{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_46208/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_46208","id":"gutenberg_46208","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/46208","summary":null,"tags":["Category: History - Religious","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Category: Travel Writing","Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Missions","Jerusalem -- Description and travel","Latter Day Saints","Middle East -- Description and travel"],"text":"A VOICE FROM JERUSALEM,\n\nOR A\n\nSKETCH\n\nOF THE\n\nTRAVELS AND MINISTRY\n\nOF\n\nELDER ORSON HYDE,\n\nMissionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,\n\nTO\n\nGERMANY, CONSTANTINOPLE, AND JERUSALEM,\n\nCONTAINING A\n\nDESCRIPTION OF MOUNT ZION, THE POOL OF SILOAM, AND OTHER ANCIENT PLACES,\n\nAND SOME ACCOUNT OF THE\n\nMANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE EAST, AS ILLUSTRATIVE OF SCRIPTURE TEXTS,\nWITH A SKETCH OF SEVERAL INTERVIEWS AND CONVERSATIONS WITH JEWS'\nMISSIONARIES, ETC., WITH A VARIETY OF INFORMATION ON THE PRESENT STATE\nOF THAT AND OTHER COUNTRIES WITH REGARD TO\n\nCOMING EVENTS AND THE RESTORATION OP ISRAEL.\n\n* * * *\n\nCOMPILED FROM HIS LATE\n\nLETTERS AND DOCUMENTS,\n\n_The last of which bears date at Bavaria, on this Danube, Jan._ 18,\n1842.\n\n* * * *\n\nLIVERPOOL:\n\nPUBLISHED BY P. P. PRATT\n\nSTAR OFFICE, 36, CHAPEL STREET.\n\n* * * *\n\nPRINTED BY JAMES AND WOODBURN, 14, HANOVER STREET.\n\n\n\nINTRODUCTION.\n\nThe circumstances which gave rise to this mission of Elder Hyde are\nquite peculiar and extraordinary; and in an American publication are\nthus described by himself: \"Something near eight years ago, Joseph\nSmith, a prophet and servant of the Most High God, did predict upon my\nhead, that I should yet go to the city of Jerusalem, and be a watchman\nunto the house of Israel, and perform a work there which would greatly\nfacilitate the gathering together of that people: the particulars of\nwhich it is not necessary to mention here.\n\n\"Year after year has passed away since that period, and my labours in\nthe ministry have been confined to the Gentiles on both sides of the\nAtlantic.\n\n\"In the early part of March last (1840), I retired to my bed one\nevening as usual, and while contemplating and enquiring out, in my own\nmind, the field of my ministerial labours for the then coming season,\nthe vision of the Lord, like clouds of light, burst upon my view. The\ncities of London, Amsterdam, Constantinople, and Jerusalem all appeared\nin succession before me, and the Spirit said unto me, 'Here are many of\nthe children of Abraham whom I will gather to the land that I gave to\ntheir fathers, and here also is the field of your labours.'\n\n\"A strict observance of the movements of the Jews, and a careful\nexamination of their faith relative to their expected Messiah--the\nsetting up of his kingdom among them, and the overthrow of the present\nkingdoms and governments of the Gentiles, will serve to open the eyes\nof many of the uncircumcised, when faithfully laid before them, that\nthe great day of the Lord comes not upon them unawares as a thief.\n\n\"Take, therefore, proper credentials from my people, your brethren,\nand also from the governor of your state, with the seal of authority\nthereon, and go ye forth to the cities which have been shown unto you,\nand declare these words unto Judah, and say: 'Blow ye the trumpet in\nthe land: cry, gather together; and say, assemble yourselves, and let\nus go into the defenced cities. Let the standard be reared towards\nZion. Retire! stay not; for I will bring evil from the north and a\ngreat destruction. The lion is come up from his thicket, and the\ndestroyer of the Gentiles is on his way, he is gone forth from his\nplace to make thy land desolate, and thy cities shall be laid waste\nwithout inhabitant. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her\nthat her warfare is accomplished--that her iniquity is pardoned, for\nshe hath received at the Lord's hand double for all her sins. Let your\nwarning voice be heard among the Gentiles as you pass, and call ye upon\nthem in my name for aid and for assistance. With you it mattereth not\nwhether it be little or much; but to me it belongeth to shew favour\nunto them who show favour unto you. Murmur not, therefore, neither be\nye sorrowful that the people are slow to hear your petition; but do as\nhas been told you. All things shall work together for your good if you\nare humble and keep my commandments; for it must needs be that all men\nbe left without excuse, that a righteous retribution may be awarded to\nall.'\n\n\"Many other things were shown and told me in the vision which will be\nmade public at the proper time and places. The vision continued open\nfor a number of hours, that I did not close my eyes in sleep.\"\n\nIn obedience to the foregoing, Elder Hyde proceeded to lay the\ncircumstances before the authorities of the church, and before the\ngovernor of the state of Illinois, who gave their hearty sanction to\nthe mission, and from whom he obtained the following documents:\n\n    _Letter of commendation from the Conference at Nauvoo, to Elders\n    Orson Hyde and John E. Page, appointing and confirming their\n    appointment to the work whereunto they have been called._\n\n    \"To all people unto whom these presents shall come, GREETING.\n\n    Be it known that we, the constituted authorities of the Church of\n    Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, assembled in Conference, at\n    Nauvoo, Hancock county, and State of Illinois, on this sixth day\n    of April, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and\n    forty, consider an important event at hand--an event involving the\n    interest and fate of the Gentile nations throughout the world.\n    From the signs of the times, and from declarations contained in\n    the oracles of God, we are forced to come to this conclusion. The\n    Jewish nation have been scattered abroad among the Gentiles for a\n    long period; and, in our estimation, the time of the commencement\n    of their return to the \"holy land\" has already arrived.\n\n    As this scattered and persecuted people are set among the Gentiles\n    as a sign unto them of the second coming of the Messiah, and also,\n    of the overthrow of the present kingdoms and governments of the\n    earth by the potency of his Almighty arm, in scattering famine and\n    pestilence like the frosts and snows of winter, and in sending\n    the sword, with nation against nation to bathe it in each others\n    blood; it his highly important, in our opinion, that the present\n    views and movements of the Jewish people be sought after, and laid\n    before the American people for their consideration, their profit\n    and their learning; feeling it to be our duty to employ the most\n    efficient means in our power to save the children of men from the\n    \"abomination that maketh desolate,\" we have, by the counsel of\n    the Holy Spirit, appointed Elders Orson Hyde and John E. Page,\n    the bearers of these presents, faithful and worthy ministers of\n    Jesus Christ, to be our agents and representatives in foreign\n    lands, to visit the cities of London, Amsterdam, Constantinople and\n    Jerusalem, and also other places which they may deem expedient;\n    to converse with the priests, rulers, and elders of the Jews, and\n    obtain from them all the information possible; and communicate the\n    same to some principal papers for publication, that it may have a\n    general circulation throughout the United States.\n\n    As Messrs. Hyde and Page have willingly and cheerfully accepted\n    the appointment to become our servants and the servants of the\n    public in distant and foreign countries for Christ's sake, we do\n    confidently recommend them to all religious and christian people,\n    and to ladies and gentlemen making no profession, as worthy\n    members of society, possessing much zeal to promote the happiness\n    of mankind; fully believing that they will be forward to render\n    them all the pecuniary aid they need, to accomplish this laborious\n    and hazardous mission, for the general good of the human family.\n    Ministers of every denomination upon whom these gentlemen shall\n    call, are requested to hold up their hands, and aid them by their\n    influence, with an assurance that such as do this shall have the\n    prayers and blessings of a \"poor and an afflicted people,\" who have\n    tested the depths of their sincerity, and love for their religion,\n    by the sacrifice of their blood upon a land, shadowed by the\n    stripes and stars of political and religious liberty.\n\n    Given under our hands at the time and place before mentioned.\"\n\n    (Signed) JOSEPH SMITH, JR., CHAIRMAN. ROBERT B. THOMPSON, Clerk.\n\n    * * * *\n\n    From the Governor of Illinois.\n\n    QUINCY, ILLINOIS, April 30th, 1840.\n\n    Having been informed that the Revd's. Orson Hyde and John E.\n    Page, elders in the church denominated Later Day Saints, are\n    about to depart on their mission to Europe--and having heard\n    the former gentleman preach--and having been made acquainted to\n    some extent with the characters of both, it affords me pleasure\n    to say, that I was much pleased with the sermon delivered by\n    Mr. Hyde; and the reputation of both Gentlemen for talents and\n    christian-like deportment, so far as I have been made acquainted,\n    are unexceptionable; and as such, believe them to be entitled to\n    the respect and kind treatment of all.\n\n    (Signed) THOMAS CARLIN, Governor of Illinois.\n\n    * * * *\n\n    UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMERICA, State of Illinois, } ss:\n\n    I, Alexander P. Field, Secretary of State, of the State of\n    Illinois, one of the United States of North America, and keeper of\n    the great seal of said State, do hereby certify that Thomas Carlin,\n    who took and signed the foregoing certificate, is now, and was at\n    the time of signing the same, Governor of the State aforesaid,\n    duly elected and qualified to office, with full power by the\n    laws of this State to issue certificates as aforesaid; that said\n    certificate is in due form of law, and that full faith and credit\n    are due his official attestations.\n\n    In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and the great\n    seal of State, at the city of Springfield, this twenty-second\n    day of May, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred\n    and forty, and of the independence of the United States, the\n    sixty-fourth.\n\n    (Signed.) A. P. FIELD, Secretary of State.\"\n\n\n\nA SKETCH\n\nOF THE\n\nTRAVELS AND MINISTRY\n\nOF\n\nELDER ORSON HYDE.