The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1906-01-26
FRUITLAND.
BY JOHN r. YOUNG.

come down;
When the snow laden clouds hang
low DER the ground;
When the chill blast of winter, with
frost ON its breath,
Sweeps through the tents like the
Angel of Deathl
When the sharp cry OF childbirth ia
heard on the air,
And the voice OF the father breaks
down in his prayer
AS he pleads with Jehovah his loved
ones to spare!
My father was among the first of
the saints who left Nauvoo and the
state of Illinois to avoid the storm of
persecution that religious prejudice
had created against us. Our pioneers
had formed a camp and general gath
ering place 9 miles from the river on
Sugar creek. The brethren had
prepared for our coming by shoveling
away the snow, so we had a dry spot
on which to pitch our tent Soon af-
ter our arrival a heavy snow storm
swept over that part Of the country.
The snow was IA inches deep and it
turned so cold the Mississippi froZe
over and many teams crossed on the
ice. On the fifteenth of February
Presidents Brigham Young and He
Der Q. Kimball Joined the camp, and
for the next two weeks continuous
stream of wagons and people poured
into our encampment, On the first
of March over 5000 of the saints were
shivering in their wagons and tents,
sheltered as much as possible by the
groves that lined the creek. Their
sufferings can never be told. 1t is re-
lated that in one night 9 children
were born in these distressing condi.
tions.
When it is remembered that only
seven years had elapsed since u, ZOO
of our people had fled "naked and
! peeled" from the state of Missouri,
and now the entire community OF
10000 souls were leaving their homes,
unsold, it can be easily understood
that they were ~ prepared tb nndnrf
the hardships they were forced to
meet BY ascending a nearby hill
we could see our homes and the
beautiful temple we had reared in oul
poverty 1t the cost of one and hal
million dollars, and on a clear, oalm
morning we could hear
The silvery notes of the temple bell
That we loved so deep and well,
And a pang of grief would swell the
heart,
And the soalding tears in anguish
] start
As we silently gazed on our dear oil,
| homes.
To remove this invitation to grie
and sorrow our leaders wisely resolve,
, to make a forward move. 1t was be
lieved the frost would hold UP on
! wagons. If not, short drives could b
t made, and activity would reliev
, the severely tried minds. | remem
Der hearing the ringing voice of Pres
dent Young as, early in the morning
= standing il the front end of his wagor
| he said Attention, the camps {
1 Israel; propose to move forwar
5 on our Journey. Let all who wish
t follow me, but I want none to com
e with us unless they viii obey th
/ commandments and statutes of th
Lord. To do them, cease your COZ
tentions and backbiting, and thel
must be no swearing il our camp
If you find anything you must see
diligently to return it to the owne
+ The Sabbath day must be hallowe,
In all our camps prayers should be o
fered up both morning and evening
II you do these things faith W
. abide in your hearts and the angels
God shall go with you, even as the
went with the children of Isreal Wht
Moses led them from the land
"a Egypt.
1t This brief epitome Of the rules al
regulation that were to guide us W
give the thoughtful reader the key
the wonderful influence that Pre-
? dent Young and the twelve apostl
= had with the saints. They were
Q tensely religious and their peculi
p faith i'll prophets and present and &C
= tinuous revelation had stirred up t
6 anger and prejudice of their Christi
= neighbors until it eliminated in &
4 martyrdom OF Joseph and Hyrt
Z Smith and the expulsion of the sair
2 from Nauvoo. Americans, and
. many instances the near and dire
= descendants of Revolution sires, CT
q out from American civilization |
= cause they believed in the visitati
q OF angels and persisted in worshipi
4 God according TO the dictates of tn
g own conscience.
= FLORA VISTA