"THEY WILL THIRST FOR THE BLOOD OF EVERY MAN...."

I had to work all weekend. Saturday night was spent on a lonely engineering watch with a Jewish friend and we engaged in some great conversation where we shared doctrines of our respective faiths. All of his doctrines are 100% compatible with mine - and shared some mind enlarging feelings on the nature of our spirits and the nature of God and the heavens. We have a fantastic relationship where we just share things as God intended - no contention.
I then had to work on the Sabbath (today) where another co-worker came up (a nice guy - but who has the very appearance/demeanor of what I always have thought the devil himself would look like; dashing good looks with dark hair and the required goatee, a great orator, conceited, self-assured to a fault, with little or no humility, and dark and cold penetrating eyes) and proceeded to hack away at organized religion and proceeded to erroneously tell me what my beliefs are. His name is Daemon and during the course of the conversation, I have to admit, I got things wrong with the pronunciation of his name and 'accidentally' dropped the a (my wife censured me for having done it). Things got a little tense when he began an assault on the Prophet and on the nature of the Holy Ghost. I clearly warned him to watch his words as they were being recorded and he would be "weighed in the balance" over them. Mostly, I have great forebearance with these types of folks and know that mostly, they operate out of ignorance and the wicked traditions of their fathers. It was the same genre of spirit that put our Lord and the Prophet to death because of the inability of the recipients to handle the truth. It is my burden to attract these types and, hopefully with the Spirit, set them on a course to doctrinal correctness. I fear they will have to suffer many things before they are humble enough to even begin to have ears to hear sound principle.

The last one I dealt with (several years ago at work) was literally gnashing his teeth in my face and I warned him against what he was doing - that after a bruising railing against my "stupidity" and "naivety" for believing in God, I was compelled to tell him that 'he would rue the day' (he had been so crass against his maker) and that "in his extremity, he would feel after his Maker". I had no idea, and in such a short order, how prophetic those words would be. He, at that time, was making plans to retire a few short months later. After our very heated conversation (where I thought one of us might get escorted to the door due to the tenor and intensity of the exchange), a few days later, he developed a throat condition where for three or four weeks all he could do was croak. I no longer had to endure his withering anti-God rhetoric that had been building in intensity. He seemed to get a little better but never quite shook that condition until he went to the doctor the day before his retirement. When he got the results back, it was systemic cancer. In his extremity over the next few months, he came to know his Maker. It was sad to hear the progress over the months as he tried in vain to fight it and finally succombed. I e-mailed him at times (near the end) admonishing him to invite the Elders into his house to bless him to live (and maybe to have the teachings of heaven distill on his earthly mind to better prepare him for crossing over) but I think that work will have to continue on the other side when he is ready.

So, I dedicate this post to Gene who might have better spent his time asking thoughtful questions (to someone who has no fear of letting it all hang out) in preparation to meeting his Maker, the Father of us all. Time is short - I can feel it. Now is the time to prepare to meet God. May we all have grace and divine direction to that end is my prayer in Jesus' name, Amen.

Something from one of my favorite authors on seeking after truth and taking some damage over it, by those who cannot endure sound doctrine due to their wicked and adulterous natures:

Persecution and hatred by those who love not the truth are a legacy bequeathed by the Saviour to all His followers; for He said they should be hated of all men for His name's sake. (JD 7:42)



At the time of the restoration of the Gospel, the Prophet Joseph Smith said:



It seems as though the adversary was aware, at a very early period of my life, that I was destined to prove a disturber and an annoyer of his kingdom; else why should the power of darkness combine against me? Why the opposition and persecution that arose against me, almost in my infancy?

Some few days after I had this vision, I happened to be in company with one of the Methodist preachers, who was very active in the before mentioned religious excitement; and, conversing with him on the subject of religion, I took occasion to give him an account of the vision which I had had. I was greatly surprised at his behavior; he treated my communication not only lightly, but with great contempt, saying it was all of the devil, that there were no such things as visions or revelations in these days; that all such things had ceased with the apostles, and that there would never be any more of them.

I soon found, however, that my telling the story had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religions, and was the cause of great persecution, which continued to increase; and though I was an obscure boy, only between fourteen and fifteen years of age, and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy of no consequence in the world, yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite the public mind against me, and create a bitter persecution; and this was common among all the sects@all united to persecute me. (P. of G. P., Joseph Smith 2:20-22)



True Gospel principles have always brought trouble to prophets, patriarchs and apostles. People didn't have room for [28] new truth. They were content with a few pebbles of information, rather than accept new outcroppings and boulders of greater knowledge.



But even more than just opposing new knowledge, many people are led by an evil influence to actually fight against new knowledge from God. Brigham Young noted this battle between good and evil:



Wicked men, Satan, and all the powers of hell and hate are at war with every holy principle that God wishes to place in the possession of his children. (JD 8:13)



It is clear that the devil is opposed to the principles and doctrines of the Gospel more than the Church itself. The Prophet Joseph exclaimed:



This generation is as corrupt as the generation of the Jews that crucified Christ; and if He were here today, and should preach the same doctrine He did then, they would put Him to death. (TPJS, p. 328)



And on another occasion he said:



"It is thought by some that our enemies would be satisfied with my destruction; but I tell you that as soon as they have shed my blood, they will thirst for the blood of every man in whose heart dwells a single spark of the spirit of the fullness of the Gospel. The opposition of these men is moved by the spirit of the adversary of all righteousness. It is not only to destroy men, but every man and woman who dares believe the doctrines that God hath inspired me to teach in this generation." Such were the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith to the Nauvoo Legion on the 18th of June 1844. ("Rise and Fall of Nauvoo," B. H. Roberts, Contributor VIII:12, Oct. 1887, p. 441)



[29] A true Christian, or a true Mormon, will often arouse some enmity because his strong beliefs in doctrine and principles are not in conformity with the rest of society. Jesus knew this and made the following promise:



If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; . . . (John 15:18-20)



King Solomon seemed to understand the nature of the opposition by saying, "The wicked watcheth the righteous and seeketh to slay him." (Ps 37:32)



Since the devil is opposed to truth, he causes trouble, false rumors, suspicion and eventually persecution to come upon the true followers of Christ. The Prophet Joseph observed this:



The enemies of this people will never get weary of their persecution against the Church, until they are overcome. I expect they will array everything against me that is in their power to control, and that we shall have a long and tremendous warfare. He that will war the true Christian warfare against the corruptions of these last days will have wicked men and angels of devils, and all the infernal powers of darkness continually arrayed against him. When wicked and corrupt men oppose, it is a criterion to judge if a man is warring the Christian warfare. (DHC 5:140)



Brigham Young noted:



As the kingdom of God increased upon the earth, so would the power of the enemy increase in like manner, to keep pace with it. (JD 2:249)



[30] It may be observed today that most of those who are rejected by society, cast out of their honorable positions, and considered evil, probably have some truth with them. Either they are very evil or they are defending true principles.



Consider the following comparison: If Billy Graham were really teaching the Gospel as Jesus taught it, he would be mobbed and driven-just as the disciples of Jesus were. If Joseph Smith taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as the scriptures declare, then he would be persecuted and mobbed-and he was. They both claimed to be followers of Christ, yet only one received much persecution. This opposition from the world is not for belief and reading the Bible, but because of the difference in the doctrines they taught. It is important, then, to be well informed on the doctrines of the Church, more so than the history of the Church.

