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Show . J fr we hsveglowiDg grate fires and . jigbu lucn, m ward rack has ccme down from Berllc, will asfclHt the ec cretary in the office, so John Q. will have more liberty to go out in tbe mission ary field. He purrr.f every Conference, m.the niUnion. Kint through 8 wi'zrland and then Germany. I will Join him at Geneva, and erp ct then to the Castle of Chlllon, of which we have read and beard, so much,; and now my wish to Jqbe reallze4. As surprised to jou will be 'Wbeveat fires we have ;. Que room I ber wbtkfnd of Unc-lbUfonvand if l ne' believe I tried to home; w d o vif-ltlD- g 7 gltcirf.mentiouicg the it .ve I did very wrony, on for it J a prlncij al feature of tbe room, both account cf Its fixe and uhv In ? the bouses here, and curs is no exception, they have large porcelaiajstoves, some .tqaare, some; round. '1 1 sjj Yth rerzfcfur-Ho- te ' the rccm ie even t ccrxes gradually warm. andmoJeJaiej-and-thobes- t TJifc--idea- r of itall is, ay there is never any smoke or coal "Just or sign of Are lu theroom. flreJa laid and llghted-ithe hall, and one is never bothered with sweep:" lug up hearths or taking up asber in one room. They are very queer thing?, and I fear my des' cription U not very lucid. is inorning John Q. and I went through au art museum; this in the fl;si mmaum cr gallery I have visited, and sorne of the pictures interested me very much. .There were some very, good pictures and tome very poor; bat most of them "were very odd and very old, and these inter ttd me and I enjoyed looking at the'm very much. Tbe pieltiest and the most Interesting thing in Bern is the wood car viog. Elaine of this work is truly wonderful, and veay beautiful. There are battle tC9ce3epregented very all done wi th clearly andt very handsomely, and r . m re a Jitue aniie. mere-Tiseveral jarjre stores in tbe.eity where they .sell nothing elee. Oar Conference here begins next Sunday and continues Monday and Tuesday. We will have a kinder-feas- t. I have been helping to trim a Christmas tree for the children. Annie. Je Yeardjreceivmore bkingscrfel " joy Than ever. n - K . Annie "-Th- . ; " v : - Bern, a 'jz LETTER IV. Swltierland, Dec. 25tb, 1883. My Dearest Bister Louie: How strange it seems to be In this far distant land among strangers on a day like this. John Q. and I have said so many times I wonder what the folks are doing at home? And we have wishsd so much we could see our little George Q. I suppose hia eyes are popping almost out of wonder. " hjseadwithjurpriae-an- d I have been helping to trim a Christmas tree for the children. The festival Is to be giren to night. There are eleven missiohailea here in Bern to day. They gathered here for the Conference, which was held yesterday and Sunday, and are staying to spend Christmas. The latter part of this, week we go to Winter-thu- r to attend Conference, and intend to return by way of Zurich. Dec. 26th. I postponed finishing my letter yesterday so I cjuld tell you more about our Christmas. The children came out In fall to-da- y, furce, and they had a very nice time. Avery witty young German fellow dressed himself np to represent Santa Clans, and when the children were Blnging he came in with a long basket filled with -- presents on his a back, baket of things In one hand, and a Christmas tree in the other, all Map and trimmed with pretty things. It was a total surprise to the little folks, Md at first lome of the smaller otes were good frightened. The day was kept quietly here, all houses of business closed, and' the people mostly in doors, ve as came to and from church. ,The they began to ring at five in the morning and ng every quarter of an hour all day, except &tn service was held. . Before this . I presume the Unity Club Pair is Clover with. . I trust It was a great success. I ibould very much like to kno w what became of ntt wonderful quut. In reading the Church works my mind gees back to early days, and I remember a revelation that was given, called the Word of Wisdom;." and it was given for the benefit of the Latter-da- y 8aint for their preservation in a time to come. About the time it was given, or rather soon after, the Church, both men and women, almost universally observed lis teaching?, and a man that did not keep itaccordiug to bis understanding was not considered worthy to administer in the ordinances of the Holy Priesthood at least so It was decided in the High Council at Kirtland. (Joeeph Smiths History, Times and Seasons). And I would ask, what improvement have we, as a people, made in the years that have passed? The Lord well knows the weak-- , nesses of human nature, and is very lenient. But how mnch longer will he bear with this people? It seems to me that our time is about up, and the Lord wi'l f oon require a more strict observance of His word, or we mut suffer the consequences. . - A short time ago the subject of sewerage, sanitary measures, etc. was agitated to a Considerable extent. Now, cleanliness is an excellent thing as everybody knows; but the inside of the platter should be kept elean as well as the outside. If It were possible to make a sewer large enough to take In all the breweries, whisky ea loous, et cetera and, their patrons, and then empty the contents of the inexhaustible 'Little Brown Jug," and wash them all away It might be a great benefit to the peopla. Many wonder where diptheria, and