120 BIOGRAPHY AND
He said he had heard one of our Elders preach, and he made baptism essential to salvation. "And," said, he, "what are your ideas on this point?" "It is now," I replied, "because God has commanded it—until He did command and authorized men to administer, it was not essential." I then loaned him several books, asking him to read them prayerfully. He promised to do so, but with great reluctance, "and he went away sorrowful."
I am now in a Roman Catholic country. Its inhabitants are before my eyes continually. My heart is pained to see their follies and wickedness—their gross darkness and superstition. I weep that the day of the Son of Man has come upon them unawares, so little are they prepared to receive the voice from on high: "Behold! the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him!"
They are clothed with darkness as with a garment, and, figuratively speaking, they know not their right hand from their left. I ask my Heavenly Father to look upon this people in mercy. O Lord, let them become the objects of Thy compassion, that they may not all perish. Forgive their sins, and let me be known among them, that they may know Thee, and know that Thou hast sent me to establish Thy kingdom. They do wickedly all the day long, and are guilty of many abominations. They have turned their backs upon Thee, though they kneel before the image of Thy Son, and decorate temples to Thy worship. The priests, the rulers and the people have all gone astray, and have forgotten Thee, the Lord their God. But wilt Thou not have mercy upon them? Thou knowest that I bade a heart-trying farewell to the loved and tried partners of my bosom, to obey Thy call; and hast Thou not some chosen ones among this people to whom I have been sent? Lead me unto such, and Thy name shall have the glory, through Jesus, Thy Son.
After I wrote the foregoing, I received a letter from
