I feel like writing you a few lines, altho' I have no
special news to communicate. There has been a good deal of sickness in
October, and many deaths among children, one of brother C. C. Richs children
has died since he left. My daughter, Phebe, wife of Lorenzo Snow lost an infant,
it only lived two days, and as two of your women were sick, and had
young children, Phebe took Caroline'schild to nurse, it was very feeble
when she took it, it is now a very healthy child and growing finely,
she has spent a good deal of time of late at your house to assist them
You are probably aware of the course President Young
has taken in regard to the Missionaries who are abroad, and those
going abroad, that they are forbidden to collect means of the Saints to
send home to their families, and also not to bring any thing home
themselves, only the Souls and Bodies of the poor Saints; and to obviate
this, a collection was taken up in this City to send the Missionaries to
their field of labor, and to keep their families. of I think some 12,00000 were
subscribed, and on the strength of this, I went to your family in the City
and got a list of what articles they said they wanted, and they have been
furnished since with the articles they called for, except the calking and
plastering of their house: I have not yet been able to get that done, but
have the promise of it.
We have had some of the loudest preaching of late from Pres.t Young
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concerning Jew and Gentile that we have ever heard. He seems
particularly inspired to take a decided stand concerning our
enemies, and to point out the destiny of the wicked as well as the
righteous: much of the power of God rested upon President Young
during Conference. I would judge from the operation of the Spirit
of the Lord, that there is some important event nigh, which will
greatly effect both Zion and Babylon: many of the Gentiles have
attended our meetings of late, including the Government officials,
and they have certainly heard ^had^ some large Pills to swallow, and I think
the sinners in Zion have troubled some of late.
The Presidency, George A Smith and some others have taken a
mission South, and visited the Branches South as far as San Pete,
they have preached in all the settlements and returned this evening,
7th, he has been gone 15 days, and preached 20 discourses.
Report says that four of the Salt Lake rowdies have gone under
at Pike's peak, two were shot and two hung, including the Sprouse boy. John Martin Luce was stabbed last night in a row, it is thought mortal
I hope so at least; he stabbed a man by the name of Olphin twice
before Olphin stabbed him.
An extra session of the Legislature is called for next Monday
to appoint the Judges their field of labor. Cradlebaugh and Henikin
are now in Carson valley, I expect Judge Crosby will be sent to help
them; Judge Kinney will remain with us.
We have had a fine fall till the last of October, when we had
a cold snow storm, we had near a foot of snow fall, it was quite
cold for several days—many potatoes in the ground, and some sugar
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cane froze—a good deal of molasses made in the Territory this fall.
Give my respects to brothers Rich, Cannon, Bentley and all
enquiring friends. Please write and give me all the news with you.
I would like to hear from you.
There is some anxiety in Utah to learn how the Presidential
election has gone, though I think it makes but little difference to us
who is elected, for the Lord governs the Ship.
Your family have not received any letter from you since you
went to England, and they have not been able to write, so says Phebe.