104 HISTORY OF JOSEPH SMITH. which side may be the aggressor. Thus far, since the death of the Smiths, your people have behaved well; much better than could have been expected under the circumstances, and much better than the opposite party. I anxiously hope that they may have the grace to continue in the same line of conduct. An unresisting, passive, peaceable, but defensive course on your parts, will do much to disarm prejudices in the surrounding country. That such prejudices do exist in the minds of the people you know as well as I, though you may not be fully aware of their extent, or the ferocity which they engender. If I speak of those prejudices and the causes of them, I do not wish you to misunderstand me, as some of you did on a former occasion, and suppose that I am speaking my own opinions and feelings. I say now, once for all, that I have nothing to do with those prejudices further than as a practical man; they obtrude themselves on my consideration, as presenting obstacles to me in the discharge of my official duty. The more prejudice and bad feeling which is gotten up against your people, whether by their own imprudence or the malice of their enemies, the more difficult it is for me to do anything effectually to protect either party according to law. There are, I am informed, some few inflammatory and hot-blooded individuals amongst you, who, by their imprudence and rashness, continue to give cause for those prejudices, and, of course, by so doing, continue to involve you all in a common danger; I speak of the danger of a mob. I am also informed that most of you entertain the opinion that there has been a great and universal reaction in the public mind since the death of the Smiths. On this subject I desire to tell you the naked truth. I am aware that you scarcely ever hear the truth, as to public sentiment abroad, from those who visit you in your city. The complaisance of such persons, and their desire to please, will induce them to omit the statement of disagreeable truths, and to say such things only as are pleasing and complimentary. You are bound, as men of sense, to receive all such statements with a great deal of allowance. On my part, without desiring to please any of you, or to conciliate your favor, but certainly without any design to insult your misfortunes, and in a pure spirit of friendly concern for the peace and safety of all who repose under the shade of our political fig-tree, I desire to state to you frankly, candidly and thoroughly, what I do know on this subject. The naked truth then is, that most well-informed persons condemn in the most unqualified manner the mode in which the Smiths were put to death, but nine out of every ten of such accompany the expression of their disapprobation by a manifestation of their pleasure that they are dead. The disapproval is most unusually cold and without feeling. It is a disapproval which appears to be called for, on their part, by decency, by a respect for the laws and a horror of mobs, but does not flow warm from the heart. The unfortunate victims of this assassination were generally and thoroughly hated throughout the country, and it is not reasonable to suppose that their death has produced any reaction in the public mind resulting in active sympathy; if you think so, you are mistaken. Most that is said on the subject is merely from the teeth out; and your people may depend on the fact, that public feeling is now, at this time, as thoroughly against them as it has ever been. I mention this, not for the purpose of insulting your feelings, but to show you clearly how careful your people ought to be in future to avoid all causes of quarrel and excitement, and what little reliance could be placed on any militia force which I could send in your favor. I ought, perhaps, to qualify what I have said, by remarking that but few persons from the surrounding counties could now be procured to join a mob force against you, without further cause of excitement to be ministered by some misguided imprudence of your people. But what I mean to say, and to say truly, is, that in the present temper of the public mind I am positively certain that I cannot raise a militia force in the State who would be willing to fight on your side, or to hazard their lives to protect you from an attack of your enemies. The same state of things exists in relation to any force which might be ordered to arrest the murderers. If troops should be ordered for that purpose, I would expect that they would behave as the militia did in the late Philadelphia riots. The militia in that case sympathized with the native party and against their opponents. It was an unpopular service, and rather than fight they suffered themselves to be defeated and driven from the field. It is true that I might call upon the Mormons themselves, and then i would have a reliable force. This, however, EDITORIAL. would be a dangerous experiment, and would, in my mind, inevitably lead to civil war, the result of which no man can foresee. I think I may safely say, that if the Nauvoo Legion should be called out against the old citizens, the crimes which are sought to be punished would be instantly forgotten in the general and burning indignation which would be kindled. Men would rally to their assistance who would otherwise be neutral. Your legion has ever been regarded with a jealous eye; the arming and drilling of your people, with such exceeding industry, in a season of peace, (not wrong in itself,) has been looked upon by the great body of the people with suspicion, and as intended in due time for the subversion of the public liberty in the beginning you would have been much better without it. If your people had never made any military pretensions, no military feeling would ever have been aroused against you. 105 This much I hope you will consider has been said from a friendly motive, and for the further purpose of showing you what a dangerous experiment it would be, and how well calculated to excite a civil war, in which your city might be utterly destroyed, if I should attempt to call out the hated Legion against the old citizens. You may be disposed to ask, What use is there for law and government if these things be so? 1 answer you, that cases like the present do not seem to be fully provided for by our Constitutions; they were not anticipated to occur. Upon the first institution of our Governments, it was a season of internal peace and union among our people. The population was homogeneous, and all agreed together as brothers. It was supposed that the great body of the people would be always willingly submissive to the laws which they themselves had made. It was not foreseen that great and hostile parties would soon spring up and combine in large numbers to set the law at defiance. (To be continued.) THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS' MILLENNIAL STAR. