Description
Astounded and Electrified – Parley P. Pratt in Philadelphia
It was December 1839, that Joseph Smith and others went east from Nauvoo to petition the United States government for assistance in obtaining redress for the Saints losses in Missouri. It was at this time that the Prophet Joseph and Martin Van Buren met and Van Buren’s response to their plea for help was “Gentleman, your cause is just, but I can do nothing for you.”
After presenting their petition to Congress and while awaiting a response, Joseph and his brethren traveled north to visit various branches of the Church. It was probably sometime after January 14, 1840, while Joseph was in Philadelphia, that a large hall was opened up for him to preach. The hall is not far from Independence Hall. Parley P. Pratt was there and recorded the events.
“A very large Church was opened for him to preach in, and about three thousand people assembled to hear him. Brother Rigdon spoke first, and dwelt on the Gospel, illustrating his doctrine by the Bible. When he was through, Brother Joseph arose like a lion about to roar; and being full of the Holy Ghost, spoke in great power, bearing testimony of the visions he had seen, the ministering of angels which he had enjoyed; and how he had found the plates of the Book of Mormon, and translated them by the gift and power of God. He commenced by saying: “If nobody else had the courage to testify of so glorious a message from Heaven, and of the finding of so glorious a record, he felt to do it in justice to the people, and leave the event with God. The entire congregation were astounded; electrified, as it were, and overwhelmed with the sense of the truth and power by which he spoke…. Multitudes were baptized in Philadelphia and in the regions around; while, at the same time, branches were springing up in Pennsylvania, in Jersey, and in various directions.
(Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, p.259-261)
Copyright Glenn Rawson 2022
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.