,god from  one end to the other1 and 
from side to side1 we should not find a 
single adult believer in the whole      
heaven1 who had not been baptized  with 
water4    ,do you ask why ,i make such a
 bold declaration1 and how ,i know this 
seemingly exclusive and uncharitable    
truth8 ,i know it1 sir1 by the  voice of
 ,god from the heavens1 and this voice  
is to you as well as me1  if you will   
receive it4 ,do not you believe the     
scripture that saith1  except a man be  
born of the ,,water and of the spirit1  
he cannot enter  into the kingdom of    
,god8 ,i know that you believe this     
scripture1 and  am persuaded that your  

ingenuous mind will not seek to pervert 
it from  its plain and obvious import4  
,whatever an over-jealous mind may fear 
concerning the state of the  penitent   
thief on the cross1 and of devout and   
upright men that have  lived and died in
 every age of the world1 still let      
,god's word be  accounted true1 and     
every man that gainsays it be esteemed a
 liar6  ,no man ever puts on the uniform
 of ,christ's followers1 such as is     
worn by subjects of the kingdom of      
,christ1 until he is baptized into      
,christ for remission of sins4 ,hereby  
he puts on ,christ1 ,when  an ambassador
 of ,christ finds a man or woman that   
heartily repents  of his or her         
rebellion against the laws of ,christ1  
he baptizes him  unto repentance for    
remission of sins4 ,by the ordinance of 
baptism1  the rebellious subject        
virtually says1 ,i hereby signify to all
 men my  repentance2 and the lawful     
administrator as virtually says1 on the 
part  of ,jesus ,christ1 whose          

,ambassador ,i am1 7being called by     
revelation1  and being authorized to act
 in his name and for him71 ,i pronounce 
this  person's sins remitted1 according 
to his genuine repentance and faith  in 
,christ4    ,now1 sir1 what objection   
can there be for a man sent from ,god to
 remit  sins by baptism1 in the name and
 by the authority of the ,king of       
heaven8 ,if ,christ has power on earth  
to forgive and remit sins1 may ,he  not 
send forgiveness and remission by       
another1 even by whom he will8  ,and    
will not such a remission and           
forgiveness of sins be as valid as      
though ,he administered the ordinance of
 baptism himself8 ,undoubtedly  it will 
be indisputably valid4 ,and what        
ordinance is so beautifully  significant
 as that which expresses both the       
penitence of the subject  and the       
cordial acceptance of the ,ruler and    
,lord8    ,has not ,jesus ,christ a     
right to remit sins by baptism unto     
repentance8  ,who shall say that the    

penitent believer's sins are not        
remitted by  baptism8 ,who shall lay any
 sins to his charge8 ,is it not ,god    
that  justifies8 ,has not ,christ died8 
,has he not a right to say who are fit  
subjects for baptism8 ,has he not a     
right to say by what ordinance sins     
shall be remitted8 ,he has never said   
that repentance and faith shall  secure 
remission of sins to any one without    
baptism4 ,it is not in the  power of any
 man or angel to find a license in the  
,bible to receive a  person into the    
kingdom of ,god without baptism4 ,jesus 
,christ has never  given any license1   
but1 on the other hand4 ,he has         
explicitly said1 in  the most           
unequivocal language possible1 that ,,no
 ,,man can enter the  kingdom without   
water baptism1 or being born of the     
water4    ,do you ask1 if ,i call       
baptism a saving ordinance8 ,i reply1   
that  repentance and faith will not save
 any body in the kingdom of ,god        
without baptism4 ,some men1 whose crimes

 are unpardonable in this  world1 may1  
and doubtless do1 repent and believe2   
but they cannot be  baptized for the    
remission of sins1 nor forgiven until   
the times of  refreshing come from the  
presence of the ,lord in the restitution
 of all  things4 ,righteous ,noah was   
saved by water2 and the apostle ,peter1 
rehearsing the fact1 says that baptism  
saved believers in his day in  like     
manner4    ,you1 sir1 must be perfectly 
aware that ,jesus ,christ has said1 by  
the  mouth of his servant ,john1 that   
,,baptism constitutes no less importance
  of character than one of the ,,three  
,,great ,,witnesess of adoption and     
citizenship into the kingdom of ,god on 
the earth--the ,,spirit1 the  ,,water1  
and the ,,blood4 ,these three bear      
witness on the earth and agree  in one4 
,one of these ,,three performs the      
double office of bearing  witness on the
 earth1 and also of bearing record in   
heaven4 ,three  witnesses appear to be  
requisite in order to prove our title   

good  to a place in the kingdom of ,god2
 and the testimony of these ,,three1    
and nothing less1 is recorded in heaven 
by the ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy  ,ghost4
 ,who will dare to say that the ,,three 
in heaven will accept of the  testimony 
of the two witnesses on earth1 when ,god
 has explicitly said  that he requires  
the testimony of ,,three1 and nothing   
less8    ,do we forget that all men are 
to be judged out of the books8 ,and  if 
the books show the absence of one       
,,witness1 and the consequent           
disagreement of the three before named1 
can that person that is thus  deficient 
of testimony1 stand acquitted from the  
books out of which he  is judged8 ,by no
 means6 ,the ,,three witnesses will     
agree in one2 and when  they agree1 the 
,spirit will bear the testimony of the  
,water and the  ,blood to the recording 
angel1 and these united with his own    
seal1 will  be placed on record until   
the books are brought forward for       
judging the  nations of the earth4      

,furthermore1 no man can ever be born of
 the ,spirit until he has first  been   
born of the water4 ,the ,holy ,ghost    
will never condescend to become  the    
covenant-guide and instructor1 and holy 
comforter of any one1  until he has been
 baptized or born of water4 ,have ye    
received the ,holy  ,ghost since ye were
 baptized8 ,peter told penitent         
believers that  they might receive the  
,holy ,ghost after they were baptized2  
so said  ,john the ,baptist to those he 
baptized4 ,if1 in a single instance1 the
  ,holy ,ghost was given before baptism1
 still it was no part of ,christ's      
instructions to his apostles ever to    
confer the ,holy ,ghost until  after    
baptism--and then it was to be done by  
the laying on of hands4    ,men may     
receive a measure of the ,spirit of ,god
 before baptism 7even  as a child has in
 embryo the germ of life before         
parturition72 but no  one has a large   
measure of the ,spirit1 nor has any     
covenant claim to  the ,spirit1 or1 in  

other words1 can be born of the ,spirit1
 until he  has been baptized in water4  
,jesus came by water1 and was baptized  
in water for the remission of the       
original sin of the world4 ,he knew     
that baptism for remission of sin was   
necessary as an example1 and also  that 
by his obedience many might be made     
righteous even as by the  offence of    
one1 many were made sinners4 ,jesus     
needed not only the  testimony of       
water-baptism1 but also1 after baptism1 
the testimony  of the other witness--the
 ,holy ,ghost4 ,the ,holy ,ghost was a  
personage  inferior in office to        
himself1 but still the ,holy ,ghost was 
conferred  upon him1 while coming out of
 the water1 in the form of a dove4      
,the third witness to adoption is the   
,cup of ,blessing1 or ,sacramental  ,cup
 of ,wine1 which1 if men drink not1 they
 have no life in them4  ,now1 sir1 let  
us abide strictly by the law and the    
testimony1 even  as ,jesus our pattern  
has done1 and consider nothing          

unessential which  our lawgiver has both
 enjoined and exemplified for obedience 
and  salvation4 ,who is prepared to say 
that the faithful will not take the  cup
 of blessing1 even in the heavens1 and  
drink wine in our heavenly  ,father's   
kingdom8 ,who can say that the river of 
life that proceeds  from the throne of  
,god in the celestial city1 shall not be
 employed to  perpetuate the remembrance
 of baptismal water of adoption1 and    
even  perpetuate sinless purity1 like   
the leaves of healing that grow on the  
banks of the crystal stream8    ,is it a
 thing incredible with you1 sir1 that   
,god should remit sins  through baptism8
 ,it is with difficulty that ,i can     
persuade myself that  you are so        
distrustful of the power or wisdom of   
,god6 ,you read and  expound the        
scriptures from ,sabbath to ,sabbath4   
,you certainly believe  that ,naaman's  
leprosy was washed away by water-baptism
 in ,jordan2 you  also must believe that
 men were healed of mortal diseases1 by 

simply  looking at a brazen serpent     
lifted up in the wilderness4 ,do you not
  believe that the walls of ,jericho    
fell down under the simple blast of  the
 rams' horns8 and that the simple touch 
of the hem of a garment1  or of         
handkerchiefs1 was attended with healing
 virtue to them that  believed8    ,why 
were the learned and devout ,judaic     
churches surprised that ,peter  should  
proclaim to thousands--be baptized for  
the remission of your  sins8 and1 on    
another occasion1 even command          
,cornelius1 as pious and  devout a      
believer as yourself1 to be baptized in 
order that he might  be saved--telling  
the churches in a general circular      
epistle1 that  baptism would save them  
as much as water saved ,noah8 ,why      
should  those same churches withdraw    
fellowship from ,paul because he        
believed  ,annanias1 saying to him1     
arise and be baptized and wash away thy 
sins1 even as your church have          
disfellowshipped me1 because ,i believe 

as ,paul did1 and obey the same gospel  
which he preached1 with all its         
miraculous gifts1 blessings1 and        
priesthood8 ,the secret and solution of 
the whole surprise of the ,judaic and   
modern churches are1 that both  overlook
 the efficacious simplicity of ,christ's
 ordinances1 and know  not the power of 
,god1 by which a mere look1 touch1      
baptismal rite1 or  the imposition of a 
hand1 may secure blessings rich as      
heaven--power as  great as              
,gabriel's--knowledge as high as the    
throne of ,god--and life  and felicity  
as endless as eternity6    ,greatly     
blessed1 sir1 is that man commissioned  
immediately from the  heavens to        
administer baptism unto repentance for  
remission of sins2  and blessed are they
 who receive remission of sins from the 
hands of  those who act in ,christ's    
stead4 ,hence the grateful              
acknowledgements  of ,david1 repeated by
 ,paul--,blessed are they whose         
iniquities are  forgiven1 whose sins are

 covered4 ,men who obey the gospel are  
as well  satisfied that their sins are  
forgiven through baptism1 as you1 sir1  
would be satisfied of the validity and  
legality of a deed1 signed and  sealed  
by his excellency the chief magistrate  
of your ,state4 ,they  rejoice in the   
same1 without ambiguity or fear of being
 deceived4 ,the  spirit of bondage and  
fear 7which is in sectarian churches7   
does no  longer wither up their hope1   
and blight the joy of their acceptance  
with ,god4    ,the heavens1 that before 
seem clouded with dismal forebodings and
  doubtful omens1 that kept the         
excellent ,dr4 ,payson even1 on a       
tumultuous sea of mental storms and     
calms1 is now clear and tranquil  all   
the day and all the year4 ,they rejoice 
in the ,lord ever more2  and they know  
of a truth1 that by keeping the         
commandments of  ,god1 their peace is   
like the gentle and ever-onward current 
of a  river4 ,driven from city to city1 
and from one nation to another  people2 

and every where spoken against1 belied1 
robbed1 and  arraigned before           
magistrates for thefts1 treason1        
blasphemy1 c41  they are distressed     
indeed1 but not with mental doubts and  
fears4  ,no2 far from it2 they are borne
 down with expulsion from place to      
place--burning their houses--despoiling 
their goods under shadow of  legal      
prosecution--whippings--priestly and    
editorial calumnies6 ,these  things1    
sir1 distress their bodies1 and cause   
cold1 and nakedness1 and  hunger1 and an
 uncertain dwelling place2 but do not by
 any means impair  their peace in       
believing1 or their joy in the ,holy    
,ghost4 ,none of these  things move     
them4    ,yours1    ,,orson ,,spencer4  
,,letter ,v4    ,,the ,,gift ,,of ,,the 
,,holy ,,ghost4    ,liverpool1 ,june    
#bi1 #ahdb4    ,reverend and ,dear      
,sir1--,the subject of my fifth letter  
is one of  surpassing importance4 ,it   
is1 sir1 the ,,gift ,,of ,,the ,,holy   
,,ghost1 by the  laying on of hands4    

,the magnitude of the subject warrants  
me to say1 in few words1 what  belongs  
to it1 without those copious scripture  
references which you  can look after at 
your leisure4 ,if you will honestly     
listen to my  description of the        
office-work of the ,holy ,ghost1 you    
will clearly  perceive1 that1 since the 
time ,jesus left the earth1 it is more  
extensive and important than even the   
work of the other personages of  the    
,godhead4    ,the ,holy ,ghost performs 
the double office of a ,,witness on     
earth and a  ,,recorder in heaven4      
,being an unembodied personage1 he can  
move among  men without the danger of   
being mobbed and killed1 as was not the 
case  with ,jesus ,christ4 ,he takes up 
the work of man's redemption1 just where
  ,jesus ,christ left it1 and has a     
distinct part to act until the second   
coming of ,christ1 that in due time ,he 
also may obtain glory with the  ,father1
 even as ,jesus does--yea1 a fulness of 
the ,godhead by himself4    ,according  

to promise he came on the day of        
,pentecost1 either with a  retinue of   
sanctified spirits1 or in the simple    
unity and grandeur of  his own potent   
agency1 and filled the house4 ,he then  
disbursed among  the disciples a variety
 of tongues--gifts for men which the    
,conqueror  had promised4 ,with the keys
 of revelation1 peculiar to his office1 
he  unlocked their understanding 7with  
perfect impunity to himself7 and  bore  
witness that ,jesus was ,christ4 ,his   
testimony not only confirmed  the       
disciples1 who had been previously      
baptized1 beyond the shadow of  all     
further doubt1 but convinced some       
thousands of the sin of unbelief4    ,he
 immediately informed ,peter1 to whom   
,christ had promised to send the  keys  
of the presidency over the church by the
 ,holy ,ghost 7for he could  do nothing 
till the ,holy ,ghost should bring      
them71 that ,he1 the ,holy  ,ghost1     
would ever be an attendant upon penitent
 believers that should  be baptized for 

remission of sins1 whenever his minister
 should lay  on hands4 ,he authorized   
him to make a solemn standing ,,promise 
to this  effect1 viz43 that the ,holy   
,ghost's presence as a ,,witness to     
truth1  should invariably follow the    
imposition of hands4 ,but he also gave  
him to understand1 that none should lay 
on hands or preach but such  as should  
be called by revelation1 even as was    
,aaron4 ,he assured him  that he would  
henceforth abide with the church1 and   
enable obedient  believers to work      
certain miraculous signs1 such as       
healing the sick1  casting out devils1  
nullifying the properties of poison     
wickedly  administered1 and speaking    
with new tongues--and these and other   
confirmations of the truth should       
invariably attend the true church  to   
the end of the world1 or as long as true
 believers continued on  the earth2 and 
if these miraculous signs did not follow
 believers1  they might know that they  
were rejected of ,god1 as reprobate     

silver is  rejected of men4    ,the     
,holy ,ghost further informed him1 that 
,he was the ,,living ,,witness  on      
earth1 in connexion with the ,,water and
 the ,,blood1 and sealed up  the        
testimony of all the witnesses          
concerning all believers on earth1  and 
then took them to heaven and recorded   
them in the ,,books1 by the  mutual     
agreement of the ,father and the ,son1  
against a time of awards  and           
punishments4 ,he also informed him that 
he always obtained a perfect  knowledge 
of ,jesus ,christ's mind touching all   
church transactions  on earth1 and      
faithfully communicated the same to     
chosen men and  believers1 according to 
their capacity to receive and use such  
knowledge2 and should continue to act in
 this ,office of enlightening  and      
comforting the church1 until they all   
come to the unity of the  faith and the 
measure of the stature of the fulness of
 ,christ1 which  he possessed before he 
left the earth4 ,and he would also      

communicate  ,christ's mind concerning  
the destinies of nations1 and the       
judgments1  famines1 and pestilences1   
c41 with which ,jesus ,christ would     
visit the  earth4    ,the ,holy ,ghost  
would also reveal the deep purposes of  
,god1 not only  concerning the future   
glory of the ,church1 but also          
concerning  individuals that lived      
before the foundations of the world1 and
 what  would be their state in worlds   
that are future4 ,and even all things   
that ,jesus ,christ knew concerning the 
interest1 salvation1 and endless        
felicity and glory of the church--and   
the misery and final undoing of  such as
 obey not ,god1 the ,holy ,ghost would  
communicate in visions1  dreams1 and    
revelations4 ,thus the earth would be   
filled with knowledge1  and ,christ     
would again return here with all the    
departed saints1 and  literally bring   
down a celestial city of splendid       
mansions--even the  ,new ,jerusalem--and
 ,god would once more dwell with men in 

peace4    ,let it be understood1 that   
not only apostles1 but all obedient     
believers in the primitive age had the  
gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 and1          
consequently1 the spirit of prophecy4   
,he that hath the testimony  of ,jesus  
hath the spirit of prophecy4 ,how do men
 have the testimony  of ,jesus8 ,i      
answer1 through the agency of the ,holy 
,ghost4 ,let it  be understood1 and     
marked with ,,indelible ,,emphasis1 that
 the ,,holy  ,,spirit is the ,,great    
,,witness on earth--that ,he1 the spirit
 of truth1  has transmitted the mind of 
,jesus to believers in visions1 dreams1 
prophecyings1 c4 ,for this purpose      
,jesus sent the ,,spirit into the       
world1 that he might reprove the world  
of sin1 of righteousness1 and of        
judgment4    ,the ,spirit1 though       
unimbodied1 now acts in all the         
authority1  influence1 and power that   
,jesus himself would do if ,he were on  
the  earth in very person4 ,but ,he acts
 upon and through the body of ,christ1  

which is the church2 through the        
,spirit's possession of the church1  it 
displays the ,,manifold ,,wisdom ,,of   
,,god4 ,whatever varied and abundant    
wisdom ,jesus himself possessed1 the    
true ,church ever has in a measure1  and
 is destined to have1 even to perfect   
fulness--the fulness of his  stature4   
,but how is the true ,church to show    
forth all the omniscience and  potency  
of ,jesus8 ,i answer1 sir1 by the       
,spirit of ,god that is in the  ,church1
 by the laying on of hands4 ,by this    
spirit it is signified  to ,paul what   
shall befall him at ,jerusalem2 and also
 that the true  ,church shall cease from
 off the earth1 with all its miraculous 
gifts  and blessings1 before the second 
coming of ,christ4 ,by the same spirit1 
,john saw that an angel would again come
 in the midst of heaven to  restore the 
original primitive gospel to the earth4 
,by the same spirit  ,zachariah heard   
and saw the angel that should bring it1 
speak to a  young man4 ,isaiah saw the  

young man take a sealed book from the   
earth1 that should be a marvellous work 
and wonder1 confounding the  wisdom of  
the wise4 ,by this spirit the camp of   
,israel saw and heard  seventy elders   
prophecy the very hour and moment that  
hands were laid  upon them4 ,paul saw   
and heard more than twelve disciples    
speak with  tongues and prophecy1 as    
soon as the ,holy ,ghost was conferred  
by  laying on of hands4    ,no sooner   
had ,annanias laid his hands on ,saul1  
than the ,holy ,ghost1  ever faithful to
 his promise1 filled the person of      
,saul1 and opened  his eyes4 ,the same  
spirit signified to ,philip a mission to
 ,gaza1 and  after he had baptized the  
,ethiopian1 caught him away with power4 
,by  it also1 ,sampson stretched forth  
an arm of omnipotence and slew a        
thousand men2 and at another time       
overthrew a large and capacious         
building1 being filled with people1     
besides containing three thousand  men  
and women upon the roof4 ,and by the    

same spirit1 in this day1 the  blind    
have been made to see1 the lame to walk1
 and the deaf to hear1  and hundreds of 
persecuted famishing ,saints1 on the    
banks of the  ,mississippi1 have been   
miraculously fed by quails1 as ancient  
,israel  were fed in the wilderness4    
,now1 sir1 can you tell me why sin and  
blasphemy against the ,holy  ,spirit    
constituted a more heinous and          
unpardonable offence than sin  against  
the ,son of ,man8 ,surely there is an   
importance attached to the  office-work 
of this ,,divine ,,and ,,marvellous     
,,witness on the earth that  deserves   
attention4 ,if there is no forgiveness  
of such an offence1 it  becomes all men1
 not only to hear before they judge1 but
 also to judge  righteous judgment4     
,jesus ,christ has told us that ,he     
placed in ,his  ,church apostles and    
prophets1 with gifts of miracles1       
tongues1 c4  ,these gifts were the gifts
 of the spirit2 and you will not deny   
that  the ,spirit of ,god1 so far as the

 ,new ,testament speaks of ,him1 was a  
spirit of almighty power1 as displayed  
in numerous gifts and ways4    ,now1    
sir1 what has become of this miraculous 
and almighty spirit8 ,has  he ceased    
wholly from the earth8 ,if so1 then the 
,,water and the ,,blood  are the only   
witnesses now left on the earth4 ,but   
perhaps you will say  that the same     
spirit still remains1 without exercising
 his miraculous  gifts and powers1      
7seeing they are not now necessary47    
,shall we then  understand that this    
,almighty ,spirit is still on the earth1
 and in the  diversified and conflicting
 churches1 and comparatively silent and 
inefficient1 withholding from these     
churches 7which are by supposition  the 
,,body of ,christ71 his majestic        
displays of supernatural power in       
prophecies1 healings1 tongues2 causing  
the dumb ass to speak with man's  voice1
 causing powerful armies to flee before 
the pursuit of one man2  and yet the    
world is perishing for lack of          

knowledge1 and christianity  losing     
ground every day8 ,might we not as soon 
think the spirit has  grown old to      
dotage1 or lost his first love1 or been 
beguiled into  other pursuits of less   
importance8 ,surely ,he never wrought so
 lazily1  or in such imbecility and     
indifference in any other age1 when true
  believers or prophets were on the     
earth8 ,strange1 indeed1 sir1 that he   
should drop off so suddenly his royal   
robes of prophetic1 miraculous  grandeur
 and power1 to become the silent and    
inefficient inmate of  more than six    
hundred clashing1 contentious churches1 
that are yearly  subdividing into minute
 fragments1 to the confusion of all     
common sense  throughout boasting       
christendom6 ,what a falling off of the 
spirit's  power1 and of the spirit's    
light and unity6 ,will the ,holy and    
,eternal  ,spirit of ,god endorse such a
 powerless distracted state of things1  
as being in any way connected with ,his 
presence on the earth1 or  in any way   

the result of ,his doings8 ,no1 sir1 by 
no means4 ,for the  honour of this      
illustrious personage1 let us never     
ascribe to ,,him such  a powerless      
distracted organization of heterogenous 
ignorance and  imbecility1 as modern    
christianity presents in contrast with  
ancient  christianity4 ,the heavens may 
well blush with shame at this modern    
picture1 purporting to be the kingdom of
 ,god on the earth4 ,if it is  the      
kingdom of ,god1 how shorn of its       
miraculous strength6 ,how are the       
prophets and seers covered66 ,how dim   
that fine gold that once shown          
resplendent with the celestial lustre of
 prophetic visions666 ,then men  spoke  
as they were moved by the ,holy ,ghost1 
and the sick were healed1  and he that  
lied to them was paralyzed in           
instantaneous death1 at times4          
,orators boast1 as it is written of them
 in these perilous times1  of the spread
 of christianity4 ,christianity         
spreading6 ,where is the  evidence of   

its increase of power or knowledge8     
,where the least signs  of approximation
 to unity of faith1 and the full stature
 measure of  ,christ in manifold wisdom 
and power8 ,where the ornamental beauty 
and symmetry of the ,bride that is      
preparing for the marriage feast of  the
 ,lamb8 ,how many ten thousand years    
must elapse before it can be said  of   
christianity1 the ,bride hath made      
herself ready6 clear as the  sun1 fair  
as the moon1 and terrible as an army    
with banners4 ,surely1  since her       
prophets have lost their power to quench
 the violence of  fire1 and subdue      
kingdoms1 and stop the mouths of lions1 
and her  servants and handmaids to see  
visions1 c41 the beauty of the ,bride   
has  failed--her breasts have           
diminished--her face is wrinkled--her   
eyes are  dim and cannot see afar off2  
she is no longer a chaste virgin        
espoused  to one husband--but she has as
 many husbands as sects1 and yet none of
  those with whom she is now living can 

be called her husband4    ,now1 sir1    
will the ,spirit join with such a       
,bride1 and say to ,jesus  the ,great   
,bridegroom1 come6 the ,bride hath made 
herself ready6 ,no1  sir1 the ,spirit of
 ,god will say1 ,i never knew you2      
depart from me1 you  pusillanimous1     
benighted1 powerless1 contentious       
christianity4 ,thou  ,aholibah and      
,aholibamah1 thy lewdness is in all high
 places2 thou  hast played the harlot   
with many lovers--yea1 thou hast even   
hired  lovers 7with human inventions71  
instead of commanding admiration by  the
 grace of thy seers1 and the visions of 
thy handmaids1 and the  healing power of
 thine elders4 ,thou shalt be burned    
with fire4    ,in humble assurance of   
your willingness to see the unsheathed  
glittering sword of truth1 ,i have the  
pleasure to subscribe myself4    ,your  
humble servant1    ,for ,christ's sake1 
,,orson ,,spencer4        ,,letter ,,vi4
    ,,apostacy ,,from ,,the ,,primitive 
,,church4    ,liverpool1 ,july #ab1     

#ahdg4    ,reverend and ,dear           
,sir1--,the subject of my sixth letter  
is ,,apostacy ,,from  ,,the ,,primitive 
,,church4    ,if modern christianity is 
only an enlargement of the system of    
early  apostacy from the true ,apostolic
 ,church of ,christ1 it certainly       
deserves the most serious consideration4
 ,it shall be my direct object  in this 
epistle to show1 that modern            
christianity possesses such a  faint    
resemblance to that system of faith     
established by ,jesus ,christ  and his  
apostles1 that it cannot be called a    
likeness1 or a copy1 or  even an        
imitation4    ,startle not1 reverend    
sir1 if ,i unhesitatingly declare that a
  counterfeit bill of currency1 that    
should have no more resemblance  to a   
true emission from the bank1 than modern
 christianity does to  the ancient      
religion1 would never be likely to do   
much harm4 ,modern  christianity is the 
very opposite extreme and counterpart of
 the  ancient order of apostles and     

prophets4 ,if you will read patiently1  
,i  will show clearly the proof of my   
position4    ,in the ,primitive ,church1
 the ,holy ,ghost1 after ,jesus left the
 earth1  came and took possession1 and  
constituted the grand main-spring1      
life1 light1 and power of it4 ,and the  
apostle ,peter 7of indisputable         
authority7 declares1 in the ,second of  
,acts1 that the promised gift  of the   
,holy ,ghost ,,should ,,continue even to
 all the ,lord our ,god should  call4   
,but this wonderful agent is not known  
in modern christianity4 ,his  powerful  
agency1 as foretold by ,joel in         
prophecy1 in tongues and                
interpretation1 in discerning of spirits
 and in healing1 is not now  recognised 
as being any part of the present        
christianity4 ,that ,spirit  that was to
 make amends for the departure and      
absence of ,jesus1 by  acquainting      
believers with all truth--past1 present1
 and future--that  they might be        
comforted with knowledge and light1 such

 as could not  be obtained from books1  
whether inspired or uninspired1 was the 
great  sine qua non or essential thing  
in ancient christianity2 but in  modern 
christianity1 the fruits of such a      
spirit would be sneered at1  even by    
divines6 ,what6 exclaims one1 prophecy  
in these days6 speak in  tongues now6   
heal the sick now6 have visions of      
future things1 and  even heavenly things
 like unto the ancients6 ,the exclaimant
 stands  aghast with astonishment1 as a 
perfect stranger to the most obvious and
  conspicuous principles of ancient     
christianity4    ,modern christianity   
professes to derive all its light1 and  
its various  clashing creeds1 from the  
,old and ,new ,testament4 ,if modern    
christianity  is1 indeed1 the offspring 
of the ,bible1 it is a prodigy with many
  hundred heads2 but ancient            
christianity drew its light from the    
,,rock of  immediate revelation1 and    
previous scriptures were only           
confirmatory of  the ,spirit's          

testimony4 ,illiterate fishermen1 like  
,peter1 traditionated  by a corrupt     
priesthood1 could know next to nothing  
of the written  manuscripts of the      
,bible4 ,what he learnt was not from    
flesh and blood1  but from the spirit of
 revelation2 and let it be always in    
your  mind1 sir1 that ,christ has said1 
that on ,,this ,,rock of immediate      
revelation ,he will build ,his church4  
,a christianity contained exclusively in
 a small volume like the ,bible1  is an 
insult to the capacious revelations of  
the ,eternal ,spirit of  ,god1 that even
 searches the deep things of ,god--a    
mere drop compared  with the mighty     
ocean6 ,the full biography of ,jesus    
,christ contained in  the ,new          
,testament8 ,nonsense6 ,preposterous    
mockery6 ,you certainly are  not        
ignorant of the last verse in ,john's   
gospel--,the world itself  could not    
contain the account1 if written1 of the 
acts and doings of  ,jesus ,christ4 ,but
 shall the knowledge of ,christ be      

buried in oblivion  because his acts and
 sayings cannot be written8 ,no1 by no  
means2 ,god  forbid6 ,what saith the    
scriptures8 the all-wise ,spirit shall  
bring  all things to your remembrance1  
even the deep things of ,god--things    
that the tongue cannot utter nor the    
heart conceive4    ,without the ,holy   
,spirit of revelation1 to take of the   
things of ,jesus  and convey them to the
 knowledge of men1 ,i boldly aver that  
,,no man  can harmonize a consistent    
system from the ,old and ,new           
,testament1 or  find eternal life4      
,every man must be born of that spirit  
which gives  revelation and knowledge of
 ,christ1 or he can never see the       
kingdom  of ,god4 ,but a prominent      
feature in the creed of modern          
christianity  is1 that there is no      
further need of revelation1 consequently
 the  distinct office-work of the       
,spirit1 to bring to mind unwritten acts
  and doctrines of ,christ1 and         
harmonize those which are written and   

scattered promiscuously through the     
,bible1 is abrogated and deemed         
superfluous by modern christianity6     
,o thou benighted advocate of modern    
christianity1 how long shall thy  eye be
 veiled in reading the ,new ,testament1 
and thine heart be too  gross to        
perceive the beauty1 and comfort1 and   
power of that blessed  ,spirit that gave
 life and salvation to ancient          
christianity8 ,hast thou  lost all      
admiration for the ,spirit's miraculous 
gifts1 power1 and  blessing8 settled    
down under reconciliation to a load of  
doubts and  fears1 hoping that death    
will remove thy tormenting burden8 ,vain
 hope6  ,no longer then do despite to   
that ,eternal ,spirit of revelation that
  is freely promised to all that will   
honestly receive it4 ,if ,gentile       
christians are ashamed of the ,jew1     
because a veil was before their eyes  in
 reading the ,old ,testament1 has not   
the ,jew equal cause to be ashamed  of  
the ,gentile1 that has so soon turned   

away from the primitive path of  the    
,spirit's gifts of visions1 prophecies1 
healings1 c41 and thereby  been cut off 
for not continuing in ,his goodness1    
according to the  warning threat of     
,jehovah against ,gentiles4    ,where1  
sir1 are the splendid gifts of apostles 
and prophets1  evangelists1 pastors and 
teachers1 that ,christ gave to men and  
set in  his church1 forever to continue 
in the ministry1 edifying the ,,body of 
,christ till we all come to the unity of
 faith1 and to such a knowledge  of     
,god1 and fulness of power and wisdom as
 dwelt even in ,jesus8 ,they  are       
nowhere to be found in modern           
christianity6 ,modern christianity has  
the effrontery and shamelessness even to
 say that she does not need  them2      
consequently she says that she does not 
need to come to unity of  faith1 and to 
that full and potent knowledge of ,god  
that ,jesus in the  flesh possessed1 and
 had decreed that all ,saints should    
possess and be  like their elder        

brother4    ,not one of these great and 
precious gifts are retained4 ,the bare  
name of evangelists and pastors is      
retained in modern christianity1        
without the shadow of the power and     
prophetic knowledge of the ,holy        
,ghost1 with which these officers were  
obliged to be endued in the  primitive  
church4 ,she admits1 indeed1 the form of
 the office1 denying  the power4 ,she   
says1 indeed1 that she can come to unity
 of faith1  c41 without apostles1 and   
without the help of the good            
old-fashioned  ,almighty ,holy ,ghost4  
,but how long a time does she want to   
run for this prize of unity  of faith1  
c48 ,she has been running for the stakes
 nearly ,,eighteen  ,,hundred ,,years1  
and is further from the goal than when  
we started4 ,when  she started1 false   
apostles and deceitful workers were her 
champions4  ,in order to win the prize1 
these shed the blood of true apostles1  
and  the blood of saints was found in   
their garments4 ,and when her followers 

found that she had only the form or name
 of apostles and prophets  without the  
power1 she said1 we have no further need
 of apostles1 they  have done their work
 and miracles have ceased4 ,oh1 thou    
blood-guilty1  lying1 ,gentile          
christianity6 thy lineage takes hold of 
the mother of  abominations1 clothed in 
scarlet6 ,how great will be the severity
 of  ,god's judgments upon all that are 
accessory to modern christianity1       
except they repent and obey the gospel6 
,she has also changed the ordinances4   
,where is now the ordinance of          
anointing with oil8 ,where the ordinance
 of imposition of hands8 ,the  healing  
of the sick is given up to medical men1 
whose reliance is on  anything but the  
power and established ordinance of ,god4
 ,is it not  written for the benefit of 
the sick1 that they should call for the 
elders of the church1 whose duty it is  
to anoint the sick with oil  and lay on 
hands and they shall recover8 ,now the  
consequence of  changing this one       

ordinance of the ,bible to the medical  
nostrums of  men1 is the literal death  
of thousands1 who change the ordinance  
and  contribute to make this whole earth
 the burying ground of nations4    ,sir1
 may ,i not significantly ask1 will the 
priests of the day return  unto the     
,lord and teach his law and his         
testimony1 or will they with  hearts of 
stone see the inhabitants of the earth  
perish under the curse  of trusting in  
medical man and making flesh an arm8    
,the prophet ,isaiah says1 the          
consequence of changing the ordinances  
is1 to make the earth empty and         
desolate6 ,but this is not the only     
ordinance that is changed4 ,by laying on
 hands for the gift of the ,holy        
,spirit1 the authority to prophecy1     
speak with new tongues1 and cast out    
devils1 is conferred4 ,now1 unless      
boasting christianity has secured  peace
 and fellowship with the devil1 it is of
 much importance to know  how to cast   
him out4 ,unless they have wisdom and   

