MORMONISM.
THE STATE AND PROSPECTS OF UTAH.
From The Seer.
SECOND EPISTLE OF ORSON PRATT.
To the Saints scattered throughout the United States and British Pro-vinces, greeting:
DEAR BRETHREN : With a heart full of gratitude to the great Giver of every good and perfect gift, for His mani-fold mercies and blessings so liberally bestowed upon His people in the last days, I again attempt to communicate to you, through the medium of an Epistle, such items of in-telligence and instruction, as will, no doubt, be interesting to you to learn.
Utah, the great central gathering place for the Saints throughout the world, is in a very prosperous and flourish-ing condition: her settlements are rapidly extending throughout the breadth of the Territory, north and south. This Territory is included between the parallels of 37 deg. and 42 deg. North, and between the meridians of 29 deg. and 43 deg. West of Washington ; or in other words, it is about 350 miles broad from north to south, and about 650 miles long from east to west, including an area of about 225,000 square miles. The Legislature, during its first session, in 1852, divided the Territory into twelve Coun-ties, namely: Weber, Davis, Deseret, Green River, Great Salt Lake, Utah, Tooele, Juab, Millard, San Pete, Iron, and Washington. These Counties are mostly bounded by meridians and. parallels of latitude, and include the whole Territory. By far the greater portion of this Territory consists of mountains and deserts en-tirely unfit for the habitation of man or animals.—In the midst of these dreary wastes, may be seen, here and there, beautiful and fertile valleys, watered by crystal streams, formed by the melting snows, which are deposi-ted, during the winter, in vast abundance upon the sur-rounding mountains. During the summer, it is seldom that a sufficient quantity of rain falls for farming purposes; hence, the husbandman is obliged to resort to the process of irrigation: this is accomplished by forming artificial canals and channels in which the water is conveyed from the higher elevations near the base of the mountains to the lower portions towards the centers of the valleys, and is used at such times and in such quantities, as are consid-ered necessary by the agriculturist.
Grains and vegetables of every description that are pro-duced in the same latitudes in the States, grow in the most luxuriant abundance. Young fruit trees seem to be thrifty and doing well: some peaches have been produced for two or three years past. It is one of the best grazing coun-tries in the world; the fine bunch grass will fatten cattle and horses equal to grain ; it is seldom that farmers cut much hay, for the cattle can generally find good grazing he year round.
Timber for building purposes, is not found in the valleys, but is procured from the mountains, and consists princi-pally of pine and fir. Wood for fuel is abo generally ob-tained in the mountains, although in some of the more southern parts a scrubby cedar grows in places in the valleys; it is quite expensive and tedious to procure the necessary timber and fuel. Coal and iron ore abound in the southern counties, and probably in many other places where they are not yet discovered. And most hap-pily gold, silver, and other precious metals do not, to any great extent, trouble Utah's soil; or at least, the people have not been so unfortunate as to discover them, during the infancy of their settlements.
Many of the fresh water lakes and larger streams are well stored with fish, of which the salmon trout is the prin-cipal. Game is rather scarce; although in the mountains and uninhabited valleys there are occasionally seen some few antelope, deer, elk, mountain sheep, foxes, wolves, and grizly bears. Large quantities of wild fowl, principally geese and ducks, abound in the vicinity of lakes and water courses.
The climate in midsummer is dry and hot; the thermom-eter, during the middle of the day, frequently ranging, in the shade, from 90 deg. to 105 deg. Fahrenheit; evenings and mornings generally cool, being refreshed by mountain breezes. The atmosphere is pure and healthy, and very bracing and invigorating to the system. That dreadful scourge—the cholera—which has found its way into almost every nook and corner of our globe, has not yet been per-mitted to scale the summit of the "everlasting hills," and enter those healthful vales. The winters are mild. Snow, seldom falling in the valleys but a few inches in depth, soon disappears under the warming influences of the bright rays of the sun, as they penetrate, without much obstruc-tion, the serene, almost cloudless, and rarefied atmosphere of that elevated region. Spring and autumn are also mild; though given to more sudden transitions from cold to heat, and from heat to cold, than climates of the same latitudes on the Atlantic coast. Vines, vegetables, corn, &c., are frequently injured by untimely frosts. Winds are exceed-ing variable, shifting almost every day to the four points of the compass: heavy showers are rare, but when they do come, they are generally accompanied with thunder and hail, and sometimes with strong winds.
