FROM UTAH.
The Saints Planting Trees and Settling Down—A "Sign” Heavens—Mormon Sen-timent.
From the Deseret News, June 16. WHAT OF UTAH?—She is still, as invariably heretofore, setting a goodly examole in strict obe-dience to the just requirements of the Constitution and laws of the United States, in peace and good-will to every law-abiding resident and traveler with-in her borders and throughout the world, in industry, in sobriety, in good order, and in every department and channel of true political, social and moral ad-vancement. Gentlemen "outsiders," would you strike down truth, justice and liberty, and fight against Him who formed the earth we inhabit and placed us here to do good or evil, according to our agency? Then continue your efforts to oppress and exterminate the "Mormons," and to again Danish the priesthood of God from this his footstool under the shallow pretence of enforcing obedience to the Con-stitution and laws, when such obedience has, without the slightest exception, been constantly rendered by Utah; at least, until oppression, couched under false pretences, compelled a resistance which all good men should applaud and sustain, in accordance with the wise motto upon the zeal of the sage of Monticel-lo, that "resistance to tyranny is obedience to God." But who knows that the above fairly sketched char-acter of Utah is correct, and that she is so far out-stripping all others in every act and pursuit truly commendable? Every one who knows the facts, as they will testify, if they possess the candor and bold-ness characteristic of honorable, and upright men. Utah simply claims her rights; she has never claimed more; has often, for peace, waived a portion of them, and will be found in resistance only when further yielding would result in slavery or death.
A GLIMPSE AT THE OUTSIDE.—Very strong language has of late been used by the Eastern papers, in relation to the increase of crime in their midst, and the impunity with which it is committed. One of the New-York papers, in speaking of the recent murder of a woman by her husband, treats it thus:
"another atrocious murder took place yesterday, but as it was only an old-fashioned affair—a man killing his wife at the first, shot—it has not caused any great excite-ment nowadays, an exciting—or, to quote the lan-guage of contemporary—a beautiful murder is one done with some novel excitement, in novel way and under neve circumstances. There must be novelties in murders, as well as in other matters, to make them popular, so familiar are we becoming to human bloodshed The age is progressive, and so, we shame to say, is murder, as now developed
Various causes are assigned for this dreadful state of things, and numerous suggestions are made with a design to produce an amendment; but as yet there has been no remedy devised or put in operation that has effected the desired object. Every hour sees a crime committed and a crime unpunished; and ob-serving, thinking men, though to a great extent aware of the abyss to which the stream of wickedness is hur-ring society, know not how to arrest it. This is the situation of the world. The latter day-saint in Utah who peruses the long lists of crimes of every hue and character which are set forth with such shuddering minuteness in the Eastern prints, must turn from the perusal with a feeling of pity for his fellow-men and of gratitude to his God that He has gathered him out from the midst of so much corruption and wickedness.
The people of this Territory have had difficulties and hardships to contend with; they have had many things to try their faith and patience; but how prefer-able their situation ever has been to that of the people in the surrounding States and Territories, espe-cially those of them who reside in the populous cities. With all their hardships and trials, this people have been able to dwell in compa-rative peace. They have been secure in their per-sons and property. They have laid down at night, knowing, that so far as their fellow-citizens were concerned, they were secure. Food, as a general thing, has been plentiful and easily procured. In fact, in no country in the world in this degree of lati-tude, have the common necessaries of life been so easily obtained by all classes as they have been in this Territory. Not only have this people enjoyed these blessings, but they have had blessings and priv-ileges of a more precious nature. They have had the pure Gospel of Jesus preached unto them; they have had His servants to lead and counsel them, and His Holy Spirit to enlighten and comfort them. God has been merciful, and no blessing that they have needed has been withheld by Him from them. There never were a people upon the earth who had greater cause to express their love and unfeigned gratitude to their Maker for His kindness unto them, than this people have had.
Many of the blessings we enjoy we can only appre-ciate by contrast. Let us look for a moment at the situation of society in the principal city of the Em-pire State—New York. In that City "The Society for Improving the Condition of the Poor" states that, from actual investigation, it has ascertained that there were, in the month of April, in that City. 90,000 able-bodied men out of employment; that 50,000 women, accustomed to earn their own living, and in many in-stances support families, were out of employment; that 12,000 children accustomed to earn their own livelihood, and assist materially in the support of rela-tives, were out of employment; that 80,000 persons, women, children, aged and infirm relatives, mostly of respectable standing, were chiefly dependent upon the above 152,000 unemployed men, women and chil-dren—thus forming an aggregate of 232,000 persons who were thus for the most part deprived of their daily bread. This Society also states that no less than 6,000 girls had been forced to prostitute them-selves for the relief from hunger.
This is the picture, drawn by this Society, of the great, Christian City of New-York; and other evi-dences that are before us warrant us in believing that it is not too highly colored, and that this is not only a correct picture of society in New-York, but of the state of society in all the Eastern cities. Is it not frightful? Who can contemplate it without a shud der? Can this people be sufficiently thankful to their God for delivering them from these terrible scenes of crime and misery, which are so common in other communities? Can they appreciate their situation and the blessings they enjoy as Latter-Day Saints, too highly? No, they cannot. Their hearts should be continually swelled with love and thanksgiving to that Being who has been so kind as to open a way for their deliverance from such a state of things.