power1 and the spirit  of prophecy1 to  
supersede the need of the ,holy ,spirit1
 it is very  essential to observe the   
ordinances by which1 alone1 it is       
conferred4    ,but it is certain1 that  
if the ,holy ,spirit1 in all its        
supernatural  office-work of miraculous 
omnipotence and wisdom1 does not come   
and  reign on the earth1 then the       
kingdom of ,god will never come on the  
earth as it exists in heaven4 ,but the  
scriptures assure us that  the kingdom  
of ,god will break in pieces all other  
kingdoms1 and be  established on earth1 
even as it is in heaven1 and the palace 
of ,god  7tabernacle7 be in the midst of
 the human family4    ,the ,holy ,ghost 
is the grand agent by which the         
different orders of  priesthood1 have   
all their authority1 wisdom1 and power1 
to teach and  administer the laws and   
ordinances of heaven to men on earth4   
,the  ,,manifold ,,wisdom ,,of ,,god    
flows through these orders of priesthood
 from  heaven to earth4 ,but modern     

christianity has abolished these orders 
of  priesthood1 as no longer necessary2 
consequently1 the communications  from  
heaven to earth have been stopped for   
nearly eighteen hundred  years2 and from
 this cause1 our race has witnessed the 
most  appalling picture of the progress 
of crime and wretchedness1 that  has    
ever pervaded the earth since the dawn  
of creation4 ,no man has  sufficient    
knowledge of figures to enumerate ,,the 
,,millions that have  been slain in war1
 since the ,gentiles were cut off for   
unbelief4 ,the  pestilence has never    
slumbered since man rejected the healing
 ordinance  of ,god1 for the aid of     
physicians that are of no value4 ,famine
 has  locked hands with pestilence1     
causing rot1 and blast1 and mildew  to  
lead many to fear that ,god had repented
 himself of the promised  seed time and 
harvest4    ,the social virtues that    
ought to be and ever would be1 under the
  reign of ,god1 like salubrious breezes
 of heaven1 have become like the        

antagonistic and forked teeth of a      
picking cylinder1 that turned  ever so  
much1 will still be picking either in   
the offensive or  defensive4 ,the number
 of the oppressed is becoming so        
fearfully great  and vast1 that the     
captors know not where to find either   
room or  keepers for their prisoners4   
,the yoke of intolerance must have fresh
  iron fastenings of unheard of tenacity
 and rigour4 ,the oppressor feels  the  
danger of an awful outbreak from        
desperation that can be smothered  no   
longer4 ,the elements of revolution and 
self-destruction1 are sown  deep in     
every government1 and in every religious
 and social system that  has not for its
 basis truth1 immediately and           
continually revealed from  heaven6      
,now1 all this direful state of things  
is because that men have  forsaken ,god1
 the fountain of living waters1 and hewn
 them out  cisterns that can hold no    
water4 ,from the crown of the head to   
the soles of the feet1 modern           

christianity1 whether ,protestant or    
,catholic1 is full of wounds and        
bruises1 and putrifying sores4    ,the  
prophets and apostles foresaw the       
,gentile apostacy that would  spread    
over the earth1 under the plausible name
 of christianity1  obliterating the     
knowledge of ,god1 and denying the power
 of ,god1 and  changing his laws and    
ordinances1 till gross darkness should  
cover  the people4 ,they saw the mystery
 of iniquity working1 and boldly        
foretold the falling away--the          
exaltation of the man of sin1--the      
removal of the priesthood and light of  
truth from the seven churches  of       
,asia1--the refusal to teach all things 
that ,jesus commanded1--the             
irresistible fact1 that men would not   
endure sound doctrines1 but  would      
multiply discrepant teachers to suit    
itching ears1--the  introduction of     
damnable heresies1 and the doctrines of 
devils1  and the church becoming like a 
blood-guilty harlot1 that had           

exterminated the whole order of         
apostles1 and prophets1 and spiritual   
gifts1 and even denied the need of any  
such order of gifts and ministry  as    
existed in the primitive church6    ,the
 first doctrine of the devil in the     
garden was that it was not  necessary to
 obey ,god concerning a particular tree 
of the garden2  and the same doctrine of
 devils has1 by inches and by piece-meal
  removed and broken every command of   
,christ1 and put bishops and doctors  in
 the seats of apostles and prophets1 and
 the ordinance of sprinkling  infants1  
in place of baptism2 virtually saying1  
that ,god doth know1  that without the  
aid of apostles and the gift of the     
,spirit by laying  on of hands1 you can 
know truth enough2 and without baptism  
for  remission of sins1 you can be      
forgiven through prayer at the altar4   
,permit me1 sir1 in the conclusion to   
remind you of the reproof given  by an  
inspired wise man4 ,say not thou what is
 the cause that the  former days were   

better than these8 for thou dost not    
inquire wisely  concerning this4 ,the   
true and only rational revealed cause   
why  modern christianity is so weak1    
contentious1 discrepant1 and so  unlike 
the majestic1 almighty christianity of  
apostolic days1 is1  because apostate   
uninspired men ,,have ,,transgressed the
 ,,laws1 ,,changed  the ,,ordinances1   
and ,,broken the ,,everlasting          
,,covenant4 ,therefore1  the earth is   
defiled under the inhabitants thereof4  
,gentile  christianity will yet be      
compelled to come from the ends of the  
earth  and say1 surely our fathers have 
inherited lies1 vanity1 and things      
wherein there is no profit4    ,and ,god
 has said1 sir1 because your 7,gentile7 
fathers have  forsaken him and have not 
kept his law1 therefore1 says ,god1     
behold1 ,i will this once cause them to 
know mine hand and my might1  and they  
shall know that my name is the ,lord4   
,the land shall be  utterly emptied and 
utterly spoiled2 for the ,lord hath     

spoken this  word1 the earth mourneth   
and fadeth away1 the world languisheth  
and fadeth away1 the haughty people of  
the earth do languish4 ,the  earth also 
is defiled under the inhabitants        
thereof1 because they  have transgressed
 the laws1 changed the ordinances1 and  
broken the  everlasting covenant4       
,therefore1 hath the curse devoured the 
earth1 and  they that dwell therein are 
desolate2 therefore1 the inhabitants of 
the  earth are burned1 and few men left4
    ,in view of these things1 dear sir1 
my fervent prayer is1 that you  and all 
my brethren in the sectarian ministry   
will1 from this day  forth1 stay their  
hand and voice from upholding modern    
boasting  christianity--that is a stink 
in the nose of ,jehovah--that is        
depopulating the earth and abrogating   
the laws1 and ordinances of  ,god1 and  
sin no more1 and thereby follow the     
humble example of    ,your obedient     
servant1    ,,orson ,,spencer4          
,,letter ,,vii4    ,,the                

,,re-,,establishment ,,of ,,an          
,,apostolic ,,church4    ,liverpool1    
,august #bh1 #ahdg4    ,reverend and    
,dear ,sir1--,the next subject in the   
order of my promise1  contained in my   
first letter to you1 is1 ,,the          
,,re-,,establishment ,,of ,,an          
,,apostolic ,,church1 after the         
similitude and power of the primitive   
church4 ,such an occurrence as this1    
truly demands proof of a palpable  and  
satisfactory order1 which1 by the help  
of ,god1 ,i will proceed to  give you4  
,the beloved apostle ,john1 who survived
 many of his fellow-labourers  in the   
gospel1 and saw many damnable heresies  
coming into the church1  and making     
havoc of all the faithful1 and even the 
seven most faithful  churches in all the
 earth probably1 right under his own    
faithful  supervision1 yielding to      
,,apostacy1 and going over to ,satan4   
,this  apostle1 dear sir1 in his        
solitary grief1 was shewn1 by revelation
  from ,god1 the ,,re-,,establishment   

,,of ,,the ,,true ,,church1 with such   
wrath  and vengeance following its wake1
 as should make an utter end of         
wickedness1 give the righteous a        
thousand years rest1 cleanse the earth  
by blood and burning1 and bind the devil
 until the little season4    ,now mark1 
sir1 the emphatic words of this apostle 
before he left the  earth1 concerning   
what he saw would come in the last days4
 ,hear now  with a fixed ear1 and an    
unbiassed determined purpose to believe1
 and  abide the declaration of your own 
apostle ,john4 ,now to the momentous    
words that cheered the few banished     
persecuted ,saints1 that survived  the  
bloody hand of ,gentile apostacy4 ,says 
he3--,i saw another angel  flying       
through the midst of heaven1 having the 
everlasting gospel to  preach to all    
nations1 kindreds1 tongues1 and people2 
saying1 ,fear ,god  and give glory to   
him1 for the hour of his judgment is    
come4    ,there is no obscurity about   
this language4 ,it is quite as          

intelligible  and free from ambiguity as
 the language that predicted the        
marvellous  manner of the coming of     
,christ1 which1 however1 men would not  
understand1 through prejudice4 ,behold a
 virgin shall conceive and bear  a son1 
c4    ,now1 sir1 is it at all incredible
 that an angel should come to men8  ,or 
is it incredible that he should come    
soaring1 or flying in the  midst of     
heaven to earth8 ,you certainly believe1
 that ,jesus ,christ and  ,elijah soared
 from the earth up through the air1 or  
visible heavens4  ,is it not also       
credible1 that ,god should employ an    
angel to carry a  message to the        
nations8 ,and as ,god ministered the law
 by angels to one  man1 ,moses1 for a   
whole nation1 even so the angel that    
,john saw1 would  minister his gospel   
message to some particular man1 and that
 man  should bear it to the nations of  
the earth4    ,now1 to what man might we
 expect an angel would bring such a     
message of  vast importance8 ,a great   

and wise man1 or obscure and ignorant1  
or an  old or young man8 ,if we look at 
the past1 we shall find that ,john was a
  boisterous fellow1 from the           
wilderness1 that had no fellowship for  
any  existing religion whatever4 ,he    
struck the axe deep at the root of every
  religious organization1               
notwithstanding there were1 probably1   
some good  men in every sect1 but they  
were in error4 ,this man1 sir1 was first
 and  chief pioneer to the ,lord of     
life4    ,and who comes next to receive 
a message for all nations1 and hold  the
 keys of revelation for all nations8    
,now1 reverend sir1 fix the  eye of your
 mind steadily upon him4 ,and who is he8
 ,an honest1 hardy1  illiterate1 bold1  
rough fisherman1 that perhaps never saw 
the inside  of a gentleman's            
drawing-room4 ,here1 sir1 is the wisdom 
of ,god and  confusion for man4 ,but to 
return4 ,who is the man1 to whom the    
angel  shall give the gospel message of 
all nations1 in the last days1          

according to the vision of ,john1 the   
revelator8 ,let ,god1 the ,holy ,one  of
 all the earth1 speak in this matter1   
and let all the ends of the  earth      
believe ,,his holy word4    ,the ,lord  
,god of all flesh1 sir1 by the mouth of 
his servant ,zechariah1  tells us       
precisely what kind of man this angel   
would speak to1 and give  the gospel1 in
 the last dispensation4 ,speaking of the
 two great events  7the building of     
,zion and ,jerusalem1 in the last days71
 ,zechariah1 with  his ear open to the  
revelation of the same great event as   
,john's was1  says he heard the mandate 
of the ,almighty to the angel1 saying1  
,go and  speak to that young man4       
,here we have it1 sir1 in the language  
and testimony of ,god himself1 by  the  
mouths of his two servants1 ,john1 the  
revelator1 and ,zechariah4  ,john saw1  
after much inquiry before ,god about the
 restoration of the  gospel to the      
earth1 in clear vision1 the angel in his
 downward flight  through the heavens to

 earth1 and also heard him proclaim his 
errand1  and the message of joy and wo  
to the nations of the last days4 ,the   
other servant of ,god1 ,zechariah1 like 
,john1 equally intent to know  whether  
the true gospel ever would triumph in   
all the earth1 and  wickedness come to  
an end1 had the happiness to see the    
angel1 at the  end of his downward      
flight1 place his feet upon the earth1  
and witness  the finger of ,god raised1 
and pointing the angel to a young man1  
saying1 ,go speak to that young man4    
,now1 sir1 that you may be convinced    
beyond controversy1 ,i will beg your    
attention to the marvellous coincidence 
between the matter of fact1 as  related 
by a guileless young man1 and the       
declaration of ,john and  ,zechariah2   
but first1 you must readily admit1 that 
according to the  testimony of two      
prophets of ,god1 an angel must come    
down through the  midst of heaven to    
earth1 in some period of the last days1 
subsequent  to the lifetime of ,john1   

with such a gospel as was not on the    
earth2  and that angel must communicate 
his gospel message to some certain      
young man which the finger of ,god      
should point out to the angel4    ,now1 
was the young man ,joseph the man1 or   
look we for another8 ,his  testimony    
concerning the angel that he saw1 and   
the message that he  received1 if you   
will read it1 coincides perfectly with  
what the two  prophets had long since   
declared should take place4 ,he was1    
indeed1 an  illiterate and obscure youth
 of seventeen1 of humble parentage1 from
  the mountains of ,vermont2 but was he 
any less fit to receive such a  message 
than any other youth1 because he was    
illiterate or poor1 or  obscure1 or     
rough and vulgar8 ,this simple country  
youth told a tale  of what he had seen  
and heard1 in the face of all the broad 
blazing  science and christianity of the
 nineteenth century2 but was he any     
less likely to be the youth that the    
prophets saw and spoke of on  that      

account8 ,was it a marvellous tale that 
he told8 so likewise was  the tale that 
the ,virgin ,mary told about her        
offspring as begotten  of ,god the      
,father4 ,did the message that ,joseph  
received1 lead him to  disfellowship all
 the religious systems of the day1 as   
incompatible  with the primitive        
pattern8 so did ,jesus1 with the        
religions of his  day4 ,but lest some   
lingering doubt should remain upon your 
mind1  whether the young man ,joseph was
 the identical youth spoken of by  the  
prophets just named1 you shall have     
other proofs until reason is  satisfied4
    ,the prophet ,daniel being greatly  
beloved of ,god1 and of great faith1    
saw this scene of the visitation of the 
angel to the young man1  and the laying 
of the corner-stone of a millennial     
kingdom1 and the  time of its           
organization1 and calculated the same1  
to a day1 as will  be developed in due  
time4 ,job wished that his words1 or    
revelations  and history1 were written  

with a pen of iron 7the engraver's tool7
  and laid in a rock4 ,now many of the  
prophets that lived and suffered  on the
 ,american continent1 and settled that  
continent about the time  of the        
destruction of ,jerusalem under         
,zedekiah1 also wished their  words     
written and laid in rock or stone4 ,by  
great faith they obtained  permission to
 have their records and prophecies laid 
up in stone1  being neatly engraved with
 a pen of iron1 on plates of the most   
enduring metal4 ,daniel saw this stone  
that contained the records1 and  spoke  
of it4 ,now this stone1 containing the  
words of these prophets of  that other  
fold spoken of by ,christ1 had been     
buried about fourteen  hundred years    
previous to its discovery1 probably to a
 considerable  depth in the earth1 in   
what was then called the mountain of    
,cumorah4  ,daniel's language is very   
remarkable in regard to the manner in   
which  this stone1 with its contents1   
and connexion with the angelic  message1

 should come forth out of the mountain  
without hands4 ,the  stone probably1 in 
consequence of the wear of the elements 
upon the  earth under the guidance of   
,god1 was gradually resurrected from the
  depths of its burial1 until it was    
literally out of the mountain1 and      
visible without the aid of hands4       
,oh6 how marvellous1 literal1 and exact 
the fulfilment of ,daniel's  prophecy6  
,,the ,,mountain6 ,,the ,,visibility    
,,of ,,the ,,long ,,buried ,,stone      
,,without  ,,hands6 ,the contents of    
this stone1 long harped upon by         
commentators1  joined with the whole of 
the angelic message foreseen by ,john   
and  ,zechariah1 were to lay the        
foundation of a kingdom that should     
extend  over the whole earth1 and break 
in pieces all others1 and never be      
thrown down4 ,daniel not only saw the   
stone1 and mountain1 and young  man1 and
 the whole beginning of this latter-day 
work1 and calculated  the precise year  
and day of the month when the kingdom   

7not the coming  of ,christ7 should be  
set up2 but he describes the small and  
weak  governments into which the four   
great universal governments should be   
divided and subdivided4 ,the governments
 that should exist on the earth  when   
this stone should be brought to light1  
would be1 in comparison  with the four  
universal and potent governments of     
previous ages1 as the  numerously       
divided toes of a man's feet in         
magnitude to his body4    ,when ,jesus  
,christ came to organize the kingdom1   
the ,romish government  was universal1  
and all the world were required to be   
taxed for its  support2 consequently    
,daniel did not speak of his            
organization1 which  all the apostles   
saw and declared would be overcome4 ,but
 he saw that  the kingdom which ,christ 
would never take from the earth would be
 set  up1 when the image of great       
kingdoms would be reduced to the simile 
of  mere toes1 or petty kingdoms1 just  
such as exist all over the earth        

now--weak and small1 and huddled        
together as thick as some of the        
supernumerary toes of the feet of some  
ancient prodigies4    ,the kingdoms of  
this world1 just precisely like the     
religions of this  world1 are small1    
very numerous and contentious--all the  
present  governments of the earth being 
based on mixed1 heterogenous1 and       
discordant principles1 will readily     
crumble1 like dry clay1 before  the     
march of truth1 until the dust thereof  
is carried away1 and these  kingdoms and
 diversified religions are known only in
 the past4 ,you1  sir1 know very well   
whether the signs of the times fully    
indicate the  tottering state1 and      
general disruption of all the           
governments of  the earth4 ,but before  
,i close this part of my subject1 ,i    
will still  multiply the testimony of   
the prophets even further upon it4      
,omitting ,ezekiel1 ,i will next        
introduce the testimony of ,isaiah4     
,this  prophet has probably said more on

 the re-establishment of the church  in 
the last days1 and the surpassing glory 
of it than any other1 and  deserves     
rather to be read as a whole than suffer
 mutilation from a  single extract or   
two4 ,how any man can read ,isaiah's    
testimony and  not see that an          
extraordinary scene1 just like the one  
,i have been  describing1 was in full   
vision before him1 it is difficult to   
explain1  except their hearts are waxed 
gross and dull to perceive1 and the veil
  remains untaken away in reading the   
,old ,testament prophecies4    ,instead 
of citing passages of scripture         
verbatim1 ,i will here name  topics1    
which ,isaiah distinctly exhibited1     
bearing directly upon the  subject at   
issue4 ,first1 he speaks unequivocally  
of an extraordinary  ,,book1 and says it
 would be a sealed book1 that neither   
the learned  or unlearned could read4   
,second1 in the context1 he gives a     
cutting  rebuke1 because there is no    
prophet or seer to read it2 and         

administers  a most withering reproof to
 the religious world1 that draw near to 
,him  with their lips1 and honour ,him  
with their mouths only2 and for lack of 
the spirit of revelation and prophecy1  
resort to their own ingenuity  of       
teaching the fear of the ,lord by human 
precepts4 ,third1 he says1 the  vision  
of all is become as a ,,book that is    
sealed which cannot be  read4 ,how is   
this1 sir1 that the prophecies and      
revelations of all  are locked up in a  
book1 that neither learned nor unlearned
 can read1  and the men that uttered    
them1 prophets and seers1 are           
covered--shut  out from the knowledge of
 mankind8    ,the visions of the ,old   
and ,new ,testament are so plainly      
legible in many  books1 that he who runs
 may read4 ,those who had these latter  
visions1  instead of being covered or   
unknown1 are well known1 and preached   
every  ,sabbath day4 ,don't shrink from 
this issue1 sir1 but meet it like one   
who feels his destiny to be suspended on

 a correct faith in revealed  truth4    
,what mysterious collection of visions1 
arranged into the form  of a ,,book1    
that no uninspired man can read1 ,,is   
,,this8 ,it must be the  visions of some
 prophets and seers1 that have lived and
 prophesied  to some people1 that have  
now faded from the knowledge of men4    
,mankind is ignorant of them4 ,and when 
the ,,book1 that contains their  records
 is found 7taken out of the earth1 as ,i
 shall show by ,isaiah's  testimony71 no
 man can read it or is the wiser for it 
7unless ,god  reveals it74    ,now1 sir1
 as you are a teacher1 professing to be 
sent from ,god1 ,i again  ask1 whose    
visions are all these1 so curiously     
wrapped up in a ,,book1  and sealed too1
 and kept hid from the knowledge of     
mankind8 ,you will  not deny that the   
prophet saw a book1 containing important
 records  of some certain unknown       
prophets and seers4 ,but if you believe 
the  prophet1 as ,i know you do1 and    
humbly acknowledge1 that you cannot tell

  what this mysterious ,,book of        
,,records means2 then1 by the spirit and
  blessing of ,god1 ,i will further     
endeavour to show that it is the same   
that the angel announced to the young   
man ,joseph4    ,this mysterious ,,book 
of records was found in that identical  
stone1  spoken of by ,daniel the        
prophet4 ,the prophets and seers1 whose 
records  constitute that book1 lived    
among a mighty nation on the ,american  
continent1 whose history is as important
 as that of other continents in  its    
place4    ,another topic dwelt upon by  
,isaiah is1 that truth 7plainly alluding
  to this book of inspired records7     
should speak out of the ground1  and thy
 speech shall be low out of the dust1   
and thy voice shall be  as of one that  
hath a familiar spirit out of the       
ground1 and thy  speech shall whisper   
out of the dust4    ,is it a marvellous 
thing that this wonderful book of the   
visions of all  the ,american seers     
should be so skilfully entombed in      

stone1 and then  buried in the earth8   
,where should they have deposited it1 so
 that it  could have answered the       
purpose intended1 so well as in the     
ground8 ,how  could the ,,stone1        
containing it1 ever have been ,,cut     
,,out ,,of ,,the ,,mountain  ,,without  
,,hands1 if it had never been put into  
the mountain8 ,isaiah  says1 the people 
should be besieged and brought low      
7nearly all were  slain71 but by the    
records of their seers should1 after a  
long time1  speak out of the ground1 and
 their records should be as the voice   
of a familiar spirit4 ,who1 sir1 that   
has read them does not clearly  perceive
 that they speak familiarly of things   
past1 present1 and to  come8 ,so truly  
do these records speak of what shall    
transpire1 after  the ,,book has been   
shewn to them1 that many have           
slanderously said1 that  it was written 
by an eye witness of the things spoken  
of4 ,it speaks  also of the ruins of    
cities--of antiquities since discovered 

on the  ,american continent1 by         
travellers and antiquarians1 that have  
excited  the curiosity and wonder of the
 world4    ,this ,book of ,mormon1 is   
one of the most unexceptionable and     
,god-honouring books that was ever      
published to the world4 ,an uninspired  
man might as well attempt to originally 
compose the ,old and ,new  ,testament1  
as it4 ,its language 7the best butt of  
cavaliers7 is said  not to harmonize    
with the philological rules of the      
nineteenth  century4 ,one word in reply4
 ,peter and ,john were illiterate men1  
who  spoke as they were moved by the    
,holy ,ghost1 and their language was    
accredited to unlearned men by their    
hearers4 ,now1 if redundant and         
ungrammatical language may be the medium
 through which the ,holy ,ghost         
communicates by men in speaking1 may it 
not with equal propriety be  employed in
 writing1 by a similar class of men8 ,it
 is not denied1  that there is something
 wonderful about all this matter4 ,the  

prophet  ,isaiah considered it          
wonderful1 when he calls it a marvellous
 work3  a marvellous work and a wonder4 
,the wisdom of their wise men shall     
perish1 and the understanding of their  
prudent shall be hid4 ,all the  learned 
commentaries of divines1 as this gospel 
advances1 shall be  buried in oblivion1 
as so much rubbish4    ,god declares1 by
 the same prophet1 that he has seen the 
wickedness of  the wicked1 and the      
oppression of the poor and upright1     
until he rises  up to do his work1 his  
strange work1 and bring to pass his act1
  his strange act4 ,he warns men against
 making a mock of this strange  and     
marvellous work1 lest their bands be    
made strong1 for he has  decreed a      
consumption upon the whole earth4 ,this 
is what ,john also  says2--,the hour of 
,his judgment is measurably simultaneous
 with the  proclamation of the gospel4  
,habakkuk1 the prophet1 told men to wait
  for this same vision of ,american     
prophets1 written on tables 7tabular    

plates71 which would be a long time     
before it made its appearance2 but  it  
would surely come1 because ,god had     
promised these seers that a  remnant of 
their seed1 on that continent1 should be
 saved4 ,no pen can  describe the joy   
and exultation that they must have felt 
in obtaining  such a promise1 or the    
bliss now experienced by them in the    
fulfilment  of it4 ,but for the         
fulfilment of this promise1 none of them
 or their  righteous contemporaries     
would ever have been made perfect4      
,oh6 how great the goodness and mercy of
 ,god to every nation1 without  respect 
of persons6 ,how great1 too1 the        
indebtedness of this generation  to     
,almighty ,god for that most precious   
stone of prophetic records1  that       
reveals at once the history of the      
,american continent--a continent  of    
otherwise unfathomable antiquities and  
wonders--a land that  embowels the bones
 of a numerous and mighty race of       
people1 with all  their implements of   

husbandry and of art6 ,where1 also1 are 
the ruins of  splendid cities1 the      
former glory of which might surpass even
 gigantic  ,london6 ,within that stone1 
too1 was written with a pen of iron1 as 
infallibly as the marks on ,belshazzar's
 palace1 the future destiny of  the     
,american people4    ,in conclusion1 do 
you ask if the ,apostolic ,church is    
again  re-established1 where is it8 ,i  
reply1 it is in the mountains where  the
 ,lord's ,house is to be built in the   
last days4 ,driven by the cruel  hand of
 persecution to the very place where the
 ,lord has declared ,he  will hide them 
till the indignation be overpast4 ,do   
you also ask  what kind of organization 
this ,church has8 ,the answer is1 the   
same  as that of the ,apostolic ,church 
in the days of ,peter1 consisting of    
,apostles1 ,prophets1 ,evangelists1 c42 
with the gifts of healing1  tongues1    
interpretation1 casting out devils1     
prophesyings1 c4 ,do  you ask who has   
seen any of these miraculous fruits of  

this ,church8  ,i answer a hundred      
thousand living witnesses are ready to  
testify  that the signs which ,christ   
said shall follow them that believe1    
do1 in very deed1 follow believers in   
this ,church4 ,do you say1  are they    
credible witnesses8 ,they were generally
 accounted credible  persons1 until they
 believed and obeyed this gospel4 ,do   
their lives  show that they do sincerely
 believe and love the apostolic gospel  
which  they profess8 ,nothing as yet1   
has been able to separate them from it2 
neither home nor country1 nor the       
inheritances of their fathers1 nor      
penury or reproach1 or evil report1 or  
cold1 or nakedness1 and no  certain     
dwelling-place for years6    ,i now     
close this simple and unembellished     
statement of truth1 being  written in a 
state of convalescence from severe      
sickness1 hoping a  portion of your     
inquiries will have been satisfactorily 
answered1    ,your friend and servant1  
,,orson ,,spencer4        ,,letter      

,,viii4    ,,the ,,true ,,and ,,living  
,,god4    ,liverpool1 ,september #ac1   
#ahdg4    ,reverend and ,dear ,sir1--,in
 this epistle ,i shall endeavour to set 
before  you a description of the person1
 abode1 and character of ,,the ,,true   
,,and  ,,living ,,god4 ,in so doing ,i  
trust it will not be imputed to         
arrogance if  ,i borrow my apology from 
the language of ,st4 ,paul3--,as ,i     
passed by ,i  beheld an altar with this 
inscription1 ',to the ,unknown ,god4'   
,whom ye  ignorantly worship1 him       
declare ,i unto you4    ,the people of  
,paul's day had for several generations 
been unaccustomed  to receive           
revelations from the true ,god1         
believing1 generally1 that  revelations 
from ,god had ceased with ,malachi4     
,they supposed that  the canon of       
scripture was complete long before their
 time1 and  they considered that the    
great law-giver1 ,moses1 had established
 an  immutable code of laws and         
government1 suited to the condition of  

people of all ages and circumstances    
whatever1 to the end of time2 and  the  
,jews1 to this very day1 entertain the  
same opinion4    ,labouring under this  
most blighting and soul-darkening       
opinion for  several centuries1 without 
the light of any new revelation1 and    
without the aid of that immediate       
inspiration which attended ,moses  and  
the prophets1 their foolish hearts      
became darkened as a necessary          
consequence4 ,inflated with pride1 and a
 false but sincere reverence for  the   
scriptures of a previous age1 they      
became a conspicuous and warning        
example to this generation of ignorance1
 not only of the scriptures1  which they
 carefully memorized1 but also of all   
the essential  attributes of the person1
 character1 and doctrine of ,god4       
,now1 sir1 during the long period of    
sixteen or eighteen hundred years1  in  
which the light of immediate revelation 
has not shone1 the religious  world have
 fallen into similar and even far       

greater darkness4 ,the true  and living 
,god is not known as ,i shall proceed to
 show4    ,the religious world have an  
abundance of zeal for ,god1 and         
diligence in  spreading the scriptures  
and their missionaries over the face of 
the  earth2 but1 alas6 the ,god they    
profess to worship is an unknown ,god1  
and this ignorance of ,god is the       
legitimate consequence of not having    
immediate revelation from him1 during a 
long period of near eighteen  hundred   
years2 and unaided by the spirit of     
inspiration1 the ancient  scriptures    
have become a dark and obscure          
book--their import has been  warmly     
debated by a thousand learned           
disputants1 without any prospect  of    
approximation to unity4    ,a very      
general conviction concerning the       
character of ,god now is1 that  ,he is a
 ,being without body1 or parts1 or      
passions4 ,a greater absurdity  cannot  
be furnished in all the annals of       
heathenism4 ,even images of  wood1 and  

brass1 and stone1 are scarcely more     
remote from the picture  of the true    
,god1 than the theory of a passionless1 
matterless ,god--an  inconceivable sort 
of chaotic being1 that is without form1 
or void1  or dwelling place6 a being    
whose circumference is everywhere1 and  
his  centre nowhere6    ,another theory 
concerning ,god1 that is entertained by 
,jewish ,rabbies1  though of an opposite
 character1 is not much more extravagant
 than the  common orthodox theory1 viz1 
the ,rabbies suppose that ,god is a     
,being of  some millions of miles in    
length4    ,again1 the popular notion of
 modern ,jews1 as expressed in a recent 
number of the ,jewish ,chronicle1 is1   
that the ,almighty ,god is a  ,being of 
such infinite dimension1 that ,he cannot
 condense himself  sufficiently to speak
 to men1 or be tangible or visible by   
mortals4  ,accordingly1 when he gives   
revelation to men1 ,he creates a        
fictitious  or imaginary messenger1     
through whom he communicates his will1  

and this  messenger has no real         
existence in the eye of ,god1 and only  
in the  momentary perception of the     
person addressed4--7,see ,millennial    
,star  ,no4 #ae1 also ,jewish           
,chronicle47    ,from the foregoing it  
may be seen how grossly ignorant both   
,jews and  ,christians are of the person
 of ,god1 the ,creator and ,saviour of  
the  world6 ,all this1 too1 in an age of
 the world boasting of blazing light6   
of a millennial dawn6 of the            
unparalleled march of improvement6 but1 
alas6 the very ,god and ,father of us   
all1 who ought to be truly known  in    
order to be rightly worshipped1 is      
regarded as the most insensible  7a ,god
 without passion must be insensible71   
and irrational1 and  unattractive as to 
form1 of all beings that can be         
conceived of2 and  the most surprising  
feature in all modern theology in an age
 of sanity  is1 that this notion        
concerning the person of ,god1 is       
deducible from  the scriptures of the   