The lowest of these valleys are elevated more than 4,000 feet above the sea level; while the elevation of some of the more southern ones, where settlements are formed, is near 6,000 feet. The mountains in many places in the im-mediate vicinity of the settlements, tower up in rugged majestic grandeur from 4,000 to 7,000 feet in perpendicular hight above the valleys. The summits of these mountains, whitened with eternal snows, glisten in the sunbeams and exhibit sceneries of the most dazzling splendor and pictur-esque beauty, as if covered with the glories of heaven like Sinai of old.
There are several small tribes or rather bands of Indians, inhabiting different parts of the territory, who are sunk in the lowest depths of darkness, degradation, and misery. These bands wander over the territory, often robbing and murdering one another, and stealing whenever they have a favorable opportunity. They live mostly on berries, roots, crickets, fish, and such small game as they may be able to procure with the bow and arrow. They are almost entirely naked. Sometimes, though very rarely, they have tents or wigwams formed of the skins of animals; but most generally they live in caves or in a thick cluster of bushes without much shelter except a few limbs of small trees, bent down and loosely covered with branches. Since the settlement of the Saints in that territory, their condi-tion is being greatly improved: many are beginning to la-bor and thus furnish themselves with food, and blankets, and in some instances with houses which the Saints have erected for them: although of late, through the treacher-ous, restless and warlike spirit of Walker, one of their principal chiefs, they have been stirred up to hostilities, and have committed some depredations; but through the wise and energetic policy of Gov. Young in placing all the settlements in a state of defense, and in giving strict counsel to the Saints to act only on the defensive, it is to be hoped that they will soon see their folly, and cease their hostilities, and learn that the Saints are their friends, and not their enemies.
The population of Utah numbers from thirty to thirty-five thousand, and is annually increasing by the emigra-tion of the saints from the different nations of the earth. A chain of settlements has been formed extending north and south some 350 miles. Many small cities have been founded and incorporated, with certain powers and privi-leges, by the Legislature. The following are some of the principal villages and cities of the territory, named in the order of their succession, commencing on the north: Brownsville, Ogden, Great Salt Lake, Lehi, Provo, Spring-ville, Nephi, Manti, Fillmore, Parovan and Cedar cities. Fillmore City, being near the center of this chain of settle-ments, is appointed as the seat of government, at which place the State House is being built. Great Salt Lake City is by far the largest and most populous in the terri-tory ; it covers an area of several square miles, and con-tains from eight to ten thousand inhabitants. The streets are eight rods wide, crossing each other at right angles, and running north and south, east and west; each block contains ten acres, and is divided into eight lots, each ten rods wide by twenty long, affording an acre and one quar-ter for a building spot and garden to each family. One of these squares was reserved for public buildings, on which a tabernacle has been erected and completed that will ac-commodate about 3,000 persons. A temple also is to be reared upon the same, the foundation of which was laid on the sixth of April last. This whole block is fast being inclosed by a high wall, encircling a large public joiners' shop, which is to be used in the construction of the temple. With common prosperity and the blessings of Heaven, in a few years will be seen a large and magnificent temple, with its towers pointing toward heaven, erected upon that lovely and consecrated spot. There are several other public buildings in the city, among which may be men-tioned the Social Hall and Council-House; in the latter of which the Legislature have as yet held their sessions.
Great attention is being paid to the erection of school-houses and the education of youth. And it is to be fondly hoped that the rising generation in Utah will be generally and thoroughly educated in every useful branch of learn-ing and science. A foundation is being laid, broadband deep, to accomplish this most desirable object. It is in contemplation to erect a magnificent university, in which the higher departments of science will be extensively taught; that Utah, being filled with the knowledge of heaven and earth, may be as a great light upon the mount-ains, which shall be seen by the nations afar off, and cause many of them to exclaim, "Come, let us arise, and go up
"unto the mountains of Zion, unto the house of the God
"of Jacob, that we also may be taught in his ways and in-
“structed in his paths; for there are no people like the in-
“habitants of Zion, full of wisdom, knowledge and power;
"their laws are founded in justice, equity, and truth; and
"their officers execute righteousness in the land; peace
"and salvation are within their borders, and the Holy One
"of Israel is their strength for evermore."
The most of the buildings in Utah are constructed of "adobes" or sun-dried brick, which, when properly made, are not only durable, but impart beauty to the edifices erected with them, giving them the appearance of stone.
