Part 19 (1/2)
”During our journey from Kirtland to Missouri, the weather was extremely warm, in consequence of which I suffered very much, my body being weakened by sickness, and I continued very feeble for a considerable length of time.
”Sunday, July 20th, I met Joseph, Sidney and Hyrum on the public square, as they started for Adam-Ondi-Ahman. Joseph requested me to preach to the Saints and give them a history of my mission, saying, 'It will revive their spirits and do them good,' which I did, although I was scarcely able to stand. I related many things respecting my mission and travels, which were gladly received by them, whose hearts were cheered by the recital, while many of the Elders were stirred up to diligence, and expressed a great desire to accompany me when I should return to England.”
CHAPTER XXIX
THE LAND WHERE ADAM DWELT--THE SAINTS IMPELLED TOWARD THEIR DESTINY--PERSECUTION REVIVES--ADAM-ONDI-AHMAN--THE ALTAR OF THE ANCIENT OF DAYS.
The land where Adam dwelt. The site of the Garden of Eden. The place where the Ancient of Days shall sit, and the G.o.d of heaven shall again visit His people. As saith the prophet Daniel:
”I beheld till the thrones were cast down and the Ancient of Days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
”A fiery stream issued and come forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
”I saw in the night visions, and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him.
”And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pa.s.s away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. * * * * * *
”I beheld and the same horn made war with the Saints, and prevailed against them;
”Until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the Saints of the Most High; and the time came that the Saints possessed the kingdom.”
Here, in this most ancient region, where, parallel with the stream of Time, the great river of mortal life arose, had pitched their tents the Saints of latter days.
Here dwelt Adam and Eve in the world's infancy; here they tasted of the fruit forbidden, and were driven forth from Eden, their fall predestined that mortal man might be. Here the great sire of mankind built altars unto G.o.d, offering sacrifice unto the Father in commemoration of the atonement of the Son. Here fell the first martyr; here righteous Abel's blood was spilt; here burst the awful thunders of heaven's awakened wrath upon the guilty head of earth's first murderer. Here Adam, bowed with age, blessed the righteous residue of his seed, and predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity to the latest generation.
All this ere the days of Peleg, in whose days ”was the earth divided;”
ere Enoch's city rose to heaven, or the ark of Noah floated over a wave-buried world. Ere Babel's towering folly mocked the skies; ere wrecked was language on confusion's strand; ere the great river of humanity, dividing into rills, went forth to water with the streams of life the soil of every land.
Here, in the times of rest.i.tution, when all things in Christ are gathered in one, Adam, Michael, the great Prince, Ancient of Days, is to come in power and glory, revisiting the scenes of his earthly pilgrimage.
America, the old world, not the new! Cradle of man, mother of nations, grave of empires!
Unto Missouri, land of promise; the ancient, the chosen, the favored above all other lands, had the Lord's Prophet, Joseph, led His covenant people.
Spring Hill, Daviess County, Missouri, one of the settlements of the Saints in this region, had been renamed by revelation, Adam-ondi-Ahman, because, said the Lord, ”it is the place where Adam shall come to visit his people, or the Ancient of Days shall sit, as spoken of by Daniel the Prophet.”
Verily were the Saints of the Most High being driven toward their destiny. The ”horn” that made war with them and ”prevailed against them,” was surely pus.h.i.+ng them on to final victory. Was it not destiny, too, that they should thus retrace the steps of their great ancestor, who, driven forth from Eden,[A] dwelt in Adam-ondi-Ahman?
[Footnote A: Jackson County, Missouri, from whence the Saints were driven, is reputed to be the ancient site of the Garden of Eden.]
Heber was now with his people at Far West, in ”the land where Adam dwelt,” ready to perform his part of the labor in preparing the kingdom of the Son of G.o.d for the coming of the Ancient of Days.
”Soon after my arrival,” says he, ”Bishop Partridge gave me a lot and sufficient lumber to build a house. Charles Hubbard made me a present of forty acres of land, and another brother gave me a cow. All the brethren were remarkably kind in contributing to my necessities. About the last of August, after I had spent much labor, and nearly finished my house, I was obliged to abandon it to the mob, who again commenced persecuting the Saints, driving off their cattle and destroying their property.”
The origin of this persecution was much the same as that of the Jackson County trouble, five years before. The thrift and enterprise of the Saints, with their growing power and influence, had aroused the jealous fears of their Gentile neighbors, and what the scheming villainy of political demagogues left undone, the malice of sectarian priests accomplished, in kindling the wrath of the ignorant and fanatical against them.