,old and ,new ,testament4    ,the ,new  
,testament tells us most unequivocally  
what kind of person ,god  has1 and      
whether he is a ,being having both      
passion and physical form4  ,it tells   
whether he can be so condensed as to    
speak to men1 and  be seen of them1 and 
talk to them face to face1 as a man     
talks to his  fellow man4 ,the ,new     
,testament declares that in ,jesus      
,christ dwelt the  ,,fulness ,,of ,,the 
,,godhead1 ,,bodily4    ,now1 if the    
,godhead dwelt in the body of ,christ1  
then it is certain  that ,god is not    
without a body4 ,but ,he has a body2 and
 what is ,his  body like unto8 ,the ,new
 ,testament tells us what ,his body is  
like4 ,it  is so nearly and exactly like
 unto the body of ,christ1 that there is
  no difference4 ,paul says1 that       
,christ was the express image of his    
person4 ,it is then beyond all dispute  
that the body and person of  ,jesus     
,christ and the ,father are alike4      
,language cannot express the  similitude

 of the ,father and the ,son in plainer 
or stronger terms4  ,then1 if we can    
show from the ,new ,testament what kind 
of body or  person ,jesus ,christ had1  
we can also tell what kind of body the  
,father  has1 because they are alike4   
,one is the express image of the other4 
,if one has a fleshy material body1 the 
other has the same4 ,if one  resembles  
in stature the seed of the woman1 the   
other also wears the  same resemblance4 
,if one can be so condensed as to speak 
and walk1  and feel and act like a man1 
the other can do the same4 ,if one      
wearing  a body of flesh and bones1 in  
all points like unto his brethren1  is  
capable of holding all power in heaven  
and earth1 and also of  displaying the  
brightness of celestial glory1 the other
 can do the same  in a similar body of  
flesh and bones4    ,well1 now1 what    
kind of body or person had ,jesus       
,christ1 which  looked so much like the 
,father's person8 ,was it an airy1      
invisible1  evanescent1 mystical        

nothing1 which some would denominate    
spirit8 ,no1  by no means2 very much    
otherwise4 ,hearken now1 my dear sir1   
and all ye  readers1 that have an honest
 desire to know the living and true     
,god1  and ,jesus ,christ whom he hath  
sent1 in order that men might know from 
the person of the ,son what is the      
personal appearance of the ,father4     
,he1 the ,word1 was made flesh and dwelt
 among us 7and we beheld his  glory1 the
 glory as of the only begotten of the   
,father7 full of grace  and truth4      
,jesus had a fleshly form like the seed 
of ,abraham1 and  being begotten of the 
,father he partook of his likeness4 ,men
 beheld his  glory in human form1 and   
,paul says that his glory was the glory 
of the  ,father4    ,it appears from the
 conduct of some of his disciples1 that 
they1 like  sectarian churches now1 were
 tinctured with the idea that ,christ1  
after  his death and resurrection1 was  
purely and exclusively a ,spirit2 but   
he tells them to handle him and see that

 a ,spirit has not flesh and  bones as  
ye see me have4 ,and he eat and drank   
with them as aforetime  with his        
resurrected body1 and afterwards        
ascended up from their midst  with the  
same bloodless body into heaven2 and in 
like manner will he  come again4        
,thus1 sir1 the notion of a ,god that is
 exclusively ,spirit without  bodily    
form1 was banished from the minds of the
 disciples that saw  the bodily image of
 the ,father in the person of the ,son  
after his  resurrection4 ,from heaven he
 will come again in like manner1 and    
every  eye shall see him1 and they that 
have pierced him4 ,but the popular  ,god
 of modern times1 that has no body or   
parts1 cannot be seen4 ,but1  sir1 this 
popular ,god that has sprung into       
fashion1 since the age of  revelation1  
has no resemblance to ,jesus ,christ1   
who has both body and  parts1 and is the
 exact image of his ,father4 ,jesus     
,christ declared  that he could exercise
 all power in heaven and earth while he 

was in  the body4 ,his ,father could do 
the same1 because they were alike4 ,it  
required no extraordinary condensation  
of the infinity of ,jesus in  order to  
reveal himself to men1 or in order that 
men should behold his  glory4    ,but we
 have other proofs that the person of   
,god the ,father is like  the bodily    
form of ,christ's resurrected person4   
,god has declared that  man is in his   
image4 ,man was created in the image of 
,god1 and in the  likeness of ,god2 and 
the bodies of holy men are destined to  
be like  unto ,christ's own most        
glorious body2 that is as much as to say
 that  they are like the body of ,christ
 in the heavenly state4    ,if the      
foregoing1 and many other similar       
passages of scripture1 do not  go to    
show that the ,supreme ,being bears a   
personal appearance like unto  the      
person of his ,son1 and consequently    
like unto any other resurrected  body of
 a righteous man1 then we are in a      
labyrinth of doubt how to  interpret the

 most plain and unequivocal language4   
,if the language of  scripture does not 
bear me out in the conclusion that man  
is in the  form of ,god1 then there are 
no infallible way-marks or criteria by  
which ,i can safely interpret           
scriptures4 ,and the votaries of        
,vishnoo  have as good scriptural reason
 to believe in their theory of deific   
annihilation1 as others have to believe 
in a ,god without body1 or  parts1 or   
passions4    ,the scriptures plainly    
deny both theories1 as they do that ,god
 is a  person some millions of miles in 
the height of his stature4 ,common      
sense cannot grasp the idea of any being
 or thing whatever1  that is without    
body or parts4 ,even the most subtle and
 refined  spirit conceivable1 is a      
material existence as far removed from  
immateriality as the east is from the   
west4    ,now1 sir1 suffer me to entreat
 you to abandon all such crude theories 
concerning ,god1 which are as baseless  
and unscriptural as the most            

extravagant vagaries of the heathen1 and
 confine your faith to the  simple      
obvious testimony of ,jesus and the     
prophets4 ,and remember that  this is   
not a subject of little importance2 for 
it is written1 that1  to know ,god and  
,jesus ,christ is eternal life4 ,no man 
can understand  the import of eternal   
life1 nor how it is secured to          
believers1 that  does not know ,god and 
,jesus ,christ4 ,in ,god and ,christ is 
eternal  life4 ,this life is not barely 
the perpetuity of existence1 for even   
the  wicked exist for ever1 but it is   
called in scripture the power of        
endless life4 ,this power of multiplying
 or creating life emanated in  that     
,melchizedek priesthood of which ,jesus 
is the head and ,high ,priest4  ,this is
 the gift of ,god to men who keep his   
commandments1 and the  greatest of all  
gifts4 ,unsearchable riches accompany   
this gift4 ,when  ,god created man1 he  
created him in his own image 7male and  
female71 in  order that he too might    

have the power of multiplying life after
 the  order of ,melchizedek1 through    
obedience4    ,now1 sir1 should it not  
be a matter of delight to you1 that man 
is  created in the image of ,god1 and   
crowned with glory and honour through   
faith in ,christ4 ,will not ,peter and  
his fellow-desciples rejoice to         
recognise that same ,jesus who ascended 
to heaven with a body like their  own1  
and if ,jesus bears the image of the    
,father1 they will be equally  familiar 
with the ,highest4 ,what is there1 sir1 
that contributes more to  the glory of  
,god than his creative power1 by which  
he brings myriads  of living            
intelligences into being1 through whom a
 chaotic universe is  organized into    
works of beauty1 taste1 grandeur1 and   
glory8 ,all these  creations are for the
 righteous pleasure of ,him who created 
them4    ,we all are the offspring of   
,god1 and the loyal offspring of ,god   
are the  greatest delight and concern of
 ,god4 ,for them he is ever ready to    

make  the greatest sacrifice possible4  
,not only is filial reverence displayed 
from them to ,him1 the fountain of life1
 but by them is shown forth the         
manifold wisdom and power of ,god4 ,and 
when men1 by humble obedience1  become  
worthy of eternal life1 the ,almighty   
bestows upon them the like  precious    
creative gift4 ,but this gift of life is
 in his ,son1 and ,he  never bestows it 
upon unworthy subjects4 ,thus by the law
 of adoption  men become the sons and   
daughters of the ,almighty1 and receive 
the  priestly power of endless life1    
which is after the order of the  ,son of
 ,god4 ,hence the marvellous language of
 scripture1 ,i said ye  are ,god's to   
whom the word of ,god came4 ,jesus      
virtually said on one  occasion1 ,if    
holy men are the sons of ,god1 and      
consequently heirs  to ,his throne1     
privileges1 and glory1 then marvel not  
that ,i 7,jesus7  should claim to be a  
,god or the ,son of ,god6 ,for ,paul    
says1 there be  in heaven ,gods many1   

and ,lords many1 yet to us there is but 
one ,god4  ,howbeit there is not in     
every man that knowledge4    ,in        
conclusion1 ,i will drop a passing      
remark or two concerning the abode  or  
dwelling place of ,god1 with a brief    
hint of his moral attributes4  ,as      
,jesus is our light and example1 we can 
learn of the ,father's abode  from his  
,son4 ,the ,son ascended up into heaven 
and to his ,god and our  ,god4 ,the     
scriptures abundantly declare that a    
place called heaven is  the peculiar    
dwelling place of the ,god and ,father  
of our ,lord ,jesus  ,christ4 ,now1 if  
heaven is not a literal1 bona fide      
place1 but only  an imaginary phantom1  
then it follows that ,jesus went to no  
place1 but  continued to ascend up1     
till1 in his glorious flight1 ,he       
reached--  shall ,i call it ,nichban--an
 imaginary phantom--or annihilation6    
,be not displeased1 dear sir1 ,i am not 
trifling with your religion1  but am    
bound by truth and the love of ,god1 to 

unfold its naked  absurdity1 in order   
that you1 my beloved friend1 and all    
good men  may recoil from such gross    
,gentile vagaries1 and exclaim1 in the  
language of scripture1 ,our ,fathers    
have inherited lies1 vanity1  and things
 wherein there is no profit4 ,if you    
will read carefully  the scripture      
accounts of the visions of holy men1    
that have been  permitted to look in    
upon the heavenly residence of ,god1    
where ,jesus  and all the resurrected   
bodies of the righteous abide1 and eat  
and  drink1 you will be constrained to  
acknowledge every appearance of a       
splendid local abode4                   
,mansions--streets--rivers--trees--preci
ous metals                              
--thrones--persons--apparel--animals--mi
nistering personages in all the  courtly
 livery of unspeakable celestial glory6 
,the heaven of all the  holy prophets6  
,god's holy dwelling place1 is literal1 
local1 real1 and to its  occupants1 it  
is visible and tangible4 ,it is by no   

means a matterless1  passionless1       
mystical region of extatic and endless  
songs from the  lips of immaterial      
spirits1 offered in praise to some      
,great ,spirit1  equally passionless and
 immaterially chaotic1 spreading        
infinitely  through all space without   
centre or circumference4 ,if such is the
 ,god  that men expect to adore in      
heaven1 mankind would present but a     
faint  image of him1 yea1 even ,jesus1  
who partook of man's likeness1 could not
  have been the brightness of the       
,father's glory1 and express image of   
his person4 ,he declares that ,he has   
given us an image and likeness of       
himself in the person of man4 ,but who  
would ever recognise their ,father  and 
,jesus in the person of a boundless1    
centreless being1 of no body or  parts1 
infinitely expanded4    ,but it is      
sometimes urged that man only resembles 
,god in his moral  attributes4 ,morally1
 says the divine and doctor1 man bears  
the image  of ,god4 ,aye1 indeed6 ,the  

absurdity of such a supposition is still
  greater4 ,by moral1 ,i must then      
understand1 that the resemblance        
between ,god and man1 consists in their 
being of like social1 civil1  and       
religious temperament and affection4    
,other things being equal1 a  holy man  
as ,adam originally was1 would cherish  
the same propensities  with ,god--have a
 similar sense of justice and truth     
according to the  measure of knowledge  
belonging to each4 ,but the absurdity   
and query  are here3 an immaterial1     
infinitely expanded ,god1 without       
physical  form and locality1 is as      
unlike to man as light to darkness1 or  
as the  most diverse animals can be     
supposed to be1 and cannot in the nature
  of things have those sympathies and   
moral sensibilities that man has4       
,material sensibilities must differ from
 those which are immaterial1 as  much as
 the elements of land and water differ4 
,my sheet being full1 allow me to       
subscribe myself    ,your friend and    

servant1    ,,orson ,,spencer4          
,,letter ,,ix4    ,,the ,,priesthood4   
,liverpool1 ,september #cj1 #ahdg4      
,reverend and ,dear ,sir1--,in close    
connexion with an account of the        
character of ,god1 ,i will proceed to   
give you a brief and succint            
description of ,,the ,,priesthood4 ,it  
is feared1 however1 that the present    
subject will not be more congenial to   
your views than the foregoing4  ,still  
it shall be treated according to the    
spirit of the scriptures of  the ,old   
and ,new ,testament1 which you ardently 
profess to believe4    ,you will admit  
that ,god is the righteous ,ruler over  
all the moral and  intelligent creatures
 of the universe4 ,his government is    
both temporal  and spiritual4 ,not even 
a sparrow falls to the ground without   
,his  notice4 ,he clothes the lilies of 
the field2 much more doth ,he watch     
over all the varied interests of        
intelligent beings both in heaven and   
upon earth4    ,i shall then define     

priesthood to be that order of          
authoritative  intelligences by which   
,god regulates1 controls1 enlightens1   
blesses  or curses1 saves or condemns   
all beings4 ,to it1 under ,god1 all     
things  are subservient in              
righteousness1 whether in heaven1 earth1
 or hell4  ,god the ,father of our ,lord
 ,jesus ,christ is at the head of all   
genuine  priesthood4 ,but as it is ,his 
will that all men should honour the     
,son1  even as they honour the ,father1 
,jesus now stands accredited as the     
,apostle and ,high ,priest of our       
profession4 ,subordinate priests in the 
same apostolic order of the ,son of     
,god1 are such as he has put in his     
church4 ,these are called apostles1     
prophets1 evangelists1 teachers1 c4     
,now1 sir1 by means of this order1      
extending from ,jesus the ,high         
,priest1 to the lowest grade of         
priesthood in conjunction with the ,holy
  ,ghost1 ,god teaches and governs all  
things4 ,out of the line of this  order1

 there is no power whatever that is     
acknowledged and approved  of ,god4     
,magistrates1 rulers1 kings1 potentates 
and principalities1  if not legitimately
 ordained and clothed with the authority
 of this  priestly order of the ,son of 
,god1 are usurpers and not of ,god--for 
the  scriptures declare that there is no
 power that is not of ,god4 ,even the   
angelic order is in the line of         
subordination to ,jesus ,christ1 and in 
the same chain of priesthood with       
apostles and prophets upon the earth4   
,the priesthood exhibits a regular      
gradation of knowledge and authority    
from ,jesus the great ,high ,priest in  
heaven1 to the lowest description  of   
ordination in the church below4 ,jesus  
said that all power was given  him in   
heaven and upon earth4 ,but how did he  
propose to exercise all  that power     
which was given him both among the      
nations of the earth  and in heaven8 ,my
 answer is1 that he proposed to do it   
through a  delegation of power to the   

different orders of his priesthood4 ,we 
are  told distinctly what the priesthood
 consists of1 which is established  on  
the earth1 viz41 apostles1 prophets1    
evangelists1 c4 ,the heavenly  order1   
minister to the authorities of the      
earthly order4 ,the ruling  object to be
 accomplished by the latter is1 the work
 of the ministry1  the perfecting of the
 ,saints1 the edifying of the body of   
,christ4    ,the first object of this   
priestly order is to teach all nations  
to  become loyal and good citizens of   
the kingdom of ,god1 observing all  the 
commandments of ,god4 ,one universal    
commandment of ,god is1 for all  men    
every where to repent and be baptized1  
and keep all other laws of  ,god1 as    
they shall be dispensed from the great  
,high ,priest through  the delegated    
authorities4 ,now if all men do not obey
 these commands1  they are liable to be 
dealt with as transgressors1 and        
punished as  evil doers4 ,the command to
 obey is imperative upon all men4 ,hence

  whatever orders of civil              
government--or order of domestic        
compact--or  order of business          
transaction--or order of religious      
worship--or  rule of commercial         
transaction may contravene the          
established order  of priesthood1 the   
same must bow to the requisition of the 
inspired  priesthood of ,god2 and ,god  
acknowledges no other power with        
approbation4    ,now1 dear sir1 it is   
this imperative attitude of authority   
and power1  which the ,almighty boldly  
claims1 and fearlessly attempts to      
exercise1  through a chosen priesthood  
over all mankind1 ,jews and ,gentiles1  
that  greatly displeases the rebellious 
portion of our race4 ,they cannot bear  
that this man should reign over them4   
,false notions of independence  and     
liberty rise against an order of        
delegated authorities claiming          
inspiration and officiality from ,god4  
,the rebellious profess that they  are  
ready to obey the ,almighty ,god1 but as

 for these men claiming  priesthood1 we 
will not have them1 to reign over us4   
,the abuses practised by an apostate and
 uncalled priesthood for the  last      
seventeen hundred years1 has wrought an 
honest but wofully  misguided prejudice 
against the true priesthood2 and a large
 portion  of mankind demand also1 that  
,god shall communicate with themselves  
directly1 without the intervention of   
agencies chosen from mere men  like     
themselves4 ,and this captious spirit of
 dictation1 as to the  manner in which  
,god shall teach and govern them1 has   
been fostered in  their minds by the    
erroneous notion that ,god is such a    
centreless1  boundless spirit of        
ubiquity1 that he can teach and govern  
all worlds  without the aid of other    
agencies4 ,we might as well suppose that
 he  can see without eyes1 or hear      
without ears4 ,but ,god's being like    
man1  though infinitely exalted above   
him1 and unspeakably perfected in  every
 faculty and power1 puts to shame these 

dark vagaries about the  inutility of   
delegated powers4    ,during the whole  
period of the world1 ,god has ever and  
invariably  attempted to teach and      
govern mankind by means of an           
established  priesthood consisting of   
men2 and this priesthood has been as    
invariably resisted from the days of    
righteous ,abel till now4 ,by this      
priesthood1 it is the design of ,god to 
establish a ,divine government  upon the
 earth1 even as it is established in the
 heavens4 ,all other  forms of          
government have proved a complete       
failure in every nation and  period1 in 
which the experiment has been attempted4
    ,but the most humiliating feature in
 the whole history of governments  is1  
that many have sought to ape the ,divine
 government with an  uninspired         
priesthood4 ,they have thereby made     
every species of  religious government a
 stink and confusion in all the earth4  
,their  uninspired systems have been    
like a fair woman without discretion1   

or like jewels in a swine's snout4      
,sometimes they have united church  and 
state1 and swayed a sceptre of          
oppression2 at other times they  have   
been passive and non-resistant1 even to 
the utter extinction of  thousands whose
 defenceless blood has crimsoned the    
earth4 ,but the time  for experimenting 
upon false forms of government1 civil or
 religious1  has nearly gone by never to
 return1 save for a little season4    ,a
 priesthood chosen not of men1 but      
chosen first of ,god1 and inspired  with
 his wisdom1 truth1 and power1 is now   
called and ordained to teach  all       
nations1 and fill the earth with the    
knowledge of ,god4 ,by means  of this   
order1 and this order alone1 the        
kingdoms of this world1  whether        
temporal or spiritual1 pagan or         
christian1 are all to be merged  in one 
universal kingdom4 ,and this will be the
 best and greatest  kingdom ever known  
this side of heaven4 ,its constitution1 
laws1 and  method of administration will

 be after the model of the heavenly     
order4 ,it will embrace politics1 arts1 
war1 merchandize1 science1 and          
religion--- things temporal and things  
spiritual4 ,and the energy and  wisdom  
of ,omnipotence will1 like the little   
leaven in meal1 increase  and magnify in
 the priesthood1 till the whole world is
 brought into  happy subordination to   
this plan of government4 ,the nations of
 the  earth will then become one family 
and brotherhood4 ,kings and rulers1  of 
all grades1 will then be chosen of ,god 
through the priesthood1 of  which       
priesthood rulers will be a part and    
portion2 and without being  ordained to 
the priesthood1 no man ever can rule in 
this great kingdom4    ,thus1 dear sir1 
you perceive that ,i attach great       
importance to  the priesthood1 and      
consider it the grand instrumentality of
  revolutionizing1 and saving1 and      
governing the whole earth4 ,but what    
harm in all this8 ,do you think there is
 too much power invested in  this chosen

 order of men8 ,why1 certainly not6     
,they have not chosen  themselves2      
neither have they come to office by the 
votes of the  unthinking mass2 nor by   
blind hereditary lineage1 nor by        
violence  and the usurper's arts4 ,they 
have been chosen of ,god1 who knew their
  spirits before the foundation of the  
world4 ,they are a royal priesthood  and
 holy nation1 for ,god will have no     
other in his priesthood4 ,says  ,jesus  
to his apostles1 ,ye have not chosen me 
but ,i have chosen you4  ,whom ,god     
approves men should not refuse4         
,moses was a priest and lawgiver1 and   
had to do with the temporal and         
spiritual affairs of his subjects4      
,moses sought to unite church and       
state1 in obedience to the command of   
,god4 ,joshua was also a priest  and    
ruler1 and united both temporal and     
spiritual interests in his  government4 
,david was a priest and king1 and       
likewise ,solomon1 his  son4 ,abraham1  
,isaac1 and ,jacob were as much         

directed1 by ,god1 in  their temporal   
concerns or movements as they were in   
their spiritual  devotions4 ,jesus      
,christ came to establish a temporal    
kingdom fully  as much as a spiritual   
kingdom4 ,both ,jews and ,romans        
suspected his  designs1 and charged him 
with the crime of treason4 ,they said   
that he  called himself a ,king4 ,some  
will say that he explicitly declared    
that  ,his kingdom was not of this      
world4 ,true3 ,he did make this         
declaration2  but what does it prove8   
,it proves simply1 that this world was  
not  the father1 author1 or origin of   
,his kingdom4 ,his kingdom was from     
heaven1 and ,he had come here for the   
very important purpose of  establishing 
it on the earth4 ,he called it kingdom  
of heaven1 in  distinction from kingdoms
 that were of earthly origin4    ,it is 
strange1 indeed1 that the sectarian     
clergy should borrow the  idea that ,his
 kingdom was not a temporal kingdom as  
well as spiritual4  ,it was the prayer  

of ,his heart1 and the prayer that ,he  
taught ,his  disciples1 that ,god would 
establish ,his kingdom on earth1 and    
cause  ,his will to be done here as it  
is done in heaven4 ,consequently1 he    
organized the kingdom here after the    
pattern of heaven1 with all proper      
officers1 and laws suited to every      
temporal and spiritual occasion1 and    
then gave commandment that all nations  
should yield allegiance to the  laws and
 authorities established1 and also      
submit themselves to the  ordinances of 
,his ,kingdom4 ,and being in possession 
of living teachers1  even the word of   
inspired men1 they 7all mankind1 if they
 would obey7  would be thoroughly       
furnished to every good word and work4  
,in  other words1 they would know how to
 act in every calling and sphere of     
business1 whether temporal or spiritual4
    ,jesus ,christ did not design that  
his servants should fight one another1  
or fight and conquer mankind into       
allegiance to ,him4 ,the world would    

act on these principles through         
disobedience1 but his disciples would   
not1 because they were shown a better   
way to universal dominion and           
government4    ,the priesthood being an 
office of great responsibility1 is      
guarded  rigidly against intruders4 ,man
 may lawfully desire this office1 but   
he has no right to take it of himself1  
but he must first be called  and        
appointed to it as ,aaron was1 by ,god1 
through a prophetic voice4  ,neither is 
man required to study1 and artificially 
qualify himself for  receiving it4 ,god 
takes men as they are1 and with the gift
 of priestly  office ,he bestows the    
requisite qualifications4 ,the          
ordination of  heaven put upon the head 
of any man1 however ignorant1 is a      
voucher for  requisite qualification and
 blessing4 ,every man is thereby        
thoroughly  furnished for the discharge 
of all the duties of his respective     
calling4 ,they are not all apostles1    
however1 neither are all prophets  or   

pastors4 ,but every one has his calling 
of ,god1 and in the legitimate  sphere  
of that calling he acts as ,god1 and in 
the authority of ,god4    ,some have    
authority only to baptize unto          
repentance for remission of  sins1 as   
,john the ,baptist4 ,such can confer no 
more authority than  they possess in    
themselves4 ,others have authority to   
bless1 and whom  they bless are blessed 
in very deed4 ,they have similar        
authority to  curse1 and whom they curse
 are cursed in very deed4 ,jacob blessed
 his  sons1 and the heavens sealed and  
confirmed the same upon their heads4    
,paul cursed ,elymas1 the sorcerer1 with
 blindness1 and the same curse  was     
sealed and confirmed upon him           
immediately4 ,elisha cursed ,gehazi1    
his servant1 and leprosy cleaved to him 
from that time4 ,elijah shut  up the    
windows of heaven that it rained not for
 the space of three  years and six      
months1 by the same delegated power1 and
 again they were  opened at his voice4  

,he was a man of like passions with     
ourselves4 ,all  men are not ordained to
 this power1 and when they are not1 they
 are  wholly incapable of exercising it4
 ,it is office that gives recognition   
and legality to a deed of conveyance and
 ownership4 ,it is divine  appointment  
and official calling that gives efficacy
 to the priesthood4  ,but many          
generations have contented themselves to
 preach and support  preachers who have 
no divine appointment4    ,the          
consequence is1 that men have been      
self-appointed to the ministry  and     
spread dissention and confusion abroad4 
,the knowledge of the true  and living  
,god has gradually receded from the     
earth1 and darkness1  even gross        
darkness1 covered the people4 ,the      
ordinances that impart  healing virtue  
and the power and light of truth1 have  
either been  changed or abolished4 ,the 
apostolic office has been counted as a  
thing  out of date1 and the spiritual   
gifts as being done away4 ,the religious

  world has been too much like ,king    
,saul4 ,after he had been forsaken of   
,god1 and the power and ,spirit of his  
anointing given to ,david1 this  unhappy
 monarch resorted to every miserable    
device1 7even to the aid of  witches71  
in order to obtain knowledge and        
influence4 ,but the curse of            
disobedience followed him to the day of 
his death4    ,the religious sects1 in  
like manner1 have resorted to seminaries
  and the polish of schools--also to the
 theological comments of  time-honoured 
fathers1 7who were as ignorant as       
themselves7 ever  learning1 yet never   
coming to the knowledge of truth4       
,bibles have  been translated again and 
again2 learned volumes have been written
  in explanation1 and even wars have    
been instigated by the supposed         
defenders of the faith1 and the earth   
crimsoned by human gore4 ,all  these    
evils and curses have arisen from a     
spurious priesthood4    ,in view of     
these things1 is it not time1 sir1 to   

let ,god resume the  reins of government
 and once more establish a holy         
priesthood1 which  shall be after the   
calling of ,aaron1 and after the order  
and power of  endless life4 ,that this  
may be the unfeigned choice of all who  
seek  after ,god1 is the continued      
prayer of    ,your old friend and       
servant1    ,,orson ,,spencer4          
,,letter ,x4    ,,on ,,gathering4       
,liverpool1 ,october #ac1 #ahdg4        
,reverend and ,dear ,sir1--,you have    
doubtless been ready to ask1 time and   
again1 why this ,,gathering together of 
such large bodies of ,saints8 ,why  can 
they not stay in their former           
residences1 like other christians8  ,and
 may they not do more good to their     
fellow-men by scattering about  amongst 
the people promiscuously8 ,why1 go away 
off to some distant  part of the earth8 
is not the ,almighty ,god to be found as
 much in one  place as another8         
,furthermore1 says one1 it is           
exceedingly dangerous to  community at  

large to allow any large body of people1
 of the same faith  and doctrine1 to    
assemble themselves in any one place1   
their influence  being rendered         
formidable by reason of concentration   
and union4    ,my dear sir1 have not    
cogitations like these passed through   
your  mind1 and been reiterated in your 
hearing more than once1 concerning      
,latter-day ,saints8 ,delusion6         
delusion6 is reiterated on many sides4  
,what can these ,latter-day ,saints     
mean--selling out their possessions at  
so great a sacrifice1 and leaving a     
comfortable and pleasant home for a  far
 distant land1 even crossing the wide   
,atlantic6 ,has there been the  like    
fanaticism since the time of the        
crusades8 ,on the land1 hundreds  of    
wagons1 yea thousands in all1 are seen  
rolling their whitened canvas  over the 
wide prairies1 accompanied by their     
flocks and herds2 and on  the ocean a   
multitude of ships are wafting the      
inhabitants of distant  islands and     

continents to the same destination6     
,now1 ,i propose to meet these inquiries
 and reflections promptly and  fairly4  
,in the first place1 if the church is   
guided by the spirit of  revelation1    
,god1 the author of all true revelation1
 knows what is good  for his people1 and
 ,he will not require them to gather    
without good  and sufficient reasons4   
,for the church that is not guided by   
the spirit  of sacred inspiration1 is   
guided by mammon or the devil2 for every
  church will serve ,god or mammon4     
,well1 says one1 ,i don't believe that  
,god ever did1 or ever will1 require    
people to gather together and leave     
their country and kindred4 ,aye1 indeed2
 but you believe the ,bible1 ,i  trust1 
which informs you not only how ,god has 
gathered his people  in different       
periods of the world1 but also1 that ,he
 will gather them  together in the      
dispensation of the fulness of times4   
,do ,i need to remind you1 sir1 that    
,god required ,abraham to rise up and   

leave his country and kindred1 and go in
 search of a country that he  should    
afterwards show him4 ,he was obedient1  
and went from one country  to another1  
the ,lord being his counsellor and      
guide4 ,the ancient  saints and prophets
 generally were strangers in consequence
 of being  called to leave their home   
and country4 ,their obedience to such a 
call1 through faith1 constituted them   
heirs of an inheritance4 ,abraham       
became an heir of the country which he  
was not permitted to possess in  time1  
but he will hold the same in eternity1  
with a city built upon it  according to 
the counsel of ,god4    ,in the         
dispensation given to ,moses1 he was    
required to gather the  people out of   
all the land of ,egypt1 and take them to
 the land  of ,canaan2 and what was very
 remarkable1 he was required to slay    
and destroy the inhabitants1 in order to
 make room for the great  gathering of  
the ,hebrews4 ,the children of ,god and 
the people of this  world cannot dwell  

together2 they are always contrary one  
to the other4    ,what fellowship hath  
,christ with ,belial1 or believers with 
unbelievers8  ,the ,egyptians could have
 no fellowship with the ,hebrews after  
they  were told that a prophet had      
sprung up among them4 ,the ,hebrews told
  a marvellous tale about the ,lord     
appearing to ,moses in the burning      
bush4 ,they pretended to have revelation
 and work miracles as in the  early days
 of ,potipher and ,joseph2 but this     
pretension to angels1  prophets1 and    
miracles1 speedily sundered all ties of 
harmony and  fellowship1 and it was     
necessary for the ,hebrews to leave the 
country4  ,god required it of them1 and 
even ordered them into an unpromising   
wilderness1 to be subject to hunger1 and
 thirst1 and many hardships4    ,the    
same spirit of opposition to miracles1  
prophets1 and angels exists  now2 and   
the righteous can no more keep the      
ordinances and commandments  of ,god    
now1 without persecution even to death  

from the world1 than the  ,hebrews could
 do it4 ,for the same reason ,lot       
gathered out of ,sodom  --even angels   
could not stop a night in ,sodom without
 being mobbed2  accordingly1 the ,lord  
commanded him to gather up so many as   
would  go with him and flee to the      
mountain4 ,his reason for the gathering 
in this case was1 that ,he could not    
properly punish the ,sodomites1  unless 
the righteous were gathered out of the  
city in the first place4  ,likewise1    
when ,jerusalem was about to be         
destroyed1 ,jesus instructed  his       
disciples to flee to the mountain4      
,it was persecution that scattered the  
primitive ,saints abroad in the  days of
 ,jesus4 ,jesus had taught ,paul and    
,peter1 that the ,saints could  not be  
preserved on the earth1 and the kingdom 
built up1 without the  ,saints were     
gathered together in one4 ,he told them1
 absolutely and  unequivocally1 that he 
should gather the disciples in the day  
of  restitution4 ,such was their sense  

of the immediateness of gathering1  and 
of the second coming of ,christ1 that   
they were troubled when the  disciples  
were gathered1 lest the day of the ,lord
 was at hand2 but  ,paul disabused them1
 and told them that there must be a     
falling away  before the notable day of 
the ,lord should come4    ,paul informed
 his brethren1 that in the dispensation 
of the fulness of  times1 ,god would    
gather together in one1 all things both 
in heaven and  upon earth and under the 
earth4 ,john speaks of the same1        
probably as  the day of the great battle
 of ,god ,almighty1 ,jesus signified    
that ,he  would gather his people1 the  
elect1 even if he had to send his angels
  to the four corners of the earth to   
bring them1 after the manner in  which  
he sent to ,sodom to bring ,lot out of  
it to a place of safety4 ,he  declared  
he would gather the wheat into the      
garner1 and the tares into  bundles to  
be burned4 ,the prophets1 too1 long     
before the meridian of  time1 saw with  

enrapturing vision1 the sons coming from
 afar1 and the  daughters from the ends 
of the earth4    ,isaiah says1 the      
,gentiles shall come to thy light1 and  
kings to the  brightness of thy rising4 
,lift up thine eyes round about1 and    
see1  all they gather themselves        
together1 they come to thee2 thy sons   
shall come from far1 and thy daughters  
shall be nursed at thy side4  ,then     
shalt thou see and flow together1 and   
thine heart shall fear and  be enlarged1
 because the abundance of the sea shall 
be converted unto  thee1 the forces of  
the ,gentiles shall come unto thee4 ,who
 are these  that fly as a cloud1 and as 
the doves to their windows8 ,surely the 
isles shall wait for me1 and the ships  
of ,tarshish first1 to bring thy  sons  
from far1 their silver and their gold   
with them1 unto the name  of the ,lord  
thy ,god1 and to the ,holy ,one of      
,israel4 ,and the sons of  strangers    
shall build up thy walls1 and their     
kings shall minister unto  thee1 that   

men may bring unto thee the forces of   
the ,gentiles4 ,and he  shall set up an 
ensign for the nations1 and shall       
assemble the outcasts  of ,israel1 and  
gather together the dispersed of ,judah 
from the corners  of the earth4    ,the 
gathering of ,saints to one place is    
necessary in order to preserve  their   
genealogies1 and to secure to them those
 inheritances1 the title  to which must 
be substantiated by legitimate records1 
kept in the  archives of the house of   
,god4 ,whenever ,god has had a people4  
,he has  been careful to instruct them  
to keep an accurate record of marriages 
and the issues of marriage2 from ,adam  
to ,noah1 and from ,noah to  ,abraham1  
and thence to ,david down to ,jesus     
,christ1 the genealogy must  necessarily
 be preserved4 ,says ,david1 ,god       
setteth people in families  as a flock4 
,he arrangeth them in families4 ,but if 
these families  intermarry with those   
who do not keep the laws of ,god1 nor   
conform to  his ordinances1 the records 

of genealogy are soon obliterated from  
the  knowledge of men1 and the proof of 
a legitimate title to inheritance is    
thereby extinct2 and unless ,saints are 
gathered out from the midst of          
unbelievers1 they are more liable to    
intermarry and become alienated  from   
the ordinances and covenants of the     
,lord4 ,if ,isaac and ,ishmael  have no 
records of parentage1 how can one claim 
rights of lineage above  another8 ,god  
will assign rewards to men according to 
the records of  their deserts1 and one  
great pre-requisite to the final        
restitution  of all things1 is the      
reviving and establishing of proper     
records of  genealogy1 and covenants1   
and promises1 and patriarchal blessings4
    ,in one instance ,god had to rescind
 the marriages of a numerous people1    
because such marriages1 by their issue1 
would tend to frustrate the  grace of   
,god to the righteous1 and entail       
blessings upon a strange  people that   
,god designed to curse4 ,the ordinances 

of the church and  institutions of      
,god's house cannot be carried into     
execution in a land  belonging to aliens
 from the commonwealth of ,israel2      
because aliens  from ,god will not have 
the ,lord to rule over them4 ,they      
consider that  the laws of ,god set two 
against three1 and three against two1   
the  father-in-law against the          
son-in-law1 c42 and so do they have this
  effect1 and always will have it1 until
 the ,saints are separated from  their  
adversaries4 ,before there can be       
anything like a true1 godlike1  peaceful
 millennium1 a separation must take     
place between the righteous  and        
disobedient2 even as a shepherd divideth
 the sheep from the goats1  even so must
 ,god's will be done with friends and   
foes on earth1 like as  in heaven4      
,had the ,jews received ,jesus ,christ1 
,he would have set up just such a       
kingdom on earth as in heaven1 and the  
honest from all nations would  have been
 gathered to his standard4 ,but seeing  

they would pierce the  ,shepherd1 and   
scatter the sheep through a long cloudy 
day1 as it had  been prophesied of ,him 
and his followers2 ,he1 nevertheless1   
assured his  disciples that his people  
should be gathered1 in the latter days1 
as  wheat into the garner4 ,john says to
 the ,saints in the last days1 that  are
 scattered among the confused nations of
 the whole earth3--,come  out of her my 
people1 and be not partakers of her     
sins1 that ye receive  not of her       
plagues4 ,here the reason why ,saints   
should come out of  other nations is    
distinctly avowed--to escape her        
plagues4 ,the same  reason that was     
assigned why ,lot should go out of      
,sodom4    ,the idea prevalent that ,god
 would inflict all his judgments in one 
great tremendous ,,day1 is as absurd as 
the notion is universal4 ,the  famine   
and dearth were at the command of       
,elijah4 ,the earthquake that  swallowed
 up ,dathan and the company of ,abiram1 
was at the command of  ,moses4 ,moses   

also stretched out his hand as a signal 
to the accumulated  seas to overwhelm   
the ,egyptians1 and they obeyed his     
mandate4 ,but ,i  will not multiply     
proofs4 ,god will pour out his vials of 
wrath1 and  distress the nations till   
they will learn and practice            
righteousness2  and his people must flee
 to their appointed hiding place till   
the  indignation is overpast1 otherwise 
they have no guaranty for their  safety4
 ,the ,hebrews were obliged to mark     
their houses1 lest the  destroying angel
 should slay both them and the          
,egyptians4 ,the ,lord  ,god has decreed
 a consumption upon the whole earth1    
therefore let the  righteous flee to the
 strongholds of ,zion1 that are         
preparing in that  land that was        
promised to the ,patriarch ,joseph1     
while it is an accepted  time1 and the  
evil days come not4    ,jesus cautioned 
,jerusalem saints to beware of imitating
 the silly and  dilatory part of ,lot's 
wife4 ,the righteous are no more secure 

from  approaching judgments than the    
wicked1 except they obey the commands   
of ,god4 ,even a prophet was once slain 
by a lion1 because he dared to  disobey 
the ,lord4 ,no man should neglect any   
means by which he can be  removed1 and  
help to remove others1 from those       
nations that are as  inevitably doomed  
to destruction for rebellion1 as the    
,canaanites of  former times4    ,sir1  
we feel the very same extraordinary     
interest in depositing our  very bones  
in the land of ,zion1 that the          
patriarchs formerly felt when  they     
commanded that their bones should be    
removed1 to the country and  burying    
place which ,god had designated4 ,if    
there is enthusiasm in this  sentiment1 
sir1 it is the enthusiasm of patriarchs 
and prophets that  kept the divine      
mandates1 and knew well the order of the
 resurrection1  and the necessity of    
having their bones laid on the identical
 land that  should afterwards be their  
possession and inheritance for ever and 

ever4 ,did not the ,lord apportion off  
the land of ,canaan to the twelve       
tribes to be their inheritance for ever8
 and shall not the one hundred  and     
forty-four thousand in the latter days  
be equally tenacious to  possess the    
very inheritance that was promised them 
to be a perpetual  possession in time   
and eternity8 ,there1 their bones1 like 
the precious  valley of dry bones1 will 
be the guardian care of angels1 and in  
the  resurrection stand up like a       
consolidated army1 while the disobedient
  and ungodly shall be scattered and    
driven as chaff before the wind4    ,the
 aged and infirm among us1 fervently    
desire to carry their bones1  while     
animated with life1 to the land of      
,zion1 as an expression of  their faith 
in the promise of ,god1 that he will    
resurrect them and  plant them in that  
same heavenly country which they now    
seek4 ,what  ,canaan was to ancient     
saints and prophets1 the land of ,joseph
 will be  to the saints and prophets of 

the last days1 and more abundantly4 ,if 
men have not the spirit of gathering    
they are blind and cannot see afar  off1
 and are nigh unto burning4 ,the        
gathering is one great test of  faith1  
by which you may know who is on the     
,lord's side4 ,kindred spirits  long to 
congregate together4    ,the language of
 ,ruth is expressive of the desires of  
,god's people in  all ages4 ,thy people 
is my people1 and their ,god is my ,god1
 and where  thou goest ,i will go1 and  
where thou lodgest ,i will lodge4 ,her  
sister  ,orpah could forego the society 
of saints and the ordinances of ,god    
sooner than part with her native country
 and kindred4 ,a portion of  ,lot's     
family saw no wisdom in the gathering   
until it was too late4  ,sir1 the       
gathering is the great universal        
national preacher of the  last days4 ,it
 speaks in trumpet tones out of every   
nation where it has  been commenced4 ,as
 birds retire before a storm1 and fowls 
before the  darkness of night1 so the   

multitudes that go out by sea and land  
is a  practical warning that cannot be  
mistaken by those that remain4    ,the  
nations wonder at the spectacle of such 
multitudes going out of  their midst    
under the warning voice of ,jehovah1 and
 are ready to cry  out1 who are these   
that fly as clouds and as doves to their
 windows8  ,who are these ,latter-day   
,saints8 ,what is their doctrine1 and   
whither  are they fleeing8 ,the sound of
 the gathering goeth into all the earth4
  ,the fear and dread of approaching    
calamities take possession of the       
nations4 ,the righteous are being       
withdrawn apart1 in order that the      
,almighty may stretch out his chastening
 hand1 and inflict his sore  judgment   
upon rebellious nations4 ,there is no   
room to mistake the faith  and sincerity
 of those whose gathering together is   
without a parallel  for magnitude of    
enterprise4 ,the ,israelites performed a
 journey that  might have been compassed
 in about forty days1 but the           

