| 533 an idea of the condition of the country and the situation of the people in Missouri. 2
2 But lest I become irksome on too many things at once, let me turn to some of the advantages and disadvantages which are natural to the land as it is. It is a great advantage to have land already cleared to your hands, as the prairies are; and there is no small disadvantage to lack timber for fencing, fuel, and buildings. Notwithstanding there are many good springs of water, yet there is a want upon the prairies in some places; and, generally, water privileges for grist and saw mills, and carding machines and clothiers' works are scarce. That patriotism, which results in good roads and bridges, labor-saving machines, and excellent mills, is yet dormant. I do not know of a clothier's works in the upper or lower country. It costs one fourth or one fifth of our grain to grind it. Run-round horse mills, or those on the inclined plane order, for horses and oxen, are all the dependence at present. There is a small steam saw and grist mill, of about ten horse power engine, in Clay; a steam saw mill at Lexington, and a flouring mill nearly finished, on the Little Blue, in Jackson. It may be supposed, in those States where negroes do the work, that they can saw boards with a whip saw, and drive team to grind in an animal power mill.
Let it be remembered that the most of the land is free from stones even too much so, for, excepting limestone, in some places, there are very few if any for use. But suffice it to be that with all the lacks and inconveniences now extant, grain is raised so easy that a man may live as well on three days' work in a week here as on six in some other distant places. It is not uncommon for wheat, when ripe, to be let to cut and thresh at the half. Corn at twenty cents per bushel, and wheat at forty, are, however, the lowest selling prices latterly; and I conclude that from the great quantity of corn and wheat, or flour, necessary to supply the garrison, it will never be lower. So much on things as they naturally are.
Now with all the country has, and all it has not, without witty inventions, let us reflect that God has made and prepared it for the use of his people, like all the rest of the world, with good and bad to try them. Here are wanting many things to expedite ease and opulence. Here sickness comes, and where does it not? The ague and fever; the chill fever, a kind of cold plague, and other diseases, prey upon emigrants till they are thoroughly seasoned to the climate. Here death puts an end to life, and so it does all over the globe. Here the poor have to labor to procure a living, and so they do anywhere else. Here the saints suffer trials and tribulations, while the wicked enjoy the world and rejoice, and so it has been since Cain built a city for the ungodly to revel in.
But it is all right, and I thank God that it is so. The wicked enjoy this world and the saints the next. They exercise their agency, and the saints theirs, are left to choose for themselves; and blessed be God that it is so, for it saves heaven from torment and righteousness from blemishes.
The lacks that seem most prominent will soon sink with the fading glories of perishable things; and then the banks of long continuance will be thrown down, and the rough places made smooth; yea, the glory of Lebanon will come upon the land of the Lord, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together to beautify the place of his sanctuary, and make the place of his feet glorious. Then there will be a river of pure water to gladden the soul of the saint. Then every man will speak in the name of God. Then the righteous will feed themselves on the finest of wheat. Then the enmity of man and the enmity of beasts will cease. Then the vail spread over all nations, will be taken off and the pure in heart see
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