BOMNESS TO TEE L&BD.

r

VOL. XV.

SALT LAKE CITY, NOVEMBEll 15, 1880.

NO. 22.

A PICTURE FROM LIFE,

^HAT a sad

' ' story 01 suf- fering, anxiety and dependence is told in the simple but expressive picture before us.

The young moth- er who bends in such fond solici tude over her sioli infant and looks down into its face with such an anx- ious care, shows that she has for that little helpless thing that love which only a mo- ther can feel lor her offspring.

It is evident that she is no stranger to poverty, though she has probably seen better days ; for there is an air of refinement about her which is apjiar- ent even in t\v midst of her hum ble surrounding- The little window the only jihic ■ which admits thi' light of day to thi small room sh inhabits, isadorne ! by a flower, whic'i her love for tti' beautiful has I'd her to nourisii and care for, even when

'z%:

\^.

beset by troubles almost sufficient to break her heart. Perhaps her hus- band has yielded to the fascination of the wine cup, and is spending histime and earnings, with a lot of noisy and thoughtless com- panions, in dis- sipation, while his wife is suffering from the pangs of hunger at home, and filled with dread and anxiety because sickness has assailed her darling babe.

What a selfish, heartless, unfeeling wretch a man must be to thus neglect his fatally and bring suffering upon theru, while he fquandtrs that which might bring them conil'orf, and vainly chases the deceitful phanton that always prom- ises to but never brings the drunkard hapjiiness.

Yet there are llum^ands of suuh uiiworlhy husbands and thousands of loving, (•( nfiding, neglected wives,

l^.

•"^i^.

r:

S54

j"TJ^:n]nNrii_,E in^sTi^TJOTOie/.

suffering untold misery as a consequence. The marvel is that woman, under such circumstances, can be so constant, so patient and so forgiving ; that she can still trust in the being who has betrayed her confidence and robbed her of her happiness; that her charity for him ahould lead her to bear his ill-treat- ment and even screen his faults, as far as possible, from the public !

But such is the fidelity and constancy of woman. And while these qualities add to her nobility and glory, they make the shame and condemnation of the man who betrays her love and trust the greater. Alas, that her affection and confidence should be so often misplaced !

But perhaps the .voung and sorrow-stricken mother's poverty and desolate condition are due to another cause than intemper- ance, a cause that has brought grief to many a fond young heart. It may be that the being whom she mistook for a man, and upon whom she bestowed her wealth of affection has deserted her entirely, and left her to battle with life's trials and care for the offspring of the ill-fated union as best she can. If so, then as she looks down into the pale face of her suffering babe she thinks of the happy past, of the comfortable home she once enjoyed, possibly of her waywardness and obstinancy in refusing to listen to the advice of friends, who, uninfluenced by the passion of love which blinded her, could see that he was unworthy of her.

As she thinks of her lonely condition she longs for the counsel and sympathy of those early friends, who ought to, and probably would if near her, extend forgiveness and aid unto her.

Oh, the misery that has resulted from self-willed but other- wise good girls setting their affections upon faithless, unworthy men, and marrying them in opposition to the counsel of their best and wisest friends ! How many bright and promising daughters of Latter-day Saints have fallen victims to the wiles of worthless, unscrupulous adventurers, of whoso real characters they knew nothing nor cared to inquire! Scores of deserted wives and unhapjiy mothers may Ic counted in our community who are living monuments of the folly of such misplaced affection and blind infatuation.

To return to the picture, we may be sure that the young mother, whatever may her feelings towards her dissolute or faithless husband, has a true motlier's love for her child. And what is more pure and unselfish than a mother's love? The person is ungrateful indeed who ceases to regard his mother for her tender care over him during his helpless inafocy.

Let us hope that the prayer which ascends from the young mother's heart may be effectual in calling down upon her babe the blessing of the Almighty, that it may recover.

I'oi.iTK.NKss — In politeness, as in many other things con- nected with the formation of character, people in general begin outside, when they should begin inside; instead of beginning with the heart, and trusting that (o form the manners, they besin with the manners, and trust the heart to chance influences. The golden rule contains the very life and soul of polilenes.s. Children may be taught to make a graceful courtesy, or a gen- tlemanly bow; but unless they have likewise been taught to aV>hor what is selfish, and always prefer another's comfort and pleasure to their own. their i)olitcness will be entirely artificial, and used only when it is to their interest to u.se it. On the other hand, a truly benevolent, kind-hearted person will always be distingtiished for what is called native politeness, though ' V entirely ignorant of the conventional forms of society.

:P

i00rapljg.

