ful unto them, that these things may not come upon them." (Book of Covenants, page 282, English edition.)

to be trampled upon by mobs, to be scourged, afflicted, abused, driven from their homes, deprived of the most sacred rights of American citizenship, and finally to be banished from their For nineteen years the Saints have midst, and obliged to seek refuge in importuned, according to this comthe solitary wilds and deserts of the mandment. But have they obtained Rocky Mountains. They have closed redress? No. The Judges and the their doors, their synagogues, their Governor of the State of Missouri, ineyes, and their hearts against one of stead of redressing our wrongs, sufthe most glorious and important mes- fered us, under the force of arms, to sages that ever saluted the ears of be killed, immured in dungeons, and mortals; they have suffered one of banished from the State. The Presithe greatest, most renowned, and most dent, instead of restoring us to our celebrated prophets that ever lived homes and lands which we purchased upon the earth to be murdered in cold of the National Government, suffered blood, without bringing the murderers us to be deprived of the dearest rights to justice; they have suffered scores of American citizenship, and to be of innocent men, women, and chil- banished by the force of arms from dren to be tortured, shot down, and this great Republic to seek refuge butchered, in open day, by beings who among hostile savages in the barren afterwards boasted of their horrid wastes of the snowy mountains. The deeds, and yet, no means are institu- cries and importunities of the Saints ted to bring these guilty wretches for redress and protection, were met to punishment Does not the blood with the cold reply, "Your cause is of the Saints and of prophets cry just, but we have no power to protect aloud to the Heavens for vengeance? you." The Saints have long cried And shall this nation escape the judg- unto the Lord that He would open ments decreed against them? And the ears and soften the hearts of the will the Almighty forbear to execute Rulers and Authorities of our country the vengeance written? Verily No. that they might execute justice and For in December, 1833, the word of right in behalf of the suffering, downthe Lord came through JOSEPH, the trodden, exiled citizens of this great SEER, concerning His Saints who had Republic, who have been, by the force been driven from their homes in Jack-of arms, driven into banishment. But son Co., Missouri, saying: their ears are closed to our cries, their eyes are shut to our sufferings, and "Let them importune at the feet of their hearts hardened against the the judge; and if he heed them not, mourning and lamentations of widlet them importune at the feet of the ows and orphans, whose husbands Governor; and if the Governor heed and fathers have been cruelly marthem not, let them importune at the tyred for the testimony of Jesus, and feet of the President; and if the Presi- for the word of God. The cup of dent heed them not, then will the the iniquity of this nation is nearly Lord arise and come forth out of His full; and woe unto them, when the hiding place, and in His fury vex the time shall come that they are fully nation, and in His hot displeasure, ripe in their abominations, for they and in His fierce anger, in His time, shall utterly perish from off the face will cut off those wicked, unfaithful, of this choice land, and the land shall and unjust stewards, and appoint them be left empty and desolate-yea, their their portion among hypocrites and cities shall be destroyed, and their unbelievers; even in outer darkness, houses shall be desolate. "For the where there is weeping, and wailing, Lord shall rise up as in mount Peraand gnashing of teeth. Pray ye, there- zim; He shall be wroth as in the valfore, that their ears may be opened ley of Gibeon, that He may do His unto your cries, that I be may merci- work, His strange work; and bring

