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The Evening and The Morning Star/2/15
| ←Number 14 | The Evening and The Morning Star Volume 2, Number 15 |
Number 16→ |
| Source document in Mormon Publications: 19th and 20th Centuries online archive: The Evening and The Morning Star Vol. 1-2
Note: Some headings and bracketed texts are editorial and not part of the original text. |
| THE EVENING AND THE MORNING STAR | ||
| Vol. 2. | Kirtland, Ohio. December, 1833 | No. 15. |
TO THE PATRONS OF THE EVENING AND THE MORNING STAR.
Circumstances having rendered it impossible to issue the present number of the Star previously, its former patrons, no doubt, have been furnished with various reports, from various sources, explanatory of its delay, which have been contradicted or exaggerated, equally as often as they have been circulated, until the public mind has despaired of any thing authentic on the subject.
It is not our intention to give a minute detail of occurrences which have occasioned a removal of the location of the Star, in this address, as following articles are plain on that subject; but it may be expected, perhaps, that we shall give the outlines of the course which we intend to pursue while we are favored with the privilege of conducting the columns of this paper.
In the address of the former Editor, as well as his prospectus, it will be seen, that the Star was pledged to the cause of spreading the truth, without meddling with 'politics, or the gainsayings of the world;" which course was strictly observed. But on the subject of controversy, we will here remark, that, when ever we may deem it of any real benefit to our fellow men, to enter the field against our opponents in principles upon the subject of our faith, we shall be at liberty so to do, always observing the strictest rules of decorum and respect, toward every individual who may controvert the principles of religion with us.
In our opinion, no one subject when controverted, requires more prudence and judgment than that of religion.-When parties of different principles contend with all the ingenuity and talent they possess, and are found to deviate in the least from the known precepts of scripture, we have reason to believe do a greater injury to the cause than good. But as we value the worth of souls, and hold sacred the principles of the gospel of the Lord Jesus, so we shall endeavor to correct our opinions by the word of truth, keeping in view our only object, to enlighten mankind, and point to them the way of salvation.
Ours is a day of the deepest interest to the human family, and an age fraught with the greatest consequences to the inhabitants of the earth, according to the testimony of all the holy prophets, who have written since the world began. Six thousand years have nearly passed since Omnipotence spake this universe into being by the Word of his power: when from a wide expanse of chaos the elements were brought to perfect order, and this vast globe shone out with magnificence and splendor, touched with the power of the Almighty: when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy. Almost two thousand years have rolled into eternity since the Son of Man bowed his head upon mount Calvary, for the sins of the world, when he said, It is finished! and gave up the ghost.
Wars and rumors of wars are spreading over the world; nation rising against nation, kingdom against kingdom; calamity upon calamity, and pestilence following plague; iniquity abounding, and the love of many waxing cold; almost every man seeking his own interest, to the destruction of his neighbor, and the hearts of this generation so grossly hardened, that no man can trust even his brother; and more than all these, that great day fast approaching when this scene of wickedness shall close; the veil of eternity be rent, and the Son of God be seen coming in the clouds of heaven, with all his holy angels, with power and great glory.
Who with the bible in his hand, can doubt for a moment the near approach of that day when Israel shall be gathered to his own land, and the captivity of Jacob's tents return? when the seed of Abraham shall possess their promised inheritance in that choice country that once flowed with milk and honey? when the Lord will turn to his people a pure language, that they may all call upon his name to serve him with one consent; when even his suppliants the daughter of his dispersed, shall bring his offering from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia? and when the great river Euphrates shall be dried up, that the way of the kings of the east may be prepared?
As we previously remarked, we do not design to detail the particulars which have occasioned a removal of the location of this paper; but it may not be improper to offer a few reflections upon the subject, as a part of the scene transpired before our eyes. With propriety we may say, that, of all subjects on earth who are bound to respect the principles of their government, the people of the United States, certainly, are of that class. The thought that our liberty was purchased with the blood of our fathers, ought to kindle emotions of patriotism in the bosom of every individual, and inspire it with just indignation against those who should in any way, even with the smallest pretext, rise up and disgrace his character as a republican, by violating those feelings which served as a main spring of action for those who achieved our freedom.
