| 730 continues so to the present. The feelings of the saints are good and their hearts are cheered while they look upon the house of God and reflect on the prospects of its speedy completion. Their toils and poverty and persecutions are all swallowed up in the cheering prospects of their reward, only a little ways ahead. Peace smiles upon our beleved [beloved] city. And the great God looks down upon this people with sympathy and compassion from day to day, dispensing his heavenly blessings upon all the families of his saints according to his infinite wisdom and their willingness to receive them. The hearts of the saints are united firmer than ever, notwithstanding the vigorous efforts made by satan and dissenters to sow amongst us discord, strife, and confusion, and every evil work, scattering not excepted. Many houses are in progress of erection, which on account of the lateness of the season will have to stand unfinished until next spring. Every effort is being made to establish and put in operation various branches of manufacture for the employment of the saints, and the prospects are good, but not unattended with difficulty, toil and anxiety. But diligence, economy, and steady perseverance in a good cause, never fails to bring its reward, and very often the sweetest roses are surrounded by the sharpest thorns, and the greatest treasures deposited in places the most difficult of access, where we have to dig, and dig long and deep in order to obtain them.
We might prolong these remarks, but perhaps we have said enough for once. We will leave the subject, praying the blessings of our Heavenly Father to rest upon all good men, and especially upon the Saints that they may have peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, and attain to that knowledge which will obtain for them an inheritance in the eternal kingdom of our God.
We have the honor to be
Your most obedient servants,
and brethren in the faith of Christ,
N. K. WHITNEY,
GEORGE MILLER,
Trustees in Trust.
by WM. CLAYTON, Recorder.
Nauvoo, Dec. 2, 1844.
MR. EDITOR; DEAR SIR:-Having pretty much recovered my health again, I feel it a privilege to give you a short history of my mission to Tennessee. I started about the 20th of May last in company with some three or four of the Twelve, and several other brethren, on board the steamer Osprey.
We were treated with the utmost respect and friendship, by Captain Anderson and crew.-At St. Louis the Twelve organized quite a large branch of the church.
The next day about noon, we set off on the Louis Philippe. Several of us were from want of means, compelled to take deck passage, and as a matter of course we expected the same privilege that we enjoyed on other boats; but we had not been but a few hours under way, when the Clerk came out with all the importance of a southern negro-driver, ordered us all off the boiler deck, and commanded us to remain below. I am determined not to patronise [patronize] them again. Next morning about 7 o'clock we arrived at Paducah. Kentucky, where three of us, Elders Joseph Mount, Samuel Heath, and myself, went ashore with the blessing of the brethren, and proceeded on our way to Dresden, Tennessee.
We had not gone far, until I found it very difficult for me to get along, in consequence of an injury I had received in my right thigh when a boy, by a fall from a horse, and a crush of my foot on the same side, as I was moving to this place, in 1842. I was compelled to stop before night, but on the third day we reached Dresden.
The particulars of that conference you have before learned. Some of us continued at Br. Camp's about ten days, and while we were there, some of the most respectable citizens (desirous to imitate the ancient Bereans) requested that Br. William L. Cutler should preach to them. He consented, and when the congregation came together, quite unexpectedly to me, some of my former acquaintances were among the number, and they requested to hear me also, as they never before had that privilege.
I felt wholly unprepared to address them; however I was always pleased to have an opportunity to bear testimony to the truth. Our president, Elder A. O. Smoot, opened the meeting with singing and prayer, after which Br. Cutler addressed the congregation upon the all important subject of the Christian religion. The discourse was quite interesting, embracing various subjects, so that at the conclusion, I could scarcely see where I might crowd in any thing that would benefit, or interest that people. However, relying upon the promises of God, I arose, and like the Archer, let off at a venture, and immediately caught the animating spirit, that characterized the foregoing discourse.
I commenced with 2d Samuel 18th chapter, showing that men were often permitted to run and bear tidings, when in reality they were not chosen; nor can they ever publish the truth when they undertake it. On account of their wonderful aspiring principle and disposition, add [and?] continual importunity, they are permitted
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