to pass His act, His strange act." (Isa. Isaiah dwelt, but in a far country; 28: 21.) Yea, He shall destroy and thirdly, when this ensign should be set lay waste, and none shall hinder.] up, the Lord should hiss unto the naI will again say to the Saints scat- tions, not from Palestine, but "from tered abroad in this land, do you wish the ends of the earth," clearly indideliverance in the day of trouble? If cating a message that should hiss forth you do, arise and flee to the moun- from that distant country for the benetains, and prepare for the day of the fit of all nations; and lastly, a people Lord, for it is near. Let all the chil- from among these nations, should dren of Zion go up into the moun-"come with speed swiftly," not by the tains; for thus said the prophet, Isaiah, slow process of travelling to which in his prophetic exhortation to the the ancients were accustomed, but Zion of the last days, "O Zion, that "they shall come with speed swiftly,” bringest good tidings, get thee up into indicating, no doubt, the powerful the high mountain." For "behold, the agency of steam by which that people Lord God will come with strong hand, should be gathered from among the and His arm shall rule for Him: be- nations speedily swiftly unto the standhold, His reward is with Him and His ard or ensign lifted up. This standard work before Him. He shall feed His or ensign was not to be raised among flock like a shepherd: He shall gather Judah or Israel, but among the Genthe lambs with His arm, and carry tiles, for the benefit of both Israel and them in flis bosom." (Isa. 40:9-11.) Judah; for then, as Isaiah says, in the Isaiah clearly saw that before the sec- foregoing quotation, both Israel and ond coming of the Lord, to rule "with Judah will be gathered. That this a strong hand," that Zion would be standard was to be raised among the required to "get up into the high Gentiles, instead of Israel, is clearly mountain." Many of the children of predicted in another passage, as folZion have fulfilled this exhortation of lows:-" Thus saith the Lord God, Isaiah; and I now say to the balance of behold, I will lift up mine hand to the her children, "GET THEE UP INTO Gentiles, and set up my standard to the THE HIGH MOUNTAIN," and sanc- people: and they shall bring thy sons tify yourselves that you may be as an in their arms, and thy daughters shall ensign upon the mountains-a standard be carried upon their shoulders." for the people unto whom the meek and (Isaiah 49: 22.) That this standard virtuous of all nations shall flow. For or ensign was not only to be set up by thus said the prophet Isaiah, "He shall the Lord God, among the Gentiles, but set up an ensign for the nations, and that it was also to be lifted up on the shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, mountains is also predicted by Isaiah and gather together the dispersed of as follows:-"All ye inhabitants of Judah from the four corners of the the world, and dwellers on the earth, earth." (Isaiah 11: 12.) This en- SEE YE, WHEN HE LIFTETH UP sign remember was not to be set up AN ENSIGN ON THE MOUNin Palestine, where Isaiah lived at the TAINS; and when He bloweth a time he delivered the prophecy, but it trumpet, hear ye." For afore the harwas to be set up "from afar," or at a vest, when the bud is perfect, and the great distance from that country: hence, sour grape is ripening in the flower, he says, again, "And He will lift up an He shall both cut off the sprigs ensign to the nations from far, and with pruning hooks, and take away will hiss unto them from the end of the and cut down the branches. They earth and behold, they shall come shall be left together unto the fowls with speed swiftly." (Isa. 5: 26.) of the mountains, and to the beasts of Four things are clearly predicted in the earth; and the fowls shall summer this passage;-First, An ensign is to upon them, and all the beasts of the be lifted up to the nations by the Lord, earth shall winter upon them. In that Himself; secondly, this ensign was to time shall the present be brought unto be lifted up, not in the country where the Lord of Hosts of a people scat

tered and pealed, and from a people shall tremble because of her, and shall terrible from their beginning hitherto; fear because of her terrible ones. The a nation meted out and trodden under Lord hath spoken it. Amen." (Book foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, of Covenants, page 156.)

to the place of the name of the Lord of Hosts, the Mount Zion." (Isaiah 18: 3, 5, 6, 7.) The place, then, for the lifting up of the ensign is to be "on the mountains," and that too just before "the harvest" or the end of the wicked world, when the Lord is to destroy a certain nation under the name of the sour grape, and they are to be left unburied for the fowls and beasts to summer and winter upon them. It will be perceived also, that "all the inhabitants of the world, and the dwellers on the earth," are called upon to both see and hear, when the Lord lifts up that ensign on the mountains.

