To Utah County.
On Friday morning President B. Young, accompanied by Elders Orson Pratt, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, George A. Smith and George Q. Cannon, of the Twelve, with a number of other brethren, started on a trip for Utah County. During their absence it was designed that meetings should be held in American Fork on Friday, in Provo on Saturday, when the new meeting-house would be dedicated, and on Sunday, and in Goshen on Monday.
[Deseret News, Aug. 28, 1867]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Sept. 2006]
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Gone North.
President B. Young, with Elders Orson Hyde, Orson Pratt, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, George A. Smith, Erastus Snow and George Q. cannon of the Twelve, and other brethren, started on the trip through the northern settlements on Monday morning.
[Deseret News, Sept. 4, 1867]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Sept. 2006]
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President B. Young’s Trip North.
Farmington, Davis Co.
Monday, Sep. 2, 1867.
President Brigham Young left Great Salt Lake City this morning at about half past nine, accompanied by Elders Orson Hyde, Orson Pratt, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, Erastus Snow, George A. Smith and George Q. Cannon, of the Twelve Apostles; George D. Watt, reporter, and other citizens of G.S.L. City, for the purpose of visiting the settlements in Bear Lake Valley….
At 2 o’clock we repaired to the Farmington comfortable and substantial meeting-house, which was crowded with well dressed and happy Saints. Elder Orson Pratt discoursed upon the future of the United States, showing from the prophecies that if this nation will repent it will be numbered with Israel, but if it will not repent it will be broken to pieces, and Zion will become a strong nation upon this American continent. He concluded his remarks by urging upon the young men of these mountains to take upon themselves the responsibilities of families, and fill these valleys of the mountains with a righteous seed unto the Lord….
Ogden, Sept. 3, 1867.
The President and company left Kaysville this morning at half-past five; arriving in Ogden in time for breakfast.
At 10 o’clock we met in the Tabernacle, with the Ogden Saints, and with Saints who assembled from the regions around about….Elder Orson Pratt reviewed the settlement of Utah by the Latter-day Saints, showing how wonderfully God has blessed this people in their endeavors to reclaim and settle these once unbroken solitudes; continuing to show from the prophecies the great future of this people….
Brigham City, Sep. 6.
Sept. 5, left Ogden at 9 a.m., and reached Willard at noon, where a meeting was held and the congregation was addressed by Elders Hyde, Hooper and Shipp and President B. Young. Reached Brigham City at 4 p.m. and held meeting at 5; Elders Pratt and Taylor and President B. Young spoke. Shall leave at 8 a.m. and arrive in Wellsville at noon.
Respectfully,
G.D. Watt.
[Deseret News, Sept. 11, 1867]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Sept. 2006]
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President B. Young’s Trip North.
Brigham City, 5t.
After a dusty ride we reached Brigham City at half-past four. At five o’clock we were in the assembly of the Saints, under the shade of a well built and comfortable bowery. Singing by a good choir. Prayer offered by Elder E. Stevenson. Elder Orson Pratt introduced the subject of marriage before the congregation, and left it for others to speak upon….
Logan, Sep. 7th.
Arrived in Logan about 5 p.m. of the 6th….Elder Orson Pratt said this people of all people in the whole earth have the greatest cause to rejoice; and delivered a beautiful discourse upon the predictions of the ancient prophets….
Hyde Park, Sep. 9, ’67.
Last evening, 8th inst., after meeting at Logan, the President and a portion of his company, in compliance with a previous invitation, drove out to Providence, a small settlement two miles south of Logan, and took supper. Your correspondent not being invited is unable to give particulars. After breakfast this morning, I drove out to Hyde Park. Bishop William Hyde was on hand, with Sunday schools all dressed and in line to bid the President welcome. Elders Orson Hyde and Pratt soon after arrived, who informed us that President B. Young had business in Logan today and would not leave that city until tomorrow. The greater part of his company are here to hold meeting according to appointment.
