Letter to Orson Spencer-- This letter to Orson Spencer in England from President Brigham Young gives an official account of the organization of the First Presidency in December, 1847. It also gives a brief account of the progress of the Saints in the valley of the Great Salt Lake. For additional background see: CHC 3:315-320.
LETTER from President Brigham Young to Orson Spencer Winter Quarters 23rd January. 1848. Dear Brother,-Yours of the 1st of November, 1847, came to hand on the 11th instant. I was much pleased to hear of the prosperity of the work in the British Islands-of your good health and your desires to labour in the vineyard. Brother Heber and myself called upon your family-read your letter-found them all well and in lively spirits; the house and the children were clean and neat, and they presented a comparatively comfortable aspect. The difficulty of getting grinding this winter has in a great measure prevented us from being as comfortable as we otherwise might be, but another grist mill starts to-morrow, which will be the fourth run of stones in the city. I asked your children how they would like me to send you word to stay another year, as I thought it was best to do so, and take them and Brother Bullock's family over the mountains in the spring. Ellen replied, "If I thought it was best, they would like it so, for they wanted to do the best," and they all said Amen to it. I told Ellen to buy a good milch cow, and I would pay for it, and reminded her of my saying last winter, that if she lacked anything she was to let me know. It is thought advisable for you to stay another year, and I will take your family on in the spring.
We anticipate sending Brother Orson Pratt and several other Elders to England, who will leave here when we leave for the mountains, and of sending Brother Woodruff to Nova Scotia, Canadas, &c., at the same time. Brother George A. Smith is having some log cabins built on the other side of the river, and intends in a few days to remove over there, and stay for a year or two amongst the brethren, as those who do not go onward must vacate this place and go over to the Pottawatamie purchase. Orson Hyde will stay there also, and with Brother George will take care of the branches and push the Saints westward.
In December last we appointed a day to hold a conference on the other side of the river, in a large double block house, occupied by one of the brethren, where the Saints congregated in such large numbers that we found it impracticable to continue our conference, the house being so crowded and many shouting at the windows to get in, so that we adjourned for three weeks to build a house capable of holding the Saints. Accordingly, on the 24th, we convened again at the "Log Tabernacle," which they erected in a short time, during the severest weather we have had this winter. It is a well-constructed, capacious log house, 60 by 40 feet inside, and will seat 1000 persons, with a recess or stand 20 by 10 feet for the priesthood and clerk's bench: it is certainly an ornament to this new country, and shows a little of Mormonism. I told them at the conference that the brethren had built, fenced, and made as many improvements in the short time they had been there (about a year) as they would in Missouri in about ten years; and it is a fact, and they have raised a crop equal to any we used to raise in Illinois.
At this conference we suggested to the brethren the propriety of organizing the church with a first presidency and a patriarch, as hinted at in our General Epistle, and the expediency of such a move at this time was so clearly seen by the brethren, that they hailed it as an action which the state of the work at present demanded, and as a means to liberate the hands of the Quorum of the Twelve, who now feel at liberty to go abroad and herald the truth to the ends of the earth, and build up the kingdom in all the world. Accordingly Brigham Young was nominated to be the first president of the church, and he nominated Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards to be his two counsellors, which nominations were seconded and carried without a dissentient voice. Father John Smith was then nominated to be patriarch of the whole church, in the same capacity as Father Joseph Smith was, and also Brother Hyrum-seconded and carried unanimously. The Spirit of the Lord at this time rested upon the congregation in a powerful manner, insomuch that the Saints' hearts were filled with joy unspeakable; every power of their mind and nerve of their body was awakened and absorbed: a dead stillness reigned in the congregation while the President spoke. He said:-"This is one of the happiest days of my life: it's according as Heber prophesied yesterday, our teachings to-day have been good. I never heard better. Is not the bliss of heaven and the breezes of Zion wafted here? Who feels