MILK VERSUS MEAT AND OUR HEADS IN THE SAND

Missionaries who were teaching the Gospel and converting members to the Church were instructed to teach first principles; however, after people became members of the Church, they should continue to learn, study and seek for further light and knowledge. The Lord has made very clear how important it is to "know the mysteries":



If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things-that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal. (D & C 42:61)



And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones; and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures; . . . (D & C 89:18-19)



And from time to time, as shall be manifested by the Comforter, receive revelations to unfold the mysteries of the kingdom; . . . (D & C 90:14)



But in spite of such instructions, the Saints still were slow to increase in their knowledge of the Gospel. Joseph Smith was very discouraged about this and said:



[15] But there has been a great difficulty in getting anything into the heads of this generation. It has been like splitting hemlock knots with a corn-dodger for a wedge, and a pumpkin for a beetle. Even the Saints are slow to understand. I have tried for a number of years to get the minds of the Saints prepared to receive the things of God; but we frequently see some of them after suffering all they have for the work of God, will fly to pieces like glass as soon as anything comes that is contrary to their traditions; they cannot stand the fire at all. (TPJS, p. 331)



There are a great many wise men and women, too, in our midst who are too wise to be taught; therefore they must die in their ignorance, and in the resurrection they will find their mistake. (TPJS, p. 309)



These "mysteries" are nothing more or less than the revelations and higher principles of the Gospel. When we do not understand something, it is a mystery, but once we understand, there is no mystery about it.

WITHOUT PURSE OR SCRIP

I loved my mission - but the only thing that could have made it better would have been to go without purse or scrip. I love reading stories of those early Saints who did it the hard way and am envious of the challenge to truly live by the Spirit. I believe it makes the missionary and the mission. Truly sink or swim.....

77And again I say unto you, my friends, for from henceforth I shall call you friends, it is expedient that I give unto you this commandment, that ye become even as my friends in days when I was with them, traveling to preach the gospel in my power;

78For I suffered them not to have purse or scrip, neither two coats.

79Behold, I send you out to prove the world, and the laborer is worthy of his hire.

80And any man that shall go and preach this gospel of the kingdom, and fail not to continue faithful in all things, shall not be weary in mind, neither darkened, neither in body, limb, nor joint; and a chair of his head shall not fall to the ground unnoticed. And they shall not go hungry, neither athirst.

81Therefore, take ye no thought for the morrow, for what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, or wherewithal ye shall be clothed.

82For, consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin; and the kingdoms of the world, in all their glory, are not arrayed like one of these.

83For your Father, who is in heaven, knoweth that you have need of all these things.

EXPERTS ON MORMON THEOLOGY

I cut and pasted this out of a great website, www.josephsmith.com

I thought the argument had alot of merit to it and fits in line with the critics I have run into. Most critics, I have found, are either struggling on a lesser spiritual plane and cannot rise to the occasion, so it usually results in mud slinging to make ones self feel better.

There are four kinds of biblical experts: At the very top are the professionals who have been doing biblical research all their adult lives. They are usually professors in leading universities in various fields that are related to the Bible such as archaeologists, historians, paleographers, professors of the Bible, and professors of Near Eastern languages and literature.

These people are the most credible of all biblical experts and do not let religious views get in the way of the truth. This is why a lot of them consider themselves to be nonbelievers in the modern Christian and Jewish faiths. Their reputation and standing in the academic community is very important to them. This causes them to be cautious and not rashly declare statements upon any subject without presenting verifiable proof for their claims. It is to them that encyclopedias, journals and universities go to for information. Their community is very small, but extremely influential in the secular world. One distinctive feature of this group is the difficulty outsiders face when reading their writings which causes them to be a fairly closed society.

The second group of biblical experts are those who have legitimate degrees and may have initially been in the first group but were spurned by the first group for being unreliable because they disregard demonstrable proof simply because their religious convictions teach otherwise. For them, their religion's teaching overrides real biblical research. Very few of them can be considered Fundamentalists.

The third group of biblical experts are the "biblical experts." These people disregard the works and conclusions of the first group, and view the second group as their mentors. Nearly all anti-Mormons who produce anti-Mormon paraphernalia fall into this group. Their views are purely theological and display ignorance of legitimate biblical studies. Their arguments are non-rational and are frequently sensational hype and empty rhetoric. These people are very vocal and constantly parade their "expertise" upon the unknowing masses by giving seminars in various churches and religious schools. Nearly all of them are Fundamentalists.

The fourth group of "biblical experts" are those who have never read the Bible completely and do not even know the history and contents of the Bible. They are completely reliant upon materials produced by the third group and may have five verses in the Bible memorized to quote at people they encounter (in nearly every instance John 3:16 and John 14:6 are included in these five verses) to give the impression they are experts in the Bible. They usually need the Table of Contents to find various biblical books and are extremely vocal in their condemnation of Mormonism. They personify the wise adage:

The less knowledge a man has, the more vocal he is about his expertise.

They read an anti-Mormon book and suddenly they're experts on Mormonism:

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.


The remainder of Christians are those who believe in the Bible but never read it. The Bible is a very complex book for most Christians and seems to possess a power that intimidates them. This is why a normal Christian is impressed whenever he or she encounters an individual who can quote scripture. It is this ignorance of the Bible that causes some to proclaim themselves "biblical experts."

I am not aware of anyone in the first group of biblical experts who are anti-Mormon. If anything, real biblical scholars who know Mormon theology have a profound sense of admiration for it and are usually astonished that so many facets of Mormonism reflect authentic biblical teachings. They are frequently puzzled at how Joseph Smith could find out the real biblical teaching since modern Judaism and Christianity abandoned them thousands of years ago. Uniquely Mormon doctrines such as the anthropomorphic nature of God, the divine nature and deification potential of man, the plurality of deities, the divine sanction of polygamy, the fallacy of sola scriptura, the superiority of the charismatic leaders over the ecclesiastical leaders and their importance, the inconsequence of Original Sin because of the Atonement of Christ, the importance of contemporary revelation, and so forth are all original Jewish and Christian thought before they were abandoned mainly due to Greek philosophical influence.

Mormonism to these scholars is the only faith that preserves the characteristics of the early chosen people. This doesn’t mean these scholars believe Mormonism is the true religion, since their studies are on an intellectual level instead of a spiritual one.

On the other hand, the leaders of the anti-Mormon movement are nearly all in the third category with a couple in the second. Real biblical experts (who aren’t Mormon) and are in the first category normally refer to the “biblical experts” in the third group as the “know-nothings” or the “Fundamentalist know-nothings.” These terms aren’t completely derogatory, but are accurate descriptions of the knowledge of the “biblical experts” in the third group. Ed Watson - Mormonism: Faith of the 21st Century

INTERESTING WORDS ON OUR CONSTITUTION

I really love President Benson. Here are some classic quotes that sum up what he was about.



God bless our country when we try to do what is right.

HANGING BY A THREAD - THE DESTINY OF OUR ELDERS TO SAVE OUR WAY OF LIFE

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST COLLECTIONS OF QUOTES I COULD FIND ON OUR BELOVED CONSTITUTION;

The Constitution Hanging by a Thread

Source


Comments

ENSIGN, J SMITH JUN:1976


Even this nation will be on the verge of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground and when the Constitution is on the brink of ruin this people will be the staff upon which the nation shall lean and they shall bear the Constitution away from the very verge of destruction.

Joseph Smith Papers, LDS Church Historical Archives, Box 1, March 10, 1844 Also: D. Michael Stewart, "I Have a Question," Ensign, June 1976, 64-65

ENSIGN, J SMITH JUN:1976


Parley P. Pratt wrote in 1841 that the prophet said, "The government is fallen and needs redeeming. It is guilty of Blood and cannot stand as it now is but will come so near desolation as to hang as it were by a single hair!!!!! Then the servants goes [sic] to the nations of the earth, and gathers the strength of the Lord�s house! A mighty army!!!!!! And this is the redemption of Zion when the saints shall have redeemed that government and reinstated it in all its purity and glory!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

George A. Smith Papers, Church Archives, Box 7, Folder 5, January 21, 1841. Also: D. Michael Stewart, "I Have a Question," Ensign, June 1976, 64-65

ENSIGN, J SMITH JUN:1976


The time would come when the constitution and government would hang by a brittle thread and would be ready to fall into other hands but this people the latter-day saints will step forth and save it."

