| 412 wife of my youth, and the children of my bosom. Though death's shafts fly thick, and our friends drop off like leaves in autumn, yet the time is at hand when they shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and their slumbering dust, animated at the call, again wake up to life and immortality, clothed with eternal youth, no more to drink of sorrows cup or heave the parting sigh, but forever basking in the rays of everlasting joy.
We may be called to pass through much tribulation; and in our gathering together from all climes and nations to this place, we may reasonably expect to meet with difficulties and privations, and in all probability we may have our patience tried to the utmost, yet will we sing with the excellent Wesley-
Let sickness blast, let death devour,
If heaven but recompence [recompense] our pains,
Perish the grass, and fade the flower,
If firm the word of God remains!
Indeed we do not often read of any people living godly in Christ Jesus, but they had a good share of suffering, both from the world and the powers of darkness, but they were enabled to rejoice in prospect of the glory to be revealed, and we have not been called to suffer more than the saints of former days, when they wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins, in caves and dens of the earth, being afflicted and tormented.
We will joyfully suffer tribulation and death for the excellency of knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord. For in Nauvoo we receive line upon line, precept upon precept, and the great things of the kingdom are unfolded to our understandings from time to time, so that we can grow in grace and in knowledge; and those things which have been hid for generations are revealed in these last days. The dark mantle of error, that covered the earth, and the superstition that reigned in the hearts of the children of men, so they were led captive by the devil at his will, is fast vanishing before the rays of truth and righteousness. Zion is beginning to rise in beauty and majesty, and her light has already reached the nations afar of, [off] and her children are coming in great ships from distant lands, to learn the ways of God more perfectly. The kingdom is set up which will never be destroyed, but break in pieces all other kingdoms, and finally sway the sceptre [scepter] over all the earth. Babylon has been weighed in the balance and found wanting, therefore her time is fixed, and all her days are numbered. Tis true her merchants are strenuous, and cry mightily, Great is the lady sitting on a scarlet coloured [colored] beast; but the axe [ax] is laid to the root of the tree, and down she must come, and great will be the fall thereof, for no man will buy her merchandize [merchandise].
The more we investigate the principles of truth the more lovely they appear. The more we understand the greater our thirst for knowledge. My prayer shall still ascend for Zion's prosperity I remain as ever, your affectionate brother in the new covenant,
JOHN GREENHOW.
For the Times and Seasons.
Nauvoo, Nov. 20, 1843.
Elder Taylor, Dear Sir:-
With pleasure I spend a few moments in giving a short sketch of the mission I took this summer and fall. At the April conference I was called upon to take a mission to Lawrence county, New York; consequently I made arrangement to leave as soon as possible, and on the last day of July, left Nauvoo, in company with Gen. Wilson Law, for the east, via. Chicago and the lakes. We had a very pleasant time, many very anxiously inquiring after the principles of our holy religion, but none opposed.
While upon Lake Huron, Gen. Law composed the following beautiful lines, which I cheerfully submit for publication.
Lake Huron, August 8, 1843.
Farewell Illinois, I must leave thee awhile,
Tho' thy fields of the woods, do so charmingly smile,
Deck'd with sweet blooming, herbage so fair to the view;
Like a wild flower garden, from the lake to Nauvoo.
Dear city of Zion, when I mention thy name,
How my heart does exult in thy glory and fame;
For thy glory shall shine, and thy fame spread too,
'Till the Queen of the West, will be lovely Nauvoo.
For Jehovah has said that his people should come,
And gather together and make there a home,
And build him a Temple and worship him too,
In spirit and power in the city of Nauvoo.
And when 'tis erected, so lovely to see,
And 'God of our fathers,' dedicated to thee;
Great power thou'lt bestow on the saints that are true,
And the glory shine forth in thy house at Nauvoo.
But farewell dear friends, that I now leave behind,
(page 412) |
