there is a small portion of the community among the nations of the earth, who are looking upon other singns of this present generation as indicating a day big with events, even the restoration of pri- mitive Christianity, the proclamation of the ful- ness of the Everlasting gospel among all natio- ns both Gentile & Jew, the restoration of the Jews to their own land, the rebuilding of Jerrusalem, great changes, Judgments, wars & revolutions of the gentile nations, the Second Advent of the Mesiah in the clouds of heaven, & the great Millennium or rest of the Saints of one thousand years all of which events have been predicted by the Holy Prophets who have Spoken since the world began. None feel more interested in the signs of the Heavens & the earth which clearly indicate these great & important

We sat down under the shade of a pine for morning prayers, & O, what glorious contemplations vibrated our souls. Elder Hale read the XVI. ch of Jeremiah that spake of the hunters and fishers that God should chuse in the last days to gather Israel. And of a truth here we were on an Island of the sea standing upon a rock whare we could survey the gallant ships, and also the Island. which was as full of rocks, holes, & caves perhaps as any part of the earth. But what had brought us here? Ah to search out the Blood of Ephraim & gather him from these Islands, rocks, holes, & caves, which were numerous While the sun shed his beams to gladden earth, the spirit of God caused, our souls to rejoice. I sat down in company with Elder Hale, we read, and sung, and Prayed, and rejoiced. We spake of the ancient Prophets & Apostles in Jerusalem and Asia, Also of Nephhi, Alma, Mormon & Moroni in America. We Also spake of Joseph, Oliver, Sidney, & of the twelve

The spirit of God is like leaven in the midst of these Islands of the sea. the solemnities of Eternity is resting upon the People, the word of God is like a sharp two edged sword in the hearts of men I am now preachi -ng & Baptizing almost daily. O may the Lord roll on his work amid the Islands of the sea and give me a rich harvest of souls.

March 26, 1840 ~ Thursday 26th I walked to Stokes Lane & preached at the House of Joseph Evins & spent the night at br William Davis, & had the following Dream. I saw by night a River in which were many fish. I cast an hook & caught some of them, & while fishing I saw some large ones near shore I put the hook to their mouth they bit it & I caught them, & one vary notable one exceding all other fish that I had caught & as I was taking care of them. I saw a still larger River. It appeared like Farmington River in the U.S.A. at the Mill which my Father is tending, & on the other side of the River was a Boat to which was tied many fish lines on one hook was a fish so large that the captain of the Boat Israel Dormon by name could not bring him into the Boat, & he sailed the Boat across the River whare I was, & the fish was taken out & a Bellman was called for to divide the fish & after the Bell was rung each man took a part, & while dividing the fish, one man said to another man I saw Baptizing last night was not you Baptized. I also saw a trunk representing to have

Thus the Lord has given me the desire of my heart & Blessed me far beyound my expectations for I am now privleged of thaving more than fifteen hundred Saints in this interes ting field which I first opened one year ago the 5th of this present months, all of which have embraced the work since that Date many of which the Saints have gatherd to Zion from that region & the rest are anxious to go & ownly waiting for a door to be open for them. I have never seen so many saints receive the work of God in so short a time & so many ordained Elders, Priests, &c as on this occasion, & what adds much joy & conso lation to my mind while reflecting upon this subject is that (with vary few exceptions) the Officers & members universally have maintained their integrity kept the faith & are faithfully passing through many trials for Christ sake

He then asked what was the object of Gathering the Jews together or the people of God in any age of the world, the main object was to build unto the

The doctrin of Baptism for the dead is clearly shown in the new testament & if the doctrin is not good then throw away the new testa ment but if it is the word of God then let the doctrin be acknowledged & it was one reason why Jesus said how oft would I have gatherd you (the Jews) together that they might attend to the ordinance of the baptism for the dead as well as the other ordinances the Priesthood

But to the text why gather the people together in this place for the same purpose that Jesus wanted to gather the Jews, to receive the ordinances, the blessings & the glories that God has in store for his Saints. And I would now ask this assembly and all the Saints if they will now build this house & receive the ordinances & blessings which God has in store for you, or will you not build unto the Lord this house & let him pass by & bestow these blessings upon another I pause for a reply

I am now in the midst of hundreds that I have Baptized throughout America, the Islands of the Sea England &c that have been gatherd together to Nauvoo through the influ ence of the gospel.

September 19, 1836 ~ Monday 19th Is a day long to Be remembered by me & others in Consequence of the interesting scenes transpir'd with the Saints of God in the South Isaiah & others of the Ancient Prophets testify to us of the great events of the last days esspecially of the literal gathering of Israel. They say the Saints shall gather from the East & from the West & that that the North shall give up & the South Keep not back This interesting day had now arived yea the 19th of Sept 1836 when some of the Saints of God in the South began to take their families, their Charriots Waggons