The Brigham Young Center

Mr. George E. Simons,
Sacramento, Cal.

Dear Sir:-

Your letter of the 14th inst. has been received. Prest. Young has gone from home on a tour through the North Eastern part of the Territory & will not return for over a week, leaving me to attend to his correspondence.

You state that you are desirous of joining as an humble follower our community & ask what you are to do, to make yourself acceptable.

It is impossible in the narrow limits of a short letter to explain much concerning our faith & practice as a people but I will briefly state that the Latter day saints believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ the 1st principles of which are Faith-- Repentance -- Baptism for the remission of sins -- & the laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Thus: A man becomes convinced of the truth of the Gospel,-- he seeks unto God with full purpose of heart to serve him.-- is baptized for the re-mission of his sins by an Elder having authority -- & receives the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost which will guide the faithful candidate into a knowledge of the Gospel & its truth & give him a perfect assurance that his course is acceptable unto God

I cannot call to mind any Latter-day-Saint in your locality to whom I can refer you for instruction but by writing to the Deseret News Book Store in this City, they will furnish you with our works. I would suggest to commence with "The Voice of Warning" and O. Pratt's Works -- the cost of both is $2.00

My advice is, that you should know well what you are about before leaving your present situation to seek another of which you know nothing. The Latter day Saint forsakes kindred, friends & home to gather with the Church & does so cheerfully for he esteems it to be a commandment from Heaven.

Praying for the honest in heart everywhere, that their minds may be enlightened in their inquiries after truth.

Yours with respect