28^th I spent the forepart of the day in the House of the Lord giving
Endowments the evening I spent in the office

The present signs of the times show that we as a people
as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints & the
Kingdom of God are approaching the most important period &
Craices [crisis] that we have ever seen since the organization of the
Church, their is a solemnity & anxiety resting upon all Israel.
The Government of the United States have now entered the
field as our persecuters & are determined in their harts to destr-
oy us from off the Earth as far as it is in their power
The President James Buch^a^nnan & the Congress of the Nation
containing 35000000 people have sent an Armey of men
of numbering some 3000 armed with all instruments of
death to destroy us as a people they are now marching towards
us upon the plains & one or two month from this date must
decide the case with us whether we have to go out to war and
meet in deadly combat this winter or not. The Gentiles are vary
wicked & the cup of the United States as a Nation is full & they
are enemies to God & his kingdom & people they are determined
in their hearts that God & his Christ shall have no kingdom on
the Earth & they are now about to make war upon his saints
the time is at the door that will try mens souls the Lord has

Aug. 28^th 1857

promised to fight the battles of his saints nevertheless the Saints
will be tried whether they will abide in his covenant even
unto death whether we are willing to lay down our lives for
Christ sake, word has been sent out to call in the Elders from
abroad from among the Gentiles, & the gospel has begun to go to
the Lamanites & the Lord is about to remember his covenant
with that people, the Judgments of our God must now soon be
poured out upon the Gentile world & the children of Jacob &
the House of Israel must go forth & fulfill their destiny & help
build up Zion all nations are becomeing vary wicked may
the Lord give us grace according to our day & help us to stand
the test & prove in the hour of trial & temptation torue to our God, our
Brethren, & our covenants. And I ask the Lord in the Name of Jesus
Christ to Preserve the Presidency of this Church with the cities
people & records of the Saints from the hands of wicked and
ungodly men. I pray that the Lord will preserve me for a
season that I may labour to assist in preserving & keeping
a record of this Church & kingdom & the dealings of God
with us & preserve me O Lord from dishonoring my calling
or priesthood but give me faith power & grace to pass through
what ever I may be called to meet. It appears as though
the whole world was about to make war upon the kingdom
of God. In years that are past & gone we have had towns
cities, counties & states with the Govornor & people against
us. Now the whole Nation has risen up against us, vary
well, let lightnings flash & thunders roll & Earth quake bellow
and let all hells dark Hosts gather in battle array against
God and his Christ ag[ain]st the Church & kingdom of our God ag[ains]t
Brigham Heber & Daniel & the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb
of God & all ther followers Let the Heathen rage & the peopl
imagin vain things let them take council to destry the
Lords Anointed. Yet God will laugh at their calamity
& mock when their fear comes for their destruction
shall come like a whirlwind [Proverbs 1:26-27] even in an instant suddenly
it shall overtake them like a woman in treval [1 Thessalonians 5:3] & their
shall be no power to deliver, & all the Judgments which God
the Lord, or Prophets Apostles or Holy men have said shall
come upon them shall be fulfilled upon their heads & not
one Jot or tittle shall fail. Rejoice O ye Heavens & be Glad
O Earth & all the righteous who dwell therein for the Lord
God Omnipitent reigneth & his will will be done in all
things for he holds the destiny of all men in his hands
the wicked as well as the righteous. Let the prayers of thy people
O God come up into thine eares & let them be answered upon the
Head of the wicked & Let the blood of all thy Prophets O God
be avenged upon the Earth untill the wicked shall scease to reign
& untill the Earth shall be cleansed from all the abomination
which now dwell upon it fulfill thy covenants O God which
thou hast made with Israel in the Last days & let the Gentiles
who dwell upon this land be spedily cut off inasmuch as they
will not repent. Send they Judgments O God into the Armies
of the United States who are coming against us to battle & let
them be destroyed that they shall have no power over thy saints
any more at all