22 April 1872


Salt Lake City Twentieth Ward Relief Society; Twentieth Ward Schoolhouse, Salt Lake City, Utah Territory

White, two-story, brick building with two chimneys protruding from the opposite ends of the roof

Salt Lake City Twentieth Ward schoolhouse. Church meetings were often held in this building. (Used by permission, Utah State Historical Society.)

[. . .]

Sister E. R. Snow said she had been looking round on the cheerful faces of the Sisters cheerfulness should be cultivated. she wished to make some remarks upon Moving Seconding and putting to the meeting any move that was wanted to be made. The Councilors or Movers should say I move, another one Second then Sister [Margaret T.] Smoot should put it to the Meeting for them to accept or reject as the case Maybe [may be] this was according to Parlimentary rule and we wanted to work to that just as long as it accorded with the law of the Priesthood Spoke of the warfare we had to wage with our selves to overcome and be perfect even as our [p. 251] Father in Heaven is perfect, to do this we would have to come in contact with things contrary to our desires, what would try one would not try another, so we would all have trials of different kinds and in place of asking God to remove every trial from our path we should ask for help to overcome them. Joseph Smith once said “the people had gained their Salvation only so far as they had overcome and gained the victory.” we had inherited many failings through the fall, but we would overcome and rid ourselves of them through the Gospel. Spoke of the Great Sermon the Judicial proceedings here, had been to the outside world, it would do More good than the Elders could by preaching for years. The evil one was always ready to hurt us and this work, if he could. But the Lord was wiser than he and would look after his people and his work, we should live faithful and firm and perform all duties devolving upon us were all the members of this Society present this room would be filled to overflowing, but it was but the few that had the interest of the Society at heart, and the few would have to save the many, we should live so as to be known among the good, we should never condesend to do a mean action but always consider the position we hold as Daughters of God. Not Earthly Noble but Heavenly so we should never disgrace ourselves or our parentage We should learn to control our tongues until we could speak without passion. There was no harm in being tempted, but there was in [p. 252] yielding to the temptation. This Society was not Organized for the special purpose of visiting the sick and but for us to improve ourselves for us to become united and bless and comfort each other. We should strive at all times to live so that the spirit of the Lord would rest and abide with us. She thought that as a Society we had done well. She wished it was possible for the Mothers to keep their daughters from the evil influences that were abroad and from following the Gentile Fashions so much it was almost impossible to tell our Girls from the Gentiles. The boys were just as bad they would chew and smoke this would lead to drinking and from that to worse She did not believe in direct opposition but she thought but they should be taught and guided in their dress and habits and in correct principles, then let them take their own course We should be punctual in performing every duty and we would have more time than we thought we had, and the more punctual we were the more we would have to do. Women had much more to do in moulding Society than men had We want to be living monuments of the character of our Heavenly Father and Mother and if we lived up to the priveliges we had we would all meet in their presence and have a good time together, if we could only get through without a spot on our Garments without speaking against the Priesthood or the principles of the Gospel Then what a Glorious thing it would be, how pure how holy and how enobled we would feel be if we could live thus. We had a Missi[o]n to perform on Earth and we would not feel [p. 253] well hereafter, if we did not perform it, so let us be faithful in all things and perform all duties devolving upon us. Blessed us in the name of the Lord.

[. . .]

Sister Zina D. [H.] Young, said she felt we could safely say we had been blest. We had been highly edified and had these benches been filled all could have heard what we had, but we were Not all Quean Bees many were drones [. . .]

Pres Mrs Smoot said we had had a good time together, she would like to hear more of the sisters but the time was far spent and she would not prolong the meeting

[. . .]

Benediction by Sister E. R. Snow [p. 254]

Source Note

Twentieth Ward, Ensign Stake, Relief Society Minutes and Records (1868–1973), vol. 1 (1868–1877), pp. 249–254, CHL (LR 9455 14); Sarah M. Napper, Secretary.

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22 April 1872, Salt Lake City Twentieth Ward Relief Society; Twentieth Ward Schoolhouse, Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, The Discourses of Eliza R. Snow, accessed October 15, 2024 https://chpress-web.churchhistorianspress.org/eliza-r-snow/1870s/1872/04/1872-04-22