Show SOUTH bourn N X ha H may waito editor deseret mews news dear dew sir bir my experience in the last four months observations ions is much the same as the elders generally who came down to the states last fall to visit their friends and to spend the winter in acquainting the people with our principles 1 ac bo far as I 1 have been ati agi able abie e to learn I 1 think the good done to be far greater than some have expressed themselves we have given general information in very many places where before there existed little orno or no correct understanding in relation to us as a people which in most instances I 1 am thoroughly convinced will have its tendency for good few comparatively will embrace the gospel yet many are led to investigate to read to reflect and the results will be better known hereafter I 1 have visited extensively in now N w hampshire and recently made a short visit t athe the state of maine and in inmost most of thebo theto the towns wils visited have spoken to the public from one to three times my hearers have been generally of the first class and with but one exception as near as I 1 can recollect about equal numbers of ladies and gent gentlemen lemen lemeD and on that occasion I 1 was informed formea In there were several ladies ladles listening in an adjoining hall or anteroom the subject w was a a ce celestial marriage or our social a system y s tem of course coursel it was too much for the modesty of the present generation but where ladies and gentlemen have sat and listened to a plain statement of the principle whether public or private they have ex expressed themselves much surprised and satisfied in most instances and all gentlemen as also the ladies with whom I 1 have conversed upon the social and political condition f of our once happy virtuous and free country with very rare exceptions agree with me that the present condition of things is anything but pleasant to contemplate many will admit that we are living in the last days but scarcely one believes that christ will come and the kingdom of god be established in this generation in saying that our government has grossly corrupted itself within thelast the last quarter of a century I 1 have yet to find the first man to contradict it neither have I 1 found any to contradict the statement that society the world over is as corrupt sst ru today to day as it was in the days of sodom om and that in many respects even worse As to the religious condition of the world it is too milk and waterish to discuss they know nothing more of the priesthood of its powers and duties or of the fullness of the everlasting gospel with its ordinances and the gifts and blessings following them that believe than if it had never been revealed to inan man infidelity and spiritualism run rampant and in all probability what is called christianity has conduced more to their development than any otherine other othe one rone thin thing g may the god of abraham pour out his bis fals spirit upon the righteous and the honest in heart that they may escape cape the destructions that await the wicked ed is the desire of this contributor to YO your ur columns respectfully yours ac fa B H RALEIGH berdas BERDAN greene county III ill march 12 1870 editor deseret sews dear bro I 1 left you your beautiful city on the of last month to visit my relatives in this state and to preach the gospel on the cars from ogden were several gentlemen from california in conversation with one returning to illinois he found out that I 1 was a mormon he demanded at once that I 1 should give him some information concerning our faith in which I 1 suppose he expected to have some fun our talk commenced before noon and when we had conversed an hour or two on the scriptures he became serious on the subject and seemed astonished to find that we believed so much and organization our was so much like that laid down in the scripture by our savior when night came I 1 can assure you that my lungs were gore sore bore for the questions put were not a few I 1 had to questions and the discourses on celestial marriage he read them and wanted to buy them but as they were the only ones I 1 hadi had I 1 could not well spare them his company was very agreeable the entire trip and before we parted arted anted he assured me that as far as els his influence went the people of utah should enjoy their homes and religion unmolested he wished me to write you to send him a list of our church books with their prices his address is L compton Rock boek rockport rockfort port ill iii I 1 reached this place on the and was kindly received by my friends A few days after my arrival I 1 heard of an elder traveling through the country I 1 hunted him up and found evan M greene from bin sin cupl smithfield ahfield th nield field cache county we have held two meetings and ex pecked to hold more but bro greene was taken very sick at his brothers broth erys thirty miles from here he bent sent for me to visit him I 1 did so he had also sent for bro barlow of salt lake city we laid our hands handa upon him and wai wal washed ched him stayed over night and left him much better there seems beems much curiosity manifested ifo ito see a Mor mormon pion paon but no great greab d desire eb fre ire to understand the truth but I 1 pray the lord will open the heas hearts of thel the ionest honest to see seo and understand the truth and to give them courage to obey it I 1 remain your brother in the gospel of christ T SLEIGHT |