Letter to Orson Hyde-- LETTER TO ORSON HYDE
(From the Frontier Guardian.)
Great Salt Lake City, Oct. 16, 1849.
President Orson Hyde: Beloved Brother:-The Lord has been devising, or rather making manifest ways and means to facilitate the gathering of His Saints in these last days, and we lose no time in cheering your heart with the intelligence, and offering such suggestions as may be wisdom for you to follow, in helping to roll on the glorious work of gathering Israel.
The Saints are prospering in this valley, which is a very natural result of their good endeavors to keep the commandments and work righteousness. The desire of the brethren to see Zion built up is constantly increasing; and their labors are tending more and more to this one great object. Of our proceedings, the circumstances of the Saints, and things in general in this region, you will soon learn by our late epistle; and we write to you more particularly at this time, concerning the gathering, and the mission of our general agent, for the PERPETUAL EMIGRATING FUND, for the coming year, Bishop Edward Hunter, who will soon be with you, bearing the funds already raised in this place; and we will here state our instructions to Bishop Hunter, so that you may the more fully comprehend our designs.
In the first place, this Fund has been raised by voluntary donations, and is to be continued by the same process, and by so managing, as to preserve the same, and cause them to multiply.
Bishop Hunter is instructed to go direct to Kanesville, and confer with the general authorities of the church at that place, and by all means within his reach, procure every information, so as to make the most judicious application of the funds in the purchase of young oxen and cows, that can be worked effectually to the valley, and that will be capable of improving and selling after their arrival, so as to continue the fund the following year.
We will give early information, to those whom we have directed to be helped, and such others as he shall deem wisdom, being aided in his judgment by the authorities among you, so that they may be preparing their wagons, &c., for the journey.
Wagons are so plenty here, that it is very desirable not to purchase with the perpetual fund; but let those to be assisted make wagons of wood, when they cannot get iron, such as will be strong and safe to bring them here, so that all the funds may be appropriated to the purchase of such things as will improve in value, by being transferred to this place.
The poor can live without the luxuries of life, on the road and in the valley, as well as in Pottawatamie and other places; and those who have means to purchase luxuries have monies to procure an outfit of their own, and need no help, therefore let such as are helped, receive as little assistance in food and clothing, wagons, &c., as can possibly make them comfortable to this place, and when they arrive, they can go to work and get their outfit, of all things necessary for comfort and convenience, better than where they are, and even luxuries.
As early in the spring as it will possibly do, on account of feed for cattle. Brother Hunter will gather all his company, organize them in the usual order, and preside over the camp, travelling with the same to this place; having previously procured the best teamsters possible, such as are accustomed to driving, and will be gentle, kind and attentive to their teams.
When the Saints thus helped arrive here, they will give their obligations to the Church to refund to the amount of what they have received, as soon as circumstances will permit; and labor will be furnished to such as wish on the public works, and good pay; and as fast as they can procure the necessaries of life, and a surplus, that surplus will be applied to liquidating their debt, and thereby increasing the Perpetual Fund.
By this it will readily be discovered, that the Funds are to be appropriated in the form of a loan, rather than a gift; and this will make the honest in heart rejoice, for they love to labor, and be independent by their labor, and not live on the charity of their friends: while the lazy idlers, if any such there be, will find fault, and want every luxury furnished them for their journey, and in the end pay nothing. The Perpetual Fund will help no such idlers; we have no use for them in the valley; they had better stay where they are; and if they think they can devise a better way of appropriating the emigrating funds, then we propose, let them go to work, get the funds, make the appropriation, set up a better pattern, and we will follow it; and by that time we are confident they will have means of their own, and will need to help.
Brother Hunter will return all the funds to this place next season, when the most judicious course will be pursued to convert all the cattle and means into cash, that the same may be sent abroad as speedily as possible on another mission, together with all that we can raise besides to add to it; and we anticipate the Saints at Pottawatamie and in the States, will increase the funds by all possible means the coming winter, so that our agents may return with a large company.
The few thousands we send out by our agent, at this time is like a grain of mustard seed in the earth; we send it forth into the world, and among the Saints, a good soil; and we expect it will grow and flourish, and spread abroad in a few weeks so that it will cover England, cast its shadow on Europe, and in process of time compass the whole earth: that is to say, these funds are designed to increase until Israel is gathered from all nations, and the poor can sit under their own vine and inhabit their own house, and worship God in Zion.
If from any cause, there should be a surplus of funds in the hands of our agent, when he leaves the States with a company, he will deposit the same with some good house, subject to our order, or bring it with him as wisdom dictates.
We remain your Brethren in the Gospel, BRIGHAM YOUNG HEBER C. KIMBALL, WILLARD RICHARDS.
1849-October 16-Letter to Wilford Woodruff 1849-October 17-Letter to Dr. John M. Bernhisel 1849-October 17-Letter to Almon W. Babbitt 1849-November 2-Letter to Amasa Lyman
No available copy of the above messages have been located. {1849-October 16-MS 12:8 (April 15, 1850)}
[source: Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)]
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