A EPISTLE OF THE TWELVE TO THE
CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LAT-
TER DAY SAINTS IN ITS VARIOUS
BRANCHES AND CONFERENCES IN
EUROPE, GREETING:

Beloved brethren: We feel it our privilege and
a duty we owe to the great and glorious cause in
which we have enlisted, to communicate to you
at this time some principles, which, if carried into
effect, will greatly facilitate the gathering of the
saints, and tend to ameliorate the condition of
those who are struggling with poverty and distress,
in this day when the usual means of support seem
to be cut short to the laboring classes, through
the depression that everywhere prevails in the
general business mart of the civilized world.

Our situation is such in these last days—our
salvation spiritually is so connected with our sal-
vation temporally, that if one fail, the other
necessarily must be seriously affected, if not
wholly destroyed. God has made us social be-
ings; he has endowed us with capacities for en-
joying each others society, and it is our duty to
bring those powers and privileges into exercise,
so far as we can obtain, and for this it is our duty
to strive by all lawful and expedient measures
within our reach.

While we remain in this state of existence we
need food and raiment, habitations and society,
and without these our enjoyments must be greatly
limited, and the real object of our existence dimin-
ished, if not wholy destroyed. Though the saints
should possess all the common gifts of the Spirit
of God, and yet remain destitute of those com-
forts so much needed for the sustenance of their
bodies, they would be comparatively miserable;
but when they arrive at that state of perfection,
and are clothed upon with the more special gifts
and power of increasing the widow's oil and meal,
or of receiving their food from the ravens, like
Elijah, they will not need to bestow so much at-
tention on every trifle of the passing moment, as
they now do; and until that period arrives, they
will recollect that to be in the exercise of the
fulness of spiritual blessings, they must be watch-
ful and careful to provide things honest in the
sight of all men for the sustenance and comfort
of these frail perishable bodies. That we may
be intruments in the hands of God of thus pro-
moting your present and future temporal and
spiritual welfare, we write you at the present
time.

Many of you are desirous of emigrating to this
country, and many have not the means to accom-
plish their wishes, and if we can assist you by
our prayers and our counsels to accomplish the
desires of your hearts in this thing, so far we will
rejoice and be satisfied. You not only wish to
emigrate to this section of the earth, but you
desire also to have some laudable means of com-
fortable subsistence after you arrive here, and
this also is important. How then shall these
things be acccomplished and your souls be satis-
fied? We answer, by united understanding and
concert of action.

You all, or most of you, have trades or differ-
ent kinds of business to which you have been
long familiarized, and in which you would like to
continue for the purpose of procuring a subsist-
ence; and a great proportion of your occupation
is such that no employment can be had in this
city or vicinity; for instance, there are no cotton
manufactories established here, and many of you
know no other business. You want to come
here, and when here, want to continue your
labors in your accustomed branches of business;
but you have no means to get here, and when
here there are no factories, and yet factories are
needed here, and there would be ready market for
all the fabrics which could be manufatured.

Now comes the concert of action; if the church
will arise unitedly; if the brethren will individu-
ally feel that the good work of the Lord is depend-
ing on themselves as instruments to assist in
carrying it forward; and will unite all their means,
faith and energy, in one grand mass, all that you
desire can speedily be accomplished. A short
time only will elapse before you yourselves will
be astonished at the result, and you will feel that
your desires are more than realized.

While the saints are united, no power on the
earth, or under the earth, can prevail against them;
but while each one acts for himself, many, very
many, are in danger of being overthrown. God
has promised all things to those who love him and
keep his commandments; then why be afraid that
one should get a little more than another, or that
one should gain, for a little moment, what anoth-
er might lose; when Jesus has promised that the
faithful shall be one with him, as he is one with
the Father, and shall possess all things in the due
time of the Lord; not by stealth, not by force,
not by the sword, but by the gift of the Father,
through faithfulness to his commands; and the
more they shall suffer, while they work righeous-
ness on the earth, the greater will be their reward,
the more glorious their kingdom, the more ex-
tended their power, when they shall arrive in the
celestial paradise.

Knowing and feeling these things as we do, and
having respect unto the recompense of reward to
be revealed hereafter, regardless of all necessary
privation and labor to accomplish what our Master
has given us to do; and desiring not to possess the
kingdom alone, but that all the honest in heart
should be united with us in the great and glorious
work of building up Zion and her stakes, we call