| 514 And now, verily I say unto you, that as every elder in this part of the vineyard, must give an account of his stewardship unto the bishop in this part of the vineyard, a certificate from the judge or bishop in this part of the vineyard, un-[unto] the bishop in Zion, rendereth every man acceptable, and answereth all things, for an inheritance, and to be received as a wise steward, and as a faithful laborer; otherwise he shall not be accepted of the bishop in Zion. And now, verily I say unto you, let every elder who shall give an account unto the bishop of the church in this part of the vineyard, be recommended by the church or churches, in which he labors, that he may render himself and his accounts approved in all things. And again, let my servants who are appointed as stewards over the literary concerns of my church, have claim for assistance upon the bishop or bishops, in all things, that the revelations may be published, and go forth unto the ends of the earth, that they may also obtain funds which benefit the church, in all things; that they may also render themselves approved in all things and be accounted as wise stewards. And now, behold this shall be an ensample for all the extensive branches of my church, in whatsoever land they shall be established. And now I make an end of my sayings: Amen.
A few words in addition to the laws of the kingdom, respecting the members of the church; they that are appointed by the Holy Spirit to go up to Zion; and they who are privileged to go up unto Zion. Let them carry up unto the bishop a certificate from three elders of the church, or a certificate from the bishop, otherwise he who shall go unto the land of Zion, shall not be accounted as a wise steward. This is also an ensample: Amen.
The following memorial was addresssed [addressed] to the Senate and House of Representatives, of the State of Massachusetts, and was kindly received by that honorable body and ordered to be printed-
HOUSE-No. 64.
COMMONWEALTH of MASSACHUSETTS.
MEMORIAL
To the honorable the Govenor [Governor], Senate and House of Representatives of Massachusetts, in legislative capacity assembled:
Your memorialist, a native of the State of Massachusetts, county of Hampshire, and township of Plainfield, is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and was born on the 7th day of May, A. D. 1796. begs leave most respectfully to represent your honorable body, that, after breathing the free, elastic air of the land of his nativity, and braving the winter blasts of the Green Mountains for twenty-one years, during which time the principles of religious liberty began to bud, and the rights of man became deeply rooted in the bosom of your memorialist, he then went forth to the then thinly settled and wilderness part of Ohio, where he remained for about twenty-one years, enduring the hardships of turning the wilderness into fruitful fields, the products of which often help to compose the luxuries of your tables, cheering the hearts of some of the noble sons of '76, as well as those who are my contemporaries in life. From thence he went to the State of Missouri, where he became an exile, with about twelve or fifteen thousand of his brethren. Not from the birth of our national existence to the year 1832, can the annals of the United States of America be found, to blast the character of her noble sons, by telling the blood-chilling tale of assembled mobs, to deprive her citizens of their civil or religious liberties, without their meeting a due demerit and punishment for all their crimes. But, alas! how changed the scene! In consequence of which, your memorialist has to relate to you the sad tale that, in 1831, a number of respectable families residing in the vicinity of Parkman, my then place of residence, went into the state of Missouri, and in connexion [connection] with others from various parts of our country, who were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, who purchased lands of the general government, in the county of Jackson in said State, and there became lawful residents and and voters in that then free and independent portion of our country; but, in consequence of an unprecedented mob rising against the Saints, who, after highhanded threats, proceeded to destroy our property by demolishing our store and printing press, taking roofs from houses, whipping, tarring and feathering some of our men, shooting others, abusing women and children, driving about one hundred of them off on to the bleak prairies, many of whom were barefooted and could be followed by the blood that gushed from their lacerated feet, where they traveled through barbed grass, or upon the sharp stubble of a burnt prairie, for five days without food, when they succeeded in getting across the Missouri river into clay county, where they were for a short time, permitted to stay in peace;-when, in 1836, threats of violence again begaa [began] to be made, public meetings to be held, resolutions were passed, and our affairs again assumed a gloomy and a fearful attitude, and vengeance and destruction was threatened; and, as the authorities of Jackson county would not protect us in the enjoyment of our inalienable]rights, so it was in this; and, after much violence we were again driven, suffering the loss of property
(page 514) |