James Burgess Journal, 1818-1904, Church Archives, vol. 1-found among loose sermons. Also: D. Michael Stewart, "I Have a Question," Ensign, June 1976, 64-65

JD, O HYDE 6:150


The time would come that the Constitution and the country would be in danger of an overthrow and said he, if the constitution be saved at all, it will be by the Elders of this Church. I believe this is about the language as nearly as I can recollect it.

Also: D. Michael Stewart, "I Have a Question," Ensign, June 1976, 64-65

ENSIGN, E SNOW JUN:1976


Eliza R. Snow said, "I heard the prophet say, �The time will come when the government of these United States will be so nearly overthrown through its corruption, that the Constitution will hang as it were by a single hair, and the Latter-day Saints-the Elders of Israel-will step forward to its rescue and save it."

In a Pioneer Day celebration in Ogden in 1871 - Journal History, MSF 143 #28, July 24, 1871 Also: D. Michael Stewart, "I Have a Question," Ensign, June 1976, 64-65

ENSIGN, J M GRANT JUN:1976


Jedediah M. Grant, during the dark days of threatened invasion of Utah by a federal army, referred to the Prophet�s utterance as he addressed a Mormon Battalion gathering in Salt Lake City, February 6, 1855. "What did the Prophet Joseph say? When the Constitution shall be tottering we shall be the people to save it from the hand of the foe."

Deseret News Weekly, January 19, 1870 Also: D. Michael Stewart, "I Have a Question," Ensign, June 1976, 64-65

JD, B YOUNG 12:204


Brigham Young, reflecting on the prophecy of 1868, expressed: "It would not be many years before these words come to pass."

Also: D. Michael Stewart, "I Have a Question," Ensign, June 1976, 64-65

JD, J TAYLOR 25:350


"It may be nearer...than some of us think."

Also: D. Michael Stewart, "I Have a Question," Ensign, June 1976, 64-65

CR, J R CLARK OCT:1942


President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., warned in 1942: "Whether it [the Constitution] shall live or die is now in the balance."

Also: D. Michael Stewart, "I Have a Question," Ensign, June 1976, 64-65

CR, C W NIBLEY OCT:1923


Brethren and sisters, let me say in closing that we have it of record, that the prophet Joseph Smith said the time would come when, through secret organizations taking the law into their own hands, not being governed by law or by due process of law, but becoming a law unto themselves, when, by those disintegrating activities, the Constitution of the United States would be so torn and rent asunder, and life and property and peace and security would he held of so little value, that the Constitution would, as it were, hang by a thread. But he never said, so far as I have heard, that that thread would be cut. I believe, with Elder Richards, that this Constitution will be preserved, but it will be preserved very largely in consequence of what the Lord has revealed and what this people, through listening to the Lord and being obedient, will help to bring about, to stabilize and give permanency and effect to the Constitution itself. That also is our mission. That also is what we are here for. I glory in it. I praiseGod with all my heart and soul that I am a member of it.

SOMETIMES I WISH I COULD JUST HIE TO KOLOB

WARNING!! THIS IS A FIRST FOR ME - A RANT BLOG TOPIC.

I have had a particularly bad weekend (alot of which I do not wish to get into), but there is one thing that stands out in particular. I was at a Primary "Meet 'N Greet" on Saturday for the students to get to know their new 2011 teachers. As it was winding down, I decided to spend some time chatting with a new member of our ward who actually teaches his children the doctrine (shame on him.....) and whose child actually knew some basic answers that many (read; 60% of the adults in the ward) could not answer.

Anyway, he was chatting up how his dad who is a temple worker in AZ had heard of a guy named Cohen who was preaching the advent of light into our world in the form of Baetelgeuse that was supposed to get jiggy on 23 Sept, 2011 (my birthday...). He was intrigued and googled it and ended up on my blog (much of my traffic comes from that Cohen post and from info on Sarah Menet where I think I have entered first place territory on both accounts). I admitted to him that I have not taken the time to put a disclaimer on the blog about me not necessarily agreeing with the timing that Cohen has put forth (none of the leading scientists out there have any clue when this supernova will go ballistic - let alone exactly when it will get here - and Cohen says it will be midnight, or some such a thing. If he is on, and I get a nice birthday candle to light up the night, then Cohen goes straight to the front of the line as far as folks with the gift of prophecy are concerned.....because he has nailed all three factors (time/place/event) that make a prophecy rock (see my previous post on the Heisenberg principle that says that is an impossibility unless you simply do not impact someone's agency by having made the prediction). He then shared that he and his dad both agreed that this guy (Cohen) was probably off. Next thing I know, our EQ President is saddling up telling my friend that he shouldn't listen to me due to blah, blah, blah which I then let him have it for being a doctrinal ignoramous (which he, in the past, has agreed he is when he is pressed on just about any doctrine). He said something to the effect that he would rather just poke his head in the sand and not know of the coming difficulties, etc (which might partially explain the status of his food storage and other commanded items that the Bretheren have been pounding home of late).

So......my monster RAG for today is how people of our faith cannot take the weakest of weak doctrines without choking and gagging. We are in trouble in a major way and are headed for a monster sifting that will astound even me in its scope and magnitude! We have folks in this church (the "social Mormon" crowd) that are just there because there are some pretty great folks to hang with one or two days a week. My EQ President is a great guy - but he is mostly a social Mormon who will with the coming of the great test (in my opinion). If the stuff I have in this blog is correct, the loss may be as high as 70-75% who will not be able to take the heat when it is applied - and who may simply be clueless as to which way to roll with it because they do not understand their basic (and old; read Joseph/Brigham/J.T. sayings that seemed perplexing 20-70 years ago but are hitting home with monster impact today) doctrines.

In some eyes, I may be walking on thin ice here, but I lay blame for this doctrinal ignorance at the feet of the recent (last 20 years or so since Benson) movement to try and "mainstream" ourselves and fit in with all the people that hate us and what we 'stood' for. Hell, I went to see what the Community of Christ was up to in their endeavors to that end and when I toured their "temple" in Jackson County and saw their D&C and their BofM (largely out of the picture), I knew that the road to worldly acceptance had a bad ending point!! And here we are; I hear regular talks about how the world loves us and how we now have a great spacious building to house ourselves in while we hear adulations of "all is well in Zion". Well, folks - and I pointed this out in my encounter with the EQP - we are statistically 5-10 years behind the world in our teen pregnancy and divorce rates and the highest in the US in the use of mind altering drugs (I am citing Utah, specifically). What this means, is that the divorce rate and out of wedlock pregnancy rate that the world now enjoys today will be ours in a decade, or so. NO THANKS!!

