Page images
PDF
EPUB

LIFE AND LABORs of ORSON PRATT.

the gold seekers, who, without experience, had loaded too heavily for such a journey, and being single handed they had to leave what they could not carry. The journey was long and tedious; many a poor ox laid down to die and his bones, left to bleach in the sun; others were left because they could go no farther until rest and food, found by the way, restored them to strength, and the back companies would bring them on. The sand was so deep in places it seemed almost impossible to pull through it, while the sun was scorching hot in the summer months.

One day there was a narrow escape from death. A buffalo was shot at by one of the company while traveling near a herd of them; a stampede 'occurred, but the herd passed between the wagons and was soon in the distance. It was forbidden to shoot them so near as it endangered the lives of the people. There was a stampede of our cattle in the night, while camped on the Sweet-Water. When they took fright the noise sounded like a rushing torrent. It took some time to get them together and some of them could not be found. Elder Pratt's wife Sarah went on ahead in the carriage. She ascended a hill and was out of sight, when an Indian sprang out of ambush and, with a knife, was going to cut the horses loose as he held them by the bits. Just at this moment Ormus Bates, her brother came to her rescue and the Indian fled. She had her two children with her, Orson and Celestia. Harmel Pratt, their son, was born on the journey August 21, 1851, on the north side of the Platte River, about twelve miles from Fort Laramie.

The company at one time traveled all day without water. The poor cattle suffered greatly without it, as the roads were very dusty. They came to a stream of water near the mountains at the mouth of a ravine. Here Elder Pratt crossed over as he was ahead of the other company. All of a sudden a thunderstorm came on and the stream swelled to such an extent that the rest of the company could not cross it. Some of the sisters had started fires to wash near the

393

stream and the rush of water swept their things away down the river. It soon fell and all came over safely.

The teamsters were truly faithful to their task, walking most of the time, doing their own cooking and washing, some driving the teams, others the loose stock. These young men were all unmarried. After arriving in the valley they married, became prominent citizens and those surviving are now grey haired. A few names might be mentioned: Clements who married a young woman who came in with the family of Elder Pratt; they both died shortly after reaching the Valley; David McKenzie, James Jack, Thomas Ellerbeck, Edward Davis, whose pens still mark the continuance of Church matters, and Thomas Highams, an old and respected citizen of the Twenty-First Ward, this city. William Allred was the carpenter who stood ready at all times to render his assistance. Arriving on top of the big mountain, Elder Pratt said, "all get out and have a view of the city." They stood there and took a view of this isolated city that seemed to have sprung up out of the elements like magic. Only three years since, he had traversed its barren waste, when there was no human dwelling; when the wild man, buffalo, deer, and the elk roamed unmolested. Now to behold a fair city, resting in peace on the mountain side, filled him with thanks giving to God who had brought him out of the wilderness.

This short outline of Orson Pratt's

travels may bring to the mind of others, circumstances of their own experience on that journey He arrived with his family in Great Salt Lake City, as it was then named, on the seventh of October, 1851, having spent four years on a mission abroad, crossed the Atlantic Ocean twice and traveled thousands of miles to preach the everlasting gospel to a dark and benighted world.

Milando Pratt.

You cannot hold man's secret crimes before the world; but with glaring hideousness they are brought before the tribunal of conscience.

THE CONTRIBUTOR. the strife. Capital has been prevented

[blocks in formation]

THE POLITICAL SITUATION. THE local political revolution now going on in this Territory marks an epoch in our history. The two parties which have for so long been waging warfare in these mountains came into existence under very natural circumstances. The Latter-day Saints came here to escape the persecutions experienced in the East, and settled in these valleys with the idea of building up the country, establishing settlements, and avoiding the troubles of earlier times; but with the separation of some of the people from the Church, opposition to it began, and as non-Mormons came into the Territory this opposition became organized in the form of the Liberal Party. To resist this organization the majority of the citizens formed the People's Party. These two parties have been the only participants in local parties since their organization. The Liberal Party claimed to be fighting the doctrine of polygamy, and later charged the union of church and state in the Territory; that the Church controlled all elections and political machinery, and inspired the making of laws. It fought the people at home and in the National Capitol, securing year after year legislation against the majority of the citizens of the Territory. This legislation included anti-polygamy and confiscation laws; laws abolishing woman's suffrage, prescribing test oaths and otherwise abridging the rights of the people. The People's Party was formed to resist these assaults and to preserve the political and religious rights of its members. It declared its enemy to be a party of fraud and corruption, and that the cry against polygamy, made by the Liberals, was merely a blind to cover the real object of the party-the political robbery of the majority, and their disfranchisement. A long and bitter struggle has been engaged in, and our fair Territory has been injured by

