hearts above all nations, and above all me, that I should give unto you this the people of the whole carth, and shall | land for your inheritance. And Isay be filled with all manner of lyings, and unto you, that if the Gentiles do of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all not repent, after the blessing which manner of hypocrisy, and murders, they shall receive," (meaning the and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and blessing of the Book of Mormon,) of secret abominations; and if they shall" after they have scattered my people, do all those things, and shall reject then shall ye who are a remnant of the fulness of my gospel, behold the house of Jacob, go forth among saith the Father, I will bring the ful- them; and ye shall be in the midst of ness of my gospel from among them, them, who shall be many; and ye and then, I will remember my cove-shall be among them, as a lion among nant which I have made unto my peo- the beasts of the forest, and as a a young ple, O house of Israel, and I will lion among the flocks of sheep, who, bring my gospel unto them; and if he goeth through, both treadeth will show unto thee, O house of Is-down and teareth in pieces, and rael, that the Gentiles shall not have none can deliver. Thy hand shall power over you; but I will remem- be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and ber my covenant unto you, O house of all thine enemies shall be cut off.— Israel, and ye shall come unto the And I will gather my people toknowledge of the fulness of my gos-gether, as a man gatherethhis sheaves pel. But if the Gentiles will repent, into the floor, for I will make my and return unto me, saith the Father, people with whom the Father hath behold, they shall be numbered covenanted, yea, I will make thy among my people, O house of Israel: horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs and I will not suffer my people, who brass. And thou shalt beat in pieces are of the house of Israel to go through many people; and I will consecrate among them, and tread them down, saith the Father. But if they will not turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, I will suffer them, yea, I will suffer my people, O house of Israel, that they shall go through among them, and shall tread them down, and they shall be as salt that hath lost its savor, which is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of my people, O house of Israel." (Book of Nephi 7: 4.) their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth. And behold, I am He who doeth it. And it shall come to pass, saith the Father, that the sword of my justice shall hang over them at that day; and except they repent, it shall fall upon them, saith the Father, yea, even upon all the nations of the Gentiles." (Book of Nephi, 9: 8 and 9.) This last quotation shows most It is evident from the foregoing that clearly that it is God who will, before the Indian are suffered to have through the instrumentality of this complete power over this nation, God remnant of Jacob, bring this nation will thoroughly warn them through down; and because God is against the medium of His word in the them "none can deliver them" out of book of Mormon, which, if they re- His hands, or out of the hands of the ject, will ripen them for the threaten-aborigines who are of the house of ed judgments; but first the Lord Israel: they will beat in pieces many will bring the fulness of His gospel people, and there will be no power in from among the nation, delivering the Gentiles to stand before them, bethem over, because of their wicked-cause they have sinned against God ness, to hardness of heart and blind-in rejecting His word which He has ness of mind, that He may execute taken so much pains to preserve and vengeance and fury upon them. Jesus bring forth unto them: But they more fully describes this calamity on treat it as a thing of naught, and deanother occasion, as follows: spise the same; therefore shall they "And the Father hath commanded [be treated as naught,and trodden down by the house of Israel even as nations | thou also knowest concerning the of old. Say not in your hearts that you covenants of the Lord, unto the are strong, and that these calamities house of Israel; and thou also hast will not come upon you; for though heard, that whoso repenteth not, must you increase your strength an hun- perish; therefore, wo be unto the dred fold, and fortify yourselves with Gentiles, if it so be that they harden walls and gigantic towers; and by their hearts against the Lamb of God, your wisdom invent engines of de- for the time cometh, saith the Lamb struction that will cause the nations to of God, that I will work a great and a tremble, yet you shall be as naught marvellous work among the children before the power of the Almighty, of men; a work which shall be evand your strong-holds shall be thrown erlasting, either on the one hand or down, as were the walls of Jericho, on the other: either to the conand you shall fall a prey to the de- vincing of them unto peace and life vouring sword, and your carcases shall eternal, or unto the deliverance of moulder away upon the face of the them to the hardness of their hearts land, and your flesh shall become and the blindness of their minds unmeat for the dogs and for the ravenous to their being brought down into capbirds of the air; and there shall be tivity, and also unto destruction, both none left to blaspheme against the temporally and spiritually, according Holy One of Israel, or to fight against to the captivity of the devil, of which His holy word upon all the face of I have spoken. And it came to pass this land. For this is a choice land, that when the angel had spoken and it must be redeemed from the these words he said unto me, rememhand of wickedness, that the righteous berest thou the covenants of the may dwell thereon for ever, and rejoice Father unto the house of Israel? I in the fulness of the blessings thereof. said unto him, yea. And it came The day is at hand when the Lord to pass that he said unto me, look, will visit all the nations of the earth and behold that