2
Adam-ondi-Ahman
Patriarchal Blessing Meeting
House of the Lord, Kirtland, Ohio
September 14, 1835
In ancient days there lived a man,
Amidst a pleasant garden,
Where lovely flowers immortal bloom’d,
And shed around a rich perfume;
Behold, his name was Adam.
One of the nobles of the earth,
Had mighty power in blessing;
Received the priesthood, and went forth12
And blessed his seed, and gave the earth
Blessings for their possession.13
He sealed them for eternal life,
And all their generations,
Who should obey the gospel plan,
Down to the latest years of man—
A multitude of nations.
Isaac and Jacob, they in turn
Had power to bless their children:14
Hence, Jacob by his faith did learn,
And gave directions for his bones
To be conveyed to Canaan.15
By the same spirit, Joseph gave
A great and mighty blessing
To Ephraim, and Manasseh too,16
Whereby their seed were carried through
Long travels, though distressing.
By that same faith they built a ship,
And crossed the mighty ocean,17
Obtain’d the choicest land of earth,
Foretold the great Messiah’s birth,
And all the great commotion.18
* * * * * * * *
The holy priesthood long remain’d
In all its power and glory,
Until the priests of God were slain,
Their records hid from wicked men
Within the hill Cumorah.
Their remnants sank in sorrow down,
Became a loathsome people.
To misery and sorrow doom’d,
Their pleasant fields o’erspread with gloom,
Ruled by a Gentile nation.
But now the priesthood is restored,19
And we partake its blessings;
Our parents and our children dear
With Joseph’s remnants have a share
To latest generations.