tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28933948030737802992023-11-16T03:59:43.532-08:00Crazy~Beautiful~LifeCharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-46905118719635090762013-03-01T12:18:00.004-08:002013-03-01T12:18:51.985-08:00Dear Gladys, I come across so many heart-broken people, with love, Leon<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> 2954 Mcdermott</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Muskegon, Mich March 15, 1951</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Gladys,-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You could tolerate failure for fifty years, if anybody learned a lesson by it, and the was a promise that they were going to profit by the lesson; but just to have it go on year after year, and as your Gus Koehler (to my mind the only real bishop you ever had) getting farther and farther from the objective all the time—well that just naturally makes the heart grow faint, and the hope evaporate. One can’t help but think of the $20,000 to graduate as a 32nd degree Mason, and what a nice start that would have made, at that day, for the building of a storehouse.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Well, I see I will have to be careful to make my letters agree with my admonitions through the Advocate, or you will catch me up on it. But I do get so exasperated when I find some old sister wandering around like a lost soul in hell, her hope all gone, though she testified still that when she read the Preface to the Book of the Lord’s commandments (Secton 1) when she was 17 she had a testimony that it was the truth. But with their three thriving local church groups in Flint, the s.d.c.ers were determined to sell one and compel the people to go across town to one of the others, and when the congregation wouldn’t vote for it, they brought enough (what they called at the time of the trial of Christ, suborned witnesses) voters over from No.1 to outvote the local, and sold the building out from under them, and when the smoke had cleared away they had 16 left from a congregation of 300. It is the underhanded things they’ve done that has wrecked the Restoration here in Michigan—And now Traverse City is going the same way. That’s why I said I was trying to salvage what I could. It is hard to be charitable toward that sort of thing. But maybe I ought to be grateful that it gives me a chance to salvage some before they get to be driftwood on the seas of the Restoration. I come across so many heart-broken people that it makes me sick at heart, and a little venomous at times.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> That outsider that has been keeping, more than keeping, the temporal law for the last twenty years, like the widow who gave her two mites, well we didn’t need to convert her; all we had to do was to keep her waiting at the gate till we had an opportunity to teach her the gospel, and the outstanding feathers of the Restoration, and to fortify her in a measure for the trials of trying to live among those that say Lord, Lord “but do not the things that I say.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But, finally, we couldn’t keep her out any longer, so she was baptized Feb. 11. She wrote a poem March 1. Said it just came to her. She didn’t know what it meant, but she had to write it. I’ll enclose a copy of it. And I’ll send one she wrote in 1946, after she had searched for the truth for 14 years, without finding anything to satisfy her mind. I think she comes nearer being the love of Christ personified that any one I ever met.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well it is getting late and I am so tired I can’t hit the right letters any more, so will wait till morning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">March 16. A little more about Sister Lau. Her mother was a socialite given to bridge parties and such; and when the parties were about to break, her father would give her a wink and go out one door, and she would got out the other, and they’d hitch up the horse to the buggy and would go away to the lake and the forest, and he would teach her nature’s lore. He must have been a poet and didn’t know it, and he filled her soul with the things of nature till it must have come out in poems. She wrote her first when she was four years old, just scribbled it on a piece of paper, and her father kept that for forty years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> One evening when they were out on the river bank, she noticed that just at sundown everything became quiet, birds and trees, and she asked her father, “What’s the matter everything is so still?” He answered, Don’t you know? And then he told her it was Nature’s hour of prayer, when all nature joined in silent prayer to God in thanksgiving for His love. He told her that even the rocks gave glory to God. He taught her of the Oneness that should be among all people, until All Things Common is just the natural way of life to her—all shake alike and all be equal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I read her what I wrote to you about thinking I would have been happier just to have lived in my ideals and not engaged in the affairs of church and state, etc., and when I read the part about “but the solitary usually congratulates himself upon it at the end; and of those who persevere some become saints and some poets and some philosophers, “she laughed when I said poets.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We will be starting on our way south tomorrow; but it will be April 2 before we reach Independence, and maybe later.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The weather is pretty nice here. The snow was gone by the first of March, and the ground is nice and dry. As we have listened to the weather reports and forecasts daily this winter, we have discovered that this part of Michigan has much better weather than Illinois and Indiana to the south of us—that is for this winter anyway. She (Mrs. Lau) plans on coming to the conference. Maybe you will meet her.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well I must close, and finish packing and getting ready for the trek tomorrow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> With love, Leon</span><br />
CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-63945893564691961712013-03-01T12:07:00.001-08:002013-03-01T12:07:54.015-08:00Dear Hallie, yes I am under silence. Leon<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> May 12th</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Hallie and the rest,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I got your letter and since I have a little time tonight, as it is only 9, I’ll write awhile. Don’t get excited over the rumors. Yes I am under silence, pending trial for hurting McClain’s feelings; but it is only one of those petty, personal, vindictive stunts men pull once in a while. He wrote an open letter and sent it to the whole Advocate list last winter telling so many big ones about the Editors, the Twelve, and the Conference, that I just naturally had to answer it. Of course he didn’t like it to have me put his statements side by side so that everyone could see how carelessly he handled the truth, and so he’s trying to vent his spite. The trial will probably be at Minneapolis soon, and I’ll put some more of his statements side by side to prove just what he is.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> He has made some threats about suing, but I don’t think there is any danger of that, it would cost him more than he would get out of it. Anyway I told him I would gladly spend the rest of my days in jail if it would clean up the mess in the general office. I didn’t send my open letter to the Advocate list, however; but only to the Twelve, the Bishops, Editors, and three others, 22 in all. But it did the work and got him out of office, while his widespread effort fell flat. That’s why he’s sore. However, if he does anything at all he must do it soon, for by the end of the conference year there will be such a change for the better in the church’s financial affairs, hes loudest roar won’t be worth a whisper.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> It is warming up here now, 85 today. We’ll be making garden as fast as we can now. Suckers are running, and we have plenty of fish and maple sirup.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> While in Council Bluffs on the way home, I saw a write-up about the Mormons at Manti, showing a picture of Father Cutler’s tombstone, and it kind of brought back memories of old time stories. Also while there I went out to Winter Quarters and saw the Mormon burial ground with tombstones dated in the late 40’s, Brigham Young’s house built nearly a hundred years ago, and the monument erected on the hill in the cemetery, depicting a hardy pioneer, his arm, shovel in hand, supporting his sorrowing wife, as they looked upon the face of their child in the open grave. Somehow as I looked at it something griped me with such force that I seemed to be a part of that great multitude, and partake of their sorrows and hardships as they bent their backs to burdens that the Lord had not ordered, at the behest of an ambitious leader, and I wept as I thought how often history repeats itself. In the base of the monument were bronze plates inscribed with the names of hundreds of head, though I don’t suppose the whole six hundred are there. And also in bronze letters are nearly every scripture quotation in the Bible on the resurrections. And then there was the song:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“And should we die before our journey’s through,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy day! All is well!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We’ll then be free from toil and sorrow too,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the just we shall dwell.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I wonder how Genevieve stands as well as she does the controlling of a church by repulsion, expulsion, compulsion, propulsion, and impulsion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> When the church was rejected at Nauvoo, it was rejected as to Quorum and council, organization and perpetuation, not as members, or ministers, as individuals, nor necessarily as to individual members of quorums who were faithful. But it was the right as quorums to perpetuate their organization under divine direction that was taken from them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fred M’s impulsion message went over with a bang; it had the s.d.c. leverage to make it go over.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> To the Church of Christ came a clear-cut Thus saith the Spirit of the living God to you my servants—no impulsion about it. There was no s.d.c. leverage however to put it over without protest. The conference referred it to the whole body of ministry; the ministry referred it back to the conference without prejudice and without action. The conference directed the calling of a solemn assembly in August to consider it. All anyone has to do, is to read the impulsion message and the Jordan clear—cut message side by side, and let their heart render the verdict.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The message coming to the Church of Christ, if it had claimed to be only human impulsion, with s.d.c. behind it, and no voice raised in protest, would have gone over with a bang, too. But the Church of Christ is hesitant, slow and fearful and it is better so, than it is not to want to know.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(He doesn’t seem to be silenced yet)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Leon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(He lays it all onto McClain but one man couldn’t silence him. It must have been voted on by the Twelve at least and I think his feelings are hurt more than he will own.)</i></span><br />
CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-48836726203466297122013-02-17T06:33:00.000-08:002013-02-17T06:33:03.412-08:00Letters - Dear Mother, Administered to & the pain left<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Bemidji, Minn., May 21, 1937.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Mother,-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have lots of work and lots of rain, and the lakes and rivers are at flood tide. We got five cords of bolts ready to haul and then it began to rain, and kept it up for twelve hours, with follow up showers for twelve hours more or so that the roads are not much more than floating bogs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We have peas, radishes, lettuce, and beets up and looking fine. Plenty of onions to eat, and the radishes just getting big enough. Sweetcorn is coming up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the wind is northwest following the rainy season so we are liable to have a frost. We are due for two more frosts anyhow, one this week, and one June 10, so we have to govern our planting accordingly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Winfield and Eugene have jobs, one gets $3.50 per day, and the other $2.50. Winfield comes home nights, but Eugene boards with Ross’s folks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Darlene has been working in town for a couple of weeks at housework.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Any had a bad spell with her appendix Tuesday night, so bad she was groaning (almost screaming) every breath. She was administered to, and the pain left, and she went to sleep right away, and has been all right ever since.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Stella goes out walking occasionally with a young giant, and it looks as if cupid was hitting the mark with his little arrows.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Arlo is at home, cutting bolts, and stripping the cow occasionally.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I got how from Minneapolis the 9th., and got Ethel’s telegram the next afternoon? Wish I could have been there with you all; but am glad I had the visit before hand. I got a letter from Wm. Anderson, one of the apostles, saying, “I have just returned from your father’s funeral service, and thought I would write you a few lines. I am sorry you were not able to be here, though often in our experiences we are unable to do the thing we would wish to do. The service was very nice. Fred A. paid a very fine tribute to your father. I did not have the privilege of knowing him in life, and do not remember of ever meeting him. He looked very nice in death, and did not have the appearance of being as old as he was.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ethel wrote, too, of how young he looked, and the particulars of the service.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We had a mess of sunfish for breakfast. Could have more is any one had time to row out in the lake and drop a line overboard.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> With love, Leon</span><br />
CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-48032920019952081942013-02-08T06:16:00.002-08:002013-02-08T06:16:25.212-08:00Letters - Dying struggles of capitalism<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Bemidji, Minn., April 28, 1935</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Father and Mother,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was hoping to come down there for a few days this spring, but just couldn’t make it yet. It seems like where one must work to provide for six or more it takes all their time now-a-days, and then there is none too much; but somehow we have been able to provide for our needs so far, although far from faring sumptuously every day. I wonder why it is that when one has good cornmeal mush, pancakes, and maple sirup for breakfast, he craves bacon and eggs, butter cream, oranges, and lemon pie instead.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> But the rich feel that only the few should have bacon and eggs, cream, butter, and the delicious fruits of the earth, while the many go eat their turnips. Well let them have their good things, and we’ll eat our turnips. But I never could pray for God to bless a system that robs the common people in order to let the rich loll in the lap of luxury. Sixty years old, almost, and I see in the fruit-stands things that I have never tasted, and many others so seldom that they are but shadowy dreams, while carloads are dumped to maintain prices so high that we can’t buy them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The new deal has paid the farmer for the acre of wheat he agreed not to raise, but has taxed the acre he did raise to pay it. It has paid the farmer six dollars for the hog he did not raise, but has taxed him six dollars for the one he did raise to pay it. And then they wonder why conditions don’t seem to improve, and why the farmers are not satisfied with the new deal. The whole alphabetical program from start to finish is the craziest deal ever invented by man. It couldn’t work. At a time when the people had nothing to buy with at low prices, they raised the prices of everything they had to buy, and lowered the price of everything they raised to sell. Just how they figured that a man who had to scratch to buy flour at 89 cents a hundred, would be better able to buy it at $4.15 a hundred on a smaller income is a profound mystery. Small wonder that hundreds have been buying feed all winter and sifting it to make their bread, when they can get it at $2.25 a hundred. The wise man of Egypt stored grain during the years of plenty to supply the lean years that followed; but the fools of finance of our day, plowed under the cotton, burned the wheat, slaughtered the hogs, and curtailed production, while millions stood by destitute, unfed, unhoused, and unclothed. The “new deal” will go down in history as the most dastardly crime against humanity since the dawn of nations, either barbarous or semi-civilized like we are.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The county agent here is warning farmers to liquidate, and get their cattle and chattels clear this summer, for by fall the wave of “Prosperity” will be over, and we’ll see worse times that ever; but it makes the most of them mad. They won’t heed it. However; if this is prosperity, the sooner it comes to an end the better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> So we stand by and watch the dying struggles of capitalism, and can only say be damned to it, and pray the good Lord to hasten its demise. It has been one long drawn-out curse since its inception.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> And then we looking in the books of the church and see the loving goodness of GOD IN HIS WILLINGNESS TO point the way for the people of the church to avoid the pangs of the present crises and our soul dries up and our heart fails within, and our hopes turn to ashes. How different it would have been if the shepherds of the flock had been as interested in feeding the sheep as they were in feeding themselves, or in other words as interested in establishing the common people in a condition of comfort as outlined in the revelations, as they were in being bedecked in gold braid and flashing swords and ranting up and down the streets on prancing black chargers, firing cannon salutes, or in blossoming out in new automobiles every time someone donates fifty thousand dollars to the treasury for the poor and needy. Surely the prophet’s forecast has been fulfilled by latter-day Israel, when he said:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“And the word of the Lord came unto me saying, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel: Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, nether have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and cruelty have ye ruled them. And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them. . . . Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, than they may not be meat for them.” Ezekiel 34:1-10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spoken no doubt directly to Israel in his day; but the Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and his course one eternal round, and will treat the latter-day Israel as he did former day Israel. His justice remains the same, his mercy endureth forever, and he will reclaim his flock of starvlings, and deliver them from the shepherds who have been fattening themselves, and have failed to make the provision for the flock that would have preserved them in comfort, though all nations be vexed because of the conditions that they brought upon themselves. And when we think of what “might have been”, we sigh, and turn our faces to the wall. “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick.” And surely the hope of Israel has been long deferred. Your dream of starvation pasture is fulfilled already, Pa.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> When I read of that last fourth of July celebration in Nauvoo, I can’t blame the people for driving them out; and when I see the doings of the “Shepherds” of today, I wonder the flock itself doesn’t rise up and drive them out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I read your long letter, father, and appreciated it, and would like to comment on it in detail; but I am getting old and slow, and it will probably take me all summer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Like you, we have done a lot of reading, and we have found many strange things. And like you, we are often led to exclaim, Wouldn’t it have been better for the church if instructions had been carried out as given, instead of doing something else, how much better it might have been.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Joseph Smith was designated the first elder, and an apostle, and Oliver Cowdery the second elder, and an apostle, and instructed that there were others who were to be chosen “even unto twelve” as first published, and Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer were instructed to search out these others. If David Whitmer was to be included in the number, it would require nine others to bring the number “unto twelve.” For some reason this was not done, and a small isolated conference in Ohio with no direction so far as the record goes, chose Joseph to be President, and sent their action to Independence to be ratified. Afterward the word “unto” was dropped from the revelation, and so Joseph, Oliver, and David were never in the quorum of twelve. Might the church not have been different, if this direction had been carried out?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> If we accept section 104, the sad thing about it is that there is no division of the Restoration in our day, that has a presidency like the one provided for there. For section 104 creates from four to an indefinite number of quorums and councils equal in authority and power in their decisions with the First Presidency. There is no place to go to find that kind of church government in operations. It must be like “equality” and “all things common”-yet to come.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We accept the revelations the same as we do the Bible and Book of Mormon, the former, “so far as it is translated correctly”, and the latter: “If there be mistakes, they are the mistakes of men.” And it is quite evident that there are mistakes, and many changes, additions, and subtractions. Section 7 was published three times, once in the Book of Commandments, and twice in the church papers, and yet, when it was published in 1835, after a presidency was selected, it contained two paragraphs that it never contained before, paragraphs 16 and 17, relating to the president of the high priesthood, etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sections 3,5,8,16,17,24,26,42, and 43, there are 1,608 changes, and many other changes in the other revelations.