We have been with him in prosperity and adversity, in sickness and health, in public and private, in all situations where men may reasonably associate with each other, and know that his words are true, his teachings sacred, his character unsullied among men of truth, and that he is what the Church acknowledge him to be, a man of God, and the spokesman of the Most High unto His people; and we bear this testimony unto the world, calling on all the honest in heart to uphold him by their faith and prayers, that he may live long, enjoy much, and accomplish great things for the kingdom which he has been the honored instrument of establishing on the earth in these last days, even that he may lead a great multitude into the celestial kingdom.

That the Saints may enjoy the teachings of the Prophet; those teachings which can be had only at this place, so that they may go on from knowledge to knowledge even to perfection, they want to come up hither; and that the plans before suggested may by facilitated, let some individuals with capital come immediately and build factories—individuals who have the means, understand the business, and are capable of superintending the concerns thereof.

There is every natural advantage at this place for facilitating such an order of things; water, wood, and coal in abundance, and it only wants the hand of the laborer to bring them forth in form suited to their several uses; and, while the gold and the silver are secreted by the hands of unprincipled speculators, let us go forward and accomplish without gold or silver, that which might be more easily and expeditiously done with it.

Let the brethren ever remember the admonitions we have so often given, that Zion is not to be built up without labor, fatigue, and trial of the faith of many; that when John saw the great company on Mount Zion, he saw those who had come up through great tribulation; he also saw those who had endured great tribulation after they had arrived, and before the kingdom was completed.

The Saints of this day are of the number John saw, and those-and those only who are willing to endure tribulation, as good soldiers, without murmuring-will eventually find their names enrolled in the Lamb's Book of Life, and obtain an inheritance in the holy city.

To all those who are desirous of sharing in the poverty and sufferings incident to new countries and the children of the kingdom, we would say, come up hither, and help us to bear the burden, and you shall share the riches, glory and honors of the kingdom. And those who are not willing to suffer afflictions, losses, crosses, and disappointments with the people of God, may as well stay away and be destroyed, as to come here and perish, for perish they must who cannot abide a celestial law, and endure to the end in all meekness, patience, and faithfulness.

Inasmuch as Elder Levi Richards has asked for counsel, we would recommend him to return to Nauvoo, as soon as circumstances shall permit.

Praying that you may be blessed with wisdom, intelligence, and perseverance, in every good word and work, so that you may accomplish your desires, and help to roll on the great work in which you have enlisted, we subscribe ourselves your brethren and fellow laborers in the kingdom of patience.

Amen.

BRIGHAM YOUNG, President.

HEBER C. KIMBALL,

WILLIAM SMITH,

ORSON PRATT,

JOHN E. PAGE,

LYMAN WIGHT,

WILFORD Woodruff,

JOHN TAYLOR,

GEO. A. SMITH,

WILLARD RICHARDS, Clerk.

City of Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, March 20, 1842.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

A MASON'S ESTIMATE OF NAUVOO AND THE PROPHET-ORGANIZATION OF THE FEMALE RELIEF SOCIETY- "TRY THE SPIRITS"-THE PROPHET'S EDITORIAL.

Monday, March 21, 1842.-I commenced a settlement with William Marks, who had loaned money and property to the Church at various times.

Tuesday, 22.-I was at the general business office through the day, and at home in the evening.

The following is from the Advocate, printed at Columbus, the residence of Grand Master [i. e. grand master mason] Jonas:

NAUVOO AND THE MORMONS.

MR. EDITOR.-Having recently had occasion to visit the city of Nauvoo, I cannot permit the opportunity to pass without expressing the agreeable disappointment that awaited me there. I had supposed, from what I had previously heard, that I should witness an impoverished, ignorant and bigotted population, completely priest-ridder, and tyrannized over by Joseph Smith, the great prophet of these people.

On the contrary, to my surprise, I saw a people apparently happy, prosperous and intelligent. Every man appeared to be employed in some business or occupation. I saw no idleness, no intemperance, no noise, no riot all appeared to be contented, with no desire to trouble themselves with anything except their own affairs. With the religion of these people I have nothing to do; if they can be satisfied with the doctrines of their new revelation, they have a right to be so. The Constitution of the country guarantees to them the right of worshiping God according to the dictates of their own conscience, and if that can be so easily satisfied, why should we who differ from them complain?

