Show news from front new the lne trie pen den I 1 idolatry sn superstition etc by the courtesy of counselor D H wells we vve are enabled to present to our readers the following interesting letter from new mexico EN N ml april 1878 our first headquarters after leaving home was savoya valley where we remained about two months studying the language while there we went over in the country and paid them a chort visit we W bad had the hodor honor of being introduced to manuelita manueilta the principle chief of the nation I 1 believe he la Is the largest indian I 1 ever saw he ia is said to he be very wealthy principally in n sheep cheep and horses the Nava joes are estimated at about with perhaps warriors they occupy a larru large scope of sterile desert country with plenty of grass but scarcely scarce searce jy any water we started from savoya for this thia place on the on our way we passed several villages of pueblo indians and one other these people aro far in advance of our indians in a civilized point of view they live in villages ofa of dobie doble houses house generally built upon some rocky knoll have cattle sheep and horses horse use plows and wagons wagon and depend upon farming for their support they are nearly all catholics but receive the gospel very favorably their ignorant condition they are far ahead of the mexican population in morality the past week has been one of glory lory 9 to the mexicans la last st monday their semana santa or holy week began this js Is the tho week in which they do penitence and receive forgiveness for the sins they have committed during the past year there is an organization in connection with the catholic church called penitentes Pem the society is principally composed of mens men although the women sometimes take part on monday the first day odthe holy week these people assemble at their lodge room generally built in the outskirts of the town here they strip themselves naked with the exception of a pair of drawers dra wery weri and during the entire week they persecute themselves in every conceivable cel cei vable vabie manner we camped one night might at moquino a small town where one of these societies existed they remained in the lodge room during the afternoon but just at dark we heard the sound of a flute and the people told us they were coming to the prayer room to offer up their devotions they moved slowly up the street first came several men in citizens clothes one of whom blew a few mournful notes on an old flute after them followed the Penitente as six in number they were naked with the exception of their drawers their were masked and each carried in his hand a short ksavy whip made of every step they took they would strike themselves upon the back with this whip with all their force after they had bad entered the prayer room and got their positions we were permitted to go in the room was lit ht up bj by about a dozen candles candies in ono one end was a jarge large image of the havior savior or virgin I 1 could not tell which I 1 while on the benches bouches were several smaller images the back part of the room was occupied by spectators principally women four of the deni feni penitentes were placed before the large image two en on each side of the room in the centre was a pole to which a cactus was bound and one of them with his bare arms and body hugged that while the other was baid down on his bis back with a cactus under him the performance then began some one would mutter a short prayer to the virgin then the wo men would strike up a few doleful notes while the fellow at the post hugged his hla cactus more closely and the others whipped themselves their drawers were saturated with the blood which flode flowed d from their backs this persecution perse cuton t is continued until midnight when they retire to their lodge room to rest and prepare themselves for a repetition of the same thing upon the morrow early the following morning we again heard the sound of the flute I 1 hurried up to the plaza when a heartrending scene presented itself the man with the flute was again coming slowly up the street next was an old grey haired mexican leading by the neck something which it was hard to distinguish as a man his body arms and legs were naked his head was covered upon his back a cactus was tied and one to each of his thighs his legs body and arms were bound with cords wound round and round until hia hla tiesh flesh was waa purple abd and audne anane he could scarcely move hia hla limbs in this condition with a plate in his hands be was led from bouse to house soliciting alms aims this persecution Is continued until the first rooster crows on saturday morning when hen they return to their homes their sins are now forgiven and they return to their wickedness an asid arid a thieving for another year it is not uncommon for them to kill themselves in which case caso they are supposed to go direct to jesua if one la is killed he la Is buried burled without a coffin commin his whip laid on his shoulder his clothing ia is given to his wife who is not allowed to mourn for him and his friends say be he has gone to california or some other place izittie II fttie ittie thought tho tight before seeing it that we had so near us and under our own government a people so benighted so idolatrous if idolatry extale