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> In the Book of Commandments chapter 44, which is section 42 in Doctrine and Covenants, it reads, “Thou shalt consecrate all thy properties, that which though hast unto me.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This seems to be in complete harmony with Acts: “Neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own, but all things common.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And Joseph understood it in that light according to his letter to Bishop Patridge, Church History, vol.1, page 300: “Every man must be his own judge how much he should receive, and how much he should suffer to remain in the hands of the bishop. I speak of those who consecrate more than they need for the support of themselves and their families…. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Therefore, those persons consecrating property to the bishop in Zion, and then receiving an inheritance back, etc. Showing a complete consecration, both that which he needs for his family, and the surplus. Section 42 reads “consecrate of thy properties,” OF instead of ALL. Quite a difference in meaning. One favors the rich, the other puts all on equal footing. One agrees with Acts, and the letter to Partridge, the other is built to order to feed to the flock by shepherds who have discarded the law of equality. In the same verse the words “bishops of my church and his counselors, two of the elders,” have the words “or high priests” added to the original. The same revelation in the Book of Commandments, reads: “Every family shall have a place, that they may live by themselves—and every church shall be organized in as close bodies as they can </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">be: and this for a wise purpose.” This indicates a grouping together of the families of each group, or branch or church, for convenience in laboring together, and for protection. It agrees with Acts: where all “that believed were together, and had all things common.” But that instruction was dropped entirely from Doctrine and Covenants. Why? Had the shepherds decided it was easier to fatten on the flock if they were separated, and scattered, and all things common forgotten?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The number of presidents seem to have varied at different times, sometimes it was three, sometimes one, (when Joseph said, “Where I am not, there is no presidency), on page 560 of the History, there were seven presidents assembled at a GRAND council (that word GRAND sounds terribly Masonic), besides the bishops and their councils, and the Twelve, and some of the seventy with sic of their presidents named. And on page 572 there are four Presiding Elders named.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> After all, was salvation based upon whether they had one, seven, four, or none?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The Nephites after Christ’s visit were blessed, prospered, reached the highest state of perfection of any of Christ’s church after his advent, with neither Presidency nor Quorum of Twelve Apostles, but with twelve disciples in charge. Nowhere do we find them told that their salvation hinged upon their belief in Presid</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ency or Apostles. We do find them told plainly upon what their salvation does hinge, however.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> At Jerusalem they had a Quorum of TWELVE Apostles, but nowhere do we find them told that their salvation hinged upon a belief in a Presidency. W.H.Kelley and Gomer T. Griffiths each while he was a member of the Twelve wrote a book on Presidency, one maintaining that James was the President, and the other that Peter was. The Bible evidence of Presidency seems rather elusive. J.W. Peterson took the ground that they had the Twelve Apostles at Jerusalem, a stake high council of twelve disciples in America, and most likely the First Presidency with the ten lost tribes. That would get them far enough apart so they wouldn’t quarrel, anyway. That way the Presidency couldn’t lord it over the Twelve, the Twelve needed complain of being reduced to the roll of errand boys for the Presidency, and the stake council in America could exercise its right of decision without intervention of the Presidency or Twelve Apostles.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> What is necessary for salvation? Christ himself is authority for it to the Nephites, and this is what he said:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will declare unto you my doctrine…. Whoso believeth in my, and is baptized, the same shall be saved;…and whoso believeth in me, believeth in the Father also…. Ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in no wise inherit the kingdom of God. Verily, verily I say unto you, that this is my doctrine; and whoso buildeth upon this, buildeth upon my rock; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them. And whoso shall declare MORE or LESS than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock, but he buildeth upon a sandy foundation, and the gates of hell standeth open to receive such.”—Nephi 5:32—42. (Third Nephi)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This statement of his doctrine essential to salvation, by Christ, is simple, straightforward, easy to understand, complete and final.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I look upon the Restoration Movement as on great pasture in which the sheep were to be fed, but the shepherds of the flock in order to fatten themselves have built division fences, and divided the sheep into flocks, and each shepherd in his particular division has planted obnoxious weeds, in addition to the wholesome food planted by Christ above, essential to salvation, and demanded that his followers shall endorse and feed upon the obnoxious growth in other to remain in his particular division; in other words to accept “MORE than” the “this” mentioned by Christ, or be cast out. That is why the sheep are divided, and scattered, and found in the valleys of the mountains, the forests of the north the sandy plains of the south and southwest, sick and hungry, fleeced and uncared for, and the fleecing goes merrily on.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Since when have you seen, or heard it advocated even, an effort to raise means by the law given in sections 106 and 42?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> And how many times in the last twenty-five years, when money was to be raised, have they failed to go at it in the good old catholic way, a per capita assessment. The amount to be raised allotted to the districts according to their membership—The districts apportion their allotments to the branches according to their membership, the branches proportion its assessment among its members, which in the final analysis means to each producer according to the number of his dependants. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> If I am supporting a wife and eight children who belong to the church, I have ten portions to pay, but my neighbor who supports a wife and one child belonging to the church has three portions to pay. And then the shepherds preen themselves, and spread their tail feathers, and strut up and down the stage, and say, Wasn’t that a noble plan? That lets the rich off easy, and socks it to the poor. The rich will still be our friends and bestow upon us toothsome benefits. While the poor may “eat flies, and like it” for all we care.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And to think of the “MORE” that has been added to this Restoration Movement! It is appalling!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are some of them:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rebaptism, to renew their covenant, starts as early as 1842.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rebaptism for the healing of the body, by the Reorganization.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sealing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spiritual wifery.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Polygamy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Baptism for the dead at five dollars a head.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Proxy baptism for the living.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Secret endowments.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Secret chambers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Endowments robes decorated with emblems of the square, compass, and level.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Secret others and penalties.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Supreme Directional Control.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prosecuter court, and judge, all rolled into one.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Adam-god</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And dozens of minor things, such as Who is president of the church, and who isn’t.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The thing that counts, is to be established on the “rock” as Christ said? That saves. These other things do not.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Joseph Smith begat a large spiritual progeny. They are not all in any on division of the restoration movement. There may be some in each of these divisions, and if they have kept their feet firmly planted on the rock, they will be saved. Their sonship, their membership, and their priesthood are good until they forfeit it by turning away from God.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The only basis for a union of divided latter day Israel, is upon the “rock” stated by Christ. To do that each division must remove the division fence erected by man, and forsake the obnoxious weeds of man’s planting; and each division has plenty of this to do, including the church of Christ (Temple Lot). But sometime it will be done, and all who desire will have the opportunity to worship God on the platform of Christ’s statement of doctrine, without have the club of man’s departure there from or addition thereto, hanging over his head to beat him into submission.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(To be continued)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> June27.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> How time does fly, and how crowded our days are with necessary duties! Trying to get a crop in, and at the same time make a living! Sometimes one lags behind, and then the other. One morning, while Alice was taking care of a neighbor woman and her new baby, Stella turned to me and said, “Papa, I’ve got the pancake batter all stirred up, and there isn’t any lard,” just as if she thought I might say a few words and produce the lard. I thought of the widow’s cruse of oil, but felt that I didn’t have the faith to tell her to dip into the lard can and get it. The emergency didn’t seem to warrant it. So I said, “Well sprinkle some cornmeal in the griddle, and put in your batter.” She did, and we had pancakes that way for a few mornings. Not too bad at that. When I think of the train loads of lard, sugar and flour I have bought, I think if there were some way to get along without buying those three articles, I could get rich yet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We have had a superabundance of rain this month. Hardly know what to do with it. The river is so full we can’t cross with a car to get to the highway.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Our crops are doing fairly well, but need sunshine to hurry them up. Tomatoes are beginning to blossom. We have nearly seven hundred of them out, and a thousand cabbage plants. Early potatoes and sweet corn are looking good; peas just in bloom, strawberries beginning to ripen, but the only garden sass we have had so far are radishes, onions, and greens. Cutworms </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">played havoc with our melon patch. Squash are looking fine, more than two hundred hills of them. Beans about ready to blossom. Field corn is slow, too cool and wet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Maple sirup was a short crop this spring, for some reason; about a third of our usual run; so that is gone. We have a little contraband game in awhile, when some neighbor kills a fleetfoot and donates a chunk. We see them running around once in awhile. There are plenty of tracks, so we know they are right around us. We had a big turtle stew awhile back. Tastes good enough, if we could only forget what it was while eating. Our timber crop is a continual harvest. Sold about three hundred dollars worth during fall, winter, and spring. The old Model TT hauls a cord and a quarter of green birch, and that brings five dollars, and that is the way we keep off the relief.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> They used to tell us that socialism would destroy “initiative”, and “incentive.” But when I look at the poor folks on relief, and see how many of them have no ambition to ever want to work again, and not enough incentive left to dig a patch of spuds if they were given them already raised, or pull a patch of beans, or cut a field of corn for the whole crop, I can’t help but feel that capitalism has destroyed not only initiative and incentive, but manhood and womanhood also. We hear people on the relief say, “It has got so we just can’t get along without five pounds of butter a week anymore,” and I could name three families that haven’t had that much butter altogether, all winter and spring. I wonder what such people will do when relief peters out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Stella is working just now for a neighbor for three dollars a week—may last all summer. She comes home nights, and gets to work at 8:30 in the morning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, I guess that is all the gossip I can think of so will close, with love to all. Leon.</span><br />
CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-51429739797735774372013-02-08T06:01:00.001-08:002013-02-08T06:01:33.817-08:00Letter - Prospects look good for a bumper crop now<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bemidji, Minn., July 9, 1934</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Father and Mother,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are having another of our rains today. It has rained so much since the first of June that we can hardly find the ground dry enough to cultivate, or even play. It was dry enough this morning so that we tried to plant turnips, and cultivate some, but by two o’clock it was raining again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> A week ago yesterday we had a hail storm in two installments. The first installment was mostly small hailstones, and it hailed till the ground was quite white, plugged holes through the melon and squash leaves, knocked some of the blossoms off the peas and beans, but did no very serious damage. An hour or so later I went down to the yard to take some oats to the horses which were in the pasture, and stopped to watch a funny looking cloud cavorting almost overhead, and wondering whether it would develop into a tornado or not, when I happened to look toward the lake and saw what appeared to be rocks falling into the lake so big that it made the water splash six to eight feet high, then I heard r-i-i-p, r-i-i-p, r-i-i-p, through poplar trees between me and the lake, and I set my bucket of oats down right there and hightailed it for the house? They were the biggest hail I ever saw, but so scattering that no damage was done here. The scattering big hail covered an area of several square miles, from reports, and a mile east some of the neighbors were watching the cloud, and it just seemed to empty itself all at once in a wall of big hail that came up within a few yards of their garden, and extended out into a swamp region where no one lives of two or three miles. If that avalanche of hail had struck any growing crops nothing would have been left.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Corn, grain, and tame hay crops are the best they have been in years in this country. Our sweet corn is tasseling, potatoes almost big enough to use, we had green peas the 4th, and string beans the 5th, took a bushel of peas to town Saturday, had half a bushel for Sunday dinner, and expect to take two bushel to town Wednesday. We have had early turnips, bagas, radishes, onions, and lettuce for quite a while, and all kinds of greens, including mustard, turnip top, spinach, chard, and beets.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> A ground hog raided out cabbage patch and almost cleaned them out before I raided him with a shotgun.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> So far we have had a most enjoyable summer. No cutworms, no mosquitoes, no potato bugs, though flies are beginning to make their advent the last couple of days. We are living in a tropical forest of birch, poplar, elm, basswood, and balsam, on some of the best soil in the world, where I can sit in the front door and look out across the melon patch and the lake (about twenty rods from the house); and down from the back door, about twice as far, down a winding trail, is a gurgling brook, with sandy shallows for wading, and deeper pools for bathing, with a footbridge across it, to which people come and sit and swing their feet in the water. It is an ideal place for an outing and vacation. Wish the girls could come up and spend their vacation here, and bring you along. It would be easier to make the trip than to endure that blistering heat, wouldn’t it? Bring your woolen underwear along.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Coming across the footbridge one evening at dusk I saw a husky fish of some sort dash out from under it and head up stream, thought it must be either a big pike or sucker. I set down my </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">forkful of hay, got the spear which was nearby, and by a lucky throw I put three times through his head, when I discovered that I had captured a three and a half pound black bass. It made enough for breakfast for the family. Biggest bass I ever saw. Don’t know how it happened to be in the creek, unless it was to give us something delicious for breakfast.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We have more than two acres of potatoes on peat land, the land that is claimed to produce from four to eight hundred bushels to the acre. It is an experiment with us, but the prospects certainly look good for a bumper crop now, so we are hoping this will be one winter we won’t have to go without spuds enough to eat all we want. With a good meat, potatoes, and been crop, maybe we can get along.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Well if Leon goes haying now for a couple of weeks or more he won’t get any time to finish this so I might as well send this on. Some of the girls plan to go and cook for the haymakers so they’ll have sort of an outing as its real near the big lake. There is a house for them to camp in with a cook stove.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> We have hardly seen anybody of the relation around here this spring so we don’t really know whether they are all right or no.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Phyllis and babies were up to our place Sunday and Monday. They were well. It was the first time they had been up here since we moved up here this spring. Her kids even to the baby surely enjoyed it though, when they went in bathing.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Well I’m getting so sleepy I can hardly keep my eyes open or hold the pen to write. I’m in the habit of taking an afternoon nap and that spoils me.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We were glad to hear from you so please write whenever you can,</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With love to all-Alice</span></i><br />
CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-44252265019544342112013-02-04T09:28:00.004-08:002013-02-04T09:28:51.269-08:00Letters - Dear Hallie, Crooked as a rail fence. Leon.<br />
Bemidji, Minn., Feb. 13, 1937<br />
<br />
Dear Hallie,<br />
Grandpa and Grandpa Whiting joined the church in an early day when it was good and true and lovely, and because it was so good and lovely in their younger says, they couldn’t believe that evil and designing men had gained control and corrupted it, honeycombed it with secretism and secret chamber work until it was no longer the church which they had joined. And so they put in the latter half of their lives grieving because their children couldn’t conscientiously cling to the old wreck.<br />
So Pa and Ma joined the church when it was good and true and lovely, when the new wine was being put into new bottles, which the old bottles could not hold. And now they can’t see that the same corruption of secretism and evil has entered in, and that no one in the ministry can continue in it long without being contaminated.<br />
<br />
You girls are clings to the church as it was when we joined it, not I hope and pray, as it is now.<br />
I made my protest against the evils that were entering in, in a right and proper way. I took it up with our branch business meetings, and with unanimous vote of the branch we went to the district conference with our protest. And Lester with his Masonic brethren delayed the opening of the conference meeting for half an hour while they went upstairs and planned how best to prevent our having a chance to present it. There is no avenues open for protest against the iniquities that are increasing—a minister must be under the thumb of someone.<br />
<br />
Look at your Walnut Park pastor (was it Dowker?) who used to speak a little too plain against these evils, and how they framed him and let him down and out. And no one dared to raise a voice in his defense. Let them get away with it. Unless Oakman has plenty of financial backing so that he can fight them in the courts of the land if necessary, that is what will happen to him.<br />
<br />
I have worked right along by the side of three Masons for years, and I know them to be liars and crooks. They will lie like a Catholic (and why shouldn’t they? The father of all lies is the authentic source of both of them.) and are as crooked as a rail fence. And the higher in the social scale they get the crookeder they are. I worker under a Masonic Postmaster for years, and had to fight his crookedness and cussedness clean to Washington and back. I wouldn’t believe a Mason’s oath on a stack of Bibles a mile high, in the church or out. And you church machinery is in charge of Masons from start to finish, from the Presidency down to the outlying branches.<br />
<br />
I well remember when I heard the first suggestion of supreme directional control. It was in Omaha in 1900, and Fred A. Smith was the one that brought it up. Said they must work toward the plan of having the presidents of districts appointed by the Presidency, and the branch presidents also thought the district presidents. And that is the way she is done to-day. It gave me a chill right then, and I wondered if such a castastrophy could possibly occur. It would be nice, if the president were a man like King Mosiah, who would do the right thing himself, and choose only men of like nature. But it is quite a different thing when he is a Mason, and appointing Masons and their sympathizers in districts and branches. I know that a resolution was adopted in 1923 intended to preserve the right of the individual to make nominations; but (unreadable for a bit SSGII) have written the name of those they wanted nominated and given the slips to people in the audience to make the nominations, so that it would appear that the resolution was being honored, when it was in fact being ignored in about the rottenest manner possible.<br />
<br />
