To: My Beloved Family & Friends
From: Dad, Grandpa etc. Richard Pratt
Re: a variety of subjects
October 1, 2010
The fall and infinite atonement is beyond the scope of the critics. As to the believers it is best stated by the Savior saying to Martha: “I am the resurrection, and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
“She saith unto him, yea, Lord: I believe that thou are the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” John 11:25-27
Every member should have the same assurance that Martha had. It is their privilege to know that Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son of God, and is the resurrection and the life. It is likewise their privilege to know that Adam fell and brought death into the world. The resurrection is a demonstrated fact. And by faith we know that the atonement of Jesus Christ came because of the fall.
It is impossible for the worldly minded to understand the reason for the fall and likewise understand the necessity for the atonement of Jesus Christ. It is true that not all the purposes of our eternal Father have been revealed to man; there are some things that have to be received by faith; but these great truths have been made known and we have the assurance that thru the sacrifice made on the cross all mankind and every other creature, even the earth itself, are redeemed from death and shall receive the resurrection and be restored to immortal life. Men receive assurance and knowledge due to their faithfulness and adherence to the commandments of Jesus Christ. Those who reject their Redeemer and refuse to keep his commandments cannot know and comprehend these eternal truths.
Naturally the Lord cannot reveal the mysteries of his kingdom to the scoffer, neither can he to the member of the church who is not faithful. If a man does not exercise faith why should he have the revelations concerning the kingdom of God revealed unto him. They cannot understand them because they are “fallen” man, and without the enlightening influence of the Holy Spirit, they are as the Lord expressed it, “carnal, sensual and devilish.” When the disciples asked the Savior why he spoke in parables, he answered: “Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.” Luke 8:10
Of course, a man who believes that man has developed from lower forms of life, and by gradual development after an enormous length of time evolved from fish to reptile and then to ape, can never understand the fall of man and the atonement. These truths are mysteries to him and only contempt and abuse do they receive from him.
For example, as one carnal minded critic said: “But no Adam, no Fall; no Fall no atonement, no atonement, no Savior. Accepting evidence, how can we have a fall? When did man fall; was it before he ceased to be a monkey, or after? Was it when he was a tree man or later? Was it in the stone age, or the Bronze age, or in the age of iron? And if there never was a fall, why should there be any atonement?”
You can see from the above quotation the big problem that faces those who cannot or will not give up the total improbability of evolution for it is totally opposed to the truths of the gospel.
“And the Savior cometh into the world that he may save all men if they will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living
creature, both men, women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam.
Because everything is to be restored at the resurrection it then becomes necessary for us to take a view of creation as it rolled in purity from the hand of its creator; and if we can discover the true state in which it then existed, and understand the changes that have taken place since then, we shall be able to understand what is to be restored; and thus our minds being prepared we shall be looking for the very things which will come...after the creation God pronounced all the creation very good. From this we learn that there were neither deserts, barren places, stagnant swamps, rough, broken, ragged hills, nor vast mountains covered with eternal snows; and no part of it was located in the frigid zones...or everlasting chains of ice.
But the whole earth was probably one vast plain, or interspersed with gently rising hills and sloping vales, well calculated for cultivation; (like our central plains area, especially the state of Ohio, all very beautiful and usable) while its climate was delightfully varied with moderate changes of heat and cold, of wet and dry...all for the good of man, animal, fowl or creeping thing; while from the flowery plain or spicy grove, sweet odors were wafted on every breeze and all the vast creation of animated beings breathed naught but health, peace, and joy...with shouts of joy; neither a sign nor a groan was heard, throughout the vast expanse; neither was there sorrow, tears, pain weeping, sickness, nor neath, neither contentions, wars, nor bloodshed; but peace crowned the seasons as they rolled, and life, joy, and love reigned over all his works.”
(From The Voice of Warning by Parley P. Pratt page 86)
With the Fall of Adam all this had to change to make way for mortality. For apparently there was no other way. Had there been a way of lesser pain and grief surely our Father would have used it.
How far the flood may have contributed, to produce the various changes as to the division of the earth into broken fragments, islands and continents, mountains and valleys, we have not been informed... but after the flood in the days of Peleg, the earth was divided while the great curses which have fallen upon different portions, because of the wickedness of men, will account for the stagnant swamps, the sunken lakes, the dead seas and great deserts.
After, as an individual, we pass thru this world of opposites in all things such as joy and sorrow, health and sickness, have our spirit body clothed in a physical one, there must needs be a Savior. And God our Eternal Father has provided one. He has many titles such as, “The First Born” this would be in the world of Spirits, the “Only Begotten” in the world of flesh and “Our Redeemer”. He is also called “Father”, which is a little confusing but not when it is explained that he is the spiritual or foster Father of all those who believe in Him, His and our Father and the Holy Ghost. (Three separate beings making up the Godhead)
Our next question then is the Historicity of Jesus. I have already covered this in a previous memo so will simply state that the Historicity of our Redeemer is the most attested fact in history. Even his enemies admit that he lived, was crucified and resurrected three days after.
