OCR Text |
Show PIONEEH DAY. Twenty-eight years ago to day the original band of Utah pioneers reached this valley and pitched their tents in what was then a desert country, of similar appearance to that which may How be seen in many places throughout the Rocky mountain moun-tain rogion. A dry, sage brush plain from the foot hills and along the valley, only diversified by an occasional occa-sional green streak where tho miserly mountain streams tricKied down through the arid soil, giving life to ft little patch of vegetation. It must have been a desolate picture which those wearied pilgrims looked upon. To reach IhiB dreary spot they had traveled a toilsome journey of ovor a thousand milts ajournry not illuminated illumi-nated by visions of a golden fortune not softened by the liiyj of meeting old. friends or finding luxurious homes. They had left all these mit'orta and joys behind them, bad separated from their friends and broken all the ties of civilized society. They had come to stay in this desert, then ft foreign domain, and carve out such a future for themselves as they best could, with their own strong arms and firm reliance upon divine providence. provi-dence. Tbey were men and women mainly of the same blood and stamp as those who landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620. A similar faith in God inspired them, and they entrusted en-trusted their future to his hands in full confidence that be would protect and prosper them as they deserved. We can imagine the feelings and prayers of that dovoted band as they laid themscives upon the ground for the first night's rest. Their eventful past must have come up in review before their minds their persecutions persecu-tions the martyrdom of their leaders their wanderings from place to placo their final expedition for a distant homo 'among' the mountains -impelled to every movement by strong religious faith zeal in the cauao of God and their soul's salvation which no earthly obstacles could weaken. Who shall say that the revelations which inspired these movements were not to them as real as those which directed tho children of Israel through tho wilderness, and governed their journey ings for many years ? It required re-quired a faith that would almost remove re-move mountains to see in this deso late region a future flourishing home for thousands a centre of civilization civiliza-tion and wealth that many old communities might envy. But it required re-quired as well a firm confidence in their own manhood and integrity a living trust in each other, and a love of work, which i& the distinctive element ele-ment of human civilization without which all good intentions muit utterly utter-ly fail. All honor to the Utah pioneers. They bave done a noble work, and are worthy of honorable romem-brance. romem-brance. The custom o! celebrating Pioneer day bIiouU be perpetually maintained. In honoring our fathers we best honor ourselves, and in perpetuating per-petuating their memory we cannot fail to recall their principles. Though tho children have not their work to do, it will be fortunate for them if they emulate th virtue and , pianly qualities of the pioutens. I |