But what would you expect? A man who belongs to a secret society is a living lie before the whole community. He appear to be a certain person in his everyday life before his friends, and in secret he is another sort of person living another life. And your church quorums and councils and courts are honeycombed with that sort of people, and they are in control of the machinery of the church, and neither the people who know it, nor God, can have any confidence in them.<br />
<br />
That was what was the matter in 1844 that caused rejection of the quorums (not of the people).<br />
Those leading men could read the Book of Mormon and Bible and Doctrine and Covenants on marriage, and then they could turn right around and interpret it that they were justified in joining the church of the devil, and in marrying ten virgins in order to pass by the angels in glory. To be sure they suspended the practice of polygamy by a manifesto, so if their ten virgin revelation was right, the church is wrong now, and their ministers are under the obligation of going out and presenting a doctrine and covenants that has revelations forbidding plural marriage, a revelation permitting it, and a manifesto suspending it. Would you go out and support that rubbish? Not unless you were seven kinds of fool.<br />
<br />
And the Reorganization is in the same boat so far and the church of the devil is concerned. And after reading the Bible as to how the lords of the Gentile exercise control, “but it shall not be so among you” And “he that is greatest let him be your servant,” and the Book of Mormon that all things should be done by the voice of the people, and the Doctrine and Covenants, “Let all things be done by common consent in the church.” They interpreted that to mean that supreme directional control was permitted to one man over all the affairs of the church, with the right to eliminate and to discipline, and with the quorums and courts arbitrarily reorganized contrary to law, and men put in who upheld that doctrine, would you trust their decisions on any other points of doctrine, or law, or case in court? I wouldn’t. Their minds are so corrupted by Masonic lies that they can not discern the right. Exactly in the same condition that the quorums were in 1844 when they were rejected as quorums; but they went right on, and are still going; reorganized according to man’s ideas, but still going.<br />
<br />
Of course you are woman, and you don’t know all that is going on; but at your last General Conference, solicitors were working among the delegates enticing them to join the Masonic society, and offering cut rates as and enducement.<br />
<br />
Hardly twenty-four hours had elapsed after our conference close, before one of your elders was talking with two of ours and feeling them out on the matter of appointing committees to meet together to find common ground for the union of the factions. And he says, Now that would be a fine thing. There isn’t much between us, and with just a little ironing out we can get together. Take this matter of the Masonic lodge, you people object to that, but really it is a good thing. A mighty good thing. And if your folks would just change your stand on that, then rest would be quite easy. Needless to say he didn’t get an agreement.<br />
<br />
Now just how would you like to go out and present a doctrine and covenants with a revelations saying that all things should be done by common consent, and another one lauding and supporting a document that destroys all common consent, and a conference resolution on record in 1932 that suspends the latter so far as the bishopric is concerned because Curry wouldn’t accept the job until it was suspended? You would be in the same predicament the Brighamite elders are. What good is suspension, if the contradictory revelations are STILL IN THE BOOKS?<br />
<br />
What you have now is not the pure and true and lovely church organization of Father’s day. But a huge Masonic spider in control of the machinery of the church—I should say an octopus, with its tentacles reaching out to and through every district to the farthest branches. And so if a poor little elder dares to say a word against the evils, the president can reach out with a club of silence and tap him on the head, “subject to the adjudication provided for in the law”(See s.d.c. document). And when said little elder wants to take advantage of the adjudication provided for he finds the elders’ courts, the bishops’ court, and the high council loaded with Masons and s.d.c. proponents, the latter council all appointees by the president, who himself presides at the trial, so he is in fact assailant, jury, council, and judge all rolled into one. That is s.d.c.<br />
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The Book of Mormon is now, as it was in 1830, the best means of getting a hearing from the world, and defending the glory of the Restored gospel, but I certainly would die before I would go to the world and tell them what is says about Masonry being the church of the devil, and then tell them that all our church dignitaries are high Masons, belonging to both churches.<br />
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No, Hallie, if you will only be yourself a minute you won’t want me to come back into the church you’re in. It wouldn’t salve your feelings as you think it would at all. The only think I could do would be to say, Quit your hellish business, or get out of the church or I will. And there I would be. I couldn’t work with that bunch of Masons. The Lord has said himself that they could have no part in the building up of Zion. What you want to hang on to their skits for, I don’t know.<br />
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You girls insist that I don’t write on religion, and yet you keep dinging at me. There is nothing else to write about except the snow, so I have had to break your rule again.<br />
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With love, Leon<br />
CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-5209350300857801802013-01-24T16:43:00.003-08:002013-01-24T16:45:58.727-08:00Letters - from a Father & Grandfather whose son has left the RLDS church<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> <span style="color: red;">(The author of this letter, Winfield Gould, is my paternal great-great grandfather, who is saddened and disappointed that one of his many children, Leon (previously an elder in the RLDS church) has decided to leave for the Church of Christ (TL) - </span><span style="color: blue;">"</span></i></span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">All our lives since we obeyed the gospel Ma and I have hoped and prayed that we with all our children might be an unbroken family with the redeemed and loved ones that have passed on to the other side, and we shall continue to pray for that cherished blessing." </span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Leon is the only child who leaves the RLDS church in this family (following an experience and conversation which his son Eugene had with the Lord), which is referred to as a sad fact in the book "Trek of Faith" by Peggy Tucker. However, history bears out that this loving father Winfield was actually mistaken, as he predicted the failure of the church Leon belonged to, and predicted the RLDS to remain faithful and true (this church is now in fragments, and the main body is no longer the RLDS church of the past - it is now called the Community of Christ and unlike the previous organization. It is interesting to look back now, with gratitude to my great-grandfather and his family, who had to go against the rest of their kin in following the leadings of the Holy Spirit - I am very grateful to have been simply "born into" the</span></i><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.churchofchrist-tl.org/" target="_blank">Church of Christ</a>. <span style="color: red;">Winfield makes some references to the Doctrine and Covenants, which were actually altered from the original revelations. - C. (Gould) Berwick</span> </i><br />
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<i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Independence, Mo., March 1934</i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> Dear Leon and Family:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>During the past winter I have spent a good deal of time reading the scripture, and other written works in regard to this Latter Day Work. And when I think of the course you and your family have taken in regard to the church I feel like writing and telling you how I look at some of these things.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> In your sermon, Earmarks of Apostasy, on Page 6, you say in regard to the restoration of the gospel in these last days that God, through his messenger divine again bestowed upon men the right to officiate as ministers in his church, to carry the gospel to the world, to organize the church, to make the same promise of knowledge through obedience and of gospel gifts to men, and that those promises were fulfilled to obedient thousands.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> Well, I have believe all this ever since I obeyed the gospel, and as I read it in your sermon the blessed Spirit that I have often felt bore witness to the truth of it. Now I think you will agree with me that the man referred to as the one who was given power to organize the church was Joseph Smith, and that the divine one who gave him the right and power to organize the church was the angel who cam and ordained Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Now let us turn to the record and see how he organized it.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> In Book of Covenants, Sec. 19:1, in a revelation given the day the church was organized, the Lord speaking to Joseph Smith said, "There shall be a record kept among you and in it though shalt be called a seer, a translator, a prophet, an apostle of Jesus Christ, and elder of the church through the will of God the Father and the Holy Ghost to lay the foundation thereof and to build it up unto the most holy faith; which church was organized and established in 1830 on the 6th day of April."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> About five months after this in a revelation given September, 1830, speaking to Oliver Cowdry the Lord says: "Behold, I say unto thee, no one shall be appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this church excepting my servant Joseph Smith Jr., for he receiveth them even as Moses." A little further along in the same verse the Lord says to Oliver, "You shall not command him who is at thy head and that the head of the church." Now see how plain all that is, and yet you have joined a church that rejects it and says that the twelve apostles are the head of the church and are the ones to receive commandments and revelations to guide the church.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> In Section 104:12 the Lord says the Twelve are a traveling, presiding high council to officiate in the name of the Lord under the direction of the Presidency of the church, agreeably to the institution of heaven to build up the church and regulate all the affairs of the same in all the nations, first unto the gentiles and secondly unto the Jews..</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Now this plainly shows that the Twelve are to labor under the direction of the Presidency, or the head of the church, for the Presidency is the head of the church, if they are living and teaching according to the written law, as given by the supreme law giver.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> There is a passage in the Bible that says the feet must not say to the head that we have no need of thee, but that is just what the Temple Lot Church are teaching when they say they have no need of a Presidency. And so we read all along through the Book of Covenants how God directed Joseph Smith how to organize the church.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> Then on page 7 and 8 of your sermon you tell of the great wickedness that crept in to the church in 1844 and how many began to withdraw from the church and form into factions and elevate men to be their leaders, never designed of God and contrary to his word.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Then on pages 8 and 9 you tell us how God began to reconstruct his work, how he came by his Spirit to a people who had not elevated any man to be their leader, but to a little band who were loyal to God, and said unto them, "As I said unto Moses my servant, see that you do all things according to the pattern. Behold the pattern is before you."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> And now, Leon, I want to ask you how was the pattern before them? Why they had it right in the Book of Covenants just as God had given it to Joseph Smith.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> Again I would ask you, why this people had not chosen some man to be their leader? It was because God had given them the assurance by the power of his Holy Spirit that he would raise up one from the seed of Joseph Smith to lead the church.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> And now read in the Third Vol. of Church History, page 254 to page 264 how plainly this man who God said he would raise up to the lead the church was shown by vision and by the Spirit of revelation just what God wanted him to do. See how he was directed to go to that very people who had received the promise by the Holy Spirit that God would raise up from the seed of Joseph Smith a Prophet, to lead the church. See how God told him that the Saints reorganizing there were the only organized portion of the church that he accepted, that he had given them his Spirit, and that he would continue to do so while they remained humble and faithful. Then read on page 265 that when young Joseph and his mother in 1860 came to this people and met with them in a conference how the whole of them wept with joy because it was in fulfillment of what God had promised them.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> Now notice one thing: Joseph did not come there to lead a faction nor a branch, but came as the successor of his father to lead the church, having been directed by the Lord to do so. Notice what he said to them. "I come not here of myself, but by the influence of the Spirit. For sometime past I have received manifestations pointing to the position I am about the assume. I wish to say that I have not come here to be dictated by any man or set of men. I have come in obedience to a power not my own, and shall be dictated to by the power that sent men." Third Volume Church History page 247.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> Now in speaking of this event in your sermon on page 9, you say: "With this little handful of Saints in Wisconsin the work of reconstruction went on apace as God opened the way, until the hearts of the saints were thrilled with the hope that Zion was about to put on her beautiful garments, and men and women by the thousand again bore witness to the truthfulness of the Saviour's promise. They were given a knowledge of the truth and their faith confirmed by the signs following."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> And now, Leon, I want to say that you Father and Mother and Grandparents, also Alice's Father and Mother were among those thousands that head and obeyed that glad message of the gospel and were confirmed in the truth of it by many signs and blessings they received.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> Now turn to Church History, Vol. 3, page 294 and read young Joseph's first call or message to the scattered Saints and all the inhabitants of the earth. It reads as follows:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"In the name of the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob I now call upon all the scattered Saints on all the broad earth to arise and shake off the sleep that has bound them these many years, take on the armour of the Just, calling on the name of the Lord for help, and unite once more for the emancipation of the honest in heart from the power of false doctrines and the shackles of sin. In the name of bleeding Zion I call upon all those who have been wandering in by and forbidden paths and have been led astray by wicked and designing men to turn from their scenes of wickedness and sins of convenience, to turn from their servitude to Satan, in all his seductive devices from vice in every phase and from the labor of sin, the wages whereof are even death, unto their true and delightsome allegiance to the principles of the gospel of peace, to the paths of wisdom, to the homage of that God that brought the children of Israel out of bondage, to turn and remember the Book of Mormon, to lay hold anew upon the rod of iron which surely leads to the tree of life: and to remember that those who live to the Lord keep his commandments and that the promises are to the faithful and the reward unto those that endure unto the end. And in the name of the Lord of Hosts I call upon all the inhabitants of the earth to repent, believe, and be baptized, for the time cometh when the judgments of God are to be poured out upon all nations, and the besom of God's wrath shall smoke through the land; when men shall know that there is a God in Israel and he is mighty to punish or save; and that the prayers of those under the altar have been heard and a swift retribution is to come, when the despoiler will be despoiled, and when those who denied justice shall be judged, and the measure meted unto others shall be meted unto them, when the prisoner shall go free, and the oppressed be redeemed and all Israel shall cry, Glory to God in the highest be given, for he that is long suffering and slow to anger has arisen, and shall bring again Zion. Amen and amen."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> Oh I do not see how anyone can read that message and not feel the thrill of the good Spirit bearing witness to the truth of the call of the man through whom it was given.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>And now while thousands of scattered Saints and many new converts gave heed to the call and received the witness of God's Spirit to the truth of it, what did the Temple Lot Faction do? Did they receive and rejoice? No, they rejected it as a Faction and clung to the man that they had chosen as their leader.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> In the Book of Covenants we have this statement from the Lord in Section 100:2. "But verily I say unto you, that I have decreed a decree which my people shall realize, inasmuch as they hearken from this very hour, unto the counsel which I, the Lord, their God, shall give unto them. Behold, they shall, for I have decreed it, begin to prevail against mine enemies from this very hour, and by hearkening to observe all the words which I, the Lord their God, shall speak unto them, they shall never cease to prevail until the kingdoms of the world are subdued under my feet; and the earth is given unto the saints, to possess it for ever and ever. But inasmuch as they keep not my commandments, and hearken not to observe my words, the kingdoms of the </i></span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">world shall prevail against them, for they were set to be a light unto the world, and to be the saviour of men; and inasmuch as they are not the saviours of men, they are as salt that has lost its savor, and is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men."</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> Now with this statement of the Lord before us, let us cast our minds over the past sixty or seventy years and see what these two organizations claiming to be the church have done.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>The followers of young Joseph, as he was often called, were organized with a First Presidency to preside over the church, just as the law in the Book of Covenants directs, and they sent their missionaries into nearly all parts of the world preaching the gospel as restored in these last days, and according to history, and according to your sermon, as stated on Page 9, men and women by the thousand received it and bore witness to the Saviour's promise. They were given a knowledge of the truth and their faith confirmed by the signs following.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> You see this church could be compared to a city set upon a hill. They let their light shine and in the hands of God became the saviors of thousands who obeyed the gospel and remained faithful until the end.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> But how about the Temple Lot Church, who rejected young Joseph as a prophet to preside over the church. They dwindled down to one small branch and remained so until 1925. Were they like a city set on a hill whose light could not be hid? Did they prove to be the saviors of men? Or were they like salt that had lost its savor?</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> In Sec. 42:12, the Lord says, "Thou shalt take the things which thou hast received, which have been given unto thee in my scriptures for a law, to be my law, to govern my church; and he that doeth accordingly to these things, shall be saved, and he that doeth them not shall be damned, if he continues."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> That is a plain statement in regard to those who accept the law to govern the church and do govern it according to law. The promise is that they will be saved. And it says just as plainly that those who do not do it shall be damned if they continue.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> The Reorganization accepted the law in regard to the organization of the church and the Temple Lot church rejected it. Is not the fact that the tens of thousands who received the gospel as taught by Young Joseph Smith and testified that God bore witness to them of the truth of it a proof that he had it organized right?</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> Joseph the martyr and also young Joseph both claim to have been sent of God to lead the church and to have held the office of President over the high priesthood, but the Temple Lot church rejects them and says there is no such office in the church. Can't you see that they had to come out and discard the Book of Covenants or else give up they were wrong?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I was in their meeting here when they were discussing the question as to whether they should reject the Book of Covenants or not. James Yates spoke against giving it up and he said, "We can't give up all those revelations," but the majority voted to discard the Book. I have often thought of the statement he made in that meeting when reading what he claims he received by the Spirit here in Independence. The spirit asks him if he will obey if my word shall conflict with </i></span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">your thoughts and belief. Then the spirit tells him that the Lord has rejected the Reorganized Church and that the church on the Temple Lot is the chosen one to carry on the Lord's work. And so Yates decides to obey the voice of this spirit even if it does conflict with his thoughts and former belief.</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> Now we have the two churches before us. Also the law that God gave to govern his church in our day, and in that law, Section 104, we are told that the church is to be presided over by a President of the High Priesthood and two counselors, but the Temple Lot church says there is no such officers in the church but that the Twelve apostles are to preside over the church. You can read all through the revelations given through the martyr, also through young Joseph how God called men to the office of high priests and tells what their duties are in the church, but the Temple Lot church claims that there is no such officer in the church.