3 April 1879

[. . .]

Miss E. R. Snow: “I am always pleased to meet with my sisters, and also with my brethren, when it is a public meeting, and I would like to see 20 men here this afternoon, for our interest is the same, and can not be separated. In the world the interests of men and women are clashing, but here, if we are true Latter Day Saints, our interests are the same. and that is to build up Zion, to purefy ourselves and prepare to associate with pure and holy beings. It is by coming to meeting and associating together in this way, that we recieve knowledge, and the more we come together the more knowledge we <will> recieve. I realize more and more the necessity of our being wholly devoted to our religion. And do we feel that entire devotedness to the work of God that we did when we first entered the waters of baptism? If not, there is something wrong, and we must examine ourselves, and see if we are doing that which will meet the approbation of God. We have as much to do as the brethren have. It is true their duties lie in one direction and ours in another, but it all tends to the salvation of souls. It is as much for the young as the old but we should set the example, for we are older and have had more experience, but I hope the young sisters in this ward will take a deep interest in these things, for we all have come upon the earth with a mission to perform. Some think they do not know what their mission is, and so do not know what to do, but I will tell you the only way that I know of to perform my mission. It is to live day by day by the promptings of the spirit of God. My daily prayer is ‘O God take not thy spirit from me’, and He will not if we are humble, and try to do His will. My sisters seek earnestly for the spirit of God and live so that your minds will be filled with with light, that you may perform your missions. I now want to say a few words, about what to me, is most important. That is the organization of the children. We want to take little children before they get evil into their hearts and fill them up with good. We want to cultivate their minds and consciences, so that they will be after the heart of Jesus Christ, and we will soon have a generation that will see eye to eye, and will be conscientious, and will have pure bodies. We want to organize an association of this kind, in this ward next Friday [p. 287] afternoon, and we want all of the children from 4 to 12 years old to come, and older if they choose.” Sister Snow then called upon those who were willing to use their influence to get the children together to raise their hands, which was responded to almost unanimously. She then related an anecdote to show that we should do all we possibly can, in order to take a good account with us behind the vail.

Mrs. B. [Bathsheba] W. Smith said as she and Sister Snow were obliged to attend another meeting this afternoon, there was not time for her to make any remarks [. . .] [p. 288]