Many good flouring mills are in operation, and also many saw-mills. It is the intention of the Saints to establish manufactories of various descriptions, and as much as pos-sible produce within themselves from the raw material, all kinds of useful machinery, cloths, domestics, prints, shawls, hats, leather, pots, kettles, stoves, all kinds of farming utensils, hardware, earthernware, tinware, chairs, tables, bedsteads, sugar, paper, glass, nails, mechanic tools, and everything else which will tend to the peace, comfort, wel-fare, prosperity, and happiness of the Territory. Many of these branches of business are already in successful opera-tion ; and by proper industry and perseverance, the Saints will not, after a few years, be dependant on foreign na-tions, or even the States, for the necessaries and luxuries of life.
At present goods are purchased in the States, and trans-ported by wagons across the plains at an expense of about $250 per tun, which, added to the great profits that mer-chants generally realize by the sale of the same through-out the Territory, cause the various articles of merchan-dise to be exceedingly expensive.
Up to the present time, farmers have found a ready market for all their surplus grain and other productions through the increased numbers of the saints which annu-ally pour into the territory, and also through the overland California emigration which, for the most part, pass through Utah and recruit themselves with a fresh supply of provisions. Horses, mules, cattle and sheep find ready sale in California. The great facilities presented for rais-ing stock without much expense, will cause that branch of business to be one of the most profitable and lucrative of any in the country.
It is required of all the Saints to give one-tenth of all their property as tithing, which is given into the hands of the principal Bishop or his agents to be under the control of the First Presidency of the Church for the erection of church buildings and other public works ; and also to be applied to whatever object maybe considered for the ben-efit of the Saints. The Saints also are required to give one tenth of their annual income as tithing for the same purposes as above specified.
Independent of the tithing, another fund has been rais-ed by the voluntary donations of the Saints throughout the world, called "The Perpetual Emigrating Fund." This fund is intended to assist the poor among the Saints in gathering out from all nations. Those whom the agents assist through the medium of this fund, are required to give a written bond or obligation, that they will refund by their labor or otherwise, after they arrive in Utah, the amount which has been expended for their benefit. By this policy, hundreds of the poor are gathered annually, and still the fund in the end is not diminished. It now amounts to upwards of thirty thousand dollars, and will, no doubt, through the liberality of the Saints, shortly be swelled to ten times that sum.
The Saints throughout the United States and British Provinces are required to forward, by letter or otherwise, their tithings to me, according to the instructions of the First Presidency in their letter of appointment to me, pub-lished in the first No. of the first volume of The Seer. Let all the Saints remember, both rich and poor, that the Lord requires them to give the value of one-tenth part of all they possess. If any Saint possesses ten dollars, one dol-lar of the same is the Lord's; if he possesses ten millions of dollars, one million is the Lord's. And let every Saint remember that alter he has given one-tenth of all he pos-sesses, he must still continue to give each year one-tenth of his income ; whether such income arises from labor, business, increase of stock, or in any other way : one-tenth thereof is the Lord's, and should be given to him every year. How many of the Saints in our field of labor are delinquents ? How many have failed to comply with the word of the Lord in regard to the payment of their tith-ing? Let them remember, also, that those whose names are not found on the tithing books, as having paid up the full amount of their tithing, can in no wise be permitted to enter the holy temple and receive their endowments; those great and holy temple ordinances, instituted from be-fore the foundation of the world, as the only means by which the Saints can be exalted to the fulness of celestial glory, will be withheld from them until the debt is can-celled ; it is a debt which you owe the Lord; and it is for your good to pay it: as to the faithful servants of God, it matters not to them whether you pay your tithing or not; the Church can get along without it: it is only for your own good that you are exhorted to obey the Lord in this thing, knowing that if you fail, you cannot receive the blessing.
All who wish to donate to the "Perpetual Emigrating
"Fund" can forward their subscriptions to me, and the same will be entered in our books, which will, in connec-tion with the tithing-books, be handed over in due time to the Bishop in Zion, to be copied into the General Records.
At a special conference held by the Saints in Salt Lake City, in August, 1852, about one hundred missionaries were sent to the various nations of the earth; twenty five others were sent forth by the general conference in April last; and doubtless many more have received missions at the special conference held in August last, the proceedings of which have not yet reached me.