( Continued. ) "\1 THILE Joseph and Hyrum were in jail at Carthage,

♦ ' their younger brother Samuel, started on horseback from where he lived to see them. While on the way he was pursued by mobocrats ; but escaped from them by the fleetness of his horse. He reached Carthage in safety, from whence he went to Nauvoo in company with the bodies of his martyred brothers. The excitement consei(uent upon this chase, and his grief at the death of his beloved brothers, threw him into a fever from which he never recovered. He died on the 30th of July. He was the third person baptized by the authority of the holy priesthood in this generation, being jireceded by his brother Josejih and Oliver Cowdery only, and was one of the witnesses to the Book of Mormon. He was a humble, steadfast and truly good man, and had preached the gospel faithfully from the time he had received it up to the last of his days on the earth.

Before the President of the Twelve Apostles and the majority of the quorum could return to Nauvoo, an anxiety began to be exhibited by certain parties to arrange affairs to suit themselves. Among thfi first of these attempts was that of William Marks, who was President of the Stake of Zion at Nauvoo. He was eager to have a trustee-in-trust appointed to take charge of affairs; others were anxious to have the Church organized ; wo .suppose they wanted to appoint a president; but Doctor Ilichards, Bishop Whitney and other staunch men, were opposed to any appointments or other business of that character being attended to before the Twelve Apostles returned.

Brother George A. Smith, who, with other Elders, was laboring in ^lichigan at the time the news came to them of the murder of Joseph and Ilyrum, reached Nauvoo on the night of the 2,'^th of July. Elder Parley P. Pratt had arrived from his mission on the 10th, and the Elders from various parts of the States, having had the sad news of the death of the Prophet and Patriarch confirmed, began to arrive home. They seemed weighed down with gloom. On the :ird of August, Sidney liigdon arrived from Pittsburg.

Immediately upon his arrival he began to lay his jilans to have the Church accept him as president, or, as he called it, ''guardian." Elders Parley P. Pratt, fJeorge A. Smith and Willard Ilichards. saw him after his arrival, and an appoint- ment was arranged to meet together in council the next (Sunday) morning; but he failed to meet with them. He evidently had no wish to come face to face with them, as he would have done had his intentions been honest, upright and honorable. He desired to get at the people, and he shunned councils in which the Ajiostles and men of authority and understanding met ; they would sift his pretentions too closely. He was eloi|Ucnt, and hoped by meeting with the peo])le his oratory would win them. He was not averse, however, to holding secret councils with a certain class of persons, those who liad lost their faith, and were in the dark, and were ready for any delusion that might present itself. His pretended visions and revelations ho related to tbom, and they accepted them as divine. But from the Apostles who weie then there

j'Tj^EisrirjE in^sTi?.TJOTOi^.

S55

he endeavored to conceal his movements ; and in doing this he plainly showed the spirit he was of, for the righteous are as bold as lions ; they do not work in the dark ; they do not plot in secret and try to hide their plans from their brethren, but declare the counsel and word of the Lord plainly and in a way to be fully tested. He knew these Apostles had the keys by which they could test his claims and so-called revelations, and also the claims and revelations of every man who pro- fessed to be sent of God, and therefore he avoided them as much as possible.

That day was the 4th of August, and at ten o'clock that morning the people assembled at the grove, which was the usual place of meeting in the summer time, and Sidney Rigdon preached from the words : "For my thoughts are not as your thoughts, neither are j'our ways my ways, saith the Lord." He related a vision which, he said, the Lord had shown him concerning the situation of the Church, and said there must be a guardian appointed to build the Church up to Joseph, as he had begun it. He was the indentical man, he said, that the ancient prophets had sung about, wrote and rejoiced over, and he was sent to do the indentical work that had been the theme of all the jjrophets in everj' preceding generation. He told many more things equally foolish to the people about the fate that awaited his enemies and the great things that he was to perform, adding that were it not for two or three things which he knew, the Latter-day Saints would be utterly destroyed, and not a soul be left to tell the tale.

In alluding to his sermon afterwards, Brother Parley P. Pratt humorously said of himself, "I am the indentical man the prophets never sang nor wrote a word about."

In the afternoon Sidney Eigdon requested William Marks, President of the Stake, to give a notice out to the Saints that there would be a special meeting of the Church held at that place the ensuing Thursday, the 8th inst., for the purpose of choosing a "guardian. " Marks was in entire sj'mpathy with Rigdon, and it suited him exactly to have this meeting held, for, whether he aspired to position himself or not, he was very anxious to have a president and trustee-in-trust appointed without delay. Doctor Richards proposed waiting till the Twelve Apostles returned. Marks replied that President Rigdon wanted the meeting on Tuesday, but ho had put it off till Thursday. He justified the haste in calling the meeting by saying; that Rigdon was some distance from his family, which was in Pittsburg, and he wanted to know if the Saints had anything for him to do ; if not, he wanted to go on his way, for there was a people numbering thousands and tens of of thousands who would receive him ; he wanted to visit other branches of the Church around, but he had come here first.

