Epistle to the Saints abroad-- The Frontier Guardian from which this Epistle has been reprinted was established by Orson Hyde at Kanesville, Iowa. President Brigham Young and his two counselors, Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards, had each headed a large company of Saints who were emigrating to the Salt Lake Valley. These three companies led personally by the First Presidency comprised a total of 2,417 persons. They left the Elkhorn, 30 miles west of Winter Quarters, early in June. President Young's division arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on September 20, 1848. (Incidentally, the author's grandmother, Mary Louisa Woolley, was born July 5, 1848, on "Goose Creek," Keith County, Nebraska, while her parents Edwin Dilworth Woolley and Mary Wickersham were migrating with President Young's company.) President Kimball's division arrived in Salt Lake on September 24, 1848, and President Willard Richards arrived with his division on October 11th, two days after this Epistle of the First Presidency was written to appraise Orson Hyde and the Saints still remaining in Iowa and Nebraska of the success of the emigration and the business transacted in the October Semi-Annual Conference of the Church held in Salt Lake. This business included the sustaining of the new First Presidency of the Church. For additional background see: CHC 3:315-320, 325-326, 335-336.
EPISTLE from Salt Lake City.
GREAT SALT LAKE CITY, GREAT BASIN. NORTH AMERICA, Oct. 9th, 1848. To Elders Orson Hyde George A. Smith, and Ezra T. Benson, and the Saints scattered abroad, in Pottawatamie county, and neighborhood-GREETING:
DEARLY BELOVED BRETHREN: It has pleased Almighty God our Heavenly Father, in his infinite mercy, to grant unto us the desire of our hearts, in delivering us out of every danger in a savage and perilous country; and permitting us to arrive once more in the goodly land; and which is to be unto us, a haven of rest, a place for our souls, a place where we may dwell in safety; free from the blasts and triumphs of all mobbing spirits, or the persecutions of our deadly foes; who have so often driven us from our homes, our habitations, our lands, our possessions, our temples, our all; and as they fondly hoped, never to be enabled to assemble ourselves again; but through the help, guidance and assistance of the Lord God of Israel, we are once more enabled to worship Him, under our own vine and bowery, where there is none to molest or make us afraid; and where we can plant, and as we humbly trust, be permitted to eat the fruit of our labors; build and inhabit in peace and in safety, and once more rear a temple to his His names' honor and glory, and in which we can again sing, and pray, and praise His high and holy name, and shout with shouts that shall rend the air, Hosanna, Hosanna, to God and the Lamb forever and ever. Amen.
On the 28th of August last, we wrote you an epistle from the Sweetwater, from which place we returned those wagons and teams, that the brethren in Iowa had kindly loaned to us, to assist us on our journey; considering it wisdom that they should have an early start, make the best of their way while the weather and feed were in tolerable condition, so that they may reach their destination before the severity of the weather would be likely to set in upon them-while we remained at the Sweetwater with our goods and families on the ground, exposed to the keen frosty nights and storms that are so prevalent in that country.
On the 30th of August we were glad to meet with a number of the brethren from the Valley, with 47 wagons and 124 yoke of oxen, being three yoke of cattle over and above replacing the wagons and teams that we had previously sent back to the Saints in Iowa, towards filling the vacancy of the great number of cattle, that had unfortunately died on our hands, and been left by the wayside to feed the ravenous wolves and birds, that inhabit the desolate country through which we are obliged to travel. Yet, notwithstanding so inadequate assistance, our hearts fainted not; but relying on the arm of Jehovah, we reloaded our wagons and continued our journey. On the 1st of September, going through the South Pass to the waters that flow into the Pacific, and had a miserable evening's journey of it; the next day we had a mizzling rain, and only removed about a mile in order to find feed to sustain our cattle, at night a snow storm passed over us, and on Sunday, the 3d of September, the entire of the Wind River chain of mountains, was covered with snow, the weather was then severe, but afterwards cleared up with pleasant days and frosty nights, which continued with us nearly the whole of our journey, with the exception of showers which were of frequent occurrence, but never so heavy as in the States, and we considered ourselves the highly favored of the Lord. We were under the necessity of travelling from this place in small companies on account of the many narrow kanyons, crossing of creeks and scanty feed, so as to expedite our journey.
