Defence [Defense] Against the Various Charges That Have Gone Abroad

[CONCLUDED]

It is said that while I was a member of the Presbyterian Church, I could not get time to attend the preaching of the word. The fore part of the year I admit that I was so situated, that I could not conveniently; being well aware in these days of refinement, it is quite impolite to have the trouble of children in meeting; but that is not all. Bare with me while I deal plainly with you. I attended your meetings; they were cold, dead, lifeless, formal, and were drinking into the spirit of the world; following after the fashions of the day; decorating these perishing bodies, (and they were not interesting to me,) while the never dying soul was perishing for the want of spiritual

blessings. And while we were endeavoring to draw nigh to God with our lips, while our hearts were far from him.-and we did not have that pure love of Christ flowing out to each other, nor could we while carrying the world in one hand, and religion in the other.-And where is the honest hearted christian that cannot see that there has been a falling away from true vital piety, for the last 12 years.-and why? People are not so humble before God as they were then, and there is not so much of the spirit of Christ among them.-but more of the spirit of the world. I saw the error, but I could not prescribe the remedy. And when I read my bible and saw the character of a child of God, I wished to be one but I could not attain to it. It was rare, if ever, that I could read my title clear to mansions in the skies, and while I firmly believed that it was my daily privilege to enjoy it. It was only now and then, that I had foretaste of that Heavenly inheritance. But now I see the mystery. Preachers are not qualified with the power and spirit of God:-or since the fall of the church, they have lost sight of the priesthood, and have not the teachings of the Holy Ghost, and are uninspired,-consequently, they, nor their hearers could not come into the full liberty of the children of God. Now I do not wish to cast censure upon any of the various orders of ministers, for I believe as far as they have endeavored to discharge their duty faithfully in the fear of God, according to the light they have had, God has accepted and blest them. But now when God requires them to make a sacrifice, and humble their hearts before him, and embrace the fulness [fullness] of the Gospel, (for they must acknowledge they have only had a part,) while part of it has been lying before them as a dead letter. When these truths are opened to them, and they reject them through the pride of their hearts, or clinging to long established customs, God will remove their candlestick out of its place, and the light they formerly had will become darkness. Now what is the use to bring up this or that man's say so, to combact [combat] the word of God? It will stand and there is nothing that can overthrow it. And if this work is of God it will prevail and I know by an experimental knowledge, that it is of God.

The Methodist as a people have read the bible and while reading the precious promises therein contained have believed it to be their privilege to enjoy greater blessings and have strove to attain to it. And as far as they have been more humble, more diligent, and more faithful, they have enjoyed greater manifestation of the love of Christ. But they could not get a victory over sin, and for some reason, they were continually brought into bondage. While other churches in defence [defense] to these greater and precious promises tell us we are not to expect such great blessings in this world, and thus charge God with commanding them to do something that he never has given them power to do.

And the Baptists, while they think the scripture is so plain on the subject of baptism. And they not enjoying no greater light than others. That they set themselves up as being the only right way and all others are wrong, and building up division stiffer than all others, excluding them from the sacrament of the Lord's supper.

Now, they baptize for the remission of sin, in defiance of the plain word of God. Paul tells them; let no man take this authority, except he be called of God as was Aaron. Where is the authority of the priesthood? Have they got it? I answer no. Now how evident that we have lost the authority of the priesthood; and that we have not had the teachings of the Holy Ghost to enable us to grow up into the perfect stature of men and women in Christ Jesus. And this brings the idea to your minds, clearly, why you could not say in the language of the Apostle,-Romans 8th chap. 1st verse. There is therefore now no condemnation to them in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but of the spirit.

15th. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but we have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba Father.

And now my dear brothers and sisters, of all denominations, that are sincere desirers after truth, and worshipers of the true and living God, I tell you at the time of this ignorance

