23 May 1877


Sugar House Relief Society and Young Ladies; Sugar House Relief Society Hall, Sugar House, Utah Territory

[. . .]

Miss E R Snow Said By request of Sister [Sarah B.] Gibson The President of this meeting I arise to address you. I do not Know whether you Understand your duties, and the Object of this Organization and how the Offices Should Be Brought together in Unison.

For Many Years past the Spiritual Cultivation of the Young has Been Neglected.

When we First Came here it was our First Object to get Something to Eetthen [eat then] there were School Houses Built For Book Learning.

We Thought they were on Zions Ship and that would Land them in Safety.

We all Knew that Ancient Zion predicted the Daughters of Zion should Become as polished Stones. But that portion portion of their Education that would make them Heirs of the Kingdom was Neglected.

We have already young men who neither Beleive in the Revelations of God Nor the Blessing For which their parents Sacrificed So much.

at this time the Lord wished the young through his Servants to Be Organized. The minds of the young were Like Empty Dishes ready to receive anything even the Spirit of the world.

The parents Began to enquire what shall we do with our Children Those that were organized met with much Opposision [opposition] and no Encouragement.

If they had met with the Encouragement they should have done they would have Been Bright and Shining Lights. We Could not Censure them But we have not Ceased our Exertions Until to day. Those of them that Kept their Integrity are a Credit to Us and they acknowledge they [p. 174] Enjoy these Meetings Better than parties But we do not wish to deprive them of their pleasures.

The Young Ladies were Organized Some Four years ago I want to Say to those that are here I marvel a Little you were not Organized Before But I Beleive the reason was you had no place to meet in.

I Congratulate the Releif Society on this house I think they Must have had a good deal of help from the Brethren. I hope you will all try to Be punctual and try to get the Spirit of God to stimulate you.

It is Nessesary you should Become Noble and Elevated. there is much to Be accomplished and No time to Lose.

I hope you will Become Bright and Shining Lights. You Can accomplish much good I hope each young Sister will try to Become Useful and try to Learn all that Comes within her Compass.

The greatest Happiness we Can Enjoy is in doing good. I hope these Little girls will Be punctual when I was a Little girl I did not have the privilidges you Enjoy. My mother taught me that God saw me all the time.

I hope the mothers will take notice when meeting day Comes they will not Let their Domestic duties Interfere Let your Daughters Be Educated For Zion.

They will do as much good as the Brethren on Missions talk of home Industries and stop as much as possible Imported goods we might as well to day Be Clothed in Silk gave some Instructions on the planting of the Mulberry.

Said these Organizations are of God it is no trifling thing we have some of the Best Secretarys and speakers in the Territory She then proceeded to Organize [. . .] [p. 175]

[. . .]

Miss E R Snow Made Some remarks on the word Retrenchment Said we must Retrench From our Ignorance and Become polished. Said there is a Laxity in this respect.

Spoke on Using Slang phrases Said we should Be all that is Noble and Good it is Better than Fine Clothing. we should Study good manners at home.

[. . .] [p. 176]

[. . .] [p. 177]

[. . .]

Bishop William Smoot Said I hardly know where to Begin But I think when Paul Said it was not good For women to talk he made a mistake after what I have heard to day.

Sister Snow remarked Paul was speaking to the Corinthians.

[. . .] [p. 178]

[. . .]

Miss E R Snow Said if they would Be very attentive and Lift their hearts to God on Behalf of Sister [Elizabeth Ann] Whitney She would Sing to them in the pure Language that was Spoken in the Garden of Eden.

Sister Elizabeth Whitney then Sung one of her sweet Songs of Zion which was Full of Blessings For the young Ladies [. . .] [p. 179]

Source Note

Sugar House Ward, Sugar House Stake, Relief Society Records and Minutes (1860–1973), vol. 2 (1868–1883), pp. 174–179, CHL (LR 8754 14); Sarah Wheeler, Secretary.

See also Sugar House Ward, Sugar House Stake, Young Women’s Mutual Improvement Association Records and Minutes, vol. 1, pp. 2–5, CHL (LR 8754 17), Sarah Wheeler, Secretary; and “Home Affairs,” Woman’s Exponent 6, no. 1 (1 June 1877): 4.

Cite this page

23 May 1877, Sugar House Relief Society and Young Ladies; Sugar House Relief Society Hall, Sugar House, Utah Territory, The Discourses of Eliza R. Snow, accessed March 19, 2024 https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/eliza-r-snow/1870s/1877/05/1877-05-23