Either I am way off base here with my ravings that all IS NOT WELL IN ZION, or the early Bretheren and the Book of Mormon are correct in stating that things were going to get really bad for the Church right before the purge. Folks, looking at some basic statistics, my money is with the early Bretheren and some of the other straight shooters that I have posted on this blog. A Prophet's job is to give God's children the hard info and hope they have the guts to turn it around according to the principles of moral agency that we all have. Most of them end up on the business end of a fast moving rock or a musket or cross for having done so..... The last thing folks need to hear is that we have it all together - sounds like a little cheating of souls there. I don't expect to get slapped down for having echoed their words. You ought to see the disapproving looks when I state that the Book of Mormon was written for Mormons - and not necessarily to point the finger at Rome or some other organization. The Pope will never read this stuff - it was written for the Gentiles who refuse to listen to good counsel. Joseph Smith finally threw the towel in knowing what his fate was when his wife and most of the other wolves around him would not support him any longer in his preaching of the truths that were so beautiful and saving. The people had reached their spiritual elastic limit for truth and could bear no more, so he was killed - and what I would give to have a fraction of what he could have passed on. Here we sit, as President Benson stated in 1985, still under condemnation and without the sealed portion of the BofM because we are too thick-headed collectively to even absorb and digest what we have. When I realized the Book of Mormon was railing against me (the end of 2 Nephi) about ten years ago, it was a watershed moment. There is a reason that the humble child of Manasseh will have the privilege of building the Temple at the center stake - and we will largely be left out of the process in a way that would be all consuming. Read it - your Book of Mormon says it! Sure Ephraim will be there, but the righteous remnant of Manasseh will dominate the scene while the wicked of the Gentiles and Ephraim will be torn asunder by the doings of their once-scorned brothers. We as a country and a church have made our bed and will sleep fitfully in it while we await the totality of our demise. This is the end result and final stop of the train of political correctness. It will get to the point that I believe it will split the Bretheren squarely causing confusion and fear amongst the ranks. Right now we have high-ranking members of our church who seek for political office who, Peter-style, deny the efficacy of the legacy of their grandparents who clung to a belief that plural marriage was God's way according to Section 132 - even though we caved to the PC crowd back then and began taking the first steps down that thorn-filled road. Those ancestors whose sacred toil and lives of consecration that have been desecrated by the words of these Judas politicians will cry out for a retraction at the very least and there will be much humiliation by those individuals if they do not change. They have spit in the eye of the Prophet Joseph as well. This is the great division that will wrack the church. It is the words of the early Bretheren that precisely condemn many of us today as our current Bretheren echo them and we as a Church throw them aside with impunity. How I do not wish to be part of that punishing wave that will befall us to chastise and purify and cleanse us. I do not fear man, I fear what God's just hand will do to a largely forsaken and corrupt people. We truly will deserve our chosen fate - and I do think we are approaching the time when the day of repentance is past - yes, the Book of Mormon was written for us. The call of Mormon and Moroni at the end of the record, as they looked over their people whose fair ones had fallen echoes largely in my ears as of late. Mormon and Moroni wrote to those who would be reading their words - US!! Not necessarily the prelate in Rome, or the politician in Brussels, it was for us stupid. We are the fallen ones - and NO, all is not well in Zion!!

So as we continue to strip/downplay the wondering doctrines from our scriptures and our hymnals that point our thoughts and intellects heavenward, think of where that trajectory is taking us. Visit the CofC temple sometime and ask them how much it costs to rent what should be their most holy of edifices for a weekend. I about barfed when one of their male 'high priest' tour guides told me back in 2001.

And now to close this outspoken rant, being ever the eternal optimist, I have to state that for the first time in the past 20 years that I can remember, I was able to sing my favorite hymn (that every visitor to this blog must endure....), "If You Could Hie to Kolob" in Church today for the closing hymn. There is hope that someone still believes in that doctrine and that we have not tucked it away as too un-mainstream, or no longer cool to talk about. The PC scrubbing then is not complete - there may be some hope for us.... Just maybe my lunatic ravings are not falling on deaf ears??

Here are the powerful words to my favorite hymn that sends my spirit and mind reaching for the eternities and whose words written over 170 years ago still have science sprinting to catch up with them:

1. If you could hie to Kolob In the twinkling of an eye,
And then continue onward With that same speed to fly,
Do you think that you could ever, Through all eternity,
Find out the generation Where Gods began to be?

2. Or see the grand beginning, Where space did not extend?
Or view the last creation, Where Gods and matter end?
Me thinks the Spirit whispers, "No man has found 'pure space,'
Nor seen the outside curtains, Where nothing has a place."

3. The works of God continue, And worlds and lives abound;
Improvement and progression Have one eternal round.
There is no end to matter; There is no end to space;
There is no end to spirit; There is no end to race.

4. There is no end to virtue; There is no end to might;
There is no end to wisdom; There is no end to light.
There is no end to union; There is no end to youth;
There is no end to priesthood; There is no end to truth.

5. There is no end to glory; There is no end to love;
There is no end to being; There is no death above.
There is no end to glory; There is no end to love;
There is no end to being; There is no death above.

And yet another great rendition by Lex de Azevedo:

IF YOU COULD HIE TO KOLOB

ENJOY!!

AN APPENDAGE TO THE ABOVE FROM ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING MORTALS TO WALK THE EARTH IN THE LAST 100 YEARS:

Elder Boyd K. Packer in an address to Regional Representatives has said:

In recent years I have felt, and I think I am not alone, that we are losing the ability to correct the course of the church. You cannot appreciate how deeply I feel about the importance of this present opportunity unless you know the regard, the reverence, I have for the Book of Mormon and how seriously I have taken the warnings of the prophets, particularly Alma and Helaman.

Both Alma and Helaman told the church in their day. They warned about fast growth, the desire to be accepted by the world, to be popular, and particularly they warned about prosperity. Each time those conditions existed in combination, the church has drifted off course. All of those conditions are present in the church today.

Helaman repeatedly warned, I think four times he used these words, that the fatal drift of the church could occur in the space of not many years. In one instance it took only six years. (Helaman 6:32; 7:6; 11:26) (See also 3 Nephi 7:8.) (Regional Representative Seminar, March 30, 1990)

THE OVERFLOWING SCOURGE - WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO DEFEAT IT?

I have been grinding away on this one for quite some time now and feel some level of confidence in presenting some information on what it is and how it is to be defeated.

This scourge will be the modern day equivalent of what the Egyptians endured when God's chosen people were oppressed (I am confident enough in what I have gathered to say that this scourge will largely affect males and those who have put the Word of Wisdom at naught - you will have to dig into the blog to figure the reasoning out). God's chosen people will once again be oppressed to the point that "the more righteous among them cries day and night until deliverance comes...". At some juncture in that series of events, there will be a scourge released that will sweep the ungodly and those who hate the truth from off the face of the land in preparation for the return of the Ten Tribes and for the remnant of Joseph to complete their works of destruction among the remaining wicked gentiles.

Here is an interesting quote that talks about the desolating scourge:

Millennial Star:
This generation shall be visited by an overflowing scourge. Of the precise nature of it we are not informed. It shall pass over the nations night and day. The affect of this visitation will be so direful and calamitous that the reports of its terrible ravages will fill all people with vexation. The operations of this fear-inspiring and destructive agent will continue until the appearance of the Lord in his glory.
Some of the judgment are definite as to locality. As an instance may be cited the approaching disruption of the Unites States of America. One of the horrors announced by the prophet upon that nation is now a matter of history the war of the Rebellion. Another and more appalling condition awaits that ill-fated people. It shall fall upon them like the visitation of a whirlwind, sweeping the country like a mighty flood. The populace will be divided into innumerable factions, and blood, carnage and woe will be rampant among them, filling the hearts of the more peacefully disposed with fear and dismay. Many will laugh at such a prediction, but, unless the people repent, it will come as surely as night follows day. Weakened and powerless from internal broils and disturbances, the nation will become a prey to the remnants left of the aboriginal inhabitants, who will be filled with vengeful rage at the wrongs that have been perpetrated upon them and furiously spread destruction in every direction. 13 Sept., 1880, p. 584-587.

So what is to be done about this? Who will remain after it is passed?? According to Sarah Menet, it will be a man-made scourge delivered at key cities in a terroristic manner - one of them will be SLC. If I am reading the John Taylor vision correctly, it will (be biologically engineered to) affect mostly men, thus effecting (in my opinion) the Isaiah prophecy about seven women taking hold of one man.... (click on colored text to read in context). There is another quote here from Wilford Woodruff that seems to back this viewpoint up: Vision of WW

The cure may well have been spelled out by Brigham Young, as follows:

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium);
(Compositae)


Dr. Christopher said that Yarrow is one of the greatest diaphoretic
herbs. It will raise the heat of the body, equalize the circulation
and produce perspiration, when taken hot. Dr. Christopher reminded
us that the old herbalists stated that " the home without Yarrow will
have death therein when the plagues come " .

