Show AN E EPISTLE T W t i f P to ta uio the church 0 of A jasas 1 IChi 1 C 4 ra Sst st I 1 0 of f latter dy day saints in ia general confere nat assembled n V aar A f ar of ethren and S ts T sky V 01 i L 0 once more in in the providence o of ule wo are permitted permit tod to j adl ress you an epistle ItT it Would givens give ns vety great g reat pleas pleasure to be able to communicate to you rou our I 1 views orally but through circumstances with which you are all fa gratification is denied HS we S the ariy siege of communicating a ten few of our in writing 0 is still at our eur disposal we have hake profound feelings of thanksgiving td our dur god for his goodness and inerny unto his people personally wo ne haye reason tobe very grateful to him for his preserving care car i e in our behalf I 1 zion has been passing through a series of trims which god will undoubtedly overrule for fob our good the experience of the past two vears and half has convinced us that there lias has beena divine providence in all that has taken place andin and in the shaping of ordeals to which the lle saints hate bate been subjected painful as they have been to miny many the day will cooie come when they will be ba acknowledged is as having been tile the means of bringing great benefits to zion i the twelve apostles and their counselors have bave labored with great efficiency as far as they have had opportunity among among the people and have been active ir in attending tending it to the he duties devolving upon them the health of all has been good recent becent letters front from those outside the territory convey the intelligence that they are enjoying their labors an and d ate are successful in ift their performance the latest advice from president woodruff assure us of his good health though he is past 80 years of age his bodily and mental vigor appear unimpaired we ourselves are in the enjoyment of good health and alle able to perform our duties i with satisfaction to ourselves and pleasure in the liberty that we enjoy president joseph F smiths health was somewhat pome what impaired but he be is now lully fully restored the most gladdening news we can communicate to the conference of the church in our present epistle is that from every part of the land which we inhabit gratifying reports have been received of the zeal and dili diligence gencie odthe people in itt endina to the duties of their religion probably at no time in our history has there been a better disposition manifested by the people to attend their meetings on the I 1 sabbath day and on fast days and the prayer meetings which have been held during week day evenings ings I 1 in several of the city arid and county wards meetings have been held at suitable private residences on oil many of the blocks these have generally been crow crowded ded ad and have been occupied by the elders in giving instruction and by the saints in bearing testimony and in prayer all the elderd eldera who have been free to travel who havo hav reported the results of their labors to te us agree in saying that at no time in their experience have the meetings which they have held leen been so crowded as is during the past winter these evidences of the faith and diligence of the people are exceedingly gratifying to us we have been cheered in listening to them for we know that when the latter day saints repent of their sins eins and devote themselves assiduously to keeping the corn com mand ments of god their enemies cannot have lauch much power over them guem As AB a people in times past we have boun baen careless and indifferent in many directions neglect of t duties has been too common every T j vh PA where hypocrisy hns bas been indulged in extent and a laxity has ateva prevailed ailed in ciany e on keeping of ofalia the laws of b bod chichis chis is no not in in accod accord A with to alc tlc c 9 dpn airie it gospel under I 1 these circumstances tile the L lord ord has permitted persecutions and rials to come upon his ais people that have had the checa of sti stirring riling them thein up gf when till the lord for fal any reason turns his face away from his hais people and is is slow w to bea hear r their cries cris through t 1 iro u h repentance pent pen tance arice on oil their pa part i rt and a corn coni pleto abandonment of their evil ways are sure to bring back his favor and to cause IM his coulten ince ance to shine upon them this hasteen has IBS been the case in every age when has had a people u upon port the earth in III our bur own day we have seen frequent ire frequent quent illustrations of this we have never fea feared red for the pw po pie ale nor the prosperity of the work when tha latter day saints hara bare been fully alive to the duties and requirements I 1 of the their je ligion but bui when they have bave been careless and neglectful or hard in their hearts then we have trembled for when the saints are in such a condition tho the displeasure of the lord is sure to be awakened against them and his scourges urges are likely to fall upon them the lord does not permit his enemies northe enemies of his people to prevail over them for any length of time when they are living hying near unto him and complying 0 strictly with his will all his promises promises promis eq of the highest and most glorious