The freedom of speech, the liberty of conscience, and the liberty of the press, are three main principles in the Constitution of a free government; take from it these, and adieu to the blessings of civil society: deprive a citizen of the enjoyments guaranteed in these, and his life is not worth possessing. Men shudder at the thought of the dissolution of States, and the breaking of those links which hold governments together; but when ever those sacred principles are suffered to be trampled upon, and no arm raised to defend them, the lengthy documents, the long harangues, the great parade and the splendid show, are like the idle wind; they are like vain tales; they are beneath the empty fable, for they can profit no man.
It has become our duty to relate one of the most shocking scenes, which has disgraced the character of any citizen of the United States, since her freedom was purchased by the shedding of blood. We recollect the history of the persecution of the Quakers, and of the Baptists in time gone by, but we thought we could with propriety cherish a belief, that no set of creatures wearing the human form, and enjoying the privilege of being classed as citizens of this Republic, could be so blind to all feelings of common humanity, laying aside patriotism and liberal principles, as to rise up in open violation of the Constitution of our country, and persecute, even unto death a fellow being for his religion.
But our limits not allowing us to proceed farther, we submit these few reflections to a candid community, with the following documents, and the proceedings of an innocent people, who have been vilely persecuted and slandered. O. COWDERY.
Kirtland, December, 1833.
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TO HIS EXCELLENCY, DANIEL DUNKLIN,
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI.
We, the undersigned, citizens of the republic of the United States of Jackson county, members of the church of Jesus Christ, (vulgarly called Mormons,) believing in God, and worshiping [worshipping] him according to his revealed will contained in the holy bible, and the fulness [fullness] of the gospel contained in the book of Mormon, and the revelations and commandments of God through Jesus Christ, respectfully show:-
That, we your petitioners, having purchased lands of the United States, and of the State of Missouri, and of the inhabitants of said State for the purpose of improving the same and peaceably enjoying our rights, privileges, immunities, and religion, according to the Constitution and laws of the State and National Governments, have suffered unjustly and unlawfully in property, in person, and in reputation, as follows: First, in the spring of 1832, some persons, in the deadly hours of the night, commenced stoning or brick-batting some of our houses and breaking in our windows, disturbing ourselves, our wives and our children, and also, some few days after, they called a county meeting to consult measures to remove us, but after some confusion among themselves, they dispersed with doing no more than threatening, on that day. In the fall of the same year, they or some one, burned a large quantity of hay in the stack; and soon after commenced shooting into some of our houses, and at many times insulting with abusive language.
Secondly, about the middle of July last, yea, in fact, previous, they commenced brick-batting our houses again, and breaking in our windows. At this time, July 18th, the following document was in circulation:
"We, the undersigned, citizens of Jackson county, believing that an important crisis is at hand, as regards our civil society, in consequence of a pretended religious sect of people, that have settled and are still settling in our county, styling themselves Mormons, and intending, as we do to rid our society 'peaceably if we can, forcibly if we must,' and believing as we do, that the arm of the civil law does not afford us a guarantee, or at least a sufficient one against the evils which are now inflicted upon us, and seem to be increasing by the said religious sect, deem it expedient, and of the highest importance to form ourselves into a company for the better and easier accomplishment of our purpose, a purpose which we deem it almost superfluous to say, is justified as well by the law of nature, as by the law of self preservation.
It is more than two years since the first of these fanatics, or knaves, (for one or the other they undoubtedly are,) made their first appearance amongst us, and pretending as they did, and now do to hold personal communion and converse face to face with the most high God, to receive communications and revelations direct from heaven; to heal the sick by laying on hands, and in short, to perform all the wonder working miracles wrought by the inspired apostles and prophets of old.
We believed them deluded fanatics or weak and designing knaves, and that they and their pretensions would soon pass away; but in this we were deceived. The arts of a few designing leaders amongst them have thus far succeeded in holding them together as a society, and since the arrival of the first of them they have been daily increasing in numbers, and if they had been respectable citizens in society, and thus deluded they would have been entitled to our pity rather than to our contempt and hatred: but from their appearance, from their manners, and from their conduct, since their coming among us, we have every reason to fear, that with but very few exceptions, they were of the very dregs of that society from which they came, lazy idle and vicious. This we conceive is not idle assertion, but a fact susceptible of proof, for with these few exceptions above named, they brought into our county little or no property with them, and left less behind them, and we infer, that those only, yoked themselves to the Mormon car, who had nothing earthly or heavenly, to lose by the change; and we fear that if some of the leaders amongst them, had paid the forfeit due to crime, instead of being chosen embassadors [ambassadors] of the most High, they would have been inmates of solitary cells. But their conduct here stamps their characters in their true colors. More than a year since, it was ascertained that they had been tampering with our slaves, and endeavoring to sow dissentions and raise seditions amongst them. Of this their mormon leaders were informed, and they said they would deal with any of their members who should again, in like case offend, but how specious are appearances, in a late number of the Star, published in Independence by the leaders of the sect, there is an article inviting free negroes and mulattoes [mulattos] from other States to become mormons and remove and settle among us, this exhibits them in still more odious colors. It manifests a desire on the part of their society, to inflict on our society an injury that they know would be to us entirely insupportable, and one of the surest means of driving us from the county; for it would require none of the supernatural gifts that they pretend to, to see that the introduction of such a cast amongst us, would corrupt our blacks and instigate them to bloodsheds.