\n\n* * * *\n\n\n\nLETTER I.\n\n_Trieste, January_ 1, 1842.\n\nDEAR BRETHREN OF THE TWELVE,\n\nAs the blushing orb of light from his eastern temple sends forth,\nthis morning, over Alpine heights, his streaming columns of golden\nbrightness to greet the earth with a happy new year, welcome its\narrival, and crown it with a celestial radience, I might be justly\ncharged with ingratitude towards a gracious and merciful Providence,\nand a want of generosity and reciprocal kindness towards my brethren,\ndid I neglect to acknowledge the kind aid and protection which heaven\nhas granted me in answer to your faith and prayers. Permit me,\ntherefore, to commence my letter by wishing you all _\"a happy new\nyear;\"_ and through you, allow me to extend the same wish to all the\nsaints, both in England and America; but _particularly to my wife and\ndear little children._\n\nI am happy to improve the opportunity, which this hour affords, of\nwriting to you, and that happiness is increased by a firm conviction,\nthat a letter from your unworthy brother, in the Lord, will be received\nby you with a friendship and cordiality corresponding to that which now\nanimate my bosom.\n\nSince it has pleased the Lord to grant unto me health and\nprosperity--to protect me from the dangers of the climates--from the\nplague and pestilence that have carried death and mourning on their\nwing, and return me again in safety to a land of civilised life, these\nthings demand my highest gratitude, as well as demonstrations of praise\nand thanksgiving, to His exalted name.\n\nAs a member, therefore, of your honourable quorum, bearing, in common\nwith you, the responsibility under which HEAVEN has laid us, to spread\nthe word of life among the perishing nations of the earth, allow me to\nsay, that, on the 21st of October last, \"my natural eyes, for the first\ntime, beheld\" Jerusalem; and as I gazed upon it and its environs, the\nmountains and hills by which it is surrounded, and considered, that\nthis is the stage upon which so many scenes of wonders have been acted,\nwhere prophets were stoned, and the Saviour of sinners slain, a storm\nof commingled emotions suddenly arose in my breast, the force of which\nwas only spent in a profuse shower of tears.\n\nI entered the city at the west gate, and called on Mr. Whiting, one\nof the American missionaries at that place, to whom I had a letter of\nintroduction from Monsieur Muratt, our consular agent at Jaffa. Mr. W.\nsaid, that in consequence of the unsettled state of his family, (having\njust removed to the house which he then occupied,) he was sorry to\nsay it would not be convenient for him to invite me to share his\nhospitality; but very kindly went with me to the Latin Convent, which\nis a sort of hotel or home for strangers, and there engaged for me\nmy board and lodging at a reasonable compensation, and said that he\nwould keep a little watch to see that I was well taken care of. This\nexpression of kindness did not escape my notice.\n\nAfter I had been there an hour or two, Mr. Sherman, another American\nmissionary, accompanied by a Mr. Gager, from America, who, I think, was\na licentiate from the Presbyterian or Congregational Church, called on\nme, and after some considerable conversation upon the state of affairs\nin general, in America, I introduced to them the subject of my mission\nto that place; and observed, that I had undertaken to do a good work in\nthe name of the Lord, and had come there for a righteous purpose, and\nwished their co-operation and friendly aid. They assured me that they\nshould be happy to render me any assistance in their power to do good.\nI thanked them for their kindness, and observed, that as I had had\nlittle or no rest since I left Beyrout, I felt worn down with fatigue\nand a want of sleep, as well as being almost overcome by the excessive\nheat, and that I also wished to arrange some documents which I had,\nand then I should be happy to enjoy the privilege of an interview with\nthem, and with Mr. Whiting at the same time. They said they would\nindulge me in my request at almost any time.\n\nI had sent a lengthy communication to the Jews in Constantinople, in\nthe French language, but had reserved a copy of it in the German. As\nthis document set forth, clearly and plainly, the object of my mission\nthere, I translated it into English in order that I might lay the facts\nbefore them in as clear a point of light as possible.\n\nAccordingly, after wearied nature had sufficiently reposed under\nsleep's balmy and refreshing shade, I called on Mr. Whiting, according\nto previous arrangements, and Messrs. Sherman and Gager soon came\nin. After the usual salutations were passed, and all quietly seated,\nI expressed to them my gratitude for that opportunity of bearing\ntestimony to the glorious reality, that the Lord was about to visit his\npeople, and also my gratitude to HIM whose hand had been stretched out\nfor my safety and protection, and also to bear me onward to the place\nwhere mercy, with all her celestial charms, was embodied in the person\nof his own Son.\n\nI then took the liberty of reading the document containing the object\nof my mission there, and were it not for its length I would here insert\nit. After it was read, all sat in private meditation until Mr. Gager\ninterrupted the silence by asking wherein the doctrines of our church\ndiffered from the doctrines of the established orthodox churches. I\nreplied as follows: \"There are so many different kinds of orthodox\ndoctrines, all differing one from the other, that it might be difficult\nto determine which one to be the standard by which ours should be\ntried; but, said I, with your permission, I will set forth and explain\nto you the principles of our faith, and then you can determine for\nyourselves wherein they differ from others.\" So, beginning at the\nMinistration of the Angel of the Lord, I expounded unto them many\nthings concerning the rise of the church, its organization and\nordinances, and form and order of its government, after which Mr.\nSherman spake as follows:\n\n\"Now, we are here trying to do all the good we can, and have been\nfor some length of time; and what more would you have us do, or what\nmore can we do?\" I replied after the following: \"It appears to me,\neven allowing your cause to be just and right, that your time is\nspent here to little or no purpose; not, however, that I would be\nunderstood as charging you with idleness or inattention; but the strong\nand deep-rooted prejudices which reign in the breasts of the people\nhere against you, that they will not even allow you to educate their\nchildren, when you propose to do it gratuitously, must render your\nlabours extremely limited; and, further, the genius of your policy does\nnot admit of your making that exertion which the Saviour of the world\nrequired his servants to make in former days. You receive a salary from\na home institution, and by that institution you are directed to remain\nhere whether the people will hear you or not; whereas the Saviour\ntaught his disciples to depart, and shake the dust from their feet,\nagainst that house, city, or people, that would not hear them, and not\nspend their labour for that which did not profit.\"\n\nTo this, Mr. Gager replied, \"Although the fruits of our labours do not\nimmediately appear, we ought not to be discouraged. We may labour, and\nother men may enter into our labours. The husbandman, after he hath\nsowed his seed, waiteth patiently until it hath received the former and\nlatter rains; and, as the days of miracles are past, we cannot expect\nmen to act now under the immediate direction of the Saviour as they\nthen did.\" I might have here observed, that it would be a great tax\nupon the patience of the husbandman, if it did not quite exhaust it, to\nsow his seed year after year, and reap no fruits of his labour. But--\n\nI replied, that miracles had truly ceased; but, said I, why have\nthey ceased? Mr. Gager said, because they were not necessary. I made\nanswer, that Jesus formerly said to the people, \"according to thy faith\nbe it done unto thee;\" and said I, I presume he is of the same mind\nstill; but the people have no faith in the power of God, therefore no\nmiraculous favours are shown them; and because the religious world\nhave lost sight of their high privileges, the horizon of their minds\nbeclouded, and faith driven from their hearts by the vain and foolish\ntraditions of uninspired men, the Lord hath sent an holy Angel from\nthe Temple of Light, bearing to the earth truth's unfaded laurels,\nand has boldly asserted the rights and privileges of all who would\nseek the face and favour of the MOST HIGH. But against this heavenly\nmessage, streaming from the bosom of a compassionate God, with the\npurest love and good-will to a fallen race, and beaming in the face of\nmen with a celestial radiance, is arranged the cold-hearted prejudices\nof an unbelieving world. Well did the Saviour ask this question, \"When\nthe son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?\" With this\ntestimony have I come to Jerusalem; and in the name of my master, who\nhere bore our sins, in his own body, on the tree, I warn all men, so\nfar as I have opportunity, to beware how they lift their hands or their\nvoices against it, for, by the voice of the Lord from Heaven, am I made\na witness of the eternal reality of what I have declared.\n\nMr. Whiting then asked if we acknowledged any to be christians except\nthose who embraced our doctrines and joined our church? To this I\nreplied in the following manner: \"We believe there are many in all\nthe different churches, with many who are externally attached to no\nchurch, who serve the Lord according to the best light and knowledge\nthey have, and this service is unquestionably acceptable in his sight;\nand those who have died in this condition have no doubt gone to receive\nthe reward of their labours in the mansions of rest. But should He be\npleased to send more light and truth into the world, or revive those\nprinciples of truth, which have been made to yield their sovereignty to\nthe opinions of men, and they refuse to receive them, or walk in them,\ntheir service would cease to be acceptable to the Lord, and with no\ndegree of propriety could we acknowledge them true christians; and we\ndo know, and are sure, that the Lord has caused more light to shine,\nand that he will hold none guiltless who refuse to walk in it after the\nmeans of obtaining it are brought to their knowledge and placed within\ntheir reach.\" These were hard sayings. They observed, that they could\nnot say that these things were not as I had said; but to them they\nappeared incredibly strange.