OCR Text |
Show leaving only seventeen men in Obed , to battlo with the adversities of a desert land, but union existed among thenx-an- d .they consciousin the were strong prospered, and ness of doing their duty. Sept. 16, 187G, I gave birth to my firstborn twin daughters. The youngest died immediately, Our Ideation proved unhealthy, and in September, 1877, every member of our settlement took sick with the fever and ague. The brethren and slaters of the other settle-men- ts kindly took us to their homes and cared fcr us until vye recovered. They also finished harvesting the little crop that had thisseason blessed our iaburs. We thought best to abandon the Obed location, and as there were so few of us we decided to join the other settlements on the Little Colorado River. June 5, 1878, was a sad day for me the Lord in His wisdom saw fit to take our remaining child to Himself, and we for a season are deprived of her dear society, but He doeth all things well, and 1 desire to bow humbly to His will. There were some Lamanites farmed with us, and were so elated with their success that they are trying again this season. The bitter is always mixed with the sweet, and we were forcibly reminded of this when just as we were congratulating ourselves upon our abundant harvest, the floods came and destroyed several hundred bushels of our grain, but we still have enough for bread. Our relations with our Lamanite brethren aro very friendly, and they seem much attached to their "Mormon" brothers, and have the utmost confidenco in is.' They are an industrious people and willing to learn. There is a great work to be done for the redemption of that people, and we of the Arizona settlements are doing all we can to assist in this great work, by example as well as by precept March, 5, 1879, we started on a visit to our relatives in Cacho Co., and arrived April 3, after a pleasant trip. I will write again when I get homo, as you are so kind to urge and stimulate your sisters to write I feel encouraged to try. May God bless and prosper you in your labors, and may the Exponent live long to cheer the women of the Lalter-'daSaints. -- . y Phebe A. McNeil. WOMAN'S VOICE. After reading and hearing so much said ana done of tho noble and brave stand that my sisters have taken since the decision of the Supreme Courb?of the Uunited States in the Reynolds case, I feel like adding my humble mite to that of my sisters. Our enemies are very assiduous in their labors in trying to pull this principle of ours to pieces. Dear editor, It looks to me the more our enemies oppose plural marriage the more the sisters are determined to sustain this holy principle, both with their faith, prayers and work?. What pusillanimity of mind our enemies do show, especially the ladies, when they begin to measure arms with Jehoeab, and In trying to overthrow His purposes. Some ask what wo are going to do about the decision of tho Supreme Court of tho United States. We will wait upon the Lord and see His salvation in this matter, as in all others. He has been our strength and salvation in perilous times that are past, and we will trust in Him for the present, and also for the future. There are many Sarahs, Rachels, Leahs and Hannahs in this age of tho world, who aro as willing to be obedient to great and holy principles as were the ancient women of God. It Is said that plural marriage is degrad-inWo think and know that it Is eleyat-in- g in Its nature. We believe in the restoration of all - things, Patriarchal Marriage Included. Why not let all women be honorable wives and mothers of families? Sisters, let us try and do away with our sefish-nes- s, and not debar women from filling the measure of their creation. We will try and keep God's commandments and raise noblo and vlr- up unto Him a tuous generation of sons and daughters, who will build up a kingdom of righteousness and make the earth fit for the coming of the Savior. , We are determined to stand by tho right, notwithstanding all our enemies can do or say j we need not their sympathy, we care not for their censure. All we want is our Constitutional rights, that our fathers fought and bled for, and the privilege of worshipping God according to the dictates of our own consciences. Oh, what a shame that we as American citizens cannot have our rights and privileges! But never mind, we can afford to wait the Lord's time, Who doeth all things well for those who love and fear Him. A few more words by way of caution to some of my sisters. Some ot our would-b- e friends are very diligent in asking ques-- " tions of our sisters about their domestic concerns how many wives their husbands have, how many children each wife has, and what the husband has to keep them on. One thing is certain, the wives our husbands have are their own, by their own free will and choice, and as'for our children, we are not going to turn them adrift on the world. No, emphatically no! as long as they have fathera and mothers that are true to the Gospel, they will own them. Wo know that our children aro the Lord's heritage. It