,latter-day  gathering brings sons and  
daughters from the ends of the earth4   
,the great design of ,jesus in bringing 
the righteous to unity of  faith and the
 knowledge of ,god1 is wonderfully      
facilitated by bringing  the righteous  
together in one place4 ,the ancient     
,jews were taught of  ,god to build up  
,jerusalem as a place of gathering2 and 
those whose  circumstances forbid them  
to locate there1 either from political  
or  agricultural interests1 were        
required to visit ,jerusalem at least   
three times a year1 where they could    
interchange hospitalities and           
friendships1 and contract matrimonial   
alliances1 c4 ,also1 in addition  to    
these facilities of union1 their        
baptisms were to be performed in  the   
national font2 their marriage rites1 and
 records of genealogy1 were  to be      
performed and deposited in the archives 
of the great ,temple of  the ,lord at   
,jerusalem4    ,in this great city of   
gathering1 their frequent and splendid  

national  festivals were to be held from
 generation to generation4 ,by these    
multiplied means1 the union of ,jews    
became proverbially strong2 and  their  
attachments to their nation and kindred1
 and national rights and  usages1 became
 as enduring as their existence4 ,if1   
perchance1 they  should be scattered    
amongst the remote nations of the earth1
 still the  recollection of their       
journeyings to ,jerusalem in social     
groups--their  splendid festivals at the
 national capitol--their royal affinity 
with  the great and good of ,god's      
people--vibrated through their minds    
with  resuscitating power4 ,there it was
 that the ,almighty condescended to     
reveal his acceptance of their          
sacrifices1 and bless the people from   
the greatest to the least1 and even     
speak to the people through their  ,high
 ,priest at least once a year4    ,now1 
when ,god shall build up ,zion and his  
,holy ,house in the tops of  the        
mountains1 and all nations flow into it1

 will ,he not appear in his  glory8     
,such a measure of union1 and strength  
of attachment to the ,lord  and his     
people1 the last days will exhibit as   
was never before realized  on the earth2
 then will ,zion rise and shine1 her    
light being come1 and  the glory of ,god
 being risen upon her--yea1 be an       
eternal excellency  and the praise and  
joy of the whole earth6    ,who1 sir1   
can contemplate the glory of ,zion1 when
 ,god shall have  gathered his people   
from the four corners of the earth1 and 
made  of them a great nation1 an        
innumerable company1 and blessed them   
with his own laws and ordinances1       
binding them together in a new and      
everlasting covenant1 without the most  
thrilling emotions of love1  gratitude1 
and joy in believing4 ,break out1 ,o    
thou inhabitant of  ,zion1 and sing for 
the glory that shall shortly be         
revealed2 when the  kingdoms of this    
world shall become the kingdom of       
,christ1 and the  stakes thereof shall  

no more be thrown down for ever6        
,now1 sir1 in conclusion1 may ,i not    
say1 with all deference to the          
misguided teachers of modern            
christianity1 that the ,lord is         
performing  a marvellous work and a     
wonder in the greatest of all gatherings
 since  the foundation of the world4 ,he
 is gathering his righteous hosts from  
the nations of the earth to one place1  
and setting his forces in battle  array 
against the powers of darkness1 and     
against all flesh that exalts  itself   
against the knowledge of ,god4 ,and by  
truth1 and by judgments1 he  will       
thoroughly cleanse the earth1 and       
overthrow more wickedness in ten  years 
to come1 than blind1 boasting1          
self-righteous modern christianity  can 
in ten thousand years4    ,please to    
accept my warmest desires for your      
present and everlasting  peace and      
welfare4    ,your humble servant1       
,,orson ,,spencer4        ,,letter ,,xi4
    ,,the ,,latter-,,day ,,judgments4   

,liverpool1 ,october #bh1 #ahdg4        
,reverend and ,dear ,sir1--,,the        
,,latter-,,day ,,judgments1 the subject 
of my  present letter1 deserve a careful
 consideration among the topics         
peculiar to ,latter-day ,saints4    ,you
 must be already aware that it is a part
 of my faith that ,god  designs to set  
up his kingdom on the earth1 in order   
that the meek  may inherit the earth as 
their celestial abode2 and as ,he will  
not  employ ,his enemies to administer  
even temporal affairs within the  bounds
 of ,his kingdom1 ,his kingdom will     
consequently be a temporal  one1 and    
wholly and exclusively conducted by ,his
 own loyal subjects1  according to ,his 
righteous will4 ,he will proceed from   
conquest to  conquest1 until all other  
kingdoms are overthrown and merged in   
one--even ,his own kingdom4    ,the     
means by which he will subdue and       
overcome the nations of the  earth are  
two1 viz44 ,,truth and ,,judgment4 ,he  
explicitly declares1  that ,he will lay 

judgment to the line and righteousness  
to the  plummet4 ,his latter-day        
proclamation is1 ,fear ,god and give    
glory to  ,him1 for the hour of ,his    
judgment is come4 ,the salvation that   
,he  offers is temporal1 spiritual1 and 
eternal2 and the judgments which ,he    
will inflict are also similar4 ,as a    
supreme lawgiver1 ,he claims the        
submission of all the inhabitants of the
 earth4 ,nor is it necessary that  ,his 
servants should be for ever preaching   
the gospel on the earth1 in  order to   
effect a universal reconciliation of all
 men to their ,god4 ,all  men will not  
obey the truth1 therefore what the truth
 will not save  through faith1 ,god's   
judgments will destroy through their    
unbelief4 ,and  these judgments will be 
executed speedily1 even as in the days  
of ,noah  and ,lot4 ,god formerly gave  
the inhabitants timely warning before   
the  deluge came1 and before the fire   
descended from heaven4    ,the gospel   
must first be preached1 and then the    

judgments will follow  in quick         
succession4 ,even as a chalk-line makes 
an impression for  the saw and the      
chisel1 so ,god's judgments will make an
 impression1  sensible and summary4 ,the
 day of vengeance has long been in ,his 
heart4  ,a day when ,his jealousy and   
wrath shall burn like fire1 even to the 
lowest hell4 ,the wicked and diabolical 
spirits will be pursued1 even  to their 
dens of darkness1 and there scourged and
 bound4 ,the righteous  veterans that   
have long since fought and bled1 in     
order to establish  a reign of          
righteousness and truth on the earth1   
and prayed with  uplifted hands for this
 day of truth and judgment1 their       
language is1  ,how long1 ,o ,lord1 wilt 
thou not avenge our blood on them that  
dwell  on the earth8 ,but ,god1 who is  
long-suffering--not willing that any    
should perish1 but rather that they     
should repent and be saved--has         
nevertheless reserved the worst spirits 
to the day of wrath and the  revelation 

of the righteous judgment of ,god4 ,that
 day is even now  dawned4 ,god has      
commenced to reveal his wrath against   
all them that  obey not the gospel4 ,it 
is a day of revelation and prophecy4    
,the righteous are timely advised to    
gather out and separate themselves  from
 those that will not obey the gospel4   
,they are not disobedient to  the great 
revelation of mercy to them that obey1  
and of wrath to them  that are          
contentious and obey not the truth4 ,the
 winds and waves are  wafting thousands 
to the land of refuge4 ,the prairies and
 wilderness  reverberate with the songs 
of the outcast but chosen and elect ones
  of ,god4 ,a more intelligent1         
enterprising1 and bold race of ,saints1 
perhaps1 has never been summoned to the 
help of the ,lord against the  mighty1  
since the foundation of the world4      
,their fortitude1 patience1  and        
invincibility are indelibly written in  
their bloodstained pathway  through     
,missouri and ,illinois4 ,the old arts  

of tormenting the sick  by burning their
 houses1 and of famishing the robust by 
plundering  their crops1 and forcing the
 sale of property by threats of murder  
and  arson1 are fruitless4 ,prison walls
 and tragic scenes of assassination  and
 expatriation have spent their fury to  
no purpose4 ,the daring  sons of        
,pharaoh1 ,cain1 and ,judas are baffled 
and confounded at such  godlike         
firmness4 ,occasionally a priest1 goaded
 on by the loss of his  flock1 has dared
 to act as champion1 and throw the      
gauntlet for public  discussion1 but the
 inevitable discomfiture that has       
followed1 has  taught him the superior  
policy of evading discussion4 ,but1 dear
 sir1 no  man can long be a neutral in  
this warfare4 ,he must choose his side4 
,if  truth fails to bring down high     
looks1 judgments will not fail4 ,those  
judgments which begun at the house of   
,god1 in ,kirtland1 ,independence1  and 
,nauvoo1 have been seriously felt by the
 ,saints of ,god4 ,but if the  righteous

 scarcely escape1 where shall the sinner
 and ungodly appear8  ,the latter-day   
judgments that shall befall their       
enemies will be far  more insupportable 
and abiding4    ,there was no part of   
the ,united ,states ignorant of the     
murderous doings  of their countrymen   
towards the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,the   
news spread over  the continent1 and    
reached even the remote islands of the  
,pacific with  almost telegraphic speed4
 ,nobody that loved justice1 or felt the
 bowels  of humanity1 had the least need
 to be ignorant of the distress1 and    
famine1 and sickness1 and nakedness that
 were inflicted on the innocent         
worshippers of the only true ,god by    
their countrymen4 ,presidents and       
governors1 judges and lawyers1 priests1 
physicians1 and common people1  all were
 made acquainted with the diabolical    
outrages4 ,they were not  only warned   
but forewarned4 ,what has been the      
consequence8 ,for the  last sixteen     
years the fluctuations of business have 

been like the  troubled ocean4 ,panic   
and depression have been as successive  
as light  and darkness1 with the        
exception of incalculable irregularity  
and  confusion4 ,in the place of wealth 
there has followed bankruptcy2 for      
peace1 national war2 and for the blood  
of one murdered servant of ,god1  there 
has been tens1 and even hundreds1 laid  
weltering in their gore4  ,some of the  
best blood of the nation 7so accounted7 
has been demanded  by ,him that said1   
touch not my prophets and do my anointed
 no harm4 ,the  word of the ,lord to all
 ,israel1 on the eve of the ,carthage   
tragedy1  was1 if they 7the enemy7 begin
 to shed blood1 the sword shall waste   
the  blood of the nation4 ,and how are  
the sons of the mighty fallen8 ,what    
wailing and lamentation are heard from  
high places over distinguished          
slaughtered ,americans6 ,and the end is 
not yet4    ,but what shall ,i say of   
time-honoured orthodoxy8 ,poor creature6
 ,her  glory is being fast turned into  

shame4 ,many of her lovers are forsaking
  her1 and the balance are too sleepy to
 wake up4 ,they refuse to be            
fascinated1 notwithstanding all her     
meritricious arts4 ,education1  tracts1 
missions1 and moral reform1 are a vain  
thing for strength4 ,the  ,lord is a    
jealous ,god1 and will not give ,his    
glory to another gospel2  but he will   
curse all the systems of men that are   
built upon human  precepts merely1      
without the authority of immediate      
revelation4 ,the  various systems of    
modern christianity are cursed already1 
wherever the  true gospel is proclaimed4
 ,that sincerity1 fidelity1 and zeal1   
which  your churches and your preachers 
once had1 is taken away from them2 and  
your preachers have no longer power to  
preach with effect4 ,the reason  and    
cause of all this is1 the true light has
 come2 consequently1 they  have no      
longer any apology for upholding systems
 of error and false  religions4 ,the    
,spirit of ,god will be withdrawn from  

your ministry and  your churches1 just  
in proportion as the true light shines  
and the true  gospel is rejected4       
,when the devout ,jews rejected the     
novel doctrines of ,jesus and his       
apostles1 the virtues which they        
previously possessed either withered  up
 or were withdrawn from them1 and       
communicated to ,infidels or  ,gentiles4
 ,so it is now4 ,while the devout       
priests and churches reject  the gospel 
ministered by an angel to ,joseph1 and  
confirmed by the signs  following1 their
 former virtuous principles forsake     
them4 ,they become  filled with the     
spirit of envy1 hatred1 and malice      
towards the ,saints4  ,they retail      
groundless slanders1 and often are      
foremost in instigating  mobs1 refusing 
common civilities and hospitality to the
 servants of  the ,most ,high2 and so   
sanguine is their opposition1 that they 
even  believe it would be well for the  
cause of religion1 if the ,saints  were 
exterminated and put to death4 ,so      

believed the devout ,jews1 who          
persecuted the prophets and slew the    
,holy and ,just ,one4 ,thus1 by step    
after step1 the professedly pious are   
brought to become accessory to          
blood-guiltiness1 and bring upon        
themselves all the blood that has been  
shed from the days of righteous ,abel   
till now4    ,oh6 my much-loved friend1 
will you not shudder at the sight of    
such a  catastrophe before the modern   
churches8 ,what an awful curse6 ,given  
up  by ,god to believe ,saints to be    
sinners1 and then to war against them   
even to blood-guiltiness6 ,strange and  
deplorable infatuation6 ,one would      
think that the snares and pitfalls into 
which ,god precipitated ancient         
persecutors1 would prove an effectual   
warning to modern persecutors  to beware
 how they plunged themselves into a     
worse destruction6 ,oh1  how great the  
severity of ,god towards them that      
strive with their  ,maker1 and spurn the
 faith once delivered to the ,saints as 

no longer  needed6 ,the very religion of
 modern christianity is now about as    
great a curse as can be inflicted upon  
its possessors1 without doing  violence 
to their power of agency4 ,it is the    
prolific cause of judicial  blindness   
and hardness of heart4 ,a false religion
 is worse than no  religion1 because it 
is a lure and a lullaby1 that excludes  
true  religion from taking effect4      
,modern religion rejects immediate      
revelation2 consequently1 all that      
knowledge that flows from visions and   
dreams1 and the ministry of  angels1 and
 the prophetic inspiration of the ,holy 
,ghost4 ,a greater  curse cannot well be
 conceived4 ,there never was a people   
that lived  a hundred years1 or even    
fifty years1 without immediate          
revelation  from ,god1 but they fell    
into gross darkness and contention1 and 
those  hurtful lusts that drown men's   
souls in perdition4 ,there never was a  
people that survived the gift and       
blessing of immediate revelation  any   

considerable length of time1 except they
 fell into idolatry and  worshipped     
strange gods2 and their sorrows shall be
 multiplied that  hasten after strange  
gods4 ,all ,israel fell into the worship
 of ,baal1  and hundreds of them became 
prophets to ,baal4 ,they1 indeed1 were  
the descendants of the mightiest ,saints
 that ever lived1 such as  ,abraham1    
,isaac1 and ,jacob1 and ,moses1 c4 ,they
 had in their possession  the writings  
and traditions of their fathers1 but    
still they were  cursed because they    
rejected the knowledge of ,god through  
immediate  revelation4 ,they became like
 blind men groping in the dark4 ,they   
taught  their children to rebel against 
prophets and miraculous gifts4          
,modern christians1 with the ,bible in  
their hands1 are in as gross  darkness  
as the worshippers of ,baal4 ,the god   
they worship is no more  like the person
 of ,christ1 or the person of a man1    
than ,baal was4  ,their order of church 
authorities and church gifts1 and       

ordinances of  healing and anointing1   
are probably about as remote from the   
apostolic  pattern1 as the worship of   
,mahomet or ,vishnu is4 ,do not believe1
 sir1  for a moment1 that ,i intend1 by 
this humiliating remark1 any disrespect 
to the supporters of modern             
christianity4 ,no3 ,god forbid4 ,as good
 a  man as ,paul the apostle was once as
 vehemently opposed to immediate        
revelation and spiritual gifts as you   
are1 or any other abettors of  modern   
christianity2 but1 by timely repentance1
 he escaped that awful  curse of        
aversion to the only means of knowing   
the only true and living  ,god4 ,but    
multitudes of his countrymen still      
adhered to the belief that  the gift of 
revelation had ceased1 and prophets and 
miracles were no  longer necessary4 ,and
 you firmly believe that the curse      
indescribable  has followed them to this
 day4 ,oh6 how astonishing it is that   
you1 sir1  and your high-minded         
associates in modern christendom1 should

 plunge  into the same doleful          
abyss--reject the same doctrines and    
ordinances1  as no longer necessary1 and
 entail the same curse upon your        
children  for generations to come6 ,in  
this you are fighting against ,jehovah4 
,every year and every day while you     
persist1 the darkness of your minds     
will become more gross1 and you will    
bring the worst passions into the  field
 of conflict against the ,saints4 ,god  
will withdraw his ,spirit  from you1 and
 you will ultimately be forced1 through 
weakness and  multiplied divisions and  
contentions1 to unite the scattered     
fragments  of sectarianism on some      
common platform of anti-scriptural      
invention4  ,on this platform1 and with 
this consolidated power of anti-,christ1
 the  great battle is destined to be    
fought that shall silence the spirit of 
anti-revelation for a thousand years6   
,alas6 the deplorable destiny of those  
that war against prophets and  apostles1
 and the spirit and power of primitive  

godliness6 ,such1 in all  former ages of
 the world1 have been cursed with wars1 
conflagration1  famine1 pestilence1 and 
the vagaries of an oppressive           
superstition4  ,but1 in the latter days1
 ,god has decreed a consumption upon the
 whole  earth4 ,the religion that is not
 based on the immediate interposition of
  the wisdom and power of ,god1 from day
 to day1 and time to time1 will  not1   
cannot1 and shall not stand1 for the    
mouth of the ,lord hath spoken  it1 and 
let all the inhabitants of the earth    
hear it4 ,yea1 sir1 such  religions     
shall be as the chaff which the wind    
driveth away1 even as  the small dust of
 the threshing-floor4 ,god despises the 
religion that  professes to flourish    
without the aid of constant revelation  
from the  heavens2 and he will shoot out
 the hot arrows of his wrath against it1
  until there is not a vestige or       
semblance of it left on the face of the 
whole earth4 ,the potsherds may strive  
with the potsherds of the earth1  but wo

 unto him that striveth with his ,maker6
    ,alas the day1 when ,god shall      
withdraw his ,spirit from all flesh6    
,then  confidence between man and his   
fellow1 will give place to distrust2 and
  jealousy1 evil surmising1 hatred1     
robbery1 and blood-guiltiness will      
spread their direful influence through  
all communities6 ,the cords of  domestic
 union will be severed6 ,the weak will  
be compelled to bow to  the yoke of the 
strong--might will become the strongest 
pretext for  right6 ,the carcases of the
 poor and infirm will bleach uncovered  
upon  the earth6 ,the stench of         
putrefaction will impregnate the        
atmosphere  with poisonous pestilence2  
insects and noisome creatures will breed
  innumerably to the annoyance of man6  
,the sword shall devour from  one end of
 the earth to the other1--the earth     
shall be soaked in  blood1--the rivers  
shall become bloody1 and the fountains  
of water  shall no longer be pure4 ,many
 that lie down at night shall not awake 

in the morning4 ,the fruitful field     
shall become sterile and barren1        
because no man knoweth for whom his     
fruits are growing4 ,the earth  becometh
 empty and desolate4 ,the master and    
servant are brought to a  level4 ,the   
priest is as void of consolation as the 
people4 ,paleness and  fear are depicted
 on every human face4 ,traffic in       
merchandize1 as a  business1 is wholly  
abandoned4 ,men cease to sow and to     
plough1 in hope4  ,never before did the 
,almighty commence such an awful warfare
 against  the inhabitants of the earth2 
never before was there witnessed such a 
succession of plagues and dire          
calamities amongst men6    ,after peace 
is taken from the earth1 an agent1 by   
the name of ,death  7probably invisible 
except to spirits and such as have the  
spirit  of revelation7 will go forth on 
the face of the earth and destroy       
one-fourth part of mankind4 ,in the     
midst of this destruction of  one-fourth
 of mankind1 martyred ,saints will ask  

the ,lord to hasten  the work of human  
destruction4 ,an earthquake1 and the    
lapse of stars  from heaven1 then begin 
to destroy the frail tenure of human    
hope2 and  even the great men1 and      
mighty and chief captains become        
desperate1  like the most effeminate and
 pusillanimous4 ,every successive plague
  is increasingly awful and unendurable4
 ,the plagues that fell upon  ,egypt    
will sink into insignificance and fade  
out of memory before the  plagues which 
were shown to the revelator ,john1 and  
which shall usher  in the final         
consummation of the mystery of ,god4    
,the opening of  the bottomless pit is  
followed with three woes which are      
inflicted  upon men1 and which are      
suited to the incorrigible condition of 
such  obdurate spirits as no inferior   
engines of torment and destruction      
could subdue4 ,but neither the torment  
inflicted by the sting of the  locusts1 
like unto scorpions2 nor that which is  
inflicted by the horses  of that great  

army of two millions1 whose mouths emit 
fire1 smoke1 and  brimstone1 and whose  
tails1 being like serpents having heads1
 destroy  both before and behind        
wherever they go2 yet none of these     
things will  lead these latter-day      
enemies to new revelations1 unto        
repentance4    ,now1 sir1 in conclusion1
 ,i have endeavoured1 briefly1 to direct
  your mind to the vortex of            
indescribable calamities into which the 
sentiments of modern christianity are   
calculated to precipitate all  who know 
not ,god 7by immediate revelation71 and 
obey not the gospel  revealed from      
heaven in this our day--a day of mercy  
and judgment4    ,with fervent desires  
that you and your posterity may escape  
the day of  wrath1 and seek for glory1  
and honour1 and immortality1 ,i         
subscribe  myself    ,your old friend   
and servant1    ,,orson ,,spencer4      
,,letter ,,xii4    ,,on ,,the           
,,restitution ,,of ,,all ,,things4      
,liverpool1 ,november #ad1 #ahdg4       

,reverend and ,dear ,sir4--,,the        
,,restitution ,,of ,,all ,,things1 is a 
subject  deserving rather a volumious   
treatise than the contracted limits of a
  single letter2 still some out-standing
 features of this very prominent  part  
of scripture revelation shall be briefly
 touched upon4 ,the  apostle says that  
the heavens must receive 7,jesus7 until 
the times of  the restitution of all    
things1 which ,god hath spoken by the   
mouth of  all his holy prophets since   
the world began4    ,by the term        
restitution1 the scriptures mean putting
 all things on a  permanent and         
righteous basis4 ,all things are not1   
and never have been  on a righteous     
basis since the fall of ,adam4    ,after
 the expulsion of ,lucifer and his      
associates from heaven1 order  and      
harmony were restored1 and the          
everlasting system of progressive       
intelligence and felicity again         
established on an immutable basis1 so   
far as heaven was concerned4 ,and even  

among the third part of heaven1  drawn  
away by the apostacy of ,lucifer1 there 
might possibly have been  some persons  
capable of ultimate restoration in the  
interminable ages  of futurity4 ,of     
this1 however1 it may1 perhaps1 be said 
that no man  knoweth4 ,no man1 surely   
can know unless it is revealed to him   
from  heaven4 ,the possibility1 however1
 of redeeming all flesh from the        
transgression laid upon mankind in this 
mortal state1 through obedience  to the 
gospel1 is abundantly revealed in the   
scriptures4 ,however wrong  may have    
been the conduct and opinions of the    
inhabitants of the earth1  obedience to 
the gospel will reinstate them in the   
course of permanent  felicity1          
intelligence1 and righteousness4        
,there are particular and set times for 
the restitution of all those  things    
which ,god has spoken of by the         
prophets4 ,god hath spoken of the       
subject of restitution by all the       
prophets since the world began2  indeed 

there never was a prophet on the earth  
whose business did not  engage him more 
or less in the work of restitution4 ,but
 long periods  have elapsed on the earth
 in which no prophets have been known4  
,during  such periods the work of       
restitution has invariably ceased4      
,iniquity  and misery have been made to 
abound1 and gross darkness has spread   
over  all people4 ,but at particular    
periods ,god would raise up prophets1   
and then the work of restitution would  
commence and continue until the         
prophets were slain or otherwise removed
 from the earth4 ,it is during  such    
particular times of restitution in the  
latter days1 that even  ,jesus himself  
may appear from the heavens1 in order to
 give direction  and mighty impulse to  
the work of restitution4 ,noah was      
raised up  to stay the progress of      
wickedness and build up the waste       
places4  ,wickedness was swept off the  
earth according to his prophecyings and 
teachings1 and a race of righteous men  

put in the place of the wicked  to      
people the earth4 ,it was also a time of
 restitution when ,abraham  was         
commissioned to reform mankind by truth 
and judgment1 teaching  them to walk in 
the old paths of revelation and         
immediate and constant  intercourse with
 the heavens4    ,again1 in mercy ,god  
raised up ,moses1 and recommenced the   
same work of  restitution which was     
subsequently undertaken by ,john the    
,baptist1  under the immediate          
supervision of ,jesus himself4 ,but it  
was not  competent for any one prophet1 
in the short period of his ministry on  
the earth1 to set everything right that 
was wrong2 but each did what  he could1 
under existing circumstances1 with the  
people with whom he  had to do4 ,the    
spirit of revelation rested upon each   
successive prophet  to perform that work
 which was most fit and necessary to the
 age in  which he lived4 ,no one could  
attend to all things2 and many things   
are  yet to be revealed that have been  

kept secret since the foundation of  the
 world4 ,no man has ever understood all 
those measures and principles  by which 
the human family can be brought to the  
highest degree of  perfection4 ,the     
angels probably do not know them1 and   
even the ,son  himself did not know     
them1 but the ,father only4    ,the     
reign of a thousand years of            
righteousness will probably do much  to 
correct1 ennoble1 and exalt mankind1 and
 beautify the works of his  hands1 and  
felicitate all flesh4 ,whatever         
principles and measures  can contribute 
to exalt and felicitate mankind in the  
sight of the  heavens1 is yet to be     
done4 ,the profound philosophy and      
science of  the highest intelligences1  
with all the embellishments which art1  
and  taste1 and genius can secure1 are  
destined to become tributary to the     
righteous2 and when these things shall  
take place in the times of the          
restitution of all things1 ,god will be 
crowned with ineffable glory  and       

honour1 blessing and dominion1 for ever 
and ever4 ,amen4    ,the spirit of      
apostacy has stripped and shorn true    
religion of all its  luscious and       
beautiful fruit1 and left nothing       
scarcely but the naked  withered hulk of
 false spirituality4 ,religion has been 
taught1 by  protestant dissenters1 as a 
science almost wholly abstracted from   
civil  government--from political1      
social1 and domestic institutions1 and  
also  from the useful and fine arts4 ,it
 has been circumscribed to the most     
revoltingly contracted limits4    ,in   
the zeal of its advocates to put down an
 illegitimate and bastardly  union of   
church and state1 that had long darkened
 the moral atmosphere  of the earth1 and
 made nations groan under oppression1   
and sigh and  mourn that religion was   
the wedded ally of the civil sceptre1   
they  pushed off into the opposite      
extreme of imbecile1 naked1 and sterile 
spirituality2 thereby proving1 plainly1 
that any religion that is not  based on 

constant and immediate inspiration of   
the ,holy ,ghost1 can  neither walk long
 with or without the crutches of        
governmental aid and  support4 ,it will 
not only become a stink in the nostrils 
of ,jehovah1  but soon cause great      
dissatisfaction and fall into merited   
contempt and  ignominy4    ,the best    
biographies of such men as ,david       
,brainard and ,edward ,payson1  is a    
fair exhibition of internal mental      
turmoil1 and fitful commotion  of       
spirit1 and servile bondage to a law    
that neither they nor their  fathers    
could keep4 ,poor misguided but honest  
men6 ,how happy might they  have been   
had they known the true primitive gospel
 that ,paul preached1  by the infallible
 light of inspiration6 ,how joyful the  
intelligence to  the honest but         
misguided1 when the glad news of        
restitution shall  reverberate in their 
prisons1 and cause the captive exile to 
haste into  light and liberty6 ,not only
 will the hopes and faith of men be set 

right in the times of restitution1 but  
the earth itself will undergo  an       
important change1 and the heavenly      
bodies or planetary system4  ,the       
islands shall flee1 and continents be   
united1 and the waters be  restored to  
their proper bounds1 no more to break   
over their proper  barriers4 ,the curse 
shall be clean removed from the earth1  
and the air  shall become salubrious and
 delightful4 ,the animal race shall     
cease  from their animosity and         
virulence of temper4 ,the lion and the  
lamb  shall lie down together2 and there
 shall nothing hurt or destroy in  all  
,god's holy mountain4 ,in short1 all    
things that are now wrong shall  be set 
right4 ,human life shall be prolonged3  
the infant shall die an  hundred years  
old4 ,the power and perpetuity of life  
will be secured  to the ultimate        
extinction of death from off the earth4 
,death1 the  last enemy1 will be        
conquered and swallowed up in victory4  
,when every  form and power of sin      

ceases1 may we not expect that death    
will also  cease8 ,death hath passed    
upon all men in that all have sinned4   
,sin is  the sting of death and the     
cause of it4 ,it is true that ,jesus    
died1  although he never sinned after   
the similitude of ,adam's transgression2
  but he took upon him ,adam's nature1  
and became sin for us1 though he  knew  
no sin4 ,but it was not possible for him
 to be holden of death1 or  to see      
corruption1 because he was holy4        
,when a holy seed shall be raised up    
from the loins of the righteous1  which 
know no sin 7which will be the case when
 the devil is bound71  then their bodies
 will not see corruption4 ,they shall   
not all sleep  7or die71 but they shall 
be changed4 ,those who partake of the   
curse  of ,adam will be changed in a    
moment1 without knowing corruption2 but 
the posterity of such as are changed    
will be the legitimate heirs of         
sanctified bodies1 upon whom death has  
no conceivable claim4 ,death  will not  

pass upon them because they have not    
sinned4 ,their bodies  are generically  
spiritual and holy1 like ,christ's own  
most glorious  body4 ,then will the     
seeds of death become extinguished from 
the human  body1 and man will stand as  
holy and pure as in his pristine        
creation1  blooming with health1 vigour1
 and immortality4 ,then he is prepared  
to  hold intercourse with the heavens1  
and to reign with ,christ on the  earth4
    ,you will perceive1 sir1 a          
difference in the liability of such     
persons  as are born during the reign of
 righteousness1 who do not sleep  or    
die1 and those who must die by reason of
 sin4 ,the former know  not the dominion
 or sting of sin1 but are as trees of   
the ,lord's  planting--righteous4 ,the  
latter must needs die and be            
resurrected4  ,jesus was the first      
fruits of them that slept4 ,in the case 
of all  others1 corruption followed     
death2 and a longer period must elapse  
before their bodies could be resurrected

 by reason of corruption4 ,but  ,jesus  
was first and foremost to ripen into    
immortality4 ,corruptibility  did not   
pertain to him1 of course it was not    
necessarily pre-requisite  to his       
resurrection and immortality2 but with  
all others1 down to the  period when it 
is said that they should not sleep1     
corruption must  precede the            
resurrection4--,if the body of ,jesus   
did not corrupt and  moulder back to    
dust1 then it is evident that he had    
substantially the  same sort of corporal
 frame after his resurrection that he   
had before4  ,the spirit resting upon   
him without measure1 animated and       
resuscitated  his body with no other    
material change than that of loss of    
blood4 ,he  shewed his disciples his    
body1 and told them to handle him and   
see of  what material it was3 a spirit  
hath not flesh and bones as ye see me   
have4 ,he shewed them1 demonstratively1 
in his own person1 a proper  specimen of
 a living resurrected body4 ,he shewed  

them that a spirit did  not possess     
flesh and bones as a resurrected body   
did4 ,he also proved  another thing1    
viz43 that a resurrected body retains   
probably all the  five senses common to 
a mortal body4 ,he eat and drank with   
them1 and  shewed them that his person  
was identically the same as before his  
death4--,here there is a specimen of    
corporal immortality4 ,in this  person  
we may see what all resurrected bodies  
will be1 for we shall be  like him4     
,life and immortality are brought to    
light in the example of  ,christ's      
resurrected body4 ,such is the          
organization of a resurrected  body1 in 
consequence of the expulsion of the     
seeds of death1 the last  enemy1 that   
decay and disease have no further power 
or influence4    ,the immediate         
resurrection of ,jesus1 after the lapse 
of only three  days1 was one of the     
greatest blessings and honours that     
could be  conferred4 ,in addition to all
 the faculties and powers which he      

possessed previous to his death1 he also
 had those of an immortal  being2       
instead of lingering a long time1 with  
barely the circumscribed  and limited   
powers and privileges of a disembodied  
spirit1 he was  blessed in body1 soul1  
and spirit united4 ,the key to          
innumerable  lives and boundless        
dominions was given him on the third day
 after his  death4 ,it was his sole     
prerogative to say how long the dead    
should  sleep before they should be     
resurrected4 ,all the innumerable       
privileges  of a resurrected            
body--privileges unspeakable and even   
unlawful to  be uttered by reason of the
 hardness of men's hearts--were         
conferred  upon him6 ,he held the key of
 death and hell4 ,no one could come     
forth  from the tomb without his        
orders--none could felicitate his spirit
 by  possessing his own body till ,jesus
 should grant permission4 ,his friends  
could all be called forth at his        
pleasure1 and be reinstated on the      

earth as he had been1 with all their    
friends and posterity after them1  but  
no enemy could resuscitate the          
slumbering ashes of his tomb1 till      
,jesus should speak the word and grant  
permission4    ,his attention would be  
especially directed to the speedy and   
early  restitution of such as had been  
beheaded for his sake and the  gospel's4
 ,they should be the very first to be   
raised1 and others in  their time and   
order2 but the wicked enemies6 alas1 how
 long they  must lie unnoticed6 ,a      
thousand years1 at least1 must roll     
slowly  away before their mouldering    
bodies could be allowed to have a living
  re-organization6 ,long and doleful    
banishment from the joys of life and    
immortality6 ,in the meantime the       
righteous are restored to their own     
bodies1 now immortalized for ever2 they 
are reinstated on the earth in  the     
company of kindred spirits1 while their 
enemies are trodden down as  so much    
dust under the soles of their feet4     