in we the world it certainly does here they profess to believe in god and the atonement of jesus but their prayers are all offered before the images of east st peter paul the virgin mary or some other of the ancient worthies they make their petitions to these saints and expect them to plead with the lord kord in their behalf when we left savoya we expected to have remained here on the river to study the language but day before yesterday I 1 received a letter from brother ing us to be on the little colorado in time for conference which will be held on the ath of may to do this we will be obliged to start back tomorrow to morrow and then I 1 am afraid we shall be too late as our team is poor we ave are anxious to hear bear the eod COD conference ference news when you write address bt st joseph ya apa CoArl Co Arizona zona I 1 remain ac A W IVINS COUNCIL BLUFFS iowa april 1878 editors deseret mews news I 1 1 left eft ogden on the morning the dinst on the mission to which I 1 had been appointed at the late general conference and to engage in the genealogical labors which I 1 had previously undertaken considerable snow lay on the country as we passed through wyoming but ut the climate became more spring ilke like in descending to the tho level plains of nebraska the snow was no longer visible and an d vast tracts of cultivated land greeted the view on either side of i the track I 1 arrived in omaha on the afternoon of the and crossed over to council bluffs without delay the work of repairing the damage done to the bridge by a storm last fall had just been completed that day good sister bister powers rec ree received elveia me with the hospitality she usually extends to the elders considering my short stay here I 1 have made many acquaintances done muc much h Il reside fireside preaching and have quit quite as many calls calla asi cin can meet at the urgent solicitation of a number of persons who are investigating I 1 have consented to hold a serie series of public meetings the first two were held in Mc s hall last sunday bunday afternoon and evening the audien audience ce in the afternoon consisted aisted mostly of saints but the evening meeting was attended by a number of arrangers grangers gr angers at the close of the evening service before the audience had dispersed an ex preacher stepped forward and challenged me to a public joint discussion of certain principles relative to the salvation of the dead which I 1 had advanced I 1 was not prepossessed wiehl with his appearance he looked to me like man who would be apt to draw around him a class of persons the opposite of genteel orderly or refined and calculating from the appearance peara pe arance nce uce of this champion what kind of a time we would have at a d public debate I 1 declined I 1 have halve since learned that this goliath failed in the evangelizing evangel izing line and that he now runs a low rate boarding house he was waa backed up when he presented his clial challenge lenge by a methodist exhorter of at similarly mi unprepossessing air andai and appearance pe arance the next two meetings of the series are appointed for next sunday afternoon and evening and last evening a rumor reached my ears to the ebeck effect that these two worthies were plotting a disturbance and a gentleman present at a conversation between them has advised me to request khat that soo soe ollee be beyn meyn in attendance at the meetings that order maybe preserved asni this s Is what I 1 shall do jn in case I 1 ascertain t an fears of a disturbance to be well grounded I 1 shall much regret being forced to forego meetings as a strong spirit of inquiry has been manifested by a number of persons who are bearing a portion of the expense so of the halland hailand no less than four man men have signified their intention to unite with the church there are in the council bluffs district tive five branches of the Church viz one in council bluffs proper numbering about 25 members one in omaha of 16 members one in boomer boomers 12 miles from council bluins bluffy which owing to the emigration of several members lately is reduced to five or six one in fremont a station on the U P R R west of omaha of 11 members and one in pleasant valley saunders county neb of nine members my present design is to proceed eastward to prosecute missionary and genealogical labors in new england and other states as soon as I 1 can do so without detriment to the work here probably early in may for the present and until further notice my address will be council bluffs iowa your brother in the gospel B F CUMMINGS jr may day jn in cache wellsville LE cache co may 3rd ard 1878 editors deseret news the advent of may day Is is fraught with more rea real I 1 amusement and Jollif jollification leation to the youth of our town than any other holiday hollday of the year the scholars of our sunday school chii chil claiming ming the privilege of choosing and crowning amay a may queen proceed to make that day wholly their own at 8 a in the youths and maidens assembled on the square and formed a procession hea bea headed ed by the lcuy brass band marched to the residence of t the he interesting young lady miss belle Leat leatham hami tc to whom they were about to give the homage and honors of the day liere here the procession stopped and thebaud the band baud