They were never given the chance

During the 1870’s, what did very few children experience in the Church?

a.      Baptism

b.      Baby blessings

c.       The sacrament

d.      Sunday school

Yesterday’s answers:

1.      A.   That missionaries teaching in pairs would teach his people

Even before missionaries first visited the Maori people of New Zealand, their king (King Tawhiao), in 1879 prophesied that men from the true church will come and visit them. He said, “They will not come to you and return to European accommodations but they will stay with you, talk with you, eat with you, and abide with you.” Paora Potangaroa, a spiritual leader among the Maori elaborated by explaining that these ministers of the true religion would travel in pairs and always raise their right arm to the square while perform holy ordinances. It’s interesting to note that the first missionaries to the Maori’s began teaching in 1881 with the first branch being established in 1883.

 

Hunt, Brian W. Zion in New Zealand, 1854-1977 (Temple View, New Zealand: Church College of New Zealand, 1977), 9; Cowley, Matthew. “Maori Chief Predicts Coming of L.D.S. Missionaries.” Improvement Era, September 1950, 696.

 

2.      A.   That he would never be sick of the ague again.

I will here relate a prophecy of President Kimball upon my head. I was taken sick before my father, with the ague and fever shook about two hours in the forenoon and a burning fever in the afternoon. I was not able to take care of myself. Brother Kimball came into the tent where I was laying on the bed. He said, "Aroet, where are your cattle that your father moved into this camp with?" Father nor me has seen an ox or cow for two weeks. Says he, "Aroet, if you will get up tomorrow morning and go and hunt cattle enough to move your wagons out of this camp, up to Winter Quarters, you never shall have another ague shake as long as you live." I tried to make some excuse but no good. Some of the brethren and sisters had gathered around the tent door, hearing them talk to me. Said he, "Will you go?" I said, "I will try to go." Brother Kimball spoke to Uncle James Allred [written above line: then administered to me]. Said he, "Brother Allred, you have a horse, saddle and bridle here tomorrow by eight o'clock. Brother Hale is going to get cattle enough to take his wagons up to Winter Quarters, at my camp, a distance of twelve miles."

In the morning, Brother Allred was there with the riding animals which were a little white mules which belonged to some of the brethren that had come from Texas that year. I started according to agreement. They watched me as far as they could see me. Some of the women said that I would never return alive. Some found fault with Brother Kimball to sending a boy as sick as I was alone to hunt cattle. I rode to Mosquito Creek, five miles. I was nearly checked for water. I corralled my mule to the creek and had a good drink of water, laid back on the bank to rest me, and fell asleep. I did not wake up until after dark. I found my mules a short distance below on the creek. I caught the mules and was thinking what to do. I had not seen any camps as yet on the creek. While thinking what course to pursue, I heard a dog bark up the creek. I crawled on to the mule and started up the creek. I soon found a camp and told them who I was and what I was after. The man was a little acquainted with father. They took me in and took care of me and in the morning sent a boy with me. The third day I found three oxen and one cow. I returned to camp. Some were surprised to see me. Others were soon inquiring about Brother Kimball. Previously I told them I had not had an ague shake once I left them. I then and there bore my testimony that if there ever was a prophet of God on this earth, that President Heber C. Kimball was one.

Journal of Arocet Lucious Hale, Typescript, HBLL; htpp://www.boap.org/

 

3.      C.   Cain

John C. Bennett was the first mayor of Nauvoo

The Prophet Joseph predicted a curse on John C. Bennett. He told him if he did not repent of his sins and sin no more, the curse of God Almighty would rest upon him, that he would die a vagabond upon the face of the earth, without friends to buy him. He told him that he stunk of women. In the year 1850, President Young was speaking about the matter. He said that he had watched the life of John C. Bennett. Bennett went to California in the great gold fever excitement, that Bennett died in one of the lowest slums of California, that he was dragged out with his boots on, put into a cart, hauled off, and dumped into a hole, a rotten mass of corruption. This prediction or prophecy came to pass as well as many others that I heard the Prophet Joseph make.

Journal of Arocet Lucious Hale, Typescript, HBLL; htpp://www.boap.org/