14. And let him also reserve unto himself for his own wants, and for the wants of his family, as he shall be employed in doing this business. 15. And thus I grant unto this people a privilege of organizing themselves according to my laws. 16. And I consecrate unto them this land for a little season, until I, the Lord, shall provide for them otherwise, and command them to go hence; 17. And the hour and the day is not given unto them, wherefore let them act upon this land as for years, and this shall turn unto them for their good. 18. Behold, this shall be an example unto my servant Edward Partridge, in other places, in all churches. 19. And whoso is found a faithful, a just and a wise steward, shall enter into the joy of his Lord, and shall inherit eternal life. 20. Verily, I say unto you, I am Jesus Christ, who cometh quickly, in an hour you think not. Even so. Amen. Footnotes 1. This earthquake in China is a matter of some interest in connection with the history of the church, since it was the means of bringing Simonds Ryder, a somewhat noted preacher of the Campbellite faith, into the Church. According to _Hayden's History of the Disciples on the Western Reserve_ (a Campbellite book), Mr. Ryder was much perplexed over "Mormonism," and for a time was undecided whether to join the Church or not. "In the month of June," (1831) writes Mr. Hayden, "he read in a newspaper an account of the destruction of Pekin in China, and he remembered that six weeks before, a young 'Mormon' girl had predicted the destruction of that city." J. H. Kennedy, in his _Early Days of Mormonism_ (Scribner's & Sons, 1888), refers to the same thing, and adds: "This appeal to the superstitious part of his nature was the final weight in the balance and he threw the whole power of his influence upon the side of 'Mormonism.' His surrender caused an excitement almost equal to that which followed the fall of Rigdon," (pp. 103-4). It was doubtless this prophecy and the conversion connected with it that led the papers mentioned in the text to refer to it as "Mormonism" in China. The discrepancy in dates, Hayden and Kennedy referring to the published accounts of the events as appearing in June, and the Prophet making reference to it previous to the 7th of March, need cause no confusion. It will be seen that the Prophet alludes to it in connection with a number of other things as taking place "at this age of the Church"--a very indefinite reference as to the time in which a thing may have occurred. 2. Doctrine and Covenants, sec. 45.