The Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt: One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Embracing His Life, Ministry, and TravelsPratt, Parley P. (Parley Parker)
Religion
The Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt: One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Embracing His Life, Ministry, and Travels
Pratt, Parley P. (Parley Parker)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Apostles -- Biography; Pratt, Parley P. (Parley Parker), 1807-1857
They boldly inquire of "His Holiness" "where's Peter's salary! crown!
title! palace, etc.? where his dictations of political government?"
They then inform him that Peru is a free and independent sovereignty,
and will not be dictated to by any foreign power whatsoever. They refer
"_His Holiness_" to Simon Magus, who wished to purchase the gift of
God with money. Remind him and the public how much it has cost certain
other governments to purchase remission of sins for similar offenses,
and inquire how much poor erring Peru will have to pay to His Holiness
for the remission of the great sins she has committed in giving her
citizens the liberty to worship as they please; and to _marry, die and
be buried_ in such manner as seemeth to them good.
Such writings have a wide circulation in Peru, and are popular,
but are also opposed by lengthy replies and defenses on the part of
the more orthodox clergy. All these things go to show that the
press, as well as the mind, is beginning to exert its freedom in
the countries where, for three centuries, all intellect has slept,
and all freedom of thought been _crushed--buried_--under the
incubus of the horrid institutions of the great Mother of
Abominations.
Should Peru sustain her liberties, a field is opened in the heart of
Spanish America, and in the largest, best informed and most influential
city and nation of South America, for the Bible, the Book of Mormon,
and the fullness of the Gospel to be introduced.
Four-fifths, or perhaps nine-tenths of the vast population of Peru, as
well as of most other countries of Spanish America, are of the _blood
of Lehi_. 'Tis true they are degraded. Civilization is at a low ebb;
and modesty and virtue, in the sense they are understood among the more
polished nations, may hardly exist among them, even in idea. Yet Jesus
came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. The whole
need no physicians, but those who are sick.
New Granada has also revolutionized in favor of the same great
principles of liberty; while the revolution in Northern Mexico, and
other movements of a like nature in other parts, all go to show
that a door is opening more wide than can be filled very soon
_in the Spanish language_, unless God shall raise up (as in
England) thousands of native teachers of the fullness of the
Gospel.
I had much desire to go to Peru at this time; but an empty purse
and imperfect tongue, which has only barely begun to stammer in
that language, together with the want of books or the means to
print them, with other circumstances, all combined to cause me to
wait a little till I could study the language more fully; while, in
the meantime, I return to where I can communicate more fully with
the Church at home, with the various missions on the islands and
with my family, for whom I must do something as speedily as
possible, if God will open my way.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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