The Rod of Iron

THE ROD OF IRON.

In the eighth chapter of I. Nephi (Book of Mormon), the writer relates a dream which his father had, while they were in the wilderness. Lehi saw a dark and dreary desert, and a man who was dressed in white and who bade Lehi follow him. After a few hours of traveling Lehi became afraid and prayed the Lord to have mercy on him. After praying, he beheld a tree whose fruit was desirable. He partook of it, and found it to be the best he had ever tasted. It was white. Desiring that his family should partake of this fruit he beckoned to them, and found that they stood at the head of a river which ran near the tree. Sariah, Nephi, and Sam came and partook of the fruit; but Laman and Lemuel would not come. He also beheld “a rod of iron” which extended along the bank of the river and led to the tree by which he stood; also a straight and narrow path which came along by the rod of iron. This path led from the head of the river into a large and spacious field, as “if it had been a world.” He saw many people walking along this path, but a great mist arose and they lost their way; others, who also walked along this path, held the rod of iron and came through the mist and partook of the fruit of the tree. Lehi also beheld a large and spacious building with many people in it, who pointed a mocking finger at those who had partaken of the fruit; and the partakers of the fruit became ashamed and fell away into forbidden paths and were lost. Many other people did he see hold fast to the “rod of iron” and come and partake of the fruit; and many others did he see attempt to gain the spacious building, who were drowned.

Many have been the scoffs and scorns of the people of this generation concerning the Book of Mormon. People say, “A Bible! a Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bibles!” But the above dream of Lehi has certainly come to pass. Lehi’s dream is true. The tree which he saw was a repre­sentation of the tree of life, and the rod of iron was the word of God, and those, according to Nephi 15:24, “who would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast to it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction.” Take heed of the word of God, hold fast to the rod of iron in these troublesome times. Keep to the “straight and narrow path that leads unto life eternal.” There are many temp­tations in this world, and it behooves every member of the Church of God to take heed of the dream of Lehi lest they should fall into the river which he speaks of, and be lost forever.

Joseph Smith has come and brought the gospel of Christ in its fulness, teaching ns to keep the commandments of Jesus Christ and thereby partake of the fruit of the tree of life.

Reg. A. Hanson.