41. Be not hasty, O thou mortal man of flesh and blood, To judge of the immortal things of God; Till fruits do prove the truth in every way. 42. You will see many vessels, when hard pressed by this celestial breeze from the eternal regions, that will run, for a short season, with great speed; but, for the want of helper Wisdom, whom I have not yet sent abroad into the world, saith the Lord, they will, to all appearance, dash upon the rocks and sink to rise no more; 43. By reason that they had run before their tidings were ready, in predicting the particular periods of time and season in which my awful judgments should be accomplished upon man. Yet, many there be, who understand not the predictions of their own mouths. 44. The times and seasons of these things are, as yet, reserved in my own power; not even my holy Angels are yet furnished with the knowledge. Of the Proclamation. 19. Required to keep the day it was sent 34. forth. 1. It is very true, saith the Lord, my spirit has begun to work in some measure, among the children of men, by causing them to stir up one another to prepare for the day of my coming, and [warning them] that my heavy judgments are about to roll upon the inhabitants of earth. 2. All this, saith the Lord, I acknowledge to be true; and many are the inhabitants of earth, that can witness to it, from their own experience. For several years past, they have been feeling more and more of an inward restlessness, that all is not right; an inexpressible something working in their own hearts, that created fearful apprehensions of the day and time that is near at hand; 3. Which causes strong forebodings of mind in some, that an entire dissolution of all material matter is speedily to take place; and so strong is this impression, when supported by the passions of nature yet unsubdued, (which are as prone to self exaltation, as the sparks are to fly upward,) that they venture, (yet sincere, according to their understanding,) to predict and foretell the times when my Almighty hand should accomplish an entire dissolution of the earth. 4. The wind and breezes by which these vessels have been impelled, saith the Lord, I acknowledge to be in the main, correct; but, as to times and seasons, they should have waited for further knowledge; for, as yet, they have no helm by which to steer their bark. 5. Therefore, it is their wisdom and duty to labor to prepare the people; but should state no times, saith the Almighty Power of Heaven. 6. And again, you will often behold mortal bodies, while under the influence of the spirit which I shall send forth, apparently eating that which natural eyes cannot behold, and, to all appearance, that which tastes exceedingly delightsome and pleasant; Also drinking freely from cups invisible to natural eyes. 7. And moreover, mothers will see their proud daughters exercised by involuntary power, with the most foolish, silly, and mortifying gestures that the human mind can conceive of, until their pride is humbled; then their exercises will become beautifully striking to the beholders. 8. And fathers will behold their haughty sons, who pride themselves in their dress, rolled in the mire and dirt, compelled to go forth in the most humiliating, and, (to the natural mind,) preposterous attitudes of body, that can be imagined, until they feel their haughty natures subdued, and are willing gently to bow and bend to the impulse of the spirit given. 9. You will again see those whose sins and abominations stare them in the face with such terror and consternation, that they will cry mightily to Me, their God, that I would open some way whereby they may be delivered from the condemnation of their sins. 10. Others will be heard to cry aloud, by reason of the insupportable weight of condemnation that rests upon their souls, and lament the day they were born. And others you will see swoon away in trances, and lie upon the floor like so many dead corpses; and to all natural appearance, the vital spark hath fled. 11. But they will again return, and relate that which will astound the heart of man. Some will lie in this situation many days together; and again, some, while in this situation, will talk out, to the understanding of those present, that which they are told by the spirits in eternity, which will cause the by-standers to fear and tremble, and many times to blush with shame. 12. And when ye behold these things of which I have spoken, and many more of the like taking place, of which I have, as a kind and tender father forewarned you, then see that ye are not found fighting against the operations of my Spirit, or trying to stifle it in your children for if you do, I shall send it upon you in judgment. 13. But to all who will [hearken,] saith the Lord, I send unto them in mercy; but my work cannot be trifled with, and the soul escape unpunished. 14. Yet, I consider, saith God your Heavenly Father, the exceeding great frailty of man, by reason of his long and continued pursuit in seeking for all the pleasures and gratifications time could afford him. And by that means, the labor and pursuit of his mind have scarcely reached beyond the shores of mortality; but have been wholly absorbed by the fading, transitory, fleeting and perishable things of a terrestrial state, whose stores do fade, and treasures turn again to earth and perish in the dust: therefore, his blindness and frailty have become very great. 