21 I met with my Quorum in the morning at the Historians office I
^[FIGURE]^ found on the Table A Deseret Extra News containing the latest
pony dispatch which says that war has commence, Charleston
Batteries opened fire upon Fort Sumpter at 4 oclok on the 12 April 1861
and fired 2000 shot & shell into the Fort in about 24 Hours & Anderson
siurrendered the Fort on the 13 April. The Fort much Damaged
two magazenes Blown up some 3 or 4 wounded on Both sides but
no one killed this is the commencement of the war at South Carolina
in fulfillment of the Revelation given through Joseph Smith the
Prophet in 1832 [Doctrine and Covenants 87]. I attended the meeting at the Tabernacle John
Taylor Preached followed By President Young in the forenoon
Jacob ^G.^ Bigler John D. Chase, & Parley P. Pratt in the afternoon followed
by President Young At the close of the meeting, The Presidency, Twelve
& Missionaries all met at the Historians Office There were present
B Young H. C. Kimball D. H. Wells & W. Woodruff J Taylor & G. A. Smith
of the Twelve. President Young & Kimball W. Woodruff & J. Taylor
laid hands upon the Heads of Nine of the Missionaries & blessed
them & set them apart to go upon their missions President Young
Blessed P. P. Pratt & George W. Grant & gave them each a great Blessing
said they should become greater than there Fathers at the close of
the blessing President Young instructioned the missionaries in vary plain
term Joseph Young & A. P. Rockwood ordained P P Pratt to the
office of a Seventy. President Young spoke of his being ordained as a

President of one of the Seventies. President Brigham Young in his instructions
to the missionaries said now I want you to remember what I say to
you, now take care that you do not get to sleep & let the devil take the
advantage of you. You may do that in an hour that you cannot rega-
in through all Eternity. Now you have great priviliges & nothing
but the attainment of the Throne of a God is worth the attainment of
a Saints of God. your privliges are great what is the privilege of
the wicked they want the privilege to get drunk to Hore it & kill each
other is this a privilege no more than it would be to stick your
hand into a Burning stove. We have the privilege of living to all
Eternity and Enjoying Eternal life forever, while the wicked want
to kill his Neighbor. Now I want to say to you all quit your covetous-
ness, and whether you have little or much give it to bring the poor
to Zion and let the women alone, or it will prove a curse to you
Here is George Grant has no wife now let him not think of
a wife untill He gets back, this corting women while you are
abroad upon a mission is a miserable business, I would not give
shucks for an Elder who cannot go on a mission & keep clean & come
back clean. now remember that. I have spent my Early life
without women. your integrity before the Lord is worth evry thing
many Elders go out get to sleep & do wrong and they come back
and are good for Nothing & never will be they will do no good
I want you to go & come back right I Expect this off you God
Expects it off you and now go & do right

President Kimball said, now take the bees for an Example when they
go out of the hive they go to make Honey they do not make any
bees while they are gone but they wait untill they come back to
the Hive you should go & do likewise Now do as President Young has
told you and God will bless you and you will come back
like a child innocent. G. D. Grant made a few remarks
President Young said the Elders should take means with them to carry
them on there Journey to there field of Labor. He said $100 would
carry a man comfortable to England He spoke of his Travels with
Brother Kimball East the Lord gave them money. He said that He
got a letter from Capt W^m H Hooper who said that no appoint[me]nts
had been done for Utah. The Utah Merchants were writing to

^

Washington to Block up Hoopers way they want to get Harris
Elected Govornor and all Gentiles officers. He said He was
satisfied that if they were fi not fighting us they would
Each other they would fight us Bennet of the Herald
advised Hooper to recommend to Utah to orge organize an independant
state government if the president did not give us our own officers
He said we should have many to sustain us in it. In speaking of
the war in the United States President Young said the North would
find much treachery among there armies Anderson is playing a
a deep game, and his fight at Sumpter is all a sham he will try
to get influence in the North untill He can get the command of
an armey to deliver to the South and many play this game
The Nations would like to use us up but they cannot do it