| 514 The following sound doctrine occurs in the pastoral of Elder W. H. Kelley, bearing no date, published in Herald of January 30:
The spirit and genius of our cause is not that of domination, but an appeal to the judgment and conscience of the people; the education, enlightenment, and advancement of all-keeping constantly in view "the law and the testimony."
The Saints are free, one and all. But their freedom is in the law; not to ignore and refuse to obey, but to keep it. Not goaded to duty as serfs and vassals, by the lash of some dominant lord; but intelligently, cheerfully, and conscientiously performing their respective duties as made known-able to give a reason for their faith and action-fearing God and loving the right. This is the royal road of progress in earth and heaven. "We are laborers together," mutually interested in a great cause. Each one forms an integral part of the whole, and each in charge of him or herself with a fixed determination to be found in the line of duty-keeping constantly in view the right-and there is no question as to success-the securing of the honor of the cause everywhere-together with the divine benediction.
The first Sunday in January a branch was organized at Hastings, Australia, with Evans Jones as presiding elder; Bro. Woolley as priest; Bro. McGurks, teacher.
The following letters, self-explanatory, touching the life and testimony of Oliver Cowdery, were published in the Saints' Herald for February 6:
RICHMOND, Ray County, Missouri, January 20, 1886.
Bro. Joseph Smith: I send with this a copy of a letter written by my father to Doctor Warren Cowdery, a brother of Uncle Oliver Cowdery, concerning his death and sickness; also answering some questions that Warren Cowdery asked by letter. Father most always kept a copy of this kind of letters when he wrote to any one, and mother gave me a number of his old papers. This copy I found amongst them. Different parties had been making inquiry concerning Uncle Oliver's dying testimony. It seems the Devil will keep up his lying, thinking he can weaken some in the faith of the Book of Mormon, and saying that the witnesses denied their testimony before they died. I bear my testimony that I was with three of the eight witnesses to the Book of Mormon in their last sickness, and they held firm to their testimony. If you think it would do good to publish the letter concerning Uncle Oliver, you may. Yours in the hope of a glorious resurrection,
PHILANDER A. PAGE.
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