23 September 1884


Pleasant View Relief Society; Pleasant View, Utah Territory

[. . .] Sister [Elizabeth B.] Rhees said I am pleased to say we have the honor of having with us Sisters Snow [Jane S.] Richards and Shurtlif [Emily W. Shurtliff] [. . .] [p. 155] [. . .]

Sister Eliza R Snow said my Sisters by request of your Counsel I arise before you to speak. we have the privelidge to day my sisters to live together in peace the Lord has given us a sacred institution an organiszation in w[h]ich we can acomplish much good there will be a time when the Saints will see eye to eye there is one great duty for us mothers to do and that is to encourage the Primary organization we may teach them the principles of the Gospel but unless they have the Spirit of the same it will do no good to say that con[s]cience is a rule of right is preposterous. now for instance I can do any thing rong you may think [w]rong and again you can take it vica versa. you and I have been educated that it is rong to steal. it requires constant training constant care to guard against evil. Sisters when you perform a good act and it is not apreciated never mind. all of our good deeds and all of our bad deeds is recorded in one book and we are to be judged out of this book. I have wondered sometimes how much good any of us can report of ourselves President [John] Taylor once had the blues he was on a Mission and alone it was raining and he had every thing to discourage [p. 156] him. he knelt down to pray to the Lord he gave him the power to speak in toungs [tongues] and the interpretation ther[e]of and it comforted him very much. no nation can be happy without happy times. the young Sisters must comence keeping house in order. Sisters keep your houses clean keep yourselves clean keep your husband clean. we can comune with our God but we must go to him with a contrite spirit Girls be industrious be faithfull when we feel just worn out let us kneel down and ask God to give us strength enough to go to meeting or any where we are desirous of going. I think it a good thing to take Children to their meetings I am always pleased to see The chilldren come to meeting I want my Sisters when they arise to speak to speak so that you can be heard all over the room. honesty is the foundation of all good. the mother can make a honest Child or she can make a dishonest Child by the early education of her Chilldren Family Pride we should not encourage. have your chilldren clean and tidy do not mind its dress so much as its actions. some Mothers will fuss and fix and bother with the Chilldren and be so piticular [particular] that they are just so, but their actions are not good Mothers you want faith then you can instill it into the minds of your Chilldren. we want our young Sisters to be educated to be usefull wives we dont want them after they have become good to go and marry a man who will not take them by the hand and lead them to the Alter of God. I know that the Lord requires the order of Plurality of wives. an Angel of God told Joseph Smith that if he did not believe that order, what should happen to him. I know and can bear testimony that their is more happiness in it than out. so we have the Lord on our side if we obey it but all the world on our side of we opose it. she spoke of the percitcutions [persecutions] of Na[u]voo and Misoura [Missouri]. what a great work was brought about at the time what a trying time and how the Saints were blessed. the Lord has said my judgments shall begin at my house. it is necesary for us to be up and doing Sisters do for your own sakes join hands with those who are doing. then we have nothing to fear. the Lord will over rule all things for our good. their has got to be a time when the Sinner in Zion will be afraid. we should [p. 157] all be kind to each other and put all evil from us always be willing to forgive if you are expecting to do good you will sure to be missrepresented we must not have any hardness towards any body I never ask the God to humble me but I ask God to give me grace to humble myself. kind Sisters I hope that each one of us will hold fast to the iorn [iron] rod. work together go hand in hand and do all you can spoke of the Centenial fair. said she had sent in a report from here amounting to 92 or 93.000 dollars this was in 1879 now we want to send in another report.

She spoke of the brethren writing their historys said it was very important. said that each mother should put down the day and date of their baptisim into the Church made other good and instructive remarks.

[. . .]

Sis Rhees said I feel to kindly thank Sister Snow and the other Sisters for coming to see us I hope we will all try and but in practice the good instructions we have received.

Brother [Thomas M.] Wallace arose and said [. . .] Sisters keep your lips sealed against this principle that Sister Snow has spoken about for their is some one listening to all [. . .]

Bro [Amos] Maycock said [. . .] I can endorce fully the remarks of Sister Snow in regard to these things, I feel to say God bless my brothers and Sisters and Sister Snow in her old age. [p. 158]

Source Note

Pleasant View Ward, Ben Lomond West Stake, Relief Society Minutes and Records (1876–1973), vol. 1 (1876–1887), pp. 155–158, CHL (LR 7019 14); Ann Hickenlooper, Secretary.

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23 September 1884, Pleasant View Relief Society; Pleasant View, Utah Territory, The Discourses of Eliza R. Snow, accessed March 19, 2024 https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/eliza-r-snow/1880s/1884/09/1884-09-23