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to take you by the hand, to lead you to a room where you could meditate upon the fulfilment of the words of the servants of God, who blessed you and set you apart to your mission on the 9th April last.

I received your letters from New York, and one from Charles after you landed in England. My heart was made glad that you could be so soon ready to enter upon the fields of your labor, comforting the Saints among whom you are sent to labor, and bearing testimony to the truth of the Work which your father first preached in that land, and that you could also speak to the comforting of many who have friends in these Valleys of the Mountains, and that you have so great a knowledge of what is daily transpiring here.

On the 16th instant there was a Battalion and Pioneer party at the theatre. At midnight, 181 of the Battalion marched and counter marched in close order. There were 55 Pioneers present. There were about 1,000 persons present.

On the 24th the Pioneers had their first anniversary ball in the theatre. President Young has commenced to build a grist-mill in City Creek_kanyon, which will have the advantage of using the water above where it is needed for irrigation.

The exceedingly dry weather has caused City Creek to be very low-it was never known to be so low before. The water-masters have a deal of trouble to manage matters so as to divide the water equally among the blocks, as every person is naturally anxious to get the water for the time allowed him, which is generally two hours to a full block, once in five days, which will scarcely water any lot. The peach crop looks miserably dried up, and the apples are falling almost daily from the effects of the strong winds and severe drouth.

As to rain, when we started on our southern trip on 20th April, we had rain on the second and third nights after our starting, since then we have not had rain enough to wet the ground one inch, and therefore many fields of grain have perished.

You will be glad to learn that Elder William C. Staines left Now York in

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safety and good health, after seeing the last of the Saints go in peace to Florence; also, after having witnessed the rioting in New York, in which many houses were burned and persons killed.

There are a great many things that I would like to mention and to express myself freely upon to you and those who accompanied you to England.

When I started for England in June, 1837, I went from Kirtland to Fairport, not having a penny, and only a change of inside clothing. When I got to Fairport, Hyrum Smith's wife gave me five dollars as I was going on the steamboat, which paid my passage and brother Hyde's to Buffalo. Dr. Richards then paid my passage to Albany, and I went with him to his father's house in Massachusetts, where he obtained forty dollars. We then returned to Albany, and from thence to New York, where John Goodson went to a brother and got sixty dollars in Kirtland Society Notes exchanged, and I received ten dollars from Elijah Fordham, who was living in New York, and who was then the only Latter-day Saint in that city or county. We went on board the new ship Garrick after getting our small supplies; we had no bed, merely a buffalo robe to lie upon on the boards. (While we remained in New York we laid a little straw on the floor.) We truly were pilgrims and strangers without friends. We sailed for England; there was no such thing as a steam-boat crossing the sea at that time; they were all sailing vessels. Eighteen days after leaving Sandy Hook we were running up the Channel between Ireland and Wales. When I landed at Liverpool I had not one penny; this was all marvellous to me, starting to a foreign country without purse or scrip. I merely mention these few things to show the difference between your going and your father's, that's all. We stopped one or two days in Liverpool, taking up our abode with a poor widow, who was very kind to us. From thence we went to Preston, where we arrived on Saturday, 22nd July, about 4.30 p.m., when all the people of the factories and other me chanical operatives were let out for a holiday previous to the first election for members of Parliament under Queen Victoria's reign. On Sunday, in the

CORRESPONDENCE.

afternoon, I preached in Vauxhall
Chapel. Next day being Monday was
the election for members of Parlia-
ment, so you discover that the Gospel
of the Son of God was planted in Eng-
land under Victoria's reign, and I have
never yet heard of her casting one re-
flection upon the Latter-day Saints in
her kingdom; nor has any feeling
originated in the Parliament against
the Work or people. I have seen her
Majesty face to face, and she bowed
her nice little head towards me, not
supposing that it was me, of course.
Now, I will tell you the course that
I took; at the time that I was called
to go on this journey, the Church was
broken up and scattered from Kirtland.
I was humble, knew nothing else but
to trust in God alone, and to listen
strictly to the words of Joseph, the
Prophet of the living God, and others
who sanctioned his words. My heart, |
my prayer and my humble devotion
was to the Father, in the name of Jesus
his beloved Son, that he would guard
me and protect me, and let his holy
angels direct my footsteps, my thoughts
and the intent of my heart; and his
angels truly went with me-they were
with me by night and by day and
opened the way before me. I never
wanted, and I never was in want of
friends when I needed them. We had
not been there over three weeks before
we had some 300 good Latter-day
Saints, many of whom recited their
conviction at the first words that they
heard from our mouths. I was in
England at that time eight months and
two days, and I have no recollection of
one week passing but that one day in
that week we fasted and prayed, bles-
sed and laid hands on each other, pray-
ing that our words might reach the
honest-in-heart like a javelin. I
was not learned, not mighty in
speech, preached very short sermons,
took no thought what I should say, but
the Holy Ghost spake through me, and
it was like melted lead to those who
received. I never used a drop of
spirituous liquors of any kind, nor any
kind of ale and porter, or wine, or tea,
or coffee, or cider, or tobacco, but ab-
stained from all those things. I am
not really aware that any of you are
any better than I was. I am not
speaking of these things to boast, but

