EPISTLE TO THE CHURCH IN WALES
DEAR SAINTS,--I have had great desire to be with you myself in the Districts and Branches, and no doubt you long to see me and hear my voice, but not more I long for your association. The work of God is great and the time is short. I have been so busy lately with various things pertaining to the Church that it has hardly been possible for me to get out of my house, because so many letters have come from various places, that is from America, Liverpool, etc., together with the various Welsh Districts, letters which need to be answered at once. May the will of God be done; if he sees that in this manner I should do most of the work and serve at the present time, let my brothers and sisters say "Amen." I hope that the Lord will open my way to get to see you all before the end of next summer. Bro. Davis has also been very busy translating the Book of Mormon; and this glorious book will be finished by the 25th of next April; and we invite all the Welsh District Presidents to Merthyr by that time if their conditions allow. Bro. Pugh is also up to his ears in work and is going along successfully.
Brothers Eliezer Edwards and Henry Evans have gone to Zion with a small company of Welsh Saints; and may these good men enjoy the country and eternal songs on their heads together with all the faithful saints with them. 57 Saints from Wales have emigrated this year through the help of the Perpetual Emigration Fund. You can see through this that the prophecies of our enemies have been proved false; and we intend next morning to send a few of the faithful poor from each District in Wales but how many, we cannot say as yet. That depends on the faithfulness of the Districts, and by their fruits they will be known.
Oh, ye who are well off and have been enlightened by the light of the Gospel and have come to a knowledge that the Kingdom of God has been established for the last time on the earth, listen to the sighs of the widows and the orphans, the poor and the needy, etc., who night and morning pray to God to save them from out of their troubles and gain salvation in Zion; and listen to the voice of God who tells you to lay up your treasures in this Fund; and if you do so an even better treasure awaits you in heaven; and you will be blessed forever in the Kingdom of Emmanuel. Listen to the voice of the Spirit which tells these things to you. Hundreds have already begun at the expense of this Fund and they bless the name of God today for arranging such a wonderful plan as this fund to carry them over to Zion; for that reason, strive, rich and poor, and everyone in this church to accomplish the purposes of God in this matter and in every other matter.
Strive, brethren. Great persecutions are rising up on every side of us, and the judgments of God also are drawing nigh, and may you all keep the "Word of Wisdom." I do not have faith that even one officer in this Church can be successful if he opposes all the important instructions which are on this matter. There has been much debate among the Saints concerning the Word of Wisdom; one says that it is a commandment. "No," says the other, "it is something between a counsel and a commandment, and which it is I do not know." "I judge that it is a counsel," says another. And there is another in the tavern, his pipe in his mouth, saying, "I judge that it is not a counsel." And in the face of all these things, God has come to end the debate and has said that it is a commandment; and now let that be the end of all idle talk in your midst.
Summer is coming and; this is an opportunity for the priests to restore their work in connection with preaching outside, etc., in places where there are no rooms; and we wish for all the Elders whose circumstnaces permit, to go out to the towns and the villages and the surrounding country to save the souls of their fellow-men, and to establish Churches, remember that this is the best season we can get in Babylon, and may the District Presidents see to it that this is done.
A few counsels yet on the duties of the various offices:--
DUTIES OF THE DEACONS--They are to assist the Teachers and look into the circumstances of the Saints, such as poverty, etc. And they have the right on the other hand to see that no one wastes, etc., and take care that all the poverty is justifiable poverty worthy of assistance.
DUTIES OF THE TEACHERS are to visit the homes of the members frequently and take care that no evil is being carried forth in their midst, to teach them to be godly and to show righteous deeds before the world.
DUTIES OF THE PRIESTS are to visit the homes of the members, to ask them if they are praying in public and in secret, and bring to their minds the principles of the gospel, so that they can see that they are in the faith, etc.
DUTIES OF THE ELDERS are to visit the homes of the members, bring to their minds that through the laying on of hands of the elders they can receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, etc., and go away from home to preach, and the Priests to preach around home; and when anything is out of place between the members, let the Elders and the Priests recognize that it is not their office to settle the matter, rather they should leave that to the Teachers and the Deacons to help them if there is a need. And may you strive to minister in your offices so that God will be glorified through you and the Church be benefited and edified; and may God bless you to this end in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
14, Castle St., Merthyr Tydfil.
W. S. PHILLIPS.
[Translated from the Welsh original in Udgorn Seion, 1852, p. 73-6, by Ronald D. Dennis, 1529 W. 1170 North, Provo, Utah]
