Meeting at the 14th Ward school house in the evening, Elder Parley P. Pratt preached a good discourse. He told the Bishop to cut off from the Church all the liars, thieves, adulterers, and profane swearers; for they would contaminate the whole body if they continued in it.
And many wicked men would stay in the Church but they would never repent of their sins.
He said there was a time when men could repent and have the spirit of God, but when that time was past, men might pray till their knees were calloused and they could not get the spirit of God.
How long did the people that were destroyed by the flood have to wait, before they could obtain an offer of the spirit of God of the gospel? They had to wait more than 2000 years, till after Christ came and was crucified. He then went and preached to the spirits in prison.
The gospel was then offered to them.
And how has it been with the Jews, they once saw the day, when the gospel was offered unto them, but when they put to death their King and Saviour, the gospel was taken from them and given to the Gentiles.
It was also given to the Lamanites and ten tribes of Israel, the first were to be last and the last first. It will not come to the Gentiles first, then to the ten tribes of Israel and the Lamanites, before it will go to the Jews, they will be the last to receive it. Who has ever heard of the Jews having the spirit of God, or the gospel or the kingdom of God offered to them, since they put to death their Lord Jesus Christ and the kingdom went to the Gentiles? No one, for it has never been done. They will return home in unbelief and wickedness and rebuild Jerusalem in that state, and they will be so far from the gospel that when the Gentiles come against them to battle, rifle their houses, ravish their women and carry half of their city into captivity, and Jesus Christ comes and delivers them in the midst of this hour of peril and trouble, they will not know Him, or even imagine who He is, till they ask Him about His wounds and He tells them that the gospel has to be preached to them and they repent and are baptized and receive the first principles of the gospel.
Brother Pratt also said, there was a promise, that the three Nephites and Angels, should visit the Lamanites, but they could not be sent to them with message to receive and obey the “Mormons” until the “Mormon” missionaries were all righteous men and would not stoop to lie or swear or commit adultery, for if the Angels were to tell them to obey the “Mormons” and they found the “Mormons” to do wickedly, they would lose confidence in both angels and “Mormons.”
[History of Brigham Young, 1856:133]
[Journal History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Feb. 17, 1856, 1-2]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Aug. 2006]