Far West, May 1838.

Notwithstanding all the efforts of the  enemies to the truth, both from without  and within, to the contrary, we are en abled 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 influ ence 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 gen eral, soon, in a degree, repaired the  loss which was suffered in the burning  of the press in Kirtland; and another  establishment, by the exertions of the  Saints in Far West, 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 mind ed 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 lo cated.

In this place, the church is as pleas antly situated as could be expected, tak ing into consideration their circumstan ces, as the settlement here is but about  eighteen months old, and the first set tlers 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 af flictions 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 ex ceeded 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 acquaint ed with the settlements in this vicinity,  and that is, no part of the world can  produce a superior to Caldwell County,  if an equal. Eighteen months since  without scarcely an inhabitant: at this  time the city of “Far West,” the  county seat, has one hundred and fifty  houses, and almost the whole county 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 enterpris ing and industrious habits of the people  of this county. They are fast making  for themselves, and their posterity af ter them, as beautiful, interesting, and  as profitable homes, as can be in any  country.

In a very 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 “Far West” is situated in  Caldwell county Missouri, in the midst  of a prairie of very rich soil. It is an  elevated piece of land, and has a com manding view of the surrounding coun try for many miles, in every direction.  On the north, about one mile passes  Shoal Creek, 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  Shoal. It also is large enough to ad mit 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 hund red miles, and to the line on the west,  twenty five or upwards, or what was  the territorial line, before the purchase [p. [33]]