Message

TO THE SAINTS IN THE EASTERN AND MIDDLE STATES;

Greeting:

I have just arrived in New York from Nauvoo, the City of the Saints, having been duly appointed and sent by the presiding authorities of the whole church, to preside over the churches in the east-having the same extent of jurisdiction -the same power and authority, and the same calling, office, and priesthood, in every respect, which were vested in and entrusted with your former President, Parley P. Pratt, who has now returned, by the sanction of the presidency, to his family and friends in the west.

It is with feelings of no ordinary kind that I now enter upon the highly responsible duties of a watchman and shepherd, and a presiding officer over you. Great are the responsibilities and highly important are the duties of one who is entrusted with the oversight and welfare of numerous branches of the church of the living God. I am happy to state, from correct sources of information, that the churches now under my charge, have been left by their former president

for the most part in a flourishing and prosperous condition. Peace, love, union, and good order seems to prevail among them. A knowledge of true order and government of the kingdom of God has greatly increased; the power and authority of its officers are more perfectly understood and appreciated, and in short, the laws, ordinances, blessings, keys and sealing powers of this last dispensation, have been more fully opened to their minds, by which their faith has been strengthened, their union and love increased, and their desires have become more ardent to receive all necessary preparations to obtain eternal salvation for themselves, their progenitors, and their children.

The present prospects of the saints in the east are indeed cheering. The dark clouds which have hung over their heads with threatening aspects, are breaking away. The drooping minds and spirits (occasioned by the false teachings, unvirtuous practices, and hellish conduct of Adams and others,) are beginning to revive. The countenances of the saints wear a more cheerful and serene aspect; while hope, gladness, and joy animates their bosoms and stimulates them to action. The officers in the different branches seem to more perfectly understand their duties, and are ready under all circumstances, at a moments warning, to obey counsel, to preside, preach, administer ordinances, to go and come, or labor with their own hands as they are directed by legal authority. The influence of Rigdon with his organized apostacy [apostasy], is twice dead-plucked up by the roots-lost-swallowed up and engulphed [engulfed] in its own deep pit of corruption.

The law of tithing has been cheerfully complied with and with willingness, by many of the saints; while others are making speedy preparations to do the same, Every arrangement is being made by the faithful, to gather up their substance and flee to the city of the saints, unto the place of the Temple of the Most High.

It is with great satisfaction and pleasure that I enter upon my official duties as President, under circumstances so highly favorable.

To a people so well instructed it would seem almost superfluous to enter into an explanatory detail of the several duties devolving upon me and upon those officers and churches under my immediate and special charge; but yet I deem it wisdom to point out to you, in some respects the course I intend pursuing.

And, first, I highly approve of all the rules, regulations, appointments, teachings, counsels, and official acts of President Parley P. Pratt, and shall endeavor to support, uphold, and carry out all his measures, as far as it is practicable under circumstances which may or shall exist.

Let the high priests, elders and other officers continue in their respective fields of labor, according to their several appointments until they receive further counsel from me.

Let all the rules and regulations established by President Pratt, in relation to conferences, ordinations, sending on missions, &c., be strictly observed and adhered to by all.

Let every high priest, elder, officer, and member be careful not to teach, either publicly or privately any doctrine or precept contrary to the word of God, or the principles of sound morality and virtue.

And should any officer or member be found instilling or disseminating any principles, in public or in private, which could be considered, even by the world, as unvirtuous or immoral, let him speedily be reported to the proper authorities and dealt with according to the strict principles of the law of God.

And should any of the presiding officers in the east be found violating these rules, let them, without delay, be immediately reported to me, together with the testimony concerning the same.

All covenants and promises which may have been entered into by any of the saints in the east, in relation to the eternal union, independent of the sanction and approbation of him who holds the keys of the sealing power as conferred by Elijah are null and void, being made in unrighteousness, and directly in opposition to the order of the kingdom of God.

If a husband and wife wish to enjoy each others society in the world to come, let all their covenants and promises be made at a proper time-in a proper place; and under the sanction and approbation of the ONE holding the legal authority and keys of these sacred things.

And if any of the saints shall be found violating any of these sacred, virtuous and holy principles, let them be reported and dealt with strictly.

Let parents and guardians pay strict attention to the virtue and morality of their children and those placed under their charge. Your responsibilities towards them are great and highly important.

Let children seek counsel from, and obey their parents ( who are in the church,) in all things; for in the kingdom of God, parents and children hold the same relation to each other in regard to government and obedience, in time and all eternity.

