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Show GrOOI3' KTSS 1SS3B Ijfr' ' Note: The following was set I ; up for January, but unavoidable , ; circumstances prevented our issu- : -' ing at that time. Ed. Y The year just gone, during its time, ushered in many strange evonts, J1' sqenes of both honor and shame; i ; so wo B'&yl good-bye, 1885 ! We are lacking for the "good wiiihes coming" bye-dnd-bye, but at, preseht'Hve may exj)ect some pretty, pret-ty, tight times, unless the lieads of this Nation remove the obnoxious element in this territory, (who make everything so one-sided!) and repeal -unconstitutional measures, meas-ures, made to annihilate the Mormon Mor-mon community, and until this is done, there is little hope of our realizing re-alizing much justice in these parts of this mundane sphere 1 While from present axpearances of the doings in Congress, there is little hoj)e of any steps being taken to do any rexoealing in our favor, time only can prove what the result will be. Because the Latter-day Saints are not like the world, and love to see honesty, virtue and uprightness maintained, we must suffer the con-secxuences! con-secxuences! Yet, with ail the calumnies ca-lumnies that are heaped upon us, it shows up better the state of the great Bepublic, because the first amendment to our glorious Constitution, Consti-tution, says; "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment establish-ment of religion, or prohibitmg the free exercise thereof," which our national Government broke when they passed the Poland Bill (Pill?), and then overstepxed the bounds again when Mr. Edmunds infamous ( ?) measures were passed, thereby taking away a part of the foundation of the government, and unless the break is mended, more stones will be tumbling out, -until the whole structure will fall with a mighty crash! In consequence of these harsh measures, we have had sad scones in this Territory the xast year, loving families, where unity reigned, reign-ed, have been torn asunder, and means that should have been used in their supxort, have been exxoen-ded exxoen-ded in defending their rights, and in extortionate fines. During the past year in Utah, have not a set of relentless re-lentless money-seekers given vent to their ire in waging a persecution against the Latter-day Saints, for what should not be considered a crime, Polygamy, moral men marrying and sustaining their wives and children, while the o-p-pressors (at least some of them) revel in inicxuity? And have not those who have been arrested for licentiousness, been dismissed and not prosecuted, because they are not Mormons? And have not the laws against immorality been set at defiance? And where is there an outsider (or gentile, if you Xlease) that commits wrongs a-gainst a-gainst decency, that meets the just reward he merits? Triily, justice 'hath fled! ' f Verily, this is a queer world-,, 1 where history-repeats itself too often, of-ten, and men are convicted without the privilege of having much proof on the defense! "With Juries pack-ed pack-ed on open venire, rogues and ras- ( cals become our p eers ! all Lat- : ter-day Saints being excluded" in toto. And yet, with all the ill-will and idle persecution the Salt Lake .Liebune, hireling priests and Mr. Edmunds (with one foot in the grave?) have been able to heap on tho Mormons, they are not satisfied, 1 but want more legislation for Utah ! 1 Oh! What a torment their minds must be in! And won't it be still more, when they get where the rich man was, (with a great gulf intervening), inter-vening), when he called on father ; Abraham to send him Lazarus, so he could clip the tip of his finger in water to cool his tongue? for lie was tormented in the flame ! .s Behold the crisis jis coming! Have not these men been told of the judgements that are coming on the wicked? Wars, rumors of war, Xestilence, famine, earthquakes, cyclones, cy-clones, tornadoes, devouring fire and vapor of smoke, Arc. Such scenes of strife and turmoil have . not been seen, as will yet be ioif-nessed ioif-nessed on this earth by they that fight against Zion; "and the des-tructrion des-tructrion of the transgressors and jbp of the 'sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed." Isaiah. Notwithstanding these men know it is solely persecution they are edging on, and can read that the wicked will "be consumed," yet some of them would prefer the "curses" of a Latter-day Saint "rather than their blessing." Do such men realize their true situation? Verily, nay! And we are led to say, like Jesus when crucified, cru-cified, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do';" (if it so be that they will repent and turn unto thee: yet, they are in thine hands to do with as seemeth Thee a'ood. ) May the N ew year that is just dawning, be a brighter and more prosperous one for Zion, for the stone is rolling fast and increasing as it goes, and soon it will crush a great many toes; and may we all stand by the Truth, keep the commandments com-mandments of God, live our religion, relig-ion, and make for ourselves, with the blessings of our Heavenly Father, Fath-er, A Happy New Year! |