great and abomiwith a proclamation of repentance nable church, which is the mother of and mercy, and blessed are that peo- abominations whose foundation is the ple, nation, or tongue who know the devil. And he said unto me, behold joyful sound; but wo unto that peo- there are save two churches only; ple who hearken not unto the voice of the Lord, neither unto the voice of his servants; for the Lord has a consumption decreed upon all the face of the earth, and all flesh shall come in remembrance before Him to render unto them according to their works; to redeem the whole earth from wickedness, and to make a full end of all nations who will not become subject to His laws. Wherefore nation shall war against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and the slain of the Lord shall be many. In regard to the wars of the latter days, the vision of Nephi, seen about six hundred years before Christ, is highly instructive. We quote the following: "And it came to pass that the ang spake unto me, Nephi, saying, thou hast beheld that if the Gentiles repent, it shall be well with them; and the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the Church of the Lamb of God, belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth. "And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the whore of all the earth, and she sat upon many waters; and she had dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people. "And it came to pass that I beheld the Church of the Lamb of God, and its numbers were few, because of the wickedness and abominations of the whore who sat upon many waters; nevertheless, I beheld that the Church of the Lamb, who were the Saints of God, were also upon all the face of the earth; and their dominions upon the face of the earth were small, be cause of the wickedness of the great cludes all the churches of apostate whore whom I saw. christendom, both Catholic and Pro"And it came to pass that I beheld testant. It is the nations of christenthat the great mother of abomination | dom that are to be visited with the did gather together multitudes upon heaviest of all judgments; for not onthe face of all the earth, among all ly will they war among themselves, the nations of the Gentiles, to fight but every plague, mentioned in John's against the Lamb of God. revelations. as coming upon great Babylon, will surely come upon these apostate christian nations, and they will gnaw their tongues for pain, and finally, as one of the last judgments of a temporal nature, they will be totally destroyed-they and their cities, by devouring fire. But Oh, what scenes of wretchedness and misery await them, before the day of burning comes! No tongue can describe the fearful desolating judgments that will sweep through the laud; but yet, they will not repent, for their "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the Saints of the Church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness, and with the power of God in great glory. they will be sealed over unto the judgments written; therefore, in the depths of their miseries, they will lift up their voices and curse God who has power over these plagues. "And it came to pass that I beheld that the wrath of God was poured out upon the great and abominable church insomuch that there were wars and rumours of wars among all the na- day of grace will then be past, and tions and kindreds of the earth; and as there began to be wars and rumours of wars among all the nations which belonged to the mother of abominations, the angel spake unto me, saying, behold, the wrath of God is upon In order that God may punish the mother of harlots; and behold, these nations and utterly overthrow thou seest all these things: and when them, he is calling upon his people the day cometh that the wrath of God to come out from them and flee far is poured out upon the mother of away, and hide themselves in the harlots, which is the great and abom-chambers of the mountains, and puinable church of all the earth, whose rify themselves before the Lord, lest foundation is the devil, then, at that day, the work of the Father shall commence, in preparing the way for the fulfilling of his covenants, which he hath made to His people, who are of the house of Israel." (First Book of Nephi, 3: 45—51.) they also perish in Babylon; for the Lord hath decreed that he will spare none that remain in Babylon. Let the Saints remember, that the Lord hath said, that the people of Zion are to be the only people upon the face of the whole earth but what shall be From this quotation, it will be seen at war one with another. They alone that there will be wars and rumours will escape if they observe diligently of wars among all the nations of the all the commandments of the Lord in Gentiles. Whether the present war the Book of Mormon and in the oththat has commenced between Russia er revelations which God has given and Turkey is the one predicted as the or shall hereafter give; but if not, beginning of that more general war in they wil! in no wise escape; for the which all the nations will participate, Lord will chasten the Saints until is not for us at present, to say; it has they will learn to live by every word every appearance of becoming gen- that proceedeth forth from His mouth. eral, at least, as far as Europe is con- Those who call themselves Lattercerned. The European nations with day Saints are no more precious in the the United States come more particu-sight of God than other people, unlarly under the dominion of the "great less they do better than others. Inand abominable church," which in-deed, the greater the light against truth: for how can we stand before Him unless we do this! The great and terrible day of the Lord is at hand, and all nations shall fear and tremble exceedingly; but if the Saints are prepared, it shall be a day of re which the Saints sin, the greater and more severe must be their judgment, unless they repent, therefore, let us fear before the Lord, and tremble exceedingly, if we have any of us sinned; let us go before Him and confess our faults, and seek mercies and for-joicing and of great glory to them; giveness at His hands; let us put it shall be the day of their redemption, away every evil, and strive most earn- and the commencement of a glorious estly to give heed to the word of reign of which there shall be no end. EDITOR. