Show ELEVENTH GENERAL EPISTLE I 1 i of the presidency of the church of J jesus e W christ oj of latter day saints to the saints in the valleys of the mountains Mounta insi and those scattered abroad throughout the I 1 I 1 earth r GREETING BE BRETHREN ever feeling a deep and abiding interest in the prosperity 0 8 er ty of zion and the advancement adv of our I 1 wed redeemers ers kingdom upon the E airth arth and being also dirous desirous of benefiting cheering and consoling the saints in their warfare against the machinations I 1 of satan and the power of the adversary wa ve foe feel to dedicate unto you a short time in delineating I 1 lin eating a few items of the history of the past I 1 our general welfare intentions desires ac for I 1 I 1 conr edification and instruction I 1 since last general genera epistle we hive have received intelligence of the general success and spread of the gospel of christ with few exceptions where ever it has been preached which is cheering to our souls and causes our hearts to rejo ce in the I 1 goodniss of god towards our fellow men by inclining the honest in heart among the nations of th clr earth unto the truth as it is in christ jesus Po prosperity has generally characterized all our efforts both at home and abroad ald and the work is making rapid progress throughout the earth the lord lias has opened the way before elders in foreign countries and upon the islands of lie sea in the most remarkable manner no mission has been appointed but the eld elders rs appointed to go have hava been able to reach their destination with little or no delty del ty and in all except prussia and the west india islands be ben n permitted to remain and promulgate promulgate rom the gospel in its fullness ars if hosea osea cut stout larnes james lewis and chalmin Chap min tn duncan returned from the china mission after havig arrived at hong kong and without off baug any i impression or establishing the standard of truth i in a that mighty empire this Is owing to the disturbed st ite of tile the country which hindered th thim m penol rUing the interior and acquainting them with tile tha inan manners tiers customs and in some i dog degree r oe tho the lari language of the peorl in n tha islands under the superintendence 0 elders philip phiilip B lewis geo gen cannon B F johnson and others the work has been eminently i successful by advices advises received from ars I 1 lewis ant and cannon dated honolulu nov 1853 we learn that over three thred thousand had been baptized and that native elders were now engaged heart libart and hand in publishing the glad tidings which chioli is unto all people the miss on it is is expected will establish a press and publish in the native lau the book boo of af mormon being translated arid and ready for publication in tile the society g bip persecution has continued to rage against the saints insomuch that comma ni cation has measurably been baen cut 08 the american elders having been obliged to leave they are ho wavor endeavoring to agan open i tion with the natives many of whom st indi ug their pers persecution cution conal continued aued at last adai ces to teach as well as practice those principles of 1 life and s il which thy had formerly received from froin elders pratt and bronard gronard and others who h hid hd id been sent among them the brethren are ae ing to find an island where they afree cari gather tog th r and live in ia peace w ith each other free from tha pernicious influence that so unhappily pervades thain in all their intercourse with foreigners in in their present 11 locations S from australi Austra lh i wit reeling t poring accounts ir coi niti elder Wan wandell delav ha asan pan br bir B r nardino nar Jino and eldor elder aigul I 1 U m n ot of thi city WAS chosen to preside k that 4 V A iov A i p iper aw r called zions wa watchmen annl nn ha isaab saied i at sydney Syd nv new south wales with jat a i very I 1 fair prospect of being well faed lied and ac accomplishing corn shing great good the saints in the various conferences numbered several hundreds ha adi ads eds and were constan constantia on the increase aider burr barr frost was at melbourne id the other elders scattered over the colony ol 01 ony awa gwa I 1 ice q eider fara I 1 him ham eap exp expected te d t taj a teon on to hobirt hobart T towi vu I 1 I 1 iaB ai dand new nev zealand the C il ency of el eld ii Ss been preserved fr arree a ats atti aar lar to that r faili I 1 he I 1 place ace in the e their va v trie tie elders have haa visited from this A z jn in tha burman empire da W chi I 1 tad ad ras and ceylon Ceylo nand and it jt is expected that bud inton in ington ton and sav 0 n at sass re findlay Find liv lav wasti was tp a I 1 M and I 1 eld ie er r willis has ti ng in V 6 I 1 ra brov inces i of india tl V I 1 elder jesse n at advie ape town where Ss h ae ith good prospects prospect 4 V 1 I 1 1 1 M L in europe the z A eel ee I 1 ful with the e I 1 0 I 1 i jl W in n or many fance ft awl slowly but ut surely 1 1 J X on has been tra I 1 led 1 r r lif ft the fhe welsh 9 G man Frai a roh h irk I 1 lees W aa death amo 0 1 I 1 ion has bap abara of exe except 1 11 w bedou board of a tl alq h 7 tile the 0 I 1 the E elders darns app appointee bite gf tto M the WI 0 india isi Is islands linds ands remained there