character encouraging and hopeful are given to those who keep his bis commandments and who seek earnestly to carry out in their lives the principles of salvation which lie lias revealed when a people are in this condition their enemies cannot have much power over then them we attribute the failure on the part of our enemies to accomplish their wicked purposes during the last session of congress con 0 bess to the fact that the saints were more true to td their professions and were offering up in sincere humility and faith their petitions to the god dod of heaven for his interposition in their behalf when we consider the character of the measures which were framed in the first place and it was the evident purpose of our enen enemies lies to force through and make laia law it is clearly to be seen that our father in heaven hearen has restrained the ef cf forts of the wicked and defeated chemin their iniquitous designs for a while it seemed inevitable that every liberty would be wrested from us and that we should be brought into subjection to a most odious tyranny and be stripped of every right in which belongs belong gs to free men and though tile the measures which have been enacted are odious to the principles of true republicanism still our enemies are disappointed in their schemes and feel that they have been the saints rejoice in the goodness of got edtl and feela feel assured ared that by his help and their continued faithfulness in keeping his commandments and relying 0 upon him they will be able to endure with patience and without go g gaious e ious loss all that the enemies of his kingdom shall have power to bring V upon them it is of the utmost importance that the teachings which have heretofore been given g iven to the officers of the church and which it is not necessary to repeat at length here should be kept iri in mind arid and carried out in the spir spirit itin in which they were given great responsibility rests at the present time upon n those thos elders er who have liberty of action and they should be untiring in their efforts to magnify their priesthood and to do every thing possible towards building up and strengthening the saints in tho the practice of those h almly oly principles which god has revealed much depends in these days of trial upon those who bear the lesser priesthood thy they have opportunities iti es which abreo areo fun e equaled ad 06 niage thy they yi visit i si t or should visit the people at their I 1 I 1 homes they talk tt tai them by their fi resides they can see isee thel their r inn inner ler lives and earn where inthey need strengthening and ibid guiding I 1 ng 1 to ble n ici baft ter er day saints when tn priests and teachers understand heir duties and seek to enjoy the spirit of their offices they can do an all illi immense menso nt of good for they ate ara brou brought glit directly in contact with the people they learn their wants aie are made famil familar ii r with their weaknesses arid and aro are in in a position to check the growth of evil tendencies in parents and in children there thera is in many instances doubtless too much enuch formality in the his character of those a disposition to drop into routine and to ask stereotyped questions without conversing i inia way to bring out the real fedeli feelings 11 ga and spirit of the households which they aliey visit visits visite of this character are comparatively barren barmen of results to igals them as productive of good as they should be live active nieu mou should lie be usel used as priests and teachers the best ability it in the various i wards ivarda can find ample field for usefulness in performing these duties young men who have not had experience should be ba associated with those who afat had experience and they should be impressed with the importance of seeking for the spirit sparil of god to rest upon them in power to dictate to them the very things that should be said to t the he family which they visit vis it the teachings which might inight be appropriate to one family and be the very instruction st which they might need would not perli perhaps aps lie su so sui suitable for another family therefore tile the necessity of having the guidance of the spirit of god is apparent there is a tendency almost amounting to an epidemic in some places among the yung people to indulge in ci garrette smoking the habit is f filthy unhealthy and pernicious generally god gd has spoken so plainly on this subject that there I 1 is no room to q the impropriety q of this practice ers ka nake it their special busina bu in all kindness and in a mild instructive spirit to reason and remonstrate with young peo pon this habit every 33 very effort should be made to lieck check its growth among us the babi habit also i which sonic young joung people fall into of using vulgarity and profanity is one which should receive th at of 1 teachers this practice is not only offensive to all well bred persons but it is a gross to si gin in the sight of god and s should hould not exist among the children of the latter day saints at tile the priesthood meetings of Wards Bishops and I 1 counselors and other experienced elders can call do great good to the young oung men by imparting to them instructions upon illon these points and giving them explanations concerning