| 821 eternal purposes of the great Jehovah must and will roll on,-the ancient prophecies must be fulfilled, and not one jot or tittle of his promises will fail.
The words of the angel to Joseph, "The work shall increase the more opposed, and spread wider and wider till it shall go forth to every nation and people under the whole heaven," have afforded me much consolation, when new trials have seemed to forbode the saints, and deep affliction and persecution have been their lot. Thus far have these words been fulfilled. Who could have thought fourteen years ago (unless aided by the spirit of prophecy) the church would have increased to its present number midst such discouragement and privations, having to contend with the bigotry and prejudice of this generation, the false reports that have been wafted on every breeze and every engine that could be employed to hinder the work?
I am happy to learn that all is union and peace at Nauvoo, and that evidences present themselves to show that God has not forsaken his church and people. Though there may arise men of corrupt minds and draw away some disciples after them, yet they, whose trust is in the Lord, shall be as Mount Zion, that cannot be removed; but abideth continually.
When I received intelligence of the death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, I felt that this was indeed a time of trial and sorrow to the saints. My mind was led to reflect upon the words of our Savior to his disciples upon another occasion, when he was about to be taken from them, and by wicked hands crucified and slain: Verily, verily, said he, ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice; and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy: ye now have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
I thought what must have been their feelings after having forsaken their worldly interest, their friends and their reputation; and after having awakened throughout Judea, the expectation, that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, to see their king thus triumphed over by his enemies, and finally overcome and put to death; all their prospects were now apparently cut off; for as yet they understood not the scripture that he must rise again. But soon their sorrow was turned into joy, when, lo! from the regions of glory an angel descended, rolled back the stone from the door of the sepulchre [sepulcher], and sat upon it; whose countenance was like lightning, and for fear of him did the keepers shake and became as dead men! Jesus burst the bands of death, and came forth triumphant from the tomb, clothed with immortality. He soon appeared to his disciples and said to them, all power is given to me in heaven and on earth: go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptising [baptizing] them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the world.
Now we do not sorrow as those without hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, they also which sleep in Christ, will God bring with him. Through him is preached unto us the resurrection from the dead.
I want to tell you a little about the situation of the people and churches in this place. The doctrine of Mr. Miller has gained considerable credence here. The consequence has been, division has taken place, and the churches to a considerable degree, broken up. This has looked to me a little like the beginning of the fulfilment [fulfillment] of a prophecy in the Book of Mormon, First book of Nephi, seventh chapter:-"For the time shall speedily come, that all churches that are built up to get gain, and all those that are built up to get power, over the flesh and to become popular, &c., must be brought low. They are they who need fear and tremble, and quake."
But what is more surprising, is, that people of sense and professing to have an understanding of the scriptures who have not fully embraced this theory, can see no reason why it should not be so; why the Lord should not immediately appear: they appear to have no firm foundation on which to rest. If I tell them that Israel must first be gathered according to the testimony of the prophets, I am told the Israel spoken of, is not the literal descendants of Abraham, but the true Israel of God; the gathering a spiritual gathering, and the prophecies to be fulfilled in the resurrection state.
Now Brother Taylor, if I should not trespass too much upon your patience, I have a request that you would publish in the Times and Seasons an article, pointing out clearly those prophecies, concerning the restoration of Israel, that are to be fulfilled literally, and previous to the coming of the Lord; and show the reasons why they are to be fulfilled literally, and the inconsistency of putting upon them a spiritual construction. I will give a few of my views upon the subject, but as I have to confine them within the small compass of a letter they must necessarily be few. And if my views are erroneous I wish to see them corrected.
I had supposed from the forty ninth-chapter of Isaiah, and other places that the Gentiles had something to do in this work; and I cannot
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