The language of Ruth is expressive of the desires of God's people in all ages. "Thy people is my people, and their God is my God, and where thou goest I will go, and where thou lodgest I will lodge." Her sister Orpah could forego the society of saints and the ordinances of God sooner than part with her native country and kindred. A portion of Lot's family saw no wisdom in the _gathering_ until it was too late. Sir, the _gathering_ is the great universal national _preacher_ of the last days. It speaks in trumpet tones out of every nation where it has been commenced. As birds retire before a storm, and fowls before the darkness of night, so the multitudes that go out by sea and land is a practical warning that cannot be mistaken by those that remain. The nations wonder at the spectacle of such multitudes going out of their midst under the warning voice of Jehovah, and are ready to cry out, who are these that fly as clouds and as doves to their windows? Who are these Latter-day Saints? What is their doctrine, and whither are they fleeing? The sound of the gathering goeth into all the earth. The fear and dread of approaching calamities take possession of the nations. The righteous are being withdrawn apart, in order that the Almighty may stretch out his chastening hand, and inflict his sore judgment upon rebellious nations. There is no room to mistake the faith and sincerity of those whose gathering together is without a parallel for magnitude of enterprise. The Israelites performed a journey that might have been compassed in about forty days, but the Latter-day gathering brings sons and daughters from the ends of the earth. The great design of Jesus in bringing the righteous to _unity_ of faith and the knowledge of God, is wonderfully facilitated by bringing the righteous together in one place. The ancient Jews were taught of God to build up Jerusalem as a place of _gathering_; and those whose circumstances forbid them to locate there, either from political or agricultural interests, were required to visit Jerusalem at least three times a year, where they could interchange hospitalities and friendships, and contract matrimonial alliances, &c. Also, in addition to these facilities of union, their baptisms were to be performed in the national font; their marriage rites, and records of genealogy, were to be performed and deposited in the archives of the great Temple of the Lord at Jerusalem.