CHAPTER XLIV
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AN APOSTLE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST,
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS,
_Was in the Island of Great Britain for the gospel's sake; and being in the Spirit on the 24th of November, 1846, addressed the following words of comfort to his dearly beloved wife and family, dwelling in tents, in the camp of Israel, at Council Bluffs, Missouri Territory, North America; where they and twenty thousand others were banished by the civilized Christians of the United States for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus:_
MY DEAREST WIFE,
Thy kindly soul and all Thine acts of love to him, thy chosen head, Are treasured deep in memory's archives.
And when, amid the busy throng of towns, I pass unheeded, or wander lonely In some country lane, or graveled highway, Lined with hawthorn hedge--or turn aside From the busy walks of men in meadows green, Or wander 'mid the solitary grove At twilight hour, where silence reins, and the Fading tints of autumn tell of time's flight, And the low murmur of the whispering breeze Steals o'er the senses like a funeral dirge,-- Or flying swift o'er country hedge and ditch In flaming chariot; while hills and vales-- And towns, and villas, farms, plains, and woods Are swiftly whirled behind--or musing in The midnight hour in lonely solitude Upon my bed--'Tis then I think of thee.
Sweet thoughts steal gently o'er the memory; And my spirit wanders o'er the wide sea And far away o'er Alleghany's heights, And down the broad Ohio, from its source To where it mingles its limpid waters With the dark waves of Missouri's current; And onward still, with lightning speed it flies, Till towns and cries all are left behind; And the last trace of Gentile dwelling fades From view, and disappears in the far east.
At length the long sought vision bursts to view And stays my spirit in its onward flight.
Towering bluffs; deep indented vales; wide spread Prairies; boundless plains and beauteous groves Expand to view; all clad in green, and deck'd In summer's richest livery of flowers; Or with the grey tints of fading autumn Crown'd--emblem of Nature's dissolution.
There one eternal silence seems to reign, And slumb'ring Nature rests in solitude.
There peace prevails; the Sabbath rules the year; And, in its own primeval innocence, Uncursed by man's polluted touch, the earth Seems resting in sacred, sublime repose.
No Gentile tyrant sways his sceptre there; No pris'ners groan in solitary cells.
There freedom dwells; no superstitious creed Enslaves the mind of man; no Christian mobs To drive him from his home or shed his blood.
O sacred solitude, divinely blest-- Zion's retreat; where dwell the great and good.
There, with delight my spirit lingers still, And would prolong the heavenly vision.
I love thee, for thyself, O land of Zion! The beauty of thy landscape, thy flowers, Thy boundless immensity of green fields, Mingling with the with expanse of Heaven's Blue arch; thy star-bespangled firmament Have charms for me.
The mellow moonlight Gently stealing o'er thy sacred forests;-- The fading tints of twilight painted on Your evening sky;--the soft and plaintive voice Of the autumnal cricket, as he sings The funeral knell of expiring insects, Or sounds a requiem to the closing year--
All these steal o'er my senses with delight, And wake the memory to scenes afar:
They whisper to the lonely exile, And tell of youth, and friends, and native clime.
Yet not for these charms alone I love thee; Nor yet for peace, or freedom sweet, or rest, Or sacred Sabbath of sublime repose.
All these, though dear to me, are worthless toys,-- Mere baubles,--compared to that precious gem Which yet remains to beautify my verse, And swell the music of my joyous theme.
There dwell my family,--my bosom friends,-- The precious lambs of my Redeemer,--my Best of Heaven's gifts to man,--my germs of Life and immortality,--my hope of Heaven,-- My principality on earth began,-- My kingdom in embryo, big with thrones Of endless power and wide dominion.
Ye kindred spirits from worlds celestial! Offsprings of Deity;--Sons and daughters Of eternity;--Ye nobles of Heaven Whose dwellings were of old among the Gods In the everlasting mansions, and who stood In the councils of the High and lofty One, ere chaos sprang to order, or the Foundations of the everlasting hills Were laid: Why came ye to this world of woe? Why this disguise?--This painful sojourn in A land of death?--
Why wander far from Heaven's eternal fold And from the bosom of your Father there? Had _He_ no love? No fond affection for His own, that you are banished thus, and left As exiles wandering in some dreary waste? And if thus fallen, and forsaken quite, Like evil spirits thrust from Heaven, to Return no more;--why that latent spark of Heaven's pure love still glowing in your breast? Why does your bosom swell with hope and joy, And fire celestial kindle in your eye?
