Orson Pratt, July 19, 1874
We find recorded in the
revelations of the Most High, called the Bible, as well as in the Book of
Mormon and the various modern revelations which God has given, that man is
destined to live forever. God having revealed this fact to ancients and to
moderns, raised up witnesses to bear testimony to the children of men that they
are immortal beings, and that this change which comes upon them, denominated
death, is not an annihilation of their being or an end of their existence, but
it is merely a casting off or laying aside of the mortal tabernacle; that man
lives in the eternal world even after he appears to be dead, and that, if a
righteous man, he has joy and happiness, but if a wicked man, he has the
gnawing of conscience, and misery, and wretchedness; and that he expects,
according to divine revelation, to receive again, in due time, the tabernacle
that he has thrown off for a moment. It is sown in weakness, says the Apostle
Paul, it is raised in power; it is laid down as a mortal body, it is raised up
as an immortal body.
If we, by study or research,
could discover some method or principle by which we could remain in this world
and live in this tabernacle forever, we should be willing to do so with all the
inconveniences of the present order of things, and still be joyful in our
hearts. If any man could by research or learning discover some kind of a way,
or means or medicine that would give immortality to the children of men, even
in their present state, he would be considered one of the greatest men that
ever lived, and the one who had bestowed the greatest blessing upon his
fellow-creatures; he would be lauded to the very skies, and his name would be
handed down among all people and nations as one of the greatest benefactors of
mankind; so earnestly do we feel to cling to life and desire to live, that we
would be very willing to put up with the inconveniences of the present state if
we could only remain and the monster death have no power over us. But it is in
the order of God that man should die. Man brought this upon himself by
transgressing the laws of heaven. By putting forth his hand and partaking of
that which God had forbidden, he brought, this great evil into the world. Death
not only came upon our first parents, who committed the first great
transgression, but the curse has been inherited by all their generations. None
can escape the curse so far as the mortal body is concerned.
I think, perhaps, this broad
assertion may be contradicted in the minds of some. They may tell us of Enoch,
who was translated to heaven; they may speak of Elijah, who was caught up in a
chariot of fire, and say, "Here, at least, are two exceptions to the
general rule." But what do we know concerning translation? What has God
revealed in all the revelations contained in the Old and New Testaments in
relation to a translated being? Are we assured that such beings never will have
to undergo a change equivalent to that of death?
Our new revelations that we have
received inform us of a great many individuals that were translated before the
flood. We read that a great and mighty Prophet of the Most High God was sent
forth in the days of Adam, namely Enoch, the seventh generation from Adam, who
lived contemporary with his ancestor Adam; that in his days a great number of
people heard the plan of salvation preached to them by the power of the Holy
Ghost that rested upon Enoch and those who were called with him; that they
received this plan of salvation and gathered themselves out from among the
various nations of the earth where they had obeyed the Gospel; that they were
instructed, after they assembled in one, in righteousness, for three hundred
and sixty-five years; that they learned the laws of the kingdom, and concerning
God and every principle of righteousness that was necessary to enable them to
enter into the fullness of the glory of heaven; they were instructed to build
up a city, and it was called a city of holiness, for God came down and dwelt
with that people; he was in their midst, they beheld his glory, they saw his
face, and he condescended to dwell among them for many long years, during which
time they were instructed and taught in all of his ways, and among other things
they learned the great doctrine and principle of translation, for that is a
doctrine the same as the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, which is
among the first principles of the plan of salvation; and we may also say that
the doctrine of translation, which is intimately connected with that of the
resurrection, is also one of the first principles of the doctrine of Christ.
They were instructed in relation to this government, the object of it, &c.
According to the light and
knowledge which the Latter-day Saints have upon this subject, revealed in the
revelations given through Joseph Smith, we find that those people, when they
were fully prepared, having learned the doctrine of translation, were caught up
into the heavens, the whole city, the people and their habitations. How much of
the earth was taken up in connection with their habitations we are not
informed. It, might have been a large region. You may ask—"Where was this
city of Zion built in ancient days?" According to new revelation it was
built upon this great western hemisphere. When I speak of this western
hemisphere I speak of it as it now exists. In those days the land was united;
the eastern and the western hemispheres were one; but they dwelt in that
portion of our globe that is now called the western hemisphere, and they were
taken up from this portion of the globe. No doubt all the region of country
occupied by them was translated, or taken away from the earth.