other horrible dea-ea- es come from, and why we are so often afflicted with them. Borne lay it to cesspools and such like; which may be, in a measure, correct, bat If the sysspecially if they are defective; , tem Is kept in proper orde-- by observing tht have power Word of Wisdom disease would to lay hold and destroy. It Is no mystery to me where these things come from, for the Lord has said, through the months of His holy prophets, that He would pour out His Judgments upon the face of the whole earth without measure in the last days. And it has been declared that a desolating sickness shall pa&s over the land But the Lord has been mindful of His people, and shown them whereby they can escape these things. And if the 8alnt will not take advantage of God's mercy, In making known unto them a way of escape, how can they have faith and confidence to call on Him for help in the . hour of their trouble. School that to We send our children Sunday the principles of righteousthey may be taught ness. They are taught to honor their father and mother. They are taught the necessity of keeping the Word of Wisdom, etc. At home, perhap?, they see their father take his beer or whiskey; they tee him smote his cigar and chevr nt . fatheranhyolheretcNow,-whari- s to" beTTdohe when precept and example conflict?.' Surely this cannot be teneflcialJO-lh- e young.r A short time ago I called at a neighboi'a house; a little girl wa rolling up a pkee of paper, and she was going to smoke. I said, it ia wron iAWokewhbut-- p emokefP Sonvhteier LHJPXJ jlJosa-iaa- st bertg htfor they are th e u highest authority in the eyes of children, if? th-- y drlak whhkey, chew tobatCJ, smoke, use-teand c it must ba good or they would not use it. Now, if parente .persist In using, thefe things the cJiildrenlwilL bejapt to follow" in their footsteps; and then where is the use of tbe "Word at all. If we will not do our part, how can" we expect the Lord will Can we expect the destroyer will pass our door and not enter? Verily, no. He will ly to enter and lsy hold of the weakest of the when It is too late we will see our mis- flock, and ' ' take. Now, If the Lord designs toraide up a strong-anmighty people He will be apt to tske those - for the foundation that will be obedient to all" His words, whether it relates to our spiritual or temporal welfare. The two cannot well be separated. Oar physlOAl health and strength depend, in a great measure, on what we eat and drink. I have great faith in the doctrine of "The survival of the fittest." It would not be a pleasant idea to know that our posterity would be cut off: from the land, being weaklings, made to by the IdJ udlcious habits of their parents, When, many years ago, the Lord proposed to people this continent, He sought out two of the best families In Jerusalem those that xr ere strong both pbyjfcally and mentally. And when they were traveling toward the promised land they were not permitted to eat anything but raw meat. The Lord designed them to be the root of a nation that should endure many hundred years. I dare say there was some murmuring, but the Lord made their food aweet unto them, and they were healthy and strong, and their women bore children In the wilderness, and I doubt not but they were far healthier and stronger than they would have been had they had less au and a greater variety of food. Suppose a people in these days were required to abstain from all kinds of food but raw meat; would there not be some grumbling? I think there would. The Lord has given us a great many good things, and has withheld nothing that la for car good. Then let us not complain, but that our Father has been mindful of His people, and given them a "Word of Wisdom." Some think because they work hard they need a little "something' to keep them up. Others are not very well and they indulge in using tea, co flee, beer, and other things that Qod has said is not good for man. One woman showed me her hands that were crippled with rheumatism as an exouf-efodrinking tea Some excuse them- t elves In one 'way, and others in another way and perhaps they are excusable. It Is not for me to say." But It Is the effect of the. example set before the rising generation that I am writing about. Perhaps if we had faith enough to by the Lord we might have better health, more strength to perform our labors, and greater stores of knowledge all of which are promised to the obedient. I would suggest ..that the " Word of Wisdom" bs read occasionally in all the Beliaf Societies, Y pang Men' and Young Ladles' Associations, r and very ; often In the Primaries. Too raoch cannot b csld on this a W. Cannon. PRECEPT AND SAMPLE: ; . . -r- beforeT going to Winter thur I will not prolong this on; you. will hear from me through them" all. John Q. J iins me in love to enr brothers and sistfere. fftt with much love for your sweet 8 If, you have the happiest of New o me, and f ;hVmri y , outeirfo wbtE itcLce l.ifcts up, tli Ic great oven or table," 1 they do is right, and Shey should think so; for the commandment to them - is, "Honor thy e ado on the" eryie4rr In "the .tobacco. The'r mother takes her tea and coflee ak the table, and if the children do not take . it, It is because they are not allowed, bat will do m '. when they are older. Children general y look upon their parcut ai perfi ct bting, and what ' fl-- e, do-Hit- ? be-ap- t " . . d ; . " ri-Jo- r fce , . |