\n\nI then requested that some of them would do me the favour of an\nintroduction to some of the principal Jews in the place: but this\nrequest was greeted with a number of _hems_, which commonly mean no\nmore than to allay a little irritation, or tickling in the throat;\nbut on this occasion, from the peculiarity of their tone and cadence,\nI judged they wished to be a little metaphorical, and so used the\nterm figuratively to mean the following: \"We have our scruples about\ncomplying with your request, lest it might detract from our influence\nand popularity.\" They observed that Mr. Johns, the English Consul,\nmight be the most proper man to grant me the desired favour. I replied,\nthat I knew as little of Mr. Johns as I did of any Jew in Jerusalem,\nbut that I would not insist upon my request being granted. Mr. Whiting\nthen remarked, that he should have no particular objections to do it,\nbut that it could not be well attended to until a day or two hence.\nThis reminded me of a circumstance in England, where duty once led\nme to call upon a clergyman to do me a little favour, but he said he\ncould not grant it, because I had not come recommended by any one\nwith whom he was acquainted. I replied, that I was very sorry to be\nso unfortunate on that occasion, as to be recommended by none but my\nmaster, who was the Saviour of the world. The two are not exactly\nsimilar, yet the former reminded me of the latter. I thanked Mr. W.,\nhowever, for his kindness, and our interview closed. The fact is, God\nhas one system of etiquette, and reciprocity and this sign-seeking\ngeneration has another. The former is hospitality and kindness to the\nstranger; but the latter is--be very cautious and particular that\nyou render him no assistance, neither show him favour unless he come\nrecommended by our party, or by some others who are honourable and\northodox, like ourselves. But no man is justifiable in the eye of\nhumanity, in the eye of the gospel, or in that eye that never sleeps,\nin rejecting the reasonable petition of a stranger, though he do\nnot come clothed with letters from the chief priests, scribes, and\nelders of the people; and it is what no gentleman will do, unless his\nfrankness and liberality have become blasted by the chilling winds of a\nsectarian atmosphere.\n\nWith what feelings of commingled pity and contempt does every Latter\nDay Saint, whose mind has thoroughly canvassed the principles of our\nfaith, and in whose heart dwells that \"unction from the Holy One,\"\nlook upon that want of generosity and frankness, which he is often\ncompelled to witness, when he knows that in his own bosom, independent\nof a boasting spirit, or any desire of vain glory, are jewels of light,\ntruth, and knowledge, as far superior in lustre to any thing which they\npossess, as the purest diamond is to the common pebble of the rivulet!\n\nI concluded, however, that I would try to discharge my duty before God,\nwithout subjecting any one to the humble mortification of giving me\nan introduction. For myself, I feel not very jealous of my popularity\nwhere the cause of truth requires me to hazard it, and am not so very\nparticular. If my name be only recorded in heaven, on the list of the\nsanctified, it will abundantly compensate me for the sacrifice which\nduty calls me to make of it among men. Let them, therefore, look upon\nme as they may, a deceiver or a deceived, a wise man or a fool, I feel\nvery thankful to the Lord for what mine eyes have seen, mine ears\nhave heard, and, more than all, for what my soul has experienced; and\nit is my constant prayer to an over-ruling Providence, that his free\ngrace may be amply sufficient to bear me triumphantly through life's\nconflicting scenes, that my poor heart may swell the notes of praise\nand thanksgiving for ever and ever to HIM who died to save me and wash\nme from my sins, in his own most precious blood.\n\nSummoning up, therefore, what little address I had, I procured a\nvalet d'place, or lackey, and proceeded to the house of Mr. Simons, a\nvery respectable Jew, who, with some of his family, had lately been\nconverted and joined the English Church. I entered their dwelling. They\nhad just sat down to enjoy a dish of coffee; but immediately arose\nfrom the table to meet me. I spake to them in German, and asked them\nif they spoke English; they immediately replied \"Yes,\" which was a\nvery agreeable sound to my ear. They asked me, in German, if I spoke\nEnglish. I replied, \"Ya, Mein Herr.\" I then introduced myself to them,\nand, with a little apology, it passed off as well as though I had been\nintroduced by the Pacha. With that glow of warmth and familiarity,\nwhich is a peculiar trait in the German character, they would have\nme sit down and take a dish with them; and as I began to relate some\nthings relative to my mission, the smiles of joy which sat upon their\ncountenances, bespoke hearts not altogether indifferent. There are two\nministers of the Church of England there. One was confined to his bed\nby sickness, and the other, a German, and a Jew by birth, soon came\nin. After an introduction, I took the liberty to lay open to him some\nof our principles, and gave him a copy of the communication to the\nJews in Constantinople to read. After he had read it, he said that my\nmotives were undoubtedly very good, but questioned the propriety of my\nundertaking, from the fact that I claimed God had sent me. If, indeed,\nI had gone to Jerusalem under the direction of some missionary board,\nor society, and left God out of the question altogether, I should have\nbeen received as a celestial messenger. How truly did our Saviour\nspeak, when he said, \"I am come in my father's name, and ye receive\nme not; but if another were to come in his own name, him ye would\nreceive.\" I replied, however, that so far as I could know my own heart,\nmy motives were most certainly good; yet, said I, no better than the\ncause which has brought me here. But he, like all others who worship a\nGod \"without body or parts,\" said that miracles, visions, and prophecy\nhad ceased.\n\nThe course which the popular clergy pursue at this time in relation to\nthe Divine economy, looks to me as though they would say; \"O Lord! we\nwill worship thee with all our hearts, serve thee with all our souls\nand be very pious and holy. We will even gather Israel, convert the\nheathen, and bring in the millennium, if you will only let us alone\nthat we may do it in our own way, and according to our own will. But\nif you speak from heaven to interfere with our plans, or cause any to\nsee visions or dream dreams or prophecy whereby we are disturbed or\ninterrupted in our worship, we will exert all our strength and skill\nto deny what you say, and charge it home upon the devil or some wild\nfantastic spirit, as being its author.\"\n\nThat which was looked upon by the ancient saints, at among the greatest\nfavours and blessings, viz., Revelation from God and communion with him\nby dreams and by visions, is now looked upon by the religious world\nas the height of presumption and folly. The ancient saints considered\ntheir condition most deplorable when Jehovah would not speak to them;\nbut the most orthodox religionists of this age deem it quite heterodox\nto even admit the probability that he ever will speak again. O, my\nsoul! language fails to paint the absurdity and abomination of such\nheaven-opposing, and truth-excluding dogmas; and were it possible\nfor those bright seraphs that surround the throne above, and bask\nin the sunbeams of immortality, to weep over the inconsistency and\nirrationality of mortals, the earth must be bedewed with celestial\ntears. My humble advice to all such is, that they repent and cast far\nfrom them these wicked traditions, and be baptized into the new and\neverlasting covenant, lest the Lord speak to them in his wrath, and vex\nthem in his sore displeasure.\n\nAfter some considerable conversation upon the priesthood and the\nrenewal of the covenant, I called upon him to repent and be baptized\nfor the remission of his sins, that he might receive the gift of\nthe Holy Ghost. What! said he, _I_ be baptized! Yes, said I, _you_\nbe baptized. Why, said he, I have been baptized already! I replied\nsomething after the following: \"You have, probably, been sprinkled,\nbut that has no more to do with baptism than any other ordinance of\nman's device; and even if you had been immersed, you would not have\nbettered your condition, for your priesthood is without power. If,\nindeed, the catholic church had power to give you an ordination, and\nby that ordination confer the priesthood upon you, they certainly\nhad power to nullify that act, and take the priesthood from you; and\nthis power they exercised when you dissented from their communion, by\nexcluding you from their church. But if the catholic church possessed\nnot the priesthood, of course your claims to it are as groundless as\nthe airy phantoms of heathen mythology: so view the question on which\nside you may, there is no possible chance of admitting the validity of\nyour claims to it. Be it known, therefore, that ordinances performed\nunder the administration of such a priesthood, though they may even be\ncorrect in form, will be found destitute of the seal of that authority\nby which heaven will recognise his own in the day when every man's work\nshall be tried: though a priesthood may be clothed with the wealth\nand honours of a great and powerful nation, and command the respect\nand veneration of multitudes whose eyes are blinded by the thick veil\nof popular opinion, and whose powers of reflection and deep thought\nare confused and lost in the general cry of \"great is Diana of the\nEphesians,\" yet all this does not impart to it the divine sanction,\nor animate it with the spirit of life and power from the bosom of the\nliving God; and there is a period in future time, when, in the smoking\nruins of Babel's pride and glory, it must fall and retire to the shades\nof forgetfulness, to the grief and mortification of its unfortunate\nvotaries.\n\nIn consequence of his great volubility, I was under the disagreeable\nnecessity of tuning my voice to a pretty high key, and of spacing short\nbetween words; determining that neither his greatness nor learning\nshould shield him from the shafts of a faithful testimony: but there\nis more hope of those Jews receiving the fullness of the gospel, whose\nminds have never been poisoned by the bane of modern sectarianism,\nwhich closes the mouth of deity, and shuts up in heaven all the angels,\nvisions, and prophecyings.\n\nMrs. Whiting told me that there had been four Jewish people in\nJerusalem converted and baptized by the English minister, and four\nonly; and that a part of the ground for an English church had been\npurchased there.