President's Office.
Great Salt Lake City Oct. 20th. 1858.
Mr. T. B. H. Stenhouse,
Dear Brother:=
We have read with interest an account of the Conference at Philadelphia published in the `Herald'. We feel to commend your course, and say may God bless you & <help> you to continue useful and successful in all your labors. We were also gratified while reading your letter to Bro Calkin published in the `Star'. We do not know however as it is wisdom to commend with two much warmth our friend the Col. although he richly deserves all the good that can be said of him, but it might not suit him to say too much about him as being our particular friend. The truth is he is a man devoid of prejudice and possessed with those fine feelings of humanity towards those who are oppressed, which at once arouses his sympathies, and he is noble and independent enough to yield to the finer sensibilities of his nature, which the world generally are not.
The good and true every where should do the same but do not. Hence when we find a man who being thus actuated, the contrast becomes so great and especially when exercised towards us as a people, who have generally experienced nothing but "kicks and Cuffs," that we are almost ready to fall down and worship him as something more than formed in our common mould.
We do not therefore blame our people for feeling that he is our particular friend, for this we confess we truly participate in, and esteem him as truly a superior man, and a genuine friend to us, as every good man should be. But we have our reasons for believing that two open an expression of this feeling at present would be annoying to him, and might force him to a disclaimer; but coming from others, than us might not be unacceptable.
I suppose you are aware that it is about as much as a mans life is worth to acknowledge himself a mormon. It is but little better to be esteemed as a friend to us.
We do not care for this so long as the God of Heaven and Earth is our friend. In Him we can put our trust in the darkest moment, and feel assured that all will come out right. We have great reason to believe this and to have great confidence in him, having always been delivered from the machinations and devices of our enemies, and and often when there appeared no ray of light to cheer the darkened scene, But He it is who has always brought us safely through, and unto His name be all the honor, and glory.
I trust that you will find a congenial Colaborer in our beloved Bro. George Q. Cannon, and that you may prove of great service as well as comfort to each other. He will post you in regard to our wishes.
May the Lord bless you, and enable you to bring forth much good for the benefit and salvation of Israel, and make you useful in your day and generation, that finally you may reap the reward of the faithful is the prayer of
Your Brother, in the Covenant of Peace.
Brigham Young