--- title: Times and Seasons description: Issues of 1844 to 1845. authors: - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints editors: - Ebenezer Robinson - Don Carlos Smith - Smith, Joseph, Jr. - Taylor, John collections: - periodicals tags: - newspaper - times-and-seasons - nauvoo - nineteenth-century periodical: Times and Seasons volume: 5 number: 16 published: 1844-09-01 publisher: E. Robinson and D. C. Smith; later John Taylor publisher_place: Commerce and Nauvoo, Illinois language: en type: article reference: "“A Mirror for the Saints to Look In to See Themselves,” *Times and Seasons* 5, no. 16 (September 1, 1844): 629–631." printed_title: A MIRROR FOR THE SAINTS TO LOOK IN TO SEE THEMSELVES. source: url: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1844-09-01_5_16 transcription: Text from the Centerplace.org transcription (https://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v5n16.htm), with its page breaks; this Internet Archive scan is the reference copy (its OCR was used only as a witness for OCR repair) identifier: per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1844-09-01_5_16 start_page: 629 end_page: 631 curator_note: A Mormon newspaper published by the church in Nauvoo; included for historical study. Inclusion does not imply endorsement. rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1844 (Nauvoo, Illinois); published before 1931, so public domain in the United States source: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1844-09-01_5_16 publication_year: 1844 --- # A Mirror for the Saints to Look In to See Themselves "How oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not." These words were addressed to the inhabitants of Jerusalem by our Lord and Savior, intimating that if they had been willing to hearken to him and to the prophets who were before him, they might have remained in the quiet possession and enjoyment of their city and temple, and national rights and liberties. But because they would not hearken, they should be scattered, their temple destroyed, and their city and country left desolate. But we have quoted them in order to apply them to the saints in this age. O! ye Latter Day Saints! How oft would the Lord have gathered you, but you WOULD NOT.-The fact is, if the saints had been willing to hearken to counsel, and to give heed to the commandments and revelations of God as published among them from time to time, Nauvoo would now have contained a hundred and fifty thousand souls; with industrious work shops of every description, manufacturing every article for home use and comfort, and supplying the whole western states with every thing useful which ingenuity could invent, or skill and industry execute, from a cambrick [cambric] needle or a pin, up to a steam engine; while Hancock and half a dozen other counties would have been filled with a hundred and fifty thousand more of industrious and flourishing farmers, stock raisers, wool growers, etc. etc., while the state legislature would have been filled with our wise men, to make just laws; and the executive chair with a man who would have administered them in equity and justice, for the benefit and protection of all. Every foot of vacant land would have been cultivated like Eden, and a hundred thousand outlaws, murderers, mobbers, and traitors, would have found it impossible to have disturbed our peace, or broke up the government of the country; and those who were opposed to peace, order and civilization, would have had their money for their lands, and would long since have been traveling to Texas, California, Oregon, or the lower regions of his satanic majesty's dominions. O ye Latter Day Saints, how oft would I have gathered you, but you WOULD NOT. What is the reason you would not be gathered as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings? I answer; covetousness and unbelief. Ye have chosen your own ways, and have never been willing to hearken to the prophets and servants whom God has sent to you; 'Rising early and sending them.' The instructions have been given you all the day long, to sell off your lands and property, and to gather up your money and substance, and come and purchase lands and farms and establish all the various branches of industry, both in town and country, and to make your purchases and establish your settlements according to counsel; so to act in unison, and thus be able to withstand persecution and every evil work. We will now proceed to show in a few instances how this has been fulfilled. An elder by the name of J. M., residing in Ohio, professes great zeal and faith, and made mighty promises what he would do with his money. He accordingly sold and prepared for removal. He had about ten thousand dollars in ready money, which he divided chiefly among his children who were great enemies to the truth, and as I was informed, let the remainder ont [out] at interest to some worldling in his own state, and then came on to Missouri, with great zeal to keep the commandments of God; but was driven out. Query; How many mobbers would that ten thousand dollars have purchased out, in a new country where land was cheap? Old elder B, of Gennessee Flats, owned about eight thousand dollars worth of land and mills. He promised much, but finally instead of fulfilling, I believe he divided a part to his unbelieving children, and trusted out a good store of the rest; and then came on and was driven out of Missouri. There is Captain J., an elder who runs a shop from Sing Sing to New York, said to be worth some thousands, who has great zeal for the commandments; and who has known and testified to the truth for some years past. This man runs his sloop still; and his money has never purchased a farm or erected a work shop in Zion. 