Does this prove that they were
immortal beings from the time of their translation? No; it does not prove any
such thing. How are we to know anything about it? We can not learn anything in
relation to it, except by revelation. God has revealed to us that they are held
in reserve, in some part or portion of space; their location is not revealed,
but they are held in reserve to be revealed in the latter times, to return to
their ancient mother earth; all the inhabitants that were then taken away are
to return to the earth.
Some five thousand years have
passed away since they were caught up to the heavens. What has boon their
condition during that time? Have they been free from death? They have been held
in reserve in answer to their prayers. What were their prayers? Enoch and his
people prayed that a day of righteousness might be brought about during their
day; they sought, for it with all their hearts; they looked abroad over the
face of the earth and saw the corruptions that had been introduced by the
various nations, the descendants of Adam, and their hearts melted within them,
and they groaned before the Lord with pain and sorrow, because of the
wickedness of the children of men, and they sought for a day of rest, they
sought that righteousness might be revealed, that wickedness might be swept
away and that the earth might rest for a season. God gave them visions,
portrayed to them the future of the world, showed unto them that this earth
must fulfill the measure of its creation; that generation after generation must
be born and pass away, and that, after a certain period of time, the earth
would rest from wickedness, that the wicked would be swept away, and the earth
would be cleansed and sanctified and be prepared for a righteous people.
"Until that day," saith the Lord, "you and your people shall
rest, Zion shall be taken up into my own bosom." Ancient Zion should be
held in reserve until the day of rest should come, "then," said the
Lord to Enoch, "thou and all thy city shall descend upon the earth, and
your prayers shall be answered."
They have been gone, as I have
already stated, about five thousand years. What have they been doing? All that
we know concerning this subject is what has been revealed through the great and
mighty Prophet of the last days, Joseph Smith—that unlearned youth whom God
raised up to bring forth the Book of Mormon and to establish this latter-day
Church. He has told us that they have been ministering angels during all that
time. To whom? To those of the terrestrial order, if you can understand that
expression. God gave them the desires of their hearts, the same as he gave to
the three Nephites, to whom he gave the privilege, according to their request,
of remaining and bringing souls unto Christ while the world should stand. Even
so, he granted to the people of Enoch their desire to become ministering
spirits unto those of the terrestrial order until the earth should rest and
they should again return to it.
Joseph inquired concerning their
condition, whether they were subject to death during that period, and was
informed, as you will find in the history of this Church, as printed in the Millennial
Star and other publications thereof, that these personages have to pass through
a change equivalent to that of death; notwithstanding their translation upon
the earth, a certain change has to be wrought upon them that is equivalent, to
death, and probably equivalent also to the resurrection of the dead. But before
that change comes they minister in their office unto those of another order,
that is the terrestrial order. Strangers will not understand perhaps what we
mean by the terrestrial order. If they will take the opportunity of reading the
doctrines of this Church, as laid down in the revelations given through Joseph
Smith, they will learn what our views are in relation to this matter. God
revealed by vision the different orders of being in the eternal worlds. One
class, the highest of all, is called the celestial; another class, the next to
the celestial in glory, power, might and dominion, is called the terrestrial;
another class, still lower than the terrestrial in glory and exaltation, is
called the telestial. This middle class, whose glory is typified by the glory
of our moon in the firmament of the heavens as compared with the sun, are those
who once dwelt on this or some other creation and, if they have had the Gospel
laid before them they have not had a full opportunity of receiving it; or they
have not heard it all, and have died without having the privilege. In the
resurrection they come forth with terrestrial bodies. They must be administered
to says the vision, and God has appointed agents or messengers to minister to
these terrestrial beings, for their good, blessing, exaltation, glory and honor
in the eternal worlds.
Enoch and his people
understanding this principle sought that they, before receiving the fullness of
their celestial glory, might be the instruments in the hands of God of doing
much good among beings of the terrestrial order.
We read in the New Testament
concerning certain angels that are in the eternal worlds, and the question is
asked by the Apostle Paul—"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth
to minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation?"—not for those who
were already heirs of salvation, but for those who shall be—those who were to
be redeemed, that were to be brought forth and exalted. Enoch and his people
were appointed to this ministry, holding the Priesthood thereof, with poser and
authority to administer in order that those beings may be exalted and brought
up, and inherit all the glory that they are desirous to receive.
