| 444 with the Lord. This gave great joy to the saints, and they praised the Lord and declared that this was in accordance with the promise of God unto them. On the next day I and Elders Hudson and Galley accompanied the missionaries to the west side of Loup Fork, where we bent before the Lord on the bank of the above stream, and there with earnest hearts dedicated our beloved brethren to the keeping of Joseph's and Abraham's God, and then with melting hearts and tearful eyes we gave and took the parting hand of brothers. They will be remembered with love by all the saints that saw them on their route. Here let me pay a passing tribute to the noble generosity of the saints in Columbus. The Bishop had done his best; but their outfit was very scant, and their team inadequate to the task. The saints here saw it and began to work, not to find fault; but to supply the deficiency, and in a branch of fifteen members sixty dollars were appropriated towards purchasing a better team; and then enquiries [inquiries] were made and it was found that they were deficient in creature comforts. Two or three buffalo robes, worth about twenty dollars each, were donated by individuals, and feed for the team by others not now connected with us, making in all about one hundred twenty dollars worth [from] this little branch, not rich in the things of this world, but rich in the true faith that is manifested by works. All the saints in central Nebraska contributed nobly to the same object, but their numbers are small and their means limited."-The Saints' Herald, vol. 10, p. 61.
Elder Derry also mentioned in his communication having met a part of a company from Utah. He says:-
"On the 23d instant I met Elder Anderson with eight wagons, from Salt Lake. He reports that they had an excellent journey, no deaths; only lost one span of mules and an ox, I think. They started and traveled together, with forty wagons, until they passed all points of danger, and then thought proper to divide. The remainder were expected in a day or two. Two gave in their names for baptism on the night that they arrived at Omaha. All seem in the best of spirits, and full of faith in
(page 444) |
