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 then arose and again entered the town, and going to the house
of John Taylor, had placed my hand on my baggage to depart from a
place where I could do no good, when a few inquiries on the part of
Mr. Taylor, inspired by a degree of curiosity or of anxiety, caused
a few moments delay, during which a lady by the name of Walton
entered the house, and, being an acquaintance of Mrs. Taylor's, was
soon engaged in conversation with her in an adjoining room. I
overheard the following:
"Mrs. Walton, I am glad to see you; there is a gentleman here
from the United States who says the Lord sent him to this city to
preach the gospel. He has applied in vain to the clergy and to the
various authorities for opportunity to fulfil his mission, and is
now about to leave the place. He may be a man of God; I am sorry to
have him depart."
Mrs. Walton: "Indeed! Well, I now understand the feelings and
spirit which brought me to your house at this time. I have been
busy over the wash tub and too weary to take a walk; but I felt
impressed to walk out. I then thought I would make a call on my
sister, the other side of town; but passing your door, the Spirit
bade me go in; but I said to myself, I will go in when I return;
but the Spirit said: go in now. I accordingly came in, and I am
thankful that I did so. Tell the stranger he is welcome to my
house. I am a widow; but I have a spare room and bed, and food in
plenty. He shall have a home at my house, and two large rooms to
preach in just when he pleases. Tell him I will send my son John
over to pilot him to my house, while I go and gather my relatives
and friends to come in this very evening and hear him talk; for I
feel by the Spirit that he is a man sent by the Lord with a message
which will do us good."
The evening found Brother Pratt quietly seated at her house, in
the midst of a number of listeners, who were seated around a large
work table in her parlor, and deeply interested in conversation
like the following:
Friends: "Mr. Pratt, we have for some years been anxiously
looking for some providential event which would gather the sheep
into one fold; build up the true church as in days of old, and
prepare the humble followers of the Lamb, now scattered and
divided, to receive their coming Lord when He shall descend to
reign on the earth. As soon as Mrs. Taylor spoke of you I felt
assured, as by a strange and unaccountable presentiment, that you
were a messenger, with important tidings on these subjects; and I
was constrained to invite you here; and now we are all here
anxiously waiting to hear your words."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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