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> There are many passages of scripture in all three books that show how necessary it is to keep the whole law. In the Book of Mormon, first Book of Nephi, Chapt.11. I cannot quote it all here, but read how a messenger appeared to Lehi and showed him a beautiful tree loaded with white fruit and he also saw a rod of iron that extended along a narrow path and led to the tree, and he saw multitudes of people pressing along that path, clinging to that rod of iron, and as many as clung to the rod of iron reached the tree and partook of the fruit but those that let go of the rod wandered away and were lost.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> And in Chapt. 3, Verse 49 it tells how an angel showed Nephi that the rod of iron which Lehi saw was the word of God which led to the tree of life. This shows plainly that those that believe and do as the law of God tells them to will reach the tree of life, while those that reject it will be lost. And the Bible tells us we are to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> If what the Temple Lot church tells us was true in regard to the Presidency and high priests not being in the church, then the martyr and young Joseph were both guilty of giving false revelations to the church and were not true prophets.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> The angel that came to Joseph Smith told him that his name should yet be known among all nations for good and for evil, and so it has been wherever throughout the world this gospel has been preached. Those that accepted it called him good, and those that rejected it called him a false prophet and a deceiver. The Utah people accused him of being in polygamy, thus branding him as evil, and now the Temple Lot church joins in with the wicked people of the world and the Utah church and accuses him of giving false revelations and organizing the church right, but the Lord tells us in Section 1, Book of Covenants, in verses 4 and 5, I will only quote in part but you will find it all in the two verses. The Lord says that he called upon his servant Joseph and spake unto him from heaven and gave him commandments and also gave commandments to others that they should proclaim these things to the world, and in verse 5 he says that he gave Joseph Smith power to translate the Book of Mormon and also those to whom these commandments were given might have the power to lay the foundation of this church and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth with which I the Lord am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> And in Book of Covenants, Sec. 19:1, the Lord speaking to Joseph Smith says, "Behold there shall be a record kept among you, and in it thou shalt be called a seer, a translator, a prophet, an apostle of Jesus Christ, and elder of the church through the will of God the Father, and the grace of your Lord Jesus Christ, being inspired of the Holy Ghost to lay the foundation thereof and to build it up unto the most holy faith which church was organized and established in the year of your Lord, 1830, and on the sixth day of the month, which is called April." And in the Book of Mormon, Second Book of Nephi Chapter 11, Verse 18, the Lord speaking of this same seer says, "Behold, that seer will the Lord bless and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> Now, Leon, the above scripture that I have quoted was accepted by the church in the martyr's day and also by the Reorganized Church as the word of the Lord. Can you feel safe in rejecting it and putting your trust in some men that tell you that Joseph Smith and those other men that God called in their day to organize the church and build it up all went wrong, and did not organize it right, and that he gave false revelation to the church.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>In Jeremiah 17:5, the Lord has said, "Cursed is the man that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> Christ also said, "He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him. The words that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day for I have not spoken of myself but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment what I should say, and what I should speak and I know that his commands are life everlasting." St. John 12:48,49,50.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> The words that Christ has spoken and what he taught are found written in the scriptures and that is what we are to be judged by when we stand before God to be judged and not by what some man has told us.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> The Temple Lot church claims that the Twelve Apostles are the ones to stand at the head of the church, but the history of the church shows that the twelve apostles were not called nor ordained until nearly five years after the church was organized. See Church History Vol. 1, page 540-541 and 542. If the claim of the Temple Lot is true, then the church was without a head for nearly five years. Now read on pages 542 and 543 and several of the following pages and learn what the duties of the twelve apostles are. Read in those pages the charges given the twelve by Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. See how they were told that their calling was to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all nations; not one word about their being called to preside over the church as its head. I don't see how you can read the charge and warning given them and not feel the witness of the good Spirit bearing witness to the truth of the charge and warnings given them. And if they had been faithful to the charge and warnings given this church would have a different history than the one it has.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> And now, Leon, when I read in your sermon referred to in this letter, the one you believe you were inspired to preach, on page 7 you say that the time came at Nauvoo when men began to withdraw from the church because they could no longer sanction that which was carried on in secret, and others began to elevate men to places not desired of God and contrary to his word, and it puzzles me to see how you could go and join one of those factions who rejected the man </i></span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">who God called to succeed his father as a prophet and leader of the church. And when he made that God-given call to all the scattered saints and factions of the church it was their duty to have heeded the call and united with the church, but many of them rejected the prophet and his message and continued to follow leaders they had chosen instead of the one God had chosen, and not one of those factions has ever proved a light to the world.</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> And now I want to say that although I believe the Reorganized church has made mistakes and has suffered for it and is still suffering for it, yet I believe God has a people among them and that the authority is among them to carry on God's work, and that the faithful ones among them will assist in carrying on this great latter day work. And I would much rather have seen you and your family among the faithful ones that to see you unite with a faction that rejects much of the word of God and will surely prove a failure.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> All our lives since we obeyed the gospel Ma and I have hoped and prayed that we with all our children might be an unbroken family with the redeemed and loved ones that have passed on to the other side, and we shall continue to pray for that cherished blessing. I am now past 82 years of age and we both feel the infirmities of old age pressing upon us and know we cannot remain here longer. May God help us all to be ready when the call comes.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> As every your Father,</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> W. W. Gould.</i></span>CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-26437828925531282832013-01-22T23:01:00.003-08:002013-01-22T23:01:59.688-08:00Letter - Dear Mother, The Lord did something twenty hundred years ago<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Bemidji, Minn., Oct 22, 1930</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Mother,-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your letter received and duly digested; can’t say it makes us exactly happy, and there is so much else in the world to be unhappy over too. Bro. Day thinks we ought to all be joyous and should for joy contineually—poor man and only one of his step-children pays any attention to the latter-day work, his boys drinking and carousing, and into things too naughty to mention in a letter. One of them said there was nothing to look forward too now, but just to die; and yet George thinks there is nothing in the world to grieve over, because the Lord showed him twenty years ago that the gospel was true, and so this church is the only true church—no matter what it does, or where it goes to. Well, that is exactly what the Saints said who were in the church in the Prophet’s day, and followed Brigham Young to Utah.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The Lord had shown them that the church was true, and so no matter what it did it must always be true, and no matter where it led they must always go with it, and go they did, into the depths of apostacy, shouting glory, hallelujah! I know this church is true, and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and that Brigham Young was his legal successor. They had nothing to grieve over, except when some of their children backslid, and went into the Reorganization, which they looked upon as being nothing but a set of apostates, who legally action had been shorn of church membership and all priesthood authority, by action of the only true church.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Strange isn’t it how a people could be so blinded, and yet they blinded themselves. At some time they had all of them deliberately shut their eyes to wrong, or voted to sustain that which was not right, knowingly, that thereby they might retain their prestige, and be good fellows with those in charge; or had failed to raise their voices against wrong, for fear they would loose their official position or their family allowance. It was only the few who had backbone enough to denounce the evils, and defy the evil-doers that the Lord could use to reconstruct his work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Well the same thing is happening in our day, and the same causes will produce the same condition of blindness, and eventually lead to the same depths of apostacy. There is no other recourse, except repentance and humility, and that of course is unthinkable.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> You say you are looking for a change in the church soon. Mother dear, what change do you look for in the church? What change can you possibly look for? No one dares to say anything about the necessity of a change, in Conference; and hardly dare to whisper it in private especially if it would jeopardize their place or position or their job. And under the rule of dumb and throttled silence, what change can there be but a change from bad to worse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you think that the Lord is going to reach down and shake Fred M. out of his breeches? Why, if he did, what would a cowed and groveling people do with their liberty? They haven’t the least idea what should be done in an emergency of that kind, any more than had the Saints at Nauvoo. And never will have till freedom of thought and speech, and of the press is restored to them, and they begin to do some thinking on their own account.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You are looking for a change in the church soon; for the Lord to do something? Just how many, mother, do you suppose whould note the change and accept it, and would recognize his hand when he did do something?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The Lord did something twenty hundred years ago, in fulfillment of prophecy. A virgin conceived and bore a son, heralded by angelic hosts, and by the wise men. He grew up in the midst of his people, counfounded the doctors of law and of divinity with his wisdom, wrought a world of miracles by his almighty power, put tempters, critics and faultfinders to silence with a single answer, established his church, spake as never a man spake, but as one having authority; suffered on the cross, rose from the dead, inspired his ministry to carry on his work--- and those who were looking for a change soon, and for the Lord to do something, never saw the change, never knew the Lord was doing anything; don’t know it yet, are still looking for their Messiah, and his second coming is at the door. They’ve lost two thousand years of growth and development in the kingdom of God, WAITING FOR THE LORD TO DO SOMETHING. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. He dared to tell them of their wickedness in plain and unvarnished, but forceful language, and they said he had a devil.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> And so many were looking for a change soon, at Nauvoo, and for the Lord to do something. And how many saw the change, and recognized his hand when he did do something? Just the few who had refused to worship at the shrine of priestcraft, who had the courage to denounce evil and stand for the truth at whatever cost; to whom truth meant more than prestige and priestly emolument. And it was said that they had a devil. “The God that I worship,” said one, “told me they were led by a spirit of deception.” But the Lord could use them, and did, to reestablish his work. At his bidding they denounced and cast off all who claimed to be leaders but were living in idolatry. They denounced them and their works in plain and unvarnished language, but forceful; and because of this they were possessed of a devil. And we have lost a good part of a hundred years waiting for leaders of the church to get through fiddling with Masonry, so the Lord could do something.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> And to-day, there are hundreds looking, as you are, for a change soon, and for the Lord to do something---admitting the necessity of it, for why look for a change if there is no need? But how many will see this change, and how many recognize the hand of the Lord when and where he is working? Only the few! Only the few who have the courage to follow Christ, even though it means the loss of place and position and priestly appointments. Only those who have the backbone to denounce the encroachments of evil, who stand upon their feet and cry aloud as watchmen upon the walls of Zion, in plain and unvarnished by forceful language. And those who hear say they are possessed of a devil, as you said of Long.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> That has been my experience too. Let me tell you some of it. The Sunday after I knew for a certainty that Fred M. had joined the Masons, I declared against the evil in no uncertain terms, as well as against those who, while before hand they were mightily opposed to masonry, now began to hedge, and say, Well, if Fred M. has joined it must be all right. And I said it was too bad that we were not all named Smith, then we could do as we pleased and it would be all right. That was in Sunday-school. Well, some went home from the Sunday-school, and meeting others warned them to stay away from the church, that Leon had gone wild and was ranting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> And when I took the stand to preach, I was filled with that unquenchable fire that loosened my tongue, and enabled me to speak as only in my dreams I had ever been able to speak before. At the close, my wife—the first and only time—came up to the stand, grasped my hand and congratulated me upon the effort. The rest went home and said I was possessed of a devil.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I was filled with much of the same spirit when I preached earmarks of Apostacy; but there was a spirit of resistance operating in the audience that destroyed my liberty in part, and yet with enough power so that one man sat up with eyes wide open, whom I had never before seen in a service, except with eyes closed as if asleep. How many who have read “Earmarks of Apostacy,” and have testified that the Spirit of God came to them as they read it? If their testimony is true, isn’t it a little strange, that the Herald Editor being supposedly guided by the Spirit of truth should turn it down; while the editor of the Torch being supposedly benighted by the spirit of Apostacy should ask to publish it?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> And so, with one that I preached sometime before “Earmarks” and one last spring, that I told you was given me during the stormy night when I stayed in the basement of the Postoffice, I was blessed with more than usual liberty and power in presenting them; but because they were a voice of warning, and a portrayal of our perilous condition, they were not received by those who heard.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> So I have experienced the feelings the Savior must have felt, when trying to warn and reach those whom he loved, to save them from great sorrow and loss, and they rejected his message and accused him of being the tool of Beelzebub, the prince of devils.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> And so the change you are still looking for, mother, will be seen and known only by those who have the courage to stand for the right; the will become old bottles, filled with traditions of various kinds, with no capacity to receive and contain the over new wine of the gospel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I’ll be glad to read Bro. Greene’s sermon. Send it along. If it is as good as one he preached at Conference, in 1907, it is surely good. But if it was indicted by the Spirit, the Herald won’t want it; but the Torch would. The sermon at Lamoni, in 1907 was a short one, but to the point. Perhaps you never read it. The Herald never published it. I will quote it here entire:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Speech by U.W.Greene, April 13, 1907</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>“I believe I am opposed to the substitute, and in favor of the original motion. And I am in hearty accord with the last speaker when he said that this motion has not been discussed from the proper standpoint. I believe it. Having had just a few years experience on the inside as well as the outside of some of these organizations, I think that if we turn a little light upon the question under consideration this afternoon, it may be of benefit to us.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>“The last speaker laid considerable stress upon the statement that one can not be a member of OUR CHURCH AND BELONG TO SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS. He repeated that over and over. I believe it to be true. I DON’T BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ANY MAN OR WOMAN IN THIS HOUSE, IN THIS TOWN, IN THIS STATE, IN THIS COUNTRY, THAT CAN TAKE THE OATHS THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE AS THEY KNEEL AT THE</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>ALTAR, AS A MEMBER OF THESE SECRET ORGANIZATIONS, AND BE A PROPER MEMBER OF THIS CHURCH. Now, I purpose to tell you why.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>“Fifteen years ago I began the investigation of secret societies. I continued to study from the inside for a series of years. And the very first night that I entered the lodge-room and knelt at the altar, I was asked to take oath, bloodcurdling in its character. Let me quote part of it to you; for I dare not quote it all, because I am bound by that obligation. But I was asked that night to subscribe to certain conditions, under no less penalty to have my throat cut across. What do you think of that? And do you think that you can take oaths of that kind, AS MINISTERS OF GOD? Young men came to me at the close of the meeting last night and stated that because of speeches made they felt that they would be at liberty to join some of these organizations.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>“I was, as a fellow minister for Christ, this afternoon TO PLACE MYSELF ON RECORD to urge you not to do it; and if you are a member of one of them to urge you to take your demit and withdraw. My observations and individual experience for fifteen years has taught me that those who follow the lodge-room soon lose the Spirit of God. And when for a period of years I knelt at the altar as an officer in the lodge, the Spirit of my calling left me, and I wondered what was the matter. And it led me to make a rigid self-examination, and I reached the conclusion that if I would be a servant of Christ, I must renounce that which I had taken.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>“Now, again, I was asked to subscribe to obligations that made me swear under no less penalty than to have my breast torn open, my heart plucked out, and that my bowels be burned to ashes. What was it that I covenanted to do? That if a man came to me and whispered in my ear, with his foot to my foot and his knee to my knee, and his breast to my breath, and told me that had ravished my neighbor’s wife, I must say nothing about it. If the had stolen, I must not turn them over to the law of the land. If they had committed crimes that would send them to the penitentiary, I must observe their secrets as my own, under no less penalty than to have my body cut in two and buried down at low tide in the rough sands of the sea, where the tide ebbs and flows twice in every twenty-four hours. And I tell you that THERE IS NOT A MAN WHO CLAIMS TO BE A MAN OF GOD THAT CAN SUBSCRIBE TO OATHS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THAT CHARACTER, AND BE A PROPER MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST. And I want to impress upon these young men this afternoon, as I urge you to stand by that resolution for I think it ought to be adopted,-- I want to urge you to hold yourself aloof from institutions of that character, from the obligations that are contrary to the covenant of the gospel, that are in secret and in the dark. I want to say to you that when you enter these organizations you do so hoodwinked. You can not see what is going on, and you know but a little until you are compelled to take those dreadful obligations there. And let me say, Ladies and Gentlemen, that the various organizations of this country that are based one upon the other go back to the original mother organization that claims to date its origin back to the building of King Solomon’s temple. Now that is not true. I know that from study; but that is the claim, and their oaths and obligations are similar. You let them alone. And I think it is time to place ourselves up on record; therefore I am in favor of the original resolution. I think it is stronger. I believe it is time to act, and to stand for what I believe to be God and his truth, and the right. That is why I favor the original as opposed to the substitute.”</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The original resolution was so worded as to make it prohibitory to belong to secret societies.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The substitute, which was eventually passed, provided that we discourage membership in secret societies. It was brought in by friends of the lodge, to prevent the more drastic resolution from passing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> If the original had passed and been put in operation the Reorganized Church would be a clean body and fit to build the temple, instead of the mess it is in now. But the lodge followers didn’t even keep faith with the substitute, which they themselves spo</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">nsored; but in secret violated their own act, and betrayed the confidence of the Saints.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> If Bro. Greene is still standing true to his sermon of 1907, I would be glad to read his sermons now; but if he has gone back on that, I wouldn’t give a picayune for one now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If his statement of conditions in the lodge is true (and there is plenty of evidence to establish the truth of it), then it is self-evident that his conclusions are true, when he said:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>“I DON’T BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ANY MANY OR WOMAN IN THIS HOUSE, IN THIS TOWN, IN THIS STATE, IN THIS COUNTRY, THAT CAN TAKE THE OATHS THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE AS THEY KNEEL AT THE ALTAR, AS A MEMBER OF THESE SECRET ORGANIZATIONS, AND BE A PROPER MEMBER OF THIS CHURCH.” and</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>“I TELL YOU THAT THERE IS NOT A MAN WHO CLAIMS TO BE A MAN OF GOD THAT CAN SUBSCRIBE TO OATHS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THAT CHARACTER, AND BE A PROPER MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST.”</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now listen to this from the Book of Mormon:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“This is the commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall not suffer any one knowingly, to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily,… for whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to his soul; therefore if</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(missing part <i>Samii S. Gould</i>) n is unworthy to eat and drink of my flesh and</span><br />
CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-1513737006241125732013-01-22T17:59:00.000-08:002013-01-22T17:59:00.045-08:00Letters - I still believe that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Your loving son.<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Bemidji, Minn., Oct. 8, 1929</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Father,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your letter was received with feelings of thankfulness, and some amusement too, when I found how frightened the girls had been of my little sermon. As soon as I can I am going to make a copy for the Herald. Not that I think they will publish it, but to give the editors a chance to consider some of the things presented. When I picked it up and read it after give it no thoughts for months, the same spirit comes to me that was with me at the time, and confirms the truth of it to my soul. But I know that very few will heed, or even read it, if they have the opportunity.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We were reading the Herald today, of the most wonderful reunion in Ohio; and almost breathless we waited for the telling of what made it so wonderful. The first was that a hundred and seventy-five sat down to a grand banquet: the next was that they voted to give one hundred percent support to the administration, and the church program. That seemed to be the thing that made it the most wonderful reunion ever held. I wonder how many who voted had the least inking of what the program was. But we read so much of that wind of stuff in the Herald, placing so much emphasis on banquets and other purely external and physical features of reunions and other gatherings that it makes the marrow in our bones seem to turn to water. The Herald is getting to be more and more like the Catholic Sunday Visitor; a suger-coated exterior surface for the especial benefit of the unsuspecting public.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We have read Bro. Curtis’ book on temple building, and note that he makes some very good points, and some mighty poor ones also. I am afraid Fred ought to take him to Kirtland, and give him another secret endowment. You know, Pa, I can’t help but believe that the secret endowment is an outcropping of apostacy. We find it in Utah, where no one is allowed in their temples but those who go through to take their endowment, and their endowment ceremonies as testimony to, in the Smoot investigation at Washington, are nothing but a perverted form of the Masonic oaths and obligations. I was reading them one time from the record of the Smoot investigation in Washington, and one man in the congregation leaned over and whispered to another, “That’s Masonry.” He ought to know for I heard him say after that that he had been far enough in Masonry to know all that could be known of the inner workings. So I think that the secret endowment is nothing but one of the traditions that mark the encroachment of apostacy. I can’t remember of any passage of scripture that even hints that endowments are to be in secret, or the people barred from the temple. The endowment at the Kirkland temple was a public one, participated in by the congregation. The endowment on the day of Pentecost was done not in a corner, but in public; when they were all gathered together with one accord; and people from every nation under heaven witnessed it. No hint anywhere that Peter, or James, or whoever presided, haled them off in a corner one by one and administered the Masonic oath to them. But that is what the secret endowment has done for latter day Israel in every instance where it has been practiced to any extent; at Nauvoo, Utah, and Clitheral and it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see it become and important feature of the present apostacy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I still believe that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and I am not going to support secret endowments in the Reorganization, or anywhere else. Paul preached the gospel of an open endowment; and didn’t talk very kindly of even an angel from heaven that would preach otherwise.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Our potatoes were pretty good considering that they had to grow all summer with never a rain that wet down to the roots from the time they were planted till the vines were ripe. They made better than a hundred bushels to the acre, with ninety percent of the salable. I got my vacation during haying time and put up fifty loads of hay in good shape. The best hay we’ve had for years. Our beans are good. None to sell, but a few bushels for our own use. We didn’t have any grain or corn planted this year, except sweet corn. Quite a lot of that got ripe and we have saved see, and will have a lot to feed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I suppose you’ve heard of Arlo getting shot through the leg with a 32 which laid him up for awhile; but he gets around now, all right, although does not work very hard yet; but he threw his crutches away a week or so ago… I don’t know just how it happened; but some carelessness in handling a fool pistol that the boys don’t say much about. Anyway they traded it off for a shotgun right away; so we feel safer now. A shotgun doesn’t point at everyone on the premises at the same time anyhow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Well, if the Hedrickites start rebaptizing and reordaining, it will be conclusive evidence that they are hopelessly in apostacy. If their priesthood and baptisms so far are not authentic, a thousand rebaptisms and reordainations by a ministry whose ordinations and baptisms up to date and invalid, would avail nothing but to advertise their apostacy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I am writing this in the dark so will probably have to rewrite it with a pen before you can read it. Am laid up with a lame back for a few days, so will not do much but run a typewriter. Have written a piece for the Herald to refuse, and will send it out tomorrow. Hallie may get to see it; but maybe wouldn’t read it, so will send a copy to you now. It expresses my feelings exactly on the temple building. I do hope the Lord will never let Fred M. have anything to do with building the temple till he repents of Masonry at least.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> As I said before, Curtis makes some good points against the Hedrickites but he has left himself wide open on a number of points where they will come back at him equally as strong, so it will stand six to one and half a dozen of the other, and where does that get us? He goes on record as being present when Mcgregor and his wife told of the direction they had to sink that oil well, and money would be received from it to help building the temple. It’s a bit strange, if they said that. They were then looking with all expectation for the Reorganization to build the temple. Now that the well is producing oil, which perhaps Curtis doesn’t know yet, and if it should actually make expenses and furnish some money for the temple, how will Curtis’ testimony stand? In favor the Hedrickites and the temple they are building, won’t it? He heard them say it, and its coming to pass, “Oh, that my enemy had written a book!”—Job</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, maybe their temple-building is all hoax; but even at that, if it is pure deception from top to bottom; people are better off putting their money into it than they are should for the Auditorium and incidentally loading a burden of fifteen hundred thousand dollars, and then some on their </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">great grand children to pay off. (bonds and interest). The temple at least is to be built without incurring debt for poverty-stricken posterity to suffer under. Which is acceptable to the Lord? I wonder!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I’ve talked with a man who was on the spot and tried to get work time and again on the auditorium; and even when they were advertising for fifty more men, he couldn’t get work, and neither could other members of the church get work on it; but non-members, and Negros were given work. He just simply dug into the matter till one of the members who was working told him why. That was, that anyone who wouldn’t kick in to their petty overseer, two to five dollars every week, were let out. They hired Negros and outsiders because the could give them to understand that their job depended on slipping their boss a bonus every Saturday night, and most latter Day Saints were so blasted unsuspecting and innocent that they couldn’t take the hint strong enough, without making it so broad they might get hauled over the coals for it, so that the poor dud would have to take the hint, and at the end of the week he was 1st out. One brother who had been out of work for months, with his family actually suffering, just wept because he couldn’t work there, when outsiders were being put on, and this brother didn’t have the heart to tell him why he was left out; his confidence was so implicit. He was an elder too. He told me that he stood there one day and heard his nibs the subcontractor curse and swear and damn Fred M. right to his face, and that wasn’t the only swearing going on around; but he heard expressions as “This is the damn Mormon temple,” made by workmen when passersby asked them what they were doing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is that the way Fred M. would build the temple? And is that the program the Ohio people voted to support one hundred percent?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The church accepted the revelation to build the sanitarium as being of God. Why didn’t they carry it out? It provided that Bro. Luff should be consulted, in the building, and put in charge when completed? Was it done? If it had been, we should have had an entirely different institution. Bro. Luff took up the study of medicine because he was directed to. When he asked the Lord which school of medicine he should study, he was told the Homeopathic. But when the sanitarium was completed, a Mason was put in charge, who held to the Allopathic school of medicine, making an institution exactly opposite what it would have been. Have you heard the Lord commending the sanitarium since then? It is now a place where women go for criminal operations. O yes it is, I’ve talked with an individual who worked there and saw what was going on; and his mother roomed people who came there for these operations, and roomed their friends and relatives who stayed near the sanitarium while they were confined there. And his mother told him of various ones, who roomed with her after the operations, while convalescing; and of the way their friends raved who also roomed with them, or called on them. And even the elders called on to administer to one of them rebuked her of having shed innocent blood.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Is this the program the Ohio people were voting to support one hundred percent?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moreover when arms and hands and legs were amputated, the rule required these amputated members be given a decent burial; but he saw many a time the outline and form of hands and arms and limbs, in the furnace, where they were burned to ashes. And when he went to the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">head nurse about it she said, O well, these was so much infection in them it was just as well stick them in the furnace.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I think before we vote to support a program one hundred percent we ought to have at least a shadow of an inkling what the program is. And everything is kept under cover that the people ought to know in order to vote intelligently. The can be no common consent with a common knowledge. And if all things in the church are to be done by common consent, the effort should be to make the knowledge of facts and conditions universal, instead of keeping it hid.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> When and where was the Insurance Department of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ authorized? As advertised in the Herald. Insurance, a feature that has absolutely no part in the Lord’s plan; no need of it under the law of equality. And in fact, without interest, rent, and profit, there could be no insurance company in the world? Premiums paid by policy holders alone could not keep them up.. Instead of getting closer to equality, step by step, we are getting farther from it, and forming departments and starting enterprises that will make it harder to ever realize it. We will have to give Fred M. credit for meaning what he said, when he said the Saints would have to get idea of equality out of their heads. He evidently doesn’t intend to have equality in his church. If that the program the Ohio people are supporting one hundred percent?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> In Minneapolis the authorities hauled Galdys Anderson (Ross’ sister) over the coals for not letting them baptize her seven year old girl, to help them reach the quota of baptisms allotted their branch. But she absolutely refused to let her be baptized. Is that part of the program the Ohio people are supporting one hundred percent.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> But then why pay any attention to the revelations to baptize children at eight years, when no attention is paid to the one in regard to the sanitarium; and the General Conference never had the guts to ask the authorities for an explanation. It the program to ignore the revelations what the Ohio people voted to support one hundred percent?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We are certainly following in the footsteps of the Catholic Church, where everything from insurance companies to theatres and dances must be made to pay tribute to the church. They don’t care how the money is earned or gotten, just so it finds its way into the coffers of the church. And we are going to support it one hundred percent.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Do you know anything about the rumor that Fred M. has a big firm in Canada stocked with choice cattle? I have heard that a member of the church sat behind Fred M. in a railroad car and heard him talk to a big business man sitting with him, and telling him that he was on his way to Canada to inspect his big stock farm. I think it might have been one that belonged to the church, and Fred spoke as if it was his, and didn’t think it necessary to explain minutely to the businessman, but when I think of how he even fooled Elbert with his secretism, I can’t help but wonder how much else is going on in secret, that even Elbert doesn’t know.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, you needn’t bother the girls with all this stuff. They don’t like their peace of mind disturbed. They won’t want to read “Keep viggling” either, unless perhaps the first two pages.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> All well, but me. Ross’s family are staying with us yet. He and Pertha were at Oxrow, Canada; taking a honeymoon trip and looking for a location where they can start a home again. We don’t </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">know how soon they will send for the children; or whether they will come back here for the winter, yet. It makes a shack full here; but they certainly get along well, packed as we are like sardines. We had good meetings Sunday. We do have them once in a while. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The best meeting we every had in this branch was the Sunday after we got back from Minneapolis when the conference sat on our anti-masonic resolutions, and we didn’t sit down to a swell banquet, either; nor vote to support the program 100%. The Spirit was there in such power that some of us were literally immersed in it; and even power given to cast out devils, and the Saints were so moved that they couldn’t keep their seat; but spoke two or three times, and one after another got up and pledged themselves to a more consecrated life. Just showed what a little unity would do. Other elders as well as myself looked upon it as a direct rescue of the united action upon the resolutions; but soon after disintegration began to set in, and lack of unity; and many of the pro-slavery element were not there, and wouldn’t believe we ever had such a joyful time; and we’ve never reached that plane of unity since, and probably never will again. It is too bad, but it can’t be helped.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I don’t believe the Lord has deserted the members of the Reorganized Church. I even think it would be possible to recover that which has been lost; but I am afraid it is not probably. I do not even think that the elders who have kept themselves free for the innovations that have crept in have lost their authority, not are their ministrations invalidated. And regardless of the spread of apostacy everyone who is faithful to the covenant made in baptism, and set their faces against the evil and corrupting influences that are at work, are as safe and as much recognized of God as they were in 1844, and we can stand serene and unshaken amidst all the upheavals that will yet occur.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Would like to see you all. Don’t know when I can manage a trip down there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I sometimes wonder to just what extent we may become old bottles, and partake so much of the traditions that always have and always will perhaps begin to creep into the church with the second and third generations, that we are not fitted to take part in a new movement to recover the church from apostacy. The Lord puts new wine into new bottles, that both wine and bottles may be preserved. Undoubtedly some of the old bottles, even though the wine be mixed with traditions are worth preserving, and so it may be better for them to stand as they are than take chances on being lost. Every move the Lord has made has been invariably with new bottles. It may be necessary to do so again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, I must close and rest my back, With love to all. Tell the girls I am glad they took their courage in their hands and read my sermon. I don’t think it will hurt them any.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Your loving son, Leon</span><br />
CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-40671331521057822412013-01-20T18:38:00.003-08:002013-01-20T18:38:40.220-08:00Letters - I love you mamma Darling, with all my heart<br />
Stewartsville, Mo.<br />
June 8, 1903<br />
Dearest Alice;-<br />
I received your letters yesterday; and as you may imagine, I have been very distressed in mind and sad of heart at the news of affliction and trouble, which you are suffering. I felt so bad for a while that I did not know what to do, and my faith -- --- the Lord’s watchcare ----<i>-(chewed - much is impossible to read now)</i>----- humanity ---- ---- Sometimes I am afraid ----- I shall turn out a ------ after all, and become a castaway. I can’t see why it should be that as soon as I leave home, sickness should come along and pick out our home to lodge in. I had been ---- ---- for a day or so, but now I have about forgotten that in worrying over my sweet girl.<br />
<br />
We intended to start for St. Joseph at 6 A.M. but our train is 7 hours late so we won’t go till 1 P.M. and it will probably be some later than that. I am anxious to get there, for I want to hear from my Darling again as soon as possible. One result of your letter is that Uncle Alex is inclined to ------- home the later part of ------; and that pleases ---- ------ I think I shall con---- --------, and if you need ----- sooner, send a telegram to this address.<br />
<br />
Ira Burdick came up Friday night and is going to work for Plin. Delia is building a new house at Indep. and is waiting for that to be finished before she comes. I am at Plin’s now. Our train was 7 ½ hours late. Plin fed me some ice cream, which tasted very fine as I was nearly melted. I will have to don lighter clothing soon, or roast. Darling --- I love you, I love you. --- --- now that I ---- --- the latter --- --- the week, as we inte----- leave St. Joseph before long. Don’t mail any letters after Tuesday unless you hear from me. We may not --- -- Thursday or Fri. so if you want to communicate send a telegram. Hope and pray you are all getting along better than when you wrote.<br />
<br />
If I don’t get a letter tomorrow shall be disappointed. I love you mamma Darling, with all my heart. I am so anxious --- get back and be with ----- babies that I can ----wait. Sweetheart girl, --- ----<br />
<br />
your Husband<br />
Leon.<br />
CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-55151222922551965132013-01-18T16:30:00.000-08:002013-01-18T16:30:16.073-08:00Letters - Dearest Husband, afraid I won't have a penny left<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Lamoni, Iowa</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> April 14, 1903</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dearest Husband,-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I intended to write to you last evening but by the time evening came it seemed to me I was so tired I just couldn’t get up energy enough to write so put it off. I cleaned house yesterday, gave the bedroom a regular spring cleaning, moved everything out and mopped and cleaned.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That was the cause of my being so tired, you see, but the room smells quite fresh and clean last night.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Coral came about six o’clock for me to dictate for her but the children were so cross and I was so tired that we didn’t think it wisdom so gave it up. It is the first time she has been here since you left. She is working in Sis, Wick’s milliner shop now so doesn’t get much time to practice shorthand. She says they haven’t had their allowance yet this month either. Oh I tell you, she is down on this missionary allowance business. She wouldn’t marry a missionary for anything. I have been having another sort of blue streak today., you know people are that way sometimes, whether they have any reason for it or not. I hope it won’t be reflected in my letter too much for I wanted to be able to kind of cheer you up in this letter if possible for I thought you must have been kind a discouraged when you wrote last. The letter with the dollar bill in. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Of course Darling, your petition was all right; who ever thought it wasn’t? I’m sure I didn’t. And now if they don’t take some action on it and make things more satisfying for you boys why I think you would be justified in quiting the business. That would show them that you really meant something when presenting the petition. I don’t hardly believe I would go on, the same as I did before now that the petition has been presented. I suppose Uncle Alec does feel kind a sore but I don’t see how he can blame you. It can’t be very pleasant to you either to have him acting cross-grained over it. I am sorry for you, Dearest, wish I might comfort you. I love you Darling and pray that the Father will guide and direct, and comfort you. Well I hope the Bishop will remember us after Conference if he couldn’t before, but maybe they are plumb out of funds. Lute hasn’t had his salary for last month either. So it goes. Seems like if we didn’t have to worry so much over financial affairs we could get some time to think of something else, but whether we would put our time in at anything better is hard telling.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Thanks for the dollar. It will come handy towards getting milk, butter and oil. I haven’t had a thing from town but that meat last Monday since you left but am afraid I shall have to go to the store before long.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Bertha has another Sunday off next Sunday. I wish it were so we could all go to church but I dare not take Leona yet. I believe she is getting some better now again but is bad enough yet. Phyllis and I are well and hope you are.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> But Oh! Dear I am so sleepy I shall have to give up. Friday after four and I must try to finish this and send it out. We’ve had no rain this week, but it’s been cloudy some today especially and my but the wind is cold from the N.W. However I have tried to do some gardening today. I plowed out those rows, hoed them and have plated five rows and half (single rows) by resting some between times but I tell you its hard work just that little, and makes my back ache. Its </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">pretty soft yet too, but I hope I’ll be able to finish the job tomorrow I fancied once today that I saw some peas coming up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Your letter kind of surprised me this morning for I really tho’t the Patriarchs would do something for you now that you had presented a petition looking for something more definite. I am sure I don’t know what would be best for you to do. It almost seem like you had better quit especially feeling as you have about it, but I don’t want to advise you wrong. I hope and pray that the Lord will direct us. Of course it will mean a hard pull for us, for a while at least, if you do quit and might necessitate your being away from home for a while until we were able to move where your work was but its going to be a hard pull anyway the way things are going. I’m afraid I wont have a penny left, for payment if I don’t get my allowance pretty soon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well I see I have used my last sheet of paper so must wait till I send for some more before I write any more.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love you Darling, I love you dearly and I hope we may be wise and put our selves into such a condition that we can leave the Holy Spirit to guide us in our moves.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I love you,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> your own Alice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(transcribed by Samii S. Gould)</i></span><br />
CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-33681729688943649842013-01-17T22:01:00.005-08:002013-01-17T22:04:14.119-08:00Letters - longing to see my darling, I haven't forgotten that her lips were made to be kissed<br />
<i>("Uncle Alec" or "Uncle Alex" refer to Alexander Smith, son of Joseph and Emma, who was the Presiding Patriarch of the RLDS church - Grandpa Leon was his secretary.)</i><br />
May 27, 1902<br />
Honolulu, Hawaii Ter.<br />
My Darling Mamma-wife;-<br />
We got on terra firma again about 10 o’clock today. Bro. Waller met us, and took us to his place. He also handed me a letter from my blessed mamma girl which game me much comfort; but made me still more anxious to hurry home and be by her side. I love you, I love you Darling.<br />
<br />
Bro. Kaler and family also landed and came here for dinner; but the boat has departed and they are now on their way to San Francisco. We found the General Conference news today and have eagerly devoured the same. It is a blessing to read of the blessing imparted to others.<br />
<br />
This island is mountanious like Tahiti and much like it in many respects, It has the same fruits; but seems to be a little colder. It is quite cool today, most too cool for my linen suit.<br />
<br />
I think I shall have a chance to mail this in a few days on the Canadian boat as it left Sydney 5 days after we did and stops here. Then about June 6 (11 months from the day I had my last wife kiss) we expect to start on our last water journey this trip.<br />
<br />
Well, well, the daily paper has just come and we find that instead of the 6th of June, the boat comes the 11th., so that we are destined to wait 5 days longer than we want to. So that we will not reach S.F. until 18th or 19th and that cuts me out of attending the reunion of the Saints; but Dear One, when I do get home, whenever that is, which I cannot now hope will be before the days of June. Good things are a long time in coming; but how we shall rejoice when the good time does come. Now, I shall have to wait three weeks ere I can receive another letter from you; for, I suppose I did not ask you to send but one letter here. I was glad to get your letter and know that you and the baby were well, for I had worried about you. I am such a hand to worry, anyway. There is one thing I would like to do, to learn, and that is to drop all office worry, and just be a jolly papa with my wife and baby-ies. So if I should get a streak of blues I wish you would remind me that I don’t want to worry.<br />
<br />
I should like to have had the currant pie that you two widow women cooked And I might have tasted the chicken. Sr. Seaburg made a current pie for me the day before I left; she found out that I liked current pie. You’d laugh if you could see the way they make pies, and pie crust. It is thicker and tougher than Grandmother G.s ever was. But it was good anyway. I hope if you really do go to Bemidji that I shall be made acquainted with it before I leave S.F. for I don’t want to waste two or three days in getting to my family. I’ll look for some letters as soon as I get to S.F. Oh, I guess dad could make a living in B. if he wanted to work hard enough, but he might make it easier somewhere else. I hope he wont buy one of Albert’s farms unless he is sure he wants it. I wish he would not pay any attention to all people say, but just do just as he thinks best.<br />
<br />
May 28, Uncle Alex is using the ink so I shall have to pencil. A boat leaves today from China, the “Peking” so we shall have a chance to send letters today. I sent some by Bro. Kaler, which he was to mail on reaching S.F. I think this will reach you about as soon. Another boat (the<br />
Canadian) leaves June 4 and another from China June 7, so you may expect letters in a week, and in 10 days, respectively after you get this. Our tickets are not good on either of those boats, another company you see, so we must wait till the 11th.<br />
<br />
Bro. Wallers place seems like a little Paradise, after our experience in Australia, and 2 weeks on water. He has lots of house room. His wife and children are in Cal. So we have things very quiet. It is on the sea-shore, and the house is in the midst of love shade trees, palms, and cocoanuts, with a well kept lawn, and fountain. I think I should like to spend a couple of years right here, with no one but my wife and baby-ies. My wouldn’t it be heaven on earth. Any place with my wife will be heaven enough; but this is an ideal place. The surroundings would harmonize so perfectly with our happy hearts.<br />
Bro. Waller makes me think of Uncle Art. only he is taller than Art. He is much like him in the way he talks, and laughs, and blinks his eyes when he is thinking.<br />
<br />
Oh, your loving words, Alice, Dear, how I enjoy them. I love you my mamma darling. The spring air, the chiping of the birds, the smell of the green grass, is filling my being with thoughts of love and contentment as well as longing to see my Darling, and watch her happy smiling face and lovely eyes. I haven’t forgotten, mamma, that her lips were made to be kissed.<br />
<br />
Well, well, I should say Clitherall must be all agog over such a little bit of romantic history happening in its midst. I am mighty glad Will got a Norwegion girl instead of some other girl I know, mighty glad, I tell you. I long to be home and see baby, with her cute ways. I think you can understand, mamma, how bad I want to be home, better than anyone else. It will take nearly a month at the outside. Mamma Love, I do take pleasure in everything concerning baby that gives my wife comfort. I am glad she is a church going girl, for I believe it easier to accustom children to go to church from the time they are bleached than to break them in when they get to be three of four years old. I have no D & C so I shall be very thankful for the one you and Hallie got. When we get one for home use, lets get a large-type one.<br />
<br />
Blessed Darling. I love you. I love you, Tell baby her papa is very homesick to see her. I love you my Darling Wife, I love you.<br />
Your own Husband<br />
Leon.<br />
<br />
<i>(Transcribed by Samii S. Gould)</i>CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-69276495434059885892013-01-15T18:26:00.001-08:002013-01-15T18:26:22.889-08:00Letters - Darling Girl, yesterday I preached my first sermon<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Hastings, Victoria</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Australia</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> April 14, 1902</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Darling Girl,--</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I thought surely I should find time to write some yesterday, but you see “the best laid plans of mice and men oft going aglee.” You see mamma, I did something yesterday that I never did before in my life. Of course you couldn’t guess, Dear, and I shall have to tell you about it,-- when I get home, or shall I tell you now? There isn’t much to tell so I think I will tell you now. Yesterday I preached my first sermon. Saterday a conference convened here, and at the close of the business meeting the other services were announced and I heard that I was to assist that evening, and preach the next morning at 10:30. Can you imagine how I felt, Dear? I just trembled all the afternoon and all night, and wondered what I could do to get out of it. I couldn’t see anything to do but jump in the ocean; and I wanted to see you, first, dear, and have a kiss. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Well the next morning I took my books and started with all the grit I could scrape together and that wasn’t very much, for my hands shook so I couldn’t scrape much, you see. Of course, I went out into the bush and told the Lord what a mess I was in, and that it wasn’t of my choosing, (for I had objected to it,) and that I knew as well as he did that I couldn’t preach unless he helped me; and I wasn’t joking with him either, my Pet, Well it is customary here to read a bible lesson, after the first song. That gives a weak kneed lad a chance to recover himself somewhat. The song was sung, then I read Is. 29;-10 to 19. When prayer had been offered, then a song sung, I got up and forged ahead. I talked twenty minutes, the longest speech I ever made in my life anywhere, before, and that was so much better than I expected to do, so far as time is concerned, that I feel fully satisfied. The Lord did not let me down, anyway, I am thankful for that, and am perfectly willing to give Him my all the honor for everything that was good in it, if there was anything good in it. I never head a sermon like it before, that followed the same line of thought, but I believe I have heard some that were no better. I can hardly believe yet that such a thing has really happened. Uncle Alex told me I did well for the first effort. After I quit the Prisedent of the District who was in the stand with me, went on with it and made a pretty good sermon out of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Oh I love you, my precuious mamma wife, I love you dearly. In less than a month we will be starting home, my beautiful bright-eyed little wife; not really small, Pet, but little you know, a little the best girl in the world, much the best mamma. I love you, Darling Wife. I smile with pleasure and a heart full of joy, and peace, and love when I think of seeing my wife and baby again. We got to Melbourne, Thursday noon, came to Hastings Saterday morning. Uncle Alex is feeling better. A Sr. spoke in prophecy to him at the Sacrement meeting yesterday and told him that he would be given strength sufficient and be permitted to return again to his home and loved ones. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Two of the brothers were telling out fortunes and dispositions by our hands and heads yesterday, or saterday evening, it was, come to think twice. They told me I was capable of making money and would hang on to it when I got it, that I was arguementative and would argue a question all day, being a little inclined to be stubborn over it, said that I was orderly and not cross, yet I could say some very harsh things, if I chose , when angry., or displeased, that I would be somewhat jealous of my wife, but would have a</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">happy married life and a nice little family. I was fond of home, but lacked self esteem. I would take a back seat and let people go to the front that had not so much ability as I did have. I was fond of language, a good hand with tools and machinery, could understand it, and invent. That I would not take advice, and was firm in opinions. I had much power of thought, and was logical, though not fluent in speech, was a deep thinker, and would reason on every side of a thing, and that I thought too much, did too much thinking for my own good. I have a due amount of reverence for aged people, but not much spirituality.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">April 17, We came up to Bro. Butterworth’s last night, he came from the U.S. 14 years ago, and married a young woman out here. He looks lots like Orison N. and his wife looks like Rosa Fletcher. I didn’t expect to find Orison and Rosa out here. I am afraid that I shall not get a letter from you in time to answer it in this mail. Its discouraging a little, but I shall be patient if I can in Australia is wearing away, and every day is bringing the time nearer. I suppose Bertha and Nett will go to Reunion again and try to get another beau on the string. I would if that’s all they go for. I love you my Darling. God bless you and baby. I love you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Your own Husband</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Leon A. Gould</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(transcribed by Samii S. Gould)</i></span><br />
CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-2082655808480733312013-01-14T22:22:00.001-08:002013-01-14T22:22:21.526-08:00Letters - Dear Leon, People don't know when they are well off<span style="color: purple;"><i>Letters from Leon's mother written to him on account of his brother Winfield's death to typhoid fever. Winfield was a traditional Gould family name, and as his brother by that name died, Leon later named a son Winfield - that son was my grandfather. </i></span><br />
<br />
Nov.<br />
<br />
My dear boy it is terrible to have to write such news, but I guess it was God’s will that he should go, we done all we could for him. But he didn’t get any better and we didn’t know where Lon was, he had been on some threashing machine, so we called the Doc. first, thought he might broke the fever if called in time, he called it typhoid fever but could not brake it up. We sent for Lon he came several times and Bro. Kellie came just the day before he died. I didn’t know ----- so could ----- how one boy left us it seemed to me that God had forsaken us. I hope and pray that He will not forsake you but will stand by you and give you that strength you need and may you hear good news from your family to repay for this, it seem like a horrible dream to us, we will sell the old home as soon as possible, we can’t live up here alone any longer. I guess our trials are coming that our blessings speaks of, I am glad Maude came home, I wish it was so you could come but I know you cant. May God bless us all that we may be able to endure to the end, is my prayer.<br />
<br />
your loving Mother<br />
<br />
<br />
Battle Lake Minn.<br />
Jan. 5, 1902<br />
<br />
Dear Leon we got a letter at last from you written Thanksgiving day but we missed one of two we ought to have got, it is terrible to have to wait so long for a letter and then not get one; but there is so many terrible things happen now days that we must try to get used to them. I suppose it is Sunday and such a long day. I wonder what you are doing today. I see by your letter you hadn’t heard the sad news yet but of course you have before this unless our letters have been lost too, we have written twice since Winnie died, it don’t seem to get any easier to bear yet we can not see why a merciful God should take him and leave us alone but I hope we will be able to endure it and not give up the faith entirely. I believe God has helped us as we would not be able to bear it as well as we do. I hope you wont have to stay away as long as you expect to, we are at a loss to know what to do now, we have sold out home but can’t decide what to do, we are thinking some of going down tomorrow and buy Uncle Net’s place but he asks $3000.00 for it and that is more than it is worth. Maude wants us to come down there, but Pa doesn’t want to go there, but it is no use to ask your advice for we will have to go some where before we hear from you again. Maud got back home all right again ---- went with her, the winter so far has been quite mild. We are well as coming, Art and Lois come up last night and staid till after dinner today so that helped to pass the day away some. I got a nice Christmas present from Alice, her own handwork, and we sent a little one to the grandbaby, would like to see it, and I guess you would. People don’t know when they are well off in this world, when we had you all at home we ought to have been the happiest folks on the earth. Well it is getting dark and I will close praying God to bless and sustain you and bring you safe home again, from you sad but<br />
loving Mother<br />
<br />
CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-28266835339391882432013-01-09T21:11:00.000-08:002013-01-09T21:12:15.168-08:00Letters - Mary, the Mother of Jesus... I think my wife is like her; fairest and sweetest of all<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><i>("Uncle Alec" or "Uncle Alex" are referring to the Presiding Patriarch of the RLDS church at the time - Alexander Smith, the son of Joseph and Emma Smith.)</i></span> <br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Pacific Ocean</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dec. 28, 1901</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My Darling Wife,-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It has been over a week since I wrote a word to my wife. It has been a long time, to me and I have thought of you, my own sweet girl; you and the baby.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We left Auckland, Monday 5:30 P.M. That night and all the next day the weather was fine, but Christmas morning there was a gale blowing and the sea was high. The sudden change made me feel as if I were going to be seasick. My appetite for breakfast was weak and I felt bad until 11 o’clock, after that I felt first rate and took my meals without trouble. One wave washed over the cabin which is built 8 feet above the deck. It smashed out 3 port hole windows and bent the aff rail, also demolished dishes in the dining room. At the table our soup, tea, coffee, and water ran over the table, and some of it was tipped into the bread plate; dishes were thrown onto the floor and smashed although we had a rack on the table to keep them from sliding off. We had Christmas dinner at 6 P.M. Turkey and plum pudding among other things. Altogether I did not enjoy Christmass much although I had the consolation of “looking” towards America. (I am able to look towards the land where my chosen abides, with the hope of sometime returning to her.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> The next morning the weather was still worse, and for awhile the bow of the boat was turned toward the wind, which made it easier for us, as the side waves make the boat rock a great deal worse. Towards evening the wind quieted down, and the next morning there was no trace of a storm, except the broken windows and dishes etc. The 27th. In the evening a concert was given in the cabin, singing, recitations and piano solos being rendered. $10.00 were collected for the benefit of some wrecker’s relief Association. We have hope of reaching Sydney by 6 o’clock, tonight. The U.S. mail steamer should be there in the morning, and I anticipate getting a letter from my wife. If I don’t, I shall have to wait 3 or four weeks, and that is not a pleasant anticipation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Just before we left Auckland, Mr. Brown, our host, asked me to send one of his post cards to you, so I wrote a few words on it and he said he would mail it. I have some Christmas and New Years presents for you, but must wait until I can bring them to you. I wonder when we shall enjoy another Christmas Day together. (I love you, Sweetheart.) I have been reading in the Book of Mormon, and I read where Nephi saw Mary the Mother of Jesus in a vision, and he said she was white and fair and beautiful above all other virgins. I think my wife is like here; to me she is the fairest and sweetest of all women. I love you. Kiss the baby and be just as happy as you can. Dec 30, I love you Sweetheart.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We arrived in Sidny at 6 P.M. Saterday. Took our luggage to a hotel, hunted up Bro. Ellis, found that Conference had begun that day. The next morning Uncle Alec went to Newcastle to attend and left me here, lacked money to take me so I have to get along without, you see. Well I have got along alright. I went to Church and Elder Seaburg invited me home. I am at his home right now. They are good people. In the afternoon I was asked to assist at the Sacrament Service which I did as well as I could. It is such hard work. Dear, and at night I dreamed of my Darling. I kissed you, Pet, and I was real happy. I love you my own sweet one.) I am going to the post office today, hoping for a letter from my fair bride. I am a little doubtful about getting one as I am afraid the steamer left S.T. too soon after you got the second mail; so I shall try and not be too disappointed if I must wait another month. (I love you my own sweet girl, I love you.) My insides seem a little out of order, the changes from sea to land make a difference. When I get home I am going to show you just the kind of a dinner I had first in Austrailia. We well have to wait till peach season though. I’ll tell you what we had. When we sat down to the table we found our plates well filled. There were 3 potatoes, 3 or 4 slices of boiled mutton, and a large mess of green peas in each plate. Then there was tomatoes sauce, bread, and water on the table. The second course consisted in peach pie. They don’t make pies here like we have in America. They make them in a deep dish like chicken pies are made, with just an upper crust. A pie was set on the table and the hostess filled each of our plates.