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I

am telling the facts as they were.
said nothing to the people but repent-
ance, baptism and the remission of
sins, laid on hands and confirmed upon
them the Holy Ghost. I never was
idle a moment; I never gathered to-
gether with my brethren to carouse or
to drink, nor to give my strength to
vanity or foolishness. In all my labors
in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints, I never stood forth to de-
bate with any man that opposed the
words of the living God or the autho-
rity which was placed upon me; since
I have been in this Church my mission
has been to preach repentance and admi-
nister to the children of men to qualify
them to gather together in the moun-
tains, where all things that are essential
will be taught unto them. I never
was sent forth to preach to the world
the plurality of wives, nor to court
women for wives, nor to have anything
to do with them in any way, only to
treat them with respect.

David and Charles, hear your father,
for he speaketh unto you and to all
whom it may concern; leave your
families at home, and there let them
remain, nor let your spirits reach after
them when your poor bodies are in
England; commit them unto the care
of the Almighty and he will preserve
them with your little ones.
God says,
"Draw near unto me and I will draw
near unto you, and I will listen to your
cries." Be humble, be meek, and not
one hair of your heads shall fall to the
ground unnoticed. I had no father or
mother in the flesh to say this to my
wife and little ones. Remember all these
things, bear them in mind, seek to
learn wisdom and get an experience.

My earnest prayer to God, in the name of his Son, is, to help my sons to honor the holy Priesthood of the Son of God, which is of more value than all the world besides. I have seen sorrow, I have mourned, I have lamented, when I have seen Elders return from their missions having dishonored their calling and their Priesthood.

I have only related over a few items of my own stated life and experience; the Elders now are taking another mode of life, which is much more exalted towards the fashions of this degenerated, destructive world.

I

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cannot conceive, with all the light and intelligence that I have received yet, how men who have, as it were, never lifted their fingers in the cause of God, should be so much better than their fathers; their fathers travelled without purse or scrip and supported their families, or they went without it. However, the spirit of bloodshed which now has dominion throughout the United States and is beginning to affect other countries, taking peace from mankind, renders the lives of the Elders in constant peril, should they travel and preach as they used to do, especially in the States.

Give my kind respects to all the brethren in all the European Missions. That God will bless them all, including yourselves, and give his angels charge | over them, to lead them off victorious, that their feet may never slip nor their tongues ever speak evil, is the constant prayer of your affectionate father,

HEBER C. KIMBALL.

Sweetwater, 20 miles above Devil's Į

Gate, August 21, 1863.

President G. Q. Cannon.

Dear Brother, -Our party from the Consignment left Florence with Bishop Preston's Cache Valley train, which had been waiting for us for some time. At Florence quite a number of Danish Saints joined us on their way to Zion; and brother Little having loaded up the balance of the wagons with Church freight, we left that place on the 10th of July. Our company consisted of fifty-five wagons, and we have since been joined by about a dozen independent ones. We number about three hundred, independent of the teamsters. Murdock's and Sander's companies had left some time before, as well as J. R. Young's and Patterson's independent trains. We have travelled at a moderate rate, and our cattle are in excellent condition; they had been taken good care of while waiting at Florence for our arrival, and very few have since died.

The season has been a dry one; the Platte, Sweetwater and other streams are very low, but the grass was tolerably good until we struck the arid regions around Laramie. The country around that place looks dreary and

desolate, as though vegetable and animal life were insecure; yet we felt very well while passing through it. We have seen a few Indians on the route, but no buffalo. The Saints have enjoyed, and are still enjoying good health, while their spirits are buoyant and cheerful.

We passed J. R. Young's company encamped a few miles below Independ ence Rock,-it was in good travelling condition, all the people being well. We have not had much warm weather since we left Florence; the first week or two the sky was clouded most of the time. Captain Sanders's train is two days ahead-Murdock's has passed Pacific Springs. We have just passed two merchant trains bound to Utah. Our Captain is a very energetic and kind-hearted man, and he has the confidence of all in camp. The teamsters have had experience in driving and in the management of cattle, and are well suited to the trip, giving no occasion to the cattle of stampeding.

Green River, 29th. Sander's and Patterson's compa nies are at about the same distance from us as they before were. The nearer we approach our place of destination the better the country appears, and our travelling becomes more pleasant-all faces look cheerful, and songs of Zion ascend as we roll along. We have truly realized that the hand of an over-ruling Providence has been over us, and the elements have not been permitted to conspire against our interests and prosperity. With deep emotion we praise God for permitting us to cross the vast ocean and this huge continent, with its deserts, in peace, whilst the wicked are warring on the right hand and on the left. The people of America must now atone for rejecting the Gospel-for slaying our Prophets, the servants of the Most High; and bitterly are they doing so, for its inhabitants are being quickly wasted away.

