The Vision: A Poem

FROM NAUVOO TO SALT LAKE. 35 the day all crossed and camped together on the west side of the Horn, where the broad bottoms extended across to the Platte. I neglected to state that we crossed our wagons on a raft, prepared by a few of our company who had been sent a few days previous for this purpose, and we forded the stream with our horses, it being about four feet deep. On the 12th the party started up the Platte with instructions to stop at a point of timber about twelve miles up, and begin doing some blacksmithing and some other necessary work until the Twelve returned from Winter Quarters. I returned on horseback with the Twelve and a few others, and arrived at home about four o'clock of the same evening. (to be continued.) The Vision. (For the Improvement Era.) 'Twas in the passion of the year, when beauty wore her brightest gown, And through the spring-kissed atmosphere, the golden morning rippled down. The dreamless world in slumber lay; no light, no vision from above, Until a boy, inspired to pray, retired into a quiet grove. There, in the deep heart of the wood, he knelt upon the lap of spring; Perchance he dreamed that solitude and God alone were listening. But suddenly ihe evil one appeared—midday a total night Eclipsing earth and sky and sun, suppressing hope, dethroning light. They wrestled o'er the dewy sod till Joseph's strength was nearly spent; But not without the eye of God. At length, but suddenly, was rent Apostasy's unbroken night! And Joseph Smith, the chosen one, Above him, in a dawn of light, beheld the Father and the Son. "Lo, this is my beloved Son, give ear to him," the Father said; And, looking on that Holy One, before the vision vanished, He asked, "Which church is right, I pray?" not dreaming that the truth had fled: "Join none of them, they've gone astray, they're all corrupt," the Savior said. "A little while, and you shall sow my blessed gospel seed abroad; And then the world shall come to know, and praise their prophet and their God." Theodore E. Curtis.