2 November 1878


Peterson Relief Society; Peterson, Utah Territory

[. . .]

Sister Eliza R Snow said she had met with the Sisters at Echo which was different to this the Saints there were few and the opposite party took the lead [p. 17] but she hoped there would be a power there that would do good. Spoke about sustaining home manufacture We clothe ourselves in foreign dress and let our hard earning go to Babylon We have now come to a change and must introduce our own fashion that is home manufacture made right here of our own elements. She wished the ladies who had on home made hats to rise said those that had on home made clothes would be the fashionable ladies after this Said there was plenty of straw and if we would manufacture our own hats we could save a great many dollars and establish the fashion of Zion and not be slaves to Babylon.

We are also paying out our money for baskets while there are plenty of willows here and if we would look around we could find some one that could make them just as nice as those we import. She said Sister [Elizabeth A.] Davis thinks we can clothe ourselves in home made clothes in the winter time but I think we are far from it.

for instead of keeping our money here to buy machinery we have paid it out for foreign goods. When the Strike was in the East last year I was very anxious to get our machinery for we could be shut out from Babylon in one [p. 18] hour. Sone people will tell how much more they can get at an outside Store but it is not the much we can get in the store but the much we get of the blessing of God on what we get. We shall be rewarded according to our works the power of darkness will tempt us to think our work is not noticed but the Sisters should not harbor such feelings for there is some one taking notes all the time whom we can not see. I would not exchang the blessings of God for all in the world nor for all the honor We can not have the Spirit of God unless we try and live up to his laws & Commandments. We cannot see our own failings but if one Sister can see failings in another she should not go and tell her neighbours but go to that Sister and kindly point out her failings then she will be doing good. She advised the Sisters to go to meeting and take their children she said I have seen children as happy in meeting as any one and that is what I like to see. She also spoke about school said it was an unfortunate thing that we did [not?] have one. the children of Zion should be educated in all things that are good. She spoke about voting she had never missed once hoped there was not a Sister present that who did not feel the neccessity of it. Iit [It] is a right the Lord has given us [p. 19] and we should honor it as such. She hoped the Lord would bless us. Sister Lydia Rich arose said she was much pleased with what had been said hoped we would put them in practice. [. . .] [p. 20]

Source Note

Peterson Ward, Morgan Stake, Relief Society Minutes and Records (1878–1972), vol. 1 (1878–1887), pp. 17–20, CHL (LR 6880 14); Amanda Colborn, Secretary.

See also “Report of a Missionary Tour,” Woman’s Exponent 7, no. 13 (1 Dec. 1878): 103.

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2 November 1878, Peterson Relief Society; Peterson, Utah Territory, The Discourses of Eliza R. Snow, accessed March 19, 2024 https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/eliza-r-snow/1870s/1878/11/1878-11-02