\n\nIt was by political power and influence that the Jewish nation was\nbroken down, and her subjects dispersed abroad; and I will here hazard\nthe opinion, that by political power and influence, they will be\ngathered and built up; and, further, that England is destined, in the\nwisdom and economy of heaven, to stretch forth the arm of political\npower, and advance in the front ranks of this glorious enterprise.\nThe Lord once raised up a Cyrus to restore the Jews, but that was not\nevidence that he owned the religion of the Persians. This opinion I\nsubmit, however, to your superior wisdom to correct, if you shall find\nit wrong.\n\nThere is an increasing anxiety in Europe for the restoration of that\npeople; and this anxiety is not confined to the pale of any religious\ncommunity, but it has found its way to the courts of kings. Special\nambassadors have been sent, and consuls and consular-agents have been\nappointed. The rigorous policy which has hitherto characterised the\ncourse of other nations towards them, now begins to be softened by the\noil of friendship, and modified by the balm of humanity. The sufferings\nand privations under which they have groaned for so many centuries,\nhave at length touched the mainsprings of Gentile power and sympathy;\nand may the God of their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, fan the\nflame by celestial breezes, until Israel's banner, sanctified by a\nSaviour's blood, shall float on the walls of Old Jerusalem, and the\nmountains and valleys of Judea reverberate with their songs of praise\nand thanksgiving to the Lamb that was slain!\n\nThe imperial consul of Austria, at Galatz, near the mouth of the\nDanube, to whom I had a letter of introduction from his cousin in\nVienna, told me, that, in consequence of so many of their Jewish\nsubjects being inclined of late to remove to Syria and Palestine, his\ngovernment had established a general consulate at Beyrout for their\nprotection. There are many Jews who care nothing about Jerusalem,\nand have no regard for God. Their money is all the god they worship;\nyet there are many of the most pious and devout among them, who look\ntowards Jerusalem as the tender and affectionate mother looks upon the\nhome where she left her lovely little babe.\n\nYou will discover by this letter, and more particularly by the one\nwritten from Alexandria, to Elder Pratt in Manchester, England, that,\nthrough the goodness of the Lord, I have been enabled to accomplish\nthat which was told me prophetically, several years ago, by Brother\nJoseph Smith.\n\nThough the blustering snow-storm has thrown the gorgeous folds of his\ncrimson mantle over the mountain tops, which half encircle us on our\nnorth and east as we lie here in quarantine, yet their sides towards\nthe base, beautifully terraced and thickly set with vines and olives,\nthough not in their summer dress, present a widely-extended scene of\nrural beauty and loveliness. All the irregularities and deformities of\nnature (if, indeed, there are any,) are completely lost in the distant\nview, though we gaze through the ship's powerful magnifier; so, when\nthe eye of imagination surveys the saints far in the west, their faults\nand foibles are lost in the distance, (if, indeed, any they have,)\nand nothing but their virtues appear, which render the society very\ninviting and extremely desirable. The simple unrestrained language of\nmy heart is--I want to see my brethren, for in their bosoms, I am sure,\nis a corresponding echo which,--\n\n  Like the harp, when the zephyr is sighing\n  To the breath of that zephyr, in music replying,\n  Friendship can tremble with feelings as true.\n\nI have just been upon deck to witness the king of day retiring in his\nrobes of state to the western portions of his kingdoms, to proclaim\nthere, in _propria persona_, the advent of 1842, after opening and\nlighting up the glory of the new year in the east. As his golden disk\nwas sinking behind the western rim of the deep blue waters of the\nAdriatic, and throwing back, in rich profusion, his soft and glowing\nbeam upon the clear blue sky, with a radiance and splendour peculiar\nto none but him, thought I, oh, that thou couldest take a thought or\ngood wish from me and bear it on the pathway of one of thy golden beams\nto my dear little family, which perhaps at this moment is pouring\nhis noon-day splendour obliquely upon the home where they dwell. But\nanother thought succeeded--I will not be a Parsee. There is a Being\nwhose throne is high, and whose glorious image shines forth in the\nmirror of all his works to feast the mental eye and heal the wounded\nheart, \"His ear is not heavy that he cannot hear, neither is his arm\nshortened that he cannot save;\" to HIM, therefore, will I send a\nthought on the wing of my evening devotion, and breathe an aspiration\nthat his favour may gladden and cheer the cot where dwell all my\nearthly hopes and earthly riches: therefore, tarry not for me thou\nglorious orb of light, but speed thy course onward in the circuit of\nthe heavens, to dye the sheen of other climes, and to roll in the hour\nwhen the dead, small and great, shall stand before God.\n\nJerusalem at this time contains about twenty thousand inhabitants;\nabout seven thousand are Jews, and the remainder mostly Turks and\nArabs. It is enclosed by a strong wall from five to ten feet thick. On\nthose sides which are most accessible, and consequently most exposed\nto an attack, the wall is thickest, and well mounted with cannon; it\nis from twelve to thirty feet in height. The city is situated at the\nsouth-eastern extremity of an inclined plane, with the valley of Kedron\non the east, and the valleys of Hinnom and Gihon on the south and west,\nall converging to a point in the valley of Jehosaphat, south-east of\nthe city: from the eastern gate of the city to the top of Mount Olivet,\nas you pass through the valley of Kedron, is just about one English\nmile. On the top of this mount you have a fair view of the Dead Sea and\nriver Jordan, which are about fifteen miles in the distance. As I stood\nupon this almost sacred spot and gazed upon the surrounding scenery,\nand contemplated the history of the past in connection with the\nprophetic future, I was lost in wonder and admiration, and felt almost\nready to ask myself--Is it a reality that I am here gazing upon this\nscene of wonders? or, am I carried away in the fanciful reveries of a\nnight vision? Is that city which I now look down upon really Jerusalem,\nwhose sins and iniquities swelled the Saviour's heart with grief, and\ndrew so many tears from his pitying eye? Is that small enclosure in the\nvalley of Kedron, where the boughs of those lonely olives are waving\ntheir green foliage so gracefully in the soft and gentle breeze, really\nthe garden of Gethsemane, where powers infernal poured the flood of\nhell's dark gloom around the princely head of the immortal Redeemer?\nOh, yes! The fact that I entered the garden and plucked a branch from\nan olive, and now have that branch to look upon, demonstrates that all\nwas real. There, there is the place where the Son of the Virgin bore\nour sins and carried our sorrows--there the angels gazed and shuddered\nat the sight, waiting for the order to fly to his rescue; but no such\norder was given. The decree had passed in heaven, and could not be\nrevoked, that he must suffer, that he must bleed, and that he must die.\nWhat bosom so cold, what feelings so languid, or what heart so unmoved\nthat can withhold the humble tribute of a tear over this forlorn\ncondition of the Man of Sorrows?\n\nFrom this place I went to the tombs of the prophets in the valley of\nJehosaphat, and on my way around the city, I entered the pool of Siloam\nand freely washed in its soft and healing fountain. I found plenty\nof water there for baptizing, besides a surplus quantity sent off in\na limpid stream as a grateful tribute to the thirsty plants of the\ngardens in the valley. The pool of Bethsda, which had five porches,\nyet remains in the city, but in a dilapidated state, there being\nplenty of water to meet the demands of the city of a better quality,\nand more convenient--this vast reservoir is consequently neglected.\nThis pool was unquestionably as free and accessible to all the people\nof Jerusalem as the Thames is to the Cockneys, or the Mississippi to\nthe people of Nauvoo; and from its vast dimensions, it would certainly\ncontain water enough to immerse all Jerusalem in in a day: so the\nargument against the doctrine of immersion, on the ground that there\nwas not water enough in Jerusalem to immerse three thousand persons in\nin one day, is founded in an over anxiety to establish the traditions\nof men to the subversion of a gospel ordinance; and it will be borne in\nmind also, that the day of Penticost was in the month of May, just at\nthe close of the rainy season, when all the pools and fountains in and\nabout the city were flush with water.\n\nWhat were anciently called Mount Zion and Mount Calvary, are both\nwithin the present walls of the city. We should not call them mountains\nin America, or hardly hills; but gentle elevations or rises of land.\nThe area of what was called Mount Zion, I should not think contained\nmore than one acre of ground; at least as I stood upon it and\ncontemplated what the prophets had said of Zion in the last days, and\nwhat should be done in her, I could no more bring my mind to believe\nthat the magnet of truth in them which guided their words, pointed to\nthis place, any more than I could believe that a camel can go through\nthe eye of a needle, or a rich man enter into the kingdom of God.\nBut on the land of Joseph, far in the west, where the spread eagle\nof America floats in the breeze and shadows the land--where those\nbroad rivers and streams roll the waters of the western world to the\nfathomless abyss of the ocean--where those wide-spreading prairies\n(fields of the wood) and extensive forests adorn the land with such\nan agreeable variety, shall Zion rear her stately temples and stretch\nforth the curtains of her habitation. The record of Mormon chimes in\nso beautifully with the scriptures to establish this position, that an\nhonest and faithful examination of the subject is all that is required\nto expel every doubt from the heart.