In this extract the Lord predicted that Zion should "be an Ensign unto the people," "sitting on a hill or in a High Place," and that she should flourish. In another revelation, given through Joseph, the Seer, to James Covilf in January 1831, the Lord says, "Thou art called to labor in my vineyard and to build up my church, and to bring forth Zion, that it may rejoice upon the HILLS and flourish." (Doc. and Cov., page 212. And in March, 1831, the word of the Lord, again, came unto Joseph, the Seer, saying, "Before the great day of the Lord shall come, Jacob shall flourish in the Under a deep sense of the impor- wilderness, and the Lamanites" (meantant events which await this genera- ing the American Indians) "shall tion, I beg of Zion to bear with me, blossom as the rose. Zion shall flourwhile I repeat again the prophetic ex-ish upon the hills, and rejoice upon hortation of Isaiah-"O Zion, that the mountains, and shall be assembled bringest good tidings, Get thee up into together unto the place which I have the high mountain." Tarry not, lest appointed." (page 218.) Thus we see you fall among the wicked, and are de- that twenty-two years ago, it was prived of the blessings which the Lord foretold in great plainness that Zion has decreed to pour out upon Zion. should flourish and rejoice upon the That Zion was to occupy an eleva- hills and mountains; when these proted position on the earth, is still fur-phecies were given, we did not know, ther evident from the word of the for many years, how nor when the Lord which came through Joseph, Lord intended to fulfil them, but fifthe Seer, in September, 1831, saying, teen years after the prediction, the "Behold I, the Lord, have made my Lord suffered our enemies to rise church in these last days like unto a against us, and we were driven by the judge sitting on a HILL, or in a HIGH force of arms from these States, and PLACE, to judge the nations; for were obliged to flee to the mountains it shall come to pass that the inhabi- for refuge; thus, in an unexpected tants of Zion shall judge all things manner, Zion is placed in her appropertaining to Zion; and liars and hy-priate position, and is truly beginning pocrites shall be proved by them, and to flourish and rejoice upon the hills they who are not apostles and prophets and mountains according to the preshall be known. And even the bishop, dictions of Joseph, the prophet, and who is a judge, and his counsellors, according to many predictions of the if they are not faithful in their steward- ancient prophets. O how wonderful ships, shall be condemned, and others are the dealings of God with His peoshall be planted in their stead; for, ple! And how marvelously does He behold, I say unto you that Zion shall fulfil the words of inspiration! flourish, and the glory of the Lord shall be upon her, and she shall be an Ensign unto the people, and there shall come unto her out of every nation under Heaven. And the day shall come when the nations of the earth

Though the Heavens and Earth pass away, yet the word of the Lord, spoken through Joseph, the Seer, shall not pass away, but every jot and tittle that has not already come to pass, shall be fulfilled in its time and season.

The Saints are likewise informed that we shall have constantly on hand

The Saints in the States and British! Provinces are respectfully invited to become subscribers to this periodical, for sale, at wholesale and retail, all that through its pages they may learn the various works, mentioned in the more perfectly their duties, and have catalogue, published on the last page a knowledge of the times, and seasons, of the Seer. and purposes of the Most High in re- All these publications should be in gard to the generation in which they the houses of all the saints, and should live. Those who intend emigrating be diligently read, that they may be to the mountains, during the coming well instructed in all the great princiseason, can, by notifying us of their ples of eternal salvation, that through intentions, have their paper sent by their faithfulness to the same they may the mail to Utah. Where there are enter into the fulness of celestial glory. branches of the Church, we suggest With the most anxious desire for your that they appoint among themselves welfare, I subscribe myself your an agent, and have the whole number, humble servant and brother in the taken in the branch, sent in one pack- bonds of the gospel Covenant.

age to their agent; this arrangement will save us much trouble which would otherwise arise by being obli

ged to forward to each individual.

ORSON PRATT.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 1852.

CELESTIAL MARRIAGE:

A REVELATION ON THE PATRIARCHAL ORDER OF MATRIMONY, OR PLURALITY OF WIVES.

Given to Joseph Smith, the Seer, in Nauvoo, July 12th, 1843.

pertaining to the new and everlasting covenant, it was instituted for the fulness of my glory; and he that receiveth a fulness thereof, must, and shall abide the law, or he shall be damned, saith the Lord God.

