| 414 which remained for about three minutes. The figures put together made 1860 in large figures, in the heavens. The phenomenon was indeed singular and has been a matter of great speculation with us.,
Respectfully yours, &c.,
WILLIAM MARTINDALE.
(For the Times and Seasons)
BIOGRAPHY OF NATHAN PRATT.
Died in this place, on the 21st December last, Nathan Pratt, Son of Parley P. Pratt, aged five and half years.
As his life has been rather extraordinary, perhaps the following sketch may be worthy of publication.
He was born in Caldwell Co. Missouri, A. D. 1838. The honoured [honored] place of his birth, was not a stable, like his redeemer's of old, but a small house belonging to Mr. Isaac Alred.
At the age of two weeks, he was removed into a new house, without a floor, door, window, or chimney. This being soon demolished by the rage of persecution, he removed nine miles, to the town of Far West, being then six weeks old.
Here he lived in a house nine feet square, built of logs; but even here, the rage of his enemies soon searched him out, and when he was three months old, his father was torn from him and confined in a Missouri dungeon, leaving him and his mother, who lay sick of a fever, exposed to the wrath of a band of savage murderers, who at that time over-ran and ravaged the whole town: they fired several rifle balls into the house, and scores of them were afterwards picked up in the door yard.
Soon after this, he came with his mother and spent much of the winter in prison with his father, where he sometimes served as a shield, to guard his bosom from the threatened violence of the angry guards.
At the age of nine months, the exterminating order of the modern Nero. (L. W. Boggs,) was so far enforced as to banish him and his mother from the state at the point of bayonet: leaving his father still in prison.
They fled to Quincy, Illinois, a distance of two hundred miles; where they lived till the following July, without the assistance of a husband or father.
On the grand national Aniversary [Anniversary] of American Independence, the glorious 4th of July, his father being instructed and warned, by an Angel of the Lord, in a vision of the night, burst his chains, threw open his prison doors, and emerged forth from his prison; and after wandering for near week, night and day, almost without food, he avoided all pursuit and arrived at the residence of his family: thus closes the first twelve months of the events connected with the life of Nathan Pratt.
The second campaign opens with a removal from Quincy to Nauvoo, a distance of 50 miles, where he and his parents took up their residence, in a small log cabin, consisting of one room, already occupied by another family.
After a stay of about one month, he started on a mission to England, in company with his father and mother. The first part of this journey was performed in about four weeks by land distance 600 miles. This brought them to Detroit, from thence they journeyed by water to New York about 800 miles distant. Here he took winter quarters, and thus closed the second year of our young hero.
The third opens with a journey to the State of Main and a return to New York; making twelve hundred miles travel. In September following he sailed with his parents for England. After a long and tedious passage they landed safe in Liverpool; he resided in England, and visited most of the principle towns.
In October 1842, he sailed for New Orleans, where he arrived in safety, after a voyage of ten weeks. From thence he sailed up the Mississippi, as far as Chester, Illinois, where he again took up his winter quarters. In April following he arrived at Nauvoo, having been absent about three years and six months, during which he had traveled near twenty thousand miles.
From this time he attended school, and was rapidly advancing in knowledge, when falling from the stairs of his father's new building into the cellar, he broke his thigh.
This accident confined him for several weeks, but recovering, he continued his studies till he was seized with his last illness which was very severe until his death.
He has often requested singing and prayer, and dwelt with great delight on the lines of Wesley which commence as follows:
"The morning flowers display their sweets,
"And gay, their silken leaves unfold."
He has often while in perfect health enquired [inquired] of his mother if he should die, and concerning death, and the resurrection, and whether, if he died he should see Sister Harrington and other friends who were dead. He has often solicited the laying of hands and prayer, when sick and has many times been healed.
He has had the gift to discern both good and evil spirits, who sometimes visited him; and on one occasion a kind angel ministered to him, and told him things for his comfort and instruction.
He has fought the good fight and finished his
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