Show DISCOURSE by eider elder drauk lin ila D richards ric Klc bands bards bowery oct 5 ma REPORTED BY G D WATT n my brethren and sisters in the dard lard I 1 rejo rejoice I 1 ce exceedingly in being permitted tow to go to the nations of the earth to engage in the the discharge of duties laid u upon on me I 1 and arid get back in safety to to your midst to see bow how you have increased in numbers andhor and how bow you have extended abroad truly indicates that thai the work of the lord ia is onward liere here and it Is onward too ill in the old countr countries lea iea where the gospel has been preached with success cc ess I 1 cannot take the time now to rehearse the varied circumstances and incidents of my mission forth for the main emain thing before us now arf to help heip in the brethren who are on the plains thu tha t subject of immigration by hand carts is one that will do to talk about I 1 have learned that by little I 1 have had to dewith do with them thiem it do to pray about and it does doea a great deal better to lay jay hold of and work at it and we find it to work admirably we have not had much preaching to do to the people in the old countries to get them started out with hand carts there were fifteen or twenty thousand waiting for the next year to roll around that they may be brought out by t the arrangements of the 13 P E F company those who had any objections to this mode of traveling we wanted to wait vait and see if the experiment would work well the subject is popular in those countries and the hardest part of my talking talking was to find the means to bring out the many that that were avee urgently teasing me to let them come when the girst first handcart hand cart company came in it wa was a soul stirring time banners were flying bands of music played and the citizens tur turned ned out almost en mass to greet them but they sili will wiil yet come with haud carts by thousands and shen when they get here they will be most likely to enjoy mormonism this tim time e have not been lire lyre preaching chin them easi ease easy easo and ind smooth things for we had he heard ard of the hard times you have ha ve had in the valleys valley sand and we have bave invited them to come and share with you and we have given them hem to understand under ander stAnd that in coining coming here they came to work out their salvation the saints that are now upon the plains about one thousand with hand band carts feel that it is late in the season and they expect to get cold fingers and toes but they have this faith and confidence towards god that he will overrule the storms that may come in the season thereof and turn them away that their path may be freed from suffering more thab than than they call can bear they have confidence to believe that this will be an open fall and I 1 tell you brethren and sisters that every time we get to talking about the hand carts in england and on the way we could not talk taik long without prophecy prophesying ing about them on shipboard ship board at the points of outfit and on the plains every time we spoke we felt to prophecy good conceiving conc ernina eining them W we st started art off the rear company from florence about the first of september septembers Septem bers berv and the gentiles came around with their weir sympathy and their nonsense trying to decoy away the sisters telling them that R ft was too late in the reason season that the journey would be too much for their constitutions tut ions and if the they te would wait until next year themselves would be going to california and would take them along more comfortably when we had at florence we called upon the saints to express their faith to the people and re requested q nested to know of them even if they they should be swallowed up in storms whether the ther they ion TOM would stop or turn turnback back they voted with loud eions that they would go on stich such confidence and joyful performance of so ardt arduous ious lous labors to accomplish their gathering will bring the choice blessings of god upon them I 1 would like to say a word to the sisters here for they have a tremendous influence sometimes let me say to some of those that came out in inthe the earlier earsom our settlement in these valleys you thought the lourney purney quite long enough and that IF if it had bad been leen a week a fortnight or a month longar you yon didiot did not know how yon you co cirild tild have endured it many of you yott came in wagons bringing the comforts of life ilfe if e with you in abundance sisters think of those fatiguing times and stir up your go bioc men in behalf of those who are footing it and pulling hand band carts miles instead of riding you did the aged the infirm and bowed down and those ached w who 0 have haie been lame from their birth are coming in along upon their and they think it is a good job if they catwalk the most of I 1 the way through the aay day and avold avoid flaiani riding all they can indeed persons of nearly all ail agea ages aud and conditions are coming there are algo also delicata ladies those who have been brom brow lit up tenderly from thein their youth and used to going to 1 school and aad teaching school playing fac fcc but when hen they received the gospel they had tu bid good bye to fathers and mothers and