| Show IN 11 EPISTLE OF THE FIRST DENCI TO THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS IN GENERAL conference ASSEMBLED dear brethren and sisters in the plenitude of gods mercy the saints are once again permitted in peace to assemble in general conference to worship the lord to extol his goodness 0 edness to glorify his name to hear t his ri s word and and to receive such instructions instruct from his servants as the holy spirit shall dictate as ad well as to transact such business pertaining to his church as may be presented for their consideration but as we your brethren of the first presidency are by the force of peculiar circumstances deprived on this occasion of your society and you of ours we deem it consistent with the duties of our calling to address you by letter and iu in this way to lay before you yen that which under more favorable conditions we should have been pleased to have delivered orally in the first place we extend our congratulations to you as latter day saints and members of the church of christ that affairs with us are so fa that so many can meet together as you do on this the fifty sixth anniversary of the organization of the church in general conference persecution se has rage dand hideous wrongs have been and are being perpetrated perpetrate a against us as a church but thus far our enemies have not been permitted to go to such lengths as the persecutors of the people of god did in the days of the first alma when they put tasks upon his bis people and put task masters over them and put to death those whom they found calling upon god though many of us are deprived de of the privilege lege of meeting together in public pu blile yet a goodly number of you can call assemble as you do this day and ana worship your god goa and listen to his word and we all prisoners exiles and free can call upon our god without danger of punishment indeed we need not go to the days of alma for contrast between the condition of the people of god then and our present condition to find causes tor for thanksgiving and praise to our god this day for his in mercies ercles unto us we have only to refer to our own history to scenes in which many of you have taken part to find contrasts which should prompt us to bear our present afflictions with patient equanimity some of tile the saints perhaps feel that their sufferings under the tyranny which is now exercised over us in the name of law are very severe and they may ask how long shall these outrages be permitted to continue but if they would understand how worse our positions might be let them recall the scenes enacted in the 8 state bate of missouri when the latter day saints were driven by mob violence out of jackson county into clay county and thence into caldwell county and finally were compelled to flee in the depth of an inclement winter out of the state under an order of lilburn W boggs the governor which said that the mor mons mens must be treated as enemies and must be exterminated or driven from the bbate staler and this too after many of their number had been killed and the remainder had been robbed of nearly all the property they had in the world or recall the treatment the latter day saints received in the state of illinois when after murdering in the most savage and heartless manner and while under the pledged honor of the state the president and patriarch of the church and wounding almost to death one of the twelve apostles mobs organized themselves burned the houses bouses of the Saints in the outer settlements destroyed their property slid and drove them for their lives to the city of nauvoo and then not content with this brought the whole power of the state to bear upon them to compel them to leave that city and the state and to take refuge stripped and destitute in the wilderness where their enemies hoped internal dissensions starvation or wild indians would complete the work of destruction which they were not permitted to accomplish however previous grevious the wrongs under which we suffer today to day there ism is much uch yot yet to be thankful for our land is filled with plenty no cry of man manor or beast ascends from our borders to high heaven for the want of food no beggars plead for alms in our streets and of destitute soul has denied to him that sustenance necessary necess arv to supply his wants and with these blessings on good food comfortable raiment and sufficient shelter we have the inestimable blessing ol 01 of the peace of god which he gives to every faithful saint peace in our hearts peace in our habitations peace in our settlements a peace which the world cannot give and which thank the lord it cannot take away let your hearts therefore brethren and sisters be filled with thanksgiving and praise to our god for his goodness and mercy unto us as a people he has made promises concerning zion be assured ee will not forget them tle zion may imay say in the words of the prophet isaiah Isai slit the he lord ard hath forsaken me and my lord hath forgotten me B but t the lord replies can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not no have compassion on the son of her boni b yea they may foredt yet will I 1 jaba forget thee shee dwar behold forget I 1 iet have ave upon the tie palms of my mk hands bands thy walls ralls are before me mei at A