from coming here and much suffering has been endured by the people. In the midst of this strife the Manifesto was issued by the First Presidency, and sustained by the body of the Church in Conference assembled. Its promulgation was so open and public that every un prejudiced man accepted it as the end of the polygamy question. Then it was that some sincere and honorable members of the Liberal party, broke from its ranks; declared the objects of the Liberal Party attained; urged the formation of parties in line with the great political parties of the nation, and invited people of all classes to join them. These gentlemen represented both the Republican and Democratic parties and were among the best of our Gentile citizens. Desiring to put an end to local strife the People's party leaders met, discussed the situa tion, and finally disbanded the old party, leaving each member thereof to join the national party which might best suit his ideas of government. The Liberals, however, with the honorable exceptions referred to, refused to divide on national lines, asserting that the manifesto was insincere; that the resolutions of the people's party were a snare; that the whole movement was a "Mormon" trick and in accordance with the orders of the Priesthood. Though the Church authorities have avowed publicly time and time again that they were not interfering in any manner with politics, the Liberals even go so far as to charge those Gentiles who have withdrawn from their party with being in "a Mormon scheme for statehood." Thus, the organization of strife and discord shows its own insincerity. It was conceived in hate and reared in falsehood, and now when every reason for its existence has been swept away, it still desires to continue the old agitation and bring more misery upon the Territory. But it must succumb to the movement now started in earnest. Its members cannot long survive a campaign against an imaginary foe.

Nothing can stay the progress of the two great parties; and whatever may be the result of the coming elections, the Demo

REMINISCENCES OF WILLIAM C. STAINES.

to soon take the place in politics lately occupied by the Liberal and People's parties, burying out of sight, however, the bitterness and hate of the past.

395

cratic and Republican parties are bound to our readers a number of letters by prominent men in polities, Democrats and Republicans; and on the question of division we produce the speech of Judge Zane before the County Republican Convention. This is the only correct and true report of Judge Zane's speech yet published, and will be read with interest by every man desiring the peace and prosperity of the Territory.

On the subject of National politics THE CONTRIBUTOR is non-partizan as it should be; but we propose to present to the people the ideas of government announced by each party. As a beginning we give

REMINISCENCES OF WILLIAM C. STAINES.

they could pass over the shallow places, and he wished to bring them down in wagons. The contract was made and signed and Mr. Tarpee pledged himself to forfeit a number of bushels of corn if anything should occur to break the contract. The next day about three o'clock in the afternoon, as the wagons were about ready to leave, Mr. Tarpee came to inform Bishop Miller that a messenger had just arrived from his traders, stating that heavy rains had fallen and that they were bringing their furs and robes by water and had no use for teams. He then told Brother Miller to send his teams to the trading port and he would pay the forfeit. The Bishop said under the circumstances he had no claims upon him, but Tarpee insisted and the wagons were sent and loaded up with sufficient corn to last us and other companies some time. The day after this event we crossed the river and camped two miles west of it. Here we remained until the Mormon Battalion was organized. When we left we had eaten up or given away most of the corn received from Tarpee, but had received new supplies from other companies which had joined us.

