LATTER-DAY SAINTS’
EUROPEAN PUBLISHING AND
EMIGRATION OFFICE.

42 South 36, Islington, Liverpool
June 27th 1857

Prest. B. Young

Dear Brother,

Your letter of the 1^st April was received on the 8^th of June; wherein you acknowledge the receipt of mine of 29^th of August & 5^th & 30^th of September.

I hope you will by this time, have received mine of Oct 31^st, Nov 28^th Jany 30^th Apls. 3 & May 1^st –  in which case <you will be> thoroughly informed of our doings; and you will also have learned that the great excitement which has been raised in this country against the Church, (& particularly in Utah;) though the lies, and Slanders, published wholesale against us; has materially retarded the work for a few months past in this Country – few comparitively speaking are being added to the Church – many come to hear, but very few obey.  The [unreadable] Slanders; lies growing out of them; commenced to be circulated in this country, close upon the heels of the information; and the excitement of the people and their hatred and abuse of the Church has so increased evidence – There is scarcely a leading paper in the country now, but what has [page break] nearly every issue, some false and Slanderous article in it, concerning the church and its leading men in Utah; And the people love to have it so-  It is getting to be quite a common thing for the brethren to be mobbed and insulted while preaching, and their meetings disturbed, and often broken up in confusion-  The result of all this is, that the additions to the Church are few, and those of the poorer class-  As I have stated in former letters the wealthier portion of the Saints have emigrated and as a matter of course our receipts <are> less than formerly– but I am happy to inform you that as a general thing, the faith energy zeal & dilligence of the Elders seems to increase in proportion as the difficulties increase around them–

You will undoubtedly have heard before this of the murder of Brother Parley P. Pratt.  You will receive by this mail, Star No. 27, giving a detailed account of the tragedy together with a letter from Mrs. McLean on the Subject–   The old Missourian mob Spirit seems to be reviving in the States; and the whole editorial community is a perfect fever of excitement. The same Spirit has found its way across the Atlantic, and the journals of the day are are  filled with the most barefaced & malicious lies, that wicked men, with the help of the Devil can invent – and so viloent is their hatred, and [page break]great their prejudice that we cannot get a single word in and of them in self defense.

I have drawn upon you in favor of Mrs. Catherine Kent at 10 days sights for £ 84. 2. 0. on the 12^th inst.  The money will be duly deposited in St.   Louis with H.S. Eldredge to meet the same.

In reply to your enquiry as to the where abouts of the Crimean Soldiers I have been able to learn the following, Elder John West of the 93 Regt of Highlanders has his discharge and is in the Glasgow Conference in good standing.  Elder Speir is in the 1st Royal Regt in Dublin – Elder John McLean is in the 30^th Regt. at Giberatter.  There are 4 or 5still stationed at Dover.

Frederick Piercy has apostatized, and is filled with bitterness against the Church.  He has several times solicited me to purchase the Rerate property plates &c. and finally offered me his interest for £50 but I declined – on the receipt of your letter I wrote to him accepting his offer, he <then> refused to take it but offered to take £75.  I finally closed the bargain with him at that price, and have received the property with expenses of stamp freight &c. of £1.1.6 + £75 = £76.1.6.  Since then I have received a very impudent, saucey and threatening letter from him, in which he demands £25 – now, on the ground that Linforth has written him, that you would give £100.  There is nothing of any value at all except the plates.  All the complete[page break] volumes already belonged to the church; but then has been [unreadable]for them whatever for the last year—.  On the whole I think, more has already been paid for the property than it is worth.  Still, if you desire it, after knowing all the circumstances I am ready & willing to pay Peircy whatever additional sum you shall say—

I have credited Jas. Sinforth with £ 100- and charged your office on tithing a/c as directed.  I have also charged your office the £76.1.6 to Peircy on same a/c —

Brother Benson is <in> London, in good health- He & Brother Calkin desire a kind remembrance.

Your Brother in the Gospel

Orson Pratt

June 27^th 1857  Orson Pratt to B. Young

opposition & excitement in England. Elders more diligent– where the Saints in the Crimean war are.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­rec’d by East mail June 12/58

[Transcribed by Erin T. McAllister, Pat Bishop, Janean Hendrickson, Julia Winfield and Marlene Peine; Mar. 2010]

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