Patriarchal Blessing for Charles Henry John West

Patriarchal Blessing for Charles Henry John West

Charles Henry John West
Patriarchal Blessing
Salt Lake City
January 21, 1877

A Patriarchal Blessing given by Charles Edwards, Patriarch, upon the head of Charles Henry John West, son of John and Lydia West. Born January 12th, 1833 Middlesex County, London, England.

Brother Charles West in the name of Jesus Christ I place my hand upon your head and pronounce upon you a Patriarchal Blessing. You are of the House of Israel through the lineage of Ephraim and are fully entitled to have all the powers and gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit of God pertaining to the High and, Holy Priesthood of Jesus Christ our Lord. He having given the same through the great Prophet Seer and Revelator of this the last Dispensation, even Joseph Smith, and you have been blessed in your own native land with power to render obedience to the Holy Gospel, the great plan of Salvation and suffered yourself to be gathered to this land of Joseph by the power and revelation of God the Eternal Father, given to his servant Brigham Young, the lawful and legal successor to Joseph Smith, and now it is for you to round up your shoulders for the heavy burden that your Father in Heaven is about to place upon your shoulders, you having entered into the fullness of the law of Celestial marriage and God your Eternal Father is well pleased with your integrity and the desires and aspirations of your heart to do good and to work righteously here upon the Earth. He designs to help, bless and reward you for all the trials and troubles that you have been called to pass through during your past life.

You shall have power in your temporal conditions to gather around you all the elements and comforts of life that may be necessary for you from time to time under all the circumstances that you may be placed in all the future period of 1ife here on the Earth. You shall always be willing to contribute of your substance to the building of temples, of sending the gospel to the nations and gathering scattered Israel. And you shall have the privilege of going to your native land and raise your warning voice to your relatives and friends and obtain all the information that you may wish for with regard to your dead and after having filled your mission and after having filled your mission and been faithful to God you shall return home to Zion in safety to the be of your family; and in all your administrations you shall have power given you to heal the sick, cast out Devils, comfort the heart of the bowed down and every other blessing God designs to bestow upon his faithful children.

You shall become the Father of a numerous posterity that shall grow up and become honorable men and women, even Fathers and Mothers in Israel. Your fame shall be known far and near for your honesty and integrity to the truth. And though your path may be strewn with little troubles from time to time and the finger of scorn pointed at you and the wicked may seek your life, yet fear not, the spirit of the Lord is with you. You shall have the privilege to live to see the Zion of the Lord established and many temples and waste places built upon this the land of Zion and see this government broken into pieces as a potter's vessel according to the word spoken by the apostle of the Lord, Wilford Woodruff.

Be faithful and true to your family, and health and peace shall reign and rule in your habitation for you shall always have power to govern and control them in gentleness, meekness, and lowliness of heart and still in the humility of your soul you shall see the day that you shall stand up in the midst of your family in the power and majesty of a King and Priest unto God and not only to your family but be powerful in the councils of the Priesthood.

Seek to prepare your mind for this great work for God has blessed you with great talent and ability. All these blessings are yours if you live for them which I seal upon you with length of day which shall be according to your faith and the desire of your heart to come forth in the morning of the first resurrection with a numerous and honorable family.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.