Brigham Young, the Mormon Prophet, said that in the last days,
people will be blessed who know how to use Yarrow.

Dr. Christopher recalled that during the great influenza epidemic of
1918, about twenty million people died the world over, two million
being in the United States.
He remembered that as a boy people were not allowed to go out in
public during the
epidemic without wearing surgical masks. If you were found without
the mask, you could be arrested.
" We have been warned that during the plagues yet to come we will
have far worse influenza epidemics than in the past. People will die
in such large numbers that these epidemics will fulfill prophecies
that black crepe would be on nearly ever door. You can have one of
the few homes wherein " `death does not visit' if you will see that
your family rebuilds their bodies by proper eating, staying on the
mucusless
diet, and having Yarrow or some other good diaphoretic herbs on had
at all times "
(Herbalist: 1:6:196).

Dr. Christopher taught the standard herbalist's view of fever, that
it is a signal of malfunction happening in the body, so one must
turn to the cause to get rid of it.

If you suppress the fever with aspirin or some other
drug, the heart has to work that much harder to pump not only the
original toxicity from the body, but also the corpses of the germs.

This can damage the heart, the kidneys, the nervous system, the
circulatory system--all of the body--and eventually result in
rheumatoid arthritis, crippling arthritis, muscular dystrophy,
multiple sclerosis, and other similar ailments (Ibid.).

When there are toxic materials in the body, germs enter. These live
on the dead materials. The body builds a fever for incubation and
multiplication of the germs, because the more germs that there are,
the faster
toxins are removed from the body. The germs must have moist heat to
reproduce quickly.

Without a great deal of added moisture, the body dehydrates itself
trying to furnish the moisture needed. This can
result in a dry fever, which can kill.

With a moist fever, however,the fever can go higher and higher,
causing more and more germs to consume the toxins in the body. When
the body is clean, the germs leave because there are no more toxins
left to live on; they will not consume healthy cell structure and
cannot hurt the healthy human body.

During the fever, liquids must be given to the patient, such
as juices, herb teas, and distilled water.

Yarrow tea, among the diaphoretics, is especially useful because it
raises the temperature naturally, opens the pores for waste to
escape, and promotes perspiration. As long as moisture is going into
the body and
perspiration is occurring, there is little damage that can be done
by fevers.

This sweating, or diaphoresis, is essential to healing in such a
situation--and in many others--because if the pores of the skin are
closed, the bloodstream soon becomes impure, poisoning the whole
system.

Dr. Christopher taught that no matter where the trouble may
be in the body, provided the general circulation is involved, you
can dramatically help the situation by diaphoresis.

This is why Yarrow is so valuable. He cited that inflammation of the
lungs,
pleurisy, peritonitis, inflammation in the stomach, spleen, bowels,
kidneys, bladder, uterus or brain--everywhere in the body--can be
healed by diaphoretic treatment.

One of the most dramatic treatments Dr. Christopher recommended is
his Cold Sheet Treatment. Although it is detailed elsewhere, the
reader might benefit from a brief rehearsal of the procedure here.
lie said that when the epidemics come, you will be able to save many
lives that would otherwise be lost without this remarkable aid.

It can be used safely in any inflammatory disease, on anyone, from
newly-born infants to the very aged.
Dr. Loretta Foote, formerly Dr. Christopher's staff obstetrician,
never lost a full-term baby in all
her years of practice, even when they were born with respiratory
congestion, or even pneumonia.
She used the cold sheet treatment on cases when the babies were only
minutes or hours old.

This treatment is commenced by giving the patient an enema, which
Dr. Christopher said should only be done in an emergency, such as a
high fever.

Cold tea, such as catnip, mint, Yarrow, red raspberry,etc., or cold
water may be used. A hot enema relaxes the lower bowel
and anus area, causing them to expand and quickly void, but the cold
will contract the area and retain the liquid until it soaks further
into the encrusted and hardened fecal matter to ensure a large
evacuation.

After this enema, a small enema called an injection is given. You
make the liquid for this by placing in a blender container one to
two cups apple cider vinegar and water in equal amounts.
Turn the blender on and add several peeled cloves of garlic. Do not
make this too thick to go through the neck of the enema syringe. If
no blender is available, chop or grate the garlic finely and mix
with cool or cold water and apple cider vinegar mixture. Have the
patient lie with his buttocks elevated with pillows or padding and
inject the garlic tea into the rectum, having the patient hold it in
as long as possible (ten to fifteen minutes) before voiding it.
Babies can be
given the enema and diapered, allowed to toddle or crawl if they
wish, or to be held. They usually retain this injection for the
required length of time and, interestingly, the garlic aroma appears
on their breath within just a few minutes.

Then place the patient in a hot tub, as hot as possible without
scalding the skin.
To this hot tub add one ounce of ginger, one ounce of cayenne, and
one ounce of dry mustard, all in powdered form. Be sure to coat the
mucous membranes of the genitalia with vaseline or some other low-
vibration ointment so that the herbs will not cause stinging and
pain. Stir the bath well and have the patient sit and sweat.

These herbs open the pores of the body to allow oxygen in liquid
form to enter and the poisons and toxic materials to be dispersed.
While the patient is in the tub, give him one or
more cups of hot Yarrow tea, which will cause him to sweat even
more.

If your patient is a child, you can give camomile tea, which
has a more acceptable taste to children.
Even a baby bottle of the tea can be given. Although in infections
it is preferable not to
give the tea sweetened, for children it may be necessary to lightly
sweeten the tea, perhaps with sweet herb (Stevia).

The person may eventually tell you that he is tired; you can tell
when children get tired as they seem limp. Have him stand up and
wrap around him a large, wet sheet taken out of cold water or ice
water.
Pin it down the side from neck to feet. Squeeze out some of
the water before putting on the sheet so it will not trail water as
the person is walked or carried to bed. Have the bed prepared with a
rubber sheet or plastic sheet over the mattress. Cover this with a
dry cotton sheet and lay the patient on the sheet, covered with
another cotton sheet, and the then natural-fiber blankets, well-
tucked in.

Do not use synthetics during any part of this treatment,
as they will not allow the toxins to escape.
When the patient is tucked into bed, uncover his feet and oil them
thoroughly with olive oil.

While you do this, you can give a short acupressure treatment
all over the foot to help speed the healing. Then apply garlic
paste, which has been previously prepared by mincing or mashing
several cloves of garlic and mixing them with olive oil to make an
ointment.

This should be applied a half to three-fourths inch thick
all over the soles of the feet and bound lightly with gauze or two-
inch strips of old cotton sheets. Pull over this a large white
cotton or wool sock, pin the wet sheet over the bottom and let him
go to sleep.
He will sleep well from the effects of the Yarrow tea.
The next morning he will want to get up and be active, because he
feels so well from the cleansing.

Take him out of bed and sponge him down with a half-and-half
combination of warm apple cider vinegar and distilled water to
remove the perspiration on the body. Freshen the bed, put clean
pajamas on the person, and have him rest.

If he is hungry, do not give heavy foods, but only herb teas, water,
or fruit or vegetable juices, having him swish them around in the
mouth to mix well with the saliva.

The large sheet used in the treatment will likely be stained with
various colors, depending on what the patient had taken
into his system: black from coal tar (aspirin and other medicines
made from tar),
yellow from inorganic sulphur (sulfa drugs, cooked eggs, preserved
fruits, etc.,) green from arsenic in medicine and
sprayed foods, red from iodine, purple from potassium permanganate,
brown from coffee, chocolate, tobacco, and so on.