O heavenly gift! The key of knowledge Restored to man, the mystery unfolds Of God's elect--their final destiny.
You are here because your Father loved you; Because in Heaven ye kept your first estate, And firm remained when angels did rebel, And Lucifer drew a third of Heaven's host From God; and with them sunk in dark despair.
You are here for further proof and trial;-- For a second estate; which if ye keep As ye did the first, will purify your souls, And fit you for a Heaven celestial.
You came to the earth to be born of flesh, To fashion and perfect your earthly house,-- To live, to love, to suffer and to die,-- To rise and reign in immortality. To form your kindred ties with kindred souls,-- To blend your sympathies by mutual acts Of kindly charity:--
To love and serve Each other in ten thousand nameless ways; And thus give exercise to mutual love, And qualify yourselves for union endless In that world of bliss. O ye beings of noble birth! ye lambs Of celestial origin, to Zion bound! I know ye now; and knowing, can but love.
O my Father in heaven? Thine they were, And Thou gavest them to me:--Precious gifts! Endear'd by long acquaintance in the heavens, By the soul's best affections on the earth, By mutual love and sympathy of soul, By all the kindred ties which twine around The heart in sacred, inexpressible Delight--Made nigh by a Savior's blood:-- Seal'd by the Holy Ghost, and secur'd By the spirit and power of Elijah-- By which the hearts of the fathers are turn'd To the children: Enliven'd by the hope Of endless union in that world of life Where all is pure:--
Thrones, principalities, Powers, majesty, might and dominion, As a mutual reward! Who can but love?
O precious kindred! my loveliest, best! Are motives wanting still to prompt my love, And kindle my soul's affection to its Highest, purest flame? sweet memory dwells On all the past--Your sufferings with me; Your sacrifices for the Gospel's sake.
For _me_ and truth you gladly left your home, Your native clime, your father, mother, and friends, And kindred dear, and wandered far away O'er mountain, seas, and continents. The wide Expanse of ocean--its waves and tempests Could not quench your love, or cool your courage:--
Towering mountains rose before you; rivers Intervened to check you on your journey--
Wide lakes, gloomy forests, and desert plains Forbid your further progress, but in vain.
Truth was the prize you sought; and love impell'd You onward. These overcome, a host Of fiends assailed you next, with lying tongues To flatter, frown, to pity or deceive; To coax, or drive you from your chosen course.
When slander, rage, and lies, and pity fail'd, Then came the deadly strife!--The fires consum'd; The sword devour'd;--Widows and orphans mourn'd; Hell's artillery bellow'd; Martyrs bled; The world exulted;--Devils hugely grinn'd;-- Heaven wept; saints prayed; Justice stood aghast;-- Mercy, retiring, dropped a tear of blood;-- Angels startling, half drew their glittering swords; And the Gods, in solemn council decreed A just VENGEANCE!
Amid these awful scenes ye firmly stood For truth, and him you loved; And leaving house And home again behind, in poverty Ye fled; and pitch'd your humble tent amid The storms of winter: And wandering o'er the Wide, unsheltered plain, ye braved the tempest Many a weary month without a murmur--
Without a _murmur_! Nay more--Ye smiling Stood, amid the awful storms, and hail'd the Tempest welcome. The solitary wilds Reverb'rated with freedom's joyful songs, While there you fondly pressed your infant to Your bosom,--smil'd on your lord,--receiv'd his Smile in turn, and realized your freedom. Supremely blest with heaven's approving smile, With peace and friendship, liberty and love; And with the daily presence of your lord,-- Whose best affection sweeten'd every care; Ye still were happy in your low estate, Nor sighed for more.
One only sacrifice remained for us To make, to further test our depth of love For God and truth;--'twas all that Heaven could ask.
With you, my lambs, be left _alone_, to spend Another winter in this dreary wild, While him _you love_ shall wander far away Beyond the sea, for truth and Zion's sake?
Your pulse beat quick; your bosom heav'd a sigh; Your heart swell'd with emotion; a big tear Gush'd forth, and stole in silence down your check; While your spirit said: "_If I must, I will!_"
The Recording Angel smil'd; Heaven approv'd, And said: "_It is enough_," record the same, And with it Our decree: They are Elect! Eternal life is theirs: They shall be ONE, WHILE ENDLESS AGES ROLL!
PARLEY P. PRATT.
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