16 June 1874

[. . .]

Miss E R Snow addressed the meeting as follows My Sisters I am Pleased to see your faces, they seem familiar to me, I am requested to speak to you, The Saints of God, those that are really Saints are always obedient, I am Pleased to see the Relief Society, and Young Ladies Association United union is what will bring us Salvation, I am Pleased with the Minutes, The words spoken by the Sisters were spoken by the spirit of God, My Sisters continue to be faithful the Lord has said, at the day of remambarance I will choose my Jewels let us prepare ourselves to be of that number, Do we realize when we meet together that there is a record kept, that angels keep watch over us.

We are the Church of the Most High, w[h]ere else can there be found Prophets, Apostles, with the gift of the holy Gospel, seeing the great Blessings we enjoy what different People ought we to be, we ought to be different from the People of the world. we live for a different perpose. The Organization of the Relief Societies was Organized by Joseph Smith, and w[h]ere ever the Church is, these Societies will be found, My Sisters do you think, it is only to look after the Poor that we meet. Joseph said, if the Sisters will take the Poor from off the hands of the Bishop, they will relieve a burden from off there [their] shoulders, But that is not the end in view, It is to bring us back, to the Position that we occoupied <occupied>, before the curse fell upon the human family, for Women moved in the same sphere as the Men, The same Laws were given to Men and Women both. but it is different now. [p. 383] Still the time is coming when we shall be Brought back to reighn as Queens while the Men will reighn as Kings, and as Priestesses while he will reighn as Priest, But we have a great deal to do, we have a Mission to accomplish, it is required we should be delegent [diligent] to accomplish that Mission, For the Relief Societies, are not only to relieve the Poor but to save souls, not by Staying at home to keep the Body, and decorate it, and trying to grasp all the worldly goods we can, all this will never fulfill our Mission, This Society is intended to unite the Sisters together, to cultivate ourselves, not to work all the time, I know it is good to have the comforts of life, around us, but not by neglecting other duties, of more importance, I hear of good reports from this Society, Still there are some that dont look upon it in the right light, But even those most engaged in it do not realize the importance of this work, Many have asked me if the New Order will do away with the Societies, no my Sisters it will not, there may not be so many Poor when it gets in good running order, But still we will find that our duties will increase, My Sisters the greatest Princeple to improve Women is Plurality of Wifes, if you had gone into it when I did you would have found it very different to what it is now, I knew not if I should ever be an acknowledge[d] wife, but it made no difference, I never spoke again[s]t it, I k<n>ew the Lord loved his Children, all that are obedient to his counsel he will glorify, We should always have confadence in him. I hear People say about this New Order, I call it, the Old Order, it is nothing new to me, as to intering [entering] it, I went into it when I joined this Church, why my Sisters have we any thing that belong to us, have we any thing but what the Lord [p. 384] has given us, than if we own nothing we have nothing to loose, As for me I feel I am a child of the Most High God, and if I do right I will have an inheritance with Jesus. My Sisters if we do not go into it, we shall be left in the Cold, Many think they do not know any thing about it, Well when I joined it I knew enough to vote with the Priesthood, they came to me to sign, I signed it, well that was enough to know If I live my religion, I take it, it is enough to know we are working for Father, and if we work faithful, we shall recieve our inheritances. She than spoke to the Young Ladies Association, told how it had been organized, gave them good instructions, told them how they used to do, the great faith they used to enjoy, also the great Blessings that used to be poured upon them told them how they ought to seek after good things, Told Mothers what to do for their Children, to instruct them in every good thing, She than said I have taken up, time enough, I wish to say to the Sisters, if there are any that have not joined this Order, do not let a day pass before you joine it, and may the Blessings of God rest upon you all is my prayer. Amen.

Sister Horn [Mary Isabella Horne] arose and said My Sisters I feel pleased with the remarks that have been made [. . .] [pp. 385–387]

Elder Anson [C.] Call spoke as follows My Sisters we have been favoured with good instructions, Sister Snow spoke of Plurality when it was first organized, our worthy Sister was one of the first, that obeyed it [. . .] [p. 388]

[. . .] Sister Eliza R Snow addressed the meeting as follows. Sisters I am very happy to meet with you do you ever realize that when you meet their [there] is a record Book Kept, that angels watch over you. we profess to be Latter day Saints which are blessed above all other people and here is the organization of the Relief Society. Sisters be united in relieving the wants of the poor and help build each other up. previous to the time when women partook of the forbidden <fruit> and that curse was pronounced upon her head, we have a great deal to do to bring us back, evry Daughter of Zion has her mission to preform, to prepare herself for the comeing of the Savior, not to stay at home to keep our body alive or to deccorate it: this is not our mission. this organizations is to prepare ourselves for the future. Sisters be faithful. I have been asked the question if this united order would do away with this Society I say no, Sisters be united and carry out the council from time to time, and the Plurality of wives which is one of great importance [n.p.] and I know it was taught by the Prophet of god I dare not speak against any commandment which which is from our Father. Sisters be faithful and you will become queens and Princesses. this new order as some call it I call it the old order, when I was babtised in this Church I became one of that order. I am a Daughter of my Father I am willing to respond to any call and am ready to be one in this order. and those who do not respond to this great call, will be left in the cold, A word to our young Sisters. I feel proud of you to think you are willing to be organized I want to tell you how this started. Some years ago President [Brigham] Young met with us in our society and told us to organize the young, and said commence with my Family so he chose one of his Daughters to act as President but she refused, but he chose another so she said yes Father I am willing to obey you, and so they have prospered, and you dont hear of one of those Sisters going with gentiles, some Parents say what is the good of our young Daughters getting together to sing and pray they are to[o] young to understand, do not teach your children this but teach them true principles, the young Sisters in our ward look lovely not one in that society have married a gentile yet but they are united, in the early days of this Church the young would speak in tongues and would prophesy, but now days they say they are to[o] young I say they are not. my Sisters you cannot get those blessings without you work for them [n.p.] Now for instance if a sister should choose a peice to read in her Society she would not go to a novel but to some good book, how much depends upon Mothers to teach their children true principles to instruct their young minds, and to lead them in the straight and narrow path. now my sisters if their is any of you who have not been organized in this Order, dont let a day pass but step foreward and you will be prospered. may god bless you help you to carry out his commandments that this Society may go onward and onwards is my prayer

President Mrs E. Horn. [Mary Isabella Horne] arose and said I feel pleased with the remarks of Sister snow [. . .] [n.p.]

Sister [Rachel R.] Grant, I have been pleased with the teachings which we have had today, I feel as if we have been makeing slow progress, as this new order is concernd and as Sister Snow has said. [. . .] [n.p.]

Brother Erastus Snow addressed the meeting as follows. [. . .] Sister Snow will strengthen the hearts of her sisters where ever she goes her good influence is felt [. . .]

Brother Anson Call arose and addressed the Sisters. we have been favord to day [today] with the presance of our Sisters. while Sister Snow was speaking it brought to my mind severel things anew about plurality of wives this Sister was one of the [n.p.] first to join that, Order, dont you feel proud of her company [. . .] [n.p.]