These toxins accumulated in the body and slowed down healing for
years. Although it is too bad to have them in the sheet, they are
better there than in the person's body!

After the body is cleansed, you can be sure to maintain health by
proper diet, air, water, clothing, exercise and balanced activity.

MILFOIL

Yarrow is one of the ancient herbs. It originated in Europe, but was
introduced in the United States and now it is fully naturalized. It
grows everywhere freely except in the Southwest, and is particularly
common in the Eastern portion the States.

In Europe, it has long been valued as an important medicinal herb.
Dioscorides said that it will help recent inflamed ulcers, being
smeared on green. It was also given for epilepsy, with water and
salt.

Yarrow was formerly much esteemed as a wound herb, and its old names
of Soldier's Wound Wort and Knight's Milfoil testify to this. It was
also called Herba Militaris, all of which suggest that it was used
as a ready-to-hand field bandage for battle wounds, " although its
value for stanching flows of blood is doubtful, " claims one
herbalist (Coon:46). Gerard
says that it is the same plant with which Achilles stanched bleeding
of his solider, hence the name of the genus, Achillea.

Others saythat it was discovered by a certain Achilles, Chiron's
disciple. It specific name, millefolium, is derived from the many
segments of its
foliage, hence also its popular name, Milfoil or Thousand Weed.


The name Old Man's Pepper refers to the astringent quality of the
herb and the fact that it has been employed as a snuff. In the
seventeenth century, it was also used as an ingredient in salad,
although that doesn't correspond to our modern tastes today: the
taste of the herb is much too biting and astringent to us.

Linnaeus recommended the bruised herb, fresh as an excellent
vulnerary and styptic.

It is employed in Norway for the cure of rheumatism, and the fresh
leaves chewed are said to cure toothache.
In England, the herb has been made into an ointment for wounds, and
a tea is taken for melancholy. In Russia, it is used for bleeding,
stomach problems, coughs and colds, liver problems, dysentery and
nervousness.

The American Indians were extremely aware of this herb, and many
tribes had specific uses for it. This brings to question, of course,
the claim that our species are all naturalized from Europe.
Some say
that the western species are different from the European, and other
disagree, saying that they are the same species. Since they are
alike in medicinal values, it doesn't really matter, but we prefer
to think that the plant was distributed everywhere by the Lord for
the use of man wherever they are.

One very early report says that Yarrow was used in cuts by the
Illinois and Miami tribes. The Paiutes made a tea of Yarrow to be
taken internally for weak and disordered stomachs; they also used
the herb for headaches, crushing the green leaves and applying
externally.

The decoction was also used internally for headaches,
and as a blood tonic (especially after childbirth), as a cold
remedy, a kidney aid, a venereal aid, and externally as a poultice
on swellings and sores, eyewash, a wash for fevers, a toothache
remedy and a treatment for collar sores on horses. The Ute name for
this plant signifies " wound medicine, " and they applied it
externally on bruises, and used it as a tea in sicknesses of various
kinds.

It grows freely in the mountains of their territory. The
Winnebagos used an infusion of Yarrow to bathe swellings and treat
earache; they also sometimes put a wad of the crushed leaves into
the ear for earache. The Chickasaws used it as a remedy for cramp in
the neck. The Meskwakis boiled it for application externally to any
ailing part, and used the leaves and flowers for fevers and flu.

They also used the leaves as a poultice for rash in children, and
the fresh tops to rub on eczema sores. The Pillager Ojibwas used the
florets for ceremonial smoking and as a fumigant to break fever. The
flowers were placed on coals and the fumes were inhaled to break the
fever.
The Potawatomis used them as a fumigant to ward off evil
spirits and to revive a comatose patient. The Flambeau used an
external application for poisonous spider bites. The Montagnais used
it to break fevers as did the Fox tribe, who also used it as an
antirheumatic.

The Aleuts used it for stomach and throat pain and as
a dermatological aid, especially for nose bleed. The Kwakiutls
chewed or soaked the plant and heated it for a poultice to be used
on swellings.
The Shoshone tribe used the freshly-mashed leaves on swellings and
sores; they used the freshly-mashed roots on painful
wounds. The decoction was used by the Shoshones against diarrhea and
rheumatism, and as a wash for itching, relief of indigestion, colic,
and toothache.

The Zunis used a burn dressing poultice of Yarrow
before fire eating or fire walking, and used the infusion on burns.

The Chippewas used a decoction of the leaves, steamed and inhaled
for headache, as a stimulant for horses; the decoction was used for
skin eruptions.
The Gitksans used a decoction of the root as a gargle for sore
throat. The Menominees used the dried and powdered
leaves for a poultice in swellings and sores, and a poultice of the
fresh leaves for rash in children.

The Mohegan tribe used the decoction as a liver and kidney aid and
as an appetite stimulant.
These varied but related uses suggest that Yarrow grew freely
throughout America where the tribes lived (early informants insisted
that it is a native herb), and that empirical use among the tribes
establishes well the efficacy of Yarrow.

The herb was official in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1863-
82, used as a tonic, stimulant and emmenagogue. Interestingly, it
was formerly brought to weddings to ensure seven years love.

Other names for the plant include thousand-leaved, thousand seal,
dog daisy, knight's milfoil, ladies' mantle, and noble yarrow.

FEVER HERB

Yarrow was one of Dr. Christopher's favorite herbs; he listed it
among his Ten Honorable Herbs under the category of diaphoretic. It
is widely recommended by many herbalists for feverish diseases.

" It is often used by peasants as a substitute for quinine, and it
quite as effective and far safer than that drug " (Levy:Common:160).
It is
sometimes called " Englishman's quinine " , and has been thought to be
especially effective in cases of chills and fever. There are various
preparations of Yarrow which will effect this breaking up of fever.

Dr. Christopher said that drinking the hot infusion, alone or in
combination with other herbs, such as elder flowers and peppermint.

If you wrap the patient's feet in flannel that has been wrung out in
apple cider vinegar, keeping this warm with a hot water bottle, you
can break up a cold overnight or within 24 hours. You should be sure
to keep the bowels open, either using a garlic enema or giving a
dose of senna.

Once the fever is broken, keeping the bowels open ensures that the
patient heals quickly so that toxic accumulations do not
keep " feeding " the problem. Another combination that is
recommended for breaking fevers mixes a standard infusion of Yarrow
with a teaspoon of honey and three drops of Tabasco sauce. The
patient should be heavily covered. This will open the pores and
cause profuse sweating, thus eliminating toxins and relieving the
kidneys of the job of eliminating.
You can also use a dash ofcayenne or ginger to accent the action of
the Yarrow. Dr.
Christopher related that his daughter was away at summer camp and
caught a severe cold. When he went to visit her for the weekend, he
found her in bed with a high temperature, headache, and the general
symptoms of influenza, the body aching and in a most restless
condition. He saw a stand of Yarrow growing near the cabin and went
to gather a handful. He placed a bunch of the whole plant in a jug
and poured over it about one-and-a-half pints of boiling water,
covered it for about five minutes, and then poured off a cupful of
the warm tea. He gave it to his daughter, who insisted that she
would vomit if he made her drink the whole cup. He told her that if
the stomach rejected it, the result would be a cleaner stomach for
the next dose. She drank the cupful, and he poured off a second
cupful of the warm tea to give to her. She got it all down, and in a
few minutes was perspiring freely.
In half an hour she said she felt
better and in the morning she was completely recovered (SNH:2 17).
We have given the tea in influenza when the patient vomited, but
afterwards taking more tea got the same healing diaphoretic effect.
Especially since flu can last up to a week--sometimes longer--it is
amazing to have an herb that can break it up so quickly.