\n\nThe customs and manners of the people of the east are so similar to\nwhat they were in the days of our Saviour, that almost everything which\nthe traveller beholds is a standing illustration of some portion of\nscripture: for example, I saw two women grinding wheat at a little\nhand-mill, consisting of two small stones with a little rude tackling\nabout it, the whole of which one man might take in his arms and carry\nalmost any where at pleasure. One would turn the top stone until her\nstrength was exhausted, and then the other would take her place, and\nso alternately keep the little grinder in operation. It appears that\nour Lord foresaw the perpetuity of this custom, even to the time of his\nsecond coming; for he said, \"Two women shall be grinding at the mill;\none shall be taken and the other left; and for aught I know, these two\nI saw were the identical ones. I also saw the people take a kind of\ncoarse grass and mix it with some kind of earth or peat that had been\nwet and reduced to the consistency of common mortar, and then lay it\nout in flattened cakes to dry for fuel. I then, for the first time\nin my life, saw the propriety of our Saviour's allusion, \"If God so\nclothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and tomorrow is cast\ninto the oven, &c.\" I might swell this letter to a volume upon these\nsubjects, but I forbear for the present. One may read of the customs of\nthe East, but it is not like seeing them. To read of a good dinner may\nbrighten up a man's ideas about eating, especially if he be a little\nhungry; but to sit down at the luxurious board and eat is far more\nsatisfactory. The two cases are not exactly parallel, yet the latter\nserves to illustrate the former.\n\nAs I walked about the environs of the town, my spirit struggled within\nme in earnest prayer to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that he\nwould not only revolutionize this country, but renovate and make it\nglorious. My heart would lavish its blessings upon it in the greatest\nprodigality in view of what is to come hereafter. After returning to\nthe city, I found my feet and legs completely coated with dust; for the\nwhole face of the country was like an ash bed in consequence of the\ngreat length of the dry season. I then thought how very convenient it\nmust have been for the ancient disciples to fulfil one injunction of\nthe Saviour, \"shake off the dust of your feet.\"\n\nSyria at present is in a very unsettled state. The Drewzes and\nCatholics are fighting almost constantly. They sometimes kill hundreds\nand hundreds of a day. In some sections it is not unfrequent that the\ntraveller meets some dozen or twenty men by the way-side without heads,\nin a day. In a letter from Bavaria, I stated that hostilities had\nrecommenced between the Turks and Egyptians; I took the statement from\na German paper, but it was a mistake. The hostilities were between the\nlesser tribes in Syria. The American missionaries at Beyrout and Mount\nLebanon have received official notice through Commodore Porter, our\nminister at Constantinople, from the Grand Sultan, that hereafter they\ncan have no redress by law for any violence, outrage, or cruelty, that\nmay be practiced upon them by the people; and advises them to leave\nthe country. This course is approved of by Commodore Porter. I read\nthe correspondence between him and Mr. Chassan, our consul at Beyrout;\nbut all is going on in the providence of God. Syria and Palestine must\nferment and ferment, work and work, until they work into the hands of\nAbraham's children to whom they rightly belong; and may the God of\ntheir fathers bless the hand that aids their cause.\n\nI must now begin to think of coming to a close. I have nearly three\nweeks yet to remain in quarantine. The time seems long; yet I endeavour\nnot to let it run to waste. When our ship shall have obtained her\nprattique, I shall proceed, if the Lord will, directly to Germany over\nthe Alps, and try to light up a fire there. Will you give me your\nprayers that God may bless my exertions, and that I may be enabled to\nconduct myself with that dignity and propriety in all things which\nbecome a man of God, and which the purity and virtue of the cause I\nadvocate, so justly merits; and further, that in my great weakness\ncelestial strength may appear.\n\nMy kind respects to the presidency of the church, and a happy new year\nto all absent and enquiring friends.\n\nWith the most kind and tender feelings towards you, and with a heart\nthat will burst with blessings on your heads when your faces I behold,\nallow your _unworthy_ brother in Christ to close by the following lines\nwhich he offers you as a farewell token until Providence shall permit\nus again to meet:\n\n  Where the sun leaves his last golden ray,\n    Far over the sea's swelling tide,\n  Will friends, dear and true, for me pray,\n    That I in the Lord may abide?\n  Though distance and time do us part,\n    And scenes new and strange roll between,\n  Your memory is dear to my heart,\n    And friendship's bright star gleams the same.\n\n  In the west, let its ray pour a light\n    On the circle of Zion's true sons,\n  To greet them with joy in the sight\n    Of Him who has said we are one.\n  To share in the spoils of my love,\n    Her daughters, though last, are not least;\n  For surely, 'twas blest from above\n    Which graced the end of the feast.\n\nORSON HYDE.\n\n* * * *\n\nDEAR BROTHER PRATT,\n\nIn consequence of the great distance to Nauvoo, and the uncertainty of\nthis letter reaching our brethren there, should I address it to them,\nI have thought proper to address it to you, with this request, that\nyou will publish it by itself in pamphlet form, as soon as possible,\nand send a copy to each one of the twelve, three to the presidency of\nthe church, and one to my wife. I wrote her a lengthy letter from this\nplace, and sent it by an American ship bound directly to New York, and\nshould have sent this along with it if it had been ready. I wish you,\nalso, to send five copies to my brother, Abijah Hyde, Oxford, Newhaven\nCounty, and State of Connecticut, that he may send one to each of my\nother brothers, and one also to each of my sisters, and that I wish\nthem and their families to consider themselves embraced within the\ncircle of every good wish expressed in it.\n\nThe size of the edition I leave with you to determine. You know that I,\nlike yourself and every other Latter Day Saint preacher, have no salary\nexcept the voluntary contributions of the people where we labour; and\nhaving been absent from my family nearly two years, my arm and my\npurse have been too short to render them much assistance. I wish you,\ntherefore, to forward a sufficient number of copies to each branch\nof the church any where this side of the Atlantic, that all who wish\nfor a copy may have one; and whatever any brother, sister, or friend,\nshall be disposed to give in return, for the benefit of my wife and\nchildren, will be most gratefully received by them, and no less so by\nme. It can be handed to the agent to whom you shall send the copies,\nand he can forward it to you through the post, or otherwise as you\nshall direct, which will enable you to pay the printer; and the balance\n(should there be any) I will advise you in due time how to convey it\nto my family. But should you discover any impropriety in the plan, or\nshould it be inconsistent for you to carry it into execution, you are\nat liberty to use the document as your better wisdom may direct you,\nonly send it in some form to Nauvoo as soon as possible. Perhaps I feel\ntoo anxious about my family, but where the heart has only few objects\nto share its sympathies, upon those few objects the sun of affection\nshines with warmer and more brilliant ray. My family is my earthly\nall; and of late my feelings concerning them are very peculiar. It is\nnearly a year since I have heard anything of them, and being confined\nhere in quarantine, perhaps I have become childish. My kind respects to\nyourself and family, to brothers Snow and Adams, and to all the Saints\nin England; may God bless you all: pray for me. I am your brother in\nChrist,\n\nORSON HYDE.\n\nP.S. In justice to the American missionaries at Jerusalem, I must\nsay, however, particularly of Mr. Whiting, with whom I became most\nacquainted, that as men, their conduct towards me was both courteous\nand civil; and when I left Mr. W.'s house I could not withhold my\nblessing from himself and family--his interesting wife and lovely\nlittle girls, who all speak fluently the English and Arabic. A kind\nword or action towards a stranger in a strange land is not soon\nforgotten. May the Lord bless them and their families with his\nsalvation, through the knowledge of the truth, was my desire then, and\nis my prayer still.\n\nNote.--Expecting a letter or letters from you to be lodged in Bavaria\nfor me, I have addressed a note there requesting them (if any) to be\nforwarded to me at this place; but as my note went on shore in the\nbustle without the postage being paid, and having to pass through\ndifferent kingdoms, I do not expect it will be forwarded. I hope,\nhowever, to get news from you and the church when I get there myself. I\nhope also to hear something from my wife. I feel that a word from her\nwould be more precious than gold; yet I am afraid to hear lest she may\nbe in trouble, or some of her friends dead--a father or mother perhaps,\nor brother or sister. Yet I try to comfort myself with the thought that\nmy long absence is the cause of all my bad feelings. The Lord knows,\nand I pray that he may bind up every broken heart. Fare-thee-well; thy\nbrother in the Lord,\n\nO. H.\n\n* * * *\n\n\n\nLETTER II.\n\n_Trieste, January_ 17, 1842.\n\nDEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS AT NAUVOO,\n\nI have just written a lengthy letter to the Twelve, and sent it by way\nof Elder Pratt, in England. In that, and in a former one written to\nhim from Alexandria in Egypt, is contained an account of my mission to\nJerusalem. I feel, however, as though I wished to write a few lines\nmore on this the last day of my confinement on ship board, where\nI have spent the last fifty-six days: six days in the harbour of\nAlexandria--twenty-two days on our passage--and twenty-eight here in\nquarantine. To-morrow, if the Lord will, the the jubilant song, with\nits thrice welcome melody, will greet the ears of a poor captive exile,\nthe prison doors give way, and he be permitted once more to breathe the\nair of freedom in a land where he is not annoyed by the sight of the\nstar and crescent, the turban and the covered face--all of which are an\nabomination in my sight.\n\nThe thoughts which I record will, no doubt, be scattering, and like\n\"the gleaning of grapes when the vintage is done;\" or like a few\nindolent belated stragglers going to the place of worship on a Sabbath\nmorning after the more conscientious and faithful have broken the\nsilence which hovered around the place of their devotion, and greeted\nthe morning with their prayers and joyful acclamations of praise to the\nLord their God.