The book of wonders

"For all her friends she surely left,
To follow my command;
And to her now I will strongly cleave;
She has chosen the better part."

"Here let men ponder deeply what you have gone through to follow on to know the Lord, and how you disregarded your own honor, but were determined to follow on to be clear in judging before you would condemn, so that you might err on the safest side. Let men trace the different conduct between * * * * * * Likely referring to Rev. Joseph Pomeroy. and you. And now come to the following words, on page 23:

'But when the stars together come,
And they do all agree;
The mystery will be known,
Why I have stumbled you.'

"For I now tell you, I have stumbled you concerning * * * * * * * * * *; for you have not discerned the manner in which I placed him without conditions—so that through him the writings should go out into the world—and how I spoke of him with conditions, so that he might recognize his fall. But now I ask you, how could a heart like yours ever have gone on with him if you had clearly discerned? Deeper things will yet be discerned as to why it was my wisdom to stumble you.

"Here I have shown you how he was placed in two ways, and in two ways his past conduct has been. And I will show you why I have placed it in two ways: because the man's heart was known to me. I knew that as a faithful shepherd who cared for his sheep, he would act with wisdom and prudence to search out the truth. And consider what I said to Peter—'Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me more than these? He says to him, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. He says to him, feed my lambs. He says to him again, a second time, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love

me? He says to him, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. He says to him, feed my sheep. He says to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me? Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, do you love me? And he said to him, Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you. Jesus says to him, feed my sheep.' Quoting John 21:15-17. From these words I shall answer you. I, who know all things, knew * * * * * * * * * *'s heart; that, like the command I gave to Peter to feed my lambs and feed my sheep, it was a law written upon his heart. Therefore, as a faithful shepherd who took care of his sheep to guard them against the wolf if he knew they were in danger, so I knew that his heart and mind were to act faithfully, to search out both possibilities: whether you were in danger of the wolf—which means to be in danger of Satan's arts—or whether you were a sheep of mine, visited by my Spirit, whom he should feed and take care of.

"Therefore, I told you he would go on faithfully while he stood alone, because I, who know all things, knew he would act as a faithful shepherd at first; that my command would be obeyed by him. But I well knew the malice of men and devils, and with what rage and fury they would break out against him when your writings went out into the world. Therefore, I gave you the prophecies the other way, as I knew he would fall from his own first steadfastness when assaulted by men and devils. Now call to your remembrance what the people told * * * * * : that * * * * * wrote the books, and you only signed your name to them. Know that they said he was the Prophet. Call to your remembrance what your thoughts were: did you not say in your heart that you were not sorry to see him fall back, since men had attributed your writings to him? Then do you marvel in your heart that I should leave the man to Satan's temptations and the persecution of others?"