15. But in loving kindness and compassion, have I, his God, considered him, and sent unto him a timely warning, that all flesh might be left without an excuse before Me, in that day in which all eyes shall be turned to their God, to supplicate his mercy, and escape his awful scourge. But as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be verified unto you, if ye heed not the solemn watch-word of your God. 16. I know full well, the inability of mankind at large, in their darkened and sinful state, to receive the solemn warnings of an Almighty God, from the eternal Heavens, with that degree of thankfulness and gratitude of heart, that such an unmerited act of condescension from the Most High, to poor finite beings on earth requires. 17. Yet, those who receive it in thankfulness of heart, and give thanks, honor and glory to the God of Heaven for the same, by hearkening to what is therein contained, will be accepted at my hand. 18. And I require all nations, to hail this as the greatest notice of kindness and favor, from the ETERNAL SOURCE of all power and goodness, that was ever sent forth directly to the inhabitants of earth since the days of the Messiah. 19. And all such as believe and obey it, by turning from the error of their doings, are required to keep [the second day of Febru ary annually;] the day bearing the date in which this was brought forth to earth, by the mighty and holy Angel, to be written for mortal eyes to view. And after the following manner, I require you should keep it. 20. Assemble yourselves together in your places for sacred worship, and there humble yourselves upon your knees, and supplicate my mercy, by praying earnestly unto Me, that my All-powerful and protecting arm may yet longer be extended in mercy over you, and over your herds, and over your flocks, until you learn to do my will and keep my statutes holy. And sing solemn praises unto my name, exhorting each other in godly fear. 21. But suffer not your hearts to spend this day in recreation; for it is not in vain delight and pleasure that the heart of man draweth nigh unto God, his Maker; but it is in cheerful resignation unto his holy will, when made known to him. 22. I have sent forth nothing unto you, O ye inhabitants in mortal clay, that does in the least militate against any doctrine contained in the sacred records which I have sent forth in past dispensations, but that ye may, in truth, fulfill them according to the requirement of the law, and according to the requirement of Christ, both in his first and second appearing. 23. For this purpose have I condescended to send forth this Book and Roll of one hundred seals unto you; and this regulation I require you to keep, as an evidence of the contrition of your hearts, that my holy Angels may pass and re-pass throughout the W earth, and behold the doings of the children of men upon this day. 24. For I shall command them to mark upon the posts of every door, with the seal of mercy, whether in places of public worship, or in private dwellings, where they find the people assembled together in sincerity of heart, truly supplicating my protection. And this I require to be sacredly kept, until, in my own power and wisdom, the time does come that I send forth a further word to the inhabitants of earth. 25. Also remember, all ye people, to keep my sacred Sabbaths holy; profane them not with any kind of wickedness; nor the day I now require you to keep in special homage to Me your God. 26. This sacred word will strike with consternation many a heart, and break forth upon the inhabitants of earth, at an unexpected hour. Therefore, beware of my after-coming. Prepare, prepare yourselves to meet your God, as ye would, if ye knew tomorrow would close the scenes of your mortal existence. 27. Then, if in the order of my providence, you are still longer permitted to enjoy life in a terrestrial state, you will be able to honor Me, your God and Creator in so doing; or to leave the world, having made your peace with God, and all your fellow creatures. 28. Hear my requirement, saith the Lord, ye leading characters of every nation. When you receive this Sacred Roll of the word of your God, you are required to enter it upon your most sacred records, and let it be engraven on the table of your hearts, there to remain while passing through the remaining moments of your lives below.. 29. I do not require that any should make a wasteful sacrifice of property; but let all be diligent with their hands, to work in some laudable pursuit, and let those who have more than a competency [of the necessaries of this life,] help their poor fellow mortals. In so doing, saith the Lord, you will lay up a treasure far more precious than gold or silver. 30. Let no one be rash, nor wild in their doings, in respect to temporal things; but let true wisdom and reason guide your steps; for I have given you way-marks, saith the Lord, by which you may safely steer if you will. 31. I would that man pursue his various employments, dealing justly with all his fellow creatures, and be willing to work with his own hands for his daily support; for idleness leadeth the soul directly away from its God; it is, in truth, the parent of misery. |