The Book of Mormon has been translated and published in the Danish, German, Italian, French and Welsh lan-guages; a translation is also nearly completed in the na-tive tongue of the Sandwich Islands, and instructions have been given to the missionaries to translate it into every language under heaven, as fast as time and circumstances will permit. The revelations and commandments have also been translated into several languages, as well as nu-merous other publications of the Church. A periodical, devoted to the doctrine of the Saints, has been published for several years in the Welsh language. Elder Stenhouse publishes a monthly periodical in Switzerland, in the French; and another is being published in Paris in the same language. The Deseret News, a semi-monthly news-paper, is published in Great Salt Lake City, at $5 per an-num, in advance. The Millenial Star was commenced in England in 1840 ; it now has a weekly circulation of about eighteen thousand. Besides all these, hundreds of thou-sands of pamphlets have been widely; circulated in the British Isles, in Europe, Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands, and America, elucidating the doctrines of the Saints.
The Statistical Report of the Church of the Saints in the British Islands, for the half year ending June 30,1853, gives the following total: 53 Conferences, 737 branches, 40 Seventies, 10 High Priests, 2,578 Elders, 1,854 Priests, 1,416 Teachers, 834 Deacons, 1,776 excommunicated, 274 dead, 1,722 emigrated, 2,601 baptized. 30,690 total.
In the Society Islands in the Spring of 1852, the Saints numbered between 1,500 and 2,000; these were scattered over some 20 Islands, and were greatly persecuted by the Roman Catholics and the French authorities; many were severely whipped; large numbers of others closely confin-ed ; and others still, threatened with death; their only crime consisted of meeting together for prayer.
At a conference, held on the 9th of last March on one of the Sandwich Islands, there were represented 18 Mis-sionaries from Utah and about 1,200 Saints who dwell on different Islands of the group. From a letter, dated April 26, 1853, the work is rapidly progressing at Hono-lulu, as many as 39 having been baptized in one day. A branch of about 80 newly baptized persons had just been organized.
In a letter from Elder Charles W. Wandell, dated Syd-ney, March 29, 1853, we learn that there were upwards of one hundred Saints in Australia. A small company of 29 persons were about to sail for California, on their way to the Salt Lake.
On the 23d of July last, the French Mission consisted of 4 Conferences, 9 branches, and a total number of 337 members, including officers.
The work in Italy, Switzerland, and Germany is slowly, but steadily progressing. In Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, persecution rages. The Saints are whipped, im-prisoned, and mobbed for preaching praying, and baptis-ing ; and yet hundreds are constantly embracing the doc-trine. In Asia the work progresses but slowly; but as there have been a number of missionaries lately sent to China, Hindostan, East Indies, and Siam, it is likely, that we shall, before many months, obtain good news from them. At Malta many have been baptized and the truth is spreading. Baptisms have commenced at Gibralter; and at the Cape of Good Hope, some are investigating the fulness of the gospel.
A large company of Danish Saints have already emi-grated to Utah. A few German Saints left Hamburgh the 13th of August, on their way to Salt Lake.
A few are being baptised into the church in several of the States, and in the British Provinces.
A large colony of the Saints is founded in Southern California under the presidency of Amasa Lyman and Charles C. Rich, two of the twelve.
I shall not attempt in this short epistle to give one hun-dredth part of the interesting news which begins to pour in from all nations wherever the Latter-Day Saint Mission-aries are sent. Surely the Gospel will soon be preached as a witness to all the world preparatory to the coming of our Lord. What are the Saints in the United States doing ? Are they asleep ? Have their lamps gone out ? I marvel at the apparent drowsiness and lethargy that seems to hang heavily over some of them. But this is not to be wondered at; for many that have had means, have neglect-ed the great command of God to gather with His people. Such can no more enjoy the spirit of this work and the approbation of heaven, than the wicked ungodly sects with whom they are surrounded. God will not give them His Spirit until they manifest a sincere and humble repent-ance of their disobedience, by gathering. Let such be-ware, lest in an hour they think not, the wrath of God shall fall heavily upon them, and they perish in their sins. God is not to be mocked in this dispensation by those who pro-fess his name. They will go forward in obedience to every command, or go backward in coldness and apostacy. And Oh, how awful is the condition of them who apostatize from this Church! far better would it have been for them, if they had never been born, for they are to be cursed with the heaviest of all cursings, because they sin against so great light.
