Transcript

In the Spring of 1852, my father [John Pidding Jones] returned with some more provisions, so that we Might Gather with the Saints of God in the Rocky Mountains. We Hitched two Yoke of Oxen and one Yoke of Cows on the Waggon, put our Provisions & Clothing a few Tools, &. c, and Proceeded on our journey again on the 20th Day of June, With a Small Company of Saints that were going to the West, the Gathering Place of the People of God, in the last Dispensation of the fullness of times, in fulfillment of the Prophesies of Isaiah 2nd Chapt 2nd & 3rd Verses, Wich reads as follows--and it Shall Come to pass in the last Days, that the Mountain of the Lords House, Shall be Established in the Top of the Mountain, and Shall be Exalted above the Hills, & all Nations shall flow unto it and Many People Shall go & Say, Come (p.53) Ye let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, to the House of the God of Jacob and he will Teach us of his Ways, and we will Walk in his Paths, for out of Zion shall go forth the Law, & the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

Here is were the Zion of God is to be Built up. Hence My Father having the Spirit of the Lord Upon him, & Knowing that the Vengence of God & his Judgements was Soon to be poured out upon the Wicked of the Earth, he was led by the power of God to the Place of Gathering for his People in the Tops of the Mountain. We Journeyed Through The Territory of Nebraska, accross the Lonely Plains of Wyoming, Camping by the Way along the Streams & Springs of the Desert, Guarding our Families & Flocks by Night & Traveling by Day, in Companies of Tens, Twenties, and Fifties. Bro. Wm Maxwell the Captain of our Ten Waggons, Shot & Killed a large Buffalo, Wich served us for fresh meat for some time. We say Many large Herds on the Platt[e] Bottoms.

We was Visited Sometimes by different Tribs of Lamanit[e]s, or (Souix Indians, p. (54) as they were called by the Gentiles) They were Noble looking, large in stature[.] Some of them were 6 feet 4 Inches in Hight, Well developed in their Muscular Powers.

Some of them were of the Seed of Nephi, Spoaken of in the Book of Mormon, & Shall yet become a White & delightsome People, as the Lord [h]as predicted. Chap 16 III Book of Nephi, Page 514 Pr 10 And thus Commandeth the Father that I should Say unto you at that Day, when the Gentiles Shall Sin against my Gospel, and Shall be lifted up in the Pride of their Hearts above all Nations, & above all the People of the whole Earth and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, & of deceits, & of Mischiefs, and all Manner of Hypocrisy & Murders, and Priestcrafts, and Whoredoms, and of Secret abominations; & if they Shall do all those things, and Shall reject the fullness of My Gospel, behold Saith the Father, I will bring the fullness of My Gospel from among them.

And then I will remember my Covenant wich I have made unto my People, O House of Israel and I will bring my Gospel into them;

And I will Show unto thee, O House of Israel (the Indians) that the Gentiles Shall not have power over you, but I will remember my covenant unto you, O House of Israel, and ye shall Come unto the <(.55)> Knowledge of my Gospel.

But if the Gentiles will repent, & return unto me, saith the Father, behold they Shall be numbered among my People, O House of Israel.

And I will not Suffer My People, who are of the House of Israel, (The Indians) to go through among them, and tread them down, Saith the Father,

But if they will not turn unto one, and hearken unto My Voice, I will Suffer them yea; I will Suffer my People, O House of Israel, that they Shall go throgh among them, and Shall Tread them down, & they Shall be as Salt that hath lost its Savor, wich is thence forth good for nothing, but to be Cast out, & to be trodden under Foot of My People, O House of Israel, (that is the Lord will put his Spirit & his Power upon these Indians, & they will tread the Gentiles under their feet, Just as the Lord predicted, in the Book of Mormon). Viz--

Verily, verily, I Say unto you, thus hath the Father Commanded me, that I should give unto this People this Land for their inheritance.

And when the words of the Prophet Isaiah Shall be fulfilled w[h]ich Say.

Thy Watchman Shall lift up the Voice; with the Voice together shall they Sing, for they Shall See Eye to Eye when the Lord Shall bring again Zion.

Break forth into Joy, Sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem for the Lord hath Comforted his People, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

The Lord hath made bare his <(p.66)> Holy Arm in the eyes of all the Nations; and all the Ends of the Earth Shall See the Salvation of God.

These things were predicted some 1800 years Ago, & are now being fulfilled in My Day.

I will resume my Biography.

After the Journey of Nearly 16 Weeks & 3 Days we ascend the Summit of the Rocky Mountains nearly 9000 feet above Sea Level, as we Stood gazing with rapture & delight, from the Summit of the Mountain. down into the Vally of the Great American Desert. with its Lake of Some 70 Miles in lengeth running North & South. by 30 Miles in Wideth, this to be the Place for the Gathering of all Nations, our Hearts Swelled with Gratitude to Our Heavenly Father for his goodness unto us while Crossing the long & Dreary Plains, Guiding us to Our future Home in the Mountains. as My Mind reverts back Upon the Scene it is Just 34 years Ago, our Cattle was Foot Sore & weary, on arriving in the Small "City of Salt Lake", the future Capital of "Deseret,"