is a part of woman's ephero to raise up children. Where can she find a nobler title than Mother, or a more sacred charge than souls given into her hands to care for? And let us above all keep our holy vows and covenants, and not cast cur precious pearls before swine. Some of our would-blad friends aro on the alert, and the Evil One is ever ready to wuggest; let us be on the alert too, and show by our works and conversation that the wisdom of the Lofd is far before the cunning of tho Evil One. The Lord expects wisdom of his children. I. P. W. Mill Creek, May 23, 1879. g. -- God-fearin- g, ( -- e A BREEZE IN TIMBERVILLE. FROM THE WOMAN'S JOURNAL. Edtor3 JOUitNAL:-TabIt- to me ha Bowers wrote that she saw an article signed with my name In your paper copied from the"In-ter-ocean- ," and I thought if you were kind enough to do that may be you could give me some light In these matters, and lam sadly troubled. My letter, which was published in thelnter-oceaU,- " somehow fell into the hands of Elder Jenkins, and he came to me very much disturbed in mind. It seemed so strange,he said, that after listening tohis so many., I should preaching now be years, led astray by these infidel reformers. In vain I assured him that I was still sound in the faith,and was only seeking to understand tho real meanings of St, Paul's teachings and their application to the present time. replied that the very fact of my having writ- -' ten to a secnlar newspaper for information, was evidence sufficient of my lukewarmness. cried Why Elder Jenkins, whatcoaldldo, in my dismay, "I, had no husband toask?" ho patted mo on the head (for ho had taken his seat very near me, as is the ministerial custom,) and looking smilingly right into my eyes said, "Why, child, could not you ask your pastor?" I do not suppose anybody in Timberville will see your paper, leastwise I hope Elder Jinkens won't, but I must confess I felt real uncomfortable. In -- the first place I am by no means a ohIid,being about midway between childhood's first, and second stage. Again, I do not think It is nice for men, even if they aro ministers, to pat women on their heads and call it a fatherly interest. I had a good father, but when I became a woman he treated me as such, and I can not make such manners seem uraL But I shoved my chair a little farther oft and put on as brave a face as I could, If h wahM toll UVa i and asked ..Z.. him JHII.UUIT he understood St Paul. He said that women was the ''weaker vessel" and that it was a shame for her to "speak In church' or to "pray with uncovered head," that they should not wear "braided hair, or gold, or or pearls, costly array." Now I do not know what tho fashions aro in Boston,but in Timberville the women's bonnets hang on their back hair,and their heads are all uncovered and they wear great heavy-gol- d chains outside of all their wraps,and they go to church wiiu mmr nair irizzea ana braided In a most marvelous manner, and never a minister has opened his mouth to condemn such unseemly apparel. Latterly, however, wear what they cal"banlrs.,? and the they hair comes clear down to their eyes, and may bo aw raui is responsible for tho style. I must say that I have noticed fwith pain that at our church sociables Elder Jenkins pays a great deal more attention to these gaily dressed ladies than he does to the soberly attired women of his flock, and sometimes when I have been thinking1 ft over I have been almost afraid Ht. Paul might have done mo same. vt?,hfcM;t'. Then the Elder went on to say that according to Paul "Adam was not decived; but tho woman being deceived was in- the transgression." Tasked him it; that meant that Eve reaMy believing that the of the apple would make her wiseeating was a greater sinner than Adam, who ate his with his eyes open just becouse Eve offered it to him? He said that all the misery in the orld was the result of Eve's insane desire for wisdom; that if all women were wise it wonld subvert the entire order of creation, for their husbands could no longer rule over them; as to Adamthe went on to say his sin was a manly one, and that the sins .men committed in consequence of the attractions of women were never visited so up-o- n tho men as upon tho women,heavily by nature or society; woman invariably paid the pen-- " It might appear bard, but he ajty it was according to tho established believed order of things. Then I asked him what BU 'Padl meant when ha said, "let not a widow bo taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one 'man well reported of for good works: if she Have - . ..- -- ! - cdren' the eaints'feet; if she have relieved the afflicted, if shohavo diligently followed good work Buthe younger widows his watch and said his was already too lnnov . to meet a committee r.of ladies that afternSi t0 Vl?lng, Revise' means toV raise salary and 'refurnish tho was to 'bo a donation party; and then they already had a sewing arda mtte society, which met every week; but they thought, perhaps, something might i1? $? if, she haverivashed il - iw-ux'- ihJm par-8onage;the- re. feeti |