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 first see you, will know nothing about salvation by Jesus
Christ; you shall see a nation born in a day. A great work lies
before you, and the time is near when you must bid farewell to your
native land cross the mighty deep, and sound the tocsin of alarm to
other nations kindreds, tongues and people. Remember, that all your
hopes of deliverance from danger and from death will rest upon your
faithfulness to God; in His cause you must necessarily serve Him
with a perfect heart and a willing mind. Avoid strife and vain
glory; think not yourself better than your brethren, but pray for
them as well as for yourself; and if you are faithful, great will
be your blessings. But if you are not, your stewardship will be
taken from you and another appointed in your stead."
"Elder Pratt gave his hand to President O. Cowdery, and said he
had received ordination, and should fulfil the ministry according
to the grace given him; to which the President replied: 'Go forth,
and angels shall bear thee up, and thou shalt come forth at the
last day, bringing many with thee.'"
Thomas B. Marsh and Orson Pratt were absent on a mission. Elder
Marsh returned to Kirtland on the 25th of April, and Elder Pratt on
the 26th, and received their ordinations and blessing.
The following charge was given to the Twelve by President O.
Cowdery:
"Dear Brethren: Previous to delivering the charge, I shall read
a part of a revelation. It is known to you that, previous to the
organization of this Church, in 1830, the Lord gave revelations, or
the Church could not have been organized. The people of this Church
were weak in faith compared with the ancient. Those who embarked in
this cause were desirous to know how the work was to be conducted.
They read many things in the Book of Mormon concerning their duty,
and the way the great work ought to be done; but the minds of men
are so constructed that they will not believe without a testimony
of seeing or hearing. The Lord gave us a revelation that, in
process of time, there should be twelve men chosen to preach His
gospel to Jew and Gentile.
"Our minds have been on a constant stretch to find who these
twelve were, when the time should come we could not tell; but we
sought the Lord by fasting and prayer to have our lives prolonged
to see this day; to see you; and to take a retrospect of the
difficulties through which we have passed; but, having seen the
day, it becomes my duty to deliver to you a charge; and first, a
few remarks respecting your ministry. You have many revelations put
into your hands; revelations to make you acquainted with the nature
of your mission; you will have difficulties by reason of your
visiting all the nations of the world. You will need wisdom in a
ten-fold proportion to what you have ever had; you will have to
combat all the prejudices of all nations."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account