Dear Breathern: Allow me at this time to call to your
minds a fact that might never
enter there otherwise. In the early
days of Utah the Church was
in very straight circumstances
and mutch had to be done by
its members. Those who were
selfish or not able to live any
other way had a living from
the Tithing oOffice; But there are
some who worked hard for
years and got no remuneration,
who had their heart so in the
work that they even sold their
homes to get bread for
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their families while they worked
hard for the Church at large Aand particulary so was it with
Bro Hyrum W Mikesell, diseased.
He was called by President Brigh-
am Young to assist Dr Sprage,
to see to keeping the Old tab
Tabernacle clean, as soon as it
was opened for servace a duty
that he faithfully preformed
as long as the buitlding was in
use, he spent one day out of
every week sweeping and dusting
and once every month took up
all of the carpets in the aisles
and beet them which took two
days. I have said that he was
called to assist Dr Sprague, he
did all of the work for nothing
while Dr Sprage receieved pay
for saying "that is well done"
Theese things need not be
called up the books will show
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how mutch each receieved.
Then again when the Indow-
ment house was opened Bro Mikesell was called to officiate
there in which he did untill
it was closed in fifty eight,
thus you see he put in one or
two days each week at the Tabernac-
le and three or more days at the
house. Thereby he had no time to
make a liveing for his family.
Consequently he sold city property
that now is worth $50,000.00. toTo
keep the wolf from the door, and
even his wife had to work and
slave as few women, even in this church, has had to do. When he
was released from such close con-
finement he was an old man in
years, and old even beyond his
years, broken down in the servace
of the Lord, with a ^large^ young family
on his hands, and thus situated
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^it is^ no wonder that he never after
accumulated property, and that
he died in poverty. Yet he bore
it all as becomes a servent of
the lLord, without a murmer, and
his family thanks the God of
Israel for such a head.
But at this time of the Chur-
ches history when they have plen-
ty and even more than the law
of the country allows, and steps
are being taken by the enemies
of tru[t]h to wrench it from them
we as one feel like asking that
wages be paid, that it be considered
as a debt, which it ^is^ by all right
and justice. And that a settlement
be made with the family for all
that I have rehersed is true and
stands by right to the credit of
the family and not ten dollars
to their debit.
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The family that is the widow
and yound children are in destitute
surcumstance at present. The Bishop
is kind and would be willing
to give the aid that is placed in
his power, but donations is not
what is wanted for they would
rather suffer than lean or [on] charity.
Once before I called the mind of
athority to this and the Bishop was
rebuked for what was not his
fault and thereby I was got into
trouble.
The fFedral Coart has invited
us, unasked, to hand our bill to
the Receiever that is to be appointed
but no sooner starvation than
that the history of the family is
known to one of its members.
No we do not find any fault
even and beleieve that we might
of had the settlement at any
time that we had asked for
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it. We wish Justice and ash [ask]
the Lord to help us get it and
comand Satan and his followers
to not meddle.