Salt Lake City
November 20^th 1881

A Blessing given by John Smith Patriarch upon the head of Mary W. Pratt daughter of Samuel and Margaret Wood born in Glasgow Scotland June 18^th 1818.

Sister Mary acording to thy desire I place my hands upon thy head to pronounce and seal a blessing upon thee, and I ask God the Eternal father for his spirit to indite the same and fill thee with the influence thereof for thou art of the house of Israel, and have yealded Obedience to the Gospal with an honest heart, thou hast forsaken home kindred and friends, for the sake of salvation, thou hast passed through trials, difficulties and suffered privations, the adversery has lain snares for thy feet, thy guardian angel hath preserved thy life, and delivered thee from among thine enemy, and thou knowest that there is a God in Israel, and that his hand has been over thee for good therefore I say unto thee suffer not thy self to be bowed down in spirit, but look forward to the future with pleasure, for the Lord knowest the secrets of thy heart, and thou shalt verily receive thy reward. thou shalt be strengthened in body and mind, and be made equal unto every task, thy days and years shall be [page break] prolonged, untill thou hast finished thy mission. therefore, be of good cheer and seek wisdom, for it is thy privelige and duty to councel among thy sex. That as a mother in Israel the younger may receive benefit – through thy experiance, for thou art of the Lineage of Ephriam, thine inheritance is among the saints, and thy name shall be handed down to posterity, in honorable rememberence from generation to generation. again I say unto thee be comforted, for thou shalt not lack for friends food rayment and shelter and thy last days shall be thy best days for thou shalt verily receive thy reward this blessing I seal upon thy head in the name of Jesus Christ, and I seal thee upon to Eternal life to come forth in the morning of the first resurection even so Amen.

Recorded in Book J

Page.  923

[Transcribed by Dorrie Lee and Suzanne Taysom, Mar. 2014]

Patriarchal blessing to Mary Wood Pratt given by Patriarch John Smith, November 20, 1881; “Mary Wood Pratt Collection,” MS 25036, file 1, p. 11-12. (https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE2207536&usedforsort=MS_25036_f0001 : Retrieved January 2014) Church History Library, Salt Lake City.

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