March 23
rd. I repaired to the at an early
hour in the morning to spend the day in prayer and fasting
with the saints in , as this was a day set apart
for that purpose. Immediately after entering the house in com-
pany with several other Elders, I went within the and we
bowed down before the Lord in the Aronic stand & offer'd
a morning sacrifice, & the spirit of God rested upon us
with joy to our souls. I was called upon, by the Patriarch
to read a chapter in the I then
read the
third chapter of the Book of Jacob, which contains the
parable of the tame olive tree likend unto the house of Israel
as was spake by the Prophet . The same God that
touched lips with hallowed fire, [
Isaiah 6:7] gave Zenos great
wisdom in setting forth this parable. After I had made some
brief remarks upon the subject the congregation took
their seats, for the services of the day, in the following
order. The house being divided into four parts by veils,
the females occupied two parts & the males the others,
some of the presidency presided in each appartment
The time was taken up during the day in each appart-
ment in singing, exortation, & prayer, some had a ,
others an , & all was in order. The rested upon the people the were poured out
upon us some had the & the
image of GOD sat upon the countenance's of the Sa[i]nts.
at 4 oclock PM. the veils were all rolled up together which
brough[t] the whole congregation in full view of each other
and while the presence of the LORD filled the house the
congregation of the Saints fell upon their knees & all as one
man, vocally poured forth rejoicing, supplication & Prayer,
before the God of Israel which closed the services of
the day, after contributing for the support of the poor
[FIGURE]
{may move my spirit in my God he long [illegible shorthand] the blessings in the [illegible shorthand] while the moon gladdens the shades of night the} ever
{
[illegible shorthand] of man when the center to his soul and interest vibrate his mind into with peculiar sensations not expressed with those
that cause with myself while the|shorthand} AMOR of GOD
{and enjoying the} {friendship} {of a Saint} [FIGURE]
