The Brigham Young Center

Great Salt Lake City, January 31st 1854

Sir,

A joint letter from yourself and C. C. Crow Esq. of Oct. 24th is before me, and I cheerfully comply with your polite and earnest request. The strong force of circumstances in settling a country so wild, so far inland, and so remotely isolated from all other white settlements, compelled each person to rely mainly upon his personal exertions, and for the first few years nearly all professions and trades were merged in the operations connected with farming.

As a matter of course, since provisions have become plenty, various persons are annually leading out in the different trades and professions more suited to their tastes and former habits, while up to the present date, the opening for lawyers to obtain a living and place by the practice of their profession alone, has been rather poor, and will probably continue so, as litigation is contrary to the genius of our institutions. However, to the young, enterprising, and well intentioned, Utah presents and promises, a fairer opening for success than any portion of the earth that I am acquainted with, and the channels are already quite numerous and varied, and the variety is constantly increasing.

So far as I can judge your true feelings by your letter, I can see no bar to the success you desire, should you conclude to come to Utah.

In case you thus conclude, and wish to know the best time for starting across the plains, and the mode and kind of outfit, I take this opportunity to refer you, for such information to Gen[l]. Horace S. Eldredge, our Agent at St Louis.

Trusting that my reply is sufficiently explicit, and will prove satisfactory

I Remain Respectfully
Your friend
Brigham Young

R. W. Phipps, Esq.
Lebanon, Tennessee