were turnell d out but of doors that taught them the first princ principles lles iles of gathering up to zion and the idd idi idea ilea that thab there was a place here that could be truly called home inspired them to go along to the astonishment of their friends and kindred and that of the gentiles gen tilea oa on the way when ewhen I 1 think of the devilish doings of bf those abroad I 1 feel wroth in my soul to see what the saints have to pub put 1 t u up with the wicked founds found after trying xe their ir best that they could not coax away even the most tender and deli C cate ate from their toil of or drawing carts carta from labo to 20 miles a day and the saints are haag happy t to perform this fabor labor and make the AV welkin el in ring at night i h t when their day s toil is is over oyer with their songs of praise and rejoicing 7 I 1 could but think of the way israel walked 1 in 11 olden times ulten the lord rained rainea down manna foi for bread and they were not allowed to keep any till tomorrow to morrow and in that wilderness re ediff them to build a gorgeous tabernacle and carry ali alf it on their shoulders I 1 have thought that the gathering of the hon estin heart in these latter times is much like that good tood old mode and it must bee bed b e good because it is in the bible the gen gentles biles riles found that they could not turn away the good hood and the faithful who are back in the hills pulling their thein hani hand carts many of those now back are poor and had nob not enough to net ret arvay away from their hom with and biow now they have scarcely of c lothing clothing in if they can have some shoes sent pent out to rifen them and a few blankets to make them comfortable for table at night and flour enough with what beef bief the they y have along to make them a good jneal meat anth morning they will make those hand carts wd ua ly butia but if they are tender f foot oot going shoeless and when they lay down at night if they lay cold it will tend to retard their progress very much however good their faith and resolution may be I 1 r realize in talking to you and applying to you u for help to aid those brethren and sisters that I 1 t it 1 is as just and worthy a cause as can be es espoused ou sed I 1 pray you as you regard those on the p plains lains as you wish them to come and share 1 with I th you yoli the words of life and the ordinances of the house of the lord and ad as you desire zi oi to be strengthened and righteousness to take the place of wickedness on the earth to arise up te and bring those saints in for it is late in t the season e ason and ten to one they will have snow storms to encounter though the lord wi will not let mt them suffer any any more than they have grace race to bear it is jui jup our highest privilege lege to ilo iio do all we can to ameliorate the sufferings brin erin s of those bi brethren ethren that are thus trying to wor work i out their a t emigration mi ig ration prest young wrote to me a year ano ago ago stater stating that if I 1 got his letter I 1 should have hive joy in I 1 carrying tarrying out his plans I 1 testify here that I 1 never enter enfer entered cd into any measures that filled ailed up 4 moy roy soul soui with joy loy i oy faith and energy so much as this plan pian planner for the gathering of the honest poor it lt vv was late when I 1 began bega n the work but we could not get at it any sooner we have llave wio wip wrought tight with our might and br laniel daniel spen cef cei has been a pillar of strength upon which the hop hopes of thousands have rested secH securely rely I 1 rejoice exceedingly with him in the excel axcel int feelings that his own conscience and bosom inspires him with when ho he remembers his labors br wheelock has been like an angel amon among V the churches in the old countries and they have beeh been strengthened in the work we are called to do we did not stop to enquire whether the plan was a fea feasible sabie sable om one or not that was none of our business and when the word said hand handcarts carts we under understand stana stand it so ars grant branty kimball kimn kirn ball bail webb and others have labored with us with all their this season I 1 assure you it has been by some hard thinking hard working and doing the tha best we could united y that we have accomplished complis hed what we have but our vur souls can notee satisfied nor rest until we feel assured that the bi ethren brethren and sisters now on the plains are ae br brought forward and made as comfortable as t the he circumstances of the case will admit of before leaving E england on the of july I 1 had bad the pleasure of welcoming ars pratt and B benson e I 1 anso n to that interesting and important field of f lab iab labor we had a joyful conference at birmingham and a council of the general author itie lile if lesof the church in those countries those brethren expressed themselves very satisfactorily and as fo to the condition in which they received the work at our hands bands they spoke with great energy and power the fire of the lord was felt fell through that conference and will be felt in all ail the conferences through the pastors and presidents who nho were ere with us counseling oh the condition of the work odthe lord in the european missions the lie cause