The Brigham Young Center

G.S.L. City, March 29. 1860.

Messrs Samuel E. Rogers & Fleming Davidson,
Omaha, Nebraska,

Gentlemen:-Agreeable to your request of March 5 I take pleasure in answering you by the first returning mail. I know of no place upon this earth, as yet, "where the inhabitants, as a unit, seek and serve the Lord" but from all I have read, heard and seen I can confidently and truthfully assure you that such is the course in Utah to a much greater degree than in any other locality, and the spirit of unity and a delightful social propriety in the conduct of human affairs are daily increasing.

Still some bad men have followed us to our mountain home, and others have proven themselves, after their arrival, to be drunken or otherwise disreputable characters, so that we have not attained that unity and purity to which did Enoch and his City, though we are steadily striving to do so and, as before stated, are far ahead in this respect, of any community within my knowledge.

In reference to occupation, under present circumstances, my judgement would dictate tilling the soil and raising stock in preference to merchandizing, for our market is pretty well supplied with many of the usual varieties of goods, a disproportionate number are engaged and wish to engage in that business, and money is rather scarce.

Were lies less common and less greedily swallowed, it would long ago have been quite generally understood that each citizen has the largest liberty to manage his own affairs just as he pleases, subject only to such plain and wholesome laws as are common in all our States and Territories. Even Church members are not compelled to pay tithing; and of course those who are not members are not expected to concern themselves at all in relation to tithing, but, as elsewhere, are called upon in common with Church members to pay their proportional tax forroads, bridges, and other public purposes.

Should you conclude to remove to Utah previous to closing your business where you are, you, in common with all, as has always been the case when not striving to escape debt or penalty of law, will enjoy most perfect freedom to go and come when you please, the same as in any State or in any other Territory. Whether it is best for you to close your business at once and remove this season, or to remain longer with a view to winding up to better advantage, I have no data upon which to determine which would be best for your interests.

Plurality of wives is solely a matter of our faith, and even Church members do in regard to it as each may prefer; and all classes are more fully secured in their marital rights and elections than are people elsewhere.

No person is countenanced in interfering in family matters, except to settle differences by request of one or both parties.

Trusting that the foregoing satisfactorily embraces the purport of your queries, I remain,

Very Respectfully,