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1858 November 19 Letter to the Authorities at Cedar City and Harmony

Title

1858 November 19 Letter to the Authorities at Cedar City and Harmony

Description

Brother Lee and Barney were honest in their intentions of marrying Indian women. Brigham counsels the people not to exaggerate the circumstances.

Type

Correspondence
Indian Affairs

Sender

Brigham Young

Recipient

The Authorities at Cedar City and Harmony

Date

1858 November 19

Location

Great Salt Lake City

Subject

Indian Affairs
Church Discipline
Disputes

Item sets

Letterbook v. 4

G. S. L. City, Novr. 19th 1858

To the Authorities at Cedar City and Harmony,

Dear Brethren:--
I have taken pains to enquire into the matter of Brother Lee and Barney at Harmony about marrying an Indian Girl. It appears the parties were all honest in their intentions, and if the brethren at that place had not raised such a regular Pow-wow over it there would not have been any harm done, or, at least, all might have been made right. If brother Barney or any other good man wishes to take an Indian girl for a wife, he should first gain her affections and take pains to instruct her, and then have her sealed to him by the proper authority the same precisely as a white woman.

There is a right and a wrong way to do, and if the Brethren have suffered for their folly, it is all right, if thereby you can learn wisdom. I learn that brother's Lee and Barney have been restored to fellowship which is all right; and I trust that hereafter there will not be so much ado, as the chorus of the old song has it, "all about nothing at all."

I remain, as ever, Your brother in Christ.

Brigham Young