Salt Lake City
President B. Young's Office
March 7th 1868
F. D. Richards
42 Islington, L. pool
Dear Brother:-
Your welcome favor bearing intelligence of your welfare and the general prosperity of the work, came duly to hand. It gives me pleasure to learn of the general good health of the brethren and you have our continued prayers for the spread of the principles of righteousness, and we are confident that the pure in heart will yet know God; still the development and spread of the gospel depends measurably upon the faithfulness of the Elders, who do not in many instances realize the great responsibility resting upon them of having been called by the voice of inspiration to carry light into a benighted world.
I am happy to state that improvement is visible on every hand both in Spiritual and temporal matters. Presently the saints will come to a unity of the faith, and the wheat be gathered into the garner while the tares may be plucked up and cast into the fire. The spirit which rests upon those who teach the people constraineth them to speak frequently and admonish the Saints that God will ere long, choose a people from their midst who will serve Him, and the drag which have heretofore impeded the progress of the good ship Zion be cast adrift and all relations with them be utterly ignored in a future building up the kingdom of our God.
Many of the brethren feel trammeled and some no doubt disheartened, to witness the
contemptuous manner with which some of the people who profess to be saints treat the admonitions of the holy Spirit; we sorrow for them and would they might heed the counsels of the Almighty that they perish not, for where much is given much is required, and in view of the abundant goodness of the Almighty unto this people they should serve Him with an individual heart for the Spirit of Almighty will not always strive with man.
Regenerators are non-plussed, and the foundations laid by the devil in this city have proved unstable and the wicked plans of his enemies have been completely foiled by the over-ruling of a Divine providence, which has ever been so especially manifested in the protection of this people from the rise of the Church into the present time.
I want you to publish no more hymn book until such time may be deemed wisdom to do so, when I will acquaint you with my wishes on the subject.
Perhaps I have written you in relation to bro. Preston, and as soon as you can after the
departures of the immigration release him that he may hasten to the frontiers where his former experience will enable him to assist in making up trains and be useful in various ways.
I desire the missionaries as well as the people to save all the means they can, to help themselves, that the burthen may not be unnecessarily large for our means are hampered and we wish to help many therefore economy is absolutely necessary in every department.
As I have heretofore written you, I shall use the second and third of drafts in order that two thirds of the book be not wasted.
I have just returned from a visit to Provo where I enjoyed myself very much, and it is pretty generally beleived that erelong we shall have more cause to be proud of Provo than heretofore; a part of my family are now residing there and I purpose spending a portion of the time with them.
The people are beginning to be alive in Utah County and are now busy locating a road and preparing to build bridges accross Provo river and American Fork The legislature have appropriated some means to assist in these laudable enterprises.
Good health prevails throughout the Territory. The gold fever has taken hold of but few of the people.
The Gentiles are leaving for the Sweetwater mines and we are getting rid of the scum which has been so prevalent in our streets during the winter.
The brethren join in kind regards praying the Lord to bless you I remain
Your brother in the Gospel,
Brigham Young