6 January 1872


Retrenchment Association; Fourteenth Ward Meetinghouse, Salt Lake City, Utah Territory

White building with wood trim, Salt Lake City, circa 1890

Salt Lake City Fourteenth Ward meetinghouse, circa 1890. (Courtesy Church History Library.)

[. . .]

Coun Miss E. R Snow said

“Zion shall be redeemed with judgment and her converts with righteousness.” We can see, <in tracing the History of the people,> the wisdom of God toward us. In tracing the history of the people, we can see the wisdom of God toward us. I am thankful that the Lord does not allow us to run at large, it is so natural for us to go astray, that if he did not chasten us we would go from [n.p.] under his guidance We are a poor people comparitively speaking but not so poor as we have been. When Pres. [Brigham] Young requested the young ladies to retrench in their dress I could not understand see the necessity, as <that> I now see. Those of the old and young ladies who have followed his counsel can easily be distinguished from the fashionable outsiders When hoops came in fashion they distorted the human form very much. The word of the Lord was that the daughters of Zion should not wear them I watched the result, and one after another of the sisters would put them on and go into the gentile stores, and after the ladie[s] had gone <the clerks would say> they would say <to one another> there is another on our side. As I was conversing with the Del. [delegate] from Washington He asked me what particular good I saw resulting from poligamy. I told him that it established confidence between the sexes He asked why? Because they have confidence they will not defile themselves. In the world a mother may bring up her daughters virtuously and she may give them to men who is from outside appearances a gentleman but they may be vile and corrupt. Our sons are in more danger <than> our daughters they need to be guarded I have been cor[r]esponding with Mrs. [Hannah Tracy?] Cutler and told her that the Social evil had been introduced into our midst. She in reply said that if we could keep the young men from the contaminating influences that are surrounding us we were fit to enter into the Kingdom of heaven. We have the annoyances of life to contend with When God reveals anything and we do not understand let us be like Elizabeth of old and keep our lips closed. It is not the Goverment that is opposing us but it is a counterfeit executive Goverment. They would better not oppose us to far, if they do it is sure to react upon themselves We have only to wait patitently and see the judgment of God made manifest.

[. . .] [n.p.]

Source Note

Retrenchment Association, Meeting Minutes (1871–1874), n.p., CHL (CR 129 1).

Cite this page

6 January 1872, Retrenchment Association; Fourteenth Ward Meetinghouse, Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, The Discourses of Eliza R. Snow, accessed March 19, 2024 https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/eliza-r-snow/1870s/1872/01/1872-01-06