And in the church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints we have a second witness that cannot be disputed that is very plain in bearing testimony of the reality of our Lord, his mission, crucifixion and resurrection.
For as Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon declared (and there are many others) “and now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him; this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him, that He lives!
For we saw him, and through him, and of Him, worlds are and were created, and the
inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.” This testimony has gone forth unto all the world. There are thousands who know it is true for they too have had witness borne in upon their souls. There are thousands who believe in the promise of the Lord, “that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments shall see my face and know that I am; and that I an the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” Doctrine & Covenants 93:1-2
The story of the Flood is one of the events recorded in the Bible that has met with contempt and ridicule by the wise and prudent of Isaiah’s prediction in these modern days of worldly learning. Even some members of the church reject the flood outright or say that it was just a local flood down the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers.
There are others in the church who reject the story of the flood entirely on the ground that it could not be an act of God; for he is a “kind Father” and a “a father even a normal, earthly father, could not command such wholesale slaughter.”
Haven’t they read the scriptures of how the pre flood prophets warned and re-warned the people of the flood for over 600 years before it took place, how those who believed were taken off the earth and after the prophets had finished their warnings that angels came down from heaven and “caught up” any that would believe. Not one soul needed to be drowned neither need one soul be burned at the coming of the Lord when he cleanses the earth with fire. Unhappily the majority of the people on earth at that time will suffer that horrifying fate.
For the Lord, himself shall descend from heaven with a shout and the voice of the Archangel, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive shall be caught up into heaven to meet the Lord in the air and thus shall we ever be with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:18- but this will not take place until all have been warned. This is going on right now as 60,000 missionaries cover the earth crying, “ repent ye, repent ye, for the day of the Lord is at hand.”
Some say that a large ship couldn’t begin to hold a sample of all the different animals on the earth. I won’t take time to show how it is not only possible but that it did happen. And who are they that make such complaints. By what authority can they say that God couldn’t do this. No man has the knowledge, much less the authority to say that all the original pairs of animals and birds could not be placed in the Ark! The word of the Lord says that they were placed there, and thru the providence of God were distributed over all the face of the earth after the flood.
Another criticism of the universal flood is supposed to be indisputable. This is that there is not enough water in the oceans, rivers and lakes plus what may be stored in the atmosphere and in the earth to rise and cover the mountains, the account of the flood and from whence the water came is but briefly stated. We have no extensive details. The story is as follows.
“In the sixth hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.” Genesis 11:7 In as much as two thirds of the earth is currently covered with water and the deepest depths of water is as much as the highest mountain peaks there is no reason the Lord couldn’t so manage that amount of water to cover the whole earth. As the days of Noah were, so shall also be the coming of the Son of Man. JS Matthew 1:41
And it was the Son of Man, (tho I prefer to call him the Son of God), who said it. Baptized with water in the days of Noah, the earth will yet be baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost.
Be Not afraid but be believing!!!
I LOVE you, Dad, Grandpa etc. Richard Marden Pratt
WITH THANKSGIVING COMING UP HERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS DAD WOULD APPROVE OF:
One of the evils of our time is taking for granted so many of the things we enjoy. The Lord said: “For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift?” (D&C 88:33). The Apostle Paul described our day to Timothy when he wrote that in the last days “men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy” (2 Tim. 3:2). These sins are fellow travelers, and ingratitude makes one susceptible to all of them....A grateful heart is a beginning of greatness. It is an expression of humility. It is a foundation for the development of such virtues as prayer, faith, courage, contentment, happiness, love, and well‑being. But there is a truism associated with all types of human strength: “Use it or lose it.” When not used, muscles weaken, skills deteriorate, and faith disappears....Gratitude is not only an expression of faith; it is a saving principle. The Lord has said, “And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments” (D&C 59:21). It is clear to me from this scripture that to “thank the Lord thy God in all things” (D&C 59:7) is more than a social courtesy; it is a binding commandment.
“And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more” (D&C 78:19). (James E. Faust as a member of the Quorum of the twelve in 1993)
Steamed pudding (Grandma Adaline Pratt’s recipe) (this is 2/3 the original ingredients but makes a large pudding!)
2 cups carrots grated
2 cups spuds grated
2 cups sugar
2 cups raisins
1 1/3 cups shortening melted
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1 tsp soda
1 scant tsp salt
2 tsp each: nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves
1 ½ cups chopped walnuts
stir all together. Pour in well greased pyrex or double boiler with a lid on. Steam for 1 hour. Will test done like a cake.
Use lemon sauce or caramel sauce.
Best served in Mom’s cut glass dishes!
You can do this ahead in quart jars and fill wide mouth jars half full follow your pressure canner for potatoes and it saves well.
