| 424 Twelve tribes of Israel, but in consequence of their iniquities, they were afterwards driven from it, and scattered upon the face of all the earth. Previous to their scattering, the Lord made provisions for the preservation of a remnant, upon this continent, that he might preserve a pure seed unto himself; and Lehi and his family, together with Ishmael, were directed by the Lord to come here and to possess this land. There was no doubt provision made also for many others; the ten tribes of Israel were carried away to a distant land, 'where never mankind dwelt;' where they should remain 'until the latter day;' then should they return according to the word of the Lord, and become one nation with Judah, 'in the land upon the mountains of Israel, and one king shall be king over them, and they shall no longer be two nations any more at all.' That there were then remnants of the house of Israel, is evident from the words of the apostle Paul. In writing to the Romans, who were Gentiles, and reasoning with them upon their standing and relationship to God, he tells them that 'the Jews were broken off because of their unbelief, and that they, (the Romans) stand by faith;' he tells them not to 'boast against the branches,' for the obvious reason, that 'thou bearest not the root, but the root thee; and that although the house of Judah was at that time about to be destroyed, yet all the house of Israel had not become extinct, nor were the promises made to the fathers, forgotten; for God said that he would graft them in again, not only so; but the house of Judah was only one branch of the house of Israel, whereas, there were many branches, who were not broken off. For, says Paul, if some of the branches be broken off, and thou being a wild olive tree, wert graffed [grafted] in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness, of the olive tree; boast not against the branches;' (that yet remain,) 'but if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.' From the above, it is evident that there were other branches of the house of Israel, that were not broken off at the time to which the apostle refers; and that instead of the Gentiles possessing the above kingdom and dominion, as some suppose, and having the exclusive charge of the ordinances of God's house, they were 'graffed [grafted] in' as a wild olive, 'among the natural branches, and with them partook of the root and fatness of the olive tree.'
The Lord provided for all these things: and before he destroyed, or broke off one portion of the house of Israel, he made ample provision for the perpetuation of their seed, the continuation of his mercy, and the ordinances of his house among the other branches. This is beautifully exemplified in the parable of the olive tree in the Book of Mormon.
"And it came to pass that the master of the vineyard went forth, and he saw that his olive tree began to decay; and he said, I will prune it, and dig about it, and nourish it, that perhaps it may shoot forth young and tender branches, and it perish not. And it came to pass that he pruned it, and digged about it, and nourished it, according to his word. And it came to pass that after many days, it began to put forth somewhat a little, young and tender branches; but behold, the main top thereof began to perish. And it came to pass that the master of the vineyard saw it, and he said unto his servant, it grieveth me that I should loose this tree; wherefore, go and pluck the branches from a wild olive tree, and bring them hither unto me; and we will pluck off those main branches which are beginning to wither away, and we will cast them into the fire, that they may be burned. And behold, saith the Lord of the vineyard, I take away many of these young and tender branches, and I will graft them whithersoever I will; and it mattereth not that if it so be, that the root of this tree will perish, I may preserve the fruit thereof unto myself; wherefore, I will take these young and tender branches, and I will graft them whithersoever I will. Take thou the branches of the wild olive tree, and graft them in, in the stead thereof: and these which I have plucked off, I will cast into the fire, and burn them, that they may not cumber the ground of my vineyard.
And it came to pass that the servant of the Lord of the vineyard, did according to the word of the Lord of the vineyard, and grafted in the branches of the wild olive tree. And the Lord of the vineyard caused that it should be digged about, and pruned, and nourished, saying unto his servant, it grieveth me that I should lose this tree; wherefore, that perhaps I might preserve the roots thereof that they perish not, that I might preserve them unto myself, I have done this thing. Wherefore, go thy way; watch the tree, and nourish it, according to my words.-And these will I place in the nethermost part of my vineyard, whithersoever I will, it mattereth not unto thee: and I do it, that I may preserve unto myself the natural branches of the tree: and also, that I may lay up thereof, against the season, unto myself: for it grieveth me that I should loose this tree, and the fruit thereof.
And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard went his way, and hid the natural branches of the tame olive tree in the nethermost parts of the vineyard; some in one, and some in another, according to his will and
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