THE
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purpose of disposing of the property of
the one and winding up the affairs of the
other: asking in these suits to escheat
to the United States large amounts
of property alleged to be held by these
two defendants. At the time of this
writing nothing has been done in these
cases further than to appear and an-
swer the complaints. What the result
of these cases will be, we, of course
cannot now say. It is proper, how-
ever, that we should speak upon this
important proceeding and let the
Saints know how the cases stand.
The , as all of you well know,
was conceived and organized for but
one purpose, namely, to aid the poor of
our people in their humble efforts to
gather with their brethren. It has
been for this charitable purpose, the
object of the generous bounty of the
Latter-day Saints, but at no time in
its history has it owned any real es-
tate, or any personal property, save
sufficient for its absolute needs each
succeeding year. The Church on the
other hand has been the owner of
property, the gifts and bequests of an
earnest, sincere people, made for the
purpose of aiding in the propagation
of the Gospel of our Savior
Jesus Christ. The effort now being
made by our government to dissolve
or wind up these associations and
escheat their property, is the first of
the kind in the history of our people,
and is believed to be without histori-
cal precedent in this country. When
we say we shall watch these cases with
deep interest, the Saints will readily
believe that it is not alone for the
property involved in these suits, but
also for the principles and rights that
are at stake.
OUR SETTLEMENTS IN .
The intelligence which reaches us
from our settlements in Arizona is en-
couraging; and we note with pleasure
that the people of the settlements at
and have conquered
some of the difficulties with which
they had to contend, and which made
their position very trying. Indeed,
the news from all the Stakes there is
gratifying.
IN .
In Idaho, though our people pay
taxes and support the schools, every-
one of our faith is denied the privilege
of acting in the capacity of a school
trustee or teacher, and no one with
our belief can take the test oath that
has been prescribed by the Legislature.
The situation of the people there is
one that excites great sympathy. They
are practically denied the rights of
American citizens through the infa-
mous test oath law which was enacted
by the Legislature. It is very trying
to their patience and bears heavily up-
on them. But the day must come
when they will be relieved from the
operation of this infamous law.
IN .
In , Colorado, the
efforts of our people to open and cul-
tivate farms, and to surround them-
selves with the necessaries and com-
forts of life, are meeting with gratify-
ing success. This is the more note-
worthy because of the fact that the
great bulk of settlers there have
moved from a warm climate and have
not had experience in battling with
the difficulties that have to be met in
the building up of new settlements in
an untried soil and climate. Like the
Saints in , those who reside
in Colorado have always received fair
treatment and encouragement and
kind consideration from their neigh-
bors and the officials of the State.
IN .
Our settlements in Mexico are pro-
gressing favorably and are gradually
being strengthened, both at and
. At the places named and in
the near the
latter, we have nearly one hundred and
fifty thousand acres af grazing, timber
and agricultural lands.
The country is well adapted to stock-
raising, as the grasses are of good
quality and great variety, while the
climate is uniform, the temperature
seldom reaching higher than 85 degrees
or lower than an approach to the
freezing point. The facilities for
making comfortable homes there are
excellent, the land, water and timber
being good. A fine steam saw, shingle
and lath mill, and a planer and
moulder, are in operation, affording
building material within easy reach of
Juarez.
The treatment of our people by the
national and state officials in Mexico
and her citizens generally, has been
cordial and hospitable. By word and
act they have encouraged colonization
in the Republic. The settlements in
afford abundance of room
for several hundred families and they
could live there in peace, and by ordin-
ary habits of industry would soon make
themselves prosperous and happy.
The Mexican Mission was opened in
1870, and the Church now has quite a
large following of native Saints, mainly
located in and about the national cap-
ital. The Book of Mormon, Voice of
Warning, and numerous pamphlets
have been published in the Spanish
language and are being distributed ac-
cording to ancient predictions. Thus
the truth is being spread abroad among
the seed of Israel through the means
of the record of their fathers, as well
as by the preaching of the Elders.
THE COLONY.
Recent letters from President , in charge of our colony in
Canada, contain information of a grati-
fying nature. The soil upon which
they are located is said to be very pro-
ductive, and the grain and vegetables
produced are of excellent quality, and
range for stock is abundant and nutri-
tious. The colony is preparing for
winter, and the families composing it
will soon have their houses completed.
They have opened a fine vein of coal
within three miles of their settlement,
which is on , Alberta,
Canada.
The treatment accorded the Saints
there, by officials and people, has been
considerate and kind, and the pros-
pects for improvements and prosperity
are good. Brother Card would be glad
to have any of the Saints, contemplat-
ing a change of location, to join him,
in that land, and we will gladly ap-
prove efforts in that direction.
We may be led, hereafter, to call
some of the brethren to go there with
their families, to aid him in developing
the resources of that goodly land.
CONCLUSION.
We cannot refrain from expressing
to you our own feelings of thankful-
ness that we live in such an age, and
that God has bestowed upon us His
Holy Priesthood and has permitted us
to take part in His great work. We
are thankful that we are associated
with this people called Latter-day
Saints; that we live in a day when
Prophets and Apostles have been raised
up in the Church of Christ; and that
God has stretched forth His hand to
fu[l]fill His great and marvelous pur-
poses which have been predicted by
the mouths of the holy prophets since
the world began. We testify in the
name of our Lord and Master, Jesus,
that this is the great work of which
the prophets have spoken, that God is
the founder of it, and that it will stand
forever, and accomplish all that has
been predicted concerning it. Zion is
established and will be redeemed. And
it is our continual desire unto God that
His people may be faithful in keeping
His commandments and doing His
will, so that they may be accounted
worthy to stand, and their children
after them, and inherit the great bless-
ings which He has to bestow upon
the faithful. The day is not far dis-
tant when our Lord and Savior will be
revealed from the heavens, and we
should live in a constant expectation of
this great event, and seek, with all the
energy and power that we can exercise
and obtain, to prepare ourselves, our
households, and, as far as we have in-
fluence, the inhabitants of the earth,
for His glorious appearing.
Your Brother,
WILFORD WOODRUFF,
In behalf of the Council of the
Twelve Apostles.