At 11 a.m. we met the Saints of this settlement in a neat, well ventilated meeting house, built of rock….Elder Orson Pratt expressed his pleasure in being able to travel with the First Presidency and Twelve through these northern settlements. Spoke of the beauty of this valley, which has been partially developed by the excessive labor of the Saints; and of the many facilities which it affords for the multiplication of creature comforts in abundance. The great press of labor required in the first settlement of this country having been accomplished, should we not pay more attention now to the cultivation of mind? He exhorted the young men especially to pay attention to this, as upon their shoulders will, in the future, rest the responsibilities of bearing off this Kingdom. He requested them to become acquainted with the history of this Church, as a very important branch of learning; and encouraged them to study the English language, that they may be able to communicate their ideas in a proper manner; and to establish grammar schools, etc. If we ever excel the world in many branches of education, we can only do so by faithful and diligent study; and by prayer and the possession of the Spirit of the Almighty, we can attain to the extended knowledge of the learned of the age in much less time, and by much less labor than otherwise. He concluded his remarks, in a very interesting manner, by showing to the young men and maidens their duty relating to marriage, exposing the false notions of love that people often get from reading novels, arguing that true love is that which is inspired by the Spirit of God, and which is founded upon true principle….
[Deseret News, Sept. 18, 1867]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Sept. 2006]
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President B. Young’s Trip North.
Bear Lake River Valley, Paris, Sept. 12th.
Editor Deseret News:
…2 p.m.
Singing. Prayer offered by Elder Geo. Q. Cannon. Elder Orson Pratt noticed the many facilities offered to the people now occupying this valley. Traced that portion of the history of this people relating to their organization according to the laws of man. When we were a little handful of people, our headquarters were in Kirtland, Ohio, 36 years ago. The Lord in that early day told us to send forth missionaries of this church to the east, to the west, to the north and to the south to build up churches; and inasmuch as the people do repent, and are willing to receive my gospel they shall be gathered in one, and that this gathering should take place that the Saints may be organized according to the laws of man, that they may break every yoke wherewith the enemy seeketh to destroy. He dwelt upon the necessity of union, not only in a civil point of view, but that we be united in a religious point of view, for when the Lord brings again Zion the watchmen will see eye to eye. We are told that there will be divisions among the people of God more or less until the city of Enoch is revealed; this may more particularly be the case in the stakes, or curtains of Zion; for tares will grow with the wheat until the harvest comes when there will be a final separation; the foolish virgins will have no oil in their lamps and be unprepared when the midnight cry is heard: behold the bridegroom cometh; then will these be gathered out of His kingdom as those who offend, and when they are gathered out will all the watchmen see eye to eye. All the missions of all the faithful elders of this church are written, for the Book of Mormon says, that all things are written by the Father. The evils which we have committed will also be written, and there is no way of getting our evil deeds blotted out, only by a sincere repentance. In the great judgment day even our private sins will stand against us if we do not repent of them. In view of all that the Lord has promised to us since the organization of this church, and in view of all the blessings He has already bestowed upon us, what manner of people ought we to be?
…Bloomington, 14.
We left Paris this morning at 9 o’clock, and reached Bloomington in time for meeting at 10 o’clock, which convened under a good bowery. Singing. Prayer offered by Elder L. Snow. Elder Orson Hyde said, that a number of brethren in the company had not spoken much on this trip, and he desired them to speak; much can be said in five minutes, more in ten, and a great deal in fifteen minutes. Elders Lorin Farr, Shipp, Crosby, Eldridge, Layton, Stenhouse, Noble, Call, Stevenson, Folsom and Geo. D. Watt addressed the meeting.
Elder Orson Pratt said, God helps those who help themselves, it is true in spiritual things, as well as in temporal things. The mind needs taking care of as well as the body, it needs food as well as the body. Education never came to the mind without labor, and labor of the hardest kind. If you would be educated the mind must be disciplined….
[Deseret News, Sept. 25, 1867]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Sept. 2006]