But I protest against the slanders and persecutions that are continually heaped upon these people. I could see no disposition on their part to be otherwise than a peaceable and law-abiding people, and all they ask of the country is to permit them to live under the protection of the

laws, and to be made amenable for their violations. They may have among them bad and desperate characters, and what community has not? But I am satisfied the Mormon people, as a body, will never be the aggressors or violators of the law.

While at Nauvoo I had a fine opportunity of seeing the people in a body. There was a Masonic celebration, and the Grand Master of the state was present for the purpose of publicly installing the officers of a new lodge. An immense number of persons assembled on the occasion, variously estimated from five to ten thousand persons, and never in my life did I wittness a better-dressed or a more orderly and wellbehaved assemblage: not a drunken or disorderly person to be seen, and the display of taste and beauty among the females could not well be surpassed anywhere.

During my stay of three days, I became well acquainted with their principal men, and more particularly with their Prophet, the celebrated "Old Joe Smith." I found them hospitable, polite, well-informed and liberal. With Joseph Smith, the hospitality of whose house I kindly received, I was well pleased; of course on the subject of religion, we widely differed, but he appeared to be quite as willing to permit me to enjoy my right of opinion, as I think we all ought to be to let the Mormons enjoy theirs; but instead of the ignorant and tyrannical upstart, judge my surprise at finding him a sensible, intelligent, companionable and gentlemanly man. In frequent conversations with him he gave me every information that I desired, and appeared to be only pleased at being able to do so. He appears to be much respected by all the people about him, and has their entire confidence. He is a fine looking man about thirty-six years of age, and has an interesting family.

The incorporated limits of Nauvoo contains, it is said, about seven thonsaud persons; the buildings are generally small and much scattered. The Temple and Nauvoo House, now building, will probably, in beauty of design, extent and durability, excel any public building in the state, and will both be enclosed before winter.

From all I saw and heard, I am led to believe that, before many years, the city of Naunoo will be the largest and most beautiful city of the west, provided the Mormons are unmolested in the peaceable enjoyment of their rights and privileges, and why they should be troubled while acting as good citizens, I cannot imagine; and I hope and trust that the people of Illinois have no disposition to disturb unoffending people who have no disposition but to live peaceably under the laws of the country, and to worship God under their own vine and fig tree.-AN OBSERVER, Adams County.

Extract from a Letter from Elder E. P. Maginn, Salem, Massachusetts.

I am on a visit to assist Elder Erastus Snow in his successful and

extended field of labor in this branch. Sixty-five have been obedient to the faith of the Gospel, and hundreds of others almost persuaded. In Boston near forty have obeyed through the faithful labors of Elder Freeman Nickerson. I have been absent from Peterborough two weeks; have preached three or four times in Boston, Salem, Marblehead, Chelsea, &c., and purpose returning to Peterborough next Sunday, where I have been laboring with good success, thirty-six have obeyed since last fall; at New Salem, Massachusetts, thirty-five to forty have obeyed since August last; Leverett, eighteen or twenty; Gilsum, New Hampshire, twenty to thirty. I have preached from one to three times every day, and cannot fill one in twenty of the calls for preaching; there is the greatest excitement in this country that I ever beheld during my travels since I left Nauvoo-a period of near three years, in which I have traveled through eighteen states and British provinces.

Wednesday, 23.-In council with Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards and others at my office.

Organization of the Relief. Society.

Thursday, 24.-I attended by request, the Female Relief Society, whose object is the relief of the poor, the destitute, the widow and the orphan, and for the exercise of all benevolent purposes. Its organization was completed this day. Mrs. Emma Smith takes the presidential chair; Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Whitney and Sarah M. Cleveland are her counselors; Miss Elvira Cole is treasurer, and our well-known and talented poetess, Miss Eliza R. Snow, secretary. There was a very numerous attendance at the organization of the society, and also at the subsequent meetings, of some of our most intelligent, humane, philanthropic and respectable ladies; and we are well assured from a knowledge of those pure principles of benevolence that flow spontaneously from their humane and philanthropic bosoms, that with the resources they will have at command, they will fly to the relief of the stranger; they will pour in oil and wine to the wounded heart of the distressed; they will dry up the tears of the orphan and make the widow's heart to rejoice.

Our women have always been signalized for their acts of benevolence and kindness; but the cruel usage that they