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Show vrS 70- - n f- - EXPONENT.. .w .... sinking "Do what is right," etc , adjourned until .Saturday at 10 a. m. Benediction was pronounced by President " Batheheba W. Smith. K. B. Vkm,s, Sec. A. W. Cannon, Sec. pro tern.".' Lonter-enc- BRIEF. HISTORY. OF e FAMOUS WOMAN. This sketch of Sister Pratt, wife of Elder of Parley P. Pratt, is only a hundredth part what might be written of any one of our sisters who have helped to lay the foundation of woman's work in the Church and who are entitled to a representation in the annals of history. President Young gave this mission to the editor of the Woman's ExroNKNT, "Write the lives of. the noble women who with their, husbands, helped to t build up Zion." The Woman's already contains many short notices of women whose lives of devotion to the cause of truth and righteousness are an example to the daughters of Zion, and whose names "should be known and held in honorable re- it 1 i T wrote to my sisters. bey uiougru i must be crazy. All opposed me. an in.n fcould do was to continually cry to the Lord- - I was baptized in Boston one day.in , , ,1.1 ih ihp. .nd to t. ..... be broken and was held baok with poles while I went in, I think it was near the last of March, 1813; do not know the exact date. I was so conversant with the scriptures, that with the testimony of the Spirit Iknew the doctrine preached by the' Eiders I very much wished I could was true. gather with tlie Saints at Nauvoo. "In the Spring of 1814 there were quite and a number of the Elders from the branch there in Boston was quite large. Parley P. Pratt, Erastus Snow, Georgs J. Adams and others wsre there; I did not mingle much with the Saints because of th 1 1 I f j - had to encounter. "In the month of June eight of the twelve apostles came east to electioneer for Joseph Smith for President of the United States. They were Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff. Lyman Wight and others I do not remember. "An elder invited Brigham Young to membrance. Editor. come to see me. He came, and I tcld hTm Belinda Marden Pratt was born in ChiI'was about to go on a visit for some weeks chester, Merrimack County, New HampHe said, in the country to. see relatives. shire, on December 24th, 1810. She was "when you go, go to the clerk of the branch, the seventh daughter and fourteenth child a letter of recommendation, and I of her parents John Marden and Rachel get will call and see you again.' This was in Shaw Marden. for the Twelve He did not call Her parents were strictly moral, and July.news of the death ofagain, and Hyrum Joseph members ef the Congregational Church. got and made immediate arrangements Her father died just before she reached the Smith, to go home to Nauvoo. Her mothage of fourteen, aged sixty-one- . "1 went according to the counsel of Pre?- er lived to the age of eighty-three- . ident Young, fearing and trembling. I did Her father had a. large farm, orchard know what I was going to do, or how I and garden. A large ifnd roomy house, and not could live under the pressure, for all my geveral barns. He was selectman of the to wn I could do was and looked after the poor, bringing some of relatives were so bitter, all them to live in a part of his house during to' pray continually to the 'Lord, ":and He surely .heard my prayers. the winter season. I went to the clerk for my letter of reeom- Being of a bright and cheerful dispoendation although I could not see what good sition, and the pet of the family, Belinda it would do to it when I was just going spent a happy childhood. Her brothers and on a visit. Butgetto be ebedient to counsel sisters married one bj one. until she was left the only child at home except an invalid I went. Now see God's hand! While the brother. One sister married a Potter, Eunice clerk was writing Lyman Wight who stood married a Procter, and Lydia a minister by by said privately "Why don't you you go to the name of Kimbalf. After her father's Nauvoo'?L I said: "How can I?'' death she waf lonely, and, desiring more He said: "We, that is the twelve' start education than she could get in her native; in the morning. You can go with us.' town, she went to live with her sister Lydia I said: "I could not start for the counKimball, in Nashua, New Hampshire, where she attended schooir Loiter she moved to try till the next day after," I said too, "I should not have money to go so long a jourBoston. She Wivo continually seeking to know ney." Lyman 'Wight finally told me In the Name of theLord, God of Israel, If I would which religious creed was right, never feelI ing assured that those denominations with go would never see the day I would be sorry. I said I would go, ife told me there which she was acquainted were right. The following is from a letter written