Note that only the editorial content created specifically for this issue of the Elders’ Journal is annotated here. Articles reprinted from other papers, letters, conference minutes, and notices, are reproduced here but not annotated. Items that are stand-alone JS documents, such as the letter from Wilford Woodruff and others, are annotated elsewhere.
Notwithstanding all efforts of the enemies to the truth, both from without and within, to the contrary, we are enabled to present this Journal, to the patrons, with the prospect of being able to continue it in time to come, without interruption.
Great have been the exertions of the opposers to righteousness, to prevent us from sending abroad the doctrines of the church to the world: every effort has been used by the combined influence of all classes of enemies, and of all sects and parties of religion; and of those who are opposed to it, in all its forms to prevent it.
It is indeed somewhat unexpected to us, to be able to commence printing the Journal again so soon; but the general interest felt in it by the Saints in general, soon, in a degree, repaired the loss which was suffered in the burning of the press in ; and another establishment, by the exertions of the Saints in , has been obtained, sufficiently large, to print the Journal; and soon will be greatly enlarged, so as to do all the printing necessary, for the whole church.
We have no doubt, but liberal minded men will continue to aid with their means, until the establishment will be sufficiently supplied with means to make the largest of the kind, any where in the region of country where it is located.
In this place, the church is as pleasently situated as could be expected, taking into consideration their circumstances, as the settlement here is but about eighteen months old, and the first settlers had been driven from their homes, and all their property destroyed, and had to come here without any thing.— But to their honor it may be said, that few people on earth have endured the same degree of persecution, with the same patience.
Nothing discouraged by the great afflictions and tribulations which they have had to endure for Christ’s sake. They united with all their powers, to turn a solitary place into a fruitful field—we do not say a wilderness, for there is not a sufficiency of timber to make it a wilderness—and have exceeded the highest expectations of the most enthusiastic.
Large bodies of land have been, and are now putting under cultivation.
We might venture an assertion on this point, and that, without the fear of contradiction by those who are acquainted with the settlements in this vicinity, and that is, no part of the world can produce a superior to , if an equal. Eighteen months since without scarcely an inhabitant: at this time the City of “,” the county seat, has one hundred and fifty houses, and almost the whole is taken up, or all that part of it, which can be conveniently settled for want of timber: and large bodies of it are now under cultivation.
An enconium too high, cannot be placed upon the heads of the enterprising and industrious habits of the people of this . They are fast making for themselves, and their posterity after them, as beautiful, interesting, and as profitable homes, as can be in any country.
In a few years, and it will be said with propriety, “that the solitary place has become glad for them;” and we can say, that the people will be as glad for it.
This town “” is situated in Missouri, in the midst of a prairie of very rich soil. It is an elevated piece of land, and has a commanding view of the surrounding country for many miles, in every direction. On the north, about one mile passes , a heavy stream which has many water privileges on it. On the south, a little more than half a mile, runs Goose Creek, a tributary of . It also is large enough to admit of water-works.
To all appearance the country is healthy, and the farming interest is equal to that in any part of the world; and the means of living are very easily obtained, not even luxuries excepted.
From this to the territorial line on the north, is from eighty to one hundred miles, and to the line on the west, twenty five or upwards, or what was the territorial line, before the purchase [p. [33]]