Show ForIE for deseret SERET REVIEW OF PROGRESS MADE IN A SOUTHERN STAKE A review of this stake of zion durino during durine during the past twelve months would not I 1 I 1 ifo hope howe C come amiss within within the past twelve months man months changes for ohe the greater good of f thy the saints have and are in this stake of zion in tho the first place the population latIoL lioi has almost doubled itself through a class of emigrants so to speak who are full handed a and d hence able to push ahead vigorously in the various departments of agriculture at tempe tempo a portion of the valley eight miles west of mesa a colony of saints have established themselves and it is I 1 remarkable to see what combination and ana 6 y will accomplice in buil bull building din upa up a country A year ago where this s colony settled few signa signs of active life were to he N seen keen today to day the cottages and snug outbuildings buildings out are arc oh ohl every available bleed piece of land denoting a thriving vilia viila e of df saints and a ward of this stake of zion with a brilliant near on oh the tile mesa niesa we are still having hating a large yge ewe a and d i eli eil Q ell 11 to do increase in our numbers so much so that wis entirely altering the geography of our city on 01 teary feary evory overy hand can be seen the signs and i falt fell the tile influences of df a lic ilc healthy althy and I 1 god fearing population who keep onn oui the even tenor of their way obeying the laws of god honoring their priesthood and working up for themselves and their posterity homes such as will bo be in a few short years the pride of arizona Jones jonesville janesville ville a ward of this stake and three miles north of mesa is also making in marked improvements to this efard ward belon belong the honor and glory of educating the Lama and as deeds speak more powers powerfully ully than words in connection with the Lain anIte labor I 1 will ili iii in of the thew 1 1 simply point proof great work being accomplished by the jones ville brethren to the fact that a number lof of these dusky and converts are being indoctrinated into the truths of the gospel thus finally preparing them to teach and preach the everlasting gospel to their kindred well may a exclaim what a wondrous and marvellous marcellous marv ellous work this is 18 here was a race of indians numerous peaceful and industrious ready fort for the he gospel living side by side as it were and mingling with gentiles of eve every creed for long years yet learn learning a nothing from them morally or mentally save their vices until through the dispensations of providence a hand handi 1 fill ful of earnest pure bure hearted saints are accomplishing what neither tile tiie laws of the country nor the teachings of the gentile priests could accomplish the moral regeneration of a semi barbar ous race and the turning of their hearts towards their god and creator through the waters of baptism and here I 1 mie mil might ht observe in reference to the persecution of the saints that it is not by placing restrictions upon creeds or doctrines that a religious bo body dy can either be checked or extinguished like the camomile plant the more inore it is trampled on the more it will spread and grow as the rude winds and fierce tempests only harden and make more vigorous the constitution constitutions of those who are exposed to them aoel 40 3 might add that in the present state of the union those who wh 0 have the administration of our laws lavy s in their hands if they ever read history or can avail themselves of the experience of ages gone by should be able to work w ork out to a mathematical certainty that it is not by senseless penal and persecuting laws that the affections of any portion of the citizens of the unida holding peculiar religious tenets of their own can be conciliated the prosperity oy of the mesa ilesa received a drawback during the past summer owing as you have already noticed to the smallpox which kept our peaple for long weeks quarantined from the them outside but if it was a slight loss in temporal affairs it was waa a great gain spiritually teaching us anew tins this useful lesson viz that in the midst of our oue temporal blessings gs and gifts we should never forget the benignant en ignant hand from whence all good comes of such importance Is our village looming up it was deemed expedient to have it incorporated which was accordingly done prest A enle enie mcdonald E McDo DOnald being selected as its first mayor A visit from irom apostle young marked event of the past month and one from which a world of kobel good was the lessons lessens which preached edana and inculcated during his hla stay were such aswill as will long iong live in the memory of our people particularly did he dwell upon u on the word of wisdom interlarding inter larding Us his discourses with many a quaint simple and well pointed tale in this manner he impressed upon the minds of his hearers bearers such points PS he be wished to sink deeply into their hearts more forcibly than if 1 gilded with the most polished rhetoric in matters territorial there is little to add save the prospect of a most bountiful harvest and a boyna beina fide min mint i ing inc dingboom boom this in connection with the building of the arizona canal from which as far as they have completed it they are now prepared to furnish intending settlers with water show positive evidence of a cc plentiful and profitable year I 1 I 1 c yours ir MESA VILLAGE arizona tery terly feb 22 1 |