The design in this was very clear. The excuse was that Sidne3' Rigdon's family was in Pittsburg, but what of that? To an Elder in the path of duty, being at a distance from his family made no difference, if God required his labors. But Sidney Rigdon had only arrived in Nauvoo the day before, and yet he was in such haste that he could not wait a few day.s for the Twelve Apostles to arrive! The fact was he hoped to carrj' out his design before they could reach Nauvoo. It was no part of his scheme to wait for them. The leading KIders were all dissatisfied with the appointment of a meeting in so hurried a manner. The Twelve Apostles were .soon expected liome, they said, and to have a meeting before their arrival seemed like a plot to take advantage of the situation of the Saints. But (Jod was watching over Ills peopio, and His providence was overruling all for good and for the accom- plishment of His designs.

(To be C'oiilillUril.)

TEMPLES

BY DANIEL TYLER.

( Con tinned. )

IN my last article I dwelt at length on the Temple in course of erection in Salt Lake City, which was also illustrated, as it will be when finished. I also referred to the fact of its being very large, and that representatives of all nations would flow unto it to learn the ways of the Lord, as predicted by the ancient prophets.

I might have said much more, and probablj' will refer to it again hereafter; but if any of my j'oung readers got the idea after all of its importance, that it is to excel all others in use- fulness and the i)ower of God to be revealed, they are mistaken.

It ma3' or may not be the largest in size, but there is one to be built in this generation which will far exceed in glory and power anything predicted concerning that mountainous-sized edifice. I refer to the one concerning wliicli the first revela- tion on temples was given, through the Prophet Joseph Smith : that is, the one to be built in Jack.son County, Mis- souri.

In July, 18-31, the place was appointed by revelation, thus:

"Behold the place which is now called Independence, is the centre place" (for the City of Zion), "and a spot for the temiJe is lying westward, upon a lot wliich is not far from the Court House." (See Docfrtne and Covenants, last edition, page 21.'i).

The nest .section (commencing on page 217) foretells that great tribulation would come upon that laud, but like the sayings of Jesus to His ancient disciples, the prophecies were not understood until after their fulfillment.

I would recommend my yoting readers to read the whole section, as it is very instructive. The first verse shows that He spoke of the land of the City of Zion, where the revela- tion was given. Among other blessings to be received, was "A supper of the house of the Lord, well prepared, unto which all nations shall be invited. Firstly, the rich and the learned, the wise and the noble ; and after that cometh the day of my power : then shall the poor, the lame, and the blind, and the deaf, come in unto the marriage of the Lamb, and partake of the supper of the Lord, prepared for the great day to come * " * * jyea, for this cause I have sent you hither."

With all the greatness of the Salt Lake Temple, and the flowing of the nations unto it, the centre city is the place for the Temple of the Lord to be built, which is to be honored with the great feast and marriage supjjcr of the Lamb. That Lamb is Jesus, the Redeemer, who^ will appear in that Tenijile, and there will the ''Bride (the Church) be .^oaled to Him.

This is the la.st great welding link in the great chain of adoption between the Saints and our Elder lirother.

Children will be adopted to their jiarents (if the parents are worthy; if not, to others, unless born in the scaling covenant), the parents to otjier faithful men, and so on to Joseiili, atid lastly, all the worthy to Jesus, thus making one great fiimily of the Saints of all ages and dispen.sation.s.

During all this time, according to another revelation, this house will nut only be filled with the power and glory of God, but there will be a cloud and smoke ar(]niid it by day, and a pillar of fire by night.

In a former artic'lc, 1 showeil the progress" of the endow uiciits from the Kirtland Temple to that of St. George.

S5S

CTTj'^rEin^ii-.E in^sTE^TJCTOT?..

this, I have shown what it will be years in tlio future, passing many important events to be noticed hereafter.

{To he Continued.) »

A TRUE DIALOGUE.

BY II. G. B.

SCP]XE, (it the RaHroal Station, in tin' citii nf Bii/ Lich. Ya.

The train on the Virr/iiiia and East Tenne-^set' Railroad

Ijfinr/ behind time, a large eroiril of people nn the depot jilat/orm airait its arriral : anionr/ them are Parxnn Gilbert,

Gen. Earl ji and a '"Mormon'^ Elder.

P.\RSOX Gilbert [to "Mormon" Elder.) — The members of your Church believe in and practice a pluralit.v of wives, do they not?

••3Ior.\ion" Elder. — Yes, sir; all believe in tlie doctrine, and a portion of them practice it.

P. G. — Do your people believe in and practice this (.'octrine as a reli.sious tenet ?

31. E. — Certainly we do?

P. G. — Where do you get any authority and evidence to sustain you in this belief and [iractice?

M. E. — From God, by a revelation through Joseph Smith, which he received in the year 184?).

P. G. — It seems to me that this receiving a revelation is a verj' ea.sy way of deciding and settling matters, that you "3Iormons" have acquired.