The same eternal relation of perfect government on the part of the father, and of perfect

obedience on the part of the children, should be maintained that exists between the Eternal Father and his son Jesus Christ.

Let all the officers in every branch, thoroughly teach the saints, both by precept and example, the principles set froth in this message that heaven-born virtue may shine forth in all your words and in short,

Let virtue by your motto, Let virtue-lovely virtue [virtue],

Let virtue be your guide; In holy triumph reign;

Let virtue in her beauty, Let virtue sway her sceptre [scepter],

Be your immortal bride. O'er valleys, hills, and plain.

The temple of God is beginning to attract the attention of the saints more generally. By the tithings and unwearied exertions of the faithful, its walls have been erected; the roof has been put on, and much of the inside work finished and ready to be placed in its proper position. The glass and nails have been obtained, and some of its rooms will immediately be completed and prepared for the administration of the ordinances of endowment.

If the saints in the east desire a name and place in the temple, and wish to be legally entitled to the blessings to be administered therein, let them comply with all readiness and willingness with the whole law of tithing; that is, let them ascertain the full value of all they possess, and give one tenth of the same; and let all your tithings and consecrations be rejected with cursings instead of blessings.-Let those who have already complied with this law, remember that one tenth of their annual income is the Lord's from this time henceforth and forever.

Be punctual and honest in all these things.

The Lord cannot be cheated.

Remember Annanias and his wife, and shun their example.

A book for the record of tithings is now opened at the Messenger office, No. 7 Spruce Street, New York, where I will attend in person, to receive and record all the tithings of the churches within my special jurisdiction, and forward the same to headquarters to be recorded in the temple record.

And I hereby warn all people, both in the eastern and middle states, to pay no tithing to anyone except to me, or to my order, and to such other legal agents as are, or shall be appointed by the Twelve, whose names will appear in our periodicals as authorized agents, and who will also hold a certificate of agency, having the private seal of the Twelve.

The church will not be responsible for any tithings which shall be paid to any other persons.

Let the authorized agents in the eastern and middle states who have received tithings, forward the same, with the names to me at our office by some safe conveyance.

The names of each individual, together with the amount of tithing paid by each, will be published in the Messenger.

I intend visiting the most, if not all, the branches of the church under my charge.

The time that I will be at the different branches will be announced in the Messenger. Let the saints have their tithings in readiness.

I request Elders Brown of Connecticut, Snow of Boston, Grant and Appleby of Philadelphia, and all other officers engaged in the ministry, to send frequent communications to me by letter, (postage paid,) that I may know the state, standing and condition of the branches, and be in possession of all other information necessary to the welfare of the saints, and spread of the gospel in these parts.

As there has been a great inquiry in the east, for the Book of Covenants, I take this opportunity to inform the officers and saints generally, that I have several hundred on hand, price, one dollar and twenty five cents.

Also, just issued from the press, the "Prophetic Almanac" for 1846. Price, 6 1-4 single, 4 dollars per hundred.

Brethren support the Messenger, and buy all our standard works, and let the approved authors among he saints be upheld, sustained, and encouraged.

The press, if rightly used, can be made a mighty engine of truth, more terrible to this guilty generation, than the hand writing on the wall was to Belshazzar. Open your purses, and stretch out the hand of assistance, and sustain us, and we will sustain you.

Remember if the head falters from the want of proper nourishment and attention, the whole body will be feeble, sickly and faint.

And now dear brethren, I beseech and exhort you, by your hopes of eternal salvation, and by all that is sacred and holy, that you refrain from every evil work, and give diligent and earnest heed to the teachings and counsels of those ordained to hold the keys of power on the earth.

Let no false doctrine proceed out of your mouth, such, for instance, as the doctrine that the devil and his angels will be redeemed: and that the tabernacle of our martyred prophet and seer, or of any other person, was, or is the

especial tabernacle of the Holy Ghost, in a different sense from that considered in relation to his residence in other tabernacles. These are doctrines not revealed, and are neither believed nor sanctioned by the Twelve, and should be rejected by every saint:

Cultivate peace, love and union among yourselves. Uphold, by your prayers, those appointed to preside over you.

With anxious desires for your welfare, and with the warmest feelings of affection and love, I subscribe myself, your faithful shepherd, in the new and everlasting covenant.

ORSON PRATT.

New York, August 25th, 1845.

From the N. Y. Messenger.