Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-09-19
A VETERANS STORY.

Elsewhere in this issue Of tho News"
will be found the exceedingly interest,"
ing story told by veteran trapper and
hunter, David Lewis, now about %
gears old. who claims to have visited
4 these valleys before tho Pioneers Of
1S47 arrived here. at a time when the
+ City crack and other streams were
y literally full OF beaver dams. The de-
4 tails Of his carly life. the old Veteran
tells withta minuteness that is remarks
able when his advanced years are con-
sidered. And the historical accuracy
of his Statements, generally speaking,
is beyond doubt.
Special interest attaches to the story
of Mr. Lewis because of his long afiili-
alton with the Latter-day Saints Ho
claims to have been baptized at Fay
otte very shortly after the organization
4 of the Church, and that he was blessed
Z BY the Prophet Joseph previous to his
first; start for the West. as early as
Y 1886. He claims that he was advised
to gather whatever information he
y could concerning the geographical fea-
lures Of this region. its resources, etc.
1t Is known that the Prophet Joseph
in 1912 prophesied that the Saints
i would continue to suffer much affection
81 and would be driven to the Rock.
Mountains. The statement that ths
Prophet as early as six years before
this remarkable prophecy was given,
had his mind directed toward this re-
Z sion has caused considerable interest
and We doubt not that search will be
made for evidence for or against it.
One thing Is certain. Tho Church
is where tho Lord, III His wisdom, las
/ planted II. From the very first the
Spirit OF prophecy pointed to the
& mountains as the place in which Zion
was to flourish, and the Prophet, un-
!. doubtedly, understood the meaning of
the prophetic utterances long before
! the Saints generally grasped their full
4 significance. In December, 1880, the
4 Revelation said: Zion shall rejoice
upon the hills and flourish" Gooc. and
Gov. 81: 24,) This prophecy was res
peated with remarkable frequency. In
4 March, 1881, the Lord told the people,:
Before the great day of the Lord
shall come, Jacob shall flourish IN the
Wilderness, and THE Lamantes shall
a blossom as the rose Zion shall -four
Y ishgupon the hills ana rejoice upon the
y mountains, and shall be assembled to-
sether unto the place which l have
4 appointed.iN GDpc. and Gov. 40: "a, 25,)
The same prophecy Is given again and
again. clearly showing that the divine
plan included the establishment OF the
Church in the valleys of the mountains.
/ In August, 1872, the Prophet In a con-
versatlon with several of the brethren
ON the subject of the prosecutions In
4 Missouri. told them the Saints were
7 TO suffer at the hands OF the enemies,
I until many would apostatize. Some
would lose their lives. But, he said,
Hsome of you will live to so and as,
aist in making settlements and build
I elites and see the Saints become a
mighty people in tho midst of the
Rocky Mountains
If the Propnet never had given any
other prediction, that alone would en-
& title him to the honor of being true
prophet. At the time 1t was uttered
human wisdom saw only destruction
ahead OF the Church. Faith saw VIC
tory. But the divine spirit of prophe-
cy indicated the mountain region as
Il the scene OF the development of the
Church and its spiritual triumph.