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. HONOLULU, Sandwich Islands, DEAR BROTHER O. Pratt, a general emigration; and also to detach them from the corrupt influence with which they are continually surI take the earliest opportunity to rounded. The principles of truth acknowledge your kindness in for- and virtue are fast increasing among warding me the Seer. The nine first the native saints; and many who have Nos. of which have just come to received the priesthood are becoming hand. The perusal of which has powerful auxiliaries in rolling forcaused our hearts to rejoice. The forward the work. Our religion is claimeign Elders are all anxious to procure ing the attention of many of the highone or more copies of all your publi-est Chiefs or Nobles in the Kingdom; cations in Washington. I send you some of whom have avowed their the enclosed list of subscription.-belief, and are opening their hearts We think the Seer a very valuable to assist in procuring a press and production, and feel that it may do in granting lands to facilitate the much good here. The work upon gathering of the saints here. these Islands is onward. Over three The smallpox has done a great thousand have been baptized in all; work here, some thousands have been and near two thousand of these, have swept off, including over two hunbeen baptized since our conference dred of the saints. There is much last April. Although we meet wih talk of annexation to the United States every opposition that priestcraft can of this kingdom, but we think it will invent; and in one instance two of not soon take place. the brethren were severely bruised and ill-treated by mob violence.Besides which we have had many vexations law-suits, &c., &c. The Book of Mormon is translated into the native tongue, and prepared for the press. And we are now actively engaged in procuring means to establish a press to speedily print that and many other works for this native people. And we hope before our April conference to have it in successful operation We are seeking out a location suitable to gather this people, that they may become better prepared for Believe me ever your Brother in APPOINTMENT.-Elder Aaron F. Farr is appointed to succeed Elder Horace S. Eldredge in the presidency of the St. Louis conference. President Eldredge has, so far as we are acquainted, presided over that conference with wisdom, and judgment, and in righteousness; but he is called to return to the valley this season to attend to other duties that may be assigned to him. He will probably leave in June, and no doubt with the good feelings, and prayers, and bless ings of all the saints in that confer- der that he may become acquainted, ence. Elder Eldredge will retain the by confering with Elder Eldredge, Presidency of the conference until with the nature of the duties assigned his departure, after which Elder Farr's him. appointment will be in force. We would suggest to Elder Farr the propriety of proceeding to St. Louis, as soon as convenient, in or ORSON PRATT, FORMATION OF THE EARTH: ITS DIVISION INTO ISLANDS AND CONTINENTS-ITS RESTORATION TO ITS ANTEDILUVIAN CONDITION. BY THE EDITOR. There has been much speculation or dwelling place of God, they must in relation to the ancient condition have eternally been acted upon by of our globe. And from many facts, His spirit; consequently must have connected with the geological forma- passed through an endless series of tions of the earth's crust, it has been operations without beginning. Instead concluded that the land and water of seeking to trace out evidences of a have more than once changed places. beginning to the elements, we shall Upon mountains and high elevations at once pronounce them eternal from are frequently found shells and other the fact that we have no account of remains of marine inhabitants in cir- their creation from nothing, for God cumstances where it would seem to himself must be an eternal substance: preclude all possibility of their having been deposited through human agency. It seems to be almost certain, then, that the dry land and even the highest elevations of our globe, have, at some former period, been submerged beneath the sea, and have formed the bed of the ocean. and it is just as reasonable to believe that all the other elements which are His tabernacle, are eternal, as to admit, as we are compelled to do, the eternity of Ilis substance. How many thousands of millions of times the elements of our globe have been organized and disorganized; or Many geological speculations have how many millions of shapes or forms been put forth to account for the the elements have been thrown into in great changes that have happened in their successive organizations and disthe surface strata of the earth. But organizations; or how widely the par. it is not our intention to examine the ticles have been diffused through probability or improbability of those boundless space; or how many dif conjectures; but merely to give some ferent worlds these particles have, at few facts from divine revelation to one time and another, formed composhow that the present geological con- nent parts; or how long they have ditions of our globe, are not, in their been parts of the solar system; or how general characteristics, the result of long that system itself has formed a slow and gradual changes; but the ef- branch of our stellar heavens-is unfects of sudden convulsions and catas-known to us mortals. We can only trophes under the control and super- go back to the organization of our intendence of that All-powerful Being present globe-to the time when "the who formed all things. morning stars sang together and all As the elements of all worlds were the sons of God shouted for joy." not created, but are eternal, and as This is only one link in the endless they have always been the tabernacle chain-only one grand event in a se |