,how remarkable a contrast between the  
righteous and the wicked6 ,they  that   
sowed to the ,spirit are reaping the    
fruits of the ,spirit1 which  are life  
everlasting4 ,they inherit the earth and
 multiply upon it1 and  build cities and
 temples1 and their posterity are as    
numerous as the  sands upon the sea     
shore4 ,how glorious the rich reward of 
keeping the  commands of ,god6 but1     
alas6 where are the wicked all this     
time8 ,where  are those who have sown to
 the flesh during this long and glorious
  reign of the righteous on the earth8  
,poor wretched creatures6 they  are     
reaping corruption1 just according to   
what they sowed4 ,once they  scorned the
 righteous1 and oppressed the hireling1 
and sneered at  prophets1 and said they 
needed no revelations in their day and  
age4 ,but  where are they now8 ,their   
bodies mingle with the dust of the      
streets  and of the field1 that men     
tread upon daily4 ,their memories are   
nearly  faded from remembrance4 ,their  

posterity can no where be found on the  
earth4 ,when the wicked return from     
their banishment 7so many as do  return1
 for they shall be visited after many   
days7 they have become  an inferior race
 of beings3 the righteous have          
outstripped them in  knowledge1 and     
happiness1 and power1 and dominion1 and 
glory1 and  honour4    ,the resurrection
 will bring about a great restitution   
both to the  righteous and to the       
wicked4 ,the righteous will receive the 
reward of  righteousness1 and the wicked
 will receive the wages of sin4 ,when   
the  wicked are swept off the earth1 the
 books will be opened and examined  in  
order to know whose names are recorded2 
and those that are found  written in the
 book shall be delivered2 and such shall
 be resurrected  immediately1 and shine 
as the brightness of the firmament on   
account  of the illustrious part they   
had taken in ,christ's service4 ,but the
  wages of the wicked shall be paid off 
in a long night of death before  they   

rise2 and when they rise1 it shall be to
 shame and everlasting  contempt4 ,if   
their long banishment and death is      
followed by a subdued  and humbled      
spirit of loyalty to truth1 still their 
late resurrection1  with all its doleful
 accompaniments1 will be an eternal     
stigma on  their name4 ,it will always  
be known that they were once banished   
and trod under foot a thousand years at 
least1 in consequence of  their         
disgraceful rebellion against the laws  
and ordinances of ,god's  government4   
,neither they nor their posterity can   
ever wipe off the  disgrace2 they may   
repent and reform1 and become truly     
loyal to ,god1  still their former      
rebellion against immediate revelation  
and prophets1  will stand on record     
eternally1 and crimson their face with  
shame1 and  furnish occasion for        
contempt to their name at the           
retrospect4 ,many  ancient ,saints      
endured tortures1 not accepting         
deliverance1 in order  that they might  

obtain a better resurrection4    ,the   
domestic tie is the strongest bond of   
union1 and the most prolific  source of 
virtue and happiness that appertains to 
mankind on earth  or in heaven4 ,hence  
the promise made to ,abraham of an      
innumerable  domestic confederation1 and
 to all others also1 who should be heirs
 of  the same faith with faithful       
,abraham4 ,but the wicked are           
disembodied  spirits1 without flesh and 
bones1 and cannot partake of the        
blessings  of domestic union1 and that  
friendship and fellowship that the whole
  family of ,god in heaven and upon     
earth enjoy4 ,poor desolate spirits1    
that once despised prophecyings and     
forbid to speak in tongues1 ye are  now 
left without the sweet ties of          
parentage1 and the endearing bonds  of  
filial and conjugal affection6 ,the     
social circle in which you move1  and   
the government under which you are      
organized1 have lost their most  lovely 
and essential ligaments of union and    

strength4 ,how gladly would  wicked     
spirits accept the bodies of the        
inferior animals as their  tabernacle1  
might they be permitted to do so2 even  
the swine would be a  desirable         
habitation rather than none at all4     
,the angels that kept not their first   
estate are reserved in chains  7have not
 the liberty of embodied spirits7 to the
 far distant period of  final judgment1 
when death and hell shall be judged     
after the lapse of  a thousand years and
 little season2 even then death and     
hell1 with  all others whose reprieve is
 not found written in the book1 must    
fall  victims to the second death4 ,oh6 
dreadful consequence of sin6 ,how oft   
would ,i have gathered you1 as a hen    
gathereth her chickens under her  wing1 
but ye would not2 but now1 your house is
 left unto you desolate6    ,but1 alas6 
sir1 how many attach no more importance 
to the resurrection1  than merely the   
fact of its being an evidence that we   
shall survive the  dissolution of death8

 but blessed are those who understand   
and have  part in the first             
resurrection1 for on such the second    
death hath no  power4 ,sir1 my heart    
swells with deep concern that all men   
might obey  the only true gospel1 that  
entitles to a part in the first         
resurrection6    ,the limits of my      
letter forbid me to exhort2 but suffer  
me to say1  unless you have the same    
faith with ,daniel and ,elijah1 and the 
same  spirit of revelation with ,peter1 
,abraham1 and ,moses1 you can never     
associate with resurrected bodies1      
neither with holy angels1 nor with      
,god4 ,in your flesh you never can see  
,god4 ,all former ,saints were  united  
with the spirits of the just1 and       
angels1 and ,christ1 and ,god  the judge
 of all3 and if you are not united to   
the same by supernatural  faith1 and the
 spirit of vision and revelation1 you   
may bid farewell  to every endearing    
social tie1 and launch forth among the  
disembodied  powers of the air2 and     

there with bitter regret and wailing1   
lament  over that fallen and lost bodily
 image of your ,maker1 laid low in      
corruptible ruins through your          
transgression and hatred of the ministry
  of the prophet of the last days4      
,there1 this spectacle of your          
rebellion against prophets 7monument of 
your shame7 must lie till your          
self-righteous spirit is subdued1 or be 
raised only to encounter the  mortal    
grasp of a second death4    ,yes1 sir1  
while the restitution will elevate the  
righteous to their  proper level in the 
scale of being1 where the wicked cannot 
molest1  it will also depress the wicked
 to their humiliating level4 ,it will   
separate them to their own place1 and   
the want of bodies will prove  an       
impassable gulf between them and        
happiness4 ,in this state they  may1    
indeed1 contemplate what they have lost1
 without the power of  recovering it4   
,oh1 tantalizing state of keen despair6 
,dreadful chains6  ,cruel death holds   

that once noble image of thy ,maker fast
 in mouldering  ruins1 as a monument of 
thy contempt of prophets6 ,now1 thou    
needest  supernatural power to restore  
to thee that lost image of thy ,maker6  
,now1 thou needest a new name and key to
 resurrecting power6 but thou  hast     
despised these things1 and saidst thou  
hadst no need1 therefore  thy light is  
put out and clean gone6 ,now1 angels    
offer to minister to  thee1 and prophets
 to become thy teachers1 but thou       
wouldst have none  of these2 therefore  
they will withdraw from thee for a long 
and dreary  night1 in which thou wilt   
often cry out with bitter wailing1      
,would ,god  it were morning6    ,now1  
sir1 may a consideration of these truths
 lead you to choose the  good and refuse
 the evil1 and stand on the immutable   
basis of every one  that is taught of   
,god1 is the unceasing desire of        
,your humble servant1    ,,orson        
,,spencer4        ,,letter ,,xiii4      
,,miscellaneous ,,remarks ,,on          

,,restitution4    ,liverpool1 ,november 
#cj1 #ahdg4    ,reverend and ,dear      
,sir1--,a question has sometimes been   
asked concerning  infants--with what    
bodies will they come forth8 ,will they 
be raised in  the stature of manhood or 
adult size8 ,we believe not2 but as they
 fall1  so will they rise again--the    
size of their stature when they rise1   
will  be the same as when they fell     
asleep in death4 ,little children are   
the  subjects and residents of the      
kingdom of heaven4 ,their angels do     
always  behold the presence of our      
,father in heaven4    ,it is not the    
size of a person's stature that         
constitutes any certain  mark of the    
measure of one's capacity1 either to    
exercise power or  enjoy felicity4      
,jesus possessed all power in a mere    
stature of human  size4 ,still1 nothing 
is fully perfect till it has attained   
the measure  of the grand ,designer1 and
 accomplished the end of its creation4  
,hence  it may1 with some probability1  

be inferred1 that children will mature  
and come to their full stature after the
 resurrection2 this1 however1  is more a
 matter of opinion than of any direct   
revelation that has come  to my         
knowledge4    ,it will1 of course1 from 
what has been said1 be discovered that  
the  righteous will enjoy a happy       
recognition of each other in every      
endearing relation that is common to    
mankind in their present mortal  state4 
,their familiarity will be that of      
perfect innocence and  felicity4        
,children1 in the millennium1 or after  
the first resurrection1  will need the  
same paternal care1 tutorage1 and       
guidance1 which is  required by them    
now4 ,in the absence of their proper    
parents they will1  doubtless1 receive  
adopted parents1 or an equivalent       
guardianship  of the angels of ,god4    
,such is the established order of       
progressive  intelligence1 through the  
medium of living teachers1 that all the 
redeemed of heaven and earth1 are under 

the special guardianship of the         
ministering authorities of ,god4    ,oh1
 how happy and blessed are those parents
 and children--husbands and  wives--who 
shall meet in the palaces of the just1  
and recognize each  other after so long 
an absence6 ,unspeakably joyful that day
 and hour  when friends1 that have been 
long separated1 shall again strike hands
  together1 and celebrate their re-union
 in the courts above4 ,to die  is gain1 
because the righteous are exalted and   
introduced to higher  orders of         
intelligence4 ,new fields of discovery  
and enjoyment are  constantly opening1  
to intensify their interest and swell   
their bosoms  with the liveliest        
emotions4 ,they may and do remember     
their righteous  friends that are left  
behind1 for a little season1 with kind  
desires1  and cannot advance in         
knowledge and glory very advantageously 
without  them2 still it is the knowledge
 which they possess of superlative      
glories ahead1 that principally occupy  

their minds4 ,truths and keys1          
explanatory of the boundless and skilful
 works of ,god1 and facilitating  their 
progress towards dominion and power1 and
 blessing1 and salvation1  are          
continually warming up their hearts and 
inciting them to onward  deeds4 ,the    
valiant and faithful that have fought a 
good fight and kept  the faith1 are     
hailed with delight and thanksgivings on
 their reception  to the heavenly       
courts1 and most cordially welcomed to  
the embrace of  the great and venerable 
progenitor of our race4    ,thrice happy
 are those who keep their present       
estate1 and secure  an imperishable     
inheritance on this planetary portion of
 their  interminable existence2 and     
equally deplorable1 on the other hand1  
the condition of those who1 filled with 
the delusive spirit of  anti-revelation1
 keep not their present estate1 and     
prefer the  darkness of no revelation1  
in their day2 because they have changed 
the ordinances1 and transgressed the    

laws1 and broken the everlasting        
covenant4    ,again1 it may be asked1   
will not those who have died without the
  knowledge of the gospel1 during many  
centuries past1 perish for want of  the 
gospel8 ,and where is the justice of    
leaving persons to perish1 for  want of 
that which it is not in their power to  
obtain8    ,were not many of our        
ancestors1 that have died in past       
generations1  good people1 yet as the   
gospel was not revealed in their day1   
and they  could not enter the kingdom by
 being born of the water and of the     
,spirit1 have they perished8 ,these1    
indeed1 are interesting inquiries4  ,to 
the first inquiry ,i respond--they have 
not perished1 in the sense  or manner in
 which those have perished who have     
rejected the offers  of the gospel2 not 
having known the gospel1 they have never
 rejected  it4 ,they have not disobeyed 
laws and ordinances of which they have  
not  heard1 or which were never imposed 
upon them4 ,they are neither rewarded   

or punished according to gospel laws2   
but such as have lived without  law will
 be judged without law4 ,where there is 
no law there is no  transgression--where
 there is nothing given1 there is       
nothing required2  but it is required   
according to what a man hath4 ,whatever 
light they  have had1 by that light will
 they be judged2 and whatever privileges
  and blessings the law1 under which    
they have lived1 can confer1 such  will 
be awarded to them4 ,still our fathers1 
who have died without the  gospel1 are  
in a condition far inferior to those who
 have received and  obeyed the gospel4  
,this condition of theirs is consequent 
upon the early transgression of  their  
progenitors4 ,the condition itself may  
not be blameworthy4 ,their  conduct1 in 
a pre-existent state1 may have deserved 
for their bodies in  this world to be   
without the privilege of the gospel2 or 
withholding  gospel privileges from them
 in this world1 may be followed with    
future  blessings compensatory for their

 loss1 when they shall prove themselves 
worthy of a better condition4 ,the      
gospel martyr sustains a great loss1    
but the magnitude of his reward is      
designed to overbalance his loss4       
,our devout and worthy fathers that have
 died without the gospel1  cannot1      
indeed1 enter the celestial kingdom of  
,jesus ,christ without  conformity to   
the identical laws and ordinances of his
 kingdom4  ,but provision is made for   
them1 whereby they can conform to the   
requirements of the gospel1 not         
altogether in their own persons  alone1 
but through proxy1 or the obedience of  
others1 provided they  voluntarily      
accept of that obedience rendered by    
others for their  benefit4    ,startle  
not1 my dear sir1 at this idea that is  
so repugnant to the  prejudice of       
protestants4 ,the principle of          
substitution is at the  foundation of   
the great work of redemption1 and forms 
a chain of  gratitude and obligation of 
the purest and noblest metal4 ,jesus    

died  for others1 because they could not
 have saved themselves without his      
obedience for them4 ,the preachers of   
righteousness pass through many         
tribulations1 and sacrifice houses1     
lands1 and country1 in order that       
others may become rich both temporally  
and spiritually2 without this  order of 
suffering1 the just for the unjust1 no  
man could be saved4    ,paul says1 ,i   
rejoice in my sufferings for you1 and   
fill up that which  is behind of the    
afflictions of ,christ1 in my flesh1 for
 his body's  sake1 which is the ,church4
 ,every man that has the priesthood of  
,christ may suffer in his measure and   
degree a propitiatory sacrifice1        
according to the degree of priesthood   
with which he is clothed4 ,he may       
become a subordinate saviour to his     
fellow-men1 ,christ being1 however1  the
 ,,captain of all men's salvation4      
,hence1 the prophets plumply call  men  
,,saviours who shall be raised to       
officiate in ,mount ,zion4    ,paul also

 instructs ,timothy how he can save men 
and himself4 ,this  distribution of     
saving gifts1 instead of eclipsing      
,jesus of the  glory of salvation1      
magnifies his glory1 because ,he is the 
spring and  source of all salvation4    
,god the ,father reigns over all1 and   
,jesus  under him1 and men reign under  
,jesus as kings and priests4 ,kingdoms  
rise up within kingdoms1 but ,christ is 
the ,king of kings4 ,peter tells  how   
the devout and honourable dead may be   
saved1 who never heard the  gospel on   
earth4 ,he says1 the living may be      
baptized for them1 and  then they can be
 judged according to men in the flesh4  
,says he1 else  why are ye baptized for 
the dead8 ,baptism for the dead was     
better  understood in ,peter's days than
 the doctrine of the resurrection4      
,doctrines are sooner obliterated from  
the mind than ordinances4 ,but  after   
the destruction of the ,temple1 and the 
baptismal font1 baptisms  for the dead  
must of course cease1 because there was 

no longer an  acceptable place for this 
ordinance to be ministered4 ,peter      
explicitly  declares1 that the gospel   
was preached to the dead1 by which also 
he went and preached to the ,spirits in 
prison4 ,now if the gospel was  preached
 to the dead1 then mercy1 and           
deliverance1 and salvation1 were        
preached to the dead2 but these could   
not be preached to them without  the    
ordinances1 because the ordinances of   
baptism1 and gift of the ,holy  ,ghost1 
are a part of the gospel2 for except a  
man is born of water and  of the        
,spirit1 he cannot enter the kingdom of 
,god4 ,but if a righteous  man is       
baptized for his departed friend1 the   
law requiring baptism is  magnified1 and
 ,god can justify the departed spirit   
that believes1 and  accepts the same4   
,baptism for the dead1 however1 only    
takes away the disabilities  under which
 they labour2 unless this is done for   
them they cannot be  redeemed1 however  
penitent they may become4 ,the blood of 

,christ took  away the disabilities of  
all the human family1 so that all       
mankind can  now be saved through faith 
and obedience4 ,but no man is saved by  
the  blood of ,christ1 without faith and
 obedience2 and if they count ,his      
blood an unholy thing1 and sin against  
the ,holy ,ghost1 there is no  more     
sacrifice for sin1 neither is there     
forgiveness for such in this  world1 nor
 in the world to come4 ,no person will  
be led by the ,spirit  to be baptized   
for any such description of persons2 no 
person that is  the friend of ,christ   
will ever lend a helping hand towards   
redeeming  such obdurate spirits4 ,many 
worlds must pass away before they can be
  fit subjects for the visitation of    
,god's mercy4 ,but there are those  who 
will prove their lineage to be descended
 from those who slew the  prophets1 and 
fill up the measure of their fathers1   
and some will  even shed innocent       
blood--for whom there is no             
resurrection1 only  to be plunged into a

 lake of fire1 and writhe under the     
gnawings of  the worm that never dies4  
,among those in former ages who were of 
the  lineage of the murderers of        
prophets1 priests and high-minded       
divines  are distinctly noticed by      
,jesus ,christ1 and their pedigree      
flatly  exposed2 and1 sir1 if you will  
allow me any credit for veracity1 and   
attach any weight to the most palpable  
and irrefutable proof1 you may          
assuredly know1 that preachers of modern
 christianity have occupied a           
conspicuous part in the tragic scenes of
 ,missouri and ,illinois4--,i  will     
admit that many distinguished divines do
 eloquently extol the  ancient          
prophets--speak in glowing diction of   
the faith of ,daniel1  ,abraham1 and    
,sampson1 and of illustrious miracles1  
and beautifully  portray the            
crucifixion1 agony1 and triumph of      
,jesus4 ,but1 alas6 with  the next      
breath1 and while soaring aloft with the
 ardent sympathies of  their hearers1   

they prove their pedigree to be that of 
the self-same  murderers of the very    
prophets they affect to eulogize4       
,electrified  and warmed up in the      
pseudo atmosphere of ,calvary1 and the  
story of  redeeming love for a cloak of 
maliciousness1 their words1 though      
smoother than oil1 are sharper than     
drawn swords4 ,the innocent ,saints     
feel their piercing thrusts from pulpits
 that bear the cognomen of ,st4  ,peter1
 and ,st4 ,paul1 and ,st4 ,jude4        
,lewd men of the baser sort catch the   
,lethean fire1 and throughout the       
nation the righteous poor feel the      
,upean blast that sprung from the       
sacred desk4 ,thousands are thrown out  
of employment--writs1 and every  species
 of oppression are poured out like a    
storm of hail upon them4  ,property is  
sacrificed--the ,saints flee1 homeless  
and shelterless1 to  seek an asylum in  
the wilds of the everlasting hills4     
,again1 ,i will invite your attention to
 the union of the fathers and  the      

children1 and a faint outline of the    
innumerable kingdoms that are  to rise  
up in the boundless dominions of the    
,supreme ,king4 ,no king  on earth or in
 heaven is so omnipotent or omnipresent 
as not to need  subordinate ruling      
agencies1 in order to control           
innumerable subjects4  ,hence the ,lord 
,god of all the earth has a host of holy
 angels that  communicate his will1 and 
minister his pleasure among the hosts of
  heaven and the inhabitants of the     
earth4 ,from the highest heaven1 even   
his own peculiar dwelling-place1 to the 
lowest heaven1 and from thence  to the  
earth1 this order of delegated          
authorities is maintained4 ,his         
dominions extend through all space1 and 
the number of his constantly  increasing
 subjects cannot be computed4    ,how1  
then1 are these innumerable kingdoms    
governed8 ,every organization  has its  
own president or ruler1 from the orbit  
of countless millions to  the smallest  
division that convenience may           

require--from the ruler of  many cities 
to the ruler of the smallest ward of a  
city4 ,a man's gift  maketh room for    
him1 and bringeth him into the presence 
of great men4    ,now1 the strongest tie
 of government1 of union1 strength1 and 
happiness  in any confederation         
whatever1 either in heaven or on earth1 
is that  which springs from parentage1  
or the paternal tie4 ,the first lesson  
of address which ,god teaches his       
subjects is to call him ,father--our    
,father1 c4 ,the father feels the       
strongest of all attachments to his     
children2 for them he toils and         
provides1 and to them he gives the      
fruit of his labours1 and the wisdom and
 knowledge that flows from his  lips4   
,every father is expected to look after 
his own progeny4 ,if it  were not that  
the hearts of the fathers were turned to
 the children1  in the last days the    
earth would be smitten with such a sore 
and  heavy curse that no flesh would be 
saved2 but for the elect's sake1  and   

for the sake of the fathers who have    
obtained promises concerning  their     
posterity in the last days1 the earth   
will be preserved as an  inheritance for
 righteous men4 ,from the dust of mother
 earth has arisen  a sufficient number  
of righteous men to secure the endless  
perpetuity  of its existence among the  
worlds that ,god has made4 ,glory and   
honour  be to ,god for this unspeakable 
favour6 ,some worlds have passed away   
and  are not1 doubtless because they    
abode not in the law given them4        
,according to promise1 ,god has sent    
,elijah just in the dawn of the  great  
and notable day of sweeping the wicked  
with the besom of his  wrath1 to turn   
the hearts of the children to the       
fathers4 ,the children  are told of     
kindred ties between them and such as   
once held the true  priesthood1 and     
wrought righteousness on the earth1 and 
of their  consequent heirship to thrones
 and dominions through faith4 ,through  
the gift of the ,spirit they respond to 

the same1 as good tidings of  great joy4
 ,the ,spirit of ,god works in them     
mightily1 that they may  come to the    
knowledge of their ancestors1 that were 
once in honourable  remembrance before  
,god for their faith and priesthood4 ,by
 revelation1  and by records and        
traditions1 and by the spirit of        
adoption1 they  will learn their        
relationship to the heavens2 and the    
vacant links of  lineage between them   
and their forefathers in the priesthood1
 will be  sought after on earth1 and    
under the earth1 and in the heavens1 in 
the set times of restitution2 for ,god  
will gather together in one in  ,christ1
 all things in heaven and upon the earth
 and under it1 in the  dispensation of  
the fulness of times4    ,the different 
federative unions of the whole family of
 heaven and  earth1 when organized      
according to the law of adoption1 have  
their  own respective patriarch or      
president to represent them in the grand
  council of the just1 ,jesus ,christ   

being head over all things to the       
,church1 in all ages1 worlds without    
end4 ,every dispensation under ,him  has
 its own presidency and grand council1  
from whence emanate all the  laws that  
spring from the ,apostle and ,high      
,priest of our profession in  the       
heavens4    ,by the federative laws of  
adoption1 a representation may be had in
 the  grand council of each             
dispensation1 with more practical       
facility and  order than otherwise4     
,jesus is an advocate for the whole     
human family  before the ,father2 and   
every ,high ,priest taken from among men
 is  ordained for men in things         
pertaining to ,god1 that he may offer   
both  gifts and sacrifices for sins4    
,a mediatorial and intercessoral work   
pervades the priesthood according  to   
the measure of the grace bestowed4 ,the 
union of families1 not  according to the
 capricious and changeable institutions 
of men1 but  according to the laws of   
heaven1 upon the basis of virtuous      

affection1  and upon the confidence of  
permanent security in righteousness1    
will  form a solid phalanx against the  
intrusion of discord and the spirit  of 
alienation from ,god4 ,the righteous    
will be bound together1 by the  ties of 
adoption and kindred1 in the bundle of  
eternal life4 ,this  united             
confederation of strength and affection 
will be peculiarly  needed1 in order to 
endure the shock which society must     
receive both in  heaven and upon earth1 
and under the earth1 in the last        
dispensation2  for every tree that the  
,eternal ,father hath not planted shall 
be hewn  down1 and the institutions of  
men shall come to nought4 ,every man's  
hand shall be against his fellow2 and   
while distrust and discord shall        
insinuate their baneful influence into  
the secret chambers of the most         
familiar acquaintance1 the ,saints shall
 have peace like a river1 and  their    
union and joy shall abound4 ,then the   
nations that have sneered  at prophets  

will be filled with disquietude and     
fear6 ,violence and  rapine will stalk  
abroad with a bold front6 ,innocence1   
and integrity1  and virtue will hide in 
confusion or be utterly banished6 ,but  
the  ,church--the pillar and ground of  
the truth--will be quiet and            
undisturbed6 ,virtue and innocence1     
truth and wisdom1 will abound within    
her gates6 ,she will come up from her   
tribulations like sheep from the        
washing--fair as the moon1 clear as the 
sun1 and terrible as an army  with      
banners6    ,and when the victory of    
truth over error is won1 all nations    
will fear  the name of the ,lord our    
,god4 ,the law shall go forth from      
,zion1 and  the word of the ,lord from  
,jerusalem4 ,the ,jews shall be gathered
 to  ,jerusalem1 and the city shall have
 been built in troublesome times4 ,the  
outcasts of ,judah shall re-occupy their
 own land2 and the gatherings  of       
,israel shall be commemorated in        
everlasting songs and festivals1        

because the greatness of the work shall 
surpass any deliverance  that ,israel   
has ever experienced before from the    
hand of the ,lord4  ,therefore1 behold  
the days come1 saith the ,lord1 that it 
shall no more  be said1 ,the ,lord      
liveth that brought up the children of  
,israel out of  the land of ,egypt4 ,but
 the ,lord liveth that brought up the   
children of  ,israel from the land of   
the north1 and from all the lands       
whither he  had driven them4 ,and ,i    
will bring them again into their land1  
that ,i  gave unto their fathers4       
,behold1 ,i will send for many fishers1 
saith  the ,lord1 and they shall fish   
them2 and after will ,i send for many   
hunters1 and they shall hunt them from  
every mountain1 and from every  hill1   
and out of the holes of the rocks1 for  
mine eyes are upon all  their ways4 ,i  
will cause them to know mine hand and my
 might1 and they  shall know that my    
name is the ,lord4 ,and ,satan shall be 
bound on the  face of the whole earth2  

and for the first time in the lapse of  
more  than six thousand years1 there    
shall be made a perfect demonstration   
of the majesty and glory of the kingdom 
of ,god on the earth2 and the  purity1  
efficiency1 and wisdom of his laws4     
,jesus ,christ shall come in like manner
 as he went up4 ,he shall set his  feet 
upon ,mount ,olives1 and the earth shall
 quake at his presence4  ,his nation    
shall acknowledge their ,lord and their 
,god1 whom their  fathers had crucified4
 ,the city of the ,new ,jerusalem shall 
come down  out of heaven1 even the city 
of the great ,king4 ,in this city will  
be  displayed the skill of the great    
architect of the world1--the builder    
and maker is ,god4 ,the names of the    
twelve tribes1 and of the twelve        
apostles of the ,lamb will not be the   
least distinguishable in this most      
extraordinary city that was ever        
revealed to man4    ,this vision of the 
future residence of the apostles and    
patriarchs1  appears to have been       

unfolded to the apostle ,john1 in a kind
 of  farewell visit1 and must have      
ravished his heart with unspeakable     
delight and ecstacy4 ,his soul was      
suffused with joy and rapture1 and he   
fell prostrate with feelings of worship 
toward the messenger of such  tidings4  
,jesus had1 indeed1 told the apostles   
that he would go away and  prepare      
mansions for them4 ,and that there were 
many mansions4 ,but never  before1      
probably1 had he described the celestial
 state and residence so  beautifully and
 minutely as now4 ,the height1 and      
length1 and breadth of  the city1 and   
the names of some of the most           
distinguished personages  who should    
occupy mansions therein1 together with  
the gates of pearl1  and the foundation 
walls of all manner of precious stones1 
were  distinctly shown to him4    ,the  
future residence of the ,saints1 we     
perceive1 is not an ideal thing  without
 reality4 ,they will need houses for    
their persons1 and for their  families1 

as much in their resurrected condition  
as in their present  state2 they will be
 as sensible of the works of art1 taste1
 beauty and  grandeur there as now1 and 
far more so4    ,in this identical      
world1 where they have been robbed of   
houses and  lands1 and wife and         
children1 they shall have an hundred    
fold4 ,the  nations of the earth shall  
bring their glory into the city of their
  immortal residence4 ,and the          
diversified wisdom of ,solomon1         
displayed  above all earthly kings1     
shall be but a miniature picture of the 
visible and tangible glories that will  
be exhibited to the eyes and  ears of   
resurrected ,saints on the very erarth  
where they once suffered4  ,if ever an  
earthly sovereign sat upon a throne1 and
 swayed a royal  sceptre1 and wore a    
glittering crown of surpassing richness 
and beauty1  then shall men and women   
who have suffered loss and shame for the
  gospel's sake1 be seated upon thrones 
in the city of the ,new ,jerusalem1  and

 their mandates shall be heard and      
obeyed to the ends of the earth2  and   
the riches1 and dominion1 and power1 and
 blessing1 and glory1 that  shall       
encircle them1 no tongue can describe4  
,oh6 wonderful transition1  from        
darkness to light1 and from the         
degrading bondage of ,satan into  the   
liberty of the sons and daughters of    
,god6 ,glorious emancipation6  ,who can 
contemplate the recompense of reward    
without ample satisfaction  for all the 
withering scorn1 and piercing sarcasm1  
and bloody hatred1  that have been      
endured8 ,give me a name that shall     
never perish1--a  habitation among      
heaven's kings1--a seat in the council  
of the just1  where the fairest among   
the sons of men shall sometimes minister
 in his  own person1 and it shall       
suffice for having fought a good fight1 
and  kept the faith once delivered to   
the ,saints4 ,oh1 enchanting prospect of
  rapturous delight6      ,the thought  
of such amazing bliss    ,should        

constant joys create6    ,but grovelling
 unbelief will ask1 how can such an     
immense city be let  down to the earth1 
or suspended over it1 and contiguous to 
it8 ,i reply1  ,how can the earth be    
suspended in vacant space8 ,how could   
,jesus ascend  up till the eye could see
 his person no longer8 ,how could       
,elijah go up  in the chariot of        
,israel8 ,how could the angel fly       
through the midst of  heaven1 that the  
prophets ,zechariah1 ,john1 and ,daniel 
saw speaking to  the young man ,joseph8 
,how can ,christ come with his ten      
thousand ,saints1  and descend with a   
shout8 ,how will ,saints1 by tens of    
thousands and  millions1 be caught up to
 meet him in the air8 ,how do birds fly 
in the  air1 and vast planets hang on   
nothing8 ,oh6 marvellous unbelief6 shall
  not ,he who organized worlds out of   
their chaotic state1 reorganize  them at
 ,his pleasure1 so as to suit the       
capacity and pleasure of  immortalized  
bodies1 that have kept their second     