God winked at, but now he commandeth all men every where to repent. Now I beseech you to come to Jesus in a child-like manner and earnestly continue in prayer to God, that your understanding may be opened to search the scriptures, take them for the man of your council. As to the charge of of my being unstable, the session, at the time of my uniting with them did not object to me on the account of my views in regard to churches. I viewed them all equally acceptable to God and was not prejudiced in favor or against any, but could worship with any, where the spirit of the Lord was. When I was born into the kingdom of God, I was not born a Prsbyterian [Presbyterian], Methodist, or Baptist, but a child of God. I leave then all alike. I longed for union, and for latter day glory; and my happy soul is witness that it has commenced! And this they call delusion. If this is delusion-happy delusion! It has been remarked, that the book of Mormon has nothing to do with our salvation. First, if God sent an angel from heaven, authorizing them to preach the fullness of the Gospel, and has given them the Holy Spirit to accompany it with power, also a record or history of his covenant people, and of his Gospel, whibh [which] is so plain that it enables the watchman to see after being enlightened on the subject, that it will have something to do with your salvation. You will find proof sufficent [sufficient] to prove that there is a book to come forth; (whether the book of Mormon is it or not; and I do not expect you will ever be prepared any better to receive one than now, unless there should be something come that should be considered respectable, and suit the taste and feelings of this refined age of the world.) In the 29th Chapt. of Isaiah, 34th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 18th, 19th and 24th verses. In Habakkuk, chapter, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, verses. And if you search your bibles, you will find sufficent [sufficient] scripture, right to the point, that the law of Ephraim has or will come forth. Another charge is, I am crazy. I will just state fifteen years ago I was taken with a violent fever which caused me to be deranged and the management of a drunken doctor in connexion [connection], and it was almost or quite, a miracle of mercy that my life was spared, which any one that was acquainted with the circumstances can testify if they will. But whether it has any effect upon me now or not, I leave the people to judge. While I was speaking of the prophets I overlooked one prophecy. I will mention it: 2d chap. of Malachi. Behold I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold he shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts. How plain to be seen that this has no reference to his first coming, did he come suddenly to his temple? How much more applicable to his second coming, when he shall come and all his saints with him to reign on the earth. But, who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner's fire and fuller's soap. It was an easy matter to abide his coming when he came before, so you see that the messenger could not not have been John the Baptist. Chap. 4 and 5; Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. John came in the spirit and power of Elias as the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. But who is this that is to come in the spirit and power of Elijah that shall turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers. I wish my readers to examine the 3rd and 4th Chapters of Malachi. It is perfectly clear to me that it has reference to the time when Christ will destroy all his enemies, restore the earth to its former paradise, establish his kingdom and reign with all his saints a thousand years and thus it is said, Rev, 20 and 6 verse. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection, on such the second death hath no power, but they shall reign with him a thousand years.

In conclusion God has always had a covenant people, the elect chosen, in him before the foundation of the world, and when he came unto his own, they received him not-but rejected him, his doctrine was too humiliating, too self denying, cross bearing, and they

could not endure it, their proud hearts spurned him. And the judgements [judgments] of God following them and they were scattered through all the nations of the earth, and when they have borne their shame, God will remember his covenant with them, and his mighty power and out-stretched arm, and with fury poured out on all nations that oppose his gathering them in his own, appointed way, will he gather them out from all the nations of the world whither he has scattered them. For the time cometh it shall no more be said the Lord liveth that brought the children of Israel out of Egypt. But the Lord liveth that brought them out of the North country, and all countries whithersoever I have driven them.-And they shall become a delightsome land saith the Lord, he will smite the great river in the sevens streams, and his people shall come over dry shod. It seems there will be a miracle similer [similar] to the Red sea. Examine your bibles and you will find these texts of scripture, and much more to the point. And here will be the fulfilment [fulfillment] of the prophecy, all the people that will not hear the word of the prophet that is sent to prepare the way of the Lord for the latter day glory, will be, cut off from among the people. For those that are not cut off before, will be, with an overwhelming desolation at Christ's coming, for the earth shall burn as an oven and all the wicked shall be burned up. Now I hope the people will not throw this contemptously [contemptuously] from them until they have carefully perused it and tried it by the word of God. And search and see, if indeed there can any good thing come out of Nazereth [Nazareth]. LAURA OWEN.

The petition of the Latter Day Saints, by their Delegates, R. B. Thompson and Elias Higbee, has been laid before the House and ordered to be printed: and by the politeness of R. M. Young we have been favored with a copy. What Congress may do on this subject, we are not able to divine: but we sincerely hope that an investigation may be had and all the facts that pertains to the Missouri outrage, come to light, and be made known to all the world:-we want the guilty punished, and the innocent to go free.-Ed.

Mr. Benton of Mo. has introduced a bill in the U. S. Senate to provide for the payment of the Missouri Militia who served in the late Mormon War.-Ed.