to hold of the work in earnest assist in building up the kingdom. He also states that he has had a call from an adjacent island to come and preach to them. And indeed were we divided into a hundred different parts, and each part an efficient preacher of the gospel, we should have as much as we could attend to, and more too, so great is the work in these islands. * * * Brother Pratt also writes that many of the natives on that island ready to be baptized, and. all he is waiting for is to acquaint them more fully with their duty after being baptized." are now These Elders sailed to those distant islands in the ship Duff, under Captain Wilson. The New York Prophet of Jan. 25th, 1845, contains an interesting letter from Elder William Smith, then a member of the quorum of the Twelve. It says: "Since the arrival of Elders Parley P. Pratt and Benson the burthen of church affairs will not rest so much on my shoulders, and in the reception of these brethren from the West I am much rejoiced in baving more help, for truly we might say the harvest is great and the laborers are few. I shall continue to labor in conjunction with Elder Pratt in the Eastern churches until spring. It is well known, however, by the Saints that I contemplate leaving for the West soon, and I feel highly pleased to leave the presidency of the Eastern churches in such competent hands, and I hope that the Saints * * will do all in their power to sustain them, with the quorum of the Twelve as the presidency over the whole * Church. * Since the death of the prophet and patriarch the Church has had to undergo almost an entire revolution of things, and those away from Nauvoo have had to guess their way, or get along the best they could, and if errors have been committed they have been of the head and not of the heart. * * Rigdonism has been through the country, but it is now dead--forsooth, it never lived. It has perished in its birth, and died without usage, and those who have been led by its influence are now without a name or a church. * * The Church of Christ is well united, and bids fair to prosper with good management. God help us now, and the gospel ship will ride. safely through the storm. God loves the honest in heart, and those who will stand to their posts and prove true unto death; but the traitor and the hypocrite God will judge." * * * * On May the 7th, 1845, Elder E. F. Sheets wrote from Bradford, England, to the presidency of the British mission: "You advised me to make some inquiries about the last words of our beloved Brother Barnes. I have done so, and from the best information I can get from those who attended him in his last hours it appears that he talked much about the prosperity of Zion, and the spread of the gospel; and when he had much pains upon him he exclaimed that he should soon have done with them; but that the hour cometh when the haughty, and the proud, and the oppressor of the poor would call for the rocks and mountains to fall upon them, and hide them from the face of Him that sitteth upon the throne; and he seemed to say that the time was not far distant. He also talked much about his father and mother, and his friends in America, but especially of his mother, and soon after this, like the prophets of old, he gathered up his feet and fell asleep in Jesus. The following is a copy of the inscription on the tomb of Elder Barnes: 'In memory of Lorenzo D. Barnes, who died on the 20th of December, 1842; aged 30 years. He was a native of the United States, an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-❘ day Saints, a member of the High Priests' Quorum, and and also of Zion's Camp in the year 1834, and the first gospel messenger from Nauvoo who has found a grave in a foreign land.' Sleep on, Lorenzo; but ere long from this the conquered tomb shall yield her captive prey. Then with thy quorum shalt thou reign in bliss, as king and priest for an eternal day." We find the following concerning the prosperous condition at Nauvoo in April, 1845: "The spring has met us with an early emigration of Saints, never before equalled. They come by land and water. Nor is this all; goods, wares, and articles of necessity come also, and tithing for the temple in money and in produce have recently cheered the hearts of the trustees and building committee, and nerved the arms of the laborer with a celestial kind of feeling that runs from heart to heart and causes a whisper to mingle with the busy hum of business that God means to move on His work with rapidity. The rearing of houses, the opening of gardens, the breaking up of the adjacent prairies, the manufacture of articles for foreign exportation, at the mechanic shops, and the preparations to make our Own commodities for home consumption, all give the lie lie to the false insinuation that Nauvoo cannot live without a charter. The work of the temple goes on as fast as possible, and, in fact, the anxiety is so great to labor upon this great house of the Lord, that the committee frequently have to set favors until the kingdoms of this world shall become perfect." We subjoin here a few selections of the bright thoughts of our late lamented Sister Eliza R. Snow, addressed to A. W. Babbit, Esq., at Springfield, Illinois; dated at Nauvoo, January 30th, 1845: "Honorable sir. The interest that I feel in the welfare and prosperity of God's chosen. people in this place, prompts me to take my pen at this crisis and step the bounds of a female accustomed to move in the humble and domestic circles of life, and address myself to the representative of a people laden with sorrow and acquainted with grief. I claim not to be the mouthpiece of this community, for they have not appointed me that station, and therefore I wish no one but myself to be responsible for this communication; yet I feel myself safe in saying that there are many bosoms in this place burning with the same principles that recent legislative acts have kindled in my own. I am told that a letter has just been received here from General Backenstos, in which the repeal of our city charter is confirmed. There seems to be not a single doubt entertained by your friends here concerning your diligence, ability and faithfulness in the discharge. of your duty. In fact, I do not hesitate to say that the blessings of a grateful people rest upon you both, and also upon those honorable gentlemen who took so able a part with you in defending mur