Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-10-19


he escaped with the cattle and means,
reaching the camp Of the Saints al
Pisgah, although he did so as a martyr,
his exposures. anxieties and labOrs
had killed hun. lie died some miles
east Of Plsgah, aud his body was
brought there for burial his grave being
fenced and marked b. two stones, In.
scnbed with the letters ". s.
IN pursuing our journey west from
this point we followed the Indian trail
across Iowa TO Council Bluffs, camping
much Of the time IN close proximity TO
Indians, and herding our cattle ON their
grounds. We had no trouble with them,
TOT while we were suffering so cruelty
from the Christian u mobs the hearts Of
the savages seemed changed ana soften
ed aud true sympathy was extended by
them to a most touching degree. II was
here proven as II has been olten proved
by our people, that having the Gospel,
they had also with them the power Of
God unto salvation.
I'VE tarried during the winter OF 40
and ~ near the banks oil the Missouri
river. | acted as bishop during these
memorable months when the very
tsstnee Of manhood and womanhoci
was tested, and ! leave this affirmation
that the test was not only heroically
met but met with that divinity OF pa
uence and trust that only people can
show who are divinely inspired.
| u hued out from this camp Ffaneis
Boggs. Elijah Newman and Levi kln'
dali with two yoke Of oxen, wagon,
provisions, seed grain, farming tools,
etc, and who came as pioneers, arriving
on the site Of Salt axe City the 24th OF
luly, f647, and, II their testimony be
true, these oxen drew the pillow that
turned the first sod in Utah Territory.
| "Ailcr the pioneers LEFT, my reorganiz.
ed company oil one hundft started west
n June with Ira Eldredge as captain Of
Il ~, following ON the Indian and trap
pers' trail which led &C. the North FORK
OF the Platte river. TINS Journey was
a continuous panorama OF incidents.
Only an arms length, as Il were, back
Of us, was our old New England life,
our New England relatives aud associ-
atas, our ine homes and farms, aud still
nearer only a short drive back, lay the
hone ard farm which we had just been
driven from into exile; to have them
back We hgd only to deny Mormonism.
Before Us lay the problem OF colonlzing
with such people % We were, in sucn
scattered conditions as the mob had lett
us, IN the Great American Desert Of
which thu ablest VI statesmen, Daniel
Webster, had said II Is not worth accept
ance,' Of which the great C@lhoun had
saidltis MOTIVE q aplnch Of snuii' and In
wnich views Benton lad lequiesct these
opinions having birth about islS but
| Joseph Smith had told Us In Isl3 that
Coos wof should stand, that his PEG
pie should not be swallowedup by mobs
that they should become a numerous
aud mighty host In the Rocky Mountains.
NJ earthly light illumed the bleak pros.
pecis the aolest men VI the world had
piclured-heTe before US, morning, noon
aud night the seemingly boundless
plains, red men by the thousands; buiia.
loes by the tens Of thousands: here 10
Us a new world where for weeks no rain
fell, Tor months no dew molstened the
arid air. Here the very atmosphere
seemed TO lie and deceive IN all the esti
mates OF distance, objects seemingly
ten miles away would prove 10 be twenty
or more. Here an animal could be
killed at even tide, jerked. hung up by
the wagon side, aud cured without faint
as We Travelled on.
Those who faced these condl-
| Aehh ~ Ah' hINAuk VI Aolg AttNA'h
that in this undertaking they severed
all alignmenis OF the past lie /;
lives OF the dear ones, memories OF
loved kindred and homes, respect.
ability oil character, all to perish in the
desert with the brand, for ever attached,
OF fanatics, Of fanaticsl There was no
lack oil intelligence or discussion Of this
matter. A disciple OF Him who, c
tongue never uttered guile said faith was
the giit oil God lie gave this gin to
modern Israel on the confines Of the
deser" The merry laugh, the prayers Of
thanks, tbs songs nj praise in The camp
were the aeclaims OF prophetic victofs,
and as we iourneyed, hope frightened and
gave assurance OF what our children
witness today We l. read OF the
children OF Israel In the wilderness. but
here were the children OF Israel 4 very
fact. Those ancient ones were scienuf
iciaily preserved py God, rs were we,
their ianiine was fed by mama ours with
quail; they subdued enemies with the
sword, ours, the most savage Of savages,
were soiiened and made IN some res
poets to mlnpter TO our wants, and |
wish II here - 70 on record that the
hand OF CD was as much or more
visible with THIS modern Israel, Ia brig.
ing and planting, and successfully sus.
tanning them in this then desert land as
Il was with ancient Israel, and when alt
the facts coms TO light II will be the
pleasure and justice OF the world 20
acknowledge u, and then Il will no
longer be said. that toe Lord God
liveth that brought the eh5.lren OF .5rael
out OF the land OF Egypt, but He liveth
who hath brought Israel ont OF all
countries In the latter days.
81 reached the present site Of Salt
Lake City with my company September
aTd. 1877, and was the first eastern
emigraing company organized In Iune
at the Elk Horn, to reach the valley, and
to move into what has bsen called the
old FORT
81 engaged in farming aud various In.
dusiries, forming At one time a partner.
ship with Jacob Gates, ]. {. Little, and
my son, IN opening ranch In Rush
Nalleyirom which we were uuiuslly Gust.
cd by Johnsons army at loss TO Us OF
many thousand dollars, and by members
OF whom my nephew Howard q. Spen.
Ger was afterwards nearly murdered.
~ have had the blessings of God In
sustaining a large family In this once
desert, having had In addition TO the
wives before named, Emily Thompson.
bY whom had two sons, Jared and
John d and four daughters, Amelia,
Sophia, Emma and Josephine. Decem,
Der 27lh, 1856, Sarah Jane Grey was