President Young arrived in the Valley on Wednesday the 20th of September, and was escorted into the city by Bishop Hunter and others, who guided them through the grain fields to the west side of the fort, and President Kimball on Sunday the 24th, in the afternoon; the meeting being adjourned for two hours to give him and his company an opportunity of being present-many of the brethren and sisters went out to welcome him into the Valley. And at the meeting in the bowery, a beautiful hymn, composed by Miss Eliza R. Snow, "welcoming President Young and Kimball to the Valley," was sung by the whole choir with a pleasing effect.
We were glad to see the crops look so well and make such a promising appearance to yield a bountiful supply of the products of the earth to sustain life, after the many frosts and destruction by crickets, as if they were going to wipe out the crops off the face of the earth. Still we are sorry to see the apathy of many in regard to saving the remainder of the crops, now they are nearly matured; and it requires all the efforts, and all the authority, and all the power that we have, to induce the people to render a sufficient attention to them and preserve them from destruction by the cattle; yet we trust by the blessing of Heaven, that we shall be able to induce the people to do their duty in this, and all other matters.
At our suggestion the brethren have entered into a combination to enclose a Big Field for farming purposes, and already there has been 863 applications for lots in it, taking up 11,045 acres of land; it is our intention to have the five acre lots next to the city, to accommodate the mechanics and artizans; the ten acres next, to be for the smaller description of farmers; the twenty acres join in succession, followed by the forty and eighty acres, which will be farthest from the city and where farmers will build and dwell, and all these different varieties will be enclosed in one common fence, which will be 17 miles and 53 rods long, and 8 feet high. And to the end that every man may be satisfied with his lot, and put away any hardness that might occur by any other method of dividing the land, we have proposed that it shall all be done by ballot, or casting lots as in the days of old, it was judged expedient among Israel.
The city that we have laid out is already filled up, and we have many families that are at present without an inheritance, and many families are coming in Elders Richards and Lyman's companies. We have deemed it expedient to run off an addition to the city, commencing at the eastern line of the city, and running east as far as the nature of the land will allow for building purposes.
Not only is this addition necessary, but we are agoing to lay off a cite for a city about ten miles north of our present location, and another about ten miles to the South of our city, so that when the people flee away from the destructions and wrath that are being poured out upon the earth, by an almighty hand, they may find in the Valley of the Mountain a city of rest, a refuge from the oppressor, where the soles of his feet may no longer be compelled to run from the shafts
of death at the hands of his persecutors, but where he can rest from his oppression, and be at peace.
Neither is there any more fear that there will not be a sufficiency of timber to supply the wants of the people; for, after our arrival in the Valley; a number of the brethren signed a petition to the High Council, to grant the inhabitants the privilege of cutting down every tree, green as well as dry, that can be found within thirty miles of the Valley to be drawn into the city for city purposes, during the present fall and coming winter-which was granted; thus giving conclusive evidence that there is a sufficiency to meet the wants of the people, when used with wisdom and prudence, and much of the timber is in such a high state of preservation that it is very likely to remain where it is, until the mountains are brought down, and the valleys exalted.
On the 6th of October, we opened our Semi-Annual Conference, and adjourned to Sunday, October 8th, in order to oblige the brethren who had been in the service of the United States, who had returned to the Valley, and requested a day of recreation, which was granted to them, they had appointed the 5th for their meeting, but on account of the weather it was postponed and the brethren gave way to them, and they celebrated their return home by a dinner and the firing cannon at intervals during the day, bringing their meeting to a close at the setting of the sun.