If you give the tea to children during the early stages of eruptive
diseases, such as measles, chicken pox, smallpox, etc., the tea will
help the disease to break out more quickly and thus shorten the
time.
Dr. Christopher recommended a mixture of Yarrow, pleurisy root
and lady's slipper (or skullcap) for the measles. Anytime there is a
fever, no matter what the disease, Yarrow can help break it and
bring the disease to a speedier ending.

For chest colds, it is sometimes recommended mixing 1 ounce of
Yarrow, ½ ounce elder flowers, ½ ounce boneset, and 1/4 ounce
licorice. These are made into a decoction and taken by the cupful
every three or four hours, going on a juice fast for a day. For head
colds, equal parts of Yarrow, sage, boneset, and echinacea are made
into infusion and taken before meals.

For bronchitis, equal parts of
Yarrow, mullein and elecampane are made into an infusion, a cupful
taken every four hours. For catarrh, which is a mucus condition in
the system, Yarrow, angelica and eyebright herb are mixed in equal
portions with a pinch of cinnamon. This is made into an infusion,
one cupful taken three times daily after each meal. In addition, if
mucus-causing foods are removed from the diet, the catarrh is often
cured of itself (Luc:Herbal:72-3).

Aside from its use as a febrifuge, Yarrow is known for many other
important applications. It is wonderful for eliminating lung
congestion, and even for stopping hemorrhage or bleeding from the
lungs (Málstrom: 107). It is sometimes mixed with comfrey for
internal hemorrhage. It is good for various forms of internal
bleeding, such as nosebleed, coughing or spitting up blood, rectal
hemorrhoidal bleeding, bloody urine, and excessive menstruation
(Lust:272).

It is very often recommended for external applications, as it is
reputed to act as a styptic, stopping the flow of blood from a
wound. " It can be applied directly to wounds to stop bleeding and is
used in making a bolus or salve for bleeding piles " (Tie: 121). For
piles and hemorrhoids, use an enema of the tea after the bowels have
been cleansed with a plain water enema. Also inject two
tablespoonfuls several times a day, and after each stool. When there
is a bad condition of piles and hemorrhoids, take a cleansing and
then a Yarrow enema each day. When there is much pain have the water
112 to 155 degrees F. (Kloss:333). Ulcers and soft tumors are said
to respond to an application of the ointment.

" Animal studies have
shown that extracts of Yarrow can reduce inflammation and that they
have a calming effect. Thus, the use of the juice of this plant for
the treatment of ulcers and hemorrhoids has a rational basis.

Extracts of Yarrow are also known to have antibiotic effects when
evaluated in test tubes. Thus, at least for external application,
one would expect that a person suffering from boils or other
microbial infections of a minor nature would receive beneficial
results by the external application of Yarrow preparations
(Weiner:206). Yarrow leaves, chewed, are said to sometimes relieve
the pain of a toothache.

For earache, apply some of the strong infusion quite hot to the
ears, and insert a few drops of the cooler brew. In addition, the
crushed leaves, well-wanned, can be placed in each ear (Levy:
Common: 160). This might be a good remedy to know if you need to
treat an earache and are away from herbal supplies.

Yarrow has long been recommended for women's troubles. It relieves
cramps and helps control excessive menstrual bleeding when taken as
a warm infusion (Tie:121). It is good for controlling leucorrhea, or
the whites, by taking internally and by using as a douche, the cool
infusion being used. It lessens the discharge in women generally. It
is also good for bringing on suppressed menstruation. You can used
the warm Yarrow tea as a sitz bath as well.

Yarrow has been long-recommended for dyspepsia and all digestive
problems. " The use of decoctions or infusions of Yarrow flowers as a
tonic has been studied experimentally in humans, and it has been
confirmed that gastric juices are stimulated by the oral ingestion
of extracts of this plant. This would lead to a tonic effect with
improved digestion of foods. The effect is due to the presence of
bitter principles (azulenes, sesquiterpenes) in the flowers "
(Weiner:206).

In Russia it is recognized for stomach troubles and as
an appetizer. It is much used by the Swiss as a bitter tea for use
as a stomach cordial or appetite tonic (Luc:Magic:49). It is also
thought of as a specific cure for nausea. It is good for
strengthening the liver and gall bladder, being especially noted for
stimulating the flow of the bile (Lust:272).

This is good to know,
because many holistic practitioners recommend using a coffee enema
for tripping the gall bladder reflex. Putting the poison caffeine
into the system through an enema is just as dangerous as taking it
internally in coffee; Yarrow would seem a much preferable
alternative.

Yarrow has also been recommended in pancreas problems,
including Bright's disease and diabetes. It is sometimes given
internally for colic and gas pains. It is especially good for
diarrhea and dysentery, used internally and given as an injection;
infants particularly respond to this treatment. Urinary irritations
often respond to the internal use of Yarrow tea.

The tea can be applied to chapped hands or other skin irritations,
and it can be rubbed on sore nipples if needed.

In the Doctrine of Signatures, the finely-segmented leaves of this
plant and its profuse growth suggested to ancient users to claim
that each leaf is equal to a thousand uses.

The root stock, which is creeping, indicates its thorough blood-
cleansing properties.

It contains much of the blood fortifying chemicals such as iron,
calcium, potassium, sulfur, and sodium. The silky hairs on the whole
plant indicate external irritations, as we have discussed above. The
ointment of the herb has long been prepared in England with other
herbs for external applications, and in Scotland it is still highly
valued as a skin ointment (Harris: Complete: 196).


OTHER USES

For a time the Swedes used Yarrow in lieu of hops in the manufacture
of beer and claimed the beer thus brewed to be a greater intoxicant.
Combined with camomile, the herb is made into a strong infusion and
cooled, good for a hair-rinse, or to be rubbed into the scalp to
discourage baldness or failing hair.

The dried flowers are famous for their use in dried-flower
arrangements. As mentioned before, the stripped stalks are used in
divination.

In the garden, Yarrow increases the aromatic quality of all herbs.
In a small proportion, as in a border, it helps most vegetables. It
will grow in a narrow bed as it does not mind being trampled. The
hay or tea are said to be good for sheep.
The plant helps the
quality more than the size of neighboring plants, although in one
experiment it had an unusual effect upon perennial rye grass. It
strikingly cuts down the protein content in the grass, but
considerably increases the fiber content therein. But the two herbs
mixed together for pasture feed provide 40% more protein than the
grass alone, thus recommending the mixture for a high nutritional
feed for cows. Yarrow is also good to enrich the compost pile
(Phil:98-9). It is sometimes used to flavor homemade liquors.

CULTIVATION, COLLECTION, PREPARATION

You can start Yarrow from seed or by dividing the root clumps of
established plants. The decorative varieties are usually available
from nurseries, and the white medicinal kind can often be found in
mountain regions, dug from the ground and transplanted into the herb
garden. Yarrow seed will germinate in the light. Sow it on top of
fine soil and keep it moist until it germinates. Start it indoors in
March so it will be ready for harvesting in June or July. Although
fertilization is of minor importance because of Yarrow's hardiness,
annual applications of bonemeal will promote its growth. The plant
will produce a more pleasing aroma in light, sandy soils than in
heavy, clay ones (Hyl:625).

Cut the flowering plants and chop into pieces, drying rapidly at
temperatures from 90 to 100 degrees F. Slower drying may cause
darkening of the leaves.


The white medicinal variety is said to excrete a toxin to the soil
that eventually will defeat even its own growth. If you need to have
the white medicinal variety, you might grow it for a season and then
hunt it wild (Hyl:625).

You can prepare an ointment of Yarrow by placing the chopped flower
heads and leaves in olive oil, keeping in a warm oven or sunlight
for several days. Strain and press well, heat gently, and then add
enough beeswax to harden when cool.