31. Yi. — Yes, so it seems to me ; not (Jidy a much easier, but a much better and surer way, than your ])rofessed Cliristian churches have, for they have been trying to settle points of doctrine, and to decide matters generally for the last si.xteen or seventeen centuries without revelation from God, an<l have not succeeded. On the contrary, llicy are even more undecided and unsettled than when tiicy first began on tlieir plan.

P. G. — But how strange it is tliat the Lord niner thought of this doctrine, or revealcil it, till you ''3Iormoris'" canu^ into existence, a few years ago. Why lias tlie Lord kept the world in ignorance so many thousands of years?

51. E. — The most strange and unaccountiil)le thing is, that a professed Christian minister could come to any such conclu- sion. Does not cverj' Bible reader in the land know that God did reveal this law of plural marriage to Abraham, .Jacob, Closes and T'avid. and through them to all Israel?

P. G. — I profess to be a Bible reader, but have failed to find any such revelation in it.

M. E.— Then you have never read JJeuteronom;/ .c.cr. 5-10, and .r.r/. l;'i-17; nor II. Samuel .c.ii. 8, which not only reveal this pri.nciple, but also reveal the law governing them in the practice of the same.

]'. (!. — Yes, but Abraham lived before those revelations were given, and was the first man that practiied a plurality of wives; he was also raised among lieatliens, and under a heathen government, and among and from those lieathens did he get the doctrine and practice of a jdurality of wives, and not from God.

M. E. — Not too fast, my friend. Ydu have no evidence that the Chaldeans were any more heathens than the Christian nations of the (jreseut day. And if they were really heathens, Abraham never practiced this order of marriage while among them nor till long after he was converted to the Lord, and had

been led by Hun fur from the influence and jurisdiction of those ( 'haldeans.

P. G. — Yes, I know this all sounds very plausible; but we know very well that it was all wrong. The evidence of wrong is the fact that his two wives quarreled, and one of them drove the other from home, and into the wilderness.

M. E. — Then, according to your rule of reasoning, if a quarrel in a plural family proves that form of marriage wrong, the quarrels, fights, separations, divorces, and a thousand other abuses of monogamous marriage, will prove it to be wrong, and we shall he left without marriage of any kind. Very true, Ilagar, Abraham's second wife, left home and hus- band, and if that family wore living now, here in the valley of Virginia, and you were to meet Hagar straying from home, you would advise her to keep on in that direction, as far as possible from such a bad man and such an unhallowed relationship. But how different the counsel of the angel that met her. He bade her return to her home and husband, telling her how greatly she and her oftsiiring should be blessed of the Lord.

P. G. — All your arguments go for nothing. All the old covenants are done awaj', and we are now living under a new covenant — the gospel covenant. I admit that jilural marriage existed with Abraham and Jacob, and under the Mosaic dispensation, but they had no gos])el dispensation to guide them in those day.s.

31. E. — Then we must conclude that Paul, in the 3rd chap- ter of his letter to the Galatians, was greatly mistaken when he declared that the gospel was preached to Abraham, and that the gospel covenant God made with him was never annulled, and still further mistaken, when, referring to all Israel under Moses, he declares, "the gospel was ])reached unto them as well as unto us." And God, Himself, must iiave made a mis- take when He gave that great and glorious gospel promise to Abraham, that in him and his seed should all the families of the earth be blessed.

P. G. — No, it is you "Mormons" who are mistaken in understanding the sayings of Paul, for he forbids plural marriage in his 1st letter to Timothy, .3rd chapter, where he declares to him that a bi.shop or deacon shall be the husband of but one wife.

M, E. — I deny that Paul gives to Timothy any such advice. Paul simply tells Timothy that a bishop must be the husband of one wife, and gives the same counsel as being applicable to deacons. They were to be married men, and to have at least one wife before they were eligible to those offices in the church. But if, as you misquoted and nuide I'aul to say, "but one wife," then we are to conclude that other othcers and the members of the church were to bo at liberty to take more than one wife. AVliich horn of the dilemma will you choose?

1'. G. — It is very singular, indeed, if polygamy was to be allowed under the New Testament covenant, that the Savior of the world failed to command or promise it.

.M. Iv — Tlie Savior did promise it. "And Jesns an.swered and .Slid, ^ erily I .«ay unto you. There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or i'atlier, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, but he shall receive an liundredfold now in this time, houses, and liri'thren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with pers(!cutions ; and in the world to come eternal life."

]'. (r. — •( 'rriiim/ihanlli/). All, but you .see in the recapitula- tion the Savior leaves out the luoniise of wives, which proves conclusively that you are wrong, for had lie intended any such i)romise, He would not have omitted it.

a"TJ-^Ei3^II-.E IIsrSTI?.TJOTOI^.

