| 507 was broken and the priesthood taken from them, whether or not there is any promise of its being restore in the last days; as the Latter day Saints testify has been the case? To this, gentle reader I most unhesitatingly respond the affirmative. The covenant must be renewed. Israel must yet become a kingdom of priests, on their native land. The prophet declares they shall be gathered, and that God will give them pastors after his own heart; also,-Isa. i. 26, "I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors [counselors] as at the beginning." Isaiah lxi. from the 4th to the 9th verse inclusive, prophesies that they shall repair, and rebuild their old waste cities that have been desolate for many generations. Verse 6 he says: "ye shall be named the priests of the Lord, men shall call you the ministers of our God." Verse 8. "I will direct their work in truth and will make an everlasting covenant with them:" also, chap. lxvi, he prophesies in the 19th and 20th verses, that God shall send his servants and gather them from all nations, and his glory shall rest upon them. He says, verse 21, "And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites saith the Lord."
Communications.
City of Nauvoo, August 4th 1841.
To the Editors of the Times and Seasons:
Dear Brethren:-Notwithstanding our mission to England has been published in various forms, I feel disposed to give a sketch of our proceedings in London and the regions round about. During a journey of about 200 miles from Manchester to London which was performed in a few days, Elders Smith, Woodruff and myself baptised [baptized] and confirmed 130 souls, and arrived in that city on the 18th of August 1840. We crossed the river Thames on London Bridge, and called on a Mr. Allgood in 19 King St. Borough, to whom we had a letter of introduction; we were received with kindness, and were directed by Mrs. Algood [Allgood] to a place of lodging where we took up our abode. We then went forth in the city visiting the Ministers and endeavoring to find a place to preach. We delivered our testimony to many of them who with one consent said "we have enough and need no more revelation;" thus fulfilling a prediction of the Book of Mormon, viz: "We have a Bible and need no more Bible." We continued in this manner more than two weeks before we found one person who would receive our testimony; in this situation we cried mightily unto the Lord that he would open some heart for the reception of his word, at length we were providentially directed to one Henry Connor, a silver smith, who Cornelius like, gladly received our testimony with all his household, and the old gentleman gave glory to God that we ever came under his roof; he went with us to Tabernacle Square, where, for the first time, we lifted up our voices in that city and that in the open air.
On our arrival at that place there was a gentleman preaching; after finishing his discourse another was about to take the stand, to whom I went & asked if he would let one of us preach as we were lately from America; he readily consented and proposed that we should preach first.-Accordingly, Elder Smith went forward and delivered a short discourse which had a very good effect. After this, the above mentioned gentleman proceeded; when he had concluded, I asked him to give out an appointment for us in the evening.-He then asked, "to what people do you belong?" I said, "to the Latter Day Saints." He then began ridiculing us, and said we were a bad people going about breaking up churches &c. He then urged us to leave the place, saying we don't want you here; the people then arose and said, they have as good a right here as you or any one else. I then arose upon a chair to give out an appointment, and a certain preacher steped [stepped] forward and pulled it from under me; but this, instead of proving an injury to us caused several to embrace the things spoken by us, who soon after were baptized, thus fulfilling the words of the Saviour [Savior], "you can do nothing against the truth, but for it.' Twenty three days after our arrival in that city, Elder Woodruff left for Herefordshire; we had at that time baptized but one. Elder Smith and myself continued preaching at that place, and also in a private room at Father Connors. Soon after we baptized 10 persons; we then organized a Church of 11 members, and ordained two Priests, viz: Father Connor, and Br. Cooper; many were believing and much inquiry.
We were under the necessity of leaving there the last of September to attend a Conference in Manchester on the 6th of
(page 507) |