\n\nIt is now rapidly advancing to the close of two _long_ years since I\nhad the pleasure of mingling my voice with yours in ascribing honour\nand thanksgiving to that Being whose arm alone has been my support, and\nwhose kind angel has swept the misty vapours far away which dispondency\nwould feign cast over the star of hope, and nearly one year since I\nhave heard ought direct from you. While in Bavaria, I saw a statement\nin a German paper that Brother Joseph had been apprehended and confined\nin prison. I knew not but that it might be so; yet I was inclined\nto set it down among the numerous deaths which he has suffered, the\nimprisonments which he has endured, and the various runaways of which\nhe has been guilty, according to the flood of newspaper slang which has\nbeen poured forth upon a deceived public: but as time allows nothing\nto remain stationary, you may judge of my anxiety to hear from you,\nparticularly when the happiness or misery of my own dear wife and\nlittle children is identified with your own.\n\nI sometimes fancy myself in your midst, in my hours of silent\nmeditation, gazing upon a large concourse of saints. I see many, _very_\nmany strange faces that I never saw before; while others with whom I\nwas familiarly acquainted, I do not see. Being anxious to know where\nthey are, I inquire after them; but am told, with a sigh that contains\nno fiction, that time--that cruel and unfeeling destroyer of the human\nrace, has borne them on his untiring wing to a long and sleepy mansion,\nto await the hour when the voice of the Archangel and the trumpet of\nGod shall bid their sleeping dust arise, and come forth to receive the\nreward of their labours. O, ye precious souls! your debt is paid, and I\ncannot but embalm your memory with a tear as these lines slip from my\npen.\n\nThere, for instance, sits a brother looking steadily upon his little\ndaughter. His melancholy mien bespeaks a heart wadeing deep in sorrow:\nhe puts his handkerchief to his face and bursts into tears. I ask the\ncause of that; and am told, that that brother has lately lost his wife;\nand as he looked upon the young and tender flower, and recognised in\nher the kind and affectionate features of the companion of his youth\nwho now sleeps in the arms of death, he immediately contrasted all her\nvirtues with every unkind word that he might have given her, and every\nungenerous action; and the thought that his children are bereft of a\nmother, and his own bosom of its dearest friend, swells his heart to a\nburst of grief; and every unkind word which he might have given her in\nthe warmth of the moment, now rushes upon his memory, pierces his soul,\nand adds an additional pang to the flood of grief which overwhelms\nhim. \"Husbands,\" whoever you are, \"love your wives, and be not bitter\nagainst them.\" The delicacy of their sex, the vivid perceptibility\nof their mind, and the soft and engaging virtues of their heart,\nwhich weave themselves into the rugged recesses of man's masculine\ntemperament and constitute him a fit member of society, render them\nentitled to the warmest affections of your heart, and to the generous\nprotection of your arm.\n\nIn another part sits a sister clad in deep mourning, with a number\nof little children about her. The solemnity which sits upon the\ncountenance, and the sad melancholy which lingers in her eyes, declare\nthat her mourning is not all on the outside. She looks upon the little\nones and beholds in them the generous and manly features of their sire,\nbut his place his vacant: And pray, where is he? Oh! as the sturdy oak\nof the forest is laid low by the shaft from heaven, so has their dear\nfather fallen by an arrow from the bow of a strong archer, and these\nyoung and tender branches which have sprung forth from his roots, only\nare left to perpetuate his name. None but God knows the anguish of that\nsister's heart, as she hides her face, and pours forth her grief in\nflowing streams of tearful eloquence. But stay, my hand, open not those\nwounds afresh when thou hast no balm to bind them up: but may the Lord,\nwhose province it is to comfort all that mourn, and to bind up the\nbroken-hearted, soothe the sorrows of those afflicted ones, and pour\nthe oil of consolation into their grieved and wounded spirit.\n\nWhen, oh! when shall human grief and woe come to a final end? Thank\nkind heaven, there is a time when these must cease. In the times of\nthe restitution of all things, when the son of the virgin shall have\ndisarmed death of his power and triumphed over every foe of man; then\nshall the tree of life spread wide its branches, bloom in eternal\nspring, and exhale his rich and life-giving odours to the breeze,\ncarrying life, health, and joy upon its balmy wing to every department\nof God's creation. \"Behold we bring you glad tidings of great joy\nwhich shall be unto all people.\"\n\nI have not performed this long journey without encountering _some few_\nhardships, but I will not mention them; suffice it to say, that I am\nwell at present. The past is over and gone, and I leave the future with\nmy master. You certainly have an interest in my prayers day and night,\nand I hope you will send up a good wish occasionally for me; yes, even\nfor me. I need it. My heart is full, and I can write no more upon these\nmatters.\n\nLet me now tell you something about a thunderstorm at sea. I have\ncrossed the Atlantic three times--once the German and Black seas, and\nall about the Levante, besides sailing much on the American waters;\nbut never, no, never before did I witness nature in such a rage on the\ndeep, as once on this last voyage off the island of Candia, about the\n7th of December. The sun sat behind the rising bulwarks of a dark and\ngloomy cloud as though he would not look upon the scene that awaited\nus: this said to the experienced tar, \"there is danger on the deep.\"\nAbout six o'clock in the evening, the breath of the monster reached us:\nall hands aloft furling sails. The sky became suddenly black--the sea\nbegan to roll in upon our weather-beam and lash the hull of our ship,\ntossing her from surge to surge with as much ease as a giant would\nsport with an infant. The scene became grand. Our vessel stood on her\ncourse--wind on her larboard quarter, and under fore and close-reefed\nmaintopsail only; while thunders loud and long uttered their voices\nfrom on high, and rolled through the vaulted canopy as if clothed with\nthe official mandate from Jehovah for the sea to give up its dead. The\nlightnings issued from the womb of darkness in fiery streams of blazing\nvengeance to light up the terror of the storm. A feeling of solemnity\nand awe rolled across my bosom as I gazed upon the troubled deep,\nraging in the wildness and fury of a tempest. The spray of the clipped\nsurge was frequently whirled on the wing of the eddying currents like\nmighty cascades upon our deck, while the rain descended like torrents\nfrom the mountains. Abroad on the deep, the crested billows rolled\nhigh their fleecy heads, and threw up thin sheets of foam in great\nmajesty, coruscating in the lightning's glare; and for a few minutes\nit really appeared to me that the elements had engaged in a pitched\nbattle--the crown of sovereignty to be awarded to the victor. The winds\nhowled through our almost naked shrouds like a thousand winged spirits\nwaiting to chaunt our requiem; but under the providential care of HIM\nwho governs the winds and the waves, and who formed the ocean from his\npalm, our gallant barque bore us safely out the gale. Then said I--\n\n  \"God speed thee, good ship, on thy pathway of foam,\n  The sea is thy country, the billow thy home.\"\n\nWhen the light of the next morning had dawned upon us, I arose and went\nout upon deck, and found our lady of the deep attired in full dress,\nbearing us over the bosom of the gently rolling billow, apparently as\ncareless and unconcerned as though nothing had happened; and, safely\nhas she brought us into port, so I will sing--\n\n  Now on Europe's shores we're landed,\n    Far away from ocean's roar;\n  Where howling winds and rolling surges,\n    Disturb our anxious hearts no more.\n\n  Still is every note of tempest,\n    Calmly sleeps the peerless wave;\n  An emblem of our friends departed,\n    Whose dust reposes in the grave.\n\n  Thanks to Him who holds the billow,\n    And rides aloft on fleecy clouds;\n  Let heaven, earth, and seas adore him,\n    With all the vast unnumber'd crowds.\n\n  Worthy! worthy is the Saviour!\n    Who, for sinners, once was slain;\n  Swell! oh, swell! the joyful anthem,\n    All ye wretched sons of men.\n\n  Come unto this bleeding fountain,\n    Meek and lowly you must be;\n  Bear the cross and wash in Jordan,\n    Then from guilt he'll set you free.\n\nMy poetic organ is not largely developed, so for the correctness of the\nmeasure and rhyme of these few lines I will not be responsible.\n\nWhen in Bavaria I wrote brother Joseph a long letter; it was sometime\nin August last. I hope he received it, for I think it would do him\ngood--at least it was written with that intention; and I sent one to my\nwife at about the same time: the answers I hope to receive when I get\nto Bavaria again.\n\nFare you well; I love you all, I pray for you all, and by the grace of\nGod, I always shall. I am your brother, far away, and yet near,\n\nORSON HYDE.\n\n* * * *\n\n_Regenshurgh, January_ 30, 1842.\n\nTO BROTHER PRATT ALONE,\n\nSir,--I have thought proper to send this letter to you also, for the\nsame reasons as are assigned in the other. You will therefore publish\nthem both together, if you shall think proper to do any thing with\nthem. The whole was written in Trieste, except these last lines.\nNot having a convenient opportunity to send them from that place, I\nbrought them with me here to Regensburgh. I now have the pleasure of\nacknowledging the receipt of your two letters, and one from my wife and\nbrother Joseph, dated 14th November last. I was thrice glad to hear\nfrom you all: I laughed and cried altogether. I have no room here to\nreply, but you may hear from me again by and by.\n\nDear Brother,--I have not forgotten looking at you through the\ncrevices of a prison, neither have I forgotten what my thoughts were\nat that time; but if I had had the strength of a Sampson, then was\nthe time that I would have used it for your deliverance. I need not\nbe particular to explain my own situation at that time; \"but God be\nthanked that I am where I am.\" If enemies are strong and many, nail\nyour flag to the spanker gaff, keep close to the wind, and if your\nmetal is not heavy enough, the artillery of heaven will play upon them.\n\nORSON HYDE.\n\n* * * *\n\n\n\nLETTER III. [A]\n\n[Footnote A: This letter and the following are of much earlier date\nthan the two preceding, and have either wholly or in part appeared\npreviously in the _Millennial Star_.]