THREE weeks before the traveling camps of Israel reached Winter Quarters, I caught the ague which prostrated me every other day. I was traveling at the time in Bishop George Miller's family, and they were all very kind to me in my affliction. By the time we reached the Missouri River, we got entirely out of meat and very short of breadstuff. Our company had been selling and exchanging everything that could be spared, even to feather beds, for provisions; and many had become discouraged, not knowing where to get future supplies. Bishop Miller called a meeting of the company and raised sufficient means to purchase grain and flour for temporary relief. He made some encouraging remarks to the Saints, counseling them to put their trust in the God of Israel who would sustain them in the wilderness as He had His children in the days of Moses. He knew some would say that they had but a few days' supplies and that after crossing the river all hope of purchasing more would be gone; "but" he continued, "I tell you in the name of the Lord, if you will be faithful you shall have an abundance of corn in your camp before we cross yonder river." A few days Soon after the organization of the after, a Mr. Tarpee, Indian trader, came Mormon Battalion, in Pottawattamie or into camp and informed the Bishop that Omaha Nation, a company in charge of he had sent a party up the river to trade Bishop George Miller left with the intensupplies with the Indians for robes and tion of crossing the mountains that skins; that they were usually brought season. I was with Brother Miller and down the river in boats made of Buffalo his family, and had been suffering with skins; that this season the rains had chills and fever for two months; but this been insufficient to swell the river so disease had now left me, and nine sores

broke out in my legs, some being over an inch deep. These, at times, caused me much pain, but the Lord blessed me with sufficient strength to enable me to drive a team, which I had done while afflicted with the ague.

When about twenty miles east of the Pawnee mission, we met several white men who informed us that they belonged to the Indian Mission, but had been driven off by Indians who had killed two of their party. When they learned of our numbers and strength and destination, they wished to return with us, and have us protect them while they cached some government property, and for this they would give us all the grain and vegetables we could carry with us.

On arrival at the Mission we found the Indians had all left, leaving large quantities of wheat, oats and barley in the granary, besides a number of acres of grain ready for cutting; also potatoes, turnips, etc., ready for use. This literally fulfilled a prophecy of Brother Miller's, made a few days before we started. When speaking of the blessings the Lord had bestowed upon the camps of Israel from the days of leaving Nauvoo up to date, in preserving them from their enemies, and supplying them with food, etc., he said: "I want this company to so live that the Lord will continue to bless us with food. Yes, I promise you in the name of the Lord that you shall see the time while on this journey that you shall have more grain than you can load on your wagons, and leave many bushels behind you to waste on the ground." And we did just as had been spoken. Here we received a letter from Winter Quarters to stop and winter on Grand Island, as it was too late to cross the mountains that fall.

INTEMPERANCE.

gress, undermines its power, sows the seeds of devastation and ruin, and, as one writer says, "It is the curse of curses; the crime of crimes."

It is a fact worthy of notice, that every religious reformer who ever sprang into existence, laid down as one of his principles, the disuse of all alcoholics or strong drinks. The noted reformers, Moses, Confucius, Christ, and Mahomet, have each given precepts and examples for righteous conduct before mankind. A man's righteousness depends upon his diligence, perseverance, and temper. ance.

Listen to what the heathen Hindoo says, "Red wine is bad; it deprives men of wisdom. There is no pleasure to the drinker of red wine, but only pain, and it brings its grey haired devotees in sorrow to the grave; therefore, have understanding and refuse the inebriating cup." Such teachings, being engrafted into the minds of the people by the priests, have had a large influence in banishing from that nation the curse of intemperance, once so prevalent.

All through the annals of mankind, intemperance has been and is the greatest curse by which he has been afflicted. Take for instance, the ancient Persians. As long as they abstained from the use of strong drinks they were invincible. So with the Greeks, Romans, Ninevites, and Babylonians; but as soon as the accursed habit of intemperance ate its way into the very being of these once proud and prosperous nations, they soon sank to the lowest depths of vice, debauchery and crime. Now see the result. Rome, the proud monarch of the world, once so grave, sober and powerful, gradually became dissipated, intemperate and powerless, and sank from its mighty pinnacle of fame into the lowest pits of degradation, and finally, And the great and mighty empire departed-disappearing in the fumes of wine.

Intemperance is the inordinate use of oblivion. alcoholic drinks in any manner.