'how oft would I have gathered you but you WOULD NOT.' There was a brother W., of New York who joined the church and came out west; but he kept his gold and silver locked up for years instead of laying it out in some branch of industry to employ the poor. He was doubtless the person referred to in the scripture, who did not put his money to use because 'he was afraid.' One comes here and goes away to St. Louis, Burlington, Peoria, Chicago or some other place, and lays out his means because [because] he thinks there is a greater prospect of gain; another goes to a newer country where he thinks to get better or cheaper land; another pays his money out, or lends it to some scoundrel, because he has not sufficient confidence in the church to deal with them.. A woman comes here and keeps her money sewed up in her stays, instead of entering into business with it. Another comes here and looks about him a while, and then takes his money and goes back to England, or to Philadelphia, or wherever he came from, for fear he should spend it here in doing good. Another goes away by himself and buys a farm, where he neither enjoys society nor protection. Thus the poor go unemployed, and are scattered to and fro over the earth, to seek to earn a morsel of bread; while the city of Nauvoo languishes in poverty, the Temple is not built, business is at a stand, and the saints of the Most High are few in number, have but little means, and are persecuted, robbed, killed and destroyed all the day long. The foregoing are only a few samples out of the thousands which are known to transpire among the members of this church whose boast is: that they have prophets, apostles and revelators to guide them, while the sectarians have not. Nor are the rich alone to blame in these matters; for many of the poor either stop on the road, or come here and go away again, as they say through poverty or necessity. But if they are not prospered abroad, they excuse themselves because they have no means to settle here; and if they are prospered, then they are doing so well that they think that they had better stay where they can do the best;-and they are led on by worldly schemes, and by drunkenness and whoredom, till they care nothing for the Lord, or his saints. Scores and hundreds of young ladies come here, or start to come, and either on their way, or after they arrive, are led away and corrupted; and are finally made servants or wives to some unbelieving rascal who fears not God or regards man; and others still more wicked and unfortunate, loose [lose] their character entirely, in St. Louis, Warsaw, or some other place, where they are placed in houses of ill fame and made merchandize [merchandise] of, for fear lest they should come to Nauvoo and be deluded; while thousands on thousands stay for years in their native land and profess all the while to believe that God has commanded the church to come together. Again, many who do come and stay here among the saints, come more with a view of being helped to a living, while they pray, and sing, and tattle, and hear and tell news, than of entering into the strict rules of persevering industry and economy, in order to procure the comforts of life. Again; merchants, lawyers, doctors, mechanics, and others who are not of our faith, and only here in our midst for speculation, or something worse, are supported and even made rich while our real friends are neglected, and compelled to seek employment and support in other and distant towns. Many persons are here who stand still, and are in a great measure idle, who do not take half the pains to establish themselves in business, which they would be willing to do in St. Louis, in Lowell, in Salem, or in Boston. What is the result of all these operations and proceedings? The answer is obvious. Our city is impoverished, and many go hungry and destitute. Our people are scattered and not prepared to defend their freedom and their rights. Mobs prowl around us, and overpower us, and vex and murder at pleasure, and we are in danger of being scattered and driven. Then a general murmur commences from these same covetous, unbelieving and disobedient saints. They say, it cannot be that God has called ua [us] together to suffer hunger and poverty without the means of support, and why, (if this is his work,) does he not defend us from our enemies, and give us peace and plenty. Thus God and his servants have to bear the blame for all the consequences of their disobedience and neglect; while they scatter from the rest like wild quails, or pheasants; and crying as they go: 'the work of the Lord has failed, and the revelations of his prophets are falsified. O ye Latter Day Saints! how oft would Jesus have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not. So much for those who would not. But there are thousands who would be gathered under the wing of the Almighty, and who have strove from the beginning to keep his commandments and to be counselled [counseled] by his servants. What shall we say to them? We say dear brethren and sisters; you have suffered much, because of false brethren and traitors, and the hypocrite and the covetous.-But, persevere without discouragement; for God Almighty will gather you under his wing: and Jesus will lead you and deliver you from all trouble and wipe all tears from your eyes. Therefore, be of good cheer; and endure in faithfulness unto the end. As to the church at large, at home and abroad, if they will now repent of all these evils, and come together as the heart of one man; and be governed by counsel, and seek to employ themselves and each other, and to support and build up in perfect union, according to the plan of heaven; they shall be saved; and no power shall scatter or destroy them; but if not, behold your house is left unto you desolate, and the kingdom of God shall come with power for the deliverance of those who will do these things. I am as ever, your affectionate and humble servant, who loves you so well that he dares tell you the truth. P. P. PRATT.