Great Salt Lake City,
May 15th, 1861.
Elder George Q. Cannon,
42 Islington, Liverpool,
Dear Brother:-Your very welcome letter of March 30th, with the account of stock transferred by br. Amasa Lyman to you, were received on the 10th inst. I wrote you on the 28th March, 18th April, 2 and 9th of May. I rejoice to hear of the increased prosperity of the work of God in foreign lands and that the Elders from this place are in such excellent spirits and laboring with all their might to magnify the important missions to which they have been called. I am sorry to hear that some of the Elders are in poor health. It occurs to me that a change of locality might greatly benefit their health. An Elder may have bad health in Lincolnshire and enjoy comparative good health in Worcestershire, and to some Scotland or Wales might be more preferable than England. I therefore suggest that you change their fields of labor, and if a change of health is not enjoyed in consequence, they have the privilege to come home.
As I advised you in my letter of May 9th, eleven missionaries have been sent on foreign missions this spring, and you must get along the best you can with that addition to those already in the field, as we cannot, at present, send more.
The account of stock transferred to you by bro. Lyman is very satisfactory in its form and detail, and gives, to some extent, information required.
It is useless to continue transferring from one ledger to another, such debts of the Elders as have been incurred years ago, and incorrect to report them as assets. You can therefore procure a book of sufficient size and transfer, in addition to those marked with a star in your account, the accounts of Parley Pratt, Daniel Spencer, John Taylor, F. D. Richards, Orson Pratt, Asa Calkin, Orson Spencer, Samuel W. Richards, Erastus Snow and T. B. H. Stenhouse, giving all the items of the accounts that I may get a full understanding of them, and forward the book to this office.
Of the publications in the office I desire the following books, in all the languages in which they are printed, forwarded to the care of bro. Wm. M. Pyper, Florence, when they can be sent safely and cheaply, as I think they can be sold here to better advantage-- Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, Hymn book, Harp of Zion, Eliza Snow's poem's, Millennial Star, "bound vols, Journal of Discourses, complet vols., Route to G. S. L. Valley, Was Joseph Smith sent of God, O. Spencer's letters, Pearl of Great Price, Key to Theology & Voice of warning. All the tracts which contain correct doctrine can be given away to the Saints or sold to them at the rate of waste paper, and thereby fill a more useful <mission> than lying idly upon the shelves. I wish you to gather up from the Saints all the copies you can of the history of Joseph Smith the Prophet, said to be written by mother Smith, and printed by O. Pratt, and have them with those in the office, and such tracts as are incorrect in doctrine, destroyed--provided you cannot sell them to a paper maker with the privilege of seeing them all thrown into the vat, or otherwise rendered unfit to read. You can exchange some other books for those you get from the Saints.
The other works of private individuals had better be sold for what they can fetch, and thereby clear the Office of all such incumbrance.
Praying that the Lord may bless you in your labors I remain, Your Brother in the Gospel,
Brigham Young
P. S.
Father Sherry was sent to England through a mistake, and he can come home as soon as he pleases.
B. Y.