PATRIARCHAL BLESSINGS AND THEIR FULFILLMENT—PREDICTIONS IN MY OWN BLESSING—GOLD-DUST FROM CALIFORNIA—TAUGHT BY AN ANGEL—STRUGGLE WITH EVIL SPIRITS—ADMINISTERED TO BY ANGELS—WHAT ANGELS ARE SENT TO THE EARTH FOR.

The duty of a Patriarch is to bestow blessings upon his posterity and the children of men.

In a revelation (Doc. and Cov., sec. 107) the Lord says that "Three years previous to the death of Adam, he called Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch and Methuselah, who were all High Priests, with the residue of his posterity who were righteous into the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and there bestowed upon them his last blessings. * * And Adam * * predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity unto the last generation. These things are all written in the book of Enoch, and are to be testified of in due time."

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were patriarchs, and blessed their posterity. All that Jacob said and sealed upon the heads of his twelve sons has been fulfilled to the very letter, so far as time has permitted.

We also have patriarchs in our day. Father Joseph Smith, the father of the Prophet Joseph Smith, was the first Patriarch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He gave a great many blessings unto the Saints, which are recorded, and many of them have seen their fulfillment.

When he put his hands on the head of a person to bless him, it seemed as though the heavens were opened, and he could reveal the whole life of that person.

He gave me my patriarchal blessing in the Temple of the Lord at Kirtland, on the 15th day of April, 1837.

Many marvelous things which he sealed upon my head, for which I could then see no earthly chance of fulfillment, have already been fulfilled to the very letter.

One or two instances I will name. He said I should have access to the treasures hid in the ground to assist me in getting myself and others to Zion.

When in Cambridgeport gathering up the Saints, in 1850, Alexander Badlam went to California on business, and the Saints who were digging gold filled a little sack with gold dust and sent it to me to assist me on my mission.

By the sale of this treasure from California I was enabled to emigrate myself, family and a number of others to Zion in the mountains.

He also said I should have power to bring my father and his family into the Church. This was fulfilled when I visited them during my mission to the Fox Islands, as previously related.

My father gathered to Salt Lake City with the Saints, and he died there, aged 83 years.

The Patriarch also said that I should be wrapt in the visions of heaven, and an angel of God should teach me many things. This was literally fulfilled.

Again, he told me I should be delivered from my enemies (who would seek my destruction) by the mighty power of God and the administrations of angels. This was marvelously fulfilled while in the city of London in 1840. Brothers Heber C. Kimball, Geo. A. Smith and I went to London together in the winter of 1840, being the first Elders who had attempted to establish the gospel in that great and mighty city.

As soon as we commenced we found the devil was manifest; the evil spirits gathered for our destruction, and at times they had great power.

They would destroy all the Saints if they were not restrained by the power of God.

Brother Smith and myself, were together, and had retired to our rest, each occupying a cot, and but three feet apart.

We had only just lain down, when it seemed as if a legion of devils made war upon us, to destroy us, and we were struggling for our lives in the midst of this warfare of evil spirits until we were nearly choked to death.

I began to pray the best that I could in the midst of this struggle and asked the Father in the name of Jesus Christ to spare our lives.

While thus praying three personages entered the room, clothed in white and encircled with light.

They walked to our bedside, laid hands upon our heads and we were instantly delivered; and from that time forth we were no more troubled with evil spirits while in the city of London.

As soon as they administered unto us they withdrew from the room, the lights withdrew with them and darkness returned.

Many other sayings of the Patriarch Joseph Smith in my blessing have been fulfilled in my experience, but I have said sufficient on this subject. All the blessings that are sealed upon our heads will be fulfilled, and many more, if we are faithful and live for them.

In closing my testimony I wish to say that I do not think that the Lord ever sends an angel to the earth to visit the children of men, unless it is necessary to introduce a dispensation of the gospel, or deliver a message, or perform a work that cannot be done otherwise.

It required an angel of God to deliver the gospel to Joseph Smith because it was not then upon the earth, and that was in fulfillment of the word of the Lord through John the Revelator (Revelations xiv. 6). And so in regard to the administrations of angels in all ages of the world; it is to deliver a message and perform a work which cannot otherwise be accomplished.