our rights. May heaven bless you, and when the storms of life are past, may it be our happy lot to meet in that country where tyranny and injustice are not known, and where the oppressor's arm has no power. Had the courage of tigers armed your breasts, and eloquence more lucid and burning than that which flows from an angel's tongue escaped your lips, mingled with the sobs and tears of broken-hearted widows and orphans, whose husbands and fathers have been cruelly and treacherously dered, when under the protection of a sovereign State, you could have made no more impression upon the flinty hearts of men, bent on Mormon extermination, than the thunder of a 74 upon the fortress of Gibraltar. I cannot find language to express the utter contempt with which I regard the pretended liberality of Mr. Anderson. He says: 'If the people of Nauvoo will respectfully ask for a new charter of limited powers, I am ready to grant it.' Have the people of Nauvoo ever asked a favor disrespectfully of the legislature? If they have I have it yet to learn. But to the point. What would Mr. Anderson think of that man, whose only right was his superior strength, that should forcibly take from his pocket a doubloon which he came honorably by, and which was all he had? Would he not consider him a highwayman? But farther. Suppose the robber should afterwards turn to him and say, now Nauvoo, and therefore cannot say what they will do; but my Own feelings are: Sooner be the prophet's fate my own than suffer the pride and dignity of my character to be so humbled as to ask any of those hands that are reeking fresh with my brother's blood, and by the strongest proofs in their power to give, have decreed my own ruin and extermination. * * * For me to ask favors of the hands that have been raised to justify the shedding of my brother's blood would. be a violation of every principle that dwells in my heart. Were I to do it, I should consider myself unworthy of my country and my God. If the legislature of Illinois are disposed to strip us of our covering (the charter) and leave us naked, exposed to the chilling blasts of mobocratic fury which already begin to blow; if it must needs be,' we hope to die like noble spirits, and live again to see the robes of State dripping with the blood of innocence, and those who wear them appear before us to receive their final sentence, when the 'Saints shall judge the world.' * * * Do they wish us to secure our loyalty? Let them give us equal rights. Do they wish to drive us to despera * * * tion? Let them rob us of every inducement to honor our country's laws, that in after years, when the elements of excitement and strife have retired within their own natural borders, let the disgraceful transactions be echoed from every State and civilized government under heaven, and then let them meet us face to face before that tribunal where truth and justice must have their claim." A Conference was held at Kirtland, Lake County, Ohio, April 5th, 1845. Elder Hiram Winters presided. Seven persons were cut off from the Church who were united with the Rigdon party. Another was held on the 5th and 6th of April, 1845, in Greenwood, Stuben County, New York, Elder William D. Pratt presided. Eight branches were represented, including two hundred and thirtyseven officers and members. conference was held at Franklin, Oakland County, Michigan, on the 22nd and 23rd of March, 1845. Elder David Evans presided. Fourteen branches were represented, forty-four officers and two hundred and four members. Conference was held in Prince's Grove, Peoria County, Illinois, April 26th, 1845. One was held in Batavia, Genessee County, New York, on the 3rd and 4th of May, 1845, presided over by Elder Winslow Farr. One convened at Ilion, German Flats, Herkimer County, on the 17th and 18th of May, 1845. Elder Eider Eleazar Willes pre sided. The Carlisle conference, in England, convened on the 18th of May, 1845. Apostle Wilford Woodruff presided. Five branches were represented, including one hundred and sixty-five members. A conference was held in Merthyr Tydvil, Wales, June 1st, 1845. Elder William Henshaw presided. The zeal and devotion of the Saints were great in those early days, as was manifested by a sister, aged 70 years, who walked forty-two miles to attend this conference. After more than four years of united energy and hard work, the capstone of the temple of Nauvoo was laid in its place, on the 24th of May, 1845. It was an interesting scene to witness. An interesting conference was held at Rowland O. Crispin's, Warren County, Ohio, on the 14th and 15th of June, 1845. Elder Joseph | T. Ball was chosen to preside. Six branches were represented. A conference convened at Cambria, Niagara County, New York, in the month of June, 1845. Elder D. H. Redfield was called to the chair. Five branches were represented. All these conferences unanimously covenanted to sustain the Twelve Apostles as the First Presidency of the Church, and also to assist in completing the Nauvoo Temple. Apostle Wilford Woodruff wrote from England, under date of April 18th, 1845: "The work is progressing in this country; only we stand in need of the help of more good, faithful men. With regard to emigration, we shall forward what we can this summer by way of New York. When the present volume of the Star is completed we intend publishing it semimonthly. We have in press 3000 copies of the Doctrine and Covenants, which we expect out soon, and for which there will be great demand. I have had a tour through Scotland, during which I was much interested by visiting the castle at Sterling, SO much famed for the exploits of Wallace. and Bruce, the great Scottish heroes. Also the Palace of Mary Queen of Scots, in Edinburgh, and Edinburgh Castle. Edinburgh. is one of the finest cities I have visited in a foreign country. Many of its buildings are twelve stories high. Tell Brother Orson Pratt that I visited Prince Arthur's seat, the place of his meditation while building up the church in Edinburgh. I also visited Glasgow; it has a conference of upwards of a thousand members, and it is in a very prosperous state." YOU, David John. I LOVE you, not because you are fair, Nor for the riddle of your eyes. A riddle I can never read, You sometimes angel, sometime self, And not for any thought or deed, But just because you are-yourself. SENSE shines with a double lustre when it is set in humanity. |