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
I awoke the next morning, and thought of my dream, but I was
necessitated, as I thought, to finish my fence and sow my crop
before I ceased to labor with my hands. I, therefore, continued to
make and haul rails from the woods. I perfected my fence and sowed
my crop, but I never reaped; I never saw the wheat after it was
more than three inches high.
CHAPTER XIII.
------------------------
Prosperity of the Church:--School in Zion:--
Revelation:--Mob:--Destruction of Printing Office:--Defence:--
Prisoners:--Journey to Lexington:--A Dream:--Its Fulfilment:--
Battle:--Defeat of the Robbers:--A Miracle:--Defence Construed
into Murder:--Gov. Boggs and Militia Join the Mob:--Church
Driven from the County:--Plunderings and Burnings:--Insurrections:--
Signs in the Heavens:--Action of the Governor:--Attorney-General
Driven from Court:--Refugees Settle in the North:--A Bandit Chief
made Governor.
It was now the summer of 1833. Immigration had poured into the
County of Jackson in great numbers; and the Church in that county
now numbered upwards of one thousand souls. These had all purchased
lands and paid for them, and most of them were improving in
buildings and in cultivation. Peace and plenty had crowned their
labors, and the wilderness became a fruitful field, and the
solitary place began to bud and blossom as the rose.
They lived in peace and quiet; no lawsuits with each other or
with the world; few or no debts were contracted; few promises
broken; there were no thieves, robbers, or murderers; few or no
idlers; all seemed to worship God with a ready heart. On Sundays
the people assembled to preach, pray, sing, and receive the
ordinances of God. Other days all seemed busy in the various
pursuits of industry. In short, there has seldom, if ever, been a
happier people upon the earth than the Church of the Saints now
were.
In the latter part of summer and in the autumn, I devoted almost
my entire time in ministering among the churches; holding meetings;
visiting the sick; comforting the afflicted, and giving counsel. A
school of Elders was also organized, over which I was called to
preside. This class, to the number of about sixty, met for
instruction once a week. The place of meeting was in the open air,
under some tall trees, in a retired place in the wilderness, where
we prayed, preached and prophesied, and exercised ourselves in the
gifts of the Holy Spirit. Here great blessings were poured out, and
many great and marvelous things were manifested and taught. The
Lord gave me great wisdom, and enabled me to teach and edify the
Elders, and comfort and encourage them in their preparations for
the great work which lay before us. I was also much edified and
strengthened. To attend this school I had to travel on foot, and
sometimes with bare feet at that, about six miles. This I did once
a week, besides visiting and preaching in five or six branches a
week.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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