Warren Parrish

“ This evening, while meditating upon the variegated scenes of human existence, the ever fluctuating current of mortal life, which sometimes threatens to overwhelm the way wandering son of men like an irresistible torrent, and hurry them to an untimely grave, while far separated from those who are bound by the dearest ties of consanguinity, my mind flits back to those happy seasons I have enjoyed in Kirtland, in the society of my brethren and friends.—The loss of this society is more than usually impressed on my mind from a combination of circumstances which have transpired since I last wrote. ”

“ See how broad the declaration, a man, that is, any man among all the ranks of men, that would inherit the kingdom God, must submit to this order of things.
It is evident that Nicodemus believed, from the frank confession he made on the occasion, which was the first step, and Jesus informed him that water baptism was the second, and the Holy Spirit the third. You may say that repentance is left out of the question; not so, repentance is nothing more nor less than a reformation, which is to break off from our sins.-How break off from our sins? by turning unto God. How turn unto God? ”

“ Scripture, reason, and common sense teach us, that the like cause will produce the like effect; the Holy Ghost is the same that it was before the world began.-To be sure St. Paul says that prophecy shall fail, tongues shall cease, and knowledge vanish away; for they are all enjoyed only in part: but when that day of perfection is ushered in, when we shall see as we are seen, and know as we are known ”

“ I have said that our enemies in the south were not unlike the inhabitants of Lystra. Perhaps they would not have sacrifised [sacrificed] their oxen to us, upon the altar of burnt offerings, but they cheerfully sacrifised [sacrificed] of their substance to feed and clothe us, and their meetings and priests to attend, to our ministration, and acknowledge the force of truth while sitting under its influence, and cried out from whence have these men this great wisdom of the things of God and appeared willing to lay down their lives for us. ”

“ The fact is, the gospel is the same in all ages of the world, and when God calls a man, either by his voice from the heavens, by the revelation of angels, or by the spirit of prophecy; to warn the inhabitants of the earth of approaching danger, and cry repentance unto them; a dispensation of the gospel is committed to his charge, independent of any commission or dispensation committed to others. ”

“ We would therefore be distinctly understood, that we do not countenance the abolition system, nor fellowship those who advocate its principles; and he that would stir up rebellion among the blacks, is an enemy to the well being of society, and instead of bettering their condition is heaping upon them innumerable evils that they would otherwise be strangers to and is indirectly shedding the blood of his fellow-men. ”

“ The apostle Paul in his 2nd Epistle to Timothy 1:10, informs us that "Life and immortality was brought to light through the gospel." If Enoch, who walked with his Maker 300 years and was not found, because God had translated him, is enjoying immortality, it was in consequence of his extensive knowledge of the gospel. If Noah, who was instructed of God to prepare an ark to the saving of himself and house; and by his testimony alone, condemned the whole self-righteous antedeluvian world; and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith, and is now in the enjoyment of life and immortality ”

“ And all the abolition societies that now are or ever will be, cannot cause one jot or tittle of the prophecy to fail. The curse that was pronounced upon that people was by the spirit of prophecy, and when the Lord turns away his wrath and pronounces a blessing upon them he will announce to his servants the prophets that the time has arrived that there is to be no more the Canaanite in the land; and when that time comes all the devils on earth or in hell, cannot prevent it. ”

“ Our lives were threatened and sought for, in public and in private, like the hunted roe in the forest; at length we were taken before the rulers, and examined not by scourging, but by threat [e] ning , and strictly charged to teach no more in their midst the fulness of the gospel in the name of Jesus and banished from their society, and the brethren immediately sent us away to Middle Tennessee ”

“ I answer in the negative; no man speaking by the spirit of God, can call Jesus accursed; and without the Holy Ghost there is no salvation; this is the doctrine that Paul preached, who said, If any man or even an angel from Heaven preach any other gospel, let him be accursed: And so say I, and the heart of every servant of God will respond, Amen. ”

“ We visited the churches, and again suffered persecution together; wicked men and idolatrous worshipers led by priests and peace officers enlisted their combined influence against us, and sought our lives and again they were like the unbelieving Jews of Thesalonica, when Paul entered into their synagogues, and reasoned with them out of the scriptures ”

“ They were armed with guns, dirks, pistols, clubs, sticks, &c. At a late hour, we prevailed on the Sheriff to have the court called, which consisted of three magistrates, one of whom was rejected from the judgment seat because some of his family were members of our church. The Sheriff then asked of the court the privilege of divesting us of our arms, if any we had; it was granted. Elder Patten had a pistol which he had taken that morning in consequence of our having heard that the mob did not expect to sustain a lawful charge against us; but intended to rise up and overpower us by their numbers ”

“ I was now in the neighborhood of the churches to which I hastened with great anxiety and was received by them with every expression of joy. But among those who were not of the fold of Christ I met with a very different reception. ”

“ Therefore, having spoken in general terms of the power, and glorious effects of the gospel, I will now endeavor to show what it was in the days of the Savior, which will settle the question; what it ever has been, and ever will be. And I have an inexhaustible fountain, from which to abduce testimony upon this subject, viz. the Bible, book of Mormon, and the book of Covenants, containing the revelations of Jesus Christ, given to us in this generation ”

“ It is their right, and we expect they will be as tenacious of their privileges as we are of ours, and we believe that it is the duty of every individual to submit to the government of that State or Kingdom in which he resides, so long as that government affords him the protection of its laws ”

“ They drew up resolutions to drive all the "Mormon" (Latter Day Saint) preachers from their coast. These resolutions were signed by the Sheriff and many who are sworn to be civil peace officers, to suppress all riots and unlawful assemblies and support and defend the constitution of the United States and of the state of Tennessee ”

“ But I feel that God approbates what I have written, and I entreat of you to peruse the foregoing lines as for eternity, and may the Lord sanctify them to your salvation, and ultimately bring us to an everlasting inheritance in his celestial Kingdom for Christ's sake, Amen. ”

“ This then is repentance or reformation, to gladly receive the word when it is declared by the servant of God, and straitway manifest our belief and reformation, for corresponding good works, which is obedience. And Peter says, as many as God has called that will do these things, shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. If we do not extend our limits beyond Peter's, afar off, I think we can with confidence declare the same things.-Our next object is to ascertain, how it was, that this gift, the Holy Ghost, was confer [r] ed [conferred] upon the saints, after having been baptized by water. ”

“ Utley's, on Saturday the 19th inst. although almost every breeze brought us news that the mob intended to carry their resolutions into effect, and that some hundreds had entered into this conspiracy. In the afternoon, a little before sunset, a company of some forty or fifty men made their appearance, some on foot, others mounted two on a horse, with guns, sticks, clubs, &c. ”

“ Now to the law and the testimony; if any man speak not according to these, it is because there is no light to him. In John 3:5, we find these words, "Jesus answered, Verily, Verily I say unto thee, except a man be born of water, and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." ”

“ If they attain to this high calling, it must be in the same way, and from the same authority, and the same benefits will result to those who obey their teachings: because if God sends a messenger, it will be by the power of the Holy Ghost, and that spirit will testify to the same plan of salvation, whether it dwell in the heart of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaiah, St. ”

“ Prophets, Apostles, Pastors, Evangelists &c. for the perfecting of the saints, and work of the ministry until we all come in the unity of the faith." No rational person will pretend to say that, that day has arrived ”