bujac u a short tim e as their presence seem geerd d to be remanded reg I 1 ed in rather an unfavorable light by the auth Q I 1 tatt they y together with those appointed to bri ril b guiana ulana sailed jailed for 1 tile the unit united i e states stales ahei e wi ehfe exception of elijah tars Rs who churn I 1 par fall they have since be ru w I 1 fl 1 I 1 elder orson PAU is still wt ft afie W I 1 ity or tash ington publishing ahli seer but will return this season as also will elder P ichards now presiding iding i in n great britain and R HL S eldredge s t at st louis loais I 1 elars lyman and rich gi ara sw at san bernardino d nardi no pr presiding siding over that stad which is said to be in a flo flourishing shing s condition the remainder il of tile twelve 4 jesues astles have 11 s since lee I 1 our last in thi tal ke vet I 1 alem ants as d dB deemed aeo oeo cheked chemed emed ia I 1 on the o I 1 ni co by br orson hyde le direen rive i na I 1 ond nd hive settled on sindall I 1 fork r gt 1 aji ahey ethey call fort supply the sett settlement lemen bonsi cansis of about ono onn hundred efficient men C I 1 there have also been considerable ames to the various battlements settlements ments south irk in accordance with the instructions given at last conference on the he lath of october thi the main e co am ganv of latits emigrating by the aid of thet Perpetual emigrating fund company arrived in good health h envin iving accomplished the journey across the plains without accident or any material loss except cat tle tie 0 on 11 the at af the same mouth month the valley of the great alt like alike was covered with snow but the weather continued mild thereafter unil about the irth of Janu january afy since when until I 1 about the of march we have hd had pretty 11 I 1 constant cold or stormy storm v weather the thermon eter at times ranging 19 deg below aro P I 1 on the ath of november ov ember captain morris with I 1 i liis his command and the remainder of the lamented captain Gunn hons pacific ROI rail road exploring pirty party arrived in this city since when they have remained remi ined here waiting for orders and for the season to open un until til the ath day of april when they loft left to resume their explorations i during the winter common schools have been taught in the various wards also evening schools fot for lectures and the acquisition it ton of va various languages elder P P taught the spanish D B th the utah eUtah and shoshone Sho shene dialects he has also published publish eA a form or dictionary of a collection of indian words and phrases in each of those languages for the benefit of the young learner earlier there have been regular aular meetings in all tile the wards and quorums Qu w which aich have been very regula regularly riv attended the regency hive have formed a new alphabet I 1 which it is is expected will prove highly beneficial in acquiring the english language to foreigners as well as the youth of our con country wo we recommend it to the favorable consideration of the people and desire that all of our poachers toa tAn chers and instructors will introduce it in their heir schools and to their classes the orthography of the english irn ghag needs reforming a word to the wise is C on oil tile ath of november the ameret dramatic association opened at the social hall since when with few interruptions amusements of various kinds have been kept up in that building until the present time as an often as once or twice a week on the esth of february the seventies held their I 1 F I 1 quarterly conference in the social hall which altho the weather was very stormy was well attended and continuo continued two days during this meeting three new quorums were organized the and the wall around the temple block ilas has advanced considerable since our last epistle the stone and adebie work except the coping copin gand and gates being completed on two and a half sides the city wall is also aiso fast progressing and it is expected will be finished the present season many of the settlements have secured themselves by forting dorting in but much remains to be done it is desirable and we urge it upon nall all the saints to not cease their vigilance nor their exertions until their de fences are completed altho the indians are and have been quiet for several months yet we have no assurance that they will remain so it therefore becomes necessary for your temporal salvation and the quiet of the territory that yon should be prepared for any emergency that may mav 1 arise on oil no occasion trust yourselves to go int into 0 canyons or bye places where an indian can lurk lark unseen by you without first exploring arid and aser ase r laining that all is safe go in companies sufficiently strong to intimidate the foe and you will be less liable to be attacked so with all your preparations you will be less liable to have to fight go on expeditions or suffer i loss if you are always prepared ready and fully capable of defending I 1 yourselves at a moments notice it is in I 1 the moment of indolence carelessness or I 1 abed indifference rence and negligence negi gence that destruction comes upon you yon out of sight out of danger has become too practical a proverb we toll tell all tile the saints in the valleys of tile mountains in the name of