Let the presiding Elders of conferences and branches in the States and Provinces seek diligently to purify their own hearts, and cry mightily to God for his Spirit; after which, let them, hunt up the Saints, and strengthen them that are weak, and minister to them who are ready to per-ish ; inquire into the standing of every officer and exhort him to perform his duty. Let the teachers and deacons visit the members often, as instructed in the book of Cov-enants; and let every branch meet often to pray, and hear the preaching of the word. If any are, in transgression, use every means that the gospel requires to reclaim them; if they will not repent, suffer them not to remain in the church.
Where there are organized conferences, let the presiding officer of each branch report to the President of the con-ference in which such branch is included, the number of officers and members in his branch; and let the President of the conference report in writing, to our office in Wash-ington, the total number of branches, officers and members in his conference. And where there is no organized con-ference, let the Presidents of branches, through the States and Provinces, report by letter to us the number of officers and members in their respective branches, and also the number of scattered members in the vicinity of each who are not organized into branches.
Let the presiding officers of the conferences exert them-selves to procure subscribers for The Seer, and for all the church publications; let an agent be appointed in each branch, to whom The Seer, books, pamphlets, &c., shall be addressed. In this way, it will be unnecessary, in most cases, to send me the names of subscribers; I can fur-nish the agent with whatever he may order, and he can furnish the subscribers. But in all cases, if the agent would have his orders attended to, he must forward to me the subscription money in advance. By a little exertion, the saints might obtain many subscribers out of the church.
For the prosperity of the work, I would suggest that each branch raise a subscription for the purpose of pro-curing quantities of the various tracts, which we have on hand, and which can be circulated by lending them through their respective neighborhoods, and thus many may be brought to the knowledge of the truth. This plan has been adopted with great success in England, and in other parts of the world. In England, tract distributors go round once a week, collecting such tracts as have been formerly left, and leaving others in their stead. In this manner, tens of thousands learn the truth, that would otherwise re-main ignorant.
Every Elder and Priest should diligently seek to open new doers for preaching, and labor with all patience with the inhabitants, endeavoring to persuade them to repent-ance ; it may be that some few will repent before God shall visit the nation, according to that which is decreed against them in the Book of Mormon and other revelations. At any rate, it is necessary that you should faithfully dis-charge every duty in relation to them, that your garments may be clean in the day of visitation, and that the sins of the people may be upon their own heads.
Brethren of the Priesthood, keep yourselves pure and unspotted before God; and if you know of any man in the Church who already has a wife, seeking to enter into covenant with any other female, know assuredly that he has transgressed, and unless he repent, let him be cut off from the Church
If you find any persons advocating the wicked imposi-tions of Gladden Bishop, of Charles B. Thompson, in re-gard to Baneemy, or of Strang, seek in the spirit of meek-ness to reclaim them, and if they will not repent, excom-municate them from the Church, and God will soon show you the wickedness of their hearts.
Have nothing to do with those persons who deal with fa-miliar spirits, under the names of "Mesmerism," " Elec-
"tro-Biology," "Spirit Rappings," "Table Movings,"
"Writing Mediums," &c.; for they will darken your minds and bring you to destruction ; they are the spirits of dark-ness let loose upon this generation because of their wicked-ness ; and they will increase more and more upon the earth until the coming of Christ, as the Scriptures predict.
Let all the Saints use every exertion to gather to Utah next season. The time in which the companies of Saints will start on their overland journey across the plains will be from the 10th of May to the 1st of July. The general place of rendezvous last emigration was at Keokuk, on the west bank of the Mississippi River, about 200 miles above St. Louis. The most of the Saints at a distance go by water to that place, purchasing their wagons in St. Louis and their teams in Illinois, Missouri or Iowa. Elder Horace S. Eldredge, the President of the St. Louis Con-ference will give counsel to all the emigrating Saints who may pass through St. Louis in regard to all things con-nected with their outfit for the journey. Bro. Eldredge's Post Office address is as follows : Post Box 333 St. Louis, Missouri. His residence is at No. 139 Market-st., up-stairs.
The Saints should take with them every variety of choice garden seeds; and the seeds of all kinds of good fruit; and also the chestnut, hickory-nut, black walnut, butternut, and various other kinds of nuts. Among other things, do not forget the different kinds of the best grass and clover seed. The seeds of the various kinds of useful herbs should he remembered. And finally, everything in the vegetable department that would be useful for food or medicine, or that would please the eye, the taste, or the smell, or adorn and, beautify your habitations, your gar-dens, or your, fields, should be taken along and planted in the soil of Utah.
Supply yourselves plentifully with every variety of useful school books for your children, together with his-torical and scientific works of every description; but leave novels and fictitious works behind to satisfy the perverted appetites of the children of darkness, whose souls delight in lies and fiction, far above the great truths of Heaven.