estate1 and have  obtained right and    
title to enter the pearly gates of the  
royal city8    ,isaiah says1 that the   
,lord's work1 in the last days1 shall be
 a  marvellous work and a wonder4 ,the  
changes wrought in the condition of  the
 earth will be very great4 ,the face of 
its surface will be greatly  changed4   
,there are many islands and lofty barren
 mountains1 and sunken  pestiferous     
valleys1 and sterile plains1 that will  
be revolutionized4  ,indeed1 far the    
greatest part of the earth stands       
covered with water4  ,the earth shall   
reel to and fro like a drunken man1 and 
shake terribly  before the coming of the
 ,son of ,man4 ,it shall even be turned 
upside  down2 and the approach of       
,christ shall be indicated by a         
succession of  great events and changes4
 ,but a most extraordinary appearance in
 the  heavens shall be distinguished1   
and known as the sign of the coming  of 
the ,son of ,man4 ,whether this sign of 
the ,son of ,man will be some  planetary

 body of an imposing aspect1 first      
making its appearance in  the heavens   
and gradually approximating to the      
earth1 or whether it  shall be          
stationary1 is not1 and probably1 will  
not1 be fully revealed1  except to the  
children of revelation1 for that day    
shall come upon the  nations as a snare4
    ,but it is revealed that an         
extraordinary sign in the heavens shall 
make  its appearance1 announcing1 with  
sublime and terrific grandeur1 the  near
 approach of the ,son of ,man4 ,the     
calamitous state of the nations1        
convulsed with the sword1 pestilence and
 famine1 with which ,god will  plead    
with all flesh before the ,son of ,man  
shall come2 followed also  with great   
convulsions of nature1 will lead many to
 practise wild and  visionary           
impositions1 pretending that ,christ has
 indeed come1 and  that he has been seen
 in the wilderness1 or in the secret    
chamber1  c4 ,but let it be understood  
distinctly1 that even as a remarkable   

star escorted the ,son of ,man in his   
first advent1 and became not only       
visible but stationary over the very    
point of earth where ,jesus was         
born--marvellous indeed6--even so1 and  
much more visible will be his  second   
coming4    ,the brilliancy of the       
lightning1 extending over the whole     
heaven1 from  east to west1 will not be 
more manifest to the inhabitants of the 
earth  than the approach of the ,son of 
,man at his second coming4 ,still many  
will behold1 wonder1 and despise1 and   
perish2 because it is written1  that    
whosoever shall reject that prophet     
shall be destroyed from  among the      
people4 ,the false signs and wonders    
that shall be got up in  opposition to  
the true1 will deceive and harden the   
nations1 and they  will not discern     
between him that serveth ,god and him   
that serveth him  not4    ,even the sign
 of the coming of the ,son of ,man may  
be contemplated by  multitudes1 barely  
as an unaccountable phenomenon2 and     

familiarity  with the sight of it will  
beget indifference1 hardness of heart1  
and  contempt for all such like things4 
,your humble servant1    ,,orson        
,,spencer4        ,,letter ,,xiv4       
,,summary ,,and ,,final ,,appeal4       
,liverpool1 ,december #ac1 #ahdg4       
,reverend and ,dear ,sir1--,having given
 you an epitomised view of the          
doctrines of the ,church of ,jesus      
,christ of ,latter-day ,saints1 in a    
short series of ,thirteen ,letters1 ,i  
now make this ,,summary ,,and ,,final   
,,appeal to you1 and to all persons to  
whom the foregoing ,letters may  come4  
,before parting with you1 ,i will       
endeavour to obviate some objections    
that might be supposed to arise1 and    
give some further confirmatory  proof of
 the truths that have been advanced4    
,you may be ready to inquire with great 
earnestness1 can it possibly be  that   
the religious world have been so grossly
 mistaken and actually  deluded for so  
many centuries8 can so many divines of  

celebrated  learning and devotion have  
been all this time in error8 ,is it     
possible  that that illiterate young    
man1 ,joseph ,smith1 should be the      
first1  after the lapse of so many ages1
 to break the spell of darkness1  and   
pierce the clouds of error1 and let in  
the sunshine of eternal  truth upon the 
whole world8 ,is it possible that he    
whom we have been  accustomed to regard 
as the blackest impostor--about whose   
moral  character there hang so many     
shades of suspicion8 can he be1 in very 
deed1 a true prophet of ,god8    ,i do  
not wonder at your inquiries2 but ,i do 
marvel that any good man  should have a 
lingering doubt4 ,your inquiries and    
objections ,i will  briefly             
answer4--,why should not the religious  
world be mistaken8 do  not the great    
mass of the human family profess to be  
religious8 are  not the millions of     
,china and ,asia religious8 ,here is    
nearly one half  of the human family    
ardently devoted to their religion--they

 are  sincerely devoted to their        
religion--the multitudes of their       
pagodas1  and the great expense and     
sacrifice attending their worship1 prove
  incontestibly their sincerity2 and the
 long antiquity of their religion  has  
rendered it venerable as yours4    ,you 
readily say1 that the myriads of ,asia  
are deceived and mistaken4  ,but may    
they not retort upon you and say--how is
 it that we1 whose  religion is so      
ancient and so universally believed1    
should be 7all of  us7 in such gross    
error8 ,now1 may not the reply that     
would fit them  be applicable to the    
advocates of modern christianity8 ,they 
are all  the children of ,adam as much  
as you1 and as much the offspring of our
  common parent4 ,their rulers and      
divines are as respectable among their  
own countrymen as yours are among your  
countrymen4 ,it is no worse for  modern 
christendom to be in error than for     
paganism4 ,paganism can  boast of more  
learning and oratory1 and of more       

universal1 enduring1  and mighty        
governments than modern christianity6   
,paganism can boast of  more union and  
stability than modern christianity4 ,but
 ,i am no advocate  of either paganism  
or modern christianity4 ,i believe that 
the whole  world lieth in darkness1 in  
consequence of transgressing the laws of
  ,god4 ,modern christianity has had a  
fair trial for success4 ,kings and      
potentates with vast and populous       
dominions1 have been arrayed on  its    
side4 ,eighteen hundred years have      
testified to its ragged and  crippled   
march4 ,the sovereigns of ,europe and   
rulers of ,america are  on its side4    
,but what a haggard picture of union    
does the theatre  of modern             
,christianity present6 ,a garment of as 
many colours as the  various religious  
creeds of modern christianity1 would    
constitute a  phenomenon fit to be      
carried about as a curiosity4    ,in    
,catholic countries there is the largest
 share of unity of creeds4  ,in         

,protestant countries every city1 town1 
and village presents the  picture of    
religious collision and jargon4 ,now1   
these contending parts  must necessarily
 be wrong1 for ,god is not the author of
 confusion1 but  of peace4 ,and if the  
constituent parts are wrong1 the        
aggregate must  also be wrong4 ,but     
whether the balance of wisdom and virtue
 lies with  ,christians or ,pagans1 one 
thing is certain1 that no man1 by       
searching1  can find out ,god or know   
the ,almighty unto perfection6 ,the     
world by  wisdom know not ,god4 ,no man 
can ever know ,god unless ,god reveals  
himself to him4 ,those whom ,god selects
 to communicate revelations to  men are 
not the wise and mighty1 but rather such
 as are accounted  weak1 and foolish1   
and unholy4 ,this is the description of 
men that  ,god generally chooses to do  
his work on the earth4 ,again1 it is    
said  that the doctrines of the         
,latter-day ,saints may be good enough1 
but  their characters are too           

reprehensible4 ,testimony from many     
reliable  sources is against them2 and  
we have seen with our own eyes a want of
  that fervent piety that ought to      
distinguish a people entrusted with  the
 ordinances and gifts of                
salvation4--,this1 ,i think1 is the most
  weighty and popular objection that is 
urged by the opposers of the            
,latter-day ,saints3--if they were a    
respectable people1 their doctrines     
could better be endured4 ,now ,i propose
 to consider this objection1  and       
canvass it thoroughly1 in order that no 
man shall ever raise the  same objection
 again1 with any hope of success2 but   
before ,i try their  character1 let us  
inquire what is the proper standard or  
rule by which  character is to be       
tested4    ,some people consider that no
 man can have a good character who is   
not religious1--this is a common opinion
 among religious people4 ,an  infidel1  
say they1 is odious1 and feels no       
responsibility2 and no one  is religious

 unless his faith harmonizes with their 
own religious  creed4 ,in some          
countries1 what would be accounted moral
 and virtuous1  would in others be      
stamped as immoral1 unvirtuous1 and     
sacrilegious4  ,another1 more plausible1
 says1 let all men do as they would be  
done  by1 and then their characters will
 be good4 ,this1 however1 is a very     
vague rule indeed2 for instance1 the    
,emperor ,charles ,fifth of ,germany1   
says3 ,if ,i were as great a heretic as 
,martin ,luther or ,john ,calvin1  ,i   
ought to be banished1 or even put to    
death4 ,thus the ,emperor               
conscientiously carries out the rule1   
and orders the famous ,reformer         
7heretic7 to be put to death4 ,the above
 rule1 unaccompanied by the  spirit of  
revelation1 is often defective and made 
the pretext for deeds  of               
blood-guiltiness4 ,what1 then1 is the   
true and infallible standard of         
character8 ,i answer1 it is revealed in 
the ,gospel4 ,god is the only good      

being and standard of goodness2 such as 
comply with his revealed will  are good1
 and do good1 and there is no iniquity  
in them4    ,compliance with the divine 
will is the only true standard of       
character4  ,to this test1 then1 let us 
bring the character of the ,latter-day  
,saints1 and that of their opposers4    
,what is the faith of each8 ,let us     
inquire4 ,according to their faith1 so  
will be their works or their  character4
 ,says ,james1 ,i will show my faith by 
my works4 ,you may not  only know a     
man's faith by his works1 but his works 
are also known by  his faith4 ,if his   
faith is bad1 his works will be also    
bad2 and if his  works are bad1 his     
character is bad4    ,it was the faith  
of ,christ to receive the revelations of
 ,god his father  unto obedience in all 
things4 ,this faith led him to work the 
works of  ,god1 which were healing the  
sick1 prophecying1 casting out devils1  
speaking in tongues1 and doing many     
miracles1 and revealing the will of  his

 ,father4 ,but the pious ,jews1 chief   
priests1 c41 had another sort  of faith3
 they believed in the ,god of ,abraham  
and ,moses1 but believed  that the age  
of miracles was past1 and they forbid to
 prophecy and  speak with tongues4      
,their faith was1 that there was no     
further need  of new revelation1 and    
that the canon of ,scripture was full4  
,they  believed that the ,sanhedrim     
established by ,moses was sufficient for
  the perfection and government of the  
,church1 without apostles1 and          
prophets1 and various gifts4 ,their     
faith was not the faith of ,god1  nor of
 immediate revelation 7although they    
said they believed in old  revelations72
 neither was it the faith of miracles1  
and prophecyings1  and tongues1 and     
healing4    ,what1 then1 was the faith  
of those pious men that sent their      
missionaries over sea and land1 and     
preached eloquently1 and wept  copiously
 over the pathetic doctrines of ,abraham
 and ,moses8 ,why1 to  be plain1 sir1 it

 was the faith of devils2 and their     
anti-revelation  doctrines were the     
doctrines of devils4 ,their works were  
of the devil1  because their faith was  
opposed to immediate revelation1 and    
their  character was like their         
works--bad and abominable in the eyes of
 ,god1  and saints1 and holy angels2 and
 yet these same pious ,jews claim that  
they were the only true ,christians6    
,what a pity 7thought they7 that  this  
arch impostor should succeed in         
misleading and deluding so many         
followers4 ,it was due to his wickedness
 that he got killed1 and it was  a pity 
that his doctrines did not die with him4
 ,doubtless some ,solomon  ,spaulding   
story was current to prove that he was  
born of a harlot1 and  her husband1 like
 another ,judge ,hale1 was ready to     
swear that he was  not the father of the
 child4    ,now1 sir1 from the foregoing
 thirteen ,letters1 you will see plainly
  what is the acknowledged faith of the 
,latter-day ,saints4 ,it is  precisely  

the same with the faith of the ancient  
apostles and prophets4  ,they have      
proved before the face of mankind1 and  
in the sight of  angels1 that they      
believe the doctrines set forth in these
 ,letters and  in the ,scriptures1 by   
persecutions1 banishment1 loss of goods1
 houses1  and lands2 yea1 even of life  
itself2 for they are a spectacle unto   
all  men1 and their characters are good 
in the sight of ,god1 and angels1 and   
saints1 because they keep the           
commandments and ordinances of ,god1    
even  unto death--not counting their    
lives dear unto them1 in order that they
  may be found in the same faith for    
which apostles and prophets have        
contended earnestly and bled freely4    
,their character is that of compliance  
with the revealed will of ,god1  the    
only true standard of character4 ,they  
have preached the word to  the nations  
of the earth1 under privations1 and     
abuses1 and perils  hitherto unknown1   
since the days of the apostles4 ,it is  

no vanity to  say1 there is none like   
them in all the earth4 ,they fear ,god  
and work  righteousness4    ,if any     
class of people were ever entitled to a 
good character1 it is  the ,latter-day  
,saints4 ,they have earned a title to it
 by conformity to  the only true rule   
and standard of character that was ever 
revealed to  man1 viz41 compliance with 
the doctrines and ordinances of heaven4 
,on  this platform1 sir1 ,i am willing  
to try the character of ,latter-day     
,saints before any tribunal of impartial
 justice2 and it is on this  platform   
alone that all men must be tried1 who   
have ever heard the  gospel of ,christ4 
,when the ,saints and their opposers are
 brought  before this tribunal of high  
heaven1 think you not that our accusers 
will not be filled with shame at their  
groundless accusations8 ,this  people1  
during the last seventeen years 7since  
#ahcj7 have endured  the fatigue and    
expense of emigrating from their former 
homes2 built  cities1 and towns1 and    

farms1 and been robbed of them4 ,many of
 them  have journeyed1 making their own 
bridges and roads1 traversing prairies  
and mountains1 and some have emigrated  
by ships around the greater  half of the
 globe4 ,they have preached the gospel  
to many nations1 and  brought some      
hundreds of thousands into obedience to 
it4 ,in doing  this1 they have been     
unaided by any missionary funds or      
salary--been  compelled all the time to 
face an incessant and pitiless storm of 
scandal and vituperation4 ,the pulpit1  
and the bar1 and the medical  faculty   
have poured out upon them their grape   
and canister shot1 and  caused their    
combustible shells to burst thick around
 their pathway2  still they survive1 and
 the truth floats over every ocean1 and 
converts  to their standard are         
multiplying beyond the aggregate        
increase of  long venerated             
denominations4 ,what but the power of   
,god could have  secured these great and
 blessed results in the very teeth of   

boasting  christendom8 ,pure1 eternal1  
and almighty truth has done it4    ,why 
should you marvel at the success of this
 religion1 seeing it is  based on the   
same principles as the religion of all  
the prophets ever  since the foundation 
of the world4 ,the ,bible recognises no 
other  religion than that of prophets   
and supernatural faith1 and miracles1   
and immediate revelation4 ,it is not    
possible to point out a single  pious   
man or woman1 whose name or piety is    
recorded within the lids of  the ,bible1
 that did not profess the same          
religion--the same gifts of             
supernatural faith1 prophecyings1       
healings1 tongues1 that ,latter-day     
,saints profess4 ,ancient saints        
believed in a similar administration  by
 angels--ancient saints knew nothing of 
any religion that did not  embrace      
immediate intercourse with ,god and     
angels1 or that did not  communicate the
 gifts of healing1 tongues1 and         
prophecyings4 ,they knew1  indeed1 what 

it was to smart under the lash of false 
religions2 but the  ancient saints      
regarded no man as pious or acceptable  
to ,god1 who did  not profess to believe
 in the ministration of angels1 and the 
immediate  inspiration of the ,holy     
,ghost4 ,john1 and ,jesus1 and the      
apostles1 laid  the axe at the root of  
all religions but their own2 and they   
believed  fully and heartily in these   
and such like things4 ,and the great    
bone of  contention between them and    
their pious adversaries was mainly about
  the gifts and blessings of a          
supernatural order2--the latter making a
  mock of tongues1 and despising        
prophecyings1 and miracles1 as being    
needless in that day and age of the     
world2--the former maintaining  that the
 faith of ,daniel1 ,sampson1 and ,noah1 
were as necessary to  salvation as they 
ever had been in the early age of the   
world4 ,indeed1  if you will look       
through the whole ,bible1 you will find 
that every  man of ,bible piety believed

 in prophets1 and angels1 and visions1  
and  miracles2 and any one who did not  
believe as they did were accounted      
rebels1 or hypocrites1 and              
excommunicated accordingly4    ,i know1 
indeed1 that out of the lids of the     
,bible1 you may find  pious creeds1 that
 set aside all further revelation1 and  
the  further ministration of angels1 and
 prophets1 and represent the            
supernatural faith of ,moses and ,elijah
 as no longer needed2 but no such       
representation can be drawn from any    
part of the contents of the ,bible4     
,men of supposed splendid piety can be  
found in modern churches1 who  know     
nothing of the gift of the ,holy ,ghost 
in prophecying and tongues1  or healing1
 and who never dreamed of having the    
ministration of an  angel2 and would    
sneer at the whole system of prophets   
and angels1 and  present miracles4 ,and 
what ,i ask of them is1 that they will  
abandon  all pretext of ,bible authority
 for such piety4 ,the ,bible recognises 

no  such piety1 neither does it         
entertain any fellowship for it2 but    
down  to the day when the last          
revelation was uttered1 it never        
breathed an  intimation that the faith  
of miracles would cease1 or the gifts of
  healing1 except through transgression2
 but the ancient faith of ,abraham  and 
,moses was strenuously contended for1   
till the last man sealed his  testimony 
with his blood4    ,the advocates of old
 revelations1 and old prophets1 and     
former day  miracles1 were very numerous
 in ,paul's day2 but they hated new     
revelation and the power of the ,mosaic 
and ,samsonic faith as they did  poison4
    ,the doctrine of constant revelation
 in the true ,church1 left them as      
barren of ,bible piety as the fallen    
angels4 ,go back to whatever part  of   
the history of ,bible piety you will1   
you will never be able to  glean up     
anything in the shape or likeness of    
modern piety2 but you  will pick up the 
hot indignation of apostles and prophets

 against all  such pretended piety4 ,the
 ,bible wages an uncompromising war     
against  modern piety that wears the    
mask of friendship for ancient          
revelations  and miracles1 while it     
resists the same faith and power in its 
own  day4 ,it is no new thing to have   
revelation and miracles cease3 they     
were discontinued in consequence of     
transgression in several different      
periods of the world4 ,previous to the  
days of ,john the ,baptist1 and  before 
the days of ,moses and ,abraham1        
revelation had ceased4 ,these  men were 
raised up as so many new revelators1 in 
order to overthrow  the false and       
discordant religions1 and establish the 
knowledge of  the true ,god on the      
earth4 ,as soon as prophets have ceased 
to reveal  the will of ,god1 people have
 turned into jangling about creeds4     
,the old revelations have been distorted
 and pulled all to tatters2  manuscripts
 have been picked up2 and uninspired    
men1 with all pomposity  and pedantry1  

have set themselves to adjudicate and   
determine what  was genuine1 and what   
was spurious revelation4 ,you might as  
well set  blind men without a telescope 
to examine the propriety of the local   
relationship of the starry bodies in the
 heavens4 ,alas6 the eager folly  of    
biblical researches6 ,send one1 as well1
 in the darkness of midnight  to search 
a hay-mow for a cambric needle6 as      
though the ,almighty could  not hide    
himself from the gaze of transgressors1 
and withhold the  key of knowledge from 
those that despise prophecyings4 ,but ,i
 turn  from the vain and sickening      
labours of the erudite religionist4 ,his
  pathway is a mazy labyrinth--the      
further he goes1 the more inextricable  
his difficulties6 ,the cost of his      
wearisome and fruitless labours         
overpowers the remnant of his veracity1 
and he seeks an inglorious  reward for  
his labours in decoying others1 as      
foolish as himself1 into  the same      
learned labyrinths of error4 ,he tells  

what this man has said1  and that man   
has written2 but from ,god1 the fountain
 of all truth1  he has obtained no      
intelligence--he has heard nothing4     
,having felt a  little of the mesh cords
 of this entanglement1 in pity ,i turn  
away4    ,the faith of visions1         
miracles1 angels1 revelations1 and      
prophets1 is  the only religion of the  
,bible4 ,with what contempt would       
,abraham look  upon the religion that   
immediately preceded the days of ,moses8
 ,with  what indignation would ,moses   
and ,elijah look upon the religion that 
immediately preceded ,john1 and denied  
any further revelation6    ,how         
abhorrent to apostles must be the       
conduct of those who1 having  persecuted
 and slain the defenders of the faith of
 miracles1 then  turned round and said1 
,we need no more such faith1--miracles  
are  done away4 ,their posterity approve
 their sayings1 and teach the same      
theology4 ,blush1 ,o1 thou foul prince  
of darkness1 at the consummate  folly   

and credulity of thy followers6 ,what   
would the revelator ,john  say1 to a    
grave assembly or synod of divines1 that
 should meet together  in solemn council
 to devise means how to check the       
doctrine of new  revelation and         
miracles8 ,after showing them that he   
was identified with  the self same      
obnoxious advocates of such a doctrine1 
and that his  banishment1 and the       
martyrdom of his fellow apostles1 had   
sprung from  the same spirit of         
anti-revelation and anti-miracles1 that 
now convenes  this grave council of     
bishops2 with mingled pity and          
indignation  he concludes a most        
touching remonstrance against their     
unhallowed  opposition to prophets1 by  
pointing the assembly to the tragic     
scenes  of ,calvary1 where              
anti-revelation had matured a full cup4 
,when men come  to the knowledge of ,god
 through the principles of immediate    
revelation1  and the power of the ,holy 
,ghost1 nothing can separate them from  

the  love of ,god but their own         
transgressions2 neither sword1 nor      
famine1  nor peril1 nor principalities1 
nor powers1 can separate them from  the 
gospel4 ,they know in whom they believe4
 ,who could convince ,jacob  of the     
fallacy of visions1 after what he       
experienced at ,bethel8 ,who  could     
dissuade ,peter from the faith of       
miracles1 after witnessing the  lame man
 healed at the gate of the temple8      
,would ,david or his mighty  men doubt  
the power of ,god1 after a single       
individual had lifted up  his spear and 
slew eight hundred at one time8 ,would  
mobbing and  imprisonment force ,sampson
 to abandon his supposed delusion1 after
  he had put to flight an army of       
thousands8 ,no2 vain hope of all the    
adversaries to miracles6    ,how long   
shall men wage a war of scandal1        
extermination1 and massacre  against the
 advocates of miracles8 ,yet the        
nineteenth century--blush  to hear the  
undeniable charge6--yea1 the christendom

 of the nineteenth  century has espoused
 the old persecutor's warfare1 as keenly
 as the  persecutors of ,stephen1       
,daniel1 and ,moses4 ,are they so       
forgetful of  all sacred and profane    
history as not to know that they are    
fighting  the battles of ,cain1 ,esau1  
,jannes and ,jambes1 ,judas and ,herod1 
over  again4 ,the former persecutors    
fought against new revelations1 and     
latter persecutors do the same--the     
former ,saints were called lying1       
blasphemous impostors1 and the          
,latter-day ,saints are called the same4
  ,there always was an attempt to crush 
former saints by scandalizing  their    
character1 robbing and slaying them--the
 same luckless attempt is  again renewed
 in the nineteenth century4    ,almost  
anything can be tolerated sooner than   
the admission that the ,god  of miracles
 and angels reigns again on the earth4  
,bible saints never  lived in any other 
age than an age of miracles1 visions1   
and angels4  ,they knew that true saints

 never would live in any other age4     
,they knew  that the gospel could not be
 communicated to any people of any age  
without revelation2 for therein is the  
righteousness of ,god revealed  from    
faith to faith4 ,a gospel without       
revelation is no gospel4 ,a  gospel     
without the gifts and power of the ,holy
 ,ghost1 and the ministry  of angels1 is
 no gospel4 ,there cannot be found the  
first instance of a  true minister of   
,god1 throughout the whole record of    
inspiration1 who  did not possess the   
gift of inspiration and the spirit of   
prophecy4  ,no man can say that ,jesus  
is the ,christ1 but by the ,holy ,ghost2
 and  the ,holy ,ghost leads every man1 
who is loyal to his dictates1 into  all 
truth sooner or later4 ,the deep things 
of ,god1 and the keys of  divine power1 
are available to him4 ,by obedience he  
is sure to reach  the measure of the    
power and wisdom attained by ,christ    
himself--the  manifold wisdom of ,,god1 
even1 is to be possessed and shown forth

 by  the ,church4    ,bible saints were 
always familiar with the ministration of
 angels4 ,and  it is only such as are   
wholly unlike ,bible saints who are not 
familiar  with the ministration of      
angels4 ,those who are unlike ,bible    
saints  have always1 in all ages1 denied
 the ministry of angels1 and gift of    
prophecy and healing1 in their own day4 
,and it is a certain test and  evidence1
 that a man is not born of the spirit   
when he denies these  things2 for no man
 that has the ,spirit of ,god can speak 
lightly of ,god2  but he will extol his 
power for himself1 and not for another4 
,men that  have not the ,spirit of ,god 
may tell what great things faith wrought
  in former ages1 but can tell nothing  
from their own experience of the  same  
power4 ,it is1 indeed1 a marvellous     
thing1 that men should affect  to regard
 ,bible piety as a standard or copy1    
which all are bound to  imitate1 and at 
the same time adopt an inferior rule of 
piety that  discards and abrogates all  

the more conspicuous and powerful       
features  of primitive piety6 ,how they 
can have the temerity and effrontery to 
impose upon community a system of       
religion1 that is the counterpart of    
,bible piety1 ,i am at a loss to        
conceive4 ,a gospel without immediate   
and accompanying revelation6 ,who ever  
heard such a thing1 except from         
transgressors sitting in the region and 
shadow of death8 ,no ,bible saint  ever 
saw such a thing in his day4 ,neither   
,abel or ,enoch1 ,abraham or  ,moses1   
,david or ,peter1 ever saw such a gospel
 in their day4 ,the only  gospel that   
these men ever knew of or fellowshipped1
 was a gospel  distinguished by         
revelations1 visions1 and angels4 ,such 
a gospel  rejoiced their hearts1 because
 it was the power of ,god1 and wisdom of
  ,god4 ,it nerved the arm of ,sampson1 
so that scores and hundreds of men      
could no more stand before his might    
than before a volcanic eruption1  or an 
avalanche from the mountain4 ,it gave   

elasticity to ,david1 so  that he could 
leap a wall1 or rush through a troop4   
,it struck with  blindness the mobbers  
of ,sodom2 opened prison gates to       
,peter2 cursed  ,elymas with blindness2 
enabled men to walk unsinged through the
 fiery  burning of the furnace1 heated  
sevenfold hotter than usual6 ,this1 sir1
  is the gospel1 and the only gospel4   
,it exhibits the power of ,god and  the 
wisdom and might of ,god4 ,any other    
gospel is a curse to men1 and  a stink  
in the nose of ,god4 ,angels have once  
tried to preach another  gospel2 and    
what has been the result of their       
efforts8 ,they have been  hurled down   
and are even now reserved in chains     
under darkness1 to the  judgment of the 
great day2 and those who first began to 
preach modern  christianity have        
doubtless shared a doom scarcely less   
awful4    ,the first step stone to      
modern christianity was laid on the     
smoking  ruins of primitive             
christianity4 ,the christian enemies to 

new  revelations and miracles1 actually 
waded through the blood of apostles  and
 prophets1 in order to establish the    
system of anti-revelation4 ,and  did    
their descendants and abettors realise  
the bloody and accursed  origin of that 
system that wars against new regulations
 and prophets1  and angels1 many of them
 would shudder at their blind zeal and  
self-righteousness6 ,god winks at the   
conduct of the latter1 because  they    
know not what they do2 but ,he commands 
all men every where to  repent1 else ,he
 will hold them guilty of all the blood 
that has been  shed from the days of    
righteous ,abel till now4 ,god is my    
witness that ,i  speak the truth in     
,christ ,jesus and lie not4    ,the     
history of modern christianity1 from the
 day when the first martyr  fell under  
its bloody hatred1 is a history of      
contention1 persecution1  and massacre1 
that causes all heaven to weep4 ,rivers 
of blood have  flowed in its wake4      
,crimination and re-crimination from the

 pulpit  and the press1 have agitated   
the people1 from the throne down to the 
otherwise peaceful cottage4 ,the battle 
field has been soaked with the  blood of
 its victims1 and it is difficult to    
tell whether ,catholic  or ,protestant  
domination can count the most victims1  
except as one  may have held a longer   
and stronger ascendency than the other4 
,the  first two or three centuries were 
bloody beyond description4 ,all         
denominations recoil at the history of  
their pedigree during this  early and   
bloody period4 ,the links in the chain  
of supposed apostolic  succession are so
 bloody1 that even the dark ages cannot 
conceal  their crimson hue4 ,the period 
when this famous chain of succession    
has not been coloured with human gore1  
is short4 ,the records of the  suffering
 ,waldenses1 in the valleys of          
,piedmont1 will always tell a  tale of  
wo1 at which humanity must blush4 ,the  
history of the protestant  reformation  
in ,germany and ,england1 including the 

massacre of sixty  thousand protestants 
in ,france1 at one time1 is a serious   
comment on  the pseudo apostolic line of
 priesthood4 ,but when protestantism    
came  into power1 under ,henry and      
,elizabeth1 it proved to a demonstration
  that the protestants had the same     
priesthood handed down through seas  of 
human gore2 excommunicating1 torturing  
and killing catholic heretics  in like  
manner as the catholics had previously  
done to others4,a    ,footnote ,a #a4   
,it was death to make a new ,catholic   
priest within the  kingdom4 #b4 ,it was 
death for a ,catholic priest to come    
into the kingdom  from abroad4 #c4 ,it  
was death to harbour a ,catholic priest 
coming from  abroad4 #d4 ,it was death  
to confess to such a priest4 #e4 ,it was
 death  for any priest to say mass4 #f4 
,it was death for any one to hear mass4 
#g4 ,it was death for any one to deny or
 not to swear1 if called on1  that this 
woman 7,elizabeth7 was the head of the  
church of ,christ4 #h4 ,it  was an      

offence punishable by heavy fine not to 
go to the ,protestant  church1 #bej1    
equal to #c1bej of present ,english     
money4--,penal  ,statutes passed in the 
reign of ,queen ,elizabeth4    ,the     
,united ,states of ,america were first  
settled by fugitives from the           
intolerance and bigoted persecution of  
the mother country2 and it now  becomes 
no wonder that after all this tragic    
drama of inhuman and  brutal outrages   
for near eighteen hundred years1 that   
the children  of them that slew the     
prophets1 should deny the need of any   
further  revelation1 and also of any    
more apostles and miracles6 ,but1 sir1  
the  ,heavens are more compassionate4   
,the ,heavens feel the need to give     
further revelation1 lest the whole earth
 be speedily destroyed through  the     
abomination of this mother of harlots   
and her numerous progeny4    ,there are 
thousands of honest hearted people that 
deserve a  better destiny than to be    
made the deluded prey and spoil of such 

abominations1 under the flattering name 
of christianity4 ,it is to  such these  
letters are designed to be a benefit4   
,it is in vain for  ,protestants to     
charge the bloody axe of persecution    
against the  ,catholics1 or for one sect
 of ,protestants to charge and vilify   
another  sect4 ,knox and ,calvin were   
relentless1 if not actually murderous   
enemies of the ,catholics3 and there is 
scarcely a consequential  ,protestant   
sect in ,england1 or the ,united ,states
 of ,america1 that  has not proven out  
their shameful and bloody pedigree by   
acts of  banishment1 hanging1           
confiscation of property1 or            
proscription of cast4    ,these charges 
against the christianity that has sprung
 up since the  days of revelation1 are  
capable of the most undeniable proof4   
,it is  no marvel that intelligent and  
high-minded men in every country have   
become so sceptical towards the         
prevailing religions of the day4 ,the   
scepticism of ,france was a misnomer2 it

 was not in reality a warfare  against  
the true ,bible1 but against the horrid 
impositions supposed to  be deducible   
from the ,bible4 ,if the ,bible had been
 fairly represented  by the true church1
 ,france would never have waged such a  
bloody war  against it as it did in the 
days of its revolution4 ,the illuminati 
of  ,france had sense enough to detect  
the fooleries and impositions of        
priestcraft1 and the nonsensical notion 
of a ,god without body or parts1  and in
 their misguided rage they mistook the  
,bible to be the source of  these false 
religions4    ,the foregoing is only a  
cursory hint of the bloody character of 
modern christianity1 from the time when 
it slew the apostles who held  the keys 
of revelation1 and has ever since denied
 the need of any  further revelation2   
for a hundred volumes of the size of the
 ,bible1  would not suffice to detail   
each instance where men and women have  
been whipped1 hung1 ripped open1 or     
gibbeted1 or burnt1 or their  ears      

bored1 and their faces branded with hot 
irons4 ,the massacres  of ,france1      
half-murdered ,ireland1 ,germany1 and   
,england1 if written  in detail1 would  
make an imposing library4 ,fortunate for
 humanity's  sake1 that no one religious
 power has any greater predominance than
  it has2 else the want of religious    
checks and balances would even  now be  
as fatal to the minority as the         
exhalations of the ,upas4 ,yet1  after  
all this1 christianity claims to be     
tolerant and catholic2 and  her bishops1
 enthroned in a salary of more than     
#bg1jjj sterling per  annum1 claim a    
regular succession from ,st4 ,peter4    
,they might better  have said from the  
murderers of ,st4 ,peter4 ,oh1 shame on 
the cry of  apostolic succession6 ,what 
a transformation ,peter must have       
undergone  by this chain of succession6 
,his gifts of discernment and healing   
gone6 ,the spirit of prophecy and       
tongues have left him6 ,the power to    
open prison doors1 and of converse with 

angels1 have left him impotent  as other
 men6 ,marvellous falling off of every  
thing but salaries and  pomp and        
persecution6 ,many suppose that         
,christ's ,church must have been        
perpetuated on the earth1 because it is 
said that the gates of hell  should not 
prevail against it4 ,strange and        
fallacious argument for the  continuance
 of the ,church6 ,can it be supposed for
 a moment1 that the  ,church is         
prevailed against1 because it is removed
 from the earth8  ,jesus was removed    
from this life and gave up the ghost1   
but was he  therefore prevailed against8
 ,did he not triumph over death1 and    
ascend  up on high1 and lead captivity  
captive8 ,did he not thereby acquire the
  possession of all things in heaven and
 upon earth8    ,it should not be       
supposed1 that because all the saints   
were put to  death1 or became extinct   
from the earth1 that they have any less 
dominion over wicked men and fallen     
angels2 on the other hand1 by  removal  

