Page:Biography and Family Record of Lorenzo Snow monochrome.djvu/221

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AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
195

eldest Son, Jesus. God has revealed to us the mystery which all the world seek after, but fail of obtaining because of pride, wickedness and the power of Satan darkening their minds, viz: the path of salvation and the happiness of our being.

And now, where is the man among you, having once burst the vail and gazed upon the purity, the might, majesty and dominion of a perfected man, in celestial glory, will not cheerfully resign mortal life—suffer most excruciating tortures—let limb be torn from limb, sooner than resign or dishonor his Priesthood. In truth did the Savior utter this parable: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a merchantman seeking goodly pearls, and having found one of great price, went and sold all he had to buy it." "And again, like unto a man finding a treasure in a field, sold all he had and purchased that field." The glory revealed to our view, and which we seek, is tangible—it can be felt, seen and heard; but its length, its breadth, its majesty, peace, joy and happiness, surpass all understanding: tongue cannot express it—language fails to portray the vastness of its extent.

To the Saints I would affectionately add: Your prospects, in every respect, are the most encouraging. The Lord, who fails not in His promises, has undertaken your deliverance, spiritual and temporal, and you are witnesses of the accomplishment of the first. Your fetters of superstition and priestcraft have burst asunder—the false and dark mantle of tradition has been rent—you have been shown the Mother of Harlots, and her daughters, in all their characteristic ignorance, folly and filthiness, and have hearkened to and obeyed the voice, "Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, that ye receive not of her plagues." Your hearts, your thoughts and feelings are no longer associated with those Babylonish schemes which bind thought and reason, making it blasphemy for man to dare speak of the nobility of 'his birth and the true being of his Father in heaven. You feel that you are delivered and restored to