| Show by elder ro P P pratt boweres cowel bowel v sunday Morn morning ingy insy june 29 1856 REPORTED BY J Y V loma LOMG brethren and si sisi st rs it is av wih wib il h no ordinary feelings of jev jet add odd ank sivi siki s that I 1 have bave the thi pi vi avile liege e of agan aban before you in a 1 goi go 1 dree dugree digree ree of h b 1 1 1 h I 1 ihne I 1 have beer als as it t some five weeks on a assion m assion throb through gt the southern settlements many of you will wili av ill lil remember that I 1 had been I 1 viry vry low with sickness previous to my ni v d par oar tare and I 1 thank god this oay gay that I 1 b bave have lve ive in a great measure recovered my say health and i si sl t 11 1 chaie ha ahad had a good visit among the saints thron cho who gho it the south from here herp to washington county count v distal P miles the hot weather preva prevailing gitig south sout h winds and the dust rendi yes jur aur raveling hat it dis i ree able abie and fd fa r csinsi nevertheless I 1 have hay e enjoyed myse lf I 1 f the saints among whom we ave have lab iab labar vr reprieved ree rec rived ua us with hospitality the best they aver avey capable of they could have done no better if angels f from rom heaven had visited them and I 1 feel to bless tb in for it I 1 wiil will I 1 il say a i ord urd about the crops and the i lu as ii litty ry ity of the people south as I 1 presume you ar arp ail all a anxious on that subject I 1 know of no por for f r c ilar dar draw back in in any large portion of ta sinie siUle ments menis in the way oi of crops iu tia are lair lat latr r in the souli boub than here the cla cia in being 0 t lit little ile ilc colder but in every set rt r 0 t a pec liar ilar lar jar spirit of industry chadic 1 te tei ji j a the t lle lie sai ssi sl i 1 s they seem to strain ei e ry ne neive ve to put in crops and to take care of th in 3 ad aa avith with some few except exception io s in small places there is every prospect of tood ehod crops good j a ens and good aidin gi ain aln ano and I 1 hope with avith the t of the lord Loid that the th people in these d stant shant regions wil will be able to protace ice sufficient summie wiit for fm themselves and those who are coming tha season and I 1 thank the most of them will take cre c re of it if we do the same and all the other settlements we will be enabled to live and to en eni I able those or of our brethren to in li e who may come cowe to us I 1 bound it true as our president deit delt said th s spring that there was four tour times the desi desh tullon tulion til tul lon ion in this city that there was out of ofil it when I 1 armed arrived as far as nephi and from froen that onward south I 1 heard of but very little sc se ircia but very little want but they all I 1 keemp to have enough to eat and occasional occasionally ly sr s r P to spare snare vare I 1 these few things for your tour comfort s e are one body and rejoice e in each oth is I 1 would also mention that a good spirit the spirit of union aind 0 rid tid peace eins ems generally to prevail so far as I 1 could tell and as ds to myself i b i 0 3 enjoyed myself well and felt a good for fur i of the spit it during my ministry in the B i ii a and a iid ild I 1 feel f pi to thank my heavenly father f a aj 1 these thinus things m I 1 hive hise h ive ise beer been nd led to reflect in viewing the lity city of the people and the extent to u tt lr ai h they can endi endt endure ire lre and suffer for the sake of 0 h ra e religion I 1 have been led to reflect tipon ebe ehe power of the gospel the ordinances L for this people and the spirit re c CP VP i in connection therewith 1 TC ue people inquire after miracles and signs a 4 son wonders sonders von ders aers I 1 will wiil mention one sign and wonder and miracle that I 1 have reflected upon oi of 1 te fe it i is very public and before the eyes of anis people and hence I 1 have pleasure in referring to td it rt it is this here are a people congregated in the capacity of civil and religious governments in the e valleys of utah made up of almost all natios nafi nati ois s and languages j comparatively speaking 0 or r of many nations having brought with i iltem a variety of manners and cumins cuzins customs as we nye I 1 as many peculiar opinions and nationalities ali ail tips ties and these religiously speaking they have been gathered out from almost every sect an and erd er cred d under heaven leaven or at least aror maly maby of them A miracle mirac le a sign and a i woi ain air tr is this how came ib th s when found among all nations and languages and religions I 1 say how holar came they to be made one not that all are in one but so far as they are and if any body bordy doubts this being a miracle a sign or wonder what we ask of themes th jems to produce produce A lt same if they can y I 1 an anybody body needs a miracle this is one ofte for a oo 00 has any person or I 1 might sa say y have I 1 power upon natural principles princles by ll 11 r own w wisdom iscom and power to take people of w fl nations and languages and tongues li bis customs and religions and unite them lo jin 10 one common band civil and religious and 0 then govern them in a great measure as a unit I 1 ask have they the power I 1 would like to see it tried somewhere eithern therin ei kansagor