Aug 1st A rainy day we spent the day at Br . I found
A beautiful farming country to Appearance
but with all its Grand appearance the people are nearly in a state
of starvation the crops have failed for two years past And the
Merchants are taking all the Money out of the country All the colonies
seems to be in a deplorible state hundreds of Miles of the country has
been burned over this year with fire sweeping many millions of
acres of forest farms fences barms dwellings Mills Lumber
& Lumber yards And in some instances the inhabitants have had
to flee into the sea or on the beach to escape the flames evry branch
of business seems to be dead people are fleeing to the states evry
possible way
I met with the Saints at the House of Brother for
the purpose of organizing the Branch of the Church
There were present W. Woodruff of the Twelve, Elder
Wm Maxfield Priest
Conference opened by singing & prayer. remarks from W Woodruff
on the importance of the organization of the branch. It was then
Moved and carried that Br Maxfield be ordained to the office of an
Elder & preside over the branch And also that be
ordained to the office of Priest they were both ordained under the
Hands of Elders Woodruff & Russell
Elder who formerly presided over this branch of
the Church was Accused of & Drunkenness. He was
42 miles distant & not present but from the abundant of witnesses present He was cut off from the Church by the
unanimous vote of the same. The President then gave much
useful teaching upon Emigration, meeting & family duties
Also gave information upon the travels of the pioneers the
location of the Saints in the valley of the & order
of Zion. Then the saints spoke most of them. Elder Russell
Addressed the Meeting. the President then followed for
an hour then Blessed 5 children Healed 2 that wer sick
the meeting was lengthy the President W Woodruff spoke
3 Hours or more