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1863. WARNINGS, HOW GIVEN-DELIVERANCE, HOW OBTAINED. ALL the assurances of deliverance and safety given unto the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by the Lord, have been made conditional upon their obedience to his commandments and diligence in hearkening to the counsels which he might give unto them. He has said that "Zion shall escape, if she observe to do all things whatsoever I have commanded her," but if she did not do those things, that she should be visited "according to all her works;" and in the extended sense in which Zion was used at that time, not only were the people who reside upon the land of Zion included in the designation, but all who claimed to be his people. The Lord, from time to time, pours out upon his servants the Spirit of revelation and prophecy, and they are enabled by the aid of these gifts to perceive the approach of trials of which they would not be aware by the aid of mortal vision alone. Under the influence of the Spirit, they have been impelled to cry aloud in tones of warning unto the people, endeavoring to awaken them to a true sense of their condition, and to put them on the alert that the threatened danger might not overtake them unawares. It has been with a spirit of this kind that we have felt to cry of late unto the Priesthood and Saints throughout these lands to awaken fully from their lethargy, (those of them who have suffered themselves to be overcome by a feeling of this kind,) and to arouse to a realizing sense of the importance of the times in which we live. To us the mutterings of the storm are plainly to be heard. We do not wish to disguise the danger in the least, though we do not wish to excite unnecessary alarm, nor to give a false signal of danger. Yet, we would rather err in this latter direction, than encourage a feeling of security by singing the syren song of "peace, peace," when sudden destruction is nigh. The time of emigration is approaching, and we may rest assured that the Adversary of truth, the determined opponent of every one who seeks to obey the commandments of God, will do all in his power to throw obstacles in the way of the Saints to prevent them from gathering. We felt last year that if the Saints succeeded in getting through this present year, it would be by the exercise of faith in God and diligence in keeping his commandments. For some little time back, this feeling has increased upon us; and, though there is no apparent reason for anticipating any interruption in our emigration, we feel that it behoves the Elders and Saints throughout the length and breadth of the European Mission to exert all the faith in their power before God that the way may be kept open and free from every obstacle. Every year that passes over our heads increases the difficulties with which the Elders and Saints have to contend, while scattered among the nations of the earth. The calamities and judgments of the Lord are being poured out in increased power, and they are being extended to very wide limits. The nations are becoming harder of heart, and more determined in their unbelief and rejection of the principles of the Gospel. As a consequence of this, their hatred to the Work of God increases; and, prompted by the Evil one, they will seek to do all in their power to retard its advancement. The Gathering, being one great means by which the Zion of our God will be built up in the last days, will, if possible, be interfered with whenever an opportunity shall present itself. They may think that by preventing the people from gathering they will check the growth and development of the people of God, and prevent them from becoming more formidable than they already are. We know, however, that God's promises respecting the gathering of his elect from the various nations of the earth cannot fail. The honest-in-heart will be gathered. No power on earth, even aided by Satan and his angels, can prevent this. But, it is necessary that they should avail themselves of the blessings embodied in the promises which God has made, and by seeking unto him with faith and prayer, manifest their desire to obtain them. We are extremely anxious to see the Work of the Gathering continue. The Lord has wonderfully interposed, since the outbreak of the South in rebellion against the North, in behalf of his people to assist them and protect them in their gathering. For some time during the winter of '61-'62 it seemed very doubtful whether the Saints would be able to travel by the route which was most eligible for them to reach Florence. The line of railroad running from Hannibal to St. Joseph, in Missouri, had been seized by the rebels, and portions of it had been destroyed. Before the time for emigration had arrived, however, the Union troops had regained possession of the line, had succeeded in driving off the rebels, had repaired the parts that were injured and had stationed guards along the line to prevent any future raid of the Confederates. The Saints passed along the line without difficulty or interference, and reached Florence in peace and in safety. When we consider the disturbed condition of a portion of the country through which the Saints have travelled for the past two years, we should be blind indeed if we could not recognize the hand of God in the events which have taken place. Everything has contributed to the success of the Saints in journeying. We have no fears for this coming season, if all who belong to the Church will diligently give heed to the commandments of God and the counsels which he has inspired his servants to give unto them. He has all power, and he can overrule everything for the consummation of his purposes and the salvation of his people. The Lord is a God who will be sought after; and, to obtain his blessings, his people must approach him possessed of the proper spirit and in the appointed way. When he gives his people warnings, if they are prompt in giving heed to them, it has not been unfrequently the case that he has averted the danger with which they have been threatened. He did so when he sent Jonah to warn the people of Nineveh. Their repentance and humility saved them from the