Transcript

Transcript for "Interesting from the Elders," St. Louis Luminary, 30 June 1855, 126

INTERESTING FROM THE PLAINS.

It is pleasing to us at all times to receive the interesting correspondences of our brethren and we can assure them that their communications are at all times agreeable to us, whether designed for the Luminary or of a private character, but we invite our Brethren generally to exercise the gift that is in them, and forward to us from time to time such productions of their genius as may be considered suitable for publication, we would be glad to hear more often from our esteemed friends and able correspondent Professor Spencer. We have been favored with a letter under date of 14th June, from which we learn that his health is good, that all things are moving on well, in proof whereof he has sent us several new subscribers for the Luminary.

Elder Wm. Martindale writes us under date of 4th June, Grand Bluffs Panola Co. Texas. He says: I have added four others by Baptism since I wrote you, and there is a prospect of several more shortly. I preach from one to four Sermons a week, the People believe fast enough but are slow to obey; but I expect to make up a good company to cross the Plains next spring. I have already a Company of about twenty persons and expect a good number more before the 1st of March 1856. We have tight times in this country, they have called at nearly every house. The crops are very much injured for want of rain; the old settlers say it had been the warmest and dryest spring they have ever witnessed many of them are very much discouraged, and do not know what to do, and when I tell them, but few of them will pay any attention.

We have been favored with a letter from Elder Freeman Rogers under date of 17 June Rochester N. Y. He says: "I baptised and confirmed a man by the name of Wm. C. Moore last fall and another to-day, there are many through these parts who are believing." Brother Rogers was baptized at Nauvoo in the year 1840; he intends taking up his line of March for the Valley next spring.

We have received a letter from Elder Charles Smith under date of 19 June, Muddy Creek 60 miles from Atchison, from which we extract the following: "We have got along very well up to the present, no accident, very little sickness, indeed no new case of sickness since, we left Atchison; we received your instructions which were read to the camp the same morning, which will be carried out. The grass is very good so far, the cattle do well and work gentle. Brother Smith is Clerk of the second company. It is truly gratifying to us to hear from our Brethren such pleasing and interesting reports, for which we feel to thank and praise the name of the Lord, for his hand is as visibly manifested in quieting the hostile Indians on the Plains, as in the successful preaching of the Gospel and the blessings following the believers, we therefore ascribe all praise and glory to the Lord, and feel to shout Hosannah to God and the Lamb