I have wanted to read this book for years. Years. I finally did so and finished it earlier this week. I had high expectations going in and they were met and then some. I really loved reading this book. Especially the first 200 pages. Extremely fascinating. And very well written too, coming from a guy who authored many books, poems and hymns. He knew how to use the pen.
Parley said, "Should the author be called to sacrifice his life for the cause of truth, yet he will have the consolation that it will be said of him as it was said of Abel:...'He, being dead, yet speaketh.'" And that is what is cool about this book. A man who dedicated his life to the gospel and the preaching of it continues to testify of it through this book.
He was an amazing missionary full of faith and the power of the priesthood. He had total and complete confidence in his priesthood power and authority. I wish I would have read this book before or during my mission. It would have helped me see how a missionary should be.
I could talk more about this amazing book and amazing disciple, but I'll leave it there. Also, I could share many a quote from this book, but will only share this long one which is also the most famous story from the book:
"In one of those tedious nights we had lain as if in sleep till the hour of midnight had passed, and our ears and hearts had been pained, while we had listened for hours to the obscene jests, the horrid oaths, the dreadful blasphemies and filthy language of our guards, Colonel Price at their head, as they recounted to each other their deeds of rapine, murder, robbery etc., which they had committed among the "Mormons" while at Far West and vicinity. They even boasted of defiling by force wives, daughters and virgins, and of shooting or dashing out the brains of men, women and children.
"I had listened till I became so disgusted, shocked, horrified, and so filled with the spirit of indignant justice that I could scarcely refrain from rising upon my feet and rebuking the guards; but had said nothing to Jospeh, or any one else, although I lay next to him and knew he was awake. On a sudden he arose to his feet, and spoke in a voice of thunder, or as the roaring lion, uttering, as near as I can recollect, the following words:
"SILENCE, ye fiends of the infernal pit. In the name of Jesus Christ I rebuke you, and command you to be still; I will not live another minute and bear such language. Cease such talk, or you or I die THIS INSTANT!"
"He ceased to speak. He stood erect in terrible majesty. Chained, and without a weapon; calm, unruffled and dignified as an angel, he looked upon the quailing guards, whose weapons were lowered or dropped to the ground; whose knees smote together, and who, shrinking into a corner, or crouching at his feet, begged his pardon, and remained quiet till a change of guards.
"I have seen the ministers of justice, clothed in magisterial robes, and criminals arraigned before them, while life was suspended on a breath, in the Courts of England; I have witnessed a Congress in solemn session to give laws to nations; I have tried to conceive of kings, or royal courts, of thrones and crowns; and of emperors assembled to decide the fate of kingdoms; but dignity and majesty have I seen but once, as it stood in chains, at midnight, in a dungeon in an obscure village of Missouri."
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