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Show Page 203 a pamphlet of her own to him. She took a sly swipe at Orson in her response: "...it was with some diffidence I resumed my pen knowing your dignity...The Seer as far as we can judge is an able and well written work...I am really sorry that there are such diversity of opinions...My husband has a brother... a firm believer in the seventh day advent doctrine...to follow some lights would be to follow a jack lantern..." 32 Seth Pratt, Orson's first cousin, was a little more candid: "I have perused your works somewhat...I cannot but think that you are in error...you would do well perhaps to examine well, the subject for your soul's welfare is at stake...Your ideas of Pre-existence I cannot gainsay but is it not a fruitless speculation? Polygamy, I consider to be impolitic if not unscriptural..." 33 Orson received a little information from Seth about the family of Ohbadiah Pratt, but Seth's indifference to Mormonism contrasted with the careless cheer of cousin David Pratt of Augusta Center, New York: "Rev. and Dear Friend, I received your Epistle and also the Books and Seer...as respects the faith and practice of your denomination...1 do not object...Please send me a M n Bible mark the price and I will remit the money I should be glad to accompany you to Utah to preach the gospel." 34 Orson's great genealogical breakthrough came with the chance discovery of a little item in an exchange newspaper.- A Protestant minister in South Glastonbury, Connecticut, had advertised for information concerning the descendants of Lieutenant William Pratt, who had colonized Massachusetts in the 1620s. Orson immediately wrote to Rev. Frederick W. Chapman, who was able to supply him with "the connecting links between... grandfather, Obadiah Pratt, and the first settler, William Pratt " Upon receipt of the letter, Orson wept with joy at this miraculous turning. He wrote later to Parley: "There are none among all the descendants of our ancestor, Lieutenant William Pratt, who have so deep an interest in searching out his descendants as ourselves...we might stand as saviors upon Mount Zion, in behalf of our ancestors... Let us, my dear brother Parley, take hold of this matter in |