they increase in power and glory1 and   
have authority increased  upon their    
heads4 ,the generations of the wicked   
have been prevailed  against1 ever since
 the ,church left the earth4 ,the curses
 that have  followed the ,jewish and    
,gentile enemies of the ,church1 from   
the days of  the primitive ,church till 
now1 are perfectly visible to any but   
such  as have eyes and see not1 and ears
 and hear not4 ,the ,jews and ,gentiles 
are like two inebriates1 each sees      
clearly how very drunk the other  is1   
but discovers not his own intoxicated   
and besotted condition4 ,the  ,gentiles 
say that the ,jews1 through             
transgression1 have lost the ,urim  and 
,thummin1 and ,ephod and ,teraphim1 and 
been proscribed and banished1  and      
thousands killed and scattered1 as a bye
 word and proverb1 among  all nations4  
,on the other hand1 the ,gentiles have  
lost the gifts and  blessings of the    
,spirit1 with all the holy order of     
apostles and  prophets2 and wiping the  

slush from their bloody hands1 say they 
have  no need of them4    ,alas1 sir1   
when shall the veil that covers all     
nations 7both ,jews and  ,gentiles7 be  
removed1 and self-righteous religionists
 confess that  their sins have          
separated1 between them and their ,god1 
and hid his  face from them8 ,when will 
the sectarian priesthood that now       
arrogantly  say1 we are rich and        
increased in goods1 and have need of    
nothing1  have humility enough to       
confess that they are blind1 and naked1 
and  destitute of all things1 seeing    
that they are without the gifts of the  
,spirit1 and the key of knowledge       
7revelation7 and the authority of the   
priesthood4    ,i know it is very       
difficult to convince sectarians that   
they are not  a pious people4 ,why1 say 
they1 do we not manifest much more      
fervency  of spirit1 and studied        
sacredness of deportment1 and           
punctilious  exactness1 in observing the
 ,sabbath than ,latter-day ,saints8 ,do 

we  not show to all men great           
self-abasement in confessing our sins to
  be like crimson and scarlet1 and our  
iniquities to be like mountains  in     
magnitude4 ,are we not scrupulously     
guarded against all levity and  trifling
 conversation8 ,are not our preachers   
very grave1 and apparently  devoted and 
holy in their bearing8 ,do not their    
frequent sighs and  insuppressible      
groans1 as their spirits are weighed    
down under the  conviction of the worth 
of souls1 and the vast responsibility of
 the  ,lord's watchmen1 indicate        
profound piety8 ,do they not fast often 
and  pray much8 ,are they not orthodox  
and evangelical1 insisting much upon    
the new birth and a radical change of   
heart8 ,how can it be that a  people of 
this description are not pious and      
exceedingly holy8 ,the  preachers speak1
 and even walk in measured carefulness  
and peculiarity  of manner1 so that a   
preacher is generally known by his walk1
 and  dialect1 and sober1 grave         

countenance4    ,now1 sir1 when ,i have 
conceded most liberally to the above1   
what  does it all prove8 ,why1 sir1 one 
act of obedience to ,god is better  than
 the most rigid conformity to all the   
precepts of men4 ,the more  devoted and 
sincere people are in error1 so much    
more agreeable to the  prince of        
darkness4 ,what a meagre atonement does 
a demure countenance1  and sanctimonious
 sighs and groans1 and self-loathings   
make1 for  transgressing the law of     
,god1 and changing an ordinance4 ,take1 
for  instance1 the ordinance of laying  
on of hands for healing the sick4 ,had  
this ordinance been perpetuated in the  
,church1 millions upon millions  of the 
human family might have been saved from 
premature death4 ,through  this         
ordinance1 ,jesus ,christ has said1 they
 shall recover4 ,through  the sceptical 
abandonment of this ordinance countless 
millions have not  lived out half of    
their days4 ,how much compensation does 
it afford to  the countless victims of  

disobedience1 for men to assume a grave 
long  face1 and strive to elongate the  
name of ,god by gracious sounds1 as     
though the name of ,god was too short   
without being stretched for such  holy  
lips4    ,take another ordinance1 viz41 
the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 by laying 
on hands4 ,what a flimsy and miserable  
equivalent for the absence of  the      
,comforter1 and spirit of prophecy and  
revelation1 are seminaries  of learning1
 and a multitude of oblations1 and      
prayers1 and frequent  fasting6 ,it is  
too much1 sir1 like the drunken boy1    
who1 having broken  his master's bottle1
 boastingly claimed credit for saving   
the cork6    ,neglect of the weighty    
matters of laws and ordinances are to be
  atoned for1 by pious breathings in    
private journals for posthumous         
publication2 and by elaborate sermons   
and comments1 they make plain  things   
profoundly obscure2 and every year      
increases the necessity of  additional  
learning1 in order to disentangle the   

profound knottiness of  theological     
disquisitions and exegetical comments4  
,the very religious  opposers of ,jesus 
,christ1 whose hands were accessory to  
his death1 had  a most fervent and      
devout spirit1 and were eminently pious2
 but the  doctrine of new revelations1  
and the gifts of healing1 tongues1 and  
prophecyings1 disturbed the equanimity  
of their devout hearts1 and  their rage 
rose to the pitch of desperation and    
blood-guiltiness4    ,no matter how much
 men confess1 and pray1 and             
sacrifice1--no matter how  sincere and  
conscientious they are in error1 if     
their religion does not  lead them to   
keep the commands and ordinances of the 
true and living  ,god1 their worship is 
vain and their faith is vain4 ,except   
they hearken  to the law of ,god and the
 testimony of ,god1 there is no light in
 them4  ,sincerity is nothing without   
obedience2 both wicked men and devils   
are  sincere in many things which ,god  
abhors4 ,a man coming to the forks of   

four roads might pray months and years  
to be guided in choice of the  right    
road1 but if he would not believe the   
testimony of the ,lord's  servant who   
should tell him the only true road1 he  
would still remain  in doubt and fear4  
,well1 says a very strenuous objector1  
now to end all controversy1 just  show  
us one real genuine miracle1 and ,i will
 thereupon believe1 and  be baptized1   
and for ever after hold my peace4 ,aye1 
indeed6 a very  common sentiment1 but a 
strange one coming from the lips of a   
professed  believer in the ,bible4 ,he  
that is no hypocrite1 but a true        
believer in  the ,bible1 has the        
explicit promise of ,god's own word1    
that miraculous  signs shall follow them
 that believe4 ,now1 if they do not     
follow  believers1 then ,god is a liar1 
and no longer worthy of confidence2 but 
if ,god is true1 and the signs do not   
follow1 then your faith is vain1  and   
will not save from damnation4 ,but1 says
 the objector1 miracles were  anciently 

wrought to prove the divine mission of  
the servants of ,god4  ,now prove to me 
that you are a servant of ,god1 by the  
attestation of  an indisputable miracle1
 for in apostolic days1 even wicked men 
said1  a notable miracle hath been done1
 and we cannot deny it4 ,yes1 very      
true1 and other wicked men have         
testified to the same in these days1    
and sometimes they would deny it1 and   
alternately confess it1 according  to   
the spirit that was upon them4 ,saul1   
the king1 could tell the truth  about   
,david at one time1 and at another deny 
it--at one time worship  the youthful   
supplanter1 and at another thirst for   
his blood4 ,miracles  may sometimes have
 been the occasion of leading persons to
 believe the  word of ,god1 but their   
prominent design was never in any age of
 the  world to introduce new revelation4
    ,moses was a believer before ,god   
spoke to him in the burning bush4  ,john
 the ,baptist1 who introduced the       
christian dispensation1 and was  the    

harbinger of ,christ1 probably never saw
 any miracle1 except at  the descent of 
the dove1 at the baptism of ,jesus4     
,john wrought no  miracle4 ,joseph      
,smith was a believer before the angel  
which ,john and  the other prophets     
spoke of1 ever visited him4 ,miracles   
may confirm the  faith of such believers
 as have the ,holy ,ghost confirmed upon
 them1  whereby they are able to        
distinguish between true and false      
miracles4  ,to others they often prove a
 snare and a trap4    ,while miracles   
confirmed the ,hebrews in the faith of  
,god1 miracles  also confirmed the      
,egyptians in the faith of satan4 ,many 
who witnessed  the miracles of ,jesus   
were as keen for mobocracy and murder as
 the  bloodiest4 ,this parade about     
miracles1 being designed to introduce   
christianity1 and confirm and attest all
 genuine revelation1 is a  humbug that  
has always been started whenever a new  
revelation was given  to man4 ,the pious
 ,jews insisted constantly that the     

disciples should  prove their authority 
by miracles4 ,it was about the first and
 last  thing that they ever said to     
,jesus3 ,,work ,a ,,miracle6 come down  
from the  cross and we will believe4 ,he
 told them1 in language of the keenest  
rebuke1 that they should not be seeking 
after signs4 ,he told them  that it     
indicated a wicked and adulterous spirit
 to ask him to give  them miraculous    
signs4 ,the devil and devout ,jews      
fairly made game of  ,christ and his    
disciples1 because when they were asked 
to do miracles  they refused4 ,but still
 the devil1 and many ministers and      
churches1  continued to demand signs and
 miracles1 and stormed and raged greatly
  because these men would never work    
miracles in a way to satisfy them4      
,these sagacious and pious adversaries  
of ,jesus were always able to  detect   
some flaw--some cunning artifice or     
trick of the devil--in  whatever ,christ
 or the apostles did 7as they said74    
,now modern divines  and churches1      

taking up this old cudgel against the   
saints1 have even  asked ,latter-day    
,saints to drink a cup of poison4 ,drink
 it1 says  one--now drink it1 or we will
 not believe you are sent of ,god4 ,aye1
 now  we know you are not sent of ,god  
to preach6 ,forgetting that the first   
sign-seeker once said1 if you are the   
,son of ,god1 cast thyself down  from   
this pinnacle1 for it is written1 that  
he shall give his angels  charge        
concerning thee4    ,now1 sir1 if irony 
were admissible on a subject of this    
nature1 ,i would  tauntingly add--how   
satan did trap this impostor6 ,he drove 
him into an  extremity for pretending to
 work miracles2 didn't he8 ,but ,i      
forbear2  let him that hath ears to     
hear1 hear what the ,spirit saith unto  
the  sign-seekers6    ,it may seem      
marvellous to some if ,i should say that
 satan can work  signs and wonders far  
surpassing the greatest knowledge of    
men4 ,the  power of satan has probably  
never been fully exhibited to men on the

  earth4 ,the grand adversary of heaven 
and earth has not warred against  even  
the throne of the ,eternal ,god1 without
 acquiring some acquaintance  with those
 powers and keys of knowledge with which
 he has been baffled  by the ,almighty  
from the beginning4 ,if believers had to
 contend only  with flesh and blood1 or 
mere men in mortal flesh1 they might    
rejoice  in the hope of a far more      
speedy victory2 but1 on the other hand1 
they  have to contend against           
principalities and powers of a          
supernatural  order4 ,spirits as much   
superior in power and cunning to the    
worst men  in the flesh1 as the full    
grown man is to the slender child4 ,men 
have  acquired some knowledge of the    
laws that govern fire1 air1 and water2  
and some imperfect knowledge of the laws
 that govern minds1 or the  spirits of  
men2 but the knowledge of fallen angels 
and outcast spirits1  is sufficient to  
astonish and confound the wisest of men 
that are  not inspired with the wisdom  

of ,god4 ,the satanic powers have always
  excited the greatest wonders          
contemporaneous with the wonders wrought
  by the servants of ,god4 ,in the days 
of ,moses1 and also of ,jesus ,christ1  
men were inspired by satan with more    
than mere human powers2 and in  this    
last dispensation1 wicked men that yield
 themselves to become  the willing      
instruments of unrighteousness to the   
devil1 will again  acquire skill in     
cunning and deceivable arts1 whereby    
they will bring  down fire from heaven1 
and confound all those who know not the 
laws  and powers of spirits1 and the    
extensive influence that the prince of  
the power of the air has over the       
natural elements4 ,men who do not  need 
power from ,god to cast out devils1 will
 find themselves made fast  in his      
chains1 beyond the power of extricating 
themselves4 ,but while  the saints have 
not power of themselves to detect the   
lying wonders of  satan1 and withstand  
them--yet1 through faith1 and the keys  

and gifts  of revelation from ,god1 they
 will be able to stand and overcome2 and
  the power of ,god will be greater than
 the cunning of the devil4 ,but         
sign-seekers and the enemy of new       
revelations will be arraigned under  the
 banner of the father of lies1 and      
believe a lie that they may be  damned4 
,jesus found foul spirits and devils so 
thick1 in his days1  that he had        
occasion frequently to cast them out of 
persons1 and also  to empower others to 
cast out devils4 ,some instances are    
recorded  where many of these fallen    
spirits took possession of a single     
person  at one and the same time4 ,no   
less than seven occupied one female4    
,now  modern christianity must be highly
 favoured1 if they are so much better   
than primitive saints1 that they can    
escape the annoyance of these           
multiplied and troublesome spirits4     
,how is it1 sir1 that devils do not     
trouble modern churches1 as they did    
the primitive saints8 ,are they done    

away too8 ,miracles and devils  done    
away6 ,the canon of the scriptures      
closed6 miracles and devils  ceased6    
,happy christianity2 thy warfare has    
ceased1--thy troubles are  ended6       
,blessed rest6 ,joyful reign of         
righteousness6 ,as many ways to  heaven 
now1 as there are eyelets in a seive6   
,oh1 brother1 blush for  thy theology1  
and for the doleful conclusions to which
 thy creeds have  brought thee6    ,the 
reign of ,satan1 for near eighteen      
hundred years1 has almost effaced  every
 relic of ,bible truth from the earth4  
,every thing that is valuable  and      
powerful in the ancient system of       
prophets is done away1 and the  devil   
himself is supposed1 by many1 to be     
merely the evil passions of  men4 ,but1 
sir1 the devil is not dead nor done     
away4 ,but the gospel of  apostles will 
rouse him up again2 and knowing that his
 time is short1  he will show his spite 
again on those bodies from which he     
shall be  expelled by the apostolic     

priesthood1 in choking1 tearing1 and    
casting  them down to the ground4 ,and  
who shall be able to stand1 when        
deceptive  miracles1 and lying wonders  
far greater than have ever been known   
since  the foundation of the world1     
shall be practised1 and deceive many8   
,now1 sir1 before ,i close this appeal1 
suffer me to allude to the  intolerant  
and cruel persecution of the ,saints1 in
 ,illinois4 ,the  nineteenth century1   
and the great republic of the ,united   
,states of  ,north ,america1 must have  
the pages of its history blackened with 
the  record of a persecution that       
classes with the bloody acts of ,nero   
and  ,caligula4 ,from fifteen to twenty 
thousand citizens of the ,united ,states
  were forced in an illegal1 violent1   
and inhuman manner to forsake  their    
homes and possessions in the state of   
,illinois1 the greater  part of them    
during the inclemency of the winter of  
#ahdf4 ,a large and  populous city of   
eleven thousand and thirty-five souls of

 men1 women1  and children1 has been    
compulsorily evacuated1 under the dread 
of  inevitable massacre if they         
persisted to occupy their firesides and 
homes4    ,continued acts of            
house-burning and mid-day               
assassinations1 and  midnight murder1   
and large gatherings of armed and       
lawless forces1 with  heavy pieces of   
artillery necessitated this numerous    
people to leave  their flourishing city1
 merchandise1 and farms1 in the most    
inclement  period of the year1 for the  
purpose of self preservation4    ,this  
glaring act of expatriation1 robbery1   
arson1 and assassination1  was not done 
in a corner4 ,it did not occur among the
 barbarous and half  civilized portions 
of the globe4 ,it did not transpire in  
the dominions  of the ,ottoman1 where   
the ,coran and ,islamism must father    
such inhuman  deeds4 ,it was not done in
 the jungles of ,africa1 where          
kidnapping and  inhuman enslavement of  
men have called forth the repudiating   

censure of  all nations4 ,it was not    
done by clannish wandering ,arabs1 whose
 hands  are proverbially against every  
man as a profession4 ,neither was it    
done  in ,papal dominions1 or under the 
despotic sway of the sublime ,porte or  
the autocrat of ,russia4    ,neither did
 the red men of the wilderness spring   
from their thicket  with a warwhoop1 and
 tomahook1 and scalping knife1 to       
perpetrate this  bloody outrage6 ,but   
hold still1 modern christianity6 ,the   
inquisitor of  blood is in pursuit of   
thee1 even to the gates of thy          
stronghold4 ,thou  canst not cover thy  
hiding place with the screen of papacy1 
for she was  not there4 ,thou canst not 
say that the autocrat of the ,greek     
religion1  with iron despotism cast     
these men into prison for teaching the  
,bible4  ,neither was it the sword of   
the ,mussulman propogating his religion4
  ,there was no ,mahometanism in        
,illinois4 ,neither canst thou charge it
  upon the ,monarchical ,institutions of

 ,europe or established ,episcopacy4    
,thou art the man4 ,free ,republican    
,christianity2 you did it6 ,in thy      
youthful beauty1 the rising pride and   
envy of nations2 thou didst it6  ,thy   
priests and laymen rose from their      
devout knees1 and lighted the  fagot and
 torch of the incendiary4--,the sick man
 and 7gravis7 mother  begged for ,god's 
sake1 and for humanity's sake1 you would
 spare their  humble cottages which     
their brawny hands had reared in the    
midst of  loneliness1 want1 and         
insalubrity of climate4 ,yet their cries
 were  unheeded4 ,thev had but one      
alternative1 either to be thrust out    
upon  miasmatic ground1 or remain and   
burn with their habitations4 ,the man   
that persisted to watch his stack of    
grain against the incendiary1 was  shot 
dead in the act4 ,durfee's blood        
crimsons the skirts of republican       
christianity in ,illinois4 ,where were  
the rulers and governors8 ,did they     
hear of it8 ,oh6 it's nobody but        

,mormons6 ,where was the legislature  of
 ,illinois when the ,smiths were shot in
 prison1 in the sight of all  ,carthage1
 by hundreds in a painted gang8 ,the    
governor threatening to  destroy the    
city in person if they did not keep the 
peace1 and deliver  the ,smiths for     
trial8 ,what did the supreme            
legislature1 delegates from  more than  
four hundred thousand people of         
,illinois1 in fresh review  of these    
scenes of assassination1 do8 ,they      
repealed the city charter  of ,nauvoo4  
,the mob made one gap in the law by     
assassination1 and the  state government
 following the example1 threw down the  
whole enclosure  that guarded the rights
 and privileges of thousands by         
repealing the  charter4 ,where were the 
,illinois priests of modern christianity
 at  that time8 ,a distinguished        
clergyman of the city of ,quincy1 in    
their  defence1 said to the writer1 we  
7the clergy7 had nothing to do with     
those scenes in ,hancock4 ,aye1 indeed6 

neither had the pharisaic priests  any  
thing to do with the robbed and wounded 
man1 but the good ,samaritan  picked him
 up and carried him to an inn1 and paid 
his bill4 ,but ,jesus  ,christ had to do
 with making an eternal record of the   
difference  between the conduct of the  
good ,samaritan1 and the hypocrite of   
high  priestly profession4 ,even a      
priest commanded the mob force in the   
final  attack upon the city that        
expelled the remnant of ,saints that    
were too  poor to get away sooner4 ,this
 remnant were left shelterless and sick1
  famishing upon the west bank of the   
,mississippi1 where the quails of       
heaven actually fed them as they lay    
upon their couches1 and in their        
wagons1 in the sight of both friends and
 foes4 ,hear it6 thou stronghold  of    
modern christianity6 ,say not what great
 things you would do if you  were not   
trammelled by the despotic shackles of  
monarchical government6  ,a puritan     
christianity planted the tree of liberty

 on the solitary soil  of ,america1 from
 choice seed of her own selection4      
,after being long  nursed and watered by
 her numerous and learned priesthood4   
,these are  the full grown fruits of it2
 kidnapping1 robbery1 rapine1 arson1 and
  murder4--,systematic efforts were     
made1 more than once1 to prevent the    
influx of provisions into ,nauvoo1 in   
order that famine in a land of  plenty1 
might coerce the inhabitants to flee    
their city1 in building  which they had 
sweat and toiled1 and many had died4    
,time and again1  steam boats were      
hailed and searched1 in order to stop   
barrels of flour  from going to ,nauvoo1
 that had been purchased by our citizens
 in a  time of scarcity at ,st4 ,louis4 
,and provisions and other necessaries1  
had actually to be freighted for        
,madison and other river towns1 in      
order to escape detection4 ,teams loaded
 with pork from inland counties  were   
arrested1 and turned to other markets1  
as though it were an  acknowledged siege

 for the purpose of causing starvation4 
,i know these  things to be true1 and my
 blood warms with mingled pity and      
indignation  at the recollection of     
scenes of which ,i have been an eye     
witness4    ,at this time1 and in this  
day of revivals1 where were the ten     
thousands  of priests that officiate at 
the altar8 ,where were the innumerable  
converts to modern christianity8 ,what  
part did they all take towards          
regulating public opinion and preventing
 human slaughter8 ,the sons and         
daughters of the puritans were there in 
affliction for the gospel's  sake2 and  
no less than two venerable pensioners1  
,hatch and ,hinsdale1  that fought in   
the revolutionary struggle for ,american
 ,independence1  were there1 and were   
driven from their country for           
maintaining the  right of conscience4   
,now1 who ever heard in all ,america of 
a priest pleading publically  against   
these outrages1 and importuning the     
throne of ,god in behalf of  these      

suffering sons and daughters of ,god8   
,modern ,american christianity  must    
redouble her gracious sanctimonious     
looks1 in order to cover up  this horrid
 indifference to lawless violence and   
suffering humanity4    ,the statesman   
that fears not ,god1 nor regards man1   
may have some  semblance of apology for 
his indifference2 but ,american churches
 have  none4 ,but1 where were the       
statesmen that make high professions of 
patriotism1 and sensitive regard for the
 national honor of the ,united  ,states8
 ,could no disgrace accrue to the       
nation1 when twenty thousand  peaceable 
industrious citizens were violently     
robbed of millions of  property without 
a shadow of requital8 ,what security can
 foreign  emigrants have for colonizing 
on the western lands1 if whole cities   
and towns may be depopulated at a single
 blast of the popular caprice  with     
impunity8 ,what regard can ,american    
statesmen be supposed to  entertain for 
the sacred and inalienable rights of the

 people1 while no  man ever opened his  
mouth either in the halls of ,congress  
or of state  legislatures against the   
most palpable and gross infractions of  
the  constitution that ever transpired  
since the existence of the ,united      
,states government4    ,the constitution
 guarantees to every man the right to   
worship ,god  according to the dictates 
of conscience1 and without molestation4 
,it promises the right of property and  
the defence and protection of  peaceable
 and unoffending citizens2 but millions 
of property have been  illegally        
plundered1 and thousands of patriotic   
and worthy citizens  have been deprived 
of the liberty of common citizens1 and  
forced into  the wilds of the mountains 
in the most inhuman manner4 ,had any    
foreign  nation committed a small part  
of this damage upon their commercial    
interests1 would not the national       
executive have demanded redress for     
spoliations1 even at the mouth of the   
canon8    ,but ,i would not have you    

think1 sir1 by these remarks1 that ,i   
entertain  any acrimonious feelings     
towards my country4 ,no2 far from it4 ,i
 love  my native land1 though cruelly   
exiled from it1 because it is in that   
land that liberty is destined to        
flourish above all lands4 ,that land    
has been set apart in the councils of   
eternity1 and dedicated as the  nursery 
of virtue and religious liberty4 ,that  
is emphatically a land of  promise4 ,its
 very soil is hallowed above all others1
 for the literal  production of truth4  
,there the blessings promised to ,joseph
 are to be  first displayed and enjoyed4
 ,there the ensign is to be first lifted
  up to all nations2 and all nations1 or
 the upright of all nations1  are to    
flow together there4 ,every description 
of product and variety  of climate is   
there4 ,notwithstanding the degeneracy  
and corruption of  the civilized        
portions of that land1 there is more    
toleration in the  government and       
constitution1 and more facilities for   

the introduction  and spread of gospel  
truth in that land1 than any other under
 the  whole heaven4 ,it is the very     
place1 and probably the only place on   
this planet1 where the true and eternal 
kingdom of ,god could get a  footing1   
and survive the blasts of persecution1  
and the rage of fallen  and apostate    
spirits of men and devils4 ,hitherto the
 ,saints of ,god have  been slaughtered1
 or compelled1 like the city of ,enoch1 
to forsake the  earth4    ,but the ,book
 of ,mormon1 and the angelic message to 
the young man  ,joseph1 have dug the    
grave of apostacy1 and laid the axe at  
the  root of false religions4 ,the earth
 is destined to enjoy a reign of        
righteousness1 and a happy period of    
rest4 ,truth must and will prevail1  and
 the kingdom of our ,god will be        
established in the mountains of         
,israel1 just where all the prophets    
that have spoken of it1 have seen  it   
rise and flourish1 never more to be     
thrown down4    ,when thousands that now

 compose the ,church1 and who have      
proved before  the ,american people that
 the cords of their union cannot be     
sundered  by the hottest thunderbolts of
 persecution1 are assembled in the      
remote1 extensive1 and fertile valley of
 the almost unknown mountain1  they will
 be for ever invincible4 ,with their    
peaceable and inoffensive  habits1 which
 have characterised their movements from
 the beginning1  no people will ever be 
likely to assail them again1 till their 
numbers  and strength will be too       
forbidding4 ,the accessions to this     
people  have never been so great as     
during the last six months4 ,the        
certainty  that this people will survive
 all opposition1 and triumph over every 
obstacle1 was never so palpably manifest
 as at this very moment4 ,famine  and   
war1 pestilence1 bankruptcy1 treachery1 
and distrust1 are causing  panic and    
fear among the nations4 ,those who love 
peace and retirement1  and abhor        
contention1 crime1 and revolution1 must 

seek an asylum among  the ,saints1 for  
it cannot be found elsewhere on the     
earth4 ,the ,lord ,god  himself will    
stir up the nations to anger and strife1
 and thrash them  as with a flail1 and  
sift them as with a sieve4 ,and the     
honest in heart  will flee to the       
,lord's hiding place1 in ships and in   
companies1 even  as clouds and as doves 
to their windows4    ,while the unity of
 great and powerful nations is          
undergoing a rapid  conversion into     
fractional weakness1 the strength of    
,israel is  accumulating and augmenting 
beyond all former precedent4 ,the       
materials  of which this body of people 
is composed are not like the            
heterogenous  masses that constitute    
other nations2 but they are select and  
chosen  ones out of every nation whose  
views--religious1 political1 social1    
and pecuniary--are previously all cast  
in the mould of unity2 like  the        
materials of ,solomon's temple1 they are
 all fitted for their  place and        

destination before they are brought     
together4 ,the ten  millions of ,mexico 
could not stand even before the ten     
thousand of the  ,united ,states2       
because the latter were united and      
subject to orderly  discipline2 while   
the former were distracted and divided4 
,the hosts  of ,israel have never yet   
offered the first forcible resistance to
 the  violent and lawless assaults of   
their enemies2 yet the principles of    
self-defence are alike compatible with  
their feelings and their faith1  and by 
no means obnoxious to the practice of   
,abraham1 ,joshua1 or ,david1  or even  
,jesus ,christ4    ,when governments    
become too weak or perverse to protect  
their  subjects1 it then becomes the    
divine and inalienable right of all men 
to protect themselves by all lawful and 
just means4 ,whatever lessons  of       
forbearance and non-resistance ,jesus   
,christ might have left on  record1     
suited to particular circumstances1     
there is a predominance  of scriptural  

instructions in favour of self-defence1 
and innumerable  examples to prove that 
the ,lord is a man of war4 ,time would  
fail to  make mention of ,abraham1      
,moses1 ,joshua1 ,sampson1 ,david1 and  
,barek4 ,the  prayer of ,sampson was1   
that he might destroy his enemies2 and  
,god not  only heard his prayer1 but    
gave him strength to fulfil his request3
 out  of an opposing army1 ,god even    
commissioned one of his angels 7not so  
holy a personage as some modern         
,christians7 to kill one hundred and    
eighty-five thousand in one night6      
,indeed6 say you2 could ,god do such  a 
bloody deed8 ,surely2 and he that       
causelessly strikes the second cheek    
will be repaid1 for the day of vengeance
 is in his 7,god's7 heart2 but  those   
who proudly say1 that they have no      
further need of revelation1  will find  
that day to come upon them unawares1    
even as a thief in the  night4    ,sir1 
,zion is from henceforth and for ever   
invincible--she has run the  gauntlet   

and is safe4 ,after being submerged in a
 series of sufferings  for seventeen    
years1 she now stands purified1 tried1  
and made white2  she has passed the     
baptismal ordeal of suffering1 and power
 is given  unto her to withstand and    
overcome2 she has put on her beautiful  
garments1 and the mighty ,god of ,jacob 
is her strength2 the keys of  power are 
given unto her1 and the angels of ,god  
camp around about her2  she is          
entrenched in the munition of rocks1    
even the everlasting hills2  by her the 
ensign of truth and liberty is lifted up
 to all nations2  the pure and wise of  
all nations may safely rally around her 
standard1  and go up to the house of the
 ,god of ,jacob and learn his ways4 ,god
  called his ,son out of ,egypt after   
persecutors had shot out the arrows  of 
their wrath in vain4 ,if ,god's people  
have been able to stand under           
persecutions while in the midst of their
 enemies1 much more may they  expect to 
abide when separated by the distance of 

months' journeyings1  and by lofty      
mountains covered with perpetual snow4  
,the mightiest  nations already heave   
with convulsive throes1 and travail in  
great  pain2 they have enough to do     
without wasting their blood1 and        
treasure1  and unprovoked wrath upon the
 ,saints2 and ,god will soften the      
hearts of  the nations for the good of  
his people1 from time to time1 until    
their  palaces and towers will be the   
admiration and delight of all the ends  
of the earth4 ,the nucleus of the       
mightiest nation that ever flourished   
on the earth is planted2 the rapidly    
rising greatness of this people  will   
constitute one of the greatest wonders  
of the age2 all the  elements of a great
 and mighty people have been clearly    
demonstrated  to belong to this people4 
,union1 it is said1 is strength2 this   
has  already become proverbially a      
distinguishing feature of the ,saints4  
,driven1 and scattered1 and robbed in   
,ohio1 ,missouri1 and ,illinois1  they  

have readily re-assembled and re-united4
 ,knowledge is said to  be power2       
knowledge has been acquired in the      
practical school of  experience2 they   
are almost universally familiar with the
 undisguised  operations of the hearts  
of their fellow men4 ,no people ever had
 the  same opportunity to learn the     
diversified motives that govern the     
minds  of men and women2 no people1 as a
 body1 ever had the acquaintance  with  
the laws1 government1 and religion1 and 
usages of civilized and  barbarous      
nations1 which has been enjoyed by the  
,latter-day ,saints4 ,no  people of     
modern ages ever had their ingenuity and
 physical ability  so extensively taxed 
in order for self-support1 and the      
acquisition  of knowledge1 and          
propagation and defence of the truth4   
,the moral  virtues of forbearance1     
long-suffering1 fortitude1 love to      
enemies1  and self-command under fiery  
temptations1 have been stretched to     
their  utmost tension2 indeed1 they are 

a tried people--the word of the ,lord   
has tried them4 ,they have kept the     
commandments of ,god1 and are not  found
 wanting4    ,this1 sir1 is ,zion1 the  
care of angels1 and the delight of the  
,holy ,one  of ,israel6 ,those who love 
righteousness and retirement from the   
din  of war1 and from the plague1 and   
assassin1 and incendiary1 will seek  her
 peaceful gates1 out of every nation    
under the whole heaven4 ,none  can      
injure this people or war against them  
with impunity1 for the ,lord  is their  
shield and defence4 ,when ancient       
,israel entered the land of  ,canaan1 it
 is said that the ,lord caused the fear 
of them and the dread  of them1 to rest 
upon all the nations round about4 ,the  
same ,god now1  will again cause all    
nations to dread the opposition of the  
people of  the ,saints of the ,most     
,high4    ,sir1 it need not be disguised
 that the armies of heaven are leagued  
with the ,saints in the covenant of     
everlasting union4 ,you are not         

ignorant of ,god's judgments at the ,red
 ,sea1 or of the destruction of  the    
companies of fifties1 and of his        
interposition in behalf of ,israel  in  
the valley of ,gibeon4 ,neither is his  
arm shortened now1 that he  cannot save2
 ,his wonders have been multiplied on   
every hand in this  day1 according to   
the observation of thousands who are    
ready to attest  that the blind have    
been made to see1 the deaf to hear1 and 
the palsied  have been made sound1 and  
many blasphemous opposers have been     
visited  with as swift and utter        
destruction as ,ananias and ,sapphira4  
,now1 sir1 what more shall ,i say1 in   
order to convince you and all  honest   
men1 that ,god has set up his kingdom   
against which no power can  possibly    
prevail8    ,you kindly acknowledge that
 my testimony is credible2 all my       
numerous  acquaintance must concur with 
you in this acknowledgement4 ,i have    
told  you the truth as it is in ,christ 
,jesus1 and as ,i expect to meet it at  

the final bar of righteous retribution4 
,my sufferings and expatriation  for the
 gospel's sake1 are the seal of my      
testimony in ,christ4 ,i have  literally
 sacrificed wife1 and houses1 and lands1
 for the truths which  ,i have          
inculcated in this volume4 ,my          
motherless children are now in the      
wilderness in their solitary cabin1     
surrounded with savage tribes1 and      
subject to privations that make a       
father's heart to bleed4 ,better men  of
 whom the world is not worthy have      
suffered even more in the same  cause4  
,i know this to be the true gospel      
revealed from the heavens for  the      
salvation of this generation2 and all   
those whom it does not save  through    
faith1 it will damn through unbelief4   
,if you have read these  truths         
carefully1 your final destiny will hang 
on the decision you may  make--it is to 
you the voice of ,god1 and the warning  
of the servant  of ,god4 ,wait not for  
an angel of ,god to speak in your ear1  

or for one  to come from the dead2 if   
you hear not the servant of ,god1       
neither  will you be persuaded though   
one rose from the dead4 ,not only your  
own salvation1 but the interests of your
 family and your kindred will  probably 
be seriously affected by the decision   
you now make4    ,when the devout ,jews1
 with reckless obstinacy1 said1 his     
blood be upon  us and upon our children1
 you know what afterward ensued down to 
this  day4 ,with the knowledge which    
this gospel communicates1 you cannot  be
 a neutral4 ,the blood and sufferings   
not only of the ,saints of the          
nineteenth century1 but also of all     
others from the days of righteous  ,abel
 till now1 will be chargeable to you if 
you obey not this gospel2  if you reject
 this gospel1 your children's children1 
to the latest  generation1 will for ever
 bewail the choice you may make4 ,you   
stand  in some measure as the           
representative of your posterity1       
therefore  ponder well the decision you 

may make4 ,i know that you are          
surrounded  by a knot of priests1       
distinguished for the wisdom of schools 
and  seminaries2 and the obstinate      
creeds and usages of modern christianity
  hold over you a threatening rod of    
proscription and slaughter2 but  except 
you have courage to escape1 and         
sufficient love of truth to  induce you 
to peril even all things for the gospel1
 your die is cast1  and your doom is    
with the lost and damned for ever4    ,i
 do not expect to coerce you by motives 
of fear1 but ,i know that  judgments    
will and do follow this gospel2 and     
knowing the terror of the  ,lord1 ,i    
persuade--,i dare not say less2 ,i would
 say more if the power  of utterance    
were given me4 ,all is not right with   
you2 you acknowledge  that you do not   
understand the prophets and the         
apocalypse2 also that  modern           
christianity is weak1 divided1 and      
contentious--not having the  power and  
order of ancient prophets and apostles4 

