Parley Parker Pratt

“ His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. He doth according to His will in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth. And none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, `What doeth thou?' All His works are truth, and His ways are judgment, and those that walk in pride He is able to abase. His kingdom is that which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall be even unto the end. As the Maker of the earth and the Father of the people, all power and authority of civil and religious government is vested in Him. ”

“ This brilliant victory greatly enriched and strengthened the new empire of freedom, and at the same time nearly ruined the nations who commenced the war. They sued for peace, and finally obtained it on condition of perfect submission to the will of the conquerors. This gave them new and liberal laws and institutions, broke off the fetters of their old masters, and utterly forbade the use of arms or the art of war. These brilliant and highly commendable measures soon opened the eyes of millions more, and won them to the cause of liberty and truth. ”

“ The remnant who fled into the wilderness and rallied to the standard of liberty on the plains of the West, combining the wisdom of former experience with the light of truth which shone into their hearts from above, laid the foundation of their perfect form of government--this mighty empire of liberty which you now see, and the institutions of which you shall be more fully informed in due time. The wisdom, intelligence and peace which flowed from this centre soon served as an ensign to the nations abroad. ”

“ I saw, although there had been great corruption and a general overthrow of our government and its institutions, yet many of the sons of noble sires had stood firm and unshaken in the cause of freedom; even amid the wreck of states and the crash of thrones, they had maintained their integrity, and when they had no longer a country or government to fight for, they retired to the plains of the West, carrying with them the pure spirit of freedom. ”

“ For truth has triumphed; Wisdom and knowledge rule; Righteousness reigns; And earth rests in lasting peace." Thus ended the preface. I was about to read further, but was interrupted by the Angel of the Prairies. "Son of mortal," said he, "you have now read all you are permitted to read at the present time." So saying, he replaced the little book amid the archives of the temple, and bade me follow him. He then conducted me out of the temple, and said: "Son of mortal, you now understand the nature of the government have beheld. You see it is not a human monarchy, for man-made kings are tyrant. ”

“ Behold," continued he, "what truth and knowledge and perseverance can accomplish in a single century." To this I replied: "I am lost in wonder and amazement, and can hardly understand what I see. Who are these populous nations and tribes, who in happy myriads occupy the country immediately to the west, which was formerly occupied by savage hordes, but which now presents one vast scene of neatness, beauty, civilization and happiness? Have the Indian tribes, then, been entirely exterminated, and their country overrun by civilized nations?" ”

“ The vision now lengthened in the distance, and some thousands of miles of country expanded to my view, including the vast plains, and fertile forests and vales of Texas and Mexico; still presenting a vast quantity of unlimited meadows and prairies, rich and beautiful as Eden, and abounding in vegetable and mineral wealth. These countries were abundantly sufficient to sustain two hundred millions more of inhabitants, although at present possessing a population of less than ten millions. ”

“ Other and distant nations, who had watched all these movements at length, saw the beauties of liberty and felt the force of truth, till finally, with one consent, they joined the same standard.
Thus, in one short century, the world is revolutionized; tyranny is dethroned; war has ceased forever; peace is triumphant, and truth and knowledge cover the earth."
Thus spake the Angel of the Prairies ”

“ Its people are at present few, but its resources are immense, and it is abundantly calculated to sustain at least one half of the present population of the globe. You now stand in a central position, in the midst of the great American continent. Here is the spot which is destined for the seat of empire, and here shall the ambassadors of all nations resort with a tribute of homage to a greater than Cyrus.
"The seat of empire," continued he, "began in the eastern Eden, but its progress has always been westward. ”

“ The good, the great, the noble, the generous and patriotic lovers of truth rallied from all nations, and joining the standard of freedom, were a constantly increasing strength to their near and perfect organization. While by the same means the old and corrupt institutions were proportionately weakened and abandoned. ”

“ When they were first brought together from all parts of the continent, they numbered a population of about seven millions of ignorant, degraded people. But the light of truth dawned upon them, and with it came all the blessings of peace, plenty, civilization, cleanliness, and beauty, which you behold, and they constitute some thirty-five millions, and occupy all the country west of the Mississippi and bordering on the Rocky Mountains. ”

“ Therefore all the forms of civil and religious government which are not appointed, organized and directed by divine revelation, are more or less imperfect and erroneous, and the administration thereof extremely liable to corruption and abuse. The only perfect system of government, then, is a Theocracy; that is, a government under the immediate, constant and direct superintendency of the Almighty. This order of government commenced in Eden, when God chose Adam for a ruler and gave him laws. ”

“ I naturally concluded that so fine a country and such vast riches would not always be overlooked by the enterprising and industrious. That immigration would come rolling on in its westward tendency, and with it the march of empire, till these lonely plains would be all peopled and these rich resources made to yield support to happy millions. ”

“ A blind, sectarianized and corrupt populace formed themselves into numerous mobs, overturned the laws, and put at defiance the administration thereof. These were either joined by the officers of Government or secretly winked at and encouraged by them, until the injured and persecuted friends of law and order, finding no protection or redress, were forced to abandon their country and its institutions, now no longer in force, and to retreat into the wilderness, with the loss of a vast amount of property and many valuable lives. ”

“ It is not an aristocracy, for in that case the few trample upon the rights of the many. It is not a democracy, for mobs composed of the mass, with no stronger power to check them, are the greatest tyrants and oppressors in the world. ”

“ And where, a century ago, an extensive and fertile country lay desolate and lone, or partially occupied by ignorant and cruel savages, hundreds of millions of intelligent and happy beings were now enjoying all the sweets of domestic felicity. ”

“ The landscape was sufficiently diversified in hills and valleys and other gentle elevations, neither presenting the dull monotony of a level plain, nor the rough and abrupt appearance of hills too steep for easy cultivation. ”

“ The vegetable, mineral and commercial resources of these territories seemed capable of sustaining and employing one hundred millions of people, while at present they contained hardly as many thousands. ”

“ By virtue of this authority Elijah reproved and rejected Ahab and the priests of Baal, and then proceeded to anoint Jehu king and Elisha for prophet, and by this means remodeled the civil and religious administration of affairs, and saved a nation from the lowest depths of corruption and ruin. By this power, Daniel, the prophet, reproved and instructed Nebuchadnezzar, displaced Belteshazzar, and directed Cyrus ”