hatred, malice, or evil? If you come to the door with a bad spirit, it would not come in with you; no, it could not mingle here: but when you enter, your feelings become as calm and gentle as the zephyrs of paradise; and feel glory, Hallelujah. Nothing more has been done to-day than what I knew would be done when Joseph died. We have been driven from Nauvoo here, but the hand of the Lord is in it,-visible as the sun shining this morning; it is visible to my natural eyes; it's all right: and I expect when we see the result of all we go through in this probationary state, we will discover the hand of the Lord in it all, and shout Amen-it's all right! We shall make the upper courts ring; we have something to do before then. I don't calculate to go beyond the bounds of time and space where we will have no opposition,-no devils to contend with; and have no fault to find with the providences of the Lord, nor much fault to find with the people; and if the devils keep out of my path I will not quarrel with them. As the Lord's will is my will all the time, as he dictates so I will perform. If he don't guide the ship, we'll go down in the whirlpool. Joseph told the Twelve, the year before he died, "there is not one key or power to be bestowed on this church to lead the people into the celestial gate but I have given you, showed you, and talked it over to you; the kingdom is set up, and you have the perfect pattern, and you can go and build up the kingdom, and go in at the celestial gate, taking your rein with you."
The instrumental band was then called upon to perform, when its heavenly vibrations fell on the tender nerve of the ear, accompanied by the Spirit of God, and the Saints shouted, "Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna to God and the Lamb. Amen, Amen and Amen:" led by Brother George A. Smith. The conference lasted four days. We had indeed an excellent time, and on the 16th January attended another meeting, convened by the seventies, which they called a Jubilee; but I told them it could not be considered a Jubilee spoken of in the Revelations, for all bands were not broken, and I called it Jubilo,-when the Saints assembled and spent the Sabbath in preaching and exhortation; and on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, had preaching and teaching concerning the organization of companies for travelling westward,-music, and other recreations. We had a blessed meeting-all hearts were comforted and lifted up above our trials and persecutions, and went home rejoicing in the benefits and privileges of the liberty of the gospel of Jesus Christ; and I pray that they may thereby be stimulated to pursue the path of righteousness, and fill up the remainder of their days in promoting the kingdom of peace and happiness on the earth.
We learn from Mr. Glenday, who has been to Oregon city, Willamette valley, this year from Missouri, and who came into Camp on the 14th current, having seen some of our brethren at Fort Hall on the 15th Nov. last, that had been there buying meat and flour, and also saw three brethren working at Fort Bridger, (115 miles from the valley,) at which place he learnt that the Mormons, in the valley, had got between 200 and 300 acres fall wheat sown, and that there was a company going to San Francisco Bay for seed wheat to sow in the spring, and there was p
lenty of provisions in the valley.
The brethren in this region of country have been much more healthy this summer and fall than ever in Nauvoo, and this has been a great blessing, as you know disease and sickness have been a heavy tax on the Saints. The weather this winter has been very mild indeed; these two weeks past have been like the opening spring, which favours us greatly, especially those who have to leave their farms and improvements here, recross the Missouri, and begin anew on the Pottawatamie lands.
The brethren are busy fixing up their wagons, and making preparations for their journey, and having a plenty of corn and fodder, their teams are doing well.
The Omahas have been peaceable this winter, and have not killed any cattle, and our circumstances, in comparison with last winter, are very prosperous and good. Your brother in the Lord, BRIGHAM YOUNG
P. S.-If we do not send you the name of our New Orleans agent, we will send the man duly authorized, who will produce his papers from us, that the Saints may know he is there by our counsel; but we now think of sending Lucius N. Scovil. The following are a list of brethren expected to go to England, and probably some more:-O. Pratt, Jeter Clinton, James W. Cummings, Harrison Burgess, Levi Richards, Eli B. Kelsey, and Hyrum H. Blackwell. {1848-January 23-MS 10:114-116 (April 15, 1848)}
[source: Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)]
[Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)]
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