The Brigham Young Center

409 - 410

President's Office,
G. S. Lake City, Dec. 31st, 1864.

Mr. Chas. Whitehead,

Dear Sir,

Your favor of yesterday thanking me for what I have done and asking for employment, came duly to hand.

I think you will acknowledge that you had good employment when you left here, and you were making plenty of money. Your better course now is to live with your mother and turn your attention to the study of the principles of the gospel; read good books -- the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Spencer's Letters and the Voice of Warning, and store your mind with useful knowledge. You are now old enough to understand for yourself and you ought to stop your gambling and have nothing to do with Cards, and try to become a useful man -- a man who can be relied upon for steadiness and diligent application to business. Remain with your Mother and follow this course until you can obtain employment, and you will do well and receive my approbation and the approbation, I trust, of all good men.

I remain

Brigham Young