21 December 1876


Kaysville Relief Society; Kaysville, Utah Territory

[. . .]

Sister Snow saide she did not arise to speak because she desired that position, but to try and benefit the people. Hoped each one before her was a Latter day Saint

Said this was a good community and we had a good Bishop [Christopher Layton] here—

The spirit of God bears upward but we have as much of this down ward tendency, that we need [p. 111] to be constantly stirred up

We covenanted, when we were baptized, to work for God, not do work until noon and then sit down, but for all day. There are not many but what want to do right, but we want constant reminding to keep us awake

Suppose we should so cultivate ourselves, that the work of God would be uppermost in our hearts. what manner of people would we be would we seek after the things of the world; we that are called to Co-operate with God and his Kingdom should never condesend to these things We stand above all women on the Earth, God has called us to be helpmeets to men of God and to stand at the head of worlds, and we condescend to the grovelings things of the Earth. I sometimes think we do not think enough of ourselves we should be humble in our hearts but let our ambitions be as high as the Heavens Why are we organized in societies, can we not be Saints with out this? no, my Sisters we can not. Joseph Smith organised this Society after the manner of the Church and the President is to retain her position as long as she maintains it with dignity, if you want union in this Society it is for you Sisters to create it, it is woman that gives character to society. Women have the name of being tattlers but I dont know that we merit it, let us act so that this saying may not prove true with us. We are living for nobler purposes than these, living to devote our time to the servise of God and not to expose each others weaknesses If we would look at each others virtues and try to immitate them We would do a great deal better It is the duty of the Counsellor to help the President [p. 112] It is the duty of the Secretary to record the history of the Society. Make a record of every thing that is given in if it is only one cent and they are to be read with their minutes in their meetings, it is the duty of the Secretary to record every thing of importance that it may be read a hundred years hence. It is the duty of the Treasurer to take every thing that is given in the Society and she is responsible for all she receives if the Society owns a piece of land it is to be deeded to the Treasurer and her successors in office, the disbursements are to be made by the direction of the President. It is the duty of each member of the society to be punctual at meeting that they may gain in every thing that will refine and purify the Society. The minutes of every meeting should be read, not only of the speaking but of the working meetings also.

It is necessary for us to be united and forged the weaknesses of our natures. When you hear a report that is injurious to any ones character, dont repeat it, but try and put every thing from your midst that is calculated to divide you We are called upon from time to time to perform new duties for the raising of silk and to store up Grain so that when the famine cones [comes] we may have something to subsist upon, for we know assuredly that a mighty famine will come.

Then let us go too my sisters the mission is not for the brethren but it is for us to lead out.

I am proud to see the sisters assist in building Temples, these Temples are built for the redemption of the dead, to give them their washings and annointings [p. 113]

Take the Girls and boys as soon as they are baptized and bring them to meeting and teach them that they have something to do, and they will grow up to have power to lay hands on the sick and they will recover, for they will have mighty faith, unless you my sisters take hold of these things the powers of darkness will creep in. I want you to meet together every two weeks and each one should be a lively member if you make an effort to edify each other God will help you.

All that you can do towards home industry is for the establishment of Zion. We have a store in Salt Lake City and we sell nothing but <what is> home made. President [Brigham] Young says he wants to see it supercede the Co-operative store

May God bless us all and help us to work together from this time onward

Bp Layton and Councelor [Rosel J.] Hyde said we had had true principles laid down to us, and they heartily endorsed all that had been said

[. . .] [p. 114]

Source Note

Kaysville Ward, Davis Stake, Relief Society Record Book (1868–1878), pp. 111–114, CHL (LR 4531 24); Helen Hyde, Secretary.

Cite this page

21 December 1876, Kaysville Relief Society; Kaysville, Utah Territory, The Discourses of Eliza R. Snow, accessed March 19, 2024 https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/eliza-r-snow/1870s/1876/12/1876-12-21