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Show 69 WOMAN'S EXPONENT. Few men ,so incessantly' and earn estly for the' accomplishment of such a grand and glorious purpose as the savjng of poor fallen hu-fmanity?. And as his prophetic voice was raised nd loud in 'proclaiming the glorious princi lon ples of salvation to the nations' of the earth while in the flesh, so, also, will his works and teachings, left on record, speak as w'itfrthe yoice of thunder to those whom he has- - left behind. will leavean Such, a work as he has indelible. impression;upon those who have heard him in life. It needs no special exertion on our him in remembrance, for although he .has filled his earthjy down an earthly form, his work among, the people of God will never die, and may it always be kept green among his family by pleasant gatherings like the , present. Again, his great mind was constantly-exercisenot only in relation to the salvation of the livingr ' but also the of the lateParley P. hung the life size portraits and Orson, painted by the artist, Lorus Pratt. Adthe sha.de of the gracejoining the lawn, arid under ful poplars, a table, joo feet long, was spread with the bounties of life fn great profusion, and flowers decorated the board. The life size lfkenessesof aU:aeh-end ""Parley P. afrd.Orson, whiph were arranged of the. table, seemed to be looking on the scene with satisfactory approbation. The coat of arms of the Pratt family, nicely executed with the the pen by Valton Pratt, hung conspicuously on wall of the house. Aboul3 p.m. the whole ass em- tablend-after-g- fi bly took seats at the s by Prest. A. Giver of these bountiful-blessingM. Cannon,. regaled themselves with the tempting!' v!andsfwliicl were profusely provided for the oc- casion. After dinner the company repaired to the lawn, and were called to order by Elder Milando : Pratt, and the followjng programme rendered Opening hymn, "Lo, the Gentile chain is broken.".. Prayer by Elder Parley P. Pratt. The following opening address, written by Elder Laron Milando Pratt:" Pratt, was read have-labore- c -- -was-here - -- mission-and'-laid- ' d . by-Eld- d . SALVATION er OF THE DEAD; . , - those who had. died without acknowledge of the Gospel. So earnestly did he wish to secure to 'them all'eternal life in 'the presence of their Hea venly Father, lint' lie" spent 'c'onsiderable.'lhne n helping to compile a l ook of records of Brethren, Sisters and Friends: have been called upon to make, the opening s address interesting occasion, I am very, much pleased to see before me so large a gather-in- "' of relatives and friends, and in the name of the family I bid you a hearty welcome, and hope I on-thi- the-Prat- t its branches containing over 3000 can now trace our names. From this record-w- e and feelingwilL kindly joyVthankfulness, i peace, "1 neagerwi t hHts numerous brarrches -- sorh this characterize gathering. years. During the; latter part of his lifetime he seto and is It profitable very good, very pleasant lected most of these names and then called upon have such famdy reunions, wherein we can interhis family and relations in this terriiory to perform and remembrances, change thoughts, ."greetings certain ordinances in the house of the Lord for and . these deceased ancestors and friends; thus open RENEW OLD ASSOCIATIONS, ing to them their prison doors "in the spirit a that I such and hope to see many world. gatherings, disseminate affection and love But he was far from doing all he intended. He may feeling of has left this ununited work for his sons and among us, and bring us" into still closer relations of kinship. daughters, his relations and connections to con We meet y to celebrate an occasion which tinue until it is accomplished. Should we not be conshould be to us a pleasant memory, and to proud to labor in this noble work which is al and all we loved whom one verse of esteemed, ready planned, out for us? We should wake up to who filled the measure of his creation and has the necessity of bestirring ourselves in ihe matter, and unite as one in such a glorious purpose. We gone hence to render an account of his doings here in the flesh, and to continue the good work in must remember that life is short, and we were not a higher sphere. born to Waste away our time in idle pleasures. Our "father, relative and friend. Orson Pratt, Our Heavenlv Father gave us mortal existence h are we whose seventy-sixtfor a little season to see what use" we will make of birthday anniversary alloted of the lived to man, being age celebrating, it, and if we do good we will be worthy of a a few days over 70 years of age when he died.. but ifwe throw away our opporiuniiies, then He was a man of humble mien, possessed of great our chance of eternal be commensurate therewith. intelligence and many sterling qualities of heart, ' the most conspicuous among which was his ; ; My brothers and sisters, let us be staunch integr ty and valiant, unflinching defense FAITHFUL, EARNEST AND VALIANT of the principles of the Gospel which he advoca" i rT t he good vork7 le t u s be jr.Ue d wi t h love' a rid ted. Fifty years of hTs life were given to the proaffection for one another; treat one another with mulgation of the principles of truth. Earthly to were as him. honors and ambitions The consideration and kindness, being charitable in nothing glittering bauble ofworldly wealth had no attrac-tio- u all things, aud follow the illustrious example set before 'us by our father and friend, that our minds compared to the beauty and glory of human may be filled with