Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-24

kinds were built and institutions
founded A Temple was begun, a
magnificent structure, and hundreds
locked there from afar even from
foreign lands.
But IN that day az there always has
been In times OF great events trans
piring, there We're 1ealptlsies and over
ambitious men, who wanted place and
power and envied those who had
greater influence and became traitors
to their best and trucst ff1ends. These
and other causes, too numerous to
mention here, finally eliminated in T.
fearful tragedy: the consequences
were such us caused confusion and
disturbances until this peaceable and
contentcd people were Obliged to ask
and to plead for redress, and
ultimately protection from the state
and the nation. Failing to receive the
attention from the state, which they
had every right to expect, the condi-
tions became more and more compli
Gated and in this fearful emergency
George Fleming with zeal and forti-
tude more than could have been asked
or expected of him, espoused the cause
Of this oppressed people. He had been
staunch friend through all the
troubles and difficulties from time to
time, and now he was prepared to go
stlll further, to make q sacrifice such
as he had never believed himself capa-
the call OF his country to arms. But
the time came when he was obliged to
choose between that which he firmly
believed to be right and the good opin-
ion OF the world and he came off vic
torious and he chose wisely, as the
future abundantly. proved. To him IT
was the sacrifice of all he held dear in
his affections; for his wife opposed him
and would not. cast her lot among the
people whom he had determined to
follow, even to the Great American
desert What hero on the battlefield
giving up his life for his country makes
u sacrifice so great9 None. To live
without those who are dearer than life
itself is far nobler than TO die even in
q good cause; to George Fleming death
would have been far preferable. But
spirit such as occasionally possesses
men of destiny prompted and support
ed him during this time of trial. He
knew his wife loved him truly. but she
could not make this sacrifice, not
even for him. though she
was noble, generous and tender,
He could not read the future but he
used every argument possible. and all
his powers OF persuasion to convince her
of the course he must take to be true
to the principles he held higher and
holier than anything on earth. In this
he was firm and his wife thought over
Jealous. but he knew that IL he did
not follow his convictions and listen to
the still small voice pleading within
him, he could not expect the blessings
of heaven upon his efforts in the future.
His duty had been made plain and he
accepted the cross given him to bear.
Thereafter their paths must lie apart,
from henceforth their lives must be
divided unless he could persuade his
wife to follow him. even though she
could not believe in the religion he
n
Human love pleading on the one
hand, strong--passionate the love of
his youth, the one love of n life time.
but duty must be first; this call he
had received must be obeyed; he
realized as he had never done before
that the Lord had spoken from heaven
and revealed principles that reached
into fnturity; that in order to secure
TO himself and those dear to him. the
living and the dead, an eternal inheri-
| lance he must consecrate his life, his
talents and all that he possessed to the
establishment of Zion upon the earth.
There was no middle course to him; ii.
| this he was as firm as the everlasting
| hills. And so these two, husband and
| wife, whose married life had been like
| a continuous honeymoon, and who had
never had any unpleasantness. and
| whose love for their only child was
| boundless were separated forever.
| And now there is little more that
| can be told for half century and
more has passed since then and so
| much has transpired that volumes of
history might he written of what has
taken place since that pathetic part
ing in the beautiful city by the
father OF waters"
Many families have grown up and
spread among the people in these
mountain wales and love stories by the
dozens could be written OF the poster
| ity of George Fleming. But life is
| full of love stories that are true and
there Is little need to do mbre than to
Use fictitious names. and there is ma
| terial enough in the lives and expert
ences Of the people we meet from day
to day, to write the most thrilling ro-
mances that the world has ever pro-
| duced.
confess there IL not much about
| Christmas in this story. but there
| ia an abundance OF love: and love is the
essential element in the enjoyment of
| Christmas. for the name of our Savior
is suggestive of the love that passeth
understanding and abideth for ever.
And now one more fact In connection
with the family of Rachel Fleming
whose remains rest in the old grave
| yard in the beautiful city of Nauvoo-
a few of the Flenfngs, the Van Dykes
and the Gilmans are scattered here and
| there around the Hudson, and in Gem
trail New York and come in old New
England, but the posterity proper are
nearly all in the Rocky Mountain wales
where they spend their Christmas in
peace and plenty in loving and giving
and here is a merry Christmas to them
all. and to all the readers of the "Des-
erst News" and may its number In
crease and its usefulness spread abroad
| and Joy be in all the households
throughout these mountain wales on
this blessed Christmas day.
w. w. w.