The operations of the Church Trains are remarkable. The more I look at them the more I rejoice at the additional facilities offered for the gathering of the Saints. We mingle with our brethren from the mountains, which causes union and a glad spirit to prevail, and it increases all the way.

SUMMARY OF NEWS.

There is not as much inclination to quarrel, or to trans. ess the rules of camp here, as there vuld be to do so in an independent ain, wher we owned or drove our own teams. We take our provisions from various stations of deposit as we go along. It is remarkable to see the care manifested by the young boys in behalf of their brethren and sisters who come from

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every nation up to the gathering place or the Saints. Their management in very respect excels all, and the Genile travellers are highly astonished to see this unity, and to witness our successful journeying.

With respect, I remain your brother in the Gospel, A. CHRISTENSEN.

SUMMARY OF NEWS.

ENGLAND.-At about 3.20 on the morning of the 6th instant, a severe shock of earthquake was felt in Liverpool and its neighborhood.

MEXICO.-The Archduke Maximilian met the Mexican deputation on the 3rd instant, and consented conditionally to accept the throne. He made his con

sent depend upon a popular vote and the provision of guarantees for the integrity and independence of the Empire.

POLAND.-Prince Czartoryski has, in the name of the Polish Government, demanded of the Cabinets of Paris and London the recognition of the Poles as belligerents. A Russian spy was stabbed at Thom, before the Hotel de l'Europe. In consequence of this attempt the hotel was occupied by the military, and all the male inmates were arrested.

JAPAN.-News received from Japan states that the expulsion of foreigners has been openly avowed.

ITALY.-A treaty of commerce was signed at St. Petersburg on the 3rd instant, by which Italy is placed upon equal footing with the most favored nations.

AMERICA. On the 19th and 20th ult., a terrible and sanguinary battle ensued between the Federals under General Rosencranz and the Confederates under General Bragg, the latter having received heavy reinforcements from the armies of Lee, Beauregard and Johnston. The Federals were worsted and had to retreat to Chattanooga, near which place the battle had been fought. By later accounts the Federals acknowledge a loss of 10,000 men and fifty pieces of cannon, and the Confederates a loss of 5,000 men. General Burnside had been unable to join Rosencranz up to the 26th ult. There is no news of importance from Charleston later than the evacuation of Forts Wagner and Gregg by the Confederates. The steamer Sumter was mistaken for a Federal vessel by the garrison of Fort Moultrie, and was fired into and sunk. The crew, numbering 600, escaped uninjured, excepting 20 who were lost.

VARIETIES.

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SINGULAR CUSTOM.-At Munich there prevails a singular custom. Every child found begging in the streets is arrested and carried to a charitable establishment. The moment he enters the hospital, and before he is cleaned and gets the new clothes intended for him, his portrait is taken in his ragged dress, and precisely as he was found begging. When his education is finished in the hospital, this portrait is given to him, and he promises by an oath to keep it all his life, in order that he may be reminded of the abject condition from which he had been rescued, and of the obligations he owes to the institution which saved him from misery, and gave him the means by which he was enabled to avoid it in future.

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The Czas, of Cracow, announces the establishment of the torture in the citadel of Warsaw. An iron ring, which can be reduced in size by a screw, is placed on the prisoner's head and tightened until the victim confesses. Rigorous measures are being taken in case a revolt should break out in the capital of the kingdom. An order has been given to massacre the prisoners in case an attempt be made to deliver them.

THE FIRST PRINTED BOOK.-It is a remarkable and most interesting fact, that the very first use to which the discovery of printing was applied, was the production of the Bible. This was accomplished at Mentz, between the years of 1450 and 1455. Guttenberg was the inventor of the art, a goldsmith furnished the necessary funds. This Bible was in two folio volumes, which have been justly praised for the strength and beauty of the paper, the exactness of the register, aud the lustre of the ink. The work contained twelve hundred pages, and being the first ever printed, of course involved a long period of time and an immense amount of mental, manual, and mechanical labor; and yet for a long period after it had been furnished and offered for sale, not a single human being, save the artists themselves, knew how it had been accomplished.

DIED:

In Great Salt Lake City, August 15th, Robert Francis, son of R. F. and Eleanor Stevens Neslen; aged 1 year, 2 months and 5 days.

In Great Salt Lake City, August 28th, of canker, Martha Ellen, daughter of William and Matilda Emily Wagstaff,aged 4 years and 3 months.

In Great Salt Lake City, August 14th, Charles, son of Charles and Maria Bradford, aged 8 days.

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EDITED, PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GEORGE Q. CANNON, 42, ISLINGTON.

LONDON:

FOR SALE AT THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS' BOOK DEPOT, 30, FLORENCE STREET, ISLINGTON;

AND FROM ALL BOOKSELLERS.

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