President's Office
Great Salt Lake City,
October 18th, 1867.
Elder John Brown,
Care of Mr. Benj. Crain,
Duquoin, Illinois.
Dear Brother:
Our conference is ended and the people have nearly all returned to their homes, a few only, who live in the extreme south, remaining. We met in our New Tabernacle and the congregation was variously estimated at from eight to ten thousand. It was probably the largest gathering we ever had at a conference The instructions were practical and were highly appreciated by the people. Among other business attended to was the selection of one hundred and sixty-three missionaries to go to "Dixie" to strengthen the settlements on the Muddy. The following elders were also selected to go on preaching missions to the States: Jesse W. Crosby, Jesse W. Crosby, Jr., George Crosby, John D. Holladay, William C. Smoot, Jesse Murphy, David M. Stewart.
The missionaries selected for the southern part of our Territory were principally young men, many of them unmarried. Those who were unmarried were counselled to marry and take wives with them. The infusion of so much young blood and energy can not fail we think, to have an excellent effect in developing that section of our country.
The First Presidency and the quorum of the Twelve cut off Elder Amasa M. Lyman from the quorum of the Twelve, deprived him of his priesthood, and left him a lay member of the church. The reasons for doing this were fully laid before the conference and the people sustained the decision. Elder Joseph F. Smith was selected to fill the vacancy.
The Elders who have been selected to labor in the States have been instructed to report to you. We wish you to take charge of all the affairs of the church <in the States> west of Philadelphia, and to preside over the elders and dictate their labors, and or prayer is that you may be blessed with the needed revelation and wisdom to magnify this position and calling and to preside with dignity.
Everything is peaceable at home; nothing new has transpired since I last wrote to you. We shall be pleased to hear from you at any time when it is convenient for you to write.
With love and praying the Lord to bless you I am
Your Brother
Brigham Young
P. S. Elder Lorenzo D. Rudd who is in St. Louis, Mo., laboring in the ministry, has married a wife there, it may be well to look after him and see what he is doing; you may find it necessary to suspend him from his ministry and send him home.