questions which they may be asked upon the live issues and topics of tile the hour 0 there is a body of young men me growing up in ill zion who if taught as they should be can be made most efficient in wilding building up the church arid and in strengthening its he members against the various temp lations to do wrong to which they are arc exposed these young me men n are generally full of zeal and energy and good desires and only need to be directed aright 0 to accomplish immense results connected with our temporal labora bora there is pr probably bably no point of OJ more importance than the providing indof of ein employment for our people the spirit of the gospel of the lo 10 lord rd jesus christ is opposed to idleness idlene ss ye we agnot do not believe that a man who hlis has that spirit rit can rest content if ei he is ig not busily employed there are many who come from other parts who bave have een cen arcus accustomed tomed to following branches branc bea of trade at which they cannot find employment here there are a great many young men and young women grow ing K UP also who wh do not have the necessary i experience ax or krow knowledge ledge to employ these thee cas cai es eg should tile the attention and ana I 1 consideration of the bishops and Preside fits and other officers othe the 1 church we we should alm aim td create industries it at which the people can call I 1 find if all abol who h lave ave I 1 the influence of position poRi tion or the th power that tiie the control of means mean 8 gives kep ke t ep this subject constantly before them thein and work in the proper direction a great many industries night might be started in this territory that would woud result in profit to their founders foti and give fixed employment to many who are now in of it ir ili every ward or stake ft here there are arel j opportunities of this chara chi ter judicious men should be sel to take the direction of such affairs and to make wise investments investment so that discouragement will nut not fil i low through the lusa loss of means or the tin unskillful s handling of the business n es s from the dav of the lion of the of jesus ch idt iston if lot ter ler day the adversary of if souls has as stirred up the bicket ic ket ti t i ace acca its is desi des ir ution tion various Vari ousa aen eim cies have been employed to uffit t this purpose F Fas a s boud ho cl tr liddil iol drep deep romild p lie ills nin r wealth aud pa oscr of cania eudo ill mib mb violence vio lence leric e are fei feineis teis ue tle lilie and alvord who wholesale lebale ex e and military ruil ilary lice e b K afu tiled hied in iii vain a new crusade has been in au fruited in the faun of if arid and judicial judi rial ial ky tyranny tanny by li v satan and canid ou on by cundida 0 ali ventures and rec rcck leas kletis fanatics banati s perhaps the roost shameful and un ou attempt of bis chari cler was the latest la est scheme devised by 1 local what is ia kno in ai the edmunds law atle aul act of match maich 22 1882 vius hoped to be broad enough ia ais intended scope to secure tle leal control of tire Territory Teni lury ito to the anti voters A abarge large number of buti b aes we e by abat act acl deprived of the fra t e that it did not ile be cout cont ol 01 of the Terii tury out of the hands bunds of the majority ity of its resi douts is not tu to be credited to tile the of buch a wish and desi design desia a on the part pait of i s humors sidd pi ovio ers but tu to over ruling vi of the al mi aily the ariu round ud whick cloae ose wa thi chib seemed to tike was that it if was both bolli piarie orphy dorthy and justifiable justi Gable to vol colite alte the he soundest sou adest puli ucal s and even the iseji tu to like ake vie the political control of the territory of utah urah 4 jo 10 mormon 31 ormun nij dij ir iy ay and aind it in the hands of the anti Moio ou ingui rny goue gotie thus far to this erld end it was ia scarcely to be ts ex et cst ell ed they would woul d hesitate 0 to o eother and mole moie out azelus attern pis when they found that the law bud not i ari the full purpose fut for which it was it appears to be one of the effects which follow a departure depar tuie froni frona sound le ie publican abid constitution it ples plea lik lika 0 the enactment of such euell a piece of legislation le d isolation as the edw Edia law that every attempt in the same direction will be more to le yard lesi of the settled principles of political liberty than its iti predecessor cessor the edmunds law iu seid of appeasing pe asins the ibe anti I 1 mormon appe op petite tiie for power whetted it the success of its promoters in a Is irti passage aud tho the results which ave followed embolden them t to malro make tile the most extraordinary do fiands upon congress Con giess for further 12 le legislation isla t ion emi emissaries saries from frain salt lake city wera employed and sent to t washington sustained by funds levied upon ail collected collect od from froin the non Mormon population of the Teni tory to secure tho the passage pas sage of a law which would bind the mormont Mormon 1 people baud band and foor and leave them their liberties their property arld and all that makes life valuable and aua desirable at the feet of their deadly enemies they did bot |