kansas or in some S part art of the united states jS tates or elsewhere if the jie jae u union nion which exists in in utah cannot be effected by ot fiers and elsewhere with similar materials then all must acknowledge 11 e a miraculous power exis existing and operating in these valleys A great many throughout the nations learned men philosophers philosophers rulers those that have bt s idled lulled t the e science of government would fain inquire by what means or power this miracle is accomplished over so many conflicting elements well sup suppose ose we ave touch upon a little key or give a clue to it for the benefit of those to whom it was and is a mystery and also for our own satisfaction then in the first place we say that it is by fhe the power 0 and keys of the holy hold priesthood and the ordinances and spirit ther thereof eor this people composed of diverse na nations i eions tongues habits and religions have have all been baptized by one spirit into one body so far fa s they have in all honesty ho nesy repented repent pd and ano been baptized they have all received a portion of the holy spirit of promise by the laying on of the hands of the priesthood in the name of jesus jesua and they tiley have one lord one faith one lad lid pt m and oio 01 oi holy 8 Ski sri kit tand and oe god and aud it r of all is AS AL was 6 did said by the it mut writer in rela reia rel alon aion on to the ancient saints Is there power in the priesthood as there was ancient anciently restora we say the priesthood has been restored by the ministration of angels to h 0 smith ai il I 1 ohi othi i q and ard and col coi confirmed firmed and u upon the heads beads of others by that same authority by him alid aud the word of the lord through him Is there power in it RIP if not how came this people le to be concentrated and united after tep beep being eing gathered out of many many jarring elements from the united states and from europ europe althou although h they are very f far dr from being perfect in this union p yet we ave say that by the power of the ordinances and by the pov pol er of he tiie spirit that ac accompanies compani es the or ordinances i nances bances this great miracle has been done in the name of jesus christ we take instance a presbyterian and methodist a r a baptist and an Li infidel fidel as they are call cal d or whatever name union uhlon or creed beuic belong to and on their profession profession of reformation and faith in jesus christ arist we bury them in the water in the name of jesus for the remission of sins they rise again out of the water in newness of life eife that ia is with a fixed purpose of leading a new life and after receiving receiving instruction at the hands of the authorized authorizes th thorl zed priesthood we lay our hands upon them accompanied with prayer in the name of jesus christ for the gift of the holy ghost and if they do not receive that spirit you may know that they have not obeyed this gospel from the heart I 1 was there any power in the ordinances anciently in the ordinances of god administered by proper authority and is there power now lot let us look at it for a few moments moses being about to depart from his great responsibilities in the midst ofF Israel laid his hands upon joshua by the word of the lord after this joshua was filled with the spirit of god and of his calling his works in leading israel into the promised land and there defending them and settling them according to the word of the lord go to show that he not only received a boim under the hands of moses but he actually received the power and spirit of that foi fol faiia in saul said king of israel was anointed by the direction li of the word of the lord under the hands of a prophet literally anointed when he ii as a young man to be kin king 0 over israel ile he was a poor inexperienced young man and probably knew no in more 0 re of impy inspiration atlon than other youths youtha but soon after nis his his anointing the philistines made war against israel and would not make peace only oa on condition tha thal that every man of isi Is I 1 ael would consent to lose his right ea e e saul on hearing of these humiliating proposals felt the power of his anointing the spirit of god came mightily upon tipon him lie he raised an army conquered the haughty foe and saved his country but by and bye this man saul so far trans gressed grossed that the word of the lord came to him lim through sar Sal saumel nuel the same that anointed him and sad bad the kingdom is rent from thee and given to t 0 thy neighbor who is better than thou art and after that he did not have the spirit of the lord to guide him and shortly after ater that he got into trouble with the philistines whose armies were placed in battle array against him tam I 1 have mentioned these circumstances to show you that there is power in tb the e ordinances of the almighty when administered by y authority tho rity there are a great many other circumstances but I 1 name these few feve to illustrate the question under consideration well was avas there coaver in the ordinances of the kingdom when administered by jose joseph h smith we say there is power in all that he E e did well he ordained men to be apostles and prophets and elders and they went forth to administer in the sacred ordinances