JAN 1^st 1859

January 1, 1859 ~ Saturday

This is a vary plesant New Years morning. One year
ago this morning I reflected in my own mind upon the
scenes which lay before us as a people and asked the Question
whare another new Year would find me and My Brethren for
we were threatened with war and extermination by the General
Government and an armey of several thousand men lay upon our
borders ready at the opening of spring to try to begin to put their
threats into Execution but the Lord has warded off the blow & we
still occupy our houses, gardens, orchards, fields, cityies & Tabernacle
and this is the Lords doing, & it is marvelous in our Eyes, and
we now have the army in our midst under the form of peace
we have the United States courts in our midst who are striving
to stir up strife in the midst of this people May the Lord protect
his saints through 1859 and in all time to come from the
evil design of our Enemies And may he so lead the President
& Congress of the United States that they shall not be able to
accomplish any evil design against the Church, Kingdom
& Zion of our God which dwells in these vallies of the mountains
but may the Lord so guide & controll the helm of state
so as to give us a state Government or esstablish the Kingdom
of God on the Earth May he inspire the heart of his servant
Brigham continually with power, light, & truth so that He may
continue to lead the Church & kingdom of God in peace &
safety as he has done heretofore untill the saints of the Most High
shall possess the kingdom in power & Glory and be prepared
for the comeing of the Son of Man

I spent a part of the day in the office & the evening at home
Several of the Brethren called in & spent the evening with me
Lorenzo Snow, S. M. Blair Joseph Horn & H. W. Church & their
Families were present Also A. O. Smoot & Family.

January 2, 1859 ~ Sunday

2nd Sunday The saints met in the Tabernacle this morning at
11 oclok for preaching it being the first time the saints had
met for a publick meeting since the 30 day of May 1858,
Being 7 month, being the longest time the Church ever
remained without public meetings since its first organization
The organ had been removed to the center of the East
wall oposite the stand their was a pa[r]tition runing through
the center of the tabernacle separating Male from female
the females occupied the north side & the Males the South side
Elder Orson Pratt addressed the people 1 Hour & 50 minutes upon
the Authenticity of the Book of Mormon & the Bible He compared
the strength of the two He showed that there was hardly a vestige
of Human testimony in exhistence to show the divin authenticity
of the Bible while there was an abundant of testimony to prove
the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. Many of the Gentiles
were present & some of them said after meeting that his
Arguments were unanswerable. At the close of the meeting
I met with my Quorum at the Historians office G. D. Grant
prayed & E. F. Sheets was mouth. The Eastern Mail came in
& Brought a large amount of papers the tone against the
saints seems to be much milder & more favorable than

JAN 1st 1859

January 1, 1859 ~ Saturday

This is a vary plesant New Years morning. One year ago this morning I reflected in my own mind upon the scenes which lay before us as a people and asked the Question whare another new Year would find me and my Brethren for we were threatened with war and extermination by the General Government and an armey of several thousand men lay upon our borders ready at the opening of spring to try to begin to put their threats into Execution but the Lord has warded off the blow & we still occupy our houses, gardens, orchards, fields, cities & Tabernacle and this is the Lords doing, & it is marvelous in our Eyes. and we now have the army in our midst under the form of peace we have the United states courts in our midst who are striving to stir up strife in the midst of this people May the Lord protect his saints through 1859 and in all time to come from the evil design of our Enemies And may he so lead the President & Congress of the United States that they shall not be able to accomplish any evil design against the Church, Kingdom & Zion of our God which dwells in these vallies of the mountains but may the Lord so guide & controll the helm of state so as to give us a state Government or esstablish the Kingdom of God on the Earth May he inspire the heart of his servant Brigham continually with power, light, & truth so that He may continue to lead the Church & kingdom of God in peace & safety as he has done heretofore untill the saints of the Most High shall possess the kingdom in power & Glory and be prepared for the comeing of the Son of Man

I spent a part of the day in the office & the evening at home Several of the Brethren called in & spent the evening with me Lorenzo Snow, S. M. Blair Joseph Horn & H. W. Church & their Families were present Also A. O. Smoot & Family.

January 2, 1859 ~ Sunday

2nd Sunday The saints met in the Tabernacle this morning at [FIGURE] 11 oclock for preaching it being the first time the saints had met for a publick meeting since the 30 day of May 1858. Being 7 month, the longest time the Church ever remained without public meetings since its first organization The organ had been removed to the center of the East wall oposite the stand their was a partition runing through the center of the tabernacle separating Male from female the females occupied the north side & the Males the south side Elder Orson Pratt addressed the people 1 Hour & 50 minutes upon the Authenticity of the Book of Mormon & the Bible He compared the strength of the two He showed that there was hardly a vestige of Human testimony in exhistence to show the divin authenticity of the Bible while there was an abundant of testimony to prove the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. Many of the Gentils were present & some of them said after meeting that his Arguments were unanswerable. At the close of the meeting I met with my Quorum at the Historians office G. D. Grant prayed & E. F. Sheets was mouth. The Eastern Mail came in & Brought a large amount of papers the tone against the saints seems to be much milder & more favorable than