| Show THE sentiments OF 01 THE i SAINTS i WE wid have received the following iet let ter addressed to the prisoners who alfrie have I 1 been sentenced to imprison 1 ament ment in the penitentiary be cause of their fidelity to god and hi his commandments As we are not j 1114 ln a L position to consult with those to whom ic ir is addressed as to tc 0 the pro biety of publishing it we venture to alv dla dia e li ii a place in our columns without a asking ski ng fo for r the privilege it will be of interest to all the saints the writer gives voice in this communication to the feelings f of the tens ot of thousands of latter day saints iwho who dwell in these mountains andin and in vari varl various ous parts of the world not being able to communicate to their beloved brethren in prison their views con u their heroic deportment or to 0 encourage them to any an extent by the expression of their sympathy they will be pleased to td have it so well done for tor then them as it is by president done jone jos joseph e F smith in th I 1 in n this forcible and comforting om yh 0 r ti epistle ep istl e july 1885 1935 president A af H cannon elders A M H musser J 0 watson P P pratt clawson clau json jos bevans HE H evans vans wm m ft fotheringham F lo 10 t and other othey felloni pris 7 one r or christs and conscience sake bake fw My aly AN bEARLy BELOVED for a long time I 1 have desired to whisper just lust a word of sympathy and fellowship into your listening ears not ot that I 1 can say aught that you do not already thoroughly klow know nor anything that has not been said perhaps If barmore far armore more fitting than I 1 can say it but may add my mite to the copious liow flow ow of sympathy and expressions of confidence and love and admiration aich have already greeted you from every very hand in honor of your manly I 1 I 1 courage and patient resignation resi resl nation to the will of providence and other noble t actions so far throughout this persecution I 1 would have you know that I 1 am not only almost but altogether such as you are except those bonds in heart and spirit respect respecting ino the main question I 1 know not how he w soon 1 I may be altogether as you are including both the bonds arid and imprisonment prison merit nor do I 1 care if it be the will of heaven I 1 am willing to share the lot of my brethren whether in suffering or rejoicing it is a consolation to know that we are only enduring lupart what our betters and equals from time immemorial have had bad to suffer often in f full ull 7 we are no morey more worthy orthy to e escape s cape than they were it pleased god t to 0 al I 1 low them theato to suffer for foe a wise purpose in him that the cup of their enemies might he be filled and if it so pleases him now I 1 have no doubt that some of bf us at least can endure it as well as they did we certainly possess all the rights and privileges yes res of the gospel that they possessed and for which they cheerfully suffered ing in all things as dross and taking joyfully io in ily lly the spoiling of their goods and yf of th their ar good name for the excellency of the name of the son of god we even have more than they for now the ful ness of the gospel has been revealed and restored while in former dispensations but part was given I 1 will simply name the glorious principle of ba baptism T cism for attenni ethe dead and all its attendant nt erdl nanc bances nances es including dealings sea lings adoptions and holy anoint ings and ordinations which doubtless never were ware so fully revealed in former gospel dispensa eions unless it might be in that of E enochs as in the I 1 dispensation of the fatness of times we Weno tonly toniy have the 6 more sure word of prophecy at possessed and enjoyed in the days of the apostles to which peter advised that those bf his day would do well to tike heelas heed as unto a light that chineth ina lna in a dark place until the tRe day dawn and aud the daystar day star arise in their hearts I 1 but we witness the dawning of that day and the rising of that glorious day star atar in tile the hearts of thousands of gods people no more to be dimmed or to cease to shine until that which is in part is done away and that shiell is perfect is come we certainly enjoy all the gifts and blessings powers and privileges leges rights and immunities pre actions band so far as we have faith to claim them that were ever enjoyed by the ancients with equal length of experience and culture to which we have added the history of their doings and aud of gods dealings with them by and from which to profit and gather consolation and ha hope jpe I 1 will not dwell ion lon longer er on this familiar theme sl 1 I am proud of my connection with you in the noble cause for which you are counted worthy to suffer er for conscience sake for this Is thankworthy if a man for conscience toward w ard dod god endure grief suffering wrongful wrongfully it and I 1 thank you from the depths depths of my soul for tor the unflinching fl manly and tearless fearless example example which you have so nobly set before the P people eop leand and the world may tiie the god of our fathers bless you and yours forever for your integrity to ills word and commandments and to your beloved families your names will live in history to the end of time and shine out bright through ali ail all eternity if you tou but continue true and faithful they will be