of truth is progressing there as well as here it gives me great joy on return returning to see what an advancement there is in the increased outpouring out pouring of the spirit of gos goj upon this people those that stay here continually cannot so abundantly dantly realize and appreciate this as those can who go out into the world for a sea son and again I 1 feel thank fulfor for the privilege of or being with you to try to partake of that spirit arid and improve with yoi you in the work vork of reformation I 1 realize every time I 1 go ont out from you that the works of darkness are more consolidated and nd powerful powerful against the cause of god on the earth tence hence the saints need increasing strength ani and powen I 1 feel joyful to come back here and feel the spirit and influences that are here the tile brethren that abide here year after year do not know the power that is in them by the of the holy ghost and the exercise of the holy noly priesthood bajt bat when they get out vin in the field of battle where they hey have to contend i a against ainest the adversaries of t truth r uth then they can realize the streng the lord upon them they can rea realize I 1 ize that he is with them mem and mx makes es their labors successful itis it is I 1 believe as comforting a thought as the he human soul can enjoy to realize the worth of home while abroad in the world when you were first called to receive the gospel many of you ou were at once alienated from your homes I 1 an and nearest kindred and have never found a place where you could feel at home until you aund found it among the saints this ibis is the only for the ri righteous oteous on the earth and blessed is that saint who can appreciate it and enter into the righteousness and power of it and enjoy its benefits in their true light and spirl t I 1 felt tod today to d day ay that I 1 could love to sit and drink in n the spirits gracious influences I 1 could feel while shile on may way in from the weber that th here ere is a spirit here watching over ovey the people such as is not to be found anywhere else on the face of the earth it is nourishing and cherishing to the servants of god and the whole church in these mountains how now thankful we ought to be the Lord has brought his zion here to astren strengthen then her to admonish reprove build up and prepare his saints for the event events that are coming and ana r the lord to give us hearing ears and understanding hearts that we may always have ready hearts to do his will in ten years past last july I 1 have been sent to england on three missions and out of that ten teri years I 1 have been absent from home some hing thing over seven I 1 ha exve ve made a good many acquaintances and friends in the old coun nies ries I 1 have labored with joy in my field of abor labor and god has blessed me My heart has been een made glad and I 1 have been enabled to t 0 bless aless others during the last two years we have sent oal oat eight thousand saints and nearly double that number have been added to the church by bap 1 t ism irr enthat 1 that country I 1 fear that I 1 have almost becom ascom e a stranger in israel there are but few hat that I 1 am acquainted with here and it helps me to appreciate the privilege of getting home and of seeing br brigham and lieber lidber and jedediah jedadiah and the saints in zion the elders that go out to labor in the world are from time to time called upon to measure themselves and they have labors and duties laid upon them that no man can perform except in in the name of his god and it behooves every man and woman to strengthen themselves in the name of their god continually to have their armor on an and keep it bright as the president said to us last night I 1 do no not intend to lay it olt off I 1 thank god for the strength be bebas behas has bas given me among amon the nations nation I 1 praise his djs name for these food good grethren brethren th that a were with me I 1 never la ored with a company of brethren with more joy satisfaction and good cheer I 1 mean these Dr ethren brethren who went with me joseph A young win IL if kimball george D grant and others they have been like the deer on the mountains to carry the expresses of the saints arad an d to render any and all kinds of help in hard tr tirades tes les they are men for whom the lord has nuch much regard and though their words might not forth in the same smooth shape as those of some men yet they hit as hard when they were called upon to chastise chast ize the wicked wick eJ and they also comforted those that needed comfort they took hold with me sho lier iier to shoulder I 1 do not wish to take moh mo h credit to myself for what I 1 have done has been ac accomplished a iu in the name of the fhe loel lora my brethren gut put out of the office and in the office helping me to their utmost I 1 wonder a ici id am astonished when I 1 think of what the lord has hag brought his people through in the leet days what would have put another people under ground they have haive surmounted bythe by the ibe influence and ind power of the eternal already are a i great people there is hardly room roz rot tous fous us yet we are but as a drop of the bucket to the geat gebat work before us which has yet to be tie done and the more there is accod caiti iii |