1. Verily thus saith the Lord, unto you my servant Joseph, that inasmuch as you have enquired of my hand, to know and understand wherein I the Lord justified my servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; as also Moses, David, and Solomon, my servants, as touching 2. And verily I say unto you, that the principle and doctrineof their having the conditions of this law are these: many wives, and concubines: Behold! All covenants, contracts, bonds, obliand lo, I am the Lord thy God, and will gations, oaths, vows, performances, answer thee as touching this matter: connections, associations, or expectaTherefore, prepare thy heart to receive tions, that are not made, and entered and obey the instructions which I am into, and sealed, by the Holy Spirit of about to give unto you; for all those, promise, of him who is annointed, both who have this law revealed unto them, as well for time and for all eternity, must obey the same; for behold! I re- and that too most holy, by revelation veal unto you a new and an everlasting and commandment, through the medicovenant, and if ye abide not that cove- um of mine annointed, whom I have nant, then are ye damned; for no one appointed on the earth to hold this can reject this covenant, and be per- power, (and I have appointed unto my mitted to enter into my glory; for all servant Joseph to hold this power in who will have a blessing at my hands, the last days, and there is never but shall abide the law which was appoint- one on the earth at a time, on whom ed for that blessing, and the conditions this power and the keys of this priestthereof, as was instituted from before hood are conferred,) are of no efficathe foundations of the world: and as cy, virtue, or force, in and after the

resurrection from the dead; for all eternity, if that covenant is not by me, or by my word, which is my law, and is not sealed by the Holy Spirit of

saith the Lord, neither by my word; when they are out of the world, it cannot be received there, because the angels and the Gods are appointed there, by whom they cannot pass; they cannot, therefore, inherit my glory, for my house is a house of order, saith the Lord God.

contracts that are not made unto this end, have an end when men are dead. 3. Behold! minę house is a house promise, through him whom I have of order, saith the Lord God, and not annointed and appointed unto this a house of confusion. Will I accept power, then it is not valid, neither of of an offering, saith the Lord, that is force, when they are out of the world, not made in my name! Or, will because they are not joined by me, receive at your hands, that which I have not appointed! And will I appoint unto you, saith the Lord, except it be by law, even as I and my Father ordained unto you, before the world was! I am the Lord thy God, and I give unto you this commandment, that no man shall come unto the Father, but by me, or by my word which is 6. And again, verily I say unto you, my law, saith the Lord; and every- if a man marry a wife by my word, thing that is in the world, whether it which is my law, and by the new and be ordained of men, by thrones, or everlasting covenant, and it is sealed principalities, or powers, or things of unto them by the Holy Spirit of pronanie, whatsoever they may be, that mise, by him who is annointed, unto are not by me, or by my word, saith whom I have appointed this power, the Lord, shall be thrown down, and and the keys of this priesthood, and shall not remain after men are dead, it shall be said unto them, ye shall neither in nor after the resurrection, come forth in the first resurrection; saith the Lord your God: for whatsoever things remaineth, are by me; and whatsoever things are not by me, shall be shaken and destroyed.

and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all 4. Therefore, if a man marry him heights, and depths, then shall it be a wife in the world, and he marry her written in the Lamb's Book of Life, not by me, nor by my word; and he that he shall commit no murder, wherecovenant with her, so long as he is in by to shed innocent blood; and if ye the world, and she with him, their abide in my covenant, and commit no covenant and marriage is not of force murder whereby to shed innocent when they are dead, and when they blood, it shall be done unto them in are out of the world; therefore, they all things whatsoever my servant hath are not bound by any law when they put upon them, in time, and through are out of the world; therefore, when all eternity; and shall be of full force they are out of the world, they neither when they are out of the world, and marry, nor are given in marriage, but they shall pass by the angels, and the are appointed angels in heaven, which Gods, which are set there, to their exangels are ministering servants, to min-altation and glory in all things, as hath ister for those, who are worthy of a been sealed upon their heads, which far more, and an exceeding, and an glory shall be a fulness and a continueternal weight of glory; for these ation of the seeds forever and ever. angels did not abide my law, therefore they cannot be enlarged, but remain separately and singly, without exaltation, in their saved condition, to all eternity, and from henceforth are not Gods, but are angels of God forever and ever. 5. And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife, and make a covenant with her for time, and for all

7. Then shall they be Gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be Gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them.