13 May 1881, 2/2-3
To the Y.M.M.I. Association of Franklin.
Dear Brethren and Friends: — As I am not able to write to you all separately, I take this opportunity of writing to you collectively. I have been much pleased to hear from time to time, of the progress and success of your association, for although I have been many miles away, I have been making inquiries concerning your welfare; and I wish you all realized the necessity of improving the valuable time and opportunities you are enjoying as well as I can, after the experience I have gained since I left my home in Utah; it is one year to-day since I left my home to travel in a foreign land to bear the message of the truth to a people who are looked upon by the world as a Christian nation. The people seem to be almost wild with religion; on the Sabbath day a person can here [sic] religion taught on almost every corner of the streets, and among so many sects there are not two teaching the same doctrine; they are all in division and confusion; they are as the Apostle Paul says: they profess to know God but in their works they deny Him. The Savior’s words are also very appropriate for their case when he says "this people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoreth me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; but in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." The people seem to think that it dos not take the same laws and ordinances to save the human family to-day as it did in the days of Christ and His apostles; they search the scriptures, thinking in them they have eternal life, and at the same time they are they which testify of the Gospel of Christ being restored to the earth in the last days. The scriptures declare unto us, (when read by the spirit of truth as they were written) that the time should come when darkness should cover the earth and gross darkness the minds of the people, and the Saints of the Most High should be worn out. The Apostle Paul says, in speaking of the second coming of Christ, "Let no man deceive you by any means for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first," &c. – II Thess. 2, 3. According to this and many other passages I might refer to if time and space would permit, we see that the Apostles of God were looking forward to the time when the Saints would be overcome, and when the apostles and servants of God, who held the authority to administer in the ordinances of the gospel would be destroyed from off the earth. They were also looking still further down through the stream of unborn time, until they saw the gospel again restored to the earth. While John the revelator was banished on the isle of Patmos for the testimony of Jesus Christ, the Lord sent an angle [sic] to declare unto him the things that should transpire in the future, and he beheld the time in which the gospel should be again restored to the earth, for he says, "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth," &c. Turn and read for yourselves Rev. XIV – 6. There are many other passages if time would permit me to refer to them, but suffice it to say that the whole world apostatized from the true plan of salvation and we not only have the words of the prophets of old to prove this, but when any person has the privilege of seeing the condition of the Christian world today and comparing the doctrine taught by them with the doctrine taught by Jesus Christ and His apostles, it is plain enough to see that they have all strayed from the true order.
I will now point out to my young companions who wish to prepare themselves to preach the gospel to the world, a few of the most important points of doctrine we have to preach to strangers which are as follows: Faith; repentance; the necessity of baptism; the form of baptism; the object of baptism; the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holey [sic] Ghost; the true organization of the church; the restoration of the gospel in the last days; the authority needed to administer in the ordinance of the gospel; and the gathering of Israel. Now my young brethren if you will post yourselves well upon these few points of doctrin[e] you will be prepared to converse with any minister in England. I am sure if the young men in [Z]ion could only realize the responsibilities which rests upon them and the great privileges which they enjoy, of being taught in the eternal truths of heaven from their infancy, they would be far more diligent in the future than they have been in the past. Since I left home I have gained an experience that I wish all my young brethren had the privilege of gaining. Since I have seen the great contrast between the doctrine taught by the Christian world and that taught by the Latter-day Saints, I can realize more fully the condition of our people and the responsibilities resting upon them, and I hope these few lines from an old friend will be beneficial to all who may hear them. It was a hard task for me at first to attempt to preach the gospel, but by the aid of the Spirit of God and hard study I have made some improvement. When I first came here I was sent to travel alone among entire strangers, and if any man ever felt his weaknesses and the necessity of the Spirit of God, it was your humble servant; and my young brethren, I hope you will all take warning from me and improve the time while you have the chance for it is much better to learn at home than among strangers. You will no doubt be better able to imagine my feelings, on my first attempt to preach among strangers, than I could describe them, but with the help of God I have labored on so far and He has blessed me in many ways. My health has been good most of the time, and at present I am feeling well both in health and spirits, and I feel willing to do all I can to spread the gospel to those who are still in darkness. I know the gospel is true and that God has spoken from the heavens in this day in which we live, and he has set up that kingdom which Daniel saw should be set up in the last days, never more to be thrown down or given to another people. This message we bear concerns the whole human family, and they must all enter in at the same door and be borne of the water and of the spirit in order to get eternal life, and those ordinances must be performed by one holding divine authority (being called of God as was Aaron, as Paul says Heb., V – 4) or they will have no effect. In this part of the country the gospel has been preached for many years and I find the minds of the people full of prejudice against our people, and they all seem to know quite as much about the Mormons (as we are called) as they wish to know. They are always ready and willing to believe a false report, slander and abuse about us, but they will not listen to the truth; we spend our time in distributing tracts and holding meetings among the Saints (where strangers are always invited to attend) as often as possible. Sometimes we meet in private houses sometimes in halls and when the weather will permit we preach outside wherever we can get a congregation to listen. The Saints are generally very kind to the Elders and they supply us with a place to sleep and something to eat, but they are all very poor and anxious to gather to Zion, and if the Saints in Utah realized their position I think they would donate more liberally to the Perpetual Emigration Fund than they do, and those who are owing that company should try and pay their just debts, for there are many good Saints here who never can emigrate without help. The Saints in Utah may think they are poor, but the poorest of them are far better off than the Saints here. I will now conclude for the present. I hope you will all excuse my poor way of conveying my ideas, and pardon all mistakes. I will be pleased to hear from any of my old friends at any time; it is always encouraging to hear from a friend at home. With kind regards to all relations and friends and ever praying for the welfare of Zion, I remain as ever your Brother in the gospel.
Wm. C. Parkinson.
15 Denmark St., South Stockton on-Tees, Yorkshire, England, April 5th, 1881.