It degrades the mind, prostrates the body and ruins the soul. The victim of this awful vice is incapable of hard mental effort, powerless to sustain physical exertion and endurance, This vice demoralizes society, stops a nation's pro

At one time in the history of the United States, it was no inordinary scene to see every house well stocked with "good old spirits," by the use of which many were led, from having the brightest hopes, into

ASSOCIATION INTELLIGENCE.

that dark abyss from which so few return -their hopes of fame blighted by a glass of wine, given by their unsuspecting friends, as a mark of cordiality; but, far from it. A man, giving to his neighbor a drink of the abominable and accursed spirits, is robbing that neighbor of all that is near and dear unto him in this life --his character and influence—and blighting his hopes of an eternal salvation in the hereafter.

The old adage, "An idle brain is the devil's workshop," is here made apparent. A man becomes rich. Riches lead to indolence. Indolence is the parent of vice. Vice often begets a taste for the deathdemon's drink, and so from one stage to another a person is led down to a drunkard's grave. Once within the grasp of

397

this formidable foe, and it is no easy matter to reform; link by link the chain is forged, and soon its grasp becomes so invulnerable, that it cannot, very easily, be broken.

Young men take my advice. Leave strong drink alone, and, in the end, you will see the consequence. A race of religious giants. A band whose impenetrable phalanx, cannot be broken, nor scattered by any vice, and whose influence will spread all over the world, and enlighten it with beams of divine radiance and splendor.

Intemperance, thou merciless and souldestroying monster, stand aloof and let the inhabitants of this world be unstained by thy guilty practices, that they may become Godlike in the actions and dealings with each other! J. I. Hayes.

ASSOCIATION INTELLIGENCE.

THE following is a list of the general and stake officers of the Y. M. M. I. A.:

GENERAL SUPERINTENDENCY.

Wilford Woodruff, Joseph F. Smith,
Moses Thatcher; Assistants to General
Superintendency, Junius F.
Wells,
Milton H. Hardy, Rodney C. Badger,
Joseph A. West; secretary, Geo. D.
Pyper; treasurer, William S. Burton,
music director, Evan Stephens.

NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF STAKE
OFFICERS.

Bannock Stake, John L. Roberts,
Kaintuck, Idaho, Eugene P. Clements,
Alma Hess, counselors; Willard John-
son, secretary;
Beaver, R. Maeser,
Beaver,
superintendent; Bear Lake,
Wm. Hymas, Montpelier, John A. Bagley,
Charles H. Hart, counselors; James S.
Holland, secretary; Box Elder, Charles
Kelley, Box Elder, John D. Peters, Nels
Madsen, jr., counselors; O. Petersen,
secretary; Cache, L. R. Martineau,
Logan, Seth A. Langton, A. G. Barber,
counselors; R. W. Sloan, secretary;
Cassia, E. T. Hoagland, Elba, Idaho,
John N. Price, Charles Call, counselors;
Thos. E. Harper, secretary; Davis,
James H. Wilcox, Farmington, J. F.
Miller, Joseph Smith, counselors; E. B.

Clark, secretary; Emery, Joseph E Johnson, Huntington, L. P. Ovesen, A. G. Jewkes, counselors; Elias H. Cox, secretary; Juab, D. K. Brown, Nephi, C. H. Grace, J. S. Cowan, counselors; Joseph W. Vickers, secretary; Kanab, James S. Emmett, Glendale, Willard Carroll, Hans Sorensen, counselors; James W. Watson, secretary; Maricopa, John D. Rogers, Mesa, Arizona, David T. Hibbert, Wallace A. McDonald, counselors; Millard, William R. Thompson, Fillmore, Frank Hinckley, counselor; Geo. D. Olsen, secretary; Malad, S. D. Davis, Samaria, Wm. Richards, Joseph Harris, counselors; Wm. P. Camp, secretary; Morgan, W. G. Brough, Morgan, John H. Dickson, Frederick Clark, counselors; Alonzo Francis secretary; Oneida, Wm. M. Webster, Franklin, Idaho, Frank C. Parkinson, Andrew Morrison, counselors, Seth Thomas, secretary; Panguitch, Wm. P. Sargent, Panguitch, John L. Sevy, James B. Hey. wood, couuselors; James B. Heywood, secretary; Parowan, Charles Heybourne, Cedar City, James Ollerton, James H Armstrong, counselors; Bengt Nelson, jr., secretary; Salt Lake, Joseph H. Felt, Salt Lake City, Royal B. Young, James

« PreviousContinue »