Much might be said concerning
these different orders of glory, but we feel to pass on, and we will speak a
few words now concerning the resurrection from the dead of those who have fully
prepared themselves for the highest glory, the glory of the celestial kingdom,
the highest of all, the holiest of all, the kingdom where God the Father sits
enthroned in glory and in power, ruling and governing all things. There is a
certain law, which God ordained before the foundation of the world, an
irrevocable decree that those who would obey that law should have this great
and most glorious of all the resurrections, be raised to celestial power,
thrones and exaltations, where they could dwell in the presence of their Father
and their God, throughout all the future ages of eternity. (JOD 17:146-49)
Orson Pratt, February 7, 1875
There is one thing which I am now
about to read which has not yet been fulfilled, and which we must fulfill
before Zion is redeemed. I will read it—"Behold, saith the Father, I will
bring the fulness of my Gospel from among them, and then I will remember my
covenant which I have made unto my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring
my Gospel unto them." Now then, we are here in this land, the house of
Israel are scattered all around us, some in the great basin, some in Arizona,
some in Idaho, some in Colorado, some in Montana, some in one place, some in
another; I refer to the American Indians, all remnants of Joseph and belonging
to the house of Israel. They have become very degraded in consequence of the
apostasy and wickedness of their ancient fathers. This people—the Latter-day
Saints, before they can ever return to build up the waste places of Zion and
receive their inheritances in Jackson County, Missouri, have got to exert
themselves to bring the remnants of Joseph to a knowledge of the truth. We have
not made any very great exertions in this direction unto the present time. The
Lord has given us time since he brought the fulness of the Gospel from among
the Gentiles to lay a foundation so that we could commence this missionary work
in behalf of and among the remnants of Joseph. We have got the foundation laid,
we have succeeded in building many cities, towns, villages, &c., for some
four hundred miles north and south; we have got our farms fenced and our water
ditches dug, and we have begun to prosper in the land, so that now, I think, is
the time for us to wake up our minds in relation to the scattered remnants of
the house of Israel." "Behold, then I will remember my covenant which
I have made unto my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my Gospel unto
them."
It seems that the Lord is working
among that people, and that he is determined this prophecy shall be fulfilled
whether we take it in hand or not. What do my ears hear? What do we all hear?
Messengers are visiting these wild tribes in the basin, and in the regions
round about hundreds of miles apart. These messengers come to them, and they
speak in their own language in great plainness, and tell them what to do; they
tell them to repent of their sins and to be baptized for the remission thereof;
tell them also to cease roaming over the country and to cultivate the land;
tell them to go to the Elders of this Church and receive the ordinances under
their hands.
Who are these messengers? Read
the Book of Mormon and you will find what God promised to do for the remnants
of Joseph fourteen hundred tears ago, about the time that most of them were
becoming wicked and corrupt. The Lord said when their record should come forth
in the latter days that he would send his messengers to them, and among these
messenger's he mentioned three persons who lived some eighteen hundred years
ago, three of the Twelve who were chosen on this land. The Lord made a promise
to these three that they should administer, as holy messengers in the latter
days, for and in behalf of the remnants of the house of Israel, which should
fall into a low and degraded condition in consequence of the great wickedness
and apostasy of their ancient fathers; that they should be instruments in his
hands in bringing these remnants to the knowledge of the truth. We hear that
these messengers have come, not in one instance alone, but in many instances.
Already we have heard of some fourteen hundred Indians, and I do not know but
more, who have been baptized. Ask them why they have come so many hundred miles
to find Elders of the Church and they will reply—"Such a person came to
us, he spoke in our language, instructed us and told us what to do, and we have
come in order to comply with his requirements." (JOD 17:299-300)
A TRANSLATED
BEING PRESCRIBES
My father’s name was William
Cooke Prows and my mother’s name was Louisa M.R. James. I was born in Kanosh,
Millard County, Utah, on the 17th of June, 1877. I was the 5th child of a
family of eight of my father’s second wife. In the spring of 1893, my father,
with my mother and children and one of the first wife’s grandchildren, were
going from Mesa, Arizona, to Juarez, Mexico, for the purpose of establishing a
home. We had lived in Mesa with a few months prior to this. In the company
where J. Orson Barney (who later became my husband), Isaac Miller, Mrs. Osborne
Colley and family, and the members of the family as before mentioned. We had
passed through El Paso, Texas, and had traveled several days out into the desert.
