| 227 wisdom, learning and affluence of the land of steady habits, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is fast gaining in numbers and influence. Branches are being raised up in various places. A number are now growing up under the preaching of the elders sent out by the general conference last summer, and thanks be to God, the truth is spreading in this country like a green bay tree; the kingdom of God will go on, and nothing can hinder, until the sound of redeemed sinners, and the songs of enraptured multitudes shall be heard from mountain top to mountain top, the valleys be glad for them, and the Saints shall rejoice together.
I have baptised [baptized] some twenty on this mission, and have organized a branch in Little River, consisting of one elder, one priest and one teacher, with fifteen members, all in good faith and standing, who are rejoicing in the kingdom of God in these last days, while many more are believing the work, and will, to all appearance, soon show their faith by their works, and much good will be done in this region.
Such is the prospect of the work here, and a brief account of my mission, and if you deem it worthy of a place in the Times and Seasons, it is at your disposal. My best wishes for you, and the Church at Nauvoo and throughout the world, with my prayer to God continually for the advancement of His cause, I subscribe myself your brother and fellow laborer in the gospel of Jesus Christ, Amen.
EDWIN D. WOOLLEY.
(To the Editor of the Times and Seasons.)
DEAR SIR-In this age of superstition and infidelity, we find vast numbers who not only deny revelation, but even the existence of deity, which has in a great measure arisen from the inconsistencies and perplexities of the professors of Christianity; indeed we cannot much blame a man for denying in toto what appears altogether a mass of contradictions and absurdities. For, let us suppose for example, that an individual from China, or any other part, who had had an opportunity of listening to the preaching of some of our modern Missionaries, and had given full credence to all that had been advanced, had a Bible placed in his hands and told that it was the word of an immutable God, it seems to me that one desire alone would pervade his whole soul, viz: to get to that land of religion, that nation of demi-gods, where they had such a superabundance of piety, as to send a little over the great waters and let the heathen participate in their blessedness. Well, there are few things on which man is fully bent but he is able to attain to it, so with this young Christian; at length he is enabled to start for this paradise, and leave his native land, and, oh joy! lands safely on Columbia's happy shores, with his Bible in his hand, just as the people are repairing to their different places of worship. Judge his surprise on finding their worship as diverse as possible, yet all professing to teach from the same unchangeable book. He inquires in vain for the church of Christ; the cry is lo here, and lo there, and he finds but one thing in which they all agree, viz: in contending that the unchangeable word has become altogether changed. That though the great author of it has asserted that certain signs shall follow those that believe, they fearlessly tell us they shall not; that the great apostle to the Gentiles tells us that God placed apostles and prophets in the church, and they boldly tell us they are not wanted; and there is no need for tongues and prophecies. In the days of Paul, they saw through a glass darkly, yet it was needful for Paul to have a thorn in the flesh, lest he should be exalted above measure, through the abundance of revelations that were given unto him, that, he was caught up into the third heaven, and heard things that it was not lawful to utter that the church then had visions, angels, tongues, healings, interpretations, &c. &c., but now there is no need of these, as perfection is come. Would not our traveller [traveler] be at a loss to account for this strange state of things? And could we be surprised if he began to think he had been deceived, and to question the authenticity of the book?
Although infidelity may abound, and many may live and die, not having the fear of God before their eyes, I am of opinion that the existence of Deity, and the truth of revelation can be established beyond the power of successful controversy.
First, then, the laws of nature by which vegetation is produced, the globe kept in regular motion, and the planets governed and arranged. How wonderful the chance that caused the earth to take its place just at such a distance from the sun, and to hold on in its course, and still as fortunate that the moon should be situated as to give its light in the night instead of the day, so that it happens to be a blessing to the inhabitants of all the earth. And, if we may rely on astronomers, it was a lucky chance that gave Jupiter four moons, seeing that his distance from the sun is near 500,000,000 of miles, and therefore, his nights must have been very dark but for that chance. We are also informed that Saturn is removed 900,000,000 of miles from Sol, and therefore his nights must have been dismal, had not chance given him seven moons; Georgium Sidus, of vast magnitude, 1,800,000,000
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