They openly blaspheme the most high God, and cast contempt on his holy religion, by pretending to receive revelations direct from heaven, by pretending to speak unknown tongues; by direct inspiration, and by diverse pretences [pretenses] derogatory of God and religion, and to the utter subversion of human reason:
They declare openly that their God hath given them this county of land, and that sooner or later they must and will have the possession of our lands for an inheritance, and in fine they have conducted themselves on many other occasions in such a manner, that we believe it a duty we owe ourselves to our wives and children, to the cause of public morals, to remove them from among us, as we are not prepared to give up our pleasant places, and goodly possessions to them, or to receive into the bosom of our families, as fit companions for our wives and daughters the degraded and corrupted free negroes and mulattoes [mulattos], that are now invited to settle among us.
Under such a state of things, even our beautiful county would cease to be a desirable residence, and our situation intolerable! We, therefore agree, that after timely warning, and receiving an adequate compensation for what little property they cannot take with them, they refuse to leave us in peace, as they found us, we agree to use such means as may be sufficient to remove them, and to that end we each pledge to each other our bodily powers, our lives, fortunes, and sacred honors.
We will meet at the court house at the town of Independence, on Saturday, next, 20 Inst. to consult ulterior movements."
Among the hundreds of names attached to the above document were:
Lewis Franklin, Jailor [Jailer]. N. K. Olmstead, M. D.
Samuel C. Owens, County Clerk. John Smith, J. P.
Russel Hicks, Deputy Clerk. Sam'l. Weston, J. P.
R. W. Cummins, Indian Agent. William Brown, Const.
Jones H. Flournoy, P. Master. Abner F. Staples, Capt.
S. D. Lucas, Thomas Pitcher, Deputy Const.
Col. and Judge of the Court. Moses G. Wilson, Merchant.
Henry Childs, Att'y at Law. Thomas Willson, Merchant.
On Saturday the 20th. July last, according to the foregoing document, there assembled suddenly in the town of Independence at the court house, between four and five hundred persons who sent Robert Johnson, James Campbell, Moses Willson, Joel F. Childs, Richard Fristoe, Abner F. Staples, Gan Johnson, Lewis Franklin, Russell Hicks, S. D. Lucas, Thomas Willson, James M. Hunter, and Richard Simpson, to some of your petitioners namely, Edward Partrage [Partridge], A. S. Gilbert, John Corril, Isaac Morley, John Whitmer, and W. W. Phelps, and demanded that we should immediately stop the publication of the Evening and Morning Star, and close printing in Jackson county, and that we as Elders of said church should agree to remove out of the county forthwith. We asked for three months for consideration-They would not grant it-We asked for ten days-They would not grant it but said fifteen minutes was the longest, and refused to hear any reasons: Of course the conversation broke up.
The four or five hundred persons, as a Mob, then proceeded to demolish or raise to the ground, the printing office and dwelling house of W. W. Phelps, & Co. Mrs. Phelps, with a sick infant child and the rest of her children, together with the furniture in the house, were thrown out doors; the press was broken, the type pied-the book work, furniture, apparatus, property, &c. of the office were principally destroyed and the office thrown down, whereby seven hands were thrown out of employment and three families left destitute of the means of subsistence.
The loss of the whole office, including the stoppage of the Evening and Morning Star, a monthly paper, and the Upper Missouri Advertiser, a weekly paper, was about six thousand dollars, without the damages, which must result in consequence of their suspension.