There were three wagons and one buggy in this caravan. The trip from Mesa to
Mexico took about a month. After several days journey from Tuscon, my mother
became very sick which continued to increase in intensity as time went on. She
had hemorrage after hemorrage. Her hands had been cold and blue for two days.
It was then my father desired to get out of the sand belt into a country where
gravel could be located, for the purpose, as he later stated, to find a
suitable place to bury mother, as he feared that she would pass on any minute,
and as he went about that morning tears were seen in his eyes, but he never
revealed why he felt sorrowful. On this certain day, he started very early in
the morning in order to make as much distance as possible, but, after travelling
a few hours, my mother stated that she could not stand the jarring any longer,
in her weakened and desperately sick condition. So camp was made and
preparations were started for making breakfast. While thus preparing things for
breakfast, a man suddenly appeared in camp not more than ten or twenty feet
away and upon coming up he stated: “Good morning.” To which my father answered:
“Good morning.” The stranger enquired: “Where is she.” Father said: “She is
over here in the wagon,” at the same time both of them started toward the
wagon, which upon reaching, father raised the wagon cover and both looked in,
father introducing the stranger with: “Eliza, here is a man who has come to see
you.” The stranger extended his hand and placed it on her forehead and gently
rubbed her head, saying: “How are you feeling, sister?” To which my mother replied:
“I sure don’t feel very good.” While at the wagon, they all three had a short
conversation. I was standing on the wagon wheel all this time, paying careful
attention to all that was said and done. After talking but a few minutes, he
said: “Come out here and I will show you something to give your wife and she
will be all right and you can be on your way within an hour.” A short scrubby
tree with some green berries on it was near, which the stranger called “Juniper
Berries.” After taking a few of these he went a short distance and told father
to gather the leaves from a small shrub growing in the desert at this
particular place but which was not noticed at other places along the road. He
told my father to, “take some of the Juniper berries and the leaves from the
bush,” he showed him, “and mix them together, steep them and give them to your
wife and you can be on your way within an hour.” After making his this
statement the stranger said: “I must be going.”
My father replied: “Man, you must
stay and have breakfast with us. There will be many miles before you can get a
drink of water or a bite to eat. I have been over this road many times and know
it.” Father insisted that he stay and have breakfast but he raised his cap and
said: “I must be on my way. Your wife will be all right,” and at saying this he
smiled and said “Good-day.” At the time he placed his hand upon my mother’s
forehead she felt like a new person, the touch of his hand was soothing and
healing. One of the children at the breakfast fire did something which drew our
attention to them and upon looking up, the stranger had suddenly vanished and
father said: “Where did he go?” They all walked out to see if he could be seen
but no trace of him was visible. My father exclaimed: “Gracious! Golly! where could
that man have gone?” Nothing but the desert road was before them and small
scrubby desert growth extended all around as far as the eye could see. The tea
was made and given to my mother who seen revived. She ate breakfast and helped to
prepare supper that evening for the group, assisted by me.
The stranger was of medium size,
dressed in a grayish blue suit, and wore a grayish beard, some three or four
inches long. He looked very intelligent and clean cut. His voice was soft and
mild and his eyes penetrating but beautiful to behold. There was something
about his personality that caused us to look at him with intent and earnestness.
Upon arriving in Mexico, we
rented a lot with a small house on it from a Brother Thompson whose wife and
two sons had been killed by the Indians but a short time before. My father put
in a garden but died within two months after arriving, but before passing he
said to my mother one day: “Eliza, I want you to go back to Utah and see that
my father is sealed to my mother and their children sealed to their parents,”
or they had all been sealed to President Brigham Young.
This sealing was attended to by
President Lorenzo Snow. By signing out names to this narrative, we attest to
its absolute truthfulness:
Elizabeth J.
Barney
J. Orson
Barney
Witnessed by
William N. Stevens (N.B. Lundwall, comp., Assorted Gems of Priceless Value [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book, 1944], 28-31)
THE SINGING
OF A TRANSLATED BEING
(Note:--While visiting in
Portland, Oregen, during the month of September, 1938, President Wm. R. Sloan
related the following to the Compiler of this book. The story was told by
President Sloan and enlarged upon by Elder Melvin J. Hoggan, who lives at 142
East 21st South Street, Sale Lake City, and is herewith reproduced in the language
of the latter.)