It has been a common feeling with many among this people, probably more common a few years back than at present, that they had made great sac-irifices in embracing the Gospel and associating them-selves with the people of God. They had broken up their former associations, left the places of their na-tivity or residence, sold their property at a figure far below its real cost or value, and traveled long, weary miles to come to this country, where they could not obtain many of those conveniences and luxuries to which they had formerly been accustomed; and all these were sacrifices. But what did they gain by the exchange? Let those who have had these feelings open their eyes and see what they really have gained, and they will readily admit that, even apart from the commandment of God which they obey by gathering together, they have much benefited by the exchange. Among this people labor has been abundant, easily obtained, and commanded good wages. Here they have dwelt in peace and in the unrestricted enjoyment of every blessing and privilege which was theirs by right. Their senses have not been shocked by the sight of crime and mis-ery commonly witnessed elsewhere. Their children have not been demoralized by the examples they have beheld. Murder has not been committed, prostitu-tion submitted to, nor virginity sold for relief from hunger or from any other motive. Among this peo-ple death would be preferable to such a state of things. Has any one, then, of the Latter Day Saints made any sacrifice in exchanging their past situation for that they now occupy in this Territory? If we will but reflect on these things, we will acknowledge that the blessings we now enjoy abundantly compensate for every seeming sacrifice that has been made.
BLESSINGS OF OBEDIENCE.—The implicit and unmurmuring obedience generally paid by this people to the counsels of the head has been considered by many of the world as a great evil. This trait in our character they view with apprehension, and occa-sionally indulge in alarming fears about the result. To the prominence of this pecularity some have at-tributed the persecution and trouble we have had to contend with. If we would only cease to listen to the counsels or follow the guidance of the authorities all would, in their opinion, be right, and we would be able to live on terms of amity with all mankind. They think that it is suicidal in us not to adopt this policy, as our present course threatens us with inevitable ruin. We view this in a very different light. The very existence of the Church of God depends on the maintenance of union and obedience among its mem-bers. Divest the Gospel of these accompaniments and it ceases to accomplish the intended object, and fails to benefit its believers or the world. "Give no heed to the authorities, obey not their counsel, and cease to be led and governed as at present," is advice the devil would like to give and have obeyed by this people, if he could only persuade them to do this, we are would have no fears for the fate of his kingdom, or for the fulfillment of the designs of the Lord. But this, we are assured, will never be. This Church is destined to stand and prevail, and the dominion and power of Satan must be destroyed, and this can only be by the preservation of the present order.
SETTING OUT TREES—We were agreeably sur-prised a few days since in visiting the gardens, in Fillmore, by invitation from Brother C. OLIPHANT, at witnessing the success which has attended the labors of those engaged in setting out trees, shrub-ery, &c, Considering the short time the gardeners have been at work, and the disadvantages they have labored under, they certainly have done well. Out of several thousand trees that have been transplanted, we were informed by Brother O., not fifty have been lost; and the flourishing appearance of the living trees is such as to excite lively hopes for the increase of select varieties of fruit in this Territory. The nursery contains choice varieties of the apple, peach, apri-cot, pear, plum, grape, and a few varieties of the cherry, hard and soft shelled almonds, &c. We also noticed the thrifty growth of the gooseberry, cur-rant and rose. Of the latter plant Brother OLIPHANT has nine different kinds. The location of these gar-dens in this city will, doubtless, have a beneficial effect. The success which has attended their intro-duction will, we trust, incite a spirit of emulation in the brethren, and prompt them to go to and seek to obtain and preserve every choice variety of fruit and flower within their reach.
SIGNS IN THE HEAVENS—A SWORD.—A com-municaticn, published la the News, tells this curious story; hearing date at Salt Lake City, May 26: "This morning, at twenty minutes past 1 o'clock, we saw a most singular appearance in the meridian over this city, A red stream of sight issued from the heavens, as though the sun was enveloped in a cloud. It resembled the tail of a comet, but in a few mo-ments assumed the shape of a sword of massive dimensions, living horizontally, and pointing due east. The shape was quite perfect, the hilt much brighter than the blade, and variegated like a rainbow. The moon flood southwest. There was a ring formed around it of a redish color, but not so bright as the sword, through which ran two lines forming a cross, the one pointing to the earth extending, apparently, about two feet below the circle. On the west side of the circle there was a smaller sword, of fainter colors, pointing northwest.
This appearance was kept up far fifteen minutes, without any alteration, after which the ring around the moon assumed the shape of a belt, and then dis-appeared. The color of the sword then grew lighter; after which this magnificent sight disappeared alto-gether at 1:44.
The atmosphere was perfectly calm, and the moon shone out as beautifully as ever. It is impossible to describe the awfully grand ap-pearance of this singular spectacle—the sword hang-ing over this almost deserted city with its point om-nously extending towards the east, white the silence of death reigned all around.
JOHN M BROWNE, J. V. LONG,
LEO HAWKING, G. CLEMENTS.
OBJECT OF LIEUTENAT IVES' EXPEDITION.—The News says the object of the expedition under Lieutenant IVES was well understood in Utah the mo-ment the expedition was organized. It was so learn whether the Colorado would not furnish "the most feasible route for the transportation of men and sup-plies to the region around Salt Lake," for the express purpose of oppressing, corrupting and murdering American citizens, upon American soil, and by a pro-fessedly Democratic Administration, solely on ac-count of their mode of worship.
19th Century Mormon Article Newspaper Index