Yarrow stores quite well in a cool, dry, air-tight situation.

DESCRIPTION

This common roadside herb grows to 6 to 20 inches high, from a
slender, creeping, perennial root, which, beside a multitude of
filiform rootlets, gives off several long, reddish stolons. The stem
is simple or nearly so, erect, slightly grooved and roughly hairy.
The leaves are alternate; those from the near the root wide-
petioled, two to six inches long; those of the stem proper shorter,
sessile or nearly so, and all in their general outline more or less
lanceolate oblong, twice pinnately-parted, the divisions linear,
crowded and three-to-five cleft. The peduncles number three or more;
the pedicels are many, forming small, crowded, flat-topped corymbs
at the summit of the plant. The flower heads are many-flowered and
radiate. The involucel consists of two to three imbricated rows of
ovoid-oblong scales, with a prominent midrib and brownish, scarious
edges. The rays are four or five, pistillage, with a short, obovate,
reflexed limb. The corolla is tubular, the summit slightly inflated,
five lobed, the lobes revolute, acute. The stamens are five,
inserted upon the tube, and rising slightly above the face of the
corolla. The anthers are adnate, without tails at the base. The
style is long, upright, slender, rising above the anthers. The
stigma is two-cleft, the divisions recurved and fringed at their
tips. The receptacle is small, usually flat and chaffy
(Millspaugh:335).

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

Oil of achillea has a taste similar to the herb itself. Achilleic
acid is also attributed its medicinal action. Both the flowers and
leaves contain an aromatic volatile oil which is blue in color owing
to the presence of chamazulene.

DR. CHRISTOPHER'S COMBINATIONS CONTAINING YARROW

The Desert Herb Combination contains Yarrow.

RELATED PLANTS.

A. lanulosa is considered to be the western species of Yarrow,
although it is not easy to discern from European Yarrow.

A. ptarmica, Sneezewort, was early used in medicine. It helps with
catarrh, epilepsy, and uterine problems.

A. tomentosa, the wooly yellow Yarrow, is very rare, and is thought
to be imported from Europe.

A. ageratum has tufted, oblong, serrate and clammy leaves and very
short ray floret; it is used similarly to Yarrow.

A. nobilis has a stronger taste than common Yarrow.

A. moschata is largely used in Switzerland; it has a strongly
aromatic and bitter taste and is used as a bitter.

A. atrata and A. nana are used like the other species.

http://www.healmarketplace.com/herbs...rbs/yarrow.htm
_________________

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mrsjoguest@...
DietaryTipsForHBP
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CIVIL WAR TO START IN CHICAGO AREA OVER INFLATION - HMMMM WONDER WHY.....

Gov. Quinn promises to quickly sign Ill. tax hike
AP



Reps. Dan Brady, right, R-Bloomington, and Roger Eddy, R-Hutsonville confer on the House floor during a session at the state Capitol in Springfield, I AP – Reps. Dan Brady, right, R-Bloomington, and Roger Eddy, R-Hutsonville confer on the House floor during …


By DEANNA BELLANDI, Associated Press Deanna Bellandi, Associated Press – Wed Jan 12, 6:24 pm ET

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn defended a massive increase in state income taxes passed by lawmakers Wednesday and promised to quickly sign the measure to help heal the state's ailing finances.

Lawmakers worked overnight to pass the increase to raise the personal income tax rate from 3 percent to 5 percent for four years — a 66 percent increase. Corporate income taxes also will rise, but Quinn rejected the notion that it would decimate businesses.

The rate increase might be the biggest any state has adopted in percentage terms while grappling with recent economic woes. Nevertheless, Illinois' tax rate would remain lower than in several other states in the region.

"It's important for their state government not to be a fiscal basket case," Quinn told reporters outside his Capitol office.

Legislative leaders rushed early Wednesday to pass the politically risky plan before a new General Assembly was sworn in at noon, taking a slice out of the Democratic majority and removing lame-duck lawmakers willing to support the tax before leaving office.

The tax increase would temporarily raise the personal tax rate to 5 percent, a two-thirds increase from the current 3 percent rate. Corporate taxes also would climb as part of the effort to close a budget hole that could hit $15 billion this year. Quinn's office said the higher taxes will generate about $6.8 billion a year — a major increase by any measure.

The tax increase will be coupled with strict 2 percent limits on spending growth. If officials spend above those limits, the tax increase will automatically be canceled. The plan's supporters warned that rising pension and health care costs probably will eat up all the spending allowed by the caps, forcing cuts in other areas of government.

Other pieces of the budget plan failed.

Lawmakers rejected a $1-a-pack increase in cigarette taxes, which would have provided money for schools. They also blocked a plan to borrow $8.7 billion to pay off overdue bills, which means long-suffering businesses and social-service agencies won't get their money anytime soon.

House Speaker Michael Madigan said Republicans should have supported some parts of the plan instead of voting against everything. The proposal passed the House on Tuesday night 60-57, the bare minimum. No Republicans backed the measure there or in the Senate, where the measure passed 30-29.

"They're on the sidelines. They don't want to get on the field of play," the Chicago Democrat said. "I'm happy that the day has ended."

But Republicans noted they were not included in negotiations. They also fundamentally reject the idea of raising taxes after years of spending growth.

"We're saying to the people of Illinois, `For eight years we've overspent, now we're going to make it your problem,'" said Rep. Roger Eddy. "We're making up for our mistakes on your back."

The increase means an Illinois resident who now owes $1,000 in state income taxes will pay $1,666 at the new rate. After four years, the rate drops to 3.75 percent and that same taxpayer will then owe $1,250.

Republicans predict the tax eventually will be made permanent.

"It's a cruel hoax to play on citizens to say this is temporary," said House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego.

Republicans also accused Democrats of doing irreparable harm to Illinois families and businesses. Business leaders decried the proposal as a job-killer.

"Based on this particular legislation the only businesses that will benefit are the moving companies that will be helping many of my members move out of this particular state," said Gregory Baise, head of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association.

Governors of some neighboring states quickly jumped on the issue. Republican Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who took office last week has already proposed a tax cut for businesses that relocate to Wisconsin from other states, invited companies to head north.

"Years ago Wisconsin had a tourism advertising campaign targeted to Illinois with the motto, 'Escape to Wisconsin,'" Walker said Wednesday in a statement. "Today we renew that call to Illinois businesses, 'Escape to Wisconsin.' You are welcome here."

Quinn scoffed at the notion. "Lots of luck to them, but that's not going to happen."

Democrats countered that even with the increase, Illinois' tax rate will be lower than in many neighboring states — Iowa's top rate is 8.98 percent, Wisconsin's is 7.75 percent. They also maintain that without more money, state government may not be able to pay employees by the end of the year.

Democrats also bristled at being blamed for the state's financial problems, although they've controlled the governor's office and both legislative chambers since 2003.

They said some of the problem began under Republican governors and that Republicans backed some budgets that increased spending. They argued the national recession sent state revenues into a nosedive and that Democrats already have cut spending by billions of dollars.

The new tax money will balance the state's annual budget and let officials begin chipping away at the backlog of unpaid bills. Borrowing money, and then repaying it with a portion of the tax increase, would have allowed those bills to be paid immediately, aiding organizations that provide services for the state but go months without being reimbursed.

The delay and the spending limits are "very troubling" to those groups, said Sean Noble, policy director for Voices for Illinois Children, a member of the statewide Responsible Budget Coalition. Still, he called the tax increase "an enormous step" toward putting Illinois on sound financial footing.

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Associated Press writers Christopher Wills and Zachary Colman in Springfield and Scott Bauer in Madison, Wis., contributed to this report.

___

The bill is SB2505.