| 744 few to the Pine Country, and a few have gone west: but since this occurrence we should think that twice as many have been added to our numbers, as those that have left, as emigration has been pouring in all the time. It is true that a momentary panic ensued immediately after the tragical event; humanity shuddered at the perpetration of so horrid a deed, a temporary gloom overspread the minds of the Saints; they felt that every principle of humanity was violated, and that they were living among a horde of savage barbarians, who were reckless alike of faith, honor and human life; their finer feelings were for a moment stunned; they considered themselves degraded, and their national honor laid prostrate in the dust, and that their nation was damned in the eyes of all nations, by such diabolical acts as had never degraded any other soul.
They felt also to mourn over the bodies of their martyred chiefs, to hang their harps upon the willows, and in their overwhelming grief to cease for a while from the common avocations of life. Their feelings over, and they awoke from their stupor, they started again into life, and every where might be seen the mechanic, the laborer, and the husbandman, following with their wonted alacrity all the various avocations of life.
Great numbers of brick houses have been, and are being put up; various branches of manufacturers have been started, and every thing wears the aspect of industry, content, and prosperity.
The Temple has progressed with greater rapidity since the death of Joseph and Hyrum than ever it has done before; and things in this city never looked more prosperous.
As it regards the church, there never was more faith manifested, nor a greater degree of union than exists at the present time; the church has been more perfectly organized lately in its different quorums, there are fewer dissatisfied spirits in our midst; and peace and harmony universally prevail.
The idea of the church being disorganized and broken up because of the Prophet and Patriarch being slain, is preposterous. This church has the seeds of immortality in its midst. It is not of man, nor by man-it is the offspring of Deity: it is organized after the pattern of heavenly things, through the principles of revelation; by the opening of the heavens, by the ministering of angels, and the revelations of Jehovah. It is not affected by the death of one or two, or fifty individuals; it possesses a priesthood after the order of Melchisedec [Melchizedek], having the power of an endless life, "without beginning of days, or end of years." It is organized for the purpose of saving this generation, and generations that are past; it exists in time and will exist in eternity. This church fail? No! Times and seasons may change, revolution may succeed revolution, thrones may be cast down, and empires be dissolved, earthquakes may rend the earth from centre [center] to circumference, the mountains may be hurled out of their places, and the mighty ocean be moved from its bed; but amidst the crash of worlds and the crack of matter, truth, eternal truth, must remain unchanged, and those principles which God has revealed to his Saints be unscathed amidst the warring elements, and remain as firm as the throne of Jehovah.
ANCIENT RUINS.
Recently so much is said about the discoveries of ancient ruins, that we feel inclined to offer a few ideas upon the subject. Were it necessary, in order to establish the truth of their reality, just as they are found, showing that civilized nations, possessing the highest attainments in the arts and sciences, once occupied this whole land, and we add, world,-we might go behind the flood of Noah, and bring in the ante-deluvians, those "men of renown," and suppose a few cases of their "ruins"-for there were "giants in the earth in those days," and put curiosity on the stretch: but there have been a plenty of events since the flood, to answer our purpose, notwithstanding the soil and sand which tumbled round the globe during the year when the "waters prevailed exceedingly," must have buried cities, towns and curiosities equal to any of the nineteenth century.
From many of the speculations of this age upon the grandeur of the ruins, discovered in Central and South America, it might be supposed, that no nations but those of the nineteenth century, could enjoy and execute the prerogatives of national greatness, national refinment [refinement], and worldly improvement. So small are the hidden mysteries and mighty acts of God, compared to the sword of a less than Bonaparte, and the purse of a poorer than Rothchilds [Rothschilds].
But to the point: ruins are almost the lion of the day. In our last paper may be seen the "Interesting discovery in South America," and the "Disinterment of Nineveh." The prophecies must be fulfilled. There is nothing hidden that shall not be uncovered. Many are very anxious to find out something ancient and new-but few are willing to give God the glory. He may have peopled the earth, and destroyed
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