From the Far East
Elders Henry F. McCune and Milson R. Pratt thus express their feelings in a letter to us from British Burmah, dated December 21, 1884:
“We received by the last mail your very welcome letter, which has given us so much encouragement and strength, and we return to you our heartfelt thanks.
“We are feeling well in the blessings of the Lord, and know that the cause of truth will ultimately triumph in the earth. It makes us boil, however, when we see the attitude of many of the people of so-called Christian nations toward our people, and we can no more smother our feelings of indignation at the wicked presumptions sprung upon the forbearance of the Saints than they can themselves. Their relentless and blood-thirsty persecutors will find to their sorrow that they have presumed too much upon the long-suffering of the Saints. We hope so, and we are looking forward with eager eyes and overflowing hearts to see Ephraim’s glorious and peaceful reign, and we feel that the time is not far off when the ‘stone cut without hands’ shall fall upon the image, and not be kicked about by its toes any longer; but we are willing to wait the Lord’s time, which we think is not far off. It is with feelings of the deepest sorrow that the conviction comes to us that the kindreds and families of the earth are fast becoming reprobate to every principle of righteousness; that nearly all are in the bondage of sin and will not come unto God. It is a time for choosing, and those who wish to be on the Lord’s side have every opportunity, as the line between good and evil is definitely drawn:
“Zion stands with hills surrounded—
Zion, kept by power divine;
All her foes shall be confounded,
Though the world in arms combine;
Happy Zion,
What a favorable lot is thine.”
Are our sentiments to a dot, only better expressed.”
[Journal History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Dec. 21, 1884, 8]
[Millennial Star, Jan. 26, 1885, 62]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Apr. 2006]
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