SPIRIT COULDN'T
SPEAK ENGLISH.
IN UNKNOWN TONGUE IT AD-
DRESSED THE MORMONS.
REPORTERS WERE NONPLUSSED.
MESSAGE FINALLY INTERPRETED
BY ONE OF THE SAINTS.
The spirit talking in unknown tongues to the Latter Day Saints was the feature of yesterday's session of the world's conference being held at Independence. Elder J. W. Wight, one of the quorum of twelve, received the gift at the early service.
With the swinging rhythm of the songs the large audience gathered for this devotional exercise was full of religious zeal and earnestness. It was presided over by Elder W. J. Garrett and the crisp morning air filled the Saints with new light and religious hope.
About the middle of the service a breathless silence pervaded the vast assemblage when Elder J. W. Wight, of the twelve, arose. Every one knew or seemed to know that he was about to speak in an unknown tongue by reasons of the spirit. He is a massive man, but his face was pale when the gift of tongues became manifest. Without any preliminary, he uttered thoughts which the reporters started to set down, but the words came too fast to be even caught phonetically. The unknown tongue sounded like this:
"Ureste cahomeribyles incontro, waho seben."
ELDER WIGHT'S INTERPRETATION.
At the end of this sentence the reporter, like Moses of old, was led up to a mountain and left to die. Effort to take the unknown tongue proved futile. It was known not to be Hebrew or Greek or Latin, or any dead language. Latter Day Saints stated that this was not an unusual thing in the church, for the spirit often talked in unknown tongue to the people and that it was generally interpreted by some other brother also filled with the spirit. In the case of yesterday, Elder Wight gave his own interpretation, before sitting down. The interpretation in English was as follows:
"Thus saith the Spirit unto my people now assembled. There are many, many things done by you pleasing in my sight. Many many things done that are not pleasing in my sight and for which my people need to be warned.
"Yes, verily I say unto you that as much as my people will put away pride of heart and pride of life, turn from the vanities of the world, cease from the vanities incident to outward adornment and become more humble and faithful I will pour out my spirit upon you, giving you wisdom and knowledge, enabling you to walk in humility and in faith.
"Yes, be warned for the time has come that calamities shall come upon the earth, yay the Voice of the earthquake, of famine and pestilence, of thunder and lightning with calamities stalk abroad and the time is near at hand when you must stand in holy places and standing so, my spirit will keep you from harm and danger. Yea, my people need to take warning and become more humble and inasmuch as they will do so, I will pour out my spirit upon you.
"The time is not far distant, when from various parts of the earth will I call my people together; and the Gentile nations need to be warned. For soon will I turn from them. Lo unto my people that have been my people in time past. From the Gentiles I will turn and then my people sanctified unto me through Father Abraham will come from the four parts of the earth, center together and be prepared to meet my Son when he shall come upon earth. Yes, thus saith the Spirit unto you in warning voice this morning. Amen."
"Thus saith the Spirit unto my people now assembled. There are many, many things done by you pleasing in my sight. Many many things done that are not pleasing in my sight and for which my people need to be warned.
"Yes, verily I say unto you that as much as my people will put away pride of heart and pride of life, turn from the vanities of the world, cease from the vanities incident to outward adornment and become more humble and faithful I will pour out my spirit upon you, giving you wisdom and knowledge, enabling you to walk in humility and in faith.
"Yes, be warned for the time has come that calamities shall come upon the earth, yay the Voice of the earthquake, of famine and pestilence, of thunder and lightning with calamities stalk abroad and the time is near at hand when you must stand in holy places and standing so, my spirit will keep you from harm and danger. Yea, my people need to take warning and become more humble and inasmuch as they will do so, I will pour out my spirit upon you.
"The time is not far distant, when from various parts of the earth will I call my people together; and the Gentile nations need to be warned. For soon will I turn from them. Lo unto my people that have been my people in time past. From the Gentiles I will turn and then my people sanctified unto me through Father Abraham will come from the four parts of the earth, center together and be prepared to meet my Son when he shall come upon earth. Yes, thus saith the Spirit unto you in warning voice this morning. Amen."
POTENCY OF GIFT OF TONGUES.
When Elder Wight had concluded his interpretation the meeting continued as if nothing unusual had occurred. Much importance is attached to the gift of tongues, especially in the case of Elder Wight, for the reason that he stands next to the presidency and prophetic utterances of the gathering of the Saints in Zion are always welcome. Their books are full of prophecies concerning this gathering and their hymns mention the return of the Saints to Zion.
Just before Elder Wight talked in tongues, Elder D. A. Hutchings uttered a prophecy. Elder Hutchings resides at Little Sioux, Ia. He stated that he understood Elder Wight while he was talking in tongues, as the spirit had filled him also, but as Elder Wight gave his own interpretation, it was not necessary for him to translate it to the people. Elder Hutchings speaking in the spirit, but in English, uttered this prophecy:
"God acknowledges his people, especially the priesthood, to exhort and teach his people to purify their hearts that they may be fitted to dwell in Zion."
To the sisters of the church, he acknowledged their great work and to the daughters of Zion, his hand maidens, the Lord admonished them to purify their hearts and carry on the work allotted to them as God had designed them to do; that they live virtuous and upright lives in order that God might use them. God would command the angels to surround them and assist them in their work and finally Zion would be redeemed and he would surround them as with a wall of fire by night and a pillar of smoke by day.
Just before Elder Wight talked in tongues, Elder D. A. Hutchings uttered a prophecy. Elder Hutchings resides at Little Sioux, Ia. He stated that he understood Elder Wight while he was talking in tongues, as the spirit had filled him also, but as Elder Wight gave his own interpretation, it was not necessary for him to translate it to the people. Elder Hutchings speaking in the spirit, but in English, uttered this prophecy:
"God acknowledges his people, especially the priesthood, to exhort and teach his people to purify their hearts that they may be fitted to dwell in Zion."
To the sisters of the church, he acknowledged their great work and to the daughters of Zion, his hand maidens, the Lord admonished them to purify their hearts and carry on the work allotted to them as God had designed them to do; that they live virtuous and upright lives in order that God might use them. God would command the angels to surround them and assist them in their work and finally Zion would be redeemed and he would surround them as with a wall of fire by night and a pillar of smoke by day.
HUTCHINGS' PERSONAL FEELINGS.
After the exercise Elder Hutchings explained his personal feelings when uttering the prophecy.
"I feel the spirit in me and it permeates me. Although a strong man physically, I become nervous with the fullness thereof. The spirit was upon me while Brother Wight was talking in tongues and for this reason I understand what he was saying. This is not unusual in our church, he said.
"I feel the spirit in me and it permeates me. Although a strong man physically, I become nervous with the fullness thereof. The spirit was upon me while Brother Wight was talking in tongues and for this reason I understand what he was saying. This is not unusual in our church, he said.
