23 June 1878

On the stand were Sisters Eliza R. Snow and Zina D. Young of Salt Lake City, Mrs. Amelia Goldsbrough of Nephi, Mrs. M. A. [Mary Ann] P. Hyde and Mrs. Alred [Elizabeth Allred] of Spring City, and Mrs. [Deborah] Irons of Moroni, also Mrs. [Margaret F. C.] Morrison, President of the Relief Society of Mt. Pleasant, and her Counselors. [. . .] Miss E. R. Snow arose and said she had looked over the financial reports and was well pleased with them; the Prophet Joseph [Smith] had said that whenever the church was fully organized there would be Relief Societies and if they would carry out the will of the Lord, they would become the most glorious societies that were ever formed. Said we should all be rewarded for our labors whether they were all reported or not. If we keep the Comforter in our bosoms, we should always be happy and the labors of life would be pleasant and we would realize that we were working for a purpose. Every one would have to work out his or her salvation and one could not do the work for the other. Urged the sisters, if there was any one who had not joined the society to do so and they would find it of great benefit to them; it is woman that gives tone to society, hence she should seek to improve in everything that is noble and good; the success of the Relief Societies is as much to the interest of the brethren as to the sisters. The Lord has offered us the highest glory in the Celestial World, and revealed unto us the law by which it could be obtained, “Celestial Marriage,” and if people thought that a man who had been sealed to one wife only, could obtain the same degree of glory as the man who had received more and was faithful, they would find themselves dreadfully mistaken; and the man that would not obey this law could not become a God in the Celestial Kingdom.¹ She exhorted the sisters to read the Church works and other useful books and to avoid that class of reading that would be no benefit to them; recommended for the Y. L. Association to introduce home reading and report in their meetings. Said if Zion did not become self-sustaining we would suffer when the time came that we would be cut off from Babylon; also recommended the setting out of mulberry-trees and the raising of silk. Related a vision given to a certain young man foreshadowing famine and distress that will come among this people.

Mrs. Zina D. Young was next introduced to the congregation [. . .] She presented some fine specimens of silk cloth, dress goods, fringe, thread, etc., all of home production. Hoped the sisters would patronize the Woman’s paper, the EXPONENT, and read the good instruction therein contained.

Miss E. R. Snow felt to acknowledge the kind assistence rendered to the Territorial Fair by the ladies of this place, in the fine specimens of workmanship forwarded by them; related the establishment and progress of the Woman’s Commission Store in S. L. [Salt Lake] City. Wished the young sisters to write for the EXPONENT and accustom themselves to writing generally.

Mrs. Morrison made a few remarks and desired those who wished to subscribe for the EXPONENT to hand in their names, several responded. A vote of thanks was tendered to Sisters Snow and Young for the visit they had made us and for the rich and valuable instructions we had received from them.

[. . .] [p. 27]