\n\n_Alexandria, Nov._ 22, 1841.\n\nDEAR BROTHER PRATT,\n\nA few minutes now offer for me to write, and I improve them in writing\nto you.\n\nI have only time to say that I have seen Jerusalem precisely according\nto the vision which I had. I saw no one with me in the vision; and\nalthough Elder Page was appointed to accompany me there, yet I found\nmyself there alone.\n\nThe Lord knows that I have had a hard time, and suffered much, but I\nhave great reason to thank him that I enjoy good health at present, and\nhave a prospect before me of soon going to a civilized country, where I\nshall see no more turbans or camels. The heat is most oppressive, and\nhas been all through Syria.\n\nI have not time to tell you how many days I have been at sea, without\nfood, or how many snails I have eaten; but if I had had plenty of them,\nI should have done very well. All this is contained in a former letter\nto you, written from Jaffa.\n\nI have been at Cairo, on the Nile, because I could not get a passage\ndirect. Syria is in a dreadful state--a war of extermination is going\non between the Drewzes and Catholics. At the time I was at Beyrout, a\nbattle was fought in the mountains of Lebanon, near that place, and\nabout 800 killed. Robberies, thefts, and murders, are daily being\ncommitted. It is no uncommon thing to find persons in the street\nwithout heads. An English officer in going from St. Jean d'Acre to\nBeyrout, found ten persons murdered in the street, and was himself\ntaken prisoner, but was rescued by the timely interference of the\nPacha. The particulars of all these things are contained in a former\nletter.\n\nAn American traveller, named Gager, a licensed minister of the\nCongregational or Presbyterian Church, left Jerusalem in company with\nme. He was very unwell with the jaundice when we left, and at Damietta\nwe had to perform six days' quarantine before we ascended the Nile. On\nour passage up he was taken very ill with a fever, and became helpless.\nI waited and tended upon him as well as our circumstances would allow;\nand when we landed at Bulack, I got four men to take him to the\nAmerican consul's, in Cairo, on a litter; I also took all his baggage\nthere, and assisted in putting him upon a good bed--employed a good\nfaithful Arabian nurse, and the English doctor. After the physician\nhad examined him, he told me that he was very low with a typhus fever,\nand that it would be doubtful whether he recovered. Under these\ncircumstances I left him to obtain a passage to this place. After I had\ngone on board a boat, and was just about pushing off, a letter came\nfrom the doctor, stating that poor Mr. Gager died in about two hours\nafter I left him. He told me before we arrived at Cairo, that he was 27\nyears of age, and his friends lived in Norwich, Connecticut, near New\nLondon, I think. There are many particulars concerning his death which\nwould be interesting to his friends, but I have no time to write them\nnow.\n\nOn Sunday morning, October 24th, a good while before day, I arose from\nsleep, and went out of the city as soon as the gates were opened,\ncrossed the brook Cedron, and went upon the Mount of Olives, and there,\nin solemn silence, with pen, ink, and paper, just as I saw in the\nvision, offered up the following prayer to him who lives for ever and\never:\n\n\"O Thou! who art from everlasting to everlasting, eternally and\nunchangeably the same, even the God who rules in the heavens above,\nand controls the destinies of men on the earth, wilt Thou condescend,\nthrough thine infinite goodness and royal favour, to listen to the\nprayer of thy servant which he this day offers up unto thee in the name\nof thy holy child Jesus, upon this land where the Sun of Righteousness\nsat in blood, and thine _Anointed One_ expired.\n\n\"Be pleased, O Lord, to forgive all the follies, weaknesses, vanities,\nand sins of thy servant, and strengthen him to resist all future\ntemptations. Give him prudence and discernment that he may avoid the\nevil, and a heart to choose the good; give him fortitude to bear up\nunder trying and adverse circumstances, and grace to endure all things\nfor thy name's sake, until the end shall come, when all the saints\nshall rest in peace.\n\n\"Now, O Lord! thy servant has been obedient to the heavenly vision\nwhich thou gavest him in his native land; and under the shadow of thine\noutstretched arm, he has safely arrived in this place to dedicate\nand consecrate this land unto Thee, for the gathering together of\nJudah's scattered remnants, according to the predictions of the holy\nprophets--for the building up of Jerusalem again after it has been\ntrodden down by the Gentiles so long, and for rearing a temple in\nhonour of thy name. Everlasting thanks be ascribed unto thee, Father!\nLord of heaven and earth, that thou hast preserved thy servant from\nthe dangers of the seas, and from the plague and pestilence which have\ncaused the land to mourn. The violence of man has also been restrained,\nand thy providential care by night and by day has been exercised over\nthine unworthy servant. Accept, therefore, O Lord, the tribute of a\ngrateful heart for all past favours, and be pleased to continue thy\nkindness and mercy towards a needy worm of the dust.\n\n\"O Thou, who didst covenant with Abraham, thy friend, and who didst\nrenew that covenant with Isaac, and confirm the same with Jacob with an\noath, that thou wouldst not only give them this land for an everlasting\ninheritance, but that thou wouldst also remember their seed for ever.\nAbraham, Isaac, and Jacob, have long since closed their eyes in death,\nand made the grave their mansion. Their children are scattered and\ndispersed abroad among the nations of the Gentiles like sheep that have\nno shepherd, and are still looking forward for the fulfilment of those\npromises which thou didst make concerning them; and even this land,\nwhich once poured forth nature's richest bounty, and flowed, as it\nwere, with milk and honey, has, to a certain extent, been smitten with\nbarrenness and sterility since it drank from murderous hands the blood\nof Him who never sinned.\n\n\"Grant, therefore, O Lord, in the name of thy well-beloved Son, Jesus\nChrist, to remove the barrenness and sterility of this land, and let\nsprings of living water break forth to water its thirsty soil. Let the\nvine and the olive produce in their strength, and the fig tree bloom\nand flourish. Let the land become abundantly fruitful when possessed by\nits rightful heirs; let it again flow with plenty to feed the returning\nprodigals who come home with a spirit of grace and supplication; upon\nit let the clouds distil virtue and richness, and let the fields smile\nwith plenty. Let the flocks and the herds greatly increase and multiply\nupon the mountains and the hills; and let thy great kindness conquer\nand subdue the unbelief of thy people. Do thou take from them their\nstony heart, and give them a heart of flesh; and may the sun of thy\nfavour dispel the cold mists of darkness which have beclouded their\natmosphere. Incline them to gather in upon this land according to thy\nword. Let them come like clouds and like doves to their windows. Let\nthe large ships of the nations bring them from the distant isles;\nand let kings become their nursing fathers, and queens with motherly\nfondness, wipe the tear of sorrow from their eye.\n\n\"Thou, O Lord, did once move upon the heart of Cyrus to shew favour\nunto Jerusalem and her children. Do thou now also be pleased to inspire\nthe hearts of kings and the powers of the earth to look with a friendly\neye towards this place, and with a desire to see thy righteous purposes\nexecuted in relation thereto. Let them know that it is thy good\npleasure to restore the kingdom unto Israel--raise up Jerusalem as its\ncapital, and constitute her people a distinct nation and government,\nwith David thy servant, even a descendant from the loins of ancient\nDavid, to be their king.\n\n\"Let that nation or that people who shall take an active part in behalf\nof Abraham's children, and in the raising up of Jerusalem, find favour\nin thy sight. Let not their enemies prevail against them, neither\nlet pestilence or famine overcome them, but let the glory of Israel\novershadow them, and the power of the highest protect them; while that\nnation or kingdom that will not serve thee in this glorious work must\nperish, according to thy word--'Yea, those nations shall be utterly\nwasted.'\n\n\"Though thy servant is now far from his home, and from the land bedewed\nwith his earliest tear, yet he remembers, O Lord, his friends who are\nthere, and family, whom for thy sake he has left. Though poverty and\nprivation be our earthly lot, yet ah! do Thou richly endow us with an\ninheritance where moth and rust do not corrupt, and where thieves do\nnot break through and steal.\n\n\"The hands that have fed, clothed, or shown favour unto the family of\nthy servant in his absence, or that shall hereafter do so, let them\nnot lose their reward, but let a special blessing rest upon them, and\nin thy kingdom let them have an inheritance when thou shalt come to be\nglorified in this society.\n\n\"Do Thou also look with favour upon all those through whose liberality\nI have been enabled to come to this island; and in the day when thou\nshalt reward all people according to their works, let these also not be\npast by or forgotten, but in time let them be in readiness to enjoy the\nglory of those mansions which Jesus has gone to prepare. Particularly\ndo thou bless the stranger in Philadelphia, whom I never saw, but who\nsent me gold, with a request that I should pray for him in Jerusalem.\nNow, O Lord, let blessings come upon him from an unexpected quarter,\nand let his basket be filled, and his storehouse abound with plenty,\nand let not the good things of the earth be his only portion, but let\nhim be found among those to whom it shall be said, 'Thou hast been\nfaithful over a few things, and I will make thee ruler over many.'\n\n\"O my father in heaven! I now ask thee in the name of Jesus to remember\nZion, with all her stakes, and with all her assemblies. She has been\ngrievously afflicted and smitten; she has mourned; she has wept; her\nenemies have triumphed, and have said, 'Ah, where is thy God?' Her\npriests and prophets have groaned in chains and fetters within the\ngloomy walls of prisons, while many were slain, and now sleep in the\narms of death. How long, O Lord, shall iniquity triumph, and sin go\nunpunished?\n\n\"Do Thou arise in the majesty of thy strength, and make bare thine arm\nin behalf of thy people. Redress their wrongs, and turn their sorrow\ninto joy. Pour the spirit of light and knowledge, grace and wisdom,\ninto the hearts of her prophets, and clothe her priests with salvation.