18 November 1879


Payson Relief Society; Payson, Utah Territory

[. . .]

On the Stand. Eliza R Snow, Zina D [H.] Young, M. I. [Mary Isabella] Horne from Salt Lake City [. . .] Sister Snow would now address the Congregation

Sister Eliza R Snow arose and said She was always pleased to meet with the Sisters and thought that many of the Brethren and some of the Sisters do not comprehend the Nature of the Relief Society She heard A Brother make the remark, what a State would we now be in as A Church if it was not for the Relief Society The Relief Society was first Organised in A Branch by Pres Joseph Smith, so was this Church we have been following and patterning after them

They have now organised in Stake Capacitys; so have we, [p. 108] The Sisters have accomplished a great deal still they are not so much alive to their dutys as they should be we are called to save Souls and since She had gone into the Waters of Baptism had never asked any odds of the World, Sister Snow said She had just as much interest in this Ward as in the Ward that She presided over because we profess to be if we are not the pure in Heart we every day are forming our characters and will have to account for the deeds done in the body Sister Snow said if She could live so as to have nothing to regret what a happy Woman She would be and that in meeting with the Sisters Her desire was to bless them in every Settlement She visited[.] there were some that seemed to have lost their first love in the gospel if such could only waken up to a sense of their posstion we have so many Traditions to contend with that we fail to see eye to eye, we are a mixture having been molded under different circumstances. She had thought that some of our People had grown up without any conscience The Mothers Teachers and all have much to do in forming the Characters of our little ones before they become contaminated and did hope they would excel the Generation that is Just growing up for She had shed many Tears over them while we are gathering <and sending> means to gather the Nations the of the Earth our Young Men are going to ruin those Mothers that have not had the Heart Ache over their Sons are blessed indeed

Spoke of the ridicule the Young Folks Associations met with in their first Organisation not being used to assemble in the capac[i]ty of a Meeting When a young Missionary is called to preach the Gospel it is from the improvement association the voice of God is my Son give me thy Heart Now Sisters let every Mother sustain the different Organisations when the little ones come home from their little meetings ask them what has been done and said We have been neglecting the Spirit Culture Striving to Shine in School in the mean time our Noble Sons and Daughters has grown up infidels

We want our Children to have faith in God times are changed our little ones will have to stand in the midst of a flowing scourge there is power enough in the Gospel to produce it. We as a People have neglected the most important [p. 109] let us as Mothers in Famileys and Mothers in Isreal profit by the past. Sister Snow said She felt proud of the interest that had been taken in the Silk in Utah Coun [County] still as long as we are wearing imported goods we are sustaining Babylon also those that attended their Meetings were the ones that reap the benefit. She needed the Meetings with the People of God, to feed her Spirit refresh and gladdien the Heart and lift us above the cares of this Life for it certainly helps us to perform the Labors of life, we need our pure minds stirred up may we all live so that when we are called we will have nothing to regret. related a circumstance of a Sister that dreamed She had died when being weighed in the balance [r]ejoiced infinding nothing bad She was told to look on the other side and see no good She had to come back 40 Years and live so as to report some good Sister Snow said She did hope <when She> went to the Spirit World that She would not have to com back. let us all live that when our work is done we can pass through with the Latterday Saints <it is> only like stepping out of one room into another We hear of many Sudden Deaths at present and She thought it was the eseaiest [easiest] Death to dye [die] hoped that would be her Lot when called but Father knows what is best Prayed that the Saints might live in the fear of God and overcome

Mrs. M. I. Horne said She felt as Sister Snow had [. . .] [p. 110] [. . .]

after which Sister Eliza. R. Snow, spoke in Tongues1 said She felt full of blessings for the Sisters the Lord was well pleased with they were patient and long suffering the Angels of the Lord would come and administer to them the Apostles are not dead they are watching over You. Trifle not with the things of God God Bless Your Bishop [Joseph S. Tanner], He will Bless you what more could you have then the blessing of God turning to the Stand she blessed the Sisters no good thing should be withheld from them

[. . .] [p. 111]

Source Note

Payson Ward, Utah Stake, Relief Society Minutes and Records (1868–1897), vol. 3 (1877–1885), pp. 108–111, CHL (LR 6814 14); Mary Ann Hardy, Secretary.

See also “Home Affairs,” Woman’s Exponent 8, no. 13 (1 Dec. 1879): 101.

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18 November 1879, Payson Relief Society; Payson, Utah Territory, The Discourses of Eliza R. Snow, accessed November 24, 2024 https://chpress-web.churchhistorianspress.org/eliza-r-snow/1870s/1879/11/1879-11-18-a

Footnotes

  1. [1]See “Women’s Spiritual Gifts” in Historical Context.