of the house of god and I 1 ask is there power in their administration if not how came these americans here and britons abd irishmen and Scotch men and danes and french and more nations than my memory will serve to name coming together as a unit scarcely anything occurring to mar their happiness you do not hear a man say that he lie isa dane or an englishman or of any peculiar nation but iut losin losing L his nationality and all blending into one mass with a united heart to build up the kingdom of our god and to become one great reat nation americans to be sure if you ads wish to call ul it so as it is in that country how came this to be if there is no power in the modern priesthood and in the modern ordinances As I 1 said before if any body disputes this power being with us will they set us a similar example leave out their nationalities and the variety of jarring politics and our political predispositions and ani prejudices lre ire leave that out of f consideration and I 1 just come to the advantages and disadvantages in our traditions that have come down from our fathers and are now held sacred by us so much so that I 1 heard a person who was brought up in new hampshire say ight that he grew up in the world amon among 9 all the jarring of politics and to use his own 1 language 61 1 I was wa brought up to believe that my fath lath father ir was right in cioth both religion and politics y what was he says bays L 0 he was a whig in politics ics acs y and a congregation congregationalist alart in religion reri glon gion 7 and says he ie 11 was so glad that father my av was as so lucky ia both aa to be night right what is atho th ejof of says 1 I that your fa faaea her was right fight in both why the prof AS is he was my father and 1 therefore ho he must be right in both his religion I 1 and politics for my father could not be wrong wrongs well fortunately or unfortunately we ave have ill dh b 1 i i f ih h i i I 1 cf lff i s because the they v are oar lat tat hil hii s uhl h v he hp bt in politas s and religion no matter watter la itter ilter which it is sach such ur ucb b has been our strong prejudice with reference to our fathers I 1 well weil now how do we stand now have we ave I 1 got rid of all this how came we to have one I 1 faith ont oin loii loll d and lid iid one bd pista ami wid 0 ie boly buly as it is in a great meas meus ire this day I 1 probably there may be few exceptions persons nho who have got the opposite spirit like saul when the lord rejected him through rebellion how came this to be as I 1 said f lefor before e when we ave turn from our errors aej and sins as well as we cai eat how is this we cowe come io to iward ivard ivan we see our sins with vilh honest hearts deer mii mil ed to do right 7 in jesus carst iha 1 some apostle or elder that had received tho priesthood through the ministration of josel josei jose JOSG h smith or that grew out of his administration took us and buried ns us in the wafers baptist in it the name of jesus christ for the vie remission of sins and we ave then resolve to iid lid a new neav life it expresses a covenant wh ahr they said it in so many words or nut they promised aromi sed to lead a nellif e then just as so soc n as they could receive sufficient instruction the elders laid their hands upon them in the naine of jesus christ and they could receive th thair ir blessings and the elders confirmed upon them the gift ot the holy ghost and the power thereof and by and by many many others were ordained to holy and important callings aid were anointed to take par part I 1 in I 1 n the work and partake of the power of the holy priesthood after the order of the son of god and it is this power that unites mutes us together in one the world worlds do not believe this I 1 am aware I 1 it is really bho feo long since I 1 was among the sectarian world teat trat I 1 had almost forgotten that I 1 was a sectarian of any kind anh an d that I 1 was a political part izan of any kind I 1 have been so long removed from those scenes which characterise charac terise the numerous parties of the world I 1 had bad almost forgotten whether there was a whig or democratic party or whether parties existed I 1 say I 1 had almost forgotten whether I 1 ever belonged any sect or party parly and I 1 had almost forgotten my nationality it is true that I 1 do not speak a different language from what I 1 did in the world but I 1 had almost forgotten that but I 1 feel that I 1 am atwith with the priesthood and with all good men I 1 am one with avith them to be used nationally politically morally and religiously to hold ia list st our faith to build up a rig righteous leous people from froin every country to preach and and establish ri piteousness and ani and union and peace to all people e in in ever every country for the benefit of all nien nieu that w win il obey it without regard to persons well now low bow this so far as I 1 can tell it in a few words f Is s th the e great secret or one secret out of the great mystery or rather one mystery out of another which exists in the minds of the people that do not know it how is it this people tha thre tare come up of so many parties and tongues and people and creeds are measurably become one in f faith aith and spirit and what is further to increase in them this oneness |