by was a sister in Utica, New York, he thought would help me toniohey for .my herself: journey. He would go there if he could, if not. he "In the winter of 1843 a friend and He gave me her adwere attracted by a hand bill stating that would write to her.dress. I a Mormon Preacher would hold three meet-iug- s got my letter of recommendation; went heme and began my preparations to in the Roylston Hall, not having anything to hinder us we went iri io hearhim. The go. I sent for my eldest brother, thinking Elder waa at prayer and such a remarkable to confiie in him, but when he came I made prayer. We stood iu "the aisle till he finished some other reason for wishing to see him. I think the light of Heaven rested down for the Spirit whispered that if I told a livupon meV for the joy and peace I experienced ing soul I would be hindered. I had to start were inexpressible. We attended the three North instead of West, to visit my relative meetings morningafternoon and evening. as .some accompanied me to the depot and I had an over whelming testimony that wdiat waited until the train started , When I he preached was true, "and was so rejoiced iound myself alone at the first station, I that I seemed to myself :ligit as air, as ordered my trunk and told the conductor though my feet scarcely touched the ground . 1 would have to go back to Boston. This scripture came to my mind, 'My sheep Took the next train ' starting west hear my. voice and they follow me, and anhad not the least other they will net follow.' compunction of conscience or one thought that I was doing Exi-onkn- - ; . - 1$44, - - at u one , o WV" o ciock p. u mo- - K an in.' I started in a second class train thinking- to save money by it. but a drunken man was so insulting I wa obliged to call the conductor and get on a first class car and pay full price. Mass.,. and staid I reached Springfield, At seven in .the over night at morning started for Utica, arriving about seven in the evening, took a carriage and drove to, Sister Monroe's, as Brother Wight had directed. He had written to her 'aiking her to help me to means to pursue my journey I found her and her daughters to Nauvoo. and sisters- a very agreeable family, and we had a night of rejoicing. Sister Monroe was a widow and had no immediate means; I told her I was a dressmaker, and she found me plenty of work. I made dresses and satchels for two months, and ,then her sister, afterwards Mrs. Ruth Reese Kimball, and I started on our journey nlonc about fifteen hundred miles to I need not say we had many adNauvoo. ventures, traveling as we were alone without a protector, and some people traveling along were not very pleasant ones, but the Great Father protected us and we accomplished our journey in safety arriving in Nauvoo the lat of September. It was midnight when the boat on which we were traveling touched the landing at Nauvoo. James Monroe, a brother to Ruth Reese, s came for us and escorted us to Sister who was a sister to Ruth. I soon found employment at dressmaking and many kind, friends. President Young welcomed me and blessed me. In my mind I had accepted all th? revelations of God, plural marriage included, but on account of the sayings and doings of seme of the brethren and sister I sufTered the temptations of Satan to nearly overcome me so far that I thought I would have nothing to do with it, I mean celestial marriage. A good sister where I, was staying called in President Young to talk to me. He instructed me in the principle, and desiring with all my heart to understand the truth, I testify that the Holy Spirit of God rested down upon me, and it was made plain to my understanding that it was a divine principle, and with' great joy of heart I accepted it and never frohi that time to this, 1889, has there been a doubt in my mind concerning it. I was sealed to Parley P. Pratt on or about the 20th of November, 1844, in one of the rooms of the house of Erastus" Snow. I was sealed to a good man of the first Apostles of this dispensation by President Brigham Young for time and all eternity. There was but one witness, Elder Erastus - 1 my-se- lf July 22, nac for. aotel. Nc-Jivo- opposition ment, .hut ng u au never doubted ; j ' j j ! j Claw-son'- . Snow. On or about the first, of December, t was appointed and set apart for a mission to the Eastern States to take cafe Mr-Prat- of the Church in the Atlantic States, as I was without home pr relatives in this part of thecpuntrj he wished me toJollow him. I will not attempt to tell the joy that filled my heart. I had never expected to have so great a privilege. He gave me means to go, and accordingly I started a day or two after he did. After arriving at St. Louis I went on the same boat with him to Pittsburg, and Wheeling, Virginia. J From there we crossed the Alleghany Mountains by . |