threatened destruction; and it will be much more so with us who have taken upon us his name and are acknowledged by him as his people, if we listen diligently to his voice and obey the requirements made of us. Many years ago the Lord declared that it "Should be said in days to come, that none is able to go up to the land of Zion upon the waters but he that is upright in heart;" and that which was said at that day respecting the waters may yet be said with great propriety respecting the land. The faithful and the upright will possess every advantage over the unfaithful and perverse; and it will be by the exercise of faith that the Saints will escape the snares of Satan and the evils which will be poured out upon the wicked. The Lord, in speaking respecting the wicked and the evils that should come upon them, has said that "the Saints also shall hardly escape;" "nevertheless," he adds, "I, the Lord, am with them." There is every reason to encourage us in being faithful to the covenants which we have made with our heavenly Father. When we live in strict accordance with his laws, we have a claim upon him for the bestowal of every blessing that is necessary for our peace and safety. ABSTRACT OF CORRESPONDENCE.-LAND'S END CONFERENCE.-Elder William H. Pitts, President of the Land's End Conference, writing from Plymouth, on the 30th ult. says,-" Although the Saints are few and the majority of them are poor, yet they are a good people. Several large families are preparing to emigrate next season if the way keeps open. Our meetings are well attended by Saints and strangers. Our room in Devonport, of late, has been crowded to excess on Sunday evenings, and several have been baptized, while many others are investigating the Work." TO CONTRIBUTORS.-We have received lately, among other contributions, several pieces of poetry which are altogether or in part plagiarized from the writings of others. If it is wrong to steal the material property of others, it must be equally as great a wrong to steal the thoughts and language of another, and meanly endeavor to pass them off as the genuine property of the thief. However unadorned the efforts of any of our contributors may be, we trust that for the future what they do forward to us will be genuine and their own composition. It would be well to write all matter intended for publication with widely-spaced lines, and, where convenient, on one side of the paper only. NOTICE TO CONFERENCE BOOK AGENTS.-We are now prepared to supply the Conferences with Branch Individual Emigration Account-books. We have two sizes, one a little larger than the other. 108 CORRESPONDENCE. CORRESPONDENCE. ENGLAND. IRELAND. Dublin, Jan. 24, 1863. President Cannon. Dear Brother,—I again seat myself to communicate with you, to give a brief account of my labors, travels, &c., since my last to you, of Oct. the 4th. I take pleasure in so doing, realizing that the blessings of the Lord have attended my labors and that I have enjoyed much of the good Spirit, and, also, because I find that the Saints are increasing in faith and good works under the counsels and watch-care of the servants of God. I have visited and preached in ten Conferences in England, since that date, and attended five Conference meetings; also, five Conferences in South Wales, and attended three Conference meetings there. I have visited the Saints and preached in the following places in England-namely, Faversham, Dover, Brighton. Bedford, Cambridge, Maldon, London, Reading, Southampton. Portsmouth, Bristol, Cheltenham, Newport, Liverpool and many minor towns. In Wales, I preached in Cardiff, Llanelly, Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil and Tredegar, visited the Saints in Swansea and other towns, comforting and encouraging them as the spirit directed, brother T. E. Jeremy being my companion while in Wales. We held Conference meetings in Cardiff, Llanelly and Tredegar, and from the latter place I proceeded to Liverpool and spent a very agreeable and pleasant Christmas. On the 31st ultimo, brothers C. W. West, Brigham Young, jun. and myself left Liverpool to visit the Saints in Ireland. We took the train to Fleetwood, and sailed thence by steamer to Belfast, which place we reached early on the morning of the first day of the new year. It being a very rainy day, we did not travel round much, and we were warmly received and entertained by sister Miller and her kind husband, at 31, Irwin-street. The following day being more pleasant, we enjoyed a cursory view of the town and its im provements, and walked out about three miles on the Antrim-road, looking at the country, the towns of Holywood and Carrickfergus, and the Belfast Lough lying between and stretching away in the distance. Finding Irish miles rather longer than English ones, we were glad to avail ourselves of an Irish jaunting-car, which soon brought us back to the town. On the morning of the 3rd, brothers West and Young took train for Dublin, and I felt rather lonely after their departure; but, realizing that my pleasure was to do the will of the Lord, I took consolation in the reflection that this life is short, and its pleasures few and fleeting, unless obtained in the path which the Gospel points out for us to walk in, through which we can obtain life eternal. Since that time I held two meetings in Belfast, one in Lurgan and two in this city. I have enjoyed much of the good Spirit to teach and instruct the Saints, and have found some warm-hearted Saints in the Green Isle, where my labors in the ministry in these lands first commenced-where priesthood and religious bigotry are as dense as a London fog, which obscures the rays of the sun from the earth and makes midday gloomier than midnight darkness. So are the rays of Gospel light shut out from the understanding of this generation, and but few can see truth or know happiness, or appreciate the principles that are free for them to enjoy without money or price. I find that the Elders, generally, are doing about as well as they can under the circumstances, and the desire for emigration is greatly on the increase with the Saints. Many see that they have always put off preparing for emigration until the last of the year; and, as the foolish virgins neglected to fill their vessels with oil until the eventful hour came, so it is with many who neglect and do not prepare for the emigration until the call comes to send in their deposit-money. Always waiting for better times, they are like many who are always preparing to die, but are not preparing to live, and depend |