Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-06-16
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side n the Missouri from Council Bluffs
the Frontier Guardian was published.
and the publication of the Mlllennial
Star was continued IN England.
Another thing 10 be considered with
reference 20 the spiritual condition OK
listing an the commencement NJ the pe-
Rod under review. IS. that the eypul.
sion from Nauvo0 and the confusion
consequent upon that event resulted
ln making strict discipline an but Inn
possible Many IN those DAYS wandered
away beyond the care ~ the shepherds
of the flock many slnned. and the tree
of Gods planting could not be careful
~ watched. or dlgged about or watered
or pruned. To add 20 the confusion
and troubles Of those DAYS n number
% men. ambitious OF distinction
or notorlety. or both took advantage
OF the troublous times and claimed
10 be the legal Successors TO the
Prophet Joseph az President OF the
Church. and many Saints IN the scat
tered branches, but newly instructed In
the faith. and with but little knowledge
concerning the order ~ the Priesthood
were led away by their s0phlstries Thus
our period opens with the Church more
or less IN agitation. An incompleted
exodus from the east under way; the
work Of pioneering a new country with
the attendant hardshlps born OF pOver-
~ and Isolation 10 be endured; Is yet
nothing settled with reference TO the
civil government under which they were
20 live. exlled from the city they had
founded: the temple they had bullded In
ruins. driven from civilization 20 inhab-
Il the wilderness and the desert and be-
come neIghbors 20 the savage, The
Saints were without influence among
men I'm the world-none so poor as 20 DO
them reverence: human sympathy was
withdrawn from them; their country
men looked for their extinction. pro-
fessed ministers OF sectarlan religions
hoped for A.. their devotion 10 their
faith was sneerod az and called fanati-
clsm. by some they were deemed mad;
by others, fools led by knaves; few
pltled them fewer helped them, though
their condition was such one would
think. 10 soften adamantue hearts, un-
friended were they except as God was
their frlend-all this on the one hand.
on the other they were possessed Of a
true and holy faith IN God. 20 them had
been committed a dispense ton OF the
Gospel Of Jesus Christ with the Priest
hood the authority OF God, which alone
may administer MS ordinances 20 men
or make proclamation OF Il % the
world within them was the conscious
ness that they were the children OF
God the assurance that they were the
Church Of the Flrst-born, O knowledge
that the covenant they had
made with the Lord by sacri-
flee was accepted. This was their
strength. And now let the curtain fall
10 rise again after half a century has
passed away.
Behold a land redeemed! A desert
reclaimed and given ~ fruttulness and
to civilization. The wilderness and the
solitary places have been made glad for
them, the desert has been made TO re-
joice aud blossom as the rose the
parched ground has become pool, ana
the thirsty land springs Of water. The
few and scattered settlements OF nIty
years ago have multiplied and expand
ed into commonwealth States OF the
American Union, 1 use the plural ad-
visedy, for the influence Of Mormon
colonization has not been confined TO
Utah alone From Canada In the north,
along the lire Of the Rocky Mountain
valleys the settlements OF the SAINTS
extend into Mexico. From occupying a
few struggling settlements a thousand
miles beyond the frontiers OF the Unit
ed States, and some thousands pleseIN"
ing a stu more precarlOus existence
along the line Of their march INTO eNlie'
the Church now possesses nap,
itatlon In Utah and several
surrounding States and IerII-
tories and In western Canada and
H.HtF.ft.r ftHrrnNuHuF and
in a land chiefly redeemed by the IN
dustry and enterprise OF the SAINTS. A
habitation which affords opportunity
Tor the development OF the genius Of
"Morm0nism" A land which eutJrces
Industry In order TO live upon 10, ana
vet land which yields 10 the husband
man a rich return for his toll a habl-
tauon sufficiently removed from the
overvcrowded centers Of population
east and west TO escape contact with
some OF the worst evils that riot there
and yet sufficiently in contact with
those centers TO reap the advantages
OF modern civilization. And here Israel
is growing In numbers-indeed the 1T
lie one has already become a multi
tude. having increased from less than
fifty thousand souls 10 something IKE
three hundred thousand, ana from pos
sessing a few scattered frontier settle
ments 10 dwell in, to more than hVe
hundred cities, towns and villages
where peace prosperity and liberty pre-
vail. So here Israel in favored haDl-
tation is increasing In numbers, ana
growing frmer IN the faith and the
knowledge Of God. The confusion re-
sulting from the death OF the Prophet
and the expulsion from the east mas
long since passed away. and Is succeed
ed by the most perfect order Inc
Church in It's various gathering places
is organized into forty-two STAKES oil
Zion. each with It's presidency OF thnree
High Priests, and It's High CouHcli on
tyveive The respective ecclesiastical