| 638 anxiety for the spread of truth was great, and he lived to see great and important things accomplished. He saw the commencement of the work, small as a mustard seed, and with attention and deep interest he watched its progress; and he had the satisfaction of beholding thousands on this continent rejoicing in its truths, and heard the glorious tidings that other lands were becoming heirs to its richest blessings. Under these circumstances he could exclaim, like pious Simeon of old, 'Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.'
"Although his spirit has taken its flight and his remains will soon mingle with their mother earth, yet his memory will long be cherished by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance, and will be fresh and blooming when those of his enemies shall be blotted out from under heaven.
"May we, beloved friends, who survive our venerable Patriarch, study to prosecute those things which were so dear to his aged heart, and pray that a double portion of his spirit may be bestowed on us, that we may be the humble instruments in aiding the consummation of the great work which he saw so happily begun; that when we have to stand before the bar of Christ we may with our departed friend, hear the welcome plaudit, 'Come up hither ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Amen."-Times and Seasons, vol. 1, pp. 170-173.
SIDNEY RIGDON.
An account of the early life of Sidney Rigdon up to the time of his uniting with the church in 1830 is quite fully given in this volume, on pages 129-142, and it would be unprofitable to repeat it. He entered zealously into the work, and was the means of leading many of his former associates and others to the church. A revelation given in December foreshadowed this by informing him that he had been preparing the way but he knew it not. He was then given a greater commission and promised that he would do a great work.
Having received an ordination to the office of elder under the hands of the missionaries going west, he began to preach the new faith with zeal and convincing power.
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