Let the Elders and officers preach faith, repentance, baptism, and the first principles of the Gospel, and such doctrines as are plain and easy to be understood: and if the people wish to learn the deep mysteries of the king-dom, let them embrace the Gospel, and go up unto the mountain of the Lord's house. If they wish to learn the particulars of Celestial Marriage, baptism for the dead, and such like doctrines, refer them to our printed works, where they can read these things at their leisure. Re-member that you have not time to preach and explain all these things to the people; for God has sent you to preach repentance and the first principles of salvation, and if mankind will not receive these things, the greater things will be of no benefit to them. There may be times when you will have to defend yourselves against the attacks of wicked men upon these points: do, at such times, as wis-dom shall direct, and be sure to connect your defense with such plain principles of doctrine, as shall be likely to do the people good. Wise servants will follow good and wise counsels, and will preach by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost; but those who give no heed, will preach their own folly, both in precept and example.
The attention of the Saints is called to the list of L. D. Saint publications, furnished in the Catalogue which has been forwarded to them. The Saints should liberally supply themselves and their children with copies of each of these works; for they will be worth more to them than gold, or silver, or the rich treasures of the earth. The Saints frequently trangress through ignorance; and this ignorance arises from a neglect to procure and read the Church publications: such ignorance is inexcusable; and such trangressions will, if not repented of, be punished.
The signs of the times are portentous, and clearly indi-cate the approaching downfall of the nations, and the overturning of kingdoms, empires, and republics, prepara-tory to the coming of Christ and his personal reign on the earth. Every individual, therefore, of the Saints should be awake to perform quickly and in righteousness every duty required of them.
Among other things, there are many of the Saints who give no heed, in the least, to what God has said in a reve-lation, entitled, "The Word of Wisdom;" they treat it with perfect indifference; yea, worse, some even boast of their disobedience to this advice, and almost laugh at those who attempt to obey it. Poor creatures! the day will come when they will mourn and lament, and that too, when it is too late to retrieve an ill spent life; when the destroying angel will teach them that every word of God means something, and that none of his sayings can be neglected with impunity. There must be a great reforma-tion among all the Saints in regard to this thing, as well as in many others, before they can expect to enjoy many of the great blessings of the last days.
There are others who call themselves Saints who neither pray in their families nor in secret, but are as cold as the northern blast in regard to their duties toward God, toward their families, and toward the Church. Such had far better be out of the Church than in it; for God will spue them out of his mouth, as corrupt fruit which has lost its flavor.
There are others whose names are enrolled among the Saints, who think more of their property than they do of salvation. Such say in their hearts, "We will wait a while
"before we gather up to Utah; it may be that the Saints
"will be driven again, and we shall lose our property
"if we go. We can tell better how things will be in a few
"years to come, and if we think our property will be safe,
"we will venture up." Woe unto to such, for nnless they speedily repent, they shall perish, and their property with them. Such covetous hypocrites are not worthy of the kingdom of God or any of its blessings, but they will go down to hell to keep company with the rich man, instead of being gathered into Abraham's bosom with poor Lazarus. The Saints must learn one lesson, namely, that all who de-sire to enter the kingdom of God must be willing to sacri-fice all things for the sake thereof; and he that is not willing to do this will surely fail, and his hopes will wither away and perish.
Finally, dear brethren, let me exhort you with all the earnestness of an humble servant of God who is deeply in-terested for your salvation, to refrain from every evil—to be examples of righteousness before saints and sinners.—Read the Book of Mormon, and the revelations and pro-phecies, given through the prophet Joseph, and obey the same. Give the most earnest heed to the counsels of the First Presidency—to the twelve, and to all the faithful au-thorities of the Church. Use every exertion to flee out from the corruptions of the Gentiles, and to obtain for yourselves an everlasting inheritance among the people of God; for the day of the wicked is far spent—their sun will soon go down in the midst of clouds and thick darkness—a long and dreary night awaits them: but upon such as fear the Lord and keep his commandments, the sun of right-eousness will arise, and their day will be glorious; for their sun shall no more go down; and God will be unto them an everlasting light which shall shine for ever more. With the most earnest desire for your salvation, both temporally and spiritually, I subscribe myself your most humble ser-vant in the kingdom of God. ORSON PRATT.
Washington, D. C., Oct. 1, 1853.