no au timp tim bu bag the fprd iad 04 hie pie to expect that they would not have to endure trials or not have their faith fully tested soon after this church was organized his people were told for I 1 nave decreed an fn in my heart saith the lord that I 1 will prove you in all things whether you will abide in my coven covenant atit even unto death that you way may be found worthy tor for it if ye will not abide in my covenant ye are not worthy of me we scarcely need remind you that phat if you live godly in christ jesus while satan has power you will suffer persecution in the providence of the almighty persecution serves a most useful purpose every faithful saint must perceive and acknowledge this thin machone each one feels its effect upon himself he sees its effect upon his friends and neighbors persecution develops character under its influence we all know ourselves better than we did before we felt its pressure and we discover traits in our brethren and sisters of the existence of which perhaps we were in entire ignorance the persecution from which we have been suffering during these eighteen months past though very painful has not been without profit to the latter day saints it has strengthened and infused new zeal courage and determination into the faithful it has also caused many who were careless and indifferent to arouse themselves from their lethargy and to renew their dill dili ence in the work of god Itha it has also salso brought rought to light the hypocrisy of many and caused them to throw off the mask of friendship and fellowship fellows nip which they wore and to exhibit themselves in their true lineaments linea ments but it is upon the young of our community that the effect of this persecution i has been most marked many ma ny of the young of both sexes when all was peace and no war was made upon their parents aud and friends seemed to be of the opinion that they could without any danger to themselves or their faith be in full fellowship with the world the names latter day saint and gentile were alike to them they appeared to see no reason why they could not be on terms of perfect friendship with both classes every latter day saint of experience knows how bow dangerous it is for children to stand upon this ground but from this delusive dream they have been awakened by the rude shock of this persecution the line of demarcation between the latter day saints and the world has been drawn so sharp and distinct that they find themselves unless they become open apostates compelled to take sides with their parents and friends and the difference between between their religion and that which is opposed to it la is brought home to their hearts and consciences with a force never before known to them this persecution is driving the rising generation together wita surp surprising compactness it is making impressions upon the youngest children of the community which the lapse of years can never obliterate they are learning the truth of the words ot the savior by the painful experience which our enemies are now giving them if ye were of the world the world would love iove his own but because ye are not of the world but I 1 have chosen you out of the world therefore the world 11 tile the lord ord has said that the wrath of man shall be made to praise him and in this attack which is being made upon us and our religion we see this verified our enemies have designed to destroy the work of god dorthis for this they plot and toil and descend to the depths of infamy so absorbed are they in their wicked schemes and so bent upon carrying i n S them into effect that they fail il to arryl look 0 k beyond the immediate acts which they perform and perceive the consequences which follow they harass annoy and torment men women and children they compel men and women to conceal themselves to escape from their cruel cruelties cru ellies ties and in ustice and tyrannical abuse of power and they consign other men and women to prison and from these proceedings aeed ce ing s they derive great satisfaction as at they ey look upon thema them as so many ev evidences I 1 of their success in sapping tile the foundation of the church of god and in uprooting our religion we need not say to you yon who have so often witnessed the effects of persecution u upon our religion and church how fallacious are these hopes of our present persecutors instead of cf crushing crus hiag the truth they are advertising it instead of showing the world how unworthy and contemptible temp tible we arethay unwittingly are furnishing ailing us with opportunities to exhibit the heroic qua qualities liLies we possess instead of weakening or unsettling the minds minas of true latter day saints they are stimulating their faith and supplying them with additional proofs of the divinity of their religion they would have the world believe that we are low sensual ignorant and degraded that our religion is a system of lust 1 8 t but the thinking people of the world know that there is no necessity to endure that which the latter day saints are now enduring to gratify lustful appetites or desires licentious depraved men and women would not suffer such treatment as federal officials are now extending to us and bear all manner of indignities and go 90 to prison if they were assured as we are by courts and