Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-07-23
PIONEER DAY.

'rhIs the 2ith day NJ July 1871. was
an important day IN the history Of my
lie. and In the history or the Church
OF je-us Christ OF Lrtter-dav Saints.
After travelling from our encampmcnt
six mll's through the deep ravine valley
enGins with the canyon, We came In FUN
view uf the valley OF the Great Salt
Lake d, the Great B1su-the Land Of
Promise. held in reserve by the hand Of
dc1 us q resting place for the Saints
I'VE ga2ed with wonder and admira-
ton Hpon the vast fertile valley spread
OUT before us for about twenty-five
miles IN length and sixteen miles in
Widtr clothed with a heavy garment
Of vegetation, and In the midst Of
which glistened the waters Of the Great
Sdit Lake, with mountains an around
to"a ing TO the skies and streams
llFalCts and creeks OF pure water run
Mrs through the beautiful valley
'tltcr a hard Journey from Winter
Quarters Of more than one thousand
miles. through Oats OF the Platte river
and plateaus Of the Black Hills and
Rocky Mountains and over the burning
sands. and eternal sage regions willow
sWails and rocky regions. to gaze upon
valley Of such vast extent surrounded
with "A perfect chain o. everlasting
mountains covered with eternal snow,
with their iunumcrable peaks like pyr-
enids towering towards heaven, pre-
scenery and prospect that we could
have obtained on earth. Thoughts Of
plq17nnt meditation ran In rapid sue
eotsion through our minds at the an
tlcuation that not manv years hence
tho House Of God would be established
IN the mountains and exalted az owe the
bills. while the valleys would be con-
Vcited into orchards. vineyards, fields
ctc.. planted with cities, ana the stan
dard OF Zion be unfurled. unto which
the pations would gather"
In these words the late President
Wilford Woodruff recorded the i'm
nressions OF the Pioneers when, on
the gath OF July ls47 they emerged
fyom the canyon and saw before them
the beautiful panorama OF the Salt
Lake valley, with the slistening waters
Of the Lake IN the distance. Tsey we're
tired after the long and perilous Journey
Some of them were weak and sick
Bot on that day they knew that they
had reached the end Of the goal The
Land of Promise was before them And
10 them II was beautiful 20 behold For
they viewed 81 through the magnificent
coloring lent TO It by faith They saw
cities and villages. fields and orchards,
dom and the nations gathering under
the ensign Of Zion They felt that
they had escaped the hand of the op-
pressor and the tyrant. and that from
henceforth they were free 20 worship
God IN truth and righteousness with
out the Interference Of blood-thlrsty
mobs, and go Pioneer day was a day of
JOY and thanksglvlne. a day OF ecstasy
But II should not be forgotten that
between the actual condition Of tho
Land OF Promise on that day. as the
Pioneers saw 1t. and the future devel-
opment as seen through faith. was an
interval that had 90 be filled out with
hard labor, patient suffering and ear
nest prayers One Of the misstatements
evcn 10 visitors by those whose envy
and hatred do not permit them to give
even TO the Pioneers modicum Of
praise. Is this that SAT- Lake valley
was most inviting place The writer
one day heard a fellow volunteering the
information 10 tourists who viewed the
valley from an offlce I'm the Newhouse
that Il was just az rich I'm
vegetation then. as II Is now. and that
1T was no. wonder Brigham Young
stopped here with his followers and
took possession Every reliable testi- !
lnony Is to the contrary. But there are
people so small that they can see great
ness IN no one.
The fact IS. the whole basin was So |
barren as 10 produce little besides |
species Of bunch grass. and the ground |
Yves covered with large black crlckets /
which aerved the Indians for food It \
was. says President George 4. smith IN 4
The Rise, Progress. and Travels Of the
church ~ Jesus Christ OF Iatter-dav
Saints" in this desert place. that the
site Of Salt Lake city was SURVEYED"
and Bishop Whitncy. IN his history.
says: 1T was no garden OF the Hes
7erides upon which the Pioneers gazed
hat memorable July morning Aside
rom it's scenic splendor, which was
indeed glorious. magnificent there was
little 10 invite and much 10 rcpeI I'm the
prospect presented 10 their view
1rcad ana barren plain hemmed in by
mountains hlisterinF IN the burning
avs of the midsummer sun No wav
ng fields. no svaying forests. no YER
liant meadows 10 rest and refresh the
weary eve, but on an sides "a seemingly
ntermlnable waste ~ sarebrush he
pangled with sun nowers-the paradize
. the lizard the cricket and the rat
lesnake such was the actual view
'efore the Pioneers
Why then. did thoy not march one
here Is no answer 10 that question.
hey came here guided by the light Of
evelation. Just as ancient Israel founo
heir way 10 Canaan as the cloud and
he pillar of fire, by day and by night.
"a on. II was the place designated BIZ
iod. II WAS the place President Young
ad seen in the visions Of the future.
was the place pointed out by
rophecy, ancient and modern For
nat reason the Pioneers remained here
'stead Of looking Tor an apparently
lore favorable location
As early as $3.50. @ was given 10 ,
-.