On Sunday the 8th, Conference convened at 11 A. M., was opened by singing and prayer by Elder Taylor. After the Choir had sung another hymn, President Young resumed the business of the Conference by introducing the order of the day: when Elder Parley P. Pratt nominated President Brigham Young as the First President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, seconded by Elder Heber C. Kimball, and carried without a dissenting voice.
Elder Pratt then nominated Heber C. Kimball to be President Young's first counsellor, seconded and carried unanimously. Elder Pratt nominated Willard Richards as his second counsellor, seconded and carried unanimously. Elder Pratt then nominated John Smith to be Patriarch over the whole church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, seconded and carried unanimously. President Young then rose, and spoke upon the principles of the priesthood and its keys, and stated that the elders of Israel were in deep mystery pertaining to Godliness, and that the mystery among the people in the days of Paul, was, that Lord Jesus Christ could take a tabernacle of flesh. President Young then showed that it was no mystery at all when once understood, and that God Almighty had an eternity of qualifications beyond the comprehension of worldly man. After speaking with much power for about an hour and a half, he moved that we release Father John Smith from his former office as President of the stake, seconded and carried. He then moved, that Charles C. Rich, take the place of John Smith as president over the church at this place. Charles C. Rich then nominated John Young as his counsellor, seconded and carried. He then nominated Erastus Snow as his second counsellor, seconded and carried.
Elder Kimball then arose and laid before the people the Quorum of the Twelve, and, after a short address, presented Orson Hyde to the congregation, and said if they were in favor of his continuing as one of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to signify it by the uplifted hand, when all hands were raised. He then presented Parley P. Pratt as one of the Twelve which was also unanimous. He then presented Orson Pratt as one of the Twelve, which was also unanimous. He then presented Lyman Wight; when President Young rose and stated that since Lyman Wight had left us, the Quorum had held on to him by faith, and he had not been cut off. He had heard of Lyman last winter being in Texas, building mills and doing very well among the Camanches, and he would soon come to us again, as he gave him his faith. President Kimball then presented him to the people as one of the Twelve Apostles, and he was unanimously voted. He then presented Wilford Woodruff as one of the Twelve Apostles, who was unanimously voted. He then presented John Taylor as one of the Twelve Apostles, who was unanimously voted. He then presented Amasa Lyman as one of the Twelve Apostles, who was unanimously voted. He then presented George A. Smith as one of the Twelve Apostles, who was unanimously voted. He then presented Ezra T. Benson as one of the Twelve apostles, who was unanimously voted. He then presented Joseph Young as the Senior President of all the Seventies, who was unanimously voted; also Levi Hancock as the second; Zera Pulsifer the third; Henry Herriman the fourth; Jedediah M. Grant the fifth; Albert P. Rockwell the sixth and Benjamin L. Clapp the seventh, members of the same Quorum; all of which were, in turn, unanimously voted. Charles C. Rich then rose, and stated that there was a vacancy of one in the High Council, and presented the remaining eleven as follows: Henry G. Sherwood, Levi Jackman, Daniel Spencer, Ira Eldridge, Shadrac Roundy, Willard Snow, John Murdock, Lewis Abbott, Edson Whipple, John Vance and Abraham O. Smoot who were voted to remain as the High Council of this stake.
Benediction by C. C. Rich, and adjourned for one hour intermission.
At 3 P. M., Conference again convened. After singing and prayer by Elder Kimball, Elder Kimball brought up the case of Bishop Whitney, and requested the people, if they wished to have him continued in office, as the Presiding Bishop of the Church, to signify it by the uplifted hand, when all hands were lifted up.
President Young then spoke for sometime upon the subject of oppression, and on the necessity of doing away with it. He said he wanted to see a community who were without a sheriff, constable, officer, or any man to attend to any such small business, as commonly came before them; and to see a community where a High Council or Bishop's court do not need to sit more than once in six months, to settle that, which every man ought to know how to settle between man and man; and to see every man and woman do riot.
