History, 1834–1836

  • Source Note
  • Historical Introduction
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Oliver Cowdery, “Letter VI,” April 1835
Letter VI.
To , Esqr.
Dear Sir:—
Yours of the 24th February is received and inserted in this No. of the Advocate When reviewing my letter No. 3, I am lead to conclude, that some expressions contained in it are calculated to call up past scenes, and perhaps, paint them to the mind, in a manner differently than otherwise were it not that you can speak from experiance of their correctness.
I have not space you know, to go into every particular item noticed in yours, as <​that​> would call my attention too far or too much, from the great object lying before me,— the history of this church;— but one expression, or quotation contained in your last strikes the mind (and I may add—the heart,) with so much force, that I cannot pass without noticing it: It is a line or two from that little book contained in the Old Testament, called “Ruth.” It says:
[“]Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge, thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.”
There is a something breathed in this, not known to the world. The great, as many are called, may profess friendship, and covenant to share in each other’s toils, for honors and riches of this life, but it is not like the sacrifice offered by Ruth. She forsook her friends, she left her nation, she longed not for the altars of her former gods, and why? because Israels God was God indeed? and by joining herself to Him a reward was offered, and an inheritance promised with him when the earth was sanctified, and peoples, nations and toungs serve him acceptably? And the same covenant of Ruth’s, whispers the same assurance in the same promises, and the same knowled[g]e of the same God.
There is a something breathed in this, not known to the world. The great, as many are called, may
I gave, in my last, a few words, on the subject of a few items, as spoken by the angel at the time the knowledge of the record of the Nephites was communicated to our [p. 71]
 
Oliver Cowdery, “Letter VI,” April 1835
Letter VI.
To , Esqr.
Dear Sir:—
Yours of the 24th February is received and inserted in this No. of the Advocate When reviewing my letter No. 3, I am lead to conclude, that some expressions contained in it are calculated to call up past scenes, and perhaps, paint them to the mind, in a manner differently than otherwise were it not that you can speak from experiance of their correctness.
I have not space you know, to go into every particular item noticed in yours, as that would call my attention too far or too much, from the great object lying before me,— the history of this church;— but one expression, or quotation contained in your last strikes the mind (and I may add—the heart,) with so much force, that I cannot pass without noticing it: It is a line or two from that little book contained in the Old Testament, called “Ruth.” It says:
[“]Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge, thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.”
There is a something breathed in this, not known to the world. The great, as many are called, may profess friendship, and covenant to share in each other’s toils, for honor and riches of this life, but it is not like the sacrifice offered by Ruth. She forsook her friends, she left her nation, she longed not for the altars of her former gods, and why? because Israels God was God indeed? and by joining herself to Him a reward was offered, and an inheritance promised with him when the earth was sanctified, and peoples, nations and toungs serve him acceptably? And the same covenant of Ruth’s, whispers the same assurance in the same promises, and the same knowledge of the same God.
I gave, in my last, a few words, on the subject of a few items, as spoken by the angel at the time the knowledge of the record of the Nephites was communicated to our [p. 71]
Page 71