During the month of November,
1927, four missionaries (Roy D. Olpin. R.B. Muer, Asahel A. Parry, and Melvin
J. Hoggan) of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were laboring in
Medford, Oregon. Elder Parry and I, together with the other two Elders, held
street meetings every Saturday evening. On the evening in which this incident
happened, Elders Olpin and Muer were absent, having left during the forenoon
for Klamath Falls, Oregon, for the purpose of reorganizing the Sunday school at
that place. Elder Muer was the senior Elder of the group. Elder Parry had been
in the mission field about three months and Elder Hoggan but a month. Both
Elders were very inexperienced.
Elder Parry and I were very
undecided whether to hold a street meeting, as we two had never held one before
together and only twice with all four Elders present. We had knelt down and had
prayed before we left our room which was our usual practice. We walked to the
corner of the street in front of one of the banks where we usually held our
street meetings. It was rainy and cold. I was not very enthusiastic about
holding a meeting, being new in the work. But few persons were on the streets
within a radius of many blocks in every direction. I felt that it was perfectly
useless to hold a meeting on the street under those conditions. Neither one of
us could carry a tune, but we stepped out on the corner and proceeded to sing
the song: “Oh My Father.” We were just about through the last verse when I
noticed a gentleman to the right of me about ten feet away, at the side of an
automobile. He was taking off his cap and gloves. He was of a very small build,
about five feet eight inches tall, light complexioned, slightly bald, about
fifty years of age, and dressed very neatly but not elaborately. He came over
to us and asked: “Do you boys mind if I help you sing?” From that time on he
took complete charge of the meeting and assumed the responsibility. Elder Parry
asked him: “Are you a member of the Church?”. The stranger replied by saying: “I
am acquainted with this work.” He then suggested that we sing: “Love at Home,”
which was recorded in the small booklet that contained the popular Latter-day
Saint songs. One of these small booklets was given to him. We all started to
sing this song, but soon Elder Parry and I stopped singing and listened to the
beautifully clear tenor voice which rang out for blocks in the sweet harmonious
strains. At the time we first started to sing, there were only two or three
people listening by the side of the bank building, on the side walks. When he
had finished singing this song, a fair sized crowd has assembled, of some twenty
persons, which was the largest that had ever gathered in that town before. He
stepped to the curb and gave five minute talk to the people assembled on the
theme: “Love at Home.” The crowd gave rapt attention while he was speaking, but
was less attentive while we spoke to them. After making the very effective
remarks, he stated to the crowd: “Now one of the brethren will speak to you,”
at the same time turning to Elder Parry. Elder Parry then stepped forward and
spoke. While Elder Parry was speaking, the stranger stepped up to me and said; “We
will sing this song, then you can speak,” pointing to the song numbered 199 in
the little booklet, entitled: Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken.”) I looked at
the name of the song and said: “I don’t know that song.” He replied: “You
should, they play it while they pass the sacrament.” He then hummed the tune to
me, which I afterwards learned was the same tune that was used originally in
singing this song, and not the modern tune sometimes used at the present time.
While Elder Parry was speaking, several in the crowd were talking which seemed
to disturb him. The stranger walked over to them and said something which I did
not hear but they were very attentive after he had spoken to them.
After humming the tune of this
song to me he turned his face towards the west as though he were looking at
some one and said: “Hello,” at the same time walking not more than fifteen feet
in that direction, the crowd being several feet to the north, and all of a
sudden he completely vanished from sigh. I was watching him closely all the
tome, observing his actions and taking note of what he said. Elder Parry all
this time was talking to the people, and after he had closed his remarks I
spoke for a few minutes.
We afterwards walked around the
town to see if any individual could be found who coincided with the appearance
of this stranger, but no one knew of him before or since. Medford is a town
similar to Murray, Utah, with about the same population. When President Sloan
visited us in Medford, this incident was related to him and he unhesitatingly stated
that it was one of the three Nephites. We were thrilled and amazed at this wonderful
experience and will remember it as long as we live. During the visit of this
stranger, the feeling experienced was as if a messenger of God was there sent
to assist us with this meeting. A very peaceful and uplifting feeling was experienced
and enjoyed.
Signed:
Melvin John Hoggan
(N.B. Lundwall, comp., Assorted
Gems of Priceless Value [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1944], 31-33)