“The High Council of the church of Jesus christ of Latter Day Saints at , to the Saints of this Stake . . . . . Greeting.

Beloved Brethren:— Realizing as we do, the importance of the work in which we are engaged, we deem it expedient to lay before you such matters from time to time, as in our opinion will be beneficial to the Saints, and the spirit in us may seem to require. We would remind our Brethren, the Elders, who have at sundry times been sent forth as flaming heralds; messengers of the everlasting Gospel, who proclaim a message of salvation to their fellow men, thereby gathering and bringing up to Zion the scattered elect of God, to be taught more perfectly the principles of salvation: that whilst their message is abroad, we have had our mission to remain at , and to participate with the Saints in the blessings of poverty, if such it may be called, amid sickness and distress, in the vexations and turmoils of the unruly and ungodly, for which no man has paid us, for days, weeks, months and years; that our time has been spent in endeavoring to settle difficulties, set in order the things needful to salvation; in trying to reconcile and cement the feelings of our brethren to each other in the spirit of the gospel, whilst at times, circumstances of a more painful nature have been presented. Individuals have been brought before us, charged with high crimes in the violation of the laws of heaven, [p. 1900]