261

workers with Luther when he first came into Speier had to endure considerable persecution in the beginning, still his teachings rapidly grew in favor, until the majority of the in- habitants held him in great reverence.

At the present time a great many Catholic priests live in this place. At one time I counted some twenty-five in the church. There is also a school here, which some fifty boys and young men attend to learn to "preach for hire and divine for money."

We walked through the city and viewed the buildings, the most of which are very low and ancient- looking. We also went out in the suburbs for some little time. We saw the remains of the old wall which formerly served as a defense to the city, and also the moat, where water anciently helped to prevent the entrance of the enemy. The city, generally is clean, and the inhabitants are mostly engaged in farming or gardening.

{.To he Continued.)

THE

LANDS OF NEPHITES.

THE

BY G. R.

TO the ancient Nephites the whole of North America was known as the land of Mulek, and South America as the land of Lehi ; or, to use the exact language of the Book of Mormon, "the land south was called Lehi, and the land north was called 31 ulek." (445*)

The reason why these names were so given, was because the Lord brought "Mulek into the land north, and Lohi into the land south," when he led them from Judea to this greater land of promise.

From the days of Mosiah to the era of Christ's advent, South America was divided into two grand divisions. These were the land of Zirahemla and the land of Nephi. During this period, except in times of war, the Lanianites occupied the land of Nephi, and the Nephites inhabited the land of Zarahemla.

That these two lands occupied the whole of the southern continent is shown by the statement of the sacred writer: "Thus the land of Nephi, and the land of Zajahemla. were nearly surrounded by water; there being a small neck of land between the land northward and the land southward." (303). The width of this narrow neck of land that connected the two continents is in one place said to have been "the distance of a day and a half's. journey for a Nephite." (303). In another place it is called "a day's journey." (437). Perhaps the places spoken of are not identical, but one may have*been slightly to the north of the other along the line of the isthmus.

Both the lands of Nephi and Zarahemla were subdivided, for governmental purposes, into smaller lands, states or dis- tricts. Among the Nephites, these lands, in the days of the republic, were ruled by a local chief judge, subject to the chief judge of the whole nation ; and among the liamaniies by kings, who were tributary to the head king, whose .seat of government was at the city of Nephi.

The land of Nephi covered a much larger area of country than did the land of Zarahemla. The two countries were seiiarated by the wilderness which extended entirely across the continent from the shores of the Atlantic to the I'acific Ocean.

It '--Tbe figurea refer to pages in the Book of Mormon, new edition.

The northern edge of this wilderness ran in a line almost due east and west, and passed near the head of the river Sidon. The Sidon is generally understood to be the river called the Magdalena in these days.

All north of this belt of wilderness was considered the land of Zarahemla; all south of it was included in the land of Nephi. We are nowhere told its exact breadth, and can only judge thereof from casual references in the historical narrative of the Book of Mormon.

The river Sidon flowed through the centre of the Nephite civilization of the days of the republic. After the convulsions that attended the crucifixion of the Holy Messiah, the physi- cal and political geography of the continent was greatly changed, and the new conditions are very vaguely defined by the inspired historians.

On the western bank of the river Sidon was built the city of Zarahemla. From the time of its first occupancy by the Nephites, to the date of its destruction by fire (457) at the crucifixion, it was the capital or chief city of the nation, the centre of their commercial activities, and the seat of govern- ment. It was the largest and oldest city within their borders, having been founded by the people of Zarahemla before the exodus of the Nephites, under the first Mosiah, from the land of Nephi.

When the Nephites, by reason of increasing numbers, the exigencies of war, or for other causes founded new cities, the cities so built were generally called after the name of the leader of the colony or .some illustrious citizsn, and the land immediately surrounding, contiguous or tributary to the new city was called by the same name. As an example, we will take the city .and land of Ammonihah, regarding which it is written: "Now it was the custom of the people of Nephi, to call their lands and their cities, and their villages, yea, even all their small villages, after the name of him who first pos- sessed them; and thus it was with the land o." Ammonihah" (2.^6).

Some of these lands appear to have been relatively small, more resembling a county, or possibly a township, than any other division at present prevailing in this country. Such we suppose to have been the lands of Helam and Moreanton. Others, such as the lands of Bountiful and Desolation, embraced wide, extended tracts of country. (To he Confinueil.)

M~^-"M

^nrrtii^^mltntt.

SPIRIT OF PERSECUTION— ELDERS THREATENED "WITH WHIPPING AND HANGING.

MuDpT Branch, Johnson' Co., Ky.,

November G, 1880. Dear Brother Lam/icrt,

I think a line would be of some interest to you from this part of the Lord's vineyard. Since writing last to you. Brother Butterlield and I took a trij) to Lawrence County, wliure we staid a short tiino and baptized one member.