prosecuting sec officers that the war is against our mairi marriages ages and not against sensuality it indulged in according to popular methods this persecution attracts the attention of the world its disgraceful features may be concealed for a while from public the lies iles so industriously propagated by those who fir I 1 it and ments but the truth concerning it is coming to light vor for a while the feeling among those ignorant of our true character neav nua have been one of indifference ference ceas as to our fate or to any treatment we might receive As tile the persecution continues the truth leaks out by degrees men and women hear that scores of men rather than accept the alternative of renouncing their wives and children pay heavy lines fines and costs ind and go cheerfully tor for long lone weary months to prison and that delicate women too rather than betray their husbands and by their testimony involve them in the toils ot of their persecutors go willingly to the penitentiary where the greatest criminals are confined thinking people read of these proceedings and their former indifference gives place to interest but while we acknowledge edge the hand of the lord in these wicked acts of our enemies ener they are not relieved from the condemnation dem nation which will follow them they would deny us our rights as citizens and they talk about us and ana act towards us as though we were not entitled to any such duely rit lights ailts but this is mere impudent assumption and claptrap on then their part we have rights we were born bom free men and women and it is a duty we owe to ou ourselves selves and our posterity and to all the people of this land that we should contend for and maintain the principles of freedom and transmit tian them pared and to those who follow us we do not ask tor for this freedom as a favor we demand it as a right we are as much entitled to the full rights of citizenship in these mountains as any other citizens who dwell under the flag of the republic under any and all circumstances cancu instances we are aie their peers such trials as the latter day saints now undergo in the courts in these territories ri are not the trials of ordinary vulgar criminals however much those who figure as prosecutors judges or J jurors acors in these cases may scheme and plot and falsify to reduce them to this level and to fix the brand of criminality or the stigma of infamy upon our conduct jhc thc they cannot deceive the world this which we are now passing through is to all intents and purposes pui poses a religious persecution and nothing else it will yet be recognized as such by the whole world its hideous features its atrocious character its travesties of justice cannot be concealed by any amount of falsification or di disguise already men are beginning to understand the motives and objects of those who are engaged in it and history will set its seal of condemnation upon it and them and it will yet stand as an ineffaceable blot upon the boasted civilization and liberty of our generation tile the scenes which we are arc now witnessing in this territory Tein tory are the re suits results of a deep laid aud carefully planned conspiracy which has been in process of formation for years its 01 originators knew the elements they had to deal with and by cunning contrivance they have effected a wonderful combination religious and irreligious ministers in sacerdotal robes and atheistic sc offers business men of integrity and blacklegs temperance men and drunkards men of strict morality and pimps and ana harlots are aie crowded together on the platform ther they have constructed and they find no inconvenience from ea agh ot others hers companionship each is in made at to believe that it is to his direct entert inter est to combine to destroy mormonism olf I 1 A more motley collection of human beings was never neer witnessed differ as they may upon everything 1 else there has hah been one common triou thought ht and purpose running through the whole and holding them together and that is hatred of the religion of tile the latter day saints and ii a determination to destroy it and aad them the conspirators have appealed to the prejudices of each one to induce him to work in concert for this common end in the ministers they y have found ready and willing miles allies in fact these have been the caien authors and promoters of the conspiracy the pharisees Pharis ees in the days da s of the savior were no moie ready to egg the multitude on to cry out Cruci crucify fi him crucify him than many of the ministers ot of our time are arc to urge congress to enact measures for our destruction it is now some som years eyears since the sectarian ministers here with the exception of the catholic clergymen combined in a document to congress urging that body to 0 legislate against us this action they have often repeated since destitute of confidence ae IE their own rell religious gio us systems and their power to cope with the truth which we possess without aid from the secular power theiN they ley make the air resound with their clamors for congress to pass laws to crush us and our religion they enlist men of their cloth elsewhere in the same unchristian business it is only a few months since and at the time the whole machinery of the courts here was |