The mob then proceeded to demolish the store house and destroy the goods of Gilbert Whitney, & Co. but Mr. Gilbert assuring them that the goods should be packed by the 23rd Inst.: they then stopped the destruction of property and proceeded to do personal violence. They took Edward Partridge, the bishop of the church from his dwelling house by force, and a Mr. Allen, and stripping them of their coats, vests and hats, or caused them to do it themselves, tarred and feathered them in the presence of the mob before the court house. They caught other members of the church to serve them in like manner, but they made their escape-With horrid yells and the most blasphemous epithets, they sought for other leading Elders, but found them not-It being late, they adjourned until the 23rd. Inst.
On the 23 Inst. early in the day, the mob again assembled to the number of about 500, many of them armed with rifles, dirks, pistols, clubs and whips; one or two companies riding into town bearing the red flag, raising again the HORRID YELL-They proceeded to take some of the leading elders by force declaring it to be their intention to whip them from fifty to five hundred lashes apiece, to demolish their dwelling houses, and let their negroes lose to go through our plantations and lay open our fields for the destruction of our crops.
Whereupon John Corril, John Whitmer, W. W. Phelps, A. S. Gilbert, Edward Partridge, and Isaac Morley, made no resistance, but offered themselves a ransom for the church, willing to be scourged or die, if that would appease their anger toward the church, but being assured by the mob that every man, woman, and child would be whipped or scourged until they were driven out of the county, as the mob declared that they or the mormons must leave the county, or they or the mormons must die.
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The mob then chose a new committee, consisting of Samuel C. Owens, Leonidas Oldham, G. W. Simpson, M. L. Irwin, John Harris, Henry Childs, Harvey H. Younger, Hugh L. Breazeal, N. K. Olmstead, James C. Sadler, William Bowers, Benjamin Majors, Zachariah Waller, Harman Gregg, Aaron Overton and Samuel Weston, who with Edward Partridge, Isaac Morley, John Corril, W. W. Phelps, A. S. Gilbert and John Whitmer, entered into the following stipulation.
"Memorandum of agreement between the undersigned of the mormon society, in Jackson county Missouri, and a committee appointed by a public meeting of the citizens of said county, made the 23rd day of July, 1833.
It is understood that the undersigned members of the society, do give their solemn pledge each for himself, as follows to wit:-
That Oliver Cowdery, W. W. Phelps, Wm. E. McLellin, Edward Partridge, Lyman Wight, Simeon Carter, Peter and John Whitmer, and Harvey Whitlock, shall remove with their families out of this county on or before the first day of January next, and that they, as well as the two herein after named, use all their influence to induce all the brethren now here to remove as soon as possible-One half, say, by the first of January next, and all by the first day of April next. To advise and try all means in their power to stop any more of their sect from moving to this county, and as to those now on the road, they will use their influence to prevent their settling permanently in the county, but that they shall only make arrangements for temporary shelter, till a new location is agreed on for the society. John Corril and A. S. Gilbert are allowed to remain as general agents to wind up the business of the society, so long as necessity shall require; and said Gilbert may sell out his merchandise now on hand, but is to make no new importations.-
The Star is not again to be published, nor a press set up by any of the society in this county.-
If the said Edward Partridge, and W. W. Phelps move their families by the first day of January as aforesaid, that they themselves will be allowed to go and come in order to transact and wind up their business.
The committee pledge themselves to use all their influence to prevent any violence being used so as long as a compliance with the foregoing terms is observed by the parties concerned." To which agreement is subscribed the names of the above named committee, as also those of the mormon brethren named in the report as having been present.
The damages, which your petitioners have sustained in consequence of this outrage and stipulation are, at present, incalculable. A great number of industrious inhabitants who were dependent on their labors for support, have been thrown out of employment and are kept so by the threatenings of those who composed the mob. [See their resolutions as published in the Western Monitor number 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.] In estimating the damages which have resulted from the beginning to this time from those illegal and inhuman proceedings against your poor and persecuted petitioners, were they to name many thousands of dollars, it would be short of a remuneration. Most of the mechanic's shops have been closed, two pair of Blacksmith's bellows have been cut in pieces. Our merchant, as you will see by the foregoing stipulation, has been forbidden to import or bring into the county any more goods, by which his business has been ruined. Soon after the above stipulation was made, some of your petitioners proceeded to make a new location in Van Buren county on the south, but the settlers in that county drew up an agreement among themselves to drive us from that county after we had commenced laboring there, they threatened to shoot our cattle and destroy our labor, and in fact, "The foxes have holes and the birds of their air have nests, but we have not where to lay our heads"-We were obliged to return.
