| Show FROM ONE OF THE missionaries floreice april 12 1851 EDITOR OF THE des NEWS DEAR sir having a few leisure moments I 1 take the liberty to pen down a few items that may not be uninteresting to your readers it is now eighteen months since I 1 left ncy mountain home in G S L city during which time I 1 have hase been to england and performed a very pleasant mission in that country and returned to this place to assist the saint as far as I 1 can in their preparations for crossing the plains to the great center place blace of gathering where all ail nations can enoy freedom and find a shelter from the gathering storm is already so dark and foreboding that the strongest hearts quake with fear I 1 returned from england by the way of new york city where I 1 arrived the day of february last in company with elder eider N V jones after a passage of thirteen days and nine hours I 1 much with sea sickness during the voyage from the effect of which I 1 did not recover for three or four weeks while in new york cita I 1 had the eleasure of attending several beveral meetings of the ailts in company with elders eiders 0 pratt and E snow ih were well weli attended by strangers who listened attentively but went a way apparently without being able abie to discern between truth and aud error nor hor between light and darkness I 1 left new yolk city on the ath of march or this place on my way I 1 passed through the state ot missouri and called to see my sister who lives ilves in caldwell Cal cai dwell duell county four miles from far west the city from which the latter day saints were driven in the winter of 1838 while I 1 was wab there the people wished me to preach to them I 1 consented and on the following sunday I 1 spoke to a very respectable spec table tabie congregation who assembled at plum creek school house near the old oid bozarth place they listened very attentively when it became more generally known that a mormon elder eider was wab in the place flace many were anxious to hear bear and wished me to come back and preach again I 1 went to far west and called upon mr john whitmer who in an early day of the tha church wab was a member and one of its strongest advocates and was and is a witness to the book of mormon I 1 spent foun four or five hours in pleasant and to me an interesting conversation he appeared glad giad to bee see me and I 1 am sure bure that 1 was glad to see him after a lapse of twenty two years during which time mr whitmer has not been a member of the church notwithstanding which be still remains like ilke an undying monument before the eyes of this generation in evidence of the truth of mormonism and the divinity of joseph smiths mission while I 1 was with him he brought forward a book of mormon one of the oldest editions and declared that he knew that it was true and that joseph smith translated it by the gift and power of god he further stated that he knew that joseph smith was a true prophet and believed that young was wab carry ing out the principles that joseph smith taught before he was wab maity malty red he also aiso stated that he believed eliat the elders eiders preached the true gospel when they were sent bent on missions he objected however to our social system he could not believe belleve that it was right fora man to have more than one wife to which I 1 replied that if it was the faw law of god in ancient clays for good men to have more than one wife it was possible for men to have more than one wife in this age and harbon still be good men he did not seem to harbor animosity or bitterness against our people I 1 was glad to hear this from his own mouth I 1 invited him to come comb to salt sait lake and live with the saints hib his answer wab was that be could not say eay that he would not come out and live with us for he did not know what he might do hereafter mr whitmer is growing old his hid head is already fringed with silvery locks it seems a pity thal a man who hab has once occupied so high a place in the kingdom of god should go down to his grave as a dead branch severed the tree of ilfe lite I 1 think there never was a better tume time to extend a general invitation to the wayward sons bons of men who once belonged to the kingdom ot god than the tha present the condition of mankind in general together with the political difficulties that are about to destroy our once happy country causes a fear to creep over oser tue people and especially those who have once bien acquainted with ane doctrines taught by the latter day saints and ana have not altogether forgotten the predictions of joseph smith the great mode n prophet ho ev er liall the people may have thought of the prophets words in bygone by gone days the facts aie ale now before this unbelieving generation there can be no excuse now it the have hase not falth faith they can now walk by sight bight if they are not totally blind when the tho judgments of god are in the earth men learn righteousness since bince I 1 came to this place I 1 have been quite astonished to hind bind so many people who once belonged to the church of latter day saints many of them are waking ap as from a dream and ana are rubbing their eyes to ascertain it they can bee see they have heard the bound sound thereof since bince elders marvindale Mar lindale and wareham have come down from the mountains I 1 have been much gratified to find that eiders elders martindale and wareham have gathered up the remnants which had been lett iett from england scotland wales denmark Swe denand from almost every other place under the whole heavens and out of these scattered and broken fragments have organized several beveral branches of the church forming a conference numbering several beveral hundred souls who are aro anxious to gather to the valleys of utah there are at the present time many more who are inquiring what they shall shail do and how long iong they can stay in this country with I 1 safety I 1 have attended several beveral meeting 1 since bince my arnival arrival upon the frontiers all ali of I 1 which have been well weli attended many respectable pec table tabie citizens have been present and listened with areat attention and no doubt are i desirous of becoming acquainted with our principles last saturday and sunday we held a conference in bluff city which was wan well weli attended on sunday evening especially a large number of strangers were present who listened with profound attention the prospect is good for a arge increase to our oun numbers the spirit of the lord rested down 1 upon the speakers and the hearers and we 1 bad had a good time manty mandy hearts were stirred I 1 up to repentance anil antl almost persuaded to become latter day saints j I 1 expect to remain in florence and its I 1 vicinity for the present and shall shail occupy my i time in preaching to the people as I 1 may have bave opportunity I 1 have at present but bub little else to do which will be my situation until I 1 am further advised my health is as good as usual and my spirits are first rate all ali things point to the future prosperity of zion and show that the star of utah is in the while the bright stars that once glittered n the horizon of american glory are about to set bet and will rise no more until one by one they are made to cluster around the great polar polan star of truth my prayer is that god my heavenly father will bless biess his people and preserve us from all ali evil As ever I 1 remain your humble servant and fellow laborer in the kingdom of god J GATES |