After transacting some local business, and entering into arrangements for the building of a Council House by tithing, President Young motioned that the Conference adjourn until next Sabbath at 10 A. M., and continue every Sabbath, in order to give an opportunity for Elder Richards and Amasa Lyman to arrive with their companies, and be with us at the closing of the Conference.
We have one important item for your serious consideration, which is in relation to bringing the poor to this place. What method, or what means do you suggest to be the most beneficial, or what will operate to the greatest good in removing those Saints who are poor, who have been robbed and driven from their all, and who have not the means to convey themselves away from a sickly land, from a place where they are in daily fear from their enemies, and who are desirous of coming to this place, and serving the Lord with full purpose of heart, and living as Saints in very deed. Those who humbly devote themselves to the service of the Lord, and who wish to magnify the holy calling which has been placed upon them as the Saints of the Most High God. We believe that the best we can do as a community, already arrived at this place; is, to use all our united strength in raising grain to maintain the present community, and all the emigration that may come; and when this is done, our efforts and property we design to be devoted to assist the emigration.
We also think it will be wisdom for the Saints to build their wagons at the Bluffs, as timber for those purposes is scarce here; and the iron will also be needed here, and be worked up for many purposes, and we think it will be equally as convenient a method to bring it, as it would to carry it in the wagons. For the next season our cattle will be much needed in the Valley to cultivate the ground, and to be used in making the fence round the big field, and other purposes.
We think that the brethren will not have occasion to bring any more breadstuff than will last them through their journe
y, as we consider that we shall be able to raise all they may want on their arrival; but they may instead thereof, bring clothing, dry goods, olive oil, groceries, sheep, cows, young cattle, turkies, geese, ducks, doves, pea fowl, ginuea fowl, bees, and seeds of all kinds, not forgeting potatoes, beets, turnips, carrots, parsnips, cabbage, lowland and upland rice, chestnuts, hickory nuts, peanuts, black and sweet locust, and all flowering and shade trees; fruit trees of all descriptions, flowering shrubs, and all manner of flower seeds and vegetables, that will please the eye or gladden the heart of man, as it is our desire to build a beautiful city to the Lord, which shall soon become the pride and ornament of the whole earth.
We wish you to send by Elder Howard Egan, the carding machine and fixtures, so that it may be placed in a suitable building, and at as early a time as possible for the convenience of the brethren. We wish him to start as early as he can, that he may arrive here by the time of sheep shearing.
We send a mail in charge of Elder Egan, from which you can obtain intelligence in regard to many items that may have been overlooked in this epistle to you.
October 11th, 1848.
Since writing the foregoing, we are rejoiced to announce the arrival of Elder Amasa Lyman, on the evening of the 10th, in good health, a few of his company have also arrived, and we anticipate they will all be here in the course of the ensuing week.
We also cheerfully wish to inform you, that better melons, squashes, beets, carrots, parsnips, onions, and turnips never grew any where. Elder Kimball has had a squash sent to him weighing 74 pounds, and turnips frequently weigh eight pounds and upwards, and we anticipate that we shall be able to raise grain sufficient, not only to sustain the present inhabitants, but all the future emigration to this place. When the emigrants come, we wish them to bring, in addition to what we have written above, a wagon load of the best glass, steel of all kinds, saw mill, cross cut, circular, and other saws; all kinds of files, plenty of scythes and sickles, and paper and ink.
We are also glad to report the arrival of Elder Addison Pratt from the Pacific Isles, in company with 13 wagons from San Francisco, with most of the brethren of the battalion that were remaining behind; and we are daily expecting 15 wagons more, with a portion of the Saints that went out from New York in the Brooklyn, and who have tarried sometime in the neighborhood of San Francisco.
May grace and peace be with you-bless you in all your laudable undertakings, open the way for your escape to a land where you can dwell in peace and safety, and be prepared for His coming and kingdom.
BRIGHAM YOUNG, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Thomas Bullock, Clerk. {1848-October 9-Frontier Guardian, Vol. 1, No. 1., February 7, 1849}
[source: Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)]
No comments:
Post a Comment