,pause and consider  well before you    
reject the only light that can save this
 generation6  ,your old friend and      
acquaintance asks you to pause4 ,the    
deplorable  prospect of your kindred for
 generations to come1 who may be        
involved  in the consequences of your   
rebellion1 require you to pause2 the    
interests of the denomination that look 
to you for spiritual guidance1  require 
you to consider well the decision you   
may make4 ,i know that you  are in a    
strait place2 ,paul was once in a       
similar condition2 but the  sterling    
integrity of his heart saved him4 ,he   
burst off the shackles  of false        
religions1 and overleaped the religious 
usages of ages1 and  received counsel   
and baptism at the hands of the most    
despised people  that ever lived4       
,but enough1 perhaps1 has been said2    
what ,i say to you1 ,i say unto all     
men--rulers and subjects1 priests and   
people6 ,i have set before you  life and
 death4 ,if you reject the gospel1 ,i am

 innocent of your blood2  if you receive
 it1 glory1 and honour1 and immortality 
await you4 ,the  apostolic fathers and  
the angels of ,god watch to record your 
decision4  ,with sentiments of high     
respect1 ,i subscribe myself1    ,your  
humble servant1    ,,orson ,,spencer4   
,,farewell ,,address4    ,liverpool1    
,december #bj1 #ahdg4    ,americans and 
countrymen6--,farewell6 ,i have been    
exiled from your soil  for cherishing   
the inalienable rights of man4 ,the     
principles of liberty  and heaven-born  
truth have been the exclusive cause of  
the lawless  banishment of thousands1 of
 which number ,i am one4 ,my wife and   
worthy  brother have fallen victims to  
this cruel violation of constitutional  
rights4 ,for nearly two years my six    
motherless children1 between the  tender
 ages of six and fifteen1 have been     
inhumanly forced into the  solitary     
wilderness--nine months of the time     
dwelling in a tent1 and  the remainder  
in a floorless log-cabin--often without 

flour1 meal1  or meat1 and surrounded by
 savages of the fiercest tribes4 ,from  
easy  competence reduced to want1       
banishment1 and the severest            
inclemencies  of a northern climate6    
,this is a faint outline of the picture 
of tens  of thousands who have fallen   
victims to the unprovoked cruelty of an 
ungrateful country6    ,my honoured     
father1 at the age of eighteen1 mustered
 into his country's  service1 under the 
united command of ,generals ,washington 
and ,lafayette1  and was a youthful     
soldier at the siege of ,yorktown1 in   
the capture of  ,lord ,cornwallis4 ,my  
grandsire was bankrupted of thousands of
 dollars1  held in promissory notes     
against the ,continental government1    
which  the great expense of the war of  
revolutionary freedom disqualified  them
 ever to pay4 ,my mother's sire was     
mustered among the superanuated  veteran
 soldiers at the siege and capture of   
,general ,burgoyne4    ,of myself3 many 
of my early associates are in the       

highest legislatures  of the nation1 and
 among the roost distinguished citizens 
of the desk  and bar4 ,to them1 and to  
my countrymen at large1 ,i offer this   
farewell1  and this monitory counsel4   
,americans6 your sympathy for ,greece1  
and  your liberality to ,ireland1 and   
your response to the liberal efforts  of
 the ,pope1 are relieved by a sad       
counter-check of cruel indifference  and
 bigoted violence to your best1 most    
peaceful1 and industrious  citizens at  
home4 ,the shades of ,washington1       
,henry1 and ,adams are ready  to burst  
their tombs with burning indignation1 at
 the contempt cast  upon the sacred     
principles of liberty which they fought 
to establish4  ,the lofty scorn         
manifested towards the outraged         
innocence of your  suffering countrymen1
 cannot escape the pity and rebuke of   
all patriots  and freemen4 ,by such foul
 deeds of inhumanity your country is    
mortgaged  and ready to be sold4 ,the   
day of final redemption will soon be    

passed1  except a vigorous and mighty   
effort is made to roll back the crimson 
tide of lawless misrule and popular     
outbreak4    ,before our people         
experienced their sad disasters in the  
state of  ,illinois1 they took the      
timely precaution1 dictated by the force
 of  alarming circumstances1 to forewarn
 every governor of the several  ,states1
 and many other distinguished citizens1 
of the necessity of  timely succour from
 our countrymen and rulers4 ,our        
property1 liberty1  and lives were in   
danger from systematic organization of  
rapacious and  blood-thirsty citizens of
 ,illinois and ,missouri4 ,the stormy   
clouds1  which we distinctly foresaw    
were ready to burst in desolating fury  
upon our innocent heads1 were distinctly
 pointed out to the nation4 ,we         
respectfully petitioned for an asylum1  
in any one of the ,states that  would   
grant us this boon of protection and    
citizenship1 for which our  fathers had 
fought and bled in the war of           

independence4 ,our petitions  were      
barely answered1 and coolly slighted4   
,we were accounted as a  people too     
clannish1 like the ancient ,hebrews1 and
 too peculiar and  exclusive1 like the  
apostles of ,palestine4    ,we had no   
alternative but to commend ourselves to 
the ,god of the  oppressed1 and take    
precipitate refuge1 in the dead of      
winter1 in the  wild valleys of the     
mountains4 ,to the ,god of justice1 and 
the great  ,arbiter of the destinies of 
nations1 we look to avenge our wrongs1  
and  chasten the nation that has been   
deaf to the voice of her suffering  and 
loyal citizens4 ,he will hear our cries 
and avenge our wrongs4 ,the  time has   
come to set judgment to the line and    
righteousness to the  plummet4 ,the last
 and noblest experiment of popular      
self-government1  and uninspired        
worship1 has been tried in the young and
 giant ,republic  of ,america6 ,the     
eagle of liberty has fled to the        
mountains1 and  there perched aloft to  

behold the desolation of nations4 ,proud
 and  enterprising nation6 out-stripping
 all other nations in lofty bearing  and
 onward progress1 your foot has stumbled
 in a hand's breadth of the  prize6     
,angels might weep at the spectacle of  
so sudden a fall2 but ,god  is just1 and
 the nation that will not serve ,him    
shall be brought low4    ,you are       
weighed in the balances1 and from       
henceforth1 until you break  the rod of 
the oppressor and redress the wrongs of 
the injured1 your  councils will be     
distracted1 and your greatest chieftains
 will be  at variance4 ,hand to hand1   
and toe to toe1 every one against his   
fellow--your struggles will be          
sanguinary and obstinate4 ,the people   
whom you have trodden down in your      
pride1 and banished by tumultuous  acts 
of violence1 though comparatively few   
and but partially known1  happen to be  
the choice ones of all the earth and the
 favourites of  heaven4 ,their cause is 
espoused in the courts of the ,lord of  

,hosts1  even the ,god of all the earth4
 ,other people1 in different ages1  have
 suffered as much1 or even more than    
this people1 but the time  of           
recompenses had not come4 ,the time to  
end all controversy1 and  establish a   
government that all nations could safely
 confide in1 had  not come4 ,it has now 
come4 ,the land of ,columbus1 and the   
promised land  of ,joseph1 must be      
cleared of the briars and thorns1 in    
order to make  room for the upright of  
all nations to assemble themselves      
together1  and enjoy a government of    
peace for a thousand years4    ,to the  
mountains1 oh ye who would escape the   
convulsive throes of a  perplexed       
nation1 and the indignant blasts of the 
,almighty1 in these  years of           
recompenses6 ,come out of her my people6
 ,patriots of  ,america--friends of     
peace--advocates of justice6 all ye that
 fear  ,god and tremble at his word1    
separate yourselves from the tents of   
wickedness1 and flee to the strongholds 

of ,zion4 ,for the day of the  ,lord    
cometh that will burn as an oven4 ,the  
,lord reigns in the heights  of ,zion4  
,from thence his voice will go forth as 
in days of old1 when  ,sinai quaked     
under his feet4 ,he will plead with all 
flesh4 ,he is risen  up as a strong man 
to run a race1 or as one that is full of
 wine4 ,the  seeming insignificance of  
the ,saints may tend to conceal the     
,almighty  arm that is about to be made 
bare1 not merely to redress their       
wrongs1  but to humble all flesh4 ,the  
light of your priesthood thickens the   
darkness and gloom that overhang the    
nation1 and their efforts minister  a   
soporific that renders the necks of your
 countrymen passive to the              
executioner's axe4    ,descendants of   
,washington and ,franklin6 is there no  
hope8 ,must the  best constitution1 ever
 given to any uninspired nation1 be made
 the  sport of traitors and demagogues8 
,must the loftiest efforts at freedom   
and splendid nationality he crushed by a

 perplexing concentration of  every     
thing humiliating to national pride and 
human ambition8 ,must  the sons of      
venerated puritans so soon be covered   
with the inglorious  gore of            
assassinations and belligerent carnage8 
,must thy cities be  laid waste1 whose  
lofty spires rival the mountain-tops1 in
 courting  the earliest sunbeams of the 
morning8 ,must thy daughters1 the       
fairest  workmanship of their ,maker1 be
 given to rapine and violence1 when the 
eye of pity is turned away1 and the     
aegis of angelic guardianship is        
reluctantly withdrawn8 ,except you bind 
up the broken in heart1 and make        
restitution for robbery and rapine1 and 
unprovoked banishment of loyal          
citizens1 who poured out their blood as 
water at the voice of your  governors   
and the mandates of your laws1--the     
vials of wo are in store  for your      
unhappy country6 ,no intercessor can    
stay the blast of divine  indignation   
when the ,almighty rises up to make     

inquisition for blood4  ,the ,most ,high
 solemnly interdicted any man to show   
mercy to ,canaan when  the cup of her   
iniquity was full4 ,jerusalem1 the queen
 of cities6 whose  ,temple was the pride
 and admiration of nations1 having      
rejected the  ,saints1 was made a heap  
of ruins under the curse of heaven4     
,yet there is hope for ,america3 let her
 senators teach wisdom1 and her         
officers exact righteousness1 and undo  
the heavy burdens1 and redress  the     
wrongs of her banished4 ,then the       
fruitful field shall not become  barren1
 nor every man's hand be turned against 
his fellow2 and the  voice of mirth     
shall supersede the voice of mourning4  
,land of my birth1 and home of my       
fathers6 my earliest impressions  were  
devoted to your praise and glory4 ,in my
 riper years ,i have never  infringed   
your laws or quenched the spirit of your
 philanthropy4 ,you  have robbed me of  
my houses1 and my farms1 and martyred my
 dearest  friends1 and stripped me of   

reputation1 and expelled me from your   
borders1 without the shadow of          
impeachment1 or of trial by jury4       
,contrary to my strongest predilections 
and educational attachments1 you  have  
sought to eradicate every vestige of my 
patriotism1 and render  frigid my       
warmest love to everything that endeared
 me to the friends  and citizens of the 
country that was ever my pride and      
boast6 ,my heart  still yearns fondly   
over the land that was marked out in the
 council  of ,heaven to be the nursery  
of freedom1 enterprise1 and genius4 ,and
  now1 as ,i recede from your borders1  
and from the scenes of my toils and     
fond attachments with my desolate       
family1 through extensive wilds to  the 
mountains for safety and a home1 my     
heart overflows and bursts with  the    
sentiment--,oh1 that thou hadst known in
 this thy day the things  that belong to
 thy peace6 ,in the meridian of life ,i 
go from the tombs  of my fathers to     
build and plant1 where the eagle of     

liberty soars  aloft in the sunbeams of 
truth6 ,my associates are called1 and   
tried1  and chosen2 they are the        
virtuous and honourable of all the      
earth2 the  refuse of all nations1 but  
accepted of ,god and escorted by his    
angels4  ,their bosoms beat high with   
every noble impulse of philanthropy and 
virtue2 they are a magnanimous people1  
fitted to foster and garner up  the     
scattered virtues of the human family1  
and open up a safe asylum  to the       
oppressed of all nations2 they have     
stood in the ,thermopylae1  and passed  
the ,rubicon4 ,the ,roman ,mutius could 
deliberately burn his  hand to cinders  
as a token of the courage of his        
companions2 so this  people have proved1
 indisputably1 that they possess all the
 elements  of endurance and triumph4    
,their most arduous and perilous        
conflict is  passed2 and millions       
comforted1 enlightened1 and redeemed    
will reap the  reward1 and enter into   
their labours4 ,they are worthy4 ,they  

have paid  the last debt which the angel
 informed ,john must be liquidated in   
the  blood of latter-day prophets1 when 
the just could be avenged4 ,judgment  is
 given unto them1 and the richest       
benedictions of ,heaven now await in    
,zion the upright and noble of all      
nations4    ,with sentiments of pure    
benevolence1 ,i subscribe myself        
,your exiled friend and humble servant1 
,,orson ,,spencer4        ,,night ,,of  
,,martyrdom4    ,the following articles1
 on the ,night of the ,prophet's and    
,patriarch's  ,martyrdom1 together with 
the suffering exit of the author's      
lamented  wife1 are inserted in this    
volume in order to perpetuate the       
memories  of the just1 and render to the
 heavens a tribute of gratitude for     
their manifest interest in the tried    
condition of ,saints on earth3          
,twenty-seventh of ,june1 #ahdd4        
,eventful period in the calendar of the 
#aith century6 ,that awful night66 ,i   
remember it well--,i shall never  forget

 it6 ,thousands and tens of thousands   
will never forget it6 ,a  solemn        
thrill--a melancholy awe comes o'er my  
spirit6 ,the memorable  scene is fresh  
before me6 ,it requires no art of the   
pencil1 no  retrospection of history to 
portray it4 ,the impression of the      
,almighty  ,spirit on that occasion will
 run parallel with eternity6 ,the scene 
was not portrayed by earthquake1 or     
thunderings and lightnings1 and         
tempest2 but the majesty and sovereignty
 of ,jehovah was felt far  more         
impressively in the still small voice of
 that significant hour1  than the       
roaring of many waters1 or the artillery
 of many thunders1  when the spirit of  
,joseph was driven back to the bosom of 
,god1 by an  ungrateful and blood-guilty
 world4 ,there was an unspeakable       
something1  a portentous significancy in
 the firmament and among the inhabitants
  of the earth4 ,multitudes felt the    
whisperings of wo and grief1 and the    
forebodings of tribulation and sorrow   

that they will never forget1  though the
 tongue of man can never utter it4 ,the 
,saints of ,god1 whether  near the scene
 of blood1 or even a thousand miles     
distant1 felt at  the very moment the   
prophet lay in royal gore1 that an awful
 deed was  perpetrated4 ,o1 the         
repulsive chill6 the melancholy         
vibrations of the  very air1 as the     
prince of darkness receded in hopeful   
triumph from  the scene of slaughter6   
,that night could not the ,saints sleep1
 though  uninformed by man of what had  
passed with the ,seer and ,patriarch1   
and far1 far remote from the scene2 yet 
to them sleep refused a  visitation--the
 eyelids refused to close--the hearts of
 many sighed  deeply in secret1 and     
enquired why am ,i thus4    ,one of the 
,twelve ,apostles1 while travelling a   
hundred miles from the  scene of        
assassination1 and totally ignorant of  
what was done1 was so  unaccountably    
sad1 and filled with such unspeakable   
anguish of heart1  without knowing the  

cause1 that he was constrained to turn  
aside from  the road and give utterance 
to his feelings in tears and            
supplications  to ,god4 ,another        
,apostle1 twelve hundred miles distant1 
while standing  in ,fanuel ,hall1       
,boston1 ,massachusetts1 with many      
others1 was similarly  affected1 and    
obliged to turn aside to hide the big   
tears that gushed  thick and long from  
his eyes4 ,another1 president of the    
high priests1  while in the distant     
state of ,kentucky1 in the solitude of  
midnight1  being marvellously           
disquieted1 ,god condescended to show   
him1 in a  vision1 the mangled bodies of
 the two murdered worthies1 all dripping
  in purple gore1 who said to him1 we   
are murdered by a faithless state  and  
cruel mob4    ,shall ,i attempt to      
describe the scene at ,nauvoo on that   
memorable  evening8 ,if ,i could1 surely
 you would weep1 whatever may be your   
faith  or scepticism1 if the feelings of
 humanity are lodged in your bosom2  all

 prejudice and mirth would slumber1 till
 the eye of pity had bedewed  the bier1 
and the heart had found relief in       
lamentation4 ,before another  day       
dawned1 the messenger bore the tidings  
into the afflicted city2  the picquet   
guards of the city heard the whisper of 
murder in silent  amazement1 as the     
messenger passed into the city4 ,there  
the pale muslin  signal for gathering   
the troops hung its drooping folds from 
the  temple spire 7as if partaking of   
nature's sadness71 and made tremulous   
utterance to the humble soldiery to     
muster immediately4 ,as the dawn  made  
the signal visible1 and the base tone of
 the great drum confirmed  the call1    
fathers1 husbands1 and minor sons all   
seized the broken  fragment of a dodger1
 or a scanty bone1 for the service that 
might be  long and arduous before their 
return1 or swallowed some thickened milk
  7as might be the case7 and fled to the
 muster ground2 the suspicious  mother  
and children followed to the door and   

window1 anxious to see  the gathering   
hosts emerge from their watch-posts and 
firesides1  where rest and food were    
scanted to the utmost endurance4 ,the   
troops  continued to arrive1 and stood  
in martial order1 with a compressed lip 
and a quick ear4 ,they waited with      
deathly but composed silence1 to hear   
the intelligence that mournful spirits  
had saddened their hearts  with during  
the night4 ,the speaker stood up in the 
midst1 not of an  uniform soldiery of   
hirelings1 for they had no wages2 their 
clothing  was the workmanship of the    
diligent domestic--the product of wife  
and  daughters' arduous toil2 their     
rations were drawn from the precarious  
supplies1 earned in the intervals       
between preaching to the states and     
nations of the earth1 and watching      
against the intrusions and violence  of 
mobs4 ,the speaker announced the        
martyrdom of the ,prophet and           
,patriarch1 and paused under the heavy  
burden of the intelligence4    ,but here

 ,i must pause2 my pen shall touch      
lightly1 as it must feebly1  that       
hallowed--that solemn and ever memorable
 hour6 ,the towering  indignation2 the  
holy and immutable principle of         
retribution for crime  that dwells      
eternally in the bosom of ,god1         
insensibly impelled the  right hand     
almost to draw the glittering sword1 and
 feel the sharpness  of the bayonet's   
point and its fixedness to the musket's 
mouth4 ,but  the well planted principle 
of self-command1 and also of observing  
the  order of heaven and the council of 
the priesthood1 soon returned the       
deadly steel to the scabbard2 and the   
victorious triumph of loyalty  to ,god1 
in committing evil doers to ,him that   
judgeth righteously1  and who hath said1
 vengeance is mine and ,i will repay1   
prevailed  over the billows of passion2 
and in the transit of a fleeting moment 
the holy serenity of the soldiery1      
depicted by an occasional tear1  showed 
to angels and men1 that the tempest of  

passion was hushed1 and  wholly under   
the control of the spirit of wisdom and 
of ,god4 ,it was  the most unearthly and
 morally sublime scene that ,i ever     
witnessed4  ,contemplate a city and     
community of #bj1jjj people1 whose love 
for  their leader1 the ,prophet of the  
,lord1 was warm and abiding as the  love
 of ,david and ,jonathan1 in an evil    
moment betrayed by a sovereign  ,state6 
,under his instructions they had been   
taught the ways of truth  and           
salvation--they had been gathered from  
remote parts1 even distant  islands and 
continents1 that they might hear the    
word of the ,lord from  his lips1 and   
build up a city where gambling and      
lewdness1 theft  and drunkenness should 
have no admittance6 ,and the life of    
,joseph  was considered so necessary to 
the work of ,god and the welfare of the 
human family1 that many thousands could 
readily have died in his stead1  if that
 could have preserved his life4 ,but the
 ,governor of ,illinois1  the           

,commander-in-,chief of #hj1jjj         
organized militia1 threatened the       
speedy demolition of the whole city of  
,nauvoo1 if ,joseph was not  delivered  
up to him for trial on the antiquated   
charge of treason6  ,he made the most   
solemn assurance1 and pledged the sacred
 faith of the  ,state1 that he should be
 kept safe and unharmed until he could  
have  a fair and impartial trial4 ,but  
oh6 the cruel perfidy of that modern    
,nero1 the governor6 and the bloody     
butchery of the soldiery 7some of  whom 
had been disbanded and others had not71 
that could deliberately  murder innocent
 and helpless men1 that had surrendered 
at discretion1  after all the strongest 
assurances of protection6 ,the soldiery 
in  ,nauvoo numbered near four thousand1
 while those in alliance with the       
bloody perpetrators in the country1 were
 not more than one-half the  number4    
,they would have been an easy prey to   
the merited revenge of  the outraged    
force at ,nauvoo2 but that force bore   

the outrages with  coolness and wisdom  
that has never been equalled by         
uninspired men4  ,they governed         
themselves under circumstances the most 
extraordinary1  and hearkened calmly to 
the voice of wisdom1 when their pain and
 grief  were almost insupportable4 ,the 
soldiery on the ,temple square heard1   
but  felt that there was no adequate    
victim for vengeance in the county1  or 
even in the destruction of the whole    
,state4 ,some1 least tender in  their   
hearts1 found relief in tears4 ,in the  
houses of the ,saints1  aside from the  
soldiery1 females1 less competent to    
bear the news than  husbands and        
fathers1 in some instances lost their   
sanity of mind for a  season2 but as the
 sun arose and the people congregated on
 the green1  after being exhorted to    
give their enemies into the hands of    
,him that  judgeth righteously1         
tranquillity and order ensued4 ,but not 
so with the  mob4 ,during all the bloody
 night their houses were hastily        

deserted  by men1 women1 and children4  
,so great was the consternation and so  
precipitate the flight1 that even       
females fled in their nightclothes1     
almost naked1 and continued their flight
 amid imprecations and shrieks  for the 
distance of even fifty miles1 where1    
exhausted and frightened1  they alarmed 
villages1 and the city of ,quincy to the
 ringing of bells1  and the speedy      
gathering of every person that could    
bear arms for their  defence2 but no man
 pursued1 though the wicked fled4       
,,death ,,of ,,the ,,author',s ,,wife4  
,catherine ,curtis ,spencer died on the 
#abth of ,march1 #ahdf1 at ,indian      
,creek1 near ,keosaqua1 ,iowa territory1
 at the age of thirty-five  years1      
wanting nine days4 ,in one month from   
the time of her departure  from         
,illinois to the wilderness1 she fell a 
victim to the cares and  hardships of   
persecution4 ,the youngest daughter of a
 numerous family1  brought up in        
affluence and nurtured with fondness and

 peculiar care  as the favourite of her 
father's house2 her slender1 though     
healthy  frame1 could not endure the    
privation of sleep and rest1 and the    
inclemency of the winter season 7the    
thermometer below ,zero for ten  days74 
,the change from the warm rooms of brick
 and plaistered walls1 to  that of mere 
canvass ceiling and roof1 floored with  
snow and icy earth1  was too much for   
her fragile form to endure4 ,when1      
through unforseen  hindrances in        
travelling1 there was no place where    
sleep could visit1  or food suited to   
the demands of nature could be          
administered to her  or her six little  
children 7from the age of thirteen and  
under71 she  would cheer her little     
innocents with the songs of ,zion4 ,the 
melody  of her rare voice1 like the     
harmony and confluence of many virtues  
in her mind1 contributed on that        
memorable epoch of the church1 to       
render her the glory of her husband1 and
 the solace and joy of her  children4   

,when asked if she would go to her      
distant friends that were  not in the   
church1 who had proffered comfort and   
abundance to her and  her children1 she 
replied1 no1 if they will withhold from 
me the  supplies they readily grant to  
my other sisters and brothers1 because  
,i  adhere to the ,saints1 let them4 ,i 
would rather abide with the church1  in 
poverty1 even in the wilderness1 without
 their aid1 than go to my  unbelieving  
father's house1 and have all that he    
possesses4 ,under the  influence of a   
severe cold1 she gradually wasted away1 
telling her  children1 from time to     
time1 how she wanted them to live and   
conduct  themselves1 when they should   
become motherless1 and pilgrims in a    
strange land4 ,to her companions she    
would sometimes say1 ,i think you  will 
have to give me up and let me go4 ,as   
her little ones would often  inquire at 
the door of the waggon1 how is ma'8 is  
she any better8 she  would turn to her  
husband1 who sat by her side            

endeavouring to keep the  severities of 
rain and cold from her3 oh1 you dear    
little children1  how ,i do hope you may
 fall into kind hands when ,i am gone6  
,a night or  two before she died1 she   
said to her husband1 with unwonted      
animation1  ,a heavenly messenger has   
appeared to me to-night1 and told me    
that ,i  had done and suffered enough1  
and that he had now come to convey me   
to a mansion of gold4 ,soon after1 she  
said she wished me to call the  children
 and other friends to her bedside1 that 
she might give them  a parting kiss1    
which being done1 she said to her       
companion1 ,i love  you more than ever1 
but you must let me go4 ,i only want to 
live for  your sake1 and that of our    
children4 ,when asked if she had        
anything to  say to her father's family1
 she replied emphatically1 ,charge them 
to  obey the gospel4    ,the rain       
continued so incessantly for many days  
and nights1 that it was  impossible to  
keep her bedding dry or comfortable2    

and1 for the first  time1 she uttered   
the desire to be in a house4 ,the       
request might have  moved a heart of    
adamant4 ,immediately1 a man of the name
 of ,barnes1  living not far from the   
camp1 consented to have her brought to  
his  house1 where she died in peace1    
with a smile upon her countenance1 and  
a cordial pressure of her husband's hand
 about an hour previous4    ,many       
tributes to her memory1 from the        
,twelve1 and other distinguished        
friends1 expressive of her worth and the
 amiableness of her life1 have  been    
communicated to the writer1 which       
conjugal relationship forbids  me to    
insert1 but which are still a comfort to
 the bereaved in his  pilgrimage through
 mortality4 ,though prepossessing in her
 manners1 her  confiding and generous   
mind always made permanent the          
friendship that  she once obtained4 ,her
 unceasingly affectionate and dutiful   
bearing  to her husband1 and her        
matronly diligence in infusing the      

purest and  loftiest virtues into the   
minds of her children1 not only         
exemplified  the beautiful order of     
heaven1 but made the domestic circle the
  greatest paradise of earth4 ,said a   
member of the high council1 after  her  
death1 who had often observed her in the
 temple of the ,lord1 where  she loved  
to linger and feast on the joys of that 
holy place1 ,i never  saw a countenance 
more inexpressibly serene and heavenly1 
than hers4      ',o6 she was young who  
won my yielding heart1'    ,no power of 
genius nor the pencils' art    ,could   
half the beauties of her mind portray1  
,e'en when inspired2 and how can this my
 lay8    ,two eyes that spoke what      
language ne'er can do1    ,soft as twin 
violets moist with early dew4    ,in    
sylph-like symmetry her form combin'd1  
,to prove the fond endearments of the   
mind1    ,while on her brow benevolence 
and love    ,sat meekly1 like to emblems
 from above1    ,and every thought that 
had creation there1    ,but made her    

face still more divinely fair4    ,her  
remains were conveyed to the city of    
,nauvoo1 and there1 after a few         
neighbours had wept1 and sung1 ,come to 
me2 will ye come to the ,saints  that   
have died1 and expressed their          
condolence to the deeply afflicted      
husband1 buried1 in the solitude of the 
night1 by the side of her  youngest     
child1 that had died near six months    
before4    ,the writer does not mourn   
for his dead as those that die without  
hope1  knowing they are taken from many 
evils to come4 ,he desires to dedicate  
the above faint sketch to his children1 
now in the wilderness1 for the          
testimony of ,jesus1 lest time should   
obliterate from their young and  tender 
minds the recollection of her person and
 some of her virtues1  and thereby      
perpetuate the memory of the just1 while
 that of the wicked  shall rot4 ,he     
desires the prayers of all ,saints for  
himself and his  children2 and may the  
blessing of ,almighty ,god rest upon all

 who love  our ,lord ,jesus ,christ in  
sincerity4 ,amen4        ,,lines1       
,suggested on reading the ,author's     
first ,letter in the ,series4    ,,by   
,,miss ,e4 ,r4 ,,snow4      ,my heart is
 fix'd--,i know in whom ,i trust4       
',twas not for wealth--'twas not to     
gather heaps    ,of perishable          
things--'twas not to twine    ,around my
 brow a transitory wreath1    ,a garland
 deck'd with gems of mortal praise1     
,that ,i forsook the home of childhood2 
that    ,i left the lap of ease--the    
halo rife    ,with smiling friendship's 
soft and mellow tones--    ,affection's 
fond caresses1 and the cup              
,o'erflowing with the sweets of social  
life1    ,where high refinement's       
richest pearls were strew'd4         ,ah
 no6 a holier purpose fir'd my soul--   
,a nobler object prompted my pursuit3   
,eternal prospects open'd to my view1   
,and hope's celestial torch within me   
burn'd4    ,god1 who commanded ,abraham 
to leave    ,his native country1 and to 

offer up    ,on the lone alter1 where no
 eye beheld    ,but ,his who never      
sleeps1 an only son1    ,is still the   
same2 and thousands who have made    ,a 
covenant with him by sacrifice4    ,are 
bearing witness to the sacred truth4    
,jehovah speaking8 ,yes1 as heretofore4 
,the proclamation sounded in my ear--   
,it touch'd my heart--,i hearken'd to   
the sound4    ,counted the cost1 and    
laid my earthly all    ,upon the altar2 
and with purpose fix'd    ,unalterably1 
while the spirit of    ,elijah's ,god   
within my bosom reigns1    ,embrac'd the
 ,everlasting ,covenant2    ,to be a    
,saint among the faithful ones    ,whose
 race is measur'd by their life--whose  
prize    ,is everlasting1 and whose     
happiness    ,is ,god's approval1 and to
 whom 'tis more    ,than meat and drink 
to do his righteous will4         ,it is
 no trifling thing to be a ,saint    ,in
 very deed4 ,to stand upright1 nor bow  
,nor bend beneath the weighty burthen of
    ,oppressiveness4--,to stand         

unscath'd amid    ,the bellowing        
thunders and the raging storm    ,of    
persecution1 when the hostile pow'rs    
,of darkness stimulate the hearts of men
    ,to warfare3 to besiege1 assault1   
and1 with    ,the heavy thunderbolts of 
,satan1 aim    ,to overthrow the kingdom
 ,god has rear'd    ,to stand unmov'd   
beneath the with'ring rock    ,of vile  
apostacy1 when men depart    ,from the  
pure principles of righteousness--      
,those principles requiring man to live 
,by ev'ry word proceeding from the mouth
    ,of ,god4--,to stand unwav'ring1    
undismay'd1    ,and unseduc'd1 when the 
base hypocrite    ,whose deeds take hold
 on hell1 whose face is garb'd    ,with 
saintly looks1 drawn out by sacrilege   
,from a profession1 but assum'd and     
thrown    ,around him for a mantle to   
enclose    ,the black corruption of a   
putrid heart4--    ,to stand on virtue's
 lofty pinnacle    ,clad in the heav'nly
 robes of innocence1    ,amid that worse
 than every other blast--    ,the blast 

that strikes at moral character1        
,with floods of falsehood foaming with  
abuse4--    ,to stand1 with nerve and   
sinew firmly steel'd1    ,when in the   
trying scale of rapid change1    ,thrown
 side by side and face to face with that
    ,foul hearted spirit1 blacker than  
the soul    ,of midnight's darkest      
shade1 the traitor1    ,the vile wretch 
that feeds his sordid selfishness       
,upon the peace and blood of innocence--
    ,the faithless1 rotten-hearted      
wretch1 whose tongue    ,speaks words of
 trust and fond fidelity1    ,while     
treach'ry1 like a viper1 coils behind   
,the smile that dances in his evil eye4 
,to pass the fiery ordeal1 and to have  
,the heart laid open--all its contents  
prov'd    ,before the bar of strictest  
scrutiny4    ,to have the finest        
heart-strings stretch'd unto    ,their  
utmost length to try their texture4 ,to 
,abide1 with principle unchang'd1 the   
wreck    ,of cruel1 tott'ring           
circumstances1 which    ,ride forth on  

revolution's blust'ring gale4           
,but yet1 altho' to be a ,saint1        
requires    ,a noble sacrifice--an      
arduous toil--    ,a persevering aim2   
the great reward    ,awaiting the grand 
consummation1 will    ,repay the price  
however costly2 and    ,the pathway of  
the saint1 the safest path    ,will     
prove1 tho' perilous3 for 'tis foretold1
    ,all things that can be shaken1 ,god
 will shake3    ,kingdoms1 and          
,institutes1 and ,governments1    ,both 
civil and religious must be tried--     
,tried to the core and sounded to the   
depth4         ,then let me be a ,saint1
 and be prepar'd    ,for the approaching
 day1 which like a snare    ,will soon  
surprise the hypocrite--expose    ,the  
rottenness of human schemes--shake off  
,oppressive fetters--break the gorgeous 
reins    ,usurpers hold1 and lay the    
pride of man1    ,and glory of the      
nations low in dust6      ,,the ,,end4  
99 99 99 99    ,liverpool3 ,printed by  
,r4 ,james1 #ci1 ,south ,castle ,street4