striking up a lively bir air the royal party came forth the queen elect escorted by the prince consort dressed in the uniform ol 01 a colonel of the nauvoo lerio Legio legion nj and followed by her maids of honor passed through the opening lines of the procession and preceded by the band walked to the scene of coronation on the public square where a may way pole polo was erected here surrounded by the assembled throng the ceremony of coronation nate ion lon was per performed formed the prince 1 consort james B stoddard officiating cia ein ting holding a wreath of beautiful flowers over the queenly head bead exclaiming glory be to god and to the queen of mays may he be placed it on her brow and and the shouts of god save the queen from the throats of the youth youthful fhi fol participants attest attested pd their pleasure and satisfaction when whenn this burst of enthusiasm had subsided her majesty radian radiant and tand smiling made the following address my loving and loyal subjects weve assembled here bero together to commemorate this day days and I 1 have been elected and crowned the queen of may I 1 hope I 1 may bf bar b ar able to do honor to my place and wear this crown upon my brow with dignity and grace the crown which rests upon my brow will fade and be no more but it if we will live faithful j there la is one ong for us in store etore I 1 which will endure forever and neter fade away while the ages of eternity will wilt be one long may day the prince consort followed foli followed owed in a speech of homage and devotion to the youthful sovereign hupt lea tham of the sunday school and bishop VV Mau maughan ghai ghar made some few remark Sj si then all engaged in the dance around the may pole this over the company proceeded to their carriages waiting wailing to co convey them to endon mendon hl the order of procession was as fellows follows Th the state estate carriage containing the royal party drawn by four high gaily decked horses immediately behind came four or five mischievous lads bent on having their own sport who had bad improvised imi provided pro d for this occasion occasion I 1 a nondescript sort of vehicle mounted on two wheels they carried the stars and ai Ly slew lpez pea ana wen went aang bobbing oA ng along in the funniest manner imaginable the vehicle was drawn by four animals but not daring to imitate royalty too closely the onn off leader samule was wa a mule about buggies and wagons followed the six eix mile mlle drive to mendon mas was made in 24 minutes they drove to the depot met the incoming train alighted and sang a few songs and then a terrific storm of wind and hailstones burst upon them T the he company were thrown into great confusion and rushed hushed for their conveyances the queen and suite retired in undignified haste to their carriages the storm was of short duration durations and all arrived home safe from accident I 1 A grand picnic and dance for the juveniles in the afternoon and ball in the evening for the older people brought the festivities of the day to a happy conclusion RANDOM R aa iho irhe screw plow flow end and crooked stick UT AnviLLE E arizona april 2 1878 editors deseret hews Is I 1 have just been reading the account of the testing of the screw plow by bishop layton I 1 have not the least doubt but from the description given it will soon be in use in this valley the land here is level and easy to pulverize you speak of the ancient egyptians using a crooked stick for plowing if you will call down here soon we can show you some acres of good wheat put in by our colony with the crooked stick plow without so much as a rams horn point this county is so productive and eay of cultivation that not with standing this colony was too poor at seeding beeding time to buy a common plow from present prospects we hope to be able to square up tip and have P enough lor bread brend and seed beed the coming season all is well with us PANICS W JOES items from marad naiad MALAD mallad CITY i april 30 th 11 1378 78 editors deseret news we are having a delightful spring and the late refreshing rain storms 1 have caused the spring crops to look green and luxuriant but amid amidst at all the fiand foy poy and gladness of early spring the demon disease has crept into our midst and it has carried off several of our children childr bri our worthy bishop george dunford has acted as a father to the sick and afflicted for which he deserves much praise the people of malad were much pleased with the visit paid us u 9 by E A box nox and bishop A nichols of brigham city bro rox boy was here for the purpose of more fully organizing the priesthood he effected the organization of the lesser priesthood and the ath quorum of elders with the following result for president JP J P hamson harrison with J L roberts and henry denning as his counselors bishop nichols nichola was up in the interest of the logan temple I 1 would say to all those who are seeking homes malad is the place for them to come we have a 9 h healthy eal eai climate and plenty of good land and one of the best cattle ranges in the tho mountains SO become come along for we are in indeed need aeed of some more good jatter day saints yours in the gospel of peace BIKES eimes I 1 E EPHRAIM sanpete co I 1 may ath 1878 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