Saturday, July 10, 2021

"Remarkable Prophecy Fulfilled" (Millennial Star, May 1848)

  

REMARKABLE PROPHECY FULFILLED.

Liverpool, Food Friday,

April 13th, 1838.

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Preston,

It seemeth good unto us and also unto the holy spirit to write you a few words which cause pain in ours hearts, and will also pain you when they are fulfilled before you; yet you shall have joy in the end. Brother Webster will not abide in the spirit of the Lord, but will reject the truth, and become the enemy of the people of God, and expose the mysteries which hav been committed to him, that a righteous judgment may be executed upon him, unless he speedily repent.

 

When this sorrowful prediction shall be fulfilled, this letter shall be read to the Church, and it shall prove a solemn warning to all to beware.

 

Farewell in the Lord,

ORSON HYDE,

HEBER C. KIMBALL.

 

The foregoing letter was written and sealed in our presence, and by the writers committed to our special charge, that no one should know the contents but ourselves, until the fulfilment thereof, which instructions were strictly adhered to. But that every word might be established, when we return to Preston, we showed the latter to Elder Clayton and afterwards to Deacon Arthur Burrows, who, after examining it critically, placed thereon their marks and dates, so that they might know that the letter ha d not been opened.

 

Feeling very desirous that Elder Webster should prosper, we watched over him with peculiar ears, and prayed much for him, and he continued to grow in the knowledge of the kingdom, and spoke with power in the name of Jesus, for some months; but becoming dissatisfied, he came before the council on the 22nd of September following, and read some complaints which he had penned against Elders Richards, Fielding, and Whitehead, which were soon proved to be false or of no account/ The council required of him an acknowledgment for bringing forward such charges, and in case of refusal, that he cease to set in his office, but he would comply with neither.

 

The day following, Sunday 23rd, he repaired to a private house with six members, (one had been cut off and another had never been baptised,) and administered to them the sacrament.

 

The Sunday following, September 3, Elder Wester and the members who were with him were presented to the Church, according to the order of the Gospel, for the foregoing offence, and were cut off from the Church, after which Elder Fielding presented the foregoing letter to Elder Clayton and Deacon Burrows, who examined it and testified to the assembly that the letter had not been opened since they had marked it months before, and that they knew not the contents of the letter. Elder Fielding then presented the letter to Elder Richards, and requested him to break the seal and read the contents to the congregation.

 

Elder Webster’s popularity had become such that some feared he would take many along with him when he was cut off, but the reading of the letter put their fears to silence, and confirmed the Saints were more fully in the faith; and although a number were cut off about the same time, yet it was not through his influence, for his influence ended with his membership.

 

Sunday, Oct. 7., Mr. Wester came before the Church and requested permission to plead his cause, but he refused to appear and do it the Sabbath, before, and had consequently been cut off. His request was denied, as he was no longer a member of his design was evidently to disturb the Church/

 

Soon after, as if to fulfil the prophecy to the very letter, placards were posted up in different parts of Preston with these words—“A Lecture will be delivered at Mr. Giles’s Chapel, to expose the Mysteries of Mormonism, by Thomas Webster, which announcement be fulfilled, though he to little effect; yet as he attempted to make it appear that we were the authors of the above letter, we hear this testimony to the word, that all men may know that the prophecy and fulfilment thereof as above is true.

 

WILLARD RICHARDS,

JOSEPH FIELDING. (“Remarkable Prophecy Fulfilled,” in The Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star 2, no. 1 [May, 1841]:8)