\nLet light and knowledge march forth through the empire of darkness, and\nmay the honest in heart flow to their standard, and join in the march\nto go forth to meet the Bridegroom.\n\n\"Let a peculiar blessing rest upon the presidency of thy church, for\nat them are the arrows of the enemy directed. Be thou to them a sun\nand shield, their strong tower and hiding-place; and in the time of\ndistress or danger be thou near to deliver. Also the quorum of the\ntwelve, do thou be pleased to stand by, for thou knowest the obstacles\nwhich we have to encounter, the temptations to which we are exposed,\nand the privations which we must suffer. Give us, therefore, strength\naccording to our day, and help us to bear a faithful testimony of Jesus\nand his gospel, and to finish with fidelity and honour the work which\nthou hast given us to do, and then give us a place in thy glorious\nkingdom. And let this blessing rest upon every faithful officer and\nmember in thy church. And all the glory and honour will we ascribe unto\nGod and the Lamb for ever and ever. Amen.\"\n\n* * * *\n\nOn the top of Mount Olives I erected a pile of stones as a witness\naccording to the ancient custom. On what was anciently called Mount\nZion, where the temple stood, I erected another, and used the rod\naccording to the prediction upon my head.\n\nI have found many Jews who listened with intense interest. The idea\nof the Jews being restored to Palestine is gaining ground in Europe\nalmost every day. Jerusalem is strongly fortified with many cannon\nupon its walls. The wall is ten feet thick on the sides that would be\nmost exposed, and four or five feet where the descent from the wall is\nalmost perpendicular. The number of inhabitants within the walls is\nabout twenty thousand. About seven thousand of this number are Jews,\nthe balance being mostly Turks and Armenians. Many of the Jews who are\nold go to this place to die, and many are coming from Europe into this\nEastern world. The great wheel is unquestionably in motion, and the\nword of the Almighty has declared that it shall roll.\n\nI have not time to write particulars now, but suffice it to say, that\nmy mission has been quite as prosperous as I could expect.\n\nI am now about to go on board a fine ship for Trieste, and from thence\nI intend to proceed to Regensburgh, and there publish our faith in the\nGerman language. There are those who are ready and willing to assist me.\n\nI send you this letter by Captain Withers, an English gentleman, who\ngoes direct to England on board the Oriental steamer. He has come with\nme from Jerusalem. If I had money sufficient I should be almost tempted\nto take passage on board of her to England, but this I cannot do.\n\nOn receipt of this, I wish you to write to me immediately, and direct\nto Regensburgh, on the Danube, Beyern, or Bavaria. If you know anything\nof my family, tell me.\n\nMy best respects to yourself and family, to brothers Adams and Snow,\nand to all the saints in England.\n\nMay grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord\nJesus Christ, rest upon you all from this time, henceforth, and for\never. Amen.\n\nYour brother in Christ,\n\nORSON HYDE.\n\nP.S. Mr. Gager died on the 15th instant, at four o'clock in the\nafternoon.\n\n* * * *\n\n\n\nLETTER IV.\n\n_Jaffa, October_ 20, 1841\n\nDEAR BROTHER PRATT,\n\nYesterday I arrived in this place from Beyrout, and just as I was\nabout to start from the American consul's in this place to Jerusalem,\nat a most enormous price, a company of English gentlemen rode in\nfrom Jerusalem with many servants all armed, and they were to\nreturn immediately to Jerusalem, and I can go for little or nothing\ncomparatively speaking.\n\nI have only time to say a few words; but through the favour of heaven\nI am well and in good spirits, and expect, in a day or two, to see\nJerusalem.\n\nMy journey has been long and tedious, and consequently expensive. If I\nget back to England with money enough to buy my dinner, I shall think\nmyself well off.\n\nThe country is in a terrible state. While I was at Beyrout, a terrible\nbattle was fought in Mount Lebanon, about six hours' walk from Beyrout,\nbetween the Drewzes and Catholics. It was said that about four hundred\nwere killed on each side. An English officer, returning from St. Jean\nd'Acre to Beyrout, was taken by the Drewzes, and would have been killed\nhad not the Pacha come to his rescue.\n\nHe said that he found ten human bodies in the street on his way\nwithout heads. Thefts, murders, and robberies are taking place almost\ncontinually. The American missionaries in Beyrout and Mount Lebanon\nhave had notice from the Grand Sultan, through our minister at\nConstantinople, Commodore Porter, to leave the country, and a prospect\nthat all the missionaries in Syria will have to leave. This is only\nconjecture, however. But in this, if it do take place, I can see\nplainly the hand of Providence. The fact is, this land belongs to the\nJews; and the present fermentation thereof shows to me that it is fast\nworking back into the hands of its rightful heirs. God will, in due\ntime, drive out the Canaanites, so that no more a Canaanite shall be\nfound in the land, or in the house of the Lord.\n\nI find that almost an universal anxiety prevails respecting the return\nof the Jews. The waters are troubled because the Angel has descended.\nMy heart leaps for joy at the prospect of seeing that land, and there\nfulfilling my mission.\n\nWhen we left Smyrna for Beyrout, we only took in stores for one week,\nthinking that would surely be sufficient, as the voyage is usually made\nin four days; but we were nineteen days on the passage. A number of\ndays I eat snails gathered from the rocks, but the greatest difficulty\nwas, I could not get enough of them. I was so weak and exhausted that I\ncould not go on shore after the slight exertion of drawing on my boots.\nBut that is past; I am now strong and well, and have plenty to eat. I\nnow have nothing but land pirates, in the shape of Arabs, to encounter.\nAn Englishman seems like a brother, let his religion be what it may.\nYet I am very partial to the fulness of the gospel; for in it I have\ngreat joy.\n\nThe servants are now waiting for me, and I must gird on my arms and be\noff. Yet one thing I will notice, which is this: On my passage from\nBeyrout to this place, the night before last, at one o'clock, as I was\nmeditating on the deck of the vessel, as she was beating down against\na sultry schroke wind, a very bright glittering sword appeared in the\nheavens, about two yards in length, with a beautiful hilt, as plain and\ncomplete as any cut you ever saw. And, what is still more remarkable,\nan arm, with a perfect hand, stretched itself out and took hold on the\nhilt of the sword. The appearance really made my hair rise, and the\nflesh, as it were, to crawl on my bones. The Arabs made a wonderful\noutcry at the sight; O, Allah, Allah, Allah![A] was their exclamation\nall over the vessel.\n\n[Footnote A: Lord, Lord, Lord!]\n\nI mention this because you know there is a commandment to me which\nsays, \"Unto you it shall be given to know the signs of the times, and\nthe sign of the coming of the son of man.\"\n\nMay the Lord bless you all in England and in America. And I pray that\nhe will bless my wife, and my dear little children; God knows that I\nwant to see them--yea, and all the saints.\n\nI have many particulars that I would like to write, but time will\nnot allow at this time. You will hear from me again by the first\nopportunity, if the Arabs don't kill me. There is no post here; letters\nare sent by private conveyance, through friends, &c. God bless you and\nthe cause of Zion is my last prayer.\n\nMy love to brothers Snow and Adams, and all the brothers and sisters in\nthe communion: pray for me.\n\nYours, in great haste,\n\nORSON HYDE.\n\n* * * *\n\n\n\nTHE GATHERING OF ISRAEL.\n\nBY MRS. TINSLEY.\n\n_(From the Monthly Chronicle for April.)_\n\n    A sound hath pass'd through the nations, heard\n    By the heart alone, when its depths are stirr'd;\n    Mightier than that of storm-lifted seas,\n    Than the tempest's rush amid forrest trees;\n    Mightier than sorrow's earth-born cry,\n    Than the shout of kings to victory;\n    And still, where its tale hath gone,\n      A voice to the breeze is cast,\n    \"On to Jerusalem, brothers, on!\n      We have gain'd our home at last!\n\n    \"Lift up thine head, O Israel! yet\n    From the depths of the darkness round thee set;\n    Rejoice, for the chosen of the Lord\n    Have listened once more to His living word;\n    Calling them forth from the nations around,\n    To the hallow'd rest of their father's ground:\n    And still, as the goal is won,\n      Let the thrilling shout be past,\n    On to Jerusalem, brothers, on!\n      We have gain'd our home at last!\n\n    \"Was the scoffer strong in the days of old,\n    Fenced by his idols of dust-won gold,\n    Mocking their hope, while his footsteps trod\n    With the prophet-gather'd hosts of God?\n    Heed him not now in the times that be,\n    For ours is no common destiny;\n    But, with true armour, won\n      From the stores of the mighty past,\n    On to Jerusalem, boldly on!\n      We have gain'd our home at last!\n\n    \"Did the desert of old yield its gushing wave,\n    For the pilgrim-fathers their thirst to lave?\n    Did the vision of God before them stand,\n    Guiding their steps to the promis'd land?\n    And shall we, their children, all forget\n    That this mighty arm is our refuge yet?\n    No! by the hope whereon\n      We have lean'd through the stormy past!\n    On to Jerusalem, brothers, on!\n      We have gain'd our home at last!\n\n    \"There flow the waters that flow'd of yore,\n    Washing no trace from the hallow'd shore;\n    There rise the hills where our fathers bow'd\n    When the voice of God shook the riven cloud;\n    And the boughs of the stately cedar thrill\n    With that holy breath, for it stirs them still:\n    And we, are we call'd upon\n      By a voice to the desert cast?\n    On to Jerusalem, Israel, on!\n      We have gain'd our home at last!\"\n\n* * * *\n\n_Liverpool: James and Woodburn, Printers, 14, Hanover Street._\n\n\n\nTranscriber's Note\n\nSome obvious printer's errors (e.g. 'injuction' for 'injunction') have\nbeen corrected as seemed reasonable. Some unusual spellings (e.g.\n'radience,' 'Bethsda') and inconsistent quotation marks in\nthe original have been maintained.","title":"A Voice from Jerusalem: Or, A Sketch of the Travels and Ministry of Elder Orson Hyde","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":15099}