When returning, we visited the Saints in Joliuson County, and from tlicre wo started out to a now Held of liibor, tniveling west as I'ar as Owsley County, going through Morgan and Uroathitt Counties. Whilo in the latter County wo held ten meetings, which were well attondod, and nuiny sounied anxious to hear us talk upon the principles of Iho gospel.

S6S

J-TJ^EZsTILE IIsrST^E^TJCTOIE?..

We traveled two hundred and twenty-five miles while on the trip, and were generally well received.

On our return we had the pleasure of meeting with Brothers Kidd and Densley, and I assure you we were pleased to see them after so long a separation.

Brothers Butterfield and Kidd have left for the South, and will go as far as Perry and Letcher Counties, Brother Densley and 1 went into Lawrence County. On the 28th of Octoher we baptized another member into the Church. This seemed to fire the whole neighborhood. Two days afterwards a band of "Regulators," as they termed themselves, made an attack on us about ten o'clock at night, took us out of bed into the rain and wind and through creeks to a place thP3' had previously selected by two oak tree*, where tliey had made all preparations to liang us. After we arrived at the spot, the mob asked the party that waited for them by the oak trees if the ropes and withes were ready. Th? answer was, "Yes.' They placed us face to face and told us to say what we had to say. At this time a man by the name of James C. Coddel, who was stopping at the same place that we were, came up, and they told him to leave. He told them he knew them, and would indict every one of them. They shot at him twice, and as ho was going away he met his mother, coming with a light. "When llie mob saw the light they began to get uneasy. Some were in favor of leaving; but one man said they were not doing their duty unless they gave us thirty- five lashes each. Another wanted to give us fifteen each. They, however, took a vote to see who were in favor of thrashing us, and who were not. The majority were in favor of letting us free, and so we escaped unhurt.

Some of the very w')r.^t of the drunken set got hold of me, one by each arm, and one behind with a big club over my head. Another stood in front making threats and telling what tliey intended to do. He struck at me; but as I was watching him and raised my head, saved a blow in the face but received it under the chin.

I have seen no finer prospects for conversions in the State than there. Some ten or fifteen were about to receive the truth; but we had to leave the place fur a while, or run the risk of losing our lives, as the mob swore they would hang us if we were there the next Sunday night. Some of the citizens did not want us to go, and they guarded us two nights.

I know there will be a good work done there shortly. I feel well in my labors, and rejoice that I have the privilege of pro- claiming the gospel message to a fallen race.

The tracts that were sent here are a great help to us all. All the Elders should have some, as they will open many places that would probably otherwise remain closed against us.

I pray (lod to bless you in your labors, and all faithful Saints.

I remain your brother, Gordon S. I5ii.i.s.

LETTEIl FUOM ONE JiOYS.

OF THE

Salt Lake City,

November 10, 1880. Mrf. Ilnnnnh T. Khiij,

Dkar Frikni>: — I have read with great interest your correspondence with the "Boy.*," of whom I am one, though "out of my leens."

I have. I believe, fully read your feelings and motives in open- ing this unique correspondence, and feel that you ought to be acknowledged and supported in it by j-oung and old. If kept up with vim and spirit and sustained by the best thuughls Hi;d sentimenti of the boys, it would call out ideas and feelings fmni the treasury of your experienced mind that otherwi?e miglit 1 ii' unknown at.d unappreciated, yourself! The flint must be strui k before it can produce lire.

I have felt,, in reading ymir letters, that you underitand the workiiijjs of the youthful mind; and you arc gentle and consid-

erate towards it, and withal, earnest, candid and truthful. Hence, I have delighted in reading your words.

It is generally by still small voices that great things are accom- plished, but in the present day the vo.v popttli is the voice of Naaman. Some great thing must be done : a person must come with a trumpet blown before him, or some high-sounding name or professorship, and then the public ear can listen; and there is a rush to hear, to sec, to commend, to pour money into the new treasur3', let it come or go as it may. But to the humble, the unpretending, the poor (only) in greenbacks, people have no time to listen, nor to patronize such, though they can find time to "pooh, pooh," to assume the critic, or rather, -the would be critic.

Such is the spirit we meet; but that spirit is not born of intel- ligence, of education, of understanding, of appreciation, and consequently, nof of God-

The day of small things has ever heralded great and enduring ones, as history and biography, sacred and secular, will at once demonstrate.

"Rome was not built in a day," and America had to be dis- covered. Diamonds and gold have to be dug out of the earth, and come forth embedded in worthless materials; but passed through the processes of the lapidary and the crucible, they go far to make up the grandeur and the greatness of this world ; for they are the gods of the earth, and by them, nations and king- doms, and often the souls of men and w"omen are bought and sold.

I did not think to have said so much, but it is written, and if agreeable I may write again some time.

Remember, I am out of my teens, but still rejoicing in the blessed title of

One of the Boys.

BOOK OF MORMON SKETCHES.

BY'JAS. A. LITTLE.