Since the stipulation was entered into, some of our houses have been broken open and the inmates threatened to be shot if they stirred, and also, some of our houses have been stoned or brick-batted.
Also, that since some publications, have appeared in the Western Monitor and other papers, censuring the conduct of the mob, the leaders have began to threaten life, declaring that if any of the mormons attempted to seek redress by law or otherwise, for character, person or property, they should die!
NOW THEREFORE, for ourselves, as members of the church, we declare, with the exception of poverty, which has not yet become a crime, by the laws of the land, that the crimes charged against us, (so far as we are acquainted,) contained in the documents above written, and those in the proceedings of the mob, as published in the Western Monitor of August 2nd, are not true. In relation to inviting free people of color to emigrate to this section of country-And other matters relative to our society, see the 109th, 10th, and 11th, pages of the Evening and Morning Star, and the Extra accompanying the same, dated July 16th,-which are annexed to this petition. Our situation is a critical one, we are located upon the western limits of the State, and of the United States-where desperadoes can commit outrages and even murder, and escape, in a few minutes, beyond the reach of process-where the most abandoned of all classes from almost every state may too often pass to the Mexican states, or to the more remote regions of the Rocky Mountains to escape the grasp of justice-where numerous tribes of Indians, located by the general Government amid the corrupting influence of midday mobs, might massacre our defenceless [defenseless] women and children, with impunity:-
Influenced by the precepts of our beloved Savior, when we have been smitten on the one cheek, we have turned the other also, when we have been sued at the law, and our coat been taken, we have given them our cloak also, when they have compelled us to go with them a mile, we have gone with them twain, we have borne the above outrages without murmuring:-But we cannot patiently bare them any longer: according to the laws of God and man, we have borne enough. Believing, with all honorable men, that whenever that fatal hour shall arrive that the poorest citizen's person, property, or rights and privileges, shall be trampled upon by a lawless mob with impunity, that moment a dagger is plunged into the heart of the Constitution, and the Union must tremble! Assuring ourselves that no republican will suffer the liberty of the press; the freedom of speech, and the liberty of conscience, to be silenced by a mob, without raising a helping hand, to save his country from disgrace. We solicit assistance to obtain our rights; holding ourselves amenable to the laws of our country whenever we transgress them.
Knowing, as we do, that the threats of this mob, in most cases, have been put into execution, and knowing also, that every officer, civil and military, with a very few exceptions, has pledged his life and honor, to force us from the county, dead or alive; and believing that civil process cannot be served without the aid of the Executive; and not wishing to have the blood of our defenceless [defenseless] women and children stain the land which has once been stained by the blood of our fathers to purchase our liberty; we appeal to the Governor for aid; asking him by express proclamation, or otherwise, to raise a sufficient number of troops, who, with us, may be empowered to defend our rights, that we may sue for damages in the loss of property-for abuse-for defamation, as to ourselves-and if advisable try for treason against the government;-that the law of the land may not be defied, nor nulified [nullified], but peace restored to our country:-And we will every pray.
[On the foregoing we may remark, that it falls far short of setting forth the actual suffering situation of the petitioners, and the wanton and malicious conduct of the inhabitants by whom they were surrounded. Excepting a few individuals, those who were engaged in the outrage were persons of little or no reading; and being thus ignorant, were the more easily persuaded to believe, that their privileges and rights as citizens were about to be unlawfully taken from them; and when once roused to acts of violence, were constantly heated by the insinuations of a few, who ought to have been the first to rise in the defence [defense] of innocence and virtue, and bring to justice wild infatuated violators of the peace of society by the majesty of the civil law.
We insert the following communication from his Excellency the Governor of Missouri, in answer to the foregoing petition. The candid patriotic spirit which it breaths, is truly becoming a man entrusted with the honor of extending an arm in support of those who are unjustly trampled upon; and having it in his power to enforce due reverence to the Constitution.-Ed. Star.]
"City of Jefferson, Executive Department, Oct. 19th, 1833.
To Edward Partridge, W. W Phelps, Isaac Morely, John Corril, A. S. Gilbert, John Whitmer, and others:
Your memorial soliciting my interposition against violence threatened you, and redress for injuries received by a portion of the citizens of Jackson county, has been received, and its contents duly considered. I should think myself worthy the confidence with which I have been honored by my fellow citizens, did I not promptly employ all the means which the Constitution and laws have placed at my disposal, to avert the calamities with which you are threatened.