the light and intelligence of the from the path he had chosen. He was a friend to Spirit of God, and when our earthly career is all humanity in the fullest sense, when the spiritual look back over our lives with satisended condition of mankind was "concerned. His confaction and glorify God therefor. stant thought was how to elevate his fellow beings May the Spirit of God rest upon you, that.your and fit them for a more exalted plan of usefulness. joys and pleasures may be unbounded this day, in His heart was set upon doing the greatest amount the name of Jesus. Amen. of good to the greatest number, and performing a Song, Miss Viola B. Pratt ; Recitation, Ortherus grand and glorious work for the salvation of the Pratt; Violin Solo, Prof. Willard Weihe; Duet, sons and daughters ' of God. From the time he Mrs. Ethelmina Pratt and daughter Maud; Reciwas a youth of nineteen until he was taken from tation, Miss Ruth Eldredge; Song, with guitar our midst, accompaniment, Mrs.- Lizzie Fell; Music, harHE LABORED INCESSANTLY AND HUMBLY monicas and guitar, Valton'and Samuel Pratt aad for the welfare of mankind . His mind was wholly W a e r M us s e r ; Son g, I i s s C a r i bell R id ges ; devoted to accomplishing the purposes of God, as Maori Song, Milson R. Pratt; Ouartetr, Libbie,. he understood them, and he went forth without Viola and Mathoni Pratt, and Wm. Bailey. Appurse or scrip and traveled very extensively on sea propriate and encouraging remarks were made, and land, spreading the Gospel of life to many naand interspersed throughout the programme, by tions of the earth, prophesying, of the things that President D. H. Wells, President A; M. Cannon, were' coming to pass and of the destruction that Elders A. M. .MusserVilliam Willis with song, would overtake the wicked and corrupt. Alma Pratt, and Sisters EV R. Snow Smith, Zina - family and 6-- 300 . . . -- : to-da- v bet-lif- life-wil- v we-ca- - 1 1 1 e: D. II. Young, Presendia L. Kimball and others. The following Tribute to Orson Pratt was then read: .' - 7;' ';. A --- TRIBUTE TO ORSON PRATT. To The Committee on D e a r B r e h r e N' : t -- . Invitation: j r h e r e b y acknowledge the receipt of an invitation to attend the commemoration of, the birthday of Orson Pratt (deceased) by his numerous family and many friends, to take place on the 19th inst. I regret being be unable to present on that occasion, previous arrangements having been made to db vicarious work for the dead of my father's house, in Logan Temple. It would have gratied me much to have participated with you In the celebration of the natal day of so great. and good a man as Orson Pratt a man who did honor to the names of Husband, Father andArosTLE. He was a pro found student of nature. ' He attained the dazzling iie.i2;ht in thejealms of mathematics to which but 'few men ascend in any one generation.' He was no less profound'in his acquirements of divine knowledge, as his many works abundantly attest His logical acumen, and unusual mental powers, were brought to bean in.Jucid reasoning to portray and "establish the faith " and doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints in so masterly a manner, that many thousands of the disci pleJiLihat faith, owe their conversion, to the truth to his earnest and extensive labors at home and abroad. By divine inspiration, he has left an impress upon this generation that wilL not. be effaced. He hasTleft behimTHnTchoice memories, that will live in the recollections of a host of veterans in the great cause of humanity," and a name and fame that will survive the loftiest monu' ments of the world. Yours fraternally, - , 7 Geo. G. Bywater. ; . Sept. 17, 18S7. At about sundown the benediction was pronounced by Elder Joseph Bull, after vhich the lawn was beautifully illuminated with engine head light lamps set at each end of the lawn, and the younger members of the various families, enjoyed n arlHifinn thpmsplvpn in f hp rnmn anr! flanrp -- to the accomodations,alreadyUnentioned.for the'pleasure of the gathering, there were nicely ar ranged croquet, grounds, swings, two large tents pitched, etc., etc., throughout the "garden and orchard, and the children; from the babies upward, enjoyed themselves immensely. Before his death, the late Apostle Orson Pratt was very fastidious about having family reunions, and one was contemplated and arranged to take place immediately following the October Confer ence, in the year in which he died, and so anxious was he about its taking place, that he did not want it deferred should he himself be unable to attend, or should he pass away. But he died on the 3rd of October, iSSi, and his funeral was held at the commencement of the conference, therefore the family did not feel like holding the reunion so soon after his demise, and it was postponed. Following is a brief account of the ancestry of the illustrious Apostles. Parley P.. and Orson very-muc- h 1 Pratt: About the year 1632, Leiut. Wm. Pratt and his reputed brother, John, came from the parish of Stevenage, in Hertfordshire, England. It is supposed they, fiFst came to Cambridge, Mass., in 1632, or previously. They afterwards settled at, Hartford, in 1636. William sold his land in Hartford about 1645, and removed to Say- brook, where he became a large land holder. It appears, from the records of the State and other sources, that he was a man of no inconsiderable note in the colony, as he" represented the town of Saybrook in the General Assembly of the Legisla-ture some twenty-thre- e sessions, up to the year of r his decease.1, ' |