{Coiitinncd.) ^|"^HE Prophet Mormon, whose father's name was also Mor- -*■ luon, opens up the history of his personal administration by stating that he made a record of the things which he had seen and heard, and called it the Book of Mormon. This book forms a part of the more general work which he com- piled, known by that name.

He was aljout ten years old when Ammarou hid up the records. Ammai'oij came to Mormon and said: "I perceive that thou art a sober child, and art (luick to observe; there- ibre when ye are about twenty and four years old, I would that je should remember the things that ye have observed concerning this people ; and when ye are of that age, go to the land Anium, unto a hill which .shall be called Shim; and there have I deposited unto ihe Lord, all the sacred engrav- ings concerning this people."

He was directed to take the p'atcs of Nephi, leave the remainder where they were, and engrave on those he should take, what he had observed concerning his people.

When he receivvd this cliargc from Ammaron, he doubt- less lived in North America, a considerable distance north of the land liountiful. \\'hen he was eleven years old he was carried by his 'athcr into the land of Zarahemla.

He states that the face of the country was covered with building.s, and the people seemed almost as numerous as the sards of the seashore.

In this i-oar (:;i;l, A. 1). ) a war began between the Nephites and Limanitcs. It is evident, at this late period of Nephite history, tliat family or tribal relations were well defined and understood, as the historian stales that the Nephites consisted

a-D-VEn^iLE in^sTi^TJOToi^.

S63

of NepHtes, Jacc?'Jifes," Josephites and Zoramites; and the Lamanites consisted of Lamanites, J^emueliies and Ishmael- ites. The more general names of Nephites and Lamanites designated the two peoples.

This war may be considered the commencement of the last great struggle between them, which culminated, 63 years after, in the destruction of the Nephites in the battle of Cumorah.

The war commenced near the southern frontier of the land of Zarahemla, by the river Sidon, now known as the Magda- lena. The Nephite army numbered over 30,000 men.

Several battles were fought during this year, in which the Nephites were victorious, and a great slaughter was made among the rj^manites. The contest appears to have been short but very severe. It was succeeded by a peace of about four years.

Wickedness prevailed, and the disciples of Jesus, who were to remain on the earth until His coming, were taken away, and the gospel dispensation among the Nephites, as a people, may be considered to have closed.

We are not iaformed Njat there was another prophet, besides Mormop', among the Nephites at this time, and he was forbidden to ptfeach to them.

The Gadiaiflpn robbers were so numerous that the people began to hide up their treasures in the earth, for there was such a curse on the land that they became slippery, and could not be retained.

There began to be war again between the Nephites and Lamanites. 3Iormon, being largo of stature, was appointed, at the age of sixteen years, to command the Nephite armies.

In the year 326, A. D., he led an army against the Laman- ites ; but the year appears to have passed away without any very important event.

The following year, tho Lamanites attacked in such immense numbers that the armies of the Nephites were frightened, refused to fight, and began to retreat towards the north country. They made a stand at the city of Angola, and forti- fied it, but were driven nut by the Lamanites.

They retreated into the land of Joshua, which was in the borders by the west sea. There the people were gathered as fast as possible into one body. '

There must have been at this tiffie, a great destruction of human life and of the means of sustaining it, for the land was filled with robbers, and there was great destruction and car- nage of both Lamanites and Nephites.

At this time the forces of Mormon numbered 42,000 men. Aaron, the king of the Lamanites, attacked it with 44,000, and was defeated.

In their afllietions the Nephites manifested some signs of repentance and reformation, and Mormon indulged in some hope that they might Iccomc more united and have jiower over their enemies ; but time dispelled these anticipations, and he saw nothing but destruction before them. Thousands were hewn down "and heaped up as dung upon the face of the land."

During a period of thirteen or fourteen years, the war appears, at times, to have been waged with considerable violence ; but tho historian has left us but little information concerning it. I>uring a great part of this period it was jirob- ably pretty evenly balanced, but in the latter part of it the Lamanites appear to have (gained some decisive victories.

In the year :i40, the Nephites were compelled to retreat again before their enemies. Mormon found it impossible to check their retreat until they arrived at the land of Jashou.

This was not the land of Jershon occupied by the people of Ammon, in the land of Zarahemla, but rather some consider- able distance north of the line across the narrow neck of land, between the lands Bountiful and Desolation. The city of this name was near the place where Ammaron had deposited the sacred records, that they might not be destroyed.

Mormon, as he had been instructed to do, some twenty-five years before, went to the place of deposit. He took out the plates of Nephi, and wrote on them a full account of his people during his day. On the plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated, he states that he wrote only a short sketch of the great destruction of his people.

This was a very disastrous year to the Nephites. They were again hunted and driven northward to the land of Shem, and they fortified the city of Shem. There another effort was made to concentrate the people, and save as many as possible from destruction.