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dec. 31—when we had eaten that we had another plate full. The peaches were put in whole with seeds in, and there were seven in my second piece of pie. (You see, Darling, that right after the first piece of pie was on my plate I had to quit writing, to go to breakfast.) When breakfast was over I went down to Bro. Ellis’s to see about our luggage and got a telegram from Uncle Alec to come at once with the luggage. I had $2.50 in American money and is 6 d. in English money. I ran around town to get it changed and got 8a. 1d. for it; cast me 50 cents to have it changed. My ticket cost 8s (second class) and then there was 9 shillings to pay on the baggage. Bro Ellis had just 8s. in his pocket, I had 1 so I just got off, broke, and so was he. I was so discourage, dear, that I thought a man better just give up trying to gain Heaven, and be content to go to the other place, than to leave home, and wife, and baby, to travel around strapped, depending on someone else to feed, clothe, and care for him. (Then I began to think of my fair bride and her priceless love, and I felt that as long as I could have her sweet tender love, I could endure most anything else, if I could be permitted to grumble a little once in awhile. But, Darling, I could not endure without your love. My sweet, Dear, beautiful mamma wife I love you, I love you, I love you; my blessed Bride, I love you, I love you.) I went to the post office, but was disappointed and I guess that had something to do with making me discouraged, as we whirled along up through the hills and “bush” I almost thought I was on the Brainard & Northern, for the timber, and the logs, and lumber, and little stations, lakes, creeks, with once and awhile a settlers shanty and a small clearing looked so much the same. Then I begun to feel homesick. I arrived at my “dusty nation” at 7:45 P.M. and was met by Bro. Kaler and Bro. Holworth, as I stepped from the car in the dark I stepped between it and the platform and went down like a wicked man whose feet slippeth. Bro. Kaler helped me up. I was not hurt; had 3 bundles in my arms, including the typewriter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Today I was called to assist Bro. Kaler in the prayer meeting. I did not feel any better about it than before, but after it is over, I feel better, if the Lord will forgive my poor stumbling effort. An now, Darling, I am going to venture on telling you something else, which I hope may prove good news; but time will tell. The Conference here elected Uncle Alex as a delegate to General Conference, and Bro. Kaler thinks he will go back in time for the Conference. So I am going to tell you not to write to this region after you get this letter. You will get this about the 2nd. of Feb. and the boat that takes this will bring whatever mail has reached S.T. The next boat, then won’t get here till after wll will leave which is March 11th. getting to S.T. April 7, (I hope all this won’t be an April fool.) and you may have a letter there for me when I land. send it in care of J.A. Anthony, 231 Castro St. San Francisco.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If I find out that I have acted with a little too much foresight I shall let you know as soon as possible. The work that Uncle Alec came to do will be accomplished, the ordaining of a bishop etc, right here, to night. I think, so there will be nothing but the blessings to be attended to, and so we are ready to go back now as far as official work is concerned. We expect to go to “Ina’s” next week. So Darling, be cheerful and pray that the Lord’s will may be done, and I shall, if we return, see you right away after Conference, I suppose.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I don’t whether I should be justified in running away from Uncle Alec during the General Conference or not. I don’t see how I could help but do it, but I suppose I should feel glad that I could be at Independence rather than Australia. However we will see about that. (I love you Darling, and long to kiss you Sweetheart, I love you, I love you.) Tomorrow is New Years. This is the last day of 1901.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomorrow people will be making good resolutions, to break. I don’t know that I ever made a resolution on New Years day, in particular. I always made them when ever they occurred, and usually broke them before New Years, I guess.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (However if I made one tomorrow, I think it should be to love my sweet wife harder than ever if possible, and do all I could to show her that she was, and is, the dearest, darling, sweetheart mamma wife that a man could have. I love you, Pet, I love you, Darling, you are very, very dear to me. I don’t know how to write about baby; but I know that I love it, mamma and every time I see a woman here with a baby, I love to see our baby, Darling, and tell my mamma wife how much I love her and how proud I am of her.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I see by the Herald that Bro. Ackerlen is dead. It will be a hard blow to Lillie; and I feel sorry for her. She was worrying about her father when we were in the islands, and seemed to be expecting his death. I am learning to feel more sympathy for other people that are in trouble and trial, since I have had my longing anxious times. (I do pray God that I may be permitted to enjoy my Darling wife’s love and companionship yet again many times, much, Darling.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jan.7, 1902---My Sweetheart I hope your New Years has been a Merry one and that little Lovite is getting to be real good and white. I hope she is not as cross as the one that lives here. Today I have rattled the typewriter and done some reporting. Have listened to some wonderful tales of adventure, too, which I may be able to tell you. There are some curious animals in this country of which I shall write in my diary. Darling, I love you, I love you, I shall mail this, tomorrow, love and certainly will try to mail another in time for same boat. Dearest mamma, my heart is full of truest love for you, I love you will all my heart. I love you my Pet, my bride, my wife.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Your Husband till death.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Leon A. Gould</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(transcribed by Samii S. Gould)</i></span>CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-11350521471141613522013-01-05T16:02:00.001-08:002013-01-05T16:02:41.614-08:00Letters - Dearest Husband, Oh My! The awfullest sight.<br />
Bemidji, Minn.<br />
Dec. 28, 1901<br />
Dearest Husband;-<br />
Two weeks and five days since I started my last letter to you and now I will try to start another one, possibly I will get it finished sometime. I (chewed) been having somewhat of ------- time since I wrote last, ----- ---- week ago Wednesday I ---- ---- a hard lump coming --- ---my left breast and from -----on inspite (Well its Sun. now and I will try a little more) of all we could do my breast would gather and break. Of course it got so hard, ----- -- bad baby couldn’t nurse and she cannot get enough from the other breast especially when I had fever, then it seemed as though hardly no milk at all would come, so she had to be fed and that didn’t agree with her. My gathered breast got so bad that I finally Tuesday morning sent for Mamy but she couldn’t do much. Xmas forenoon it was the worst (or I -----) We sent for Freem, he administered to me shortly after ------ and I commenced feeling better right away. Mamy ----- come again that after----- and pronounced the breast looking better. We had poultice it nearly all the time and had been afraid we would have to have it lanced by a doctor. --- Mamy said Xmas --- noon that it wouldn’t have to be lanced.<br />
<br />
Well Thursday morning after we got up we found it had broke and since then it has run – Oh My! The awfullest sight. My breast you see, had swelled way out just awful big and that seemed to all have turned to matter. There is a great hole now almost large enough to run the end of a -- ----- into, where it broke ----. The Lord blessed me wonderfully ---- ----- the breast from being --- ---- and from paining me, for -------- when breast is on the --- principle of a large boil.<br />
<br />
I would have gotten along fairly well if it had not have been for getting so discouraged. I had cryed so much the last week or so that it seemed as tho’ I couldn’t quit sometimes. I have --- a great deal more bother to ---- and all this siege that I was the week or so after baby was born, of course that discouraged me. Baby cannot nurse the sore breast yet on account of the hard lump around the nipple but the milky has come back into the breast some again. We had been afraid that breast would dry up entirely. It make baby pretty cross ---- getting enough to eat ---- Aunt Eliza has been trying to help us out the last ---- days by coming down ----- the afternoon and nursing her once. It helps the baby, too, and doesn’t seem to hurt her like cows milk. Oh! I shall be glad when I get so I have plenty of milk for her again, if that ---- ever comes I do hope it will. Another thing that has bother me so much is my nipples being so sore. I just cry at times yet when I try to nurse her and now my right nipple is worse than ever before because she was had to depend on it alone for over a week. I tell you it takes a little courage to put a sore nipple into a baby’s mouth ----- --- or so times a day when ------- hurts so it seems as --- ----- can not hardly stand --- ----- the first few draws and -- -- times longer.<br />
<br />
Well, to change the subject, Christmas is over. I got a new calico dress (ma gave me). Hallie sent me a little silver-gold lined bon-bon dish and the baby a white dress not made. Gladys ----- the baby a little silver, gold cup and Grandma Gould ---- her a little pink outing flannel dress.<br />
Lute gave her cloth for a little white dress before she was a week old. I am looking for some more letters from my Sweetheart but they are slow in getting here again.<br />
<br />
Monday after 3 o’clock and Aunt Eliza had been here and nursed baby again and she is sleeping quite peacefully, the first --- --- since about 6 o’clock this ---- ----. I am feeling quite good this afternoon but --- breast still runs some --- the hard lump is still around the nipple so baby cannot nurse it yet. The other nipple is so sore that I just more than cryed when baby tried to nurse in – night. We have tried --- --- thing we or anybody else ---- thought of, I guess, for sore nipples but cannot get anything that will cure mine. Of course the one on the gathered breast is well because it hasn’t been used for over a week only with the breast pump or else I milk it by hand. Well such is life, but I do wish my nipple would get well and that I would have enough milk for baby for other food just doesn’t agree with her. I have had a lame knee, a --- ---- and wrist and a --- touch of tooth ache as --- --- as ache at different ---- --- during this spell and I ---- --- to be up night’s so much ---- --- care of my breast that I haven’t been undressed for over a week. I just slip off my shoes and lie down when I do have a chance to rest. I have slept pretty good the last few nights.<br />
<br />
Pa is just getting over a boil that was in such a place that he could neither stand up, sit down or lie down in peace, so he had to lie down. It kept him on the bed a week, just about the same time I was the worst, but it has gone or is going way without coming to a head. Oh! We have nearly all been afflicted one way or the other. Ruby ---- well.<br />
<br />
Myrtle Andes sent you a -------- kerchief for Xmas with ---- it also another picture of ==---- babies. She said she ---- would send me a present -----, Ern when he come back.<br />
They had a Xmas tree up in Freem’s neighborhood and got baby a bright colored ball attached ---- rubber string, also Aunt --- sent her a little hood.<br />
<br />
Ralph and Edwin W. came here Monday evening before Xmas on a visit. Edwin has gone to work with Vick and Byron; Ralph is here helping our boys some now.<br />
New years evening and I will again try to right some. I would have written some last evening only I was so tired and ma was reading out loud but it is --- -- as you said last year, that --- --- I can write to you ---- ---- baby’s papa. Darling ---- ---- you Dearly. My heart is --- ----, Dearest, all yours. I have --- --- so many times during my sickness, of my darling-boy and of how happy he would make me if he could only be here. I love you Leon Dearest, -- I love you.<br />
<br />
Believe me Dearist I do love you and long for your ---- --- and sweet kisses and caresses.<br />
I am improving right along, my appitite is increasing, and I would feel pretty good if only my right nipple would get well enough for baby, but she cannot nurse the left breast yet to any advantage.<br />
I am so sleepy and tired again this evening that I guess I shall have to stop and make preparations for bed. I may have a chance to send this out to morrow. ----- night Darling, may God ------ as you need, each and every ----- is my prayer.<br />
<br />
ever your loving wife<br />
Alice E. Gould<br />
<br />
Jan. 2 We had a good night’s rest last night and feel real good this morning. I love you Darling Huband, I love you fondly, dearly, devotedly.<br />
My heart is yours, I love your’<br />
CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-14100538015904194042013-01-01T17:00:00.001-08:002013-01-01T17:00:39.686-08:00Letters - I had a plain white India Linen dress, Mrs. L.A. Gould<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Lamoni, Iowa,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Aug. 5, 1900</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Cousin Myrtle;-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have you made up your mind that getting married has made me forget everybody else in the world? Well I have not forgotten you if I didn’t write. I got your letter while at Battle Lake. Ma had it sent to me there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> You do not know anything about my wedding do you? So I guess I have better start way back there. The tenth of June 1900 was a very pleasant day. A few fleecy clouds were floating in the sky and it was quite cool. The ceremony took place at 10 A.M. Bro. Robert’s officiating. Two couples were married you know. Ern and Lilly and Leon and Alice. Winnie and Bertha Hunter stood up with us. Ern was married first and this is the position we were in</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ern/ \Lilly</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leon/ \Alice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Winnie/ \Bertha</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bro. Roberts</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">then Ern and Leon and Lilly and I changed places and we were married I have a plain band, oval ring as a wedding ring. It has not been off from my finger yet. I had a plain white India Linen dress, trimmed with lace in neck and sleeves and a white wattered silk ribbon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had a ribbon sash tied on the left side. You can see in the picture about how it was made. The picture is very good one of us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We girls had flowers, pink and white in our hair and the boys a bouquet on their coats. Lilly’s dress was cream colored cashmere trimmed with satin ribbon, silk lace and braid. It was very pretty. Our folks think Lilly is as nice as nice can be. Leon and I got a quilt, 3 sheets, 2 pr. pillow cases, a pr. pillows, a comfort, and strawtick from pa and ma, a white table cloth from Byron, a pr. of very pretty towels from Bertha Anderson, and a pr. from Bertha Hunter, a pr. from Aunt May and one towel from Daisy Lyon, Vick’s girl.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ross gave us a lamp. Ern a little brown tea-pot. Lilly a very pretty cake plate, Maude Sherman gave us a quilt and Aunt (Lios?) gave us a quilt. That is all I think of now except Lute, Grandma & Grandpa, Corda and Orisen and Lu and Leon’s parents all gave us some money in stead of buying us anything to bring down here with us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Ern and Lilly got something the same only more dishes and not so much bedding. We had dinner right away after the wedding.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ern. Lilly, Leon, myself, Bertha Hunter, Winnie and Pa and Ma sat at one table and some more people at the other table and some had to wait. We had bread, butter, pickles, potatoes-</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mashed, dressed chicken, chocolate cake and cocoanut cake was brides cake, strawberries, oranges, bananas, lemon ade, raspberry pie, I should say. I believe that was all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> All of our family, all of Freem’s and Myron’s families Rich and Ross, Oron B., Leon and Winnie, Bertha Hunter, Daisy Lion, Lilly Hand and Bro. Roberts were there. After dinner we went to Sunday School. Then we came home, had supper did the dishes and afterwhile my husband and I went for a walk as had been the custom before we were married and when we got back lo and behold everybody was getting ready for bed so there was nothing for us to do but go and do like wise. Yes Sir, whether you believe it or not I slept with a man that night. We found just as we were getting into bed some kind of an object down the middle of the bed that felt very much like a cat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> On examination next morning we found it was a pussy hood ma de into the form of a cat. Leon took it down stairs the next morning to show what we had found.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We found out it was some of Aunt May and her girls work. That was the only trick that was played on us. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I taught school a week after we were married then on Saterday got ready to leave home for good. Sunday we went to S.S, and Freem’s girls, Abbie and Nett came down.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Early Monday morning those two girls, Bertha, Vick, Lute, Winnie, Leon and I bundled our things into two covered wagons and start for the reunion at Perham. We had a very pleasant trip. Got there Wednesday afternoon and I got to see my new Pa and Ma and my youngest sister. We stayed there until the next Monday then went down to Silver Lake. We visited there and at Clitherall hardly a week and Sunday evening July 1 we started for Lamoni.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had to lay over a day at Minneapolis. When we got here at Uncle Alex we were tired and dirty and sleepy you may bet. We stayed at Uncle Alex.’s two weeks then went to house keeping with an old lady in the prettiest part of town that I have seen yet. Lamoni is a very nice place and I would enjoy living here very much if Leon could be at home. We had kept house just one day over two weeks and had hardly been married two months when Leon had to go with Uncle Alex to California.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> They started last Wednesday morning. You do not know how hard it is and you never will know until John goes off to be gone 3 or 4 months.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I do not look for them back much before Xmas but then they may come sooner, I hope so. I have been to S.S., preaching meeting and prayer meeting today. We have very good meetings and so many attend that it seems almost like a reunion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> How is that dear little girl? Is she well? And Orral too? What have you named her; I have been so busy and changing around so much that I haven’t thought of a name yet but probably you have named her already.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Doris is quite a pretty name. I do not remember the other name you spoke of. One of Audentia Anderson’s little girls is named Doris.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Well it is getting about church time again so I guess I had better quit for this time. Write as soon as you can and tell all about everything. What a big time you had the 20th. etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">P.S. So Minnie Swenson is married too, is she, and just four days after we were too? Well, as Lute says, so goes the world.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leon has an accordion and I amuse myself quite frequently since he left by playing( or trying to play, I should say) on it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I haven’t forgotten that I promised to send Ida and Iva another picture but we had only a few of these and I couldn’t possibly get around among the relatives.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am going to send a two cent stamp along with this letter and ask you to send this letter back to me after you have read and dijested it. You may write as much as you wish and send along with it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I suppose you think I have a queer notion in my head and I’ll admit I have but I want the letter just the same.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am ashamed of this poor writing but the fault is in the pen partially. I am in hopes that sometimes The Patriarch, his stenographer and wife too, can go down there to a reunion. Wouldn’t I be glad if we could get to see you all. I couldn’t possibly have gone this time if they had have gone. Well, I must stop.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Good by. Love to all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> address Alice E. Gould or Mrs. L. A. Gould</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Box 203, Lamoni, Iowa</span><br />
CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-13334904188053449972012-12-29T18:06:00.000-08:002012-12-29T18:06:18.897-08:00You are invited to be present at the marriage of Alice to Leon<br />
You are invited to<br />
be present at the marriage<br />
of<br />
Alice E. Anderson<br />
to<br />
Leon A. Gould<br />
at the home of<br />
the bride’s parents.<br />
Sunday, June 10th.<br />
10 A.M.<br />
----- -----<br />
<br />
Independence, Mo.<br />
June 8, 1900<br />
<br />
My Dear Bro. & Sr.,<br />
Alice and Leon, I am glad to be able to call you so and regret that we could not have been present, at the Wedding. But we wish you much joy, happiness, peace, prosperity and posterity, and all that goes to make married life a success. I felt quit silly when I read the invitation, I have been expecting something of the kind but when it came, It didn’t seem possible that you had really made up your mind to take so great a step. It wasn’t funny at all to think I got married, I always knew I would go and do that.<br />
<br />
Well I am going to propose fear for fear you wont think of it, Leon bring Alice down here, and leave her in my hands and you can see her often and I want her Oh so bad. It is lonesome here alone I must have someone to talk to, and I would be so glad to take Alice in and mother her. Please don’t disappoint me I have been planning this for six months, and I know Alice would like to come, I have sent my loger to hunt a new bed so I can make room for you. Plin says Amen to it all so it is all right, just come. Well we are not very well just now. We have been having such colds, and they never know when to let up.<br />