found foremost in the bright galaxy of sufferers and martyrs of all ail aes ages for truths sake and the cayse calse cause of human reformation and advancement and your children shall bless you f from roin generation to generation and to their increase there shall be no 0 end you are making history which will be quoted in after time and in which your name names swill will figu figure reas as illustrious examples while those of your persecutors will be held up to scorn and execration they will be perpetuated in effi effigy in some chamber of horrors whee while you will be embalmed embalm ed with sweet incense in the hearts of thousands and millions their names in connection with the names of those who tortured and martyred marty red the ancient prophets apostles and saints will go down to eternal jin famy if they repent not if indeed their names are perpetuated at all what can be more apparent than the fact that the sanie same spirit which actuated the hernds He rods and neros meros and the popes and prelates Pr elates of incisi inquisitorial infamy who sought the life ilfe if of the infant savior and finally put him to death be headed john the baptist baptisto stoned sawed asunder scourged urged and slew the the disciples tortured burned crucified plundered and murdered the C early arly saints and christians and finally racked tortured aud and burned heretics reformers thinkers and cevela to tors rs of true science and mechanism etc now actuates the enemies of the saints verily this same spirit is ing in the hearts our persecutors and is being rapidly fanne fanned into flames by popular clamor and the bigotry of the hireling priests of the day threatening to burst on the slightest opening with brutality violence and fury ury upon the devoted heads of the defenseless saints As god lives they are reckoning without their host notwithstanding they are flushed with the praise of the world and an easy victory over defenseless and non resisting individuals divi duals they have failed to take into account that the tile god of heaven has put forth his mighty hand to build zion and gather his scattered people from the lour four quarters of the earth and androl to I 1 he will do it I 1 have noted with deep interest so far as I 1 have had opportunity the progress of the crusade and the rapiel ly increasing hardihood impudence nce assumption assumpta 0 n and indecency of the c crusaders ru I 1 have noticed the shameful and consel enc esless summersaults summer of we the chief in qui in their judicial rulings the utter blindness or wilful dis db eg agard ii of consistency or consequent on their part in striving to acco accomplish their ends the manifest an and more and more apparent bigotry and bias of the whole gang from judge to spotter these and a thousand other things pointing so clearly and definitely to the animus and venom of their hearts and the paramount object of their work and mission that a wayfaring man though a fool need not mistake e the infamous character of their intentions however much they may try to sugar coat them with the color of lato laio and anti the beauties of modern monogamy and civilization it is astounding that they do not try to cover their slimy tracks with something thicker than the flimsy gauze of heir their pious regard fegard dand and holy reverence for the he expressed will of fifty tive mil ions lions of people of which they have proven themselves wholly I 1 reg regardless ardless or they would have confined themselves to the remedies provided by the representatives of the aforesaid 55 millions ito to extirpate sexual crimes I 1 according to the law the course they are pursuing cannot fall tto sto result finally more injuriously and fatally to themselves than to those they are persecuting sec and to their cause more than to the supposed victims the fruits of our labors bear in them the seeds of life while theirs bear the seeds of sorrow and death for half a century we have held aloft and carried to the world the olive branch of peace on carthand eart earth hand and goodwill good will to man ilfe life and find liberty and equal justice warning them of the wrath to come in return they have met us by mob violence scorn and contumely slander and abuse and with arson plundering and murdering and with armies and munitions of war and finally with unconstitutional and proscriptive and barbarous laws and equally barbarous and infamous governors judges and prosecutors but as god lives their time will be shortened from my heart I 1 say god bless you one and all and reward you an hundred fold for all you may have havi to suffer and our persecutors double for all their wickedness I 1 revere and honor the sacred principles for which you so nobly stood before the bar of injustice and an for which xou you are suffering fines flues and incarceration god help us to pass through the fire unscathed and come out purified and refined as gold from the crucible we do not forget you in our prayers nor do we forget the injunctions of tha the beloved redeemer to pray for our enemies I 1 will leave you to judge as to the relative character of these petitions eti etl all within the compass 0 of my social sphere join me in heartfelt heart felt feit sympathy and love iove for you and your beloved families and all israel israe I 1 I 1 am in the bonds of the new and covenant now and forever youil your youn friend brother and JOSEPH joserh F SMITH |