In the year 346, A. D., the Lamanites attacked the city of Shem in great force. Mormon succeeded in inspiring his people with considerable energy and courage, and they were once more successful. With an army of ;;0,000, the Laman- ites, numbering .50,000, were beaten and pursued, but again rallied, to be defeated the second time. .

Victory continued to crown the efforts of the Nephites, until they again obtained possession of their lands.

In the year 350, A. D., a treaty was concluded between the contending parties, in which the land was divided. The land south of the isthmus was retained by the Lamanites, while the Nephites held the land north.

Probably both parties retained pretty much what they actually held jiossession of.

A peace of ten years followed this treaty. The time was spent by the Nephites in preparing for another struggle.

Mormon was commanded to preach repentance and baptism to the people, and endeavor to again establish the gospel church. The effort was not successful, for they wore so far gone in wickedness that they neither saw nor acknowledged tho iirovidences of God.

In the year 361, A. D. , Mormon received an epistle from the king of the Lamanites, by which he learned that they were again preparing to attack the Nephites. He made the best possible preparation for the struggle, by gathering his forces together on the line across the isthmus, designated by the treaty ten years previous.

There is little doubt but that the Nephites had constructed a chain of fortifications across the narrow neck of land, of which the city of Desolation was the key or principal strong- hold.

The Lamanites made an attack this year, as expected, but were so badly defeated that they returned to their own lands. They made another attack the following year, but were defeated with great slaughter and their dead thrown into the sea.

These victories made the Nephites loastful and self confi- dent, which paved the way for their defeat. They wickedly swore that they would avenge the blood of their brethren, and instead of acting prudently on the defensive, they determined to attack their enemies.

This was in direct opposition to the counsels and policy of General Mormon. lie utterly refused to lead them, and left them to pursue their own reckless course. [To he Continued.)

S<"'iKTV is no comfort to one not sociable.

i0^

J"TJ'VE!3^IILE IIsTSTI^TJOTOIi:..

i^qtzvr:

±JZz

Eg=i^gE

liajipv band of chilJrcu. All iovous, blithe and free; With thankful hearts and^

z2=z>z z± ^-

:t:=t=t:

=;

> ^ • >

-t>>-

?5

:S=S;=i

:S:E?^

— — » — ^-

l~» g

prais - es, 0 Lord, we come to Thee.

E^£

zt=z=S=^9

zzzK

AVe thank Thee, Lord, for blessings, So

« — fi«. '

s^=l=t=EH§^J=lE£

z.^zz

=z^=zz^=^

^^—J^—.>^ — -^

::)=

=n

bc.vond_ coiuparc— For life, for health and raiment, And Thy pro - tect - ing care.

z^zzzzz^z

zjg jp:

Z^^ZZiZZ

-Mzz

But most of alt, we iJiank Thee, Fur thy rcdcornins .?iaoo;

That we may have salvation, And see Thee face to lace.

O Lord, do Thou watch o'er us,

And keep us day by day; And ble.-s Thy church and kingdom.

Thy little servants pray.

A

LITTLE CHILD MAY BE USEFUL.

I may, if I have but a mind,

Do good in many ways; Plenty to dii the young may find,

In thc-o iiur busy days. Sad would it be, though j-oung and small, If I Were of no use at all.

One gentle word that I may speak,

Or one kind, loving deed. May, though a tritle poor and weak.

Prove like a tiny seed; And who can toll what good may spring From such a very little thing?

Then let me try, each day and hour.

To act upon this jilan; What little good is in my power.

To do it while I can. If to bo useful thus I try, I may do better by-and-by.

TIon't covet the iio«ses;ioiis of any man until you arc willing to pay for tlicin the jirice wliidi lie jiaiii; then you will not need to covet them, for you v\n go and get them for yourself.

11 F. who.spend.s his youneerdaysin dissipation i.s mortgaging himself to di.sease and jioverty. two inexorable creditors, who are certain to foreclose at last and take possession of the premises.

l-O

A BOOK OF MORMON ENIGMA.

BY G. R.

3.

ites;

4. h. ti.

A wicked Nephite king;

An early Nephite prophet;

A Nephite chief judge slain in battle with the Laman-

A son of King Mosiah; The father of Giddonah; Alma's first convert; A Lamauite king;

A brother of Ammon, the Zarahemlitc. The first letters of the names of the above will give the name of a righteous chief judge of the Nephite llepublic.

s.

Is Published in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory,

ON TUE FIRST AND FIFTEENTH OF EVERY MONTH.

OEORGE Q. CANNON, ------ - - KDITOR.

TERMS IN ADVANCE. Sinr/h Copy, per Annnm, - - - $2.00. On Copies Sent by Mail Outside of Salt Like County, Ten Cents per Year, additional, will be Charged, for Postage.

^»-OHice, South TomploSlreot,Om-and-a-half Blocks Wes of Tabernacle, Salt Lake City.