President's Office,
Great Salt Lake City,
September 25th, 1867.
President Geo. Nebeker,
Laie, Ohau,
Sandwich Islands.
Dear Brother:
Your letters of July 30th and August 20th have been received -- the latter came to hand yesterday. We are pleased to hear of the good health of yourself and the elders and your families, and of the success which has attended your labor in planting cane, and we hope that your most sanguine expectations will be realized. The news that you write concerning the condition of the native Saints is rather discouraging. We have hoped that your labors there -- at a point to which they might gather, with the assistance of the elders who are familiar with the language to travel among them -- might have done something towards redeeming them from the terrible degradation into which they are fallin but if they will not listen, and will persist in their evil courses, there is nothing in the gospel that can be brought to bear upon them to compel them to do otherwise. There is one consolation connected with this subject -if we do our duty they are then in the hands of the Lord to do with them as seemeth good in His sight.
To turn from the picture pourtrayed in your letters to the one presented before us throughout the whole of this Territory, is indeed a striking contrast. Never, at any time have the elders enjoyed themselves so much in the ministry among the people as they do at present. Peace, prosperity and contentment prevail almost universally among this people.
We have recently returned from a visit through our northern settlements as far as Bear Lake Valley. We were absent from the City sixteen days, during which time we travelled three hundred miles and held twenty-five public meetings with the Saints. The instructions were eminently practical and the number of speakers that were in the company added greatly to the variety of the discourses.
The grasshoppers have done damage to the grain in various places; but the people have been urgently counselled to provide themselves with a good supply ahead, and they doubtless act upon that counsel to the extent of their ability. They feel very cheerful, and improvements have been made in all the settlements. The Saints in Bear Lake have raised a tolerably good crop this season, and they feel content. They have a great country, rich in resources and capable of sustaining a very large population.
The winters are very severe but not so much so as those of New England, and when the people become accustomed to them, and the population is more numerous they can perform a great deal of their labor in the kanyons and quarries in the winter season. We returned by a new route and came through Huntsville where Brother Hammond is presiding. There has been great improvement in this place since my last visit about two years ago. They have a beautiful valley and the settlement is thriving.
The day we left Bear Lake Valley, and the day after we had a storm of rain, snow and sleet; but the night we camped out we had no storm of any consequence, only a little mist. This storm rather added to the enjoyment of the trip which was one of the most pleasant that I ever made in my life.
Our new Tabernacle is progressing finely, the workmen manifest the utmost zeal in their labors each one vying, seemingly, with his fellows, which shall do the most. We expect to be able to hold our fall conference within its walls. It is a magnificent room, and will be admirably adapted to the ends for which it was designed.
My sons Brigham, Jr. and John W. and Brigham Jr's. wife arrived here last evening in good health and spirits, from Europe. They left the emigrants at Independence Rock, travelled in their own conveyances as far as Bridger, and thence to this city by Stage. The company is expected in within three weeks. We have sent back eight four mule teams laden with grain and provisions to meet them, and help them in.
The health of the people of the city is tolerably good. We have had a number of deaths among the children during the period of the hot weather; now the weather is cool and pleasant.
You have doubtless seen in the paper, and heard from private letters allusions to <Apostle> A. M. Lyman. He has been dropped from the quorum of the Twelve Apostles for teaching false doctrine-denying the atonement of the blood of Jesus. During our recent trip to the north, ten of the Twelve Apostles -- all who were in the Territory were together We elected Bro. Joseph F. Smith to fill the vacancy in the quorum of the Twelve caused by the dropping of Bro. Lyman. His name will be presented to the Conference for the acceptance of the people.
Our enemies are not idle; but they have been so thoroughly <foiled> in all their schemes, that they have but little confidence in themselves. At no time for years have we been more free fromannoyance than at present.
Brother Hammond's family and all your folks, so far as I know, are well.
With love to yourself and the Elders in which Presidents Kimball & Wells and bro. Geo. Q. join, and praying the Lord to bless you.
Your brother,
Brigham Young