<br />
I have been making Nina’s new dress to wear to the wedding, have got it almost done, I will send a piece if I don’t forget. Well it is way past bedtime and Plin hasn’t got home for supper, maybe you think that don’t sound well for him to be out so late, but it is not to be helped; once in a while in his kind of business, but I always worry when he don’t come at the usual time. So Alice you will have something to worry you now if you are anything like me. Well I expect you are the happiest couple ever lived & as I can’t add to –love you both- Maude<br />
<br />
<i>(transcribed by Samii S. Gould)</i><br />
CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-21491569293402094272012-12-29T17:54:00.002-08:002012-12-29T17:54:50.910-08:00Letters - Dear Cousin, I was very much surprised<span style="color: purple;"><i>Dear Readers, my apologies as I found this letter and realized it ought to have been posted as the very first letter in the series. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><i><br /></i></span>
Wakpeton, N. Dak.<br />
<br />
Jan. 31, 1897<br />
Mr. Leon Gould,<br />
Battle Lake, Minn.<br />
<br />
Dear Cousin: I was very much surprised yesterday when I got home from Sunday School to find that picture. I did not ask for one for I thought as long as I got one of each of the other pictures you would not have one of these for me but I was just as glad to get it as I would have been if I had asked for it.<br />
I don’t think it is very good of Hallie or Winnie.<br />
We are getting along nicely at school, have grown from eighty six last Fall to one hundred eighteen this winter.<br />
I don’t see why if there is homesteadable land within reach of humanity, a person shouldn’t get him a home; it is the cheapest way of getting a home there is, I guess, that’s what I am going to do when I get of age; if I don’t miss my guess. I should hate to advise any one to go to Klondyke.<br />
Well this paper, pen and ink are bad and the writer is worse. News is scarce and I have got to study, study, study.<br />
<br />
Good bye,<br />
Alice<br />
CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-79080829178890410292012-12-27T19:31:00.003-08:002012-12-27T19:31:57.540-08:00Letters - Dear Leon, from your own Alice & Dear Brother, death won't stop me<br />
April 30, 1900<br />
Mr. L. A. GOULD,<br />
Bemidji, Minn.<br />
<br />
Dear Leon, I am not able to teach today so will ask you to take my place if you can. Of course if you have something else to do so that you cannot spare the time, why well will just quit school until I am able to teach. I will tell you something about the programme: Ella has just got so she can add numbers, a little and Ray and Amy can add and subtract numbers where there is no borrowing to be done. I have been trying to teach Frank to write figures about 100 but haven’t succeeded very well. He has been working examples in addition out of the Arithmatic.<br />
<br />
The B. Geog. are just ready to commence with South America. I will send some thin paper that I think they can trace the map.<br />
<br />
I may be able to teach tomorrow, don’t know for sure though. I was worse yesterday after noon after you left than I had been at all before. I rested pretty good last night but feel rather weak this morning. My ear doesn’t bother me this morning only once in a while.<br />
<br />
Well I think I will stop and eat some breakfast. Come over as soon as you can. Come home with the children from school if you teach and if you don’t teach, why come when ever you can anyway.<br />
<br />
from your own Alice.<br />
over<br />
I could not find the thin paper I thought I have, so will send yellow tissue paper. Maybe you can use it and maybe not.<br />
<br />
<br />
Perham, Minn.<br />
May the 21th, 1900<br />
L.A. Gould<br />
Dear Brother, yours of May the 16th. is here before me and contents notest in reply will say that I will be ready to come up that next week and preach where I can until the day you wish to be made happy. I will be at Mr. Nye’s Friday of next week. Bro. Omans and me are going out in ----- this week and begin Meetings up there and when I get him started in I will run up to Audulon for next Sunday. I am going to write to Bro. Smith today and if he wants to come he can. Remember me to all. yours in the faith.<br />
<br />
J. N. Roberts<br />
Box 334 Perham, Minn.<br />
<br />
P.S. Death wont stop me on that occasion, I will come – dead or alive. J.N.R.<br />
CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-50479803900577764172012-12-26T07:01:00.000-08:002012-12-26T07:12:52.412-08:00Letters - it would be a hard matter for poor people to make a home any place, "Yours until death" Alice E. Anderson<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Bemidji, Minn.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Feb. 20, 1900</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Leon;-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I commence this letter asking the Lord to so direct me that what I may write will be in accordance with his will. I have read, studied and thought about your letter ever since I got it and feel I cannot answer it satisfactorily until I have settled that other question that has been on my mind so long.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Leon, I do not believe very many people anyway, ever had such a hard time settling a question as I have in trying to settle this question. I have prayed over the matter so much and believing as I do that the “Lord” will answer our prayers; I do not believe he will let us be lead too far astray.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Leon, I accept your love, thanking “God” for the love of such a true, noble man and I give you mine asking out Heavenly Father to help me to so live that I may never do anything to lessen the high opinion you have formed of me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I am not prepared to say you did hardly right in asking me to decide what would be best for you to do, for I have such a hard time in deciding what is best for myself that I hardly dare trust myself to decide for others. Then another thing. If you should abide by my decision and should find out afterwards that I had not decided for the best, I am afraid I should always feel as if I had done something to hinder your progress. Then my folks living up here might have the effect of making me decide it would be best to stay here when really it would not. You see there are a great many things to take into consideration and the only safe way to decide important matters is to take the matter to out Heavenly Father.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> For my part I really think from the sound of your letter that you favor staying here more than going to Independence and I suppose after reading my letter that it will be an easy matter for you to tell which side I favor most.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> If we really knew that you could do better at Independence than here, that you could find employment and have a chance to improve or make use of your talent; if we really knew that it is the Lord’s will for you to leave here, that it would be for the best; then I would not object to it at all. But I have seen some few families go to Missouri and most of them have come back feeling that Minnesota cold winters’ are preferable to Missouri’s orchards with her sickly climate. At least the climate of Mo. Proved to be sickly for most of us Andersons, and unless you could find work in your line of business I think this Jack-pine land better than the majority of Mo. Farms unless a man has more means than he knows what to do with.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Of course I have no doubt that Mo. Is about as good a state as Minn. Possibly better, but I never saw very much except the dark side of Mo. so that would be another reason why you should not trust my wisdom in this matter. Another thing, every thing must be bought by a person living in the city like Indep. , even to potatoes and wood, therefore it costs more to live in such a place that would where there is plenty of wood and we can raise potatoes here, I believe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Of course it would be very nice to live where church privledges could be enjoyed and I do hope that the time will come some day that they may be enjoyed here, for goodness knows that the saints around here, young saints especially need something to keep them away and alive in the work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I agree with you that it will be a hard matter to make a home here but then I believe it would be a hard matter for poor people to make a home any place now days and I am afraid times are going to grow harder instead of better,. Now you have my idea on the matter I believe but do not let what I have said influence you too much for I really want to do what would be for the best, if it should take you a much greater distance than Mo. of course I should want it to take me with you. Now as it is about half past ten, time young folks like myself was in bed I will close hoping that if I have written anything contrary to the will of the Heavenly Father, he will show me my mistake before it is too late.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> “Yours until death”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Alice E. Anderson</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(transcribed by Samii S. Gould)</i></span>CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-71300789858533672252012-12-26T06:52:00.001-08:002012-12-26T07:13:21.671-08:00Letters - Dearest Alice, women have better judgement in deciding such matters, LAG<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Bachelor’s Den</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Feb. 17, 1900</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dearest Alice;-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will try to put the matter concerning that problem I asked you this afternoon in as plain a light as possible, and I hope you will be able to comprehend my meaning whether I am able to express it fully or not.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> One reason why I want your opinion is because I believe women have better judgement than men in deciding such matters.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I will now give you my reasons for thinking of going to Indep. It looks to me now, that it will be difficult to make a home here that I could ask you to share or that you would be willing to share. And I can’t think of a home without you. Whenever I think of a home of my own, I feel that it would be a sad one, if not unbearable without you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I have some talent in the line of Shorthand work and down there I might have a chance to improve it and make use of it, perhaps, to the greater advantage. Such being the case, I might be able to provide a suitable home where we could be happy, if the Lord is willing, when I might fail here. I don’t know as I have talent for anything else.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Of course, if I went, I should not in-tend to relinquish my homestead unless circumstances justified it at the end of six months, and I thought I could do better there than here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now for the reasons on the other side. I would like to hold the claim. If I could make a home here, with you, I should be perfectly contented, and as to happiness, I wont attempt to say how happy I would be.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I think the out-doors work would benefit me. If I hold my claim I want to stay here and put in my time improving it, and make use of the means it would take to go down there and back.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perhaps it looks foolish, from one point of view to think of going down there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Now I have tried to tell my thoughts and if you can, I would like to have you decide. Nothing would suit me better, if the Lord’s willing that we twain should be one, than to have a home here, if you wished it, near your folks. You may be sure that I would use my best efforts to carry out your wishes, and which ever way you decide I will abide by it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> To change the subject, I have been wondering why you asked me that question concerning young men in the ministry.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ll tell you why I don’t think he ever made that kind of a statement. The Lord ordained marriage. He saw that man needed a help-meet and he gave him a wife for that purpose. It seems to me that a minister would need a help-meet as much if not more than any other man.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Do you remember hearing of Elder Anthony? I think his initials are J.R. He does lots of writing for the “Herald”. I have heard that he was called to the ministry while he was a single man, but </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">like men are apt to do, he fell in love with a woman, a widow. But he thought that as long as he was an Elder and dependent upon the church for support he ought not marry her. But it seems that he was wrong in that for the Lord spoke to him through the gift of tongues at a prayer meeting and told him that sacrifice was not required. So they were married.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Alice, I have had the heart-ache at times during the past week because it seemed that you were no better satisfied as to whether you could or should give me your love. It seems to me that my future happiness as well as usefulness depends upon that. If the Lord would be displeased with out marriage I don’t understand why he should have let me love you as I have. If he should indicate that we were not for each other, I don’t know how I could stand it. I don’t believe I could unless he took away the sting. I have tried not to say too much to influence your mind the way I believe because I wanted to leave your mind free to act perhaps I have said too much in this letter, I hope not. Hoping and praying that we may be given wisdom to decide these matters right I am your friend till death.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Leon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don’t know when I will see you again. May be not before the 25th. I may come over some evening next week. I don’t know when I shall be able to talk with your Mother. Maybe there is no chance to talk with her alone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> L. A. G.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(transcribed by Samii S. Gould)</i></span>CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-24213082745650479992012-12-21T11:10:00.001-08:002012-12-21T11:10:28.443-08:00Letters - Don't think I'm crazy, I am deeply in love, Leon<br />
<i><span style="color: purple;">Dear Reader,</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: purple;"> The next scores or so of posts will be not my own writings, but correspondences of my Great-Grandfather Leon Gould. This letter is to his cousin, Alice, whom he later married! Great-Grandpa Leon had a large family (of 11 children), and journeyed as secretary to Alexander Smith in the RLDS church before eventually joining the <a href="http://www.churchofchrist-tl.org/" target="_blank">Church of Christ (TL)</a> and becoming an Apostle. His descendants have been blessed with a rich spiritual heritage and many true family accounts of what can only be called miracles. If you read these letters and are interested in reading more of the Gould family history, look for a book titled "Trek of Faith" by Peggy Tucker. These letters contain the original spelling mistakes and have not been corrected. Feel free to print and keep these letters in your own family history files if you so wish. In the future, a book of Leon's writings will be made available. Enjoy!</span></i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Feb. 1, 1900<br />
<br />
Dear Alice:- I feel I must write a few lines, or more. And a dream I dreamed last night strengthened that feeling. The dream troubles me, and I will tell you what it was. In the first place I dreamed of getting a letter addressed in your handwriting so I shall look for one. But the one that worries me is this. I thought I was in a room, standing by the window when presently, you came in. You held out your hand and I took it. Your face was radiant and covered with smiles, and I seemed to read love in your eyes. Suddenly your eyes filled will tears and you began shaking your head and seemed to be telling or saying something that distressed you, and gradually seemed to be getting farther from me, though, I still held your hand. The sight of your tears and sorrow filled me with anguish and I awoke. The dream may mean nothing; I hope it does not, but I was unable to sleep any more and have felt that trouble of some kind was coming to us. I have wondered if it meant that you would find that you did not care for me. I could endure most anything but that. If you should make such a decision, I beg and plead that you will not do it hastily.<br />
<br />
Are you any better satisfied regarding the Lord’s will concerning us? There is one thing we must remember, in seeking the Lord for wisdom. It is this If the Lord is willing that we should be united in marriage the other power will use his influence to the contrary. And if the Lord is not pleased, the other power will use his influence in the opposite direction. Two influences have been at work. Can you decide which is right? A few years ago our parents would have objected strongly to the thought of our marrying. Some influence has changed their minds. Some influence has been at work to lead us both in different paths. Would it have been better? Was it right or wrong? If wrong, is the other influence wrong too? I think your Mother would be willing to aid us in deciding with her prayers. If you think best I will endeavor to lay the matter before her.<br />
<br />
Alice I love you earnestly, and truly, and I have said to myself many times that you were the sweetest, best and truest, (as well as the most beautiful, to me, as I have told you before) of women. Don’t think I’m crazy, I am not; but I am deeply in love.<br />
<br />
It will be a happy day for me when you can tell me that you are satisfied and can give me your love.<br />
I have been contented and happy for the last few weeks, and the change in my feelings have been so great that I scarcely know how to act or what to say.<br />
<br />
Winnie told me a few days ago that Bertha asked him, when he was down, how you and I were getting along. He told her that he guessed we were not getting along very well, and she says,- “Well there will be a change there, I know there will be a change there.”<br />
Hoping I have not written too much I will close, wishing you all the happiness possible for your good.<br />
<br />
with Love<br />
Leon Gould</div>
CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-45214026219181046142012-12-20T18:40:00.000-08:002012-12-20T18:40:08.941-08:00Letters - My dear Alice, Yours in love, Leon<br />
My dear Alice;-<br />
You used a pencil, will you please allow me the same priveledge this time? Charlie has the lamp so I am writing this almost in the dark. I can’t even see the lines. I got the letter that I saw in my dreams, today.<br />
<br />
I asked my mail and only received a letter from Harry N. and went over to one of the windows and stood there wondering if I wasn’t going to get your letter. Finally I began to read Harry’s when I heard the P.M. Call, Mr. Gould! I went over there and he handed me your letter. I see you wrote it before I did mine I don’t know whether you mailed it first or not. That dream I told you has been on my mind, I suppose I am foolish to let anything like that trouble me. A mere dream.<br />
<br />
I have asked the Lord, if there was danger or trouble near you, to protect you. Yes, I heard you were in town. I stopped at the house the afternoon of Tuesday and your mother told me. Don’t let them make a catholic of you. I wouldn’t wish the girl I love to be a catholic you know. I would be very glad if you did not think you had to work out, but I suppose you do think so or you would not do it.<br />
<br />
Certainly, I would be please to have you tell me that you want to see or hear from me if you do. I didn’t hardly know whether you did or not. I would call and see you anyway if you were not among strangers. As it is I am doubtful not know what to do.<br />
<br />
And they really let you eat at the same table with them? Strange? I wonder if they will stoop low enough in the next world to sit at the same table with the rest of the angels.<br />
I think I had better stop before I tire you out or you will be sure not to want me to write again.<br />
<br />
Yours in love<br />
Leon Gould<br />
CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2893394803073780299.post-8234563700299689602012-12-19T11:54:00.001-08:002012-12-19T11:54:54.291-08:00Letters - Dear Leon, live in hopes and I hope not to die in despair, Alice<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Bemidji, Minn.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Jan. 30, 1900</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Leon;-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I am in town again working for my daily bread. Are you surprised to hear it, or have you heard it before? I have given up getting that school this winter so thought I had better take up with the next best or next worse which was to work out, of course. I never made up my mind that I would try working out again until Sunday evening. Then I was in hopes I would have a chance to see you before starting out, but of course I did not. I got here about nine o’clock this morning and found plenty to do to keep me busy until nine tonight, and I am nearly as tired as I was the night after first day of school I ever taught. Tomorrow my work commences three hours earlier I suppose.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Well such is life in the far north. How are you boys getting along? The weather is about as cold as it got a few times last winter, isn’t it? I have not told you yet who my Master and Mistress are, have I?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Well they are not Bampy and Mamy this time. I am working at Mr. Charley Nangles. Catholic’s you know, but they do stoop so low as to allow me to eat at the same table as them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Well we have not had a chance to have that talk yet; but may live in hopes and I hope not to die in despair.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I can not think of anything sensible to write so guess the best thing I can do is go to bed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please excuse this poor writing and if you find mistakes, blame the pencil and not me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> They have a sick baby here; which, naturally, causes a great deal of worry.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Well I must stop I cannot tell whether I am spelling the words right or wrong.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shall I tell you that I would like to either see you or hear from you sometime in the near future? Please excuse this lead pencil as I have no ink with me and I wouldn’t bother to borrow any. Now I am going to stop; bidding you good night.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> As ever your true friend,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Alice E. Anderson</span><br />
CharityElainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14849171618614354533noreply@blogger.com0