israels god if you do not better observe the counsel which is given and comply with the requirements of your leaders you vou will suffer los I 1 the natural consequence of ais disobedience obedience the lord will have a people who will do il his ll 11 1 biddi bidding din ing I 1 who will comply with his reasonable requirements ul I 1 if willingly so much the better if no not t willingly willina iv they may expect to be chastised for the lord is bof not to be trifled with after pouring out his blessing of intelligence in floods ot of light by revelation of principles pure and holy of deliverance from oppression and and unequalled unequal led prosperity in peace and qui buess from henceforth let oni one and all go forth with one accord and build their forts wall in their cities i and villages herd and guard their cattle and oth r I 1 property arid and keep their guns and ammunition in good order and convenience ready for instant use I 1 and then when thus prepared and ready at all I 1 points to ward off danger to defend yourselves and continually guarded against surprise and you meet the indians indi ins treat them civilly fri friendly adly endeavor to gat get speech with and treat with thorn them in a friendly manner seek to gain their good will and induce them from their hostility their savage and warlike feelings their propensities for theft shedding edding sli of blood plunder and to follow tile the pursuits of peace and civilization they as well as ourselves and all others are in the hands of god let us do our duty and all will he be well let us a I 1 so exert ourselves to save israel not destroy them for the promises concerning them will be fulfilled fulfill pd on the of Di Dc omber camber the legislative assim bly of utah territory Torri Tarri tory organized in the state house of this city and after aate r holding the usual ss s slon passing laws upon various subjects and adopting various memorials to congress adjourned having accomplished what business came before thern them among the most important of thir their acts will be found an act regulating herd grounds and herdsmen and a aa law a w authorizing the construction of a canal from broili utah lake or the outlet t thereof above I 1 the tAx reat salt SaIt lake a distance of about 49 mil aw when completed will furnish water tu far migrating irrigating many thousand acres of good otherwise would remain comparatively u useless eless the te legislature also memorialized congress for a national railroad across the continent and on afi the of january there was a public meeting held in the te tabernacle which was vory very numerously I 1 attended spirited and enthusiastic in its proceedings I 1 c ce ee the memorial of tile the legislature was adopted as ag well as a series of resolutions expressive of their feelings in relation to that important subject subie ct the law concerning herding is of the more importance I 1 to us as to be observed as the natural wealth of the count country fy which consists in I 1 kra grazing zing induces havy investments in stock growling ng this fills our oar valleys vaudys with stock which too often ranging without proper herding is often lost loat and is I 1 liable tob to bolen len by bv indian or white I 1 thieves eol ise u I 1 only lost to the owner bu but actually tactually c furnishes I 1 66 induce inducements in ants and temptations to the na natives who are truly ignorant a and nd ap better than to crime F for or gen band I 1 centuries they have held and taught I 1 n that to be successful in robbery I 1 sig g an and dwar war was the path to glory the road and power how ow then can we expect hect them to re refrains fraini when they li have ive the opportunity from taking our stock let ns act wisely 1 and take care of our stock and pro property porty and nd not I 1 tempt them to take it by W a opportunity tunit by neither guarding nor hordin herdin herringt gt it is like growing throwing irresistible temptations in the ir way I 1 on the ath of november the indians burned six h houses auses at summit creek and on oil the ad of november news arrived of their having burned a sawmill saw mill near manti and on the th ath of january the place called alfreds settlement which was evacuated 1 ast summer was burnt to the ground I 1 on the d ty of february about eighty head of cattle ware were driven from spanish fork and sp I 1 naville settlements these are the last depredations that we have heard beard of being committed and we gowsay that evera solitary arv e af pf of indian hostility and depredation pr edition ha has s been r W i tt ed neglect in disobedience of orders carelessness or disregarding the counsel which b has is been given from time to I 1 time anle brethren when will yon yoi bo be wisp and follow in the precepts of wisdom must you first be destroyed and wasted away like unto the ne philes or will you hearken unto counsel in ih time to save yourselves and your families your flocks and your herds from des truc tion having received advises advices that indian walker was fri friendly andly disposed and wished to make peace bedell badell indian agane for this territory and I 1 I 1 interpreter huntington accordingly went to fillmore the place fixed by bahun ap and iris his band b md to meet i them and concluded a treaty of pence but let no person |