30 January 1877


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

[. . .]

Bishop [John] Sharp. Said he remembered being present at the organization of this Society. he then told the sisters what he considered to be their duty he thought it just possible our duties had increased and multiplied since then. He knew by experience that our duties and responsibilities here were much greater than they were when we joined the church in the old country. Spoke of the grumbling he sometimes heard among the Saints. Thought a great deal of it was due of it was to the fact of the people. when they came here, having comparatively speaking, to create their own work; in place of having factories to go to, they had to pick up anything and everything or go idle. In the old country it was everyone for his brother, here it was everyone for himself. The gifts and blessings were still with us; but they were not appreciated as they once were. Made some remarks upon assisting the poor and the kind of poor who particularly needed our care, and as he did not believe in long sermons would give way. [p. 394]

[. . .]

Sister E. R. Snow. Said she had been edified with the remarks made by Bishop Sharp. She fully realized that the duties of woman increased year by year. if we were to take all the poor in the ward off the Bishop’s hands we should be doing a great work; but this was by no means the most important of our duties, one duty woman had to perform was to refine society. Spoke of the wheat question, home manufacture, &c

[. . .] [p. 395]

Sister Snow, said President [Brigham] Young wished these societies to meet once a week for by so doing we would feel better and be better prepared to attend to our duties. She suggested that we meet oftener than once a month.

Moved & carried that we meet every two weeks [. . .] [p. 396]

Source Note

Twentieth Ward, Ensign Stake, Relief Society Minutes and Records (1868–1973), vol. 1 (1868–1877), pp. 394–396, CHL (LR 9455 14), Sarah Napper, Secretary.

Cite this page

30 January 1877, Salt Lake City Twentieth Ward Relief Society; Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, The Discourses of Eliza R. Snow, accessed March 19, 2024 https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/eliza-r-snow/1870s/1877/01/1877-01-30