HISTORICAL SKETCH FROM THE CREATION TO THE PRESENT DAY. In Three Parts

When earth's foundation first was laid, The heavens in order stood; And all the works God's hand had made, His word pronounced good. But soon the happy scene was changed, For man to whom 'twas given, To choose the way of life or death, Trangressed the law of heaven. And thus the evil seed was sown, And death through all their race; In which creation long has groaned; In pain to be released. 'T was then the scene of love began To be revealed on earth; By angels borne from heaven to man The gospel's heavenly birth. The God of heaven shall send his son, For man to bleed and die; And rise again that man may rise, And reign with him on high. Repentance and baptism then By angels were revealed, The holy ghost descending down, The heirs of glory seal'd. Thus men began to exercise Their faith in Jesus' word, With joy to embrace the gospel plan, And call upon the Lord. But many then would not believe, But soon forgot the Lord; Soon Enoch rose with mighty power, Being call'd to preach the word. He preach'd repentance and baptized, Through all the happy land, The people who in Zion dwelt, Were of one heart and mind. At length the city was not found, For God received it up; The residue were left to drown, And in the prison shut. But Noah the Eighth was saved by faith, When warn'd an ark to build, And seven of his family, From whom the earth was fill'd.

Again the nations left the Lord To worship stocks and stones, Forgot the wonders of the flood, And sunk in darkness down; And then again was God reveal'd To Abram, his friend, Called him to leave his house and home, To view a chosen land. To thee and to thy seed, he said, I give this blessed land, Though like the stars for multitude, And numerous as the sand. But Abraham died a stranger in The land 'twas to him given, Nor owned a place to set his foot, On it beneath the heaven. His seed possessed it for a while, Became a sinful host; And then ten tribes were led away, And to our knowledge lost. From time to time were led away, Of Israel's chosen seed, Dispersed o'er islands of the sea, As all the prophets read. And thus the ages rolled away, The appointed time drew near, As all the prophets had declared That Christ must soon appear. John, like a bright and morning star Rose to prepare his way, Proclaimed repentance, and baptized Whoever would obey. The son of God at length appeared, And was baptized by John, The Father sent the spirit down And owned him for his son. He to his own the gospel preached, His own received him not, Despised all his mighty works, And counted him as naught. At length their Lord they crucified, While nature stood amazed, The solid rocks in sunder rent, While Jew and Gentile gazed. But soon the third bright morn appeared, When, rising from the dead, To his disciples he appeared And thus unto them said:

Go ye, and preach in all the world, Baptizing in my name, He that believes and is baptized Salvation shall obtain. Then rising from Mount Olivet Unto his Father's throne, On high to reign until he claims The kingdoms for his own. His servants then, in mighty power, Soon made his gospel known, The Jews reject while Gentiles come, And glad their Saviour own. The Jews dispersed through all the earth, Jerusalem trodden down, In desolation long has lain, And cursed has been the ground. The Gentile churches for a while Produced the natural fruit, Being grafted in the natural vine, Partaking of the root. But soon the fruit became corrupt, By flatteries and lies, Teachers in pride were puffed up, The simple truth despised. Great Babylon at length arose, In mighty power to reign, Nations and kings became corrupt, And many saints were slain. The scriptures of their plainness robbed, And mystery thrown around, That men might sup her golden cup, And all true knowledge drown. Thus generations long have passed, And age on ages rolled, The latter day approaching fast, Its glories to unfold. Our fathers of the Gentile race Traversed the western main, And found a wide extended land, Of valley, hill, and plain. This land was peopled with a race, Which long had dwelt alone, No record nor tradition traced Their origin unknown. The Lord in mercy has disclosed The truth so long concealed, The record found beneath the ground Has glorious things revealed. This is the land which Moses blessed, To Joseph and his seed; These are the everlasting hills, 'T was for his bounds decreed.