Ours is a Government of laws, to them we all owe obedience, and their faithful administration is the best guarantee for the enjoyment of our rights.
No citizen, nor number of citizens, have a right to take the redress of their grievances, whether real or imaginary, into their own hands: Such conduct strikes at the very existence of society, and subverts the foundation on which it is based. Not being willing to persuade myself that any portion of the citizens of the State of Missouri are so lost to a sense of these truths as to require the exercise of force, in order to ensure a respect of them.
After advising with the Attorney General, and exercising my best judgment, I would advise you to make a trial of the efficacy of the laws, the Judge of your circuit is a conservator of the peace. If an affidavit is made before him by any of you, that your lives are threatened and you believe them in danger, it would be his duty to have the offenders apprehended and bind them to keep the peace. Justices of the peace in their respective counties have the same authority, and it is made their duty to exercise it. Take, then, this course, obtain a warrant, let it be placed in the hands of the proper officer, and the experiment will be tested whether the laws can be peaceably executed or not. In the event they cannot be, and that fact is officially notified to me, my duty will require me to take such steps as will enforce a faithful execution of them.
With regard to the injuries you have sustained by destruction of property, &c. the law is open to redress, I cannot permit myself to doubt that the courts will be open to you, nor that you will find difficulty in procuring legal advocates to sue for damages therein.
Respectfully,
Your ob't. servant,
DANIEL DUNKLIN
W. W. PHELPS, ESQ. Independence, Mo."
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THE EVENING AND THE MORNING STAR.
We have received a communication written on the subject of the Millennium, which we insert in this number of the Star. Our time will not permit us to offer any remarks upon this article; we therefore give it to our readers as we received it; but as we presume we shall be favored with more from the same pen, we shall hereafter make such comments as we may deem appropriate.
SIGNS IN THE HEAVENS.
On the morning of the 13th of November last, about 3 or 4 o'clock, was seen a singular appearance in the heavens, which seemed to produce no small excitement in the minds of those who were up in season to gaze upon the sublime, yet strange phenomenon. We were roused from our slumber by the voice of one of our neighbors, "Rise and see the signs in the heavens!" Immediately we were on our feet, and on looking out at the window, beheld a scenery as sublime, apparently, as though the Great Majesty of heaven was riding forth through the firmament upon a cloud that was passing slowly towards the east, from whose presence worlds seemed to be moving with mighty rapidity, whose flaming orbits lighted down through the dark weather and shown upon this earth! But on walking out it was plain to be seen that it was not merely one place in the heavens thus illuminated, but the whole heavens were lit up with the same appearance, except here and there a small cloud as they were moved to the east by a gentle wind.
This scenery continued visible till near sunrise, when it fled by the rising splendor of the "King of day." While we were gazing upon this new wonder with surprise and admiration, we remembered the exhortation of the Lord to Israel, [Isa. XL. 26.] Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names, by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth. This saying seems to be peculiarly well adapted to an occurrence of this kind: for notwithstanding the great commotion in the heavenly bodies, yet, the same power that brought them into existence and regulated their various circumvolutions, was still sufficient to retain them in their proper position by his immutable decree, till the judgement [judgment] of the great day; or until the time of the fulfillment of certain prophecies contained in the holy scriptures. We were also reminded of that remarkable saying of the Savior, [Matt. XXV. 6.] while speaking of his kingdom in the last days, at the time of his second coming, when the cry is to be heard at midnight, Behold, the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him.
It is generally the case, however, that whatever appearances are seen in the heavens at this day, some, and indeed we may say nearly all, are so wise that they can assign natural causes in abundance to account for them all without acknowledging that God's hand was in it, & that it was all done by his special direction. We admire the principle of searching into all causes and phenomenas, and of ascertaining the real origin of transpiring events, that we may be free from superstition and vain imagination, which are to frequently spread over the minds of the simple and untaught. Wisdom not only relieves us from the fatal effects of blind enthusiasm, with which all who have not understanding are liable to be ensnared; but it enlarges the heart and exalts the mind to heaven, and enables it to discern the real purpose of every occurrence though marvelous in the extreme, and to acknowledge the Omnipotent fiat that regulates the universe.
