Show July Ta k Lauds Pioneer Brigham Young was a genius genius genius gen gen- ius in organization and in directing directing di directing di- di colonization and that coupled with a following of people with a faith in his divine calling made it possible possible possible ble to build a Kingdom of Zion in the Great Basin That was the core of a very interesting address given by E. E Cecil Cecii McGavin 1 noted author auth auth- or and historian at a Pioneer Day program in the Ephraim West Vest Ward Vard Chapel July 25 He told of different groups which headed for a place or refuge where they could worship worship worship wor wor- ship according to their beliefs and could build up the Church of God One such group went wenton on the sail ship Brooklyn down around Cape Horn and landed in California Their leader William Villiam Brannon apos- apos and few ever joined the main body of the church churchin in Utah Brannon was a great leader and builder but he lacked faith Mr l McGavin said He told of a meeting held in Nauvoo when Joseph Smith drew a map of the Western Vestern part of America and showed the route the Saints would take on their westward trek and the line ended in the did not extend to California Mr 1 McGavin 1 said the hardest hardest hardest hard hard- est part of the original Pioneer Pioneer Pioneer Pio Pio- neer trek was from Nauvoo to Garden Grove some miles west of the Mississippi 1 River and miles east of Council Bluffs Iowa First it was in the dead of winter and then in the spring mud and rain He told how way stations were established along the route at Garden Grove Mt 1 Pisgah Winter Vinter Quarters Council Bluffs etc Here grain was sown fields fenced so that groups coming later on might harvest the crops as they pushed westward He told how Winter Vinter Quarters atone at atone atone one time had members divided into wards and that Orson Hyde spent several years there directing work and helping different groups re replenish replenish replenish re- re their supplies so they could move on west He also told of the Mormon 1 Battalion and how it helped the Saints by providing a supply of gold money to purchase purchase pur pur- chase necessary supplies He said before the Church started west west the leaders tried to sell the Kirtland and Nauvoo Nauvoo Nauvoo Nau Nau- Temples but there were no buyers Enemies used the Kirtland temple as a stable and barn on the basement and ground levels and for a dance hall on the second floor In telling of the volunteers for the Mormon 1 Battalions he related how Ol ore e woman had said she did not want to be a soldiers soldier's widow and another had answered Id rather be bea a soldiers soldier's widow than a cowards coward's cowards coward's cowards coward's cow cow- ards ard's wife Several brides went along with their husbands husbands husbands hus hus- bands in the Battalion but only five wives of officers completed the entire journey Most 1 of the others together with men who had become disabled left the main group and went to Fort Pueblo la later later later la- la ter joining the main body of pioneers The meeting was conducted by Mrs Dona S S. S Peterson of Sterling South Sanpete president president president pres pres- ident of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Bly Ely M Ili Beal Bea with Eunice Garbe as accompanist led the congregation in singing singing singing sing sing- ing Come Come Ye Saints This according to Mr l McGavin McGavin McGavin Mc Mc- Gavin was written by William Villiam Clayton as the pioneers weary and muddy neared Garden Grove in 1846 The invocation was by Elmer Ludvigson of Sterling Melba 1 K Armstrong Armtrong with Ardith Peterson as accompanist sang Utah Home of Mine Mrs 1 Dona S. S Peterson paid a tribute to Senior Citizens who made up a large part of the audience She then introduced introduced introduced intro intro- Mr 1 McGavin 1 After the address Mrs 1 Eunice Eunice Eunice Eun Eun- ice A. A Garbe played a piano solo variations of Listen to The Mocking locking Bird Pres R. R Clair Anderson spoke briefly and told how his granddaughter t ter r JoAnn Braithwaite a daughter of Wilbur and Jane A. A Braithwaite was wearing a pioneer dress which had been brought across the plains She walked through the aisles so the audience could see the dress Mrs l McGavin 1 was also in introduced introduced introduced in- in and said a few words The benediction was by Grace Madsen of Manti 1 Mrs l Peterson Peterson Peter Peter- son expressed warm thanks to the speaker and all others who had taken part on the program program program pro pro- gram also those attending |