It is a pleasing thing to let the mind stretch away and contemplate the vast creations of the Almighty; to see the planets perform their regular revolutions, and observe their exact motions; to view the thousand suns giving ligt [light] to myriads of globes, moving in their respective orbits, and revolving upon their several axis, all inhabited by intelligent beings; to consider that they all are visited with the light of his countenance, according to the revelation of his own character; that he communicates from time to time his will to all his creatures, and that he could not be impartial, were he to give a part the privilege of attaining to perfection and glory, and leave the other in darkness and uncertainty; but that Word by which all things were made will bring all alike to stand before him, and yet the least of all his creatures will not be overlooked, though at the assemblage of worlds, but all will be rewarded according to their works.
We profess a belief in the holy scriptures; we believe that the will of God is there contained and set forth for the good of mankind, and that neither a jot or tittle of his word will fall to the ground, or pass away unfulfilled. But in the admission of this idea are we not more willing that the scripture should be fulfilled in a time to come, than in our day? Are we not forward in our opinion, that the great and notable day of the Lord, spoken of by the prophet Joel, and quoted by the apostle Peter, [Acts II.] And I will show wonders in the heavens above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come, was fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem? And even admitting that it was not then fulfilled are we not ready to say that it must mean something to take place at, or near the end of the world?
Are we not more willing that the great and mighty events which are to transpire just prior to the Savior's glorious appearance in the clouds of heaven, should be fulfilled upon the heads of a future generation, than on our own? If we were pure in heart, and in all things prepared for the coming of our Lord Jesus, would we not be as willing, or as ready to admit that it was possible for this to be the day in which he should come, as to desire it to be fulfilled upon the heads of our children? If in all things we lived with an eye single to his glory, and from the heart used the prayer taught to the ancient apostles by their Lord, "Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth," [Luke XI.2.] and contemplated the joys with which the saints will be crowned, would we not rather that day would come in our generation than in a future one?
Because all the world at this day are engaged in secular persuits [pursuits], does that prove that the great day of the Lord is not near? Because all eyes seem to be closed, and all nations asleep as to the great interest of that period, do these things assure mankind that the Lord delays his coming? Or does it not rather serve as a precursory warning that the time draws nigh when the Son of God shall descend from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire? Is it any where written in the sacred volume that all the world should be prepared to meet him when he should come the second time without sin unto salvation? That they should all be watching, with eagerness and anxiety for the day of the Lord to come as a thief in the night, when the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements melt with fervent heat? Or are not these events really to transpire according to the strict reading of the apostle's writings?
But if they are, we would like to be informed whether that scripture has yet been fulfilled, contained in Matthew's testimony, [24th chap.] where he says, After the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power & great glory? This singular idea taught to the apostles by the Lord Jesus, was not merely noticed by Matthew, for there was a prospect, even an assurance of an inexpressible glory which was to burst upon the heads of the saints: a day of redemption, when they themselves were to set upon thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel.
But Luke makes this subject very plain, after giving a relation of that notable prophecy of the Lord concerning the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, and the captivity of the Jews: that they should be led into all nations, and Jerusalem be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles were fulfilled, he says, There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud, with power and great glory. [Luke XXI. 25, 26, 27,] Need this language be mistook? can we figure in our minds a belief that these sayings have been fulfilled? or were the apostles mistaken? or did not Christ declare that these things should be?
Isaiah declares that in the day of the fierce anger of the Lord of hosts, the heavens shall shake and the earth be removed out of her place; and that the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and that the moon shall not cause her light to shine. [Isaiah XIII] John while upon the isle of Patmos, in giving a relation of the opening of the sixth seal, [Rev. VI.] says, Lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. These prophecies if not yet fulfilled, must be of moment to this, or a future generation. And who, with a moment's reflection, will say, that they have been?-Events of this magnitude would have been noticed and recorded by previous historians, and we should now read them with wonder and amazement. And that they are to transpire, the veracity of the sacred scripture stands pledged for the truth of their performance. Whether that glorious day will usher in before our dissolution, we cannot say, we do not know. Whether it will be in this generation or a future one, we do not pretend to predict; but the signs of the times are sufficient to warn every man that the day is near at hand, and the great exhortation spoken by the Lord himself is of importance to every saint, [Matthew XXIV. 44] Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh!
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.
ASA JEFFERS, who was once an elder in the church of Christ, has been excommunicated by the regular authority of the church, at Elk Creek Erie Co. Pa. in consequence of unchristian like conduct, and he refused to give up his Credentials, but still retains them, and is probably going through the churches and the world, trying thus to impose upon them.
Z. COLTRIN, Presiding Elder.
December 14, 1833,
116
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