HISTORY OF BRIGHAM YOUNG.

-3.-Brother Taylor and myself visited the printers.

-6.-The first company of Saints from England, numbering forty-one souls, sailed for the land of Zion; John Moon, President.

-7 (Sunday).-I preached, and on Monday, 8th, visited Cheshire, in company with brother Taylor.

- 9.-We went to Manchester, and continued the selection of hymns.

-11.-Went to the Zoological Gardens. It rained, and I returned, thankful that I had a comfortable lodging-place in my own hired house. After a conversation with brother Pratt on the necessity of the Elders having the power of God with them, I retired to my bed and soon fell asleep, and had a dream about my family being well. They informed me that the Church was not able to

sustain the families of the Elders on missions.

-14 (Sunday).-I preached to the Saints.

-21 (Sunday).-Brother P. P. Pratt and I preached to the Saints in the Carpenter's Hall, for the first time after I had hired it.

I remained with brother Pratt, preparing the Hymn Book, until the 22nd, when I returned to Liverpool, in relation to the printing of the Book of Mormon. I went to Manchester on Friday, the 26th, and on Sunday, 28th, preached in the hall. We finished the collection of hymns, and prepared the index for the press.

On the 30th, Elders Kimball and Richards joined us at Manchester. July 1. Elders Wilford Woodruff and Geo. A. Smith arrived at Manchester.

(To be continued.)

THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS' MILLENNIAL STAR.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1863.

HOW THE BRANCHES CAN BE KEPT HEALTHY.-JUDICIOUS PRUNING NEEDED.

We have always attached great importance to the diligent, wise and zealous labors of the local Priesthood of the various Branches, especially when under the experienced direction of the Travelling ministry and the Presidents of Conferences. The experience which we gained before coming to these lands, as well as that which we have had since the commencement of our labors here,. has taught us this. We have invariably found that no Branch, however well disposed its members may be, could continue for any length of time in a healthy, progressive condition, if its President, Elders, Priests, Teachers and Deacons were careless respecting their duties and the spiritual welfare of the Saints. And we do not now recollect an instance of a Branch, which possessed a zealous and wise President and other officers, continuing for any length of time in an unhealthy, backward state. Zeal and faith and diligence on the part of the local Priesthood, in attending to their duties, are sure to produce corresponding qualities in the midst of the Saints among whom they may

EDITORIAL.

745 labor; in fact, though we say "local Priesthood," the same remark is quite as applicable to the Travelling ministry. In saying this, we only repeat a truism, which must be perfectly familiar to the mind of every Latter-day Saint who is acquainted with the history of the Work of God. Yet we repeat it, that the Priesthood may have the greatness of their responsibility forcibly brought to their minds, that they may not forget, that when God calls men to be his servants, and places authority upon them, their power to accomplish good is wonderfully enlarged, and if they do not exercise it for the purpose for which it was designed, their condemnation is greatly increased thereby.

If the officers of a Branch discharge their duties properly, the Branch cannot long remain in an unhealthy condition. Life will flow, more or less, through every member. Dead members cannot, from the very nature of the duties of the Priesthood, remain long connected with it. The pruning time. must come, and such members must be cut off and cast aside. The word of God expressly says that, among other duties which a Priest must perform, he is to visit the house of each member, and exhort them to pray vocally and in secret, and attend to all family duties; and that the Teacher's duty is to watch over the Church always, and be with and strengthen them, and see that there is no iniquity in the Church, neither hardness with each other, neither lying, backbiting, nor evil-speaking; and see that the Church meet together often, and also see that all the members do their duty, &c. The great and essential difference between the Priesthood bestowed by the Almighty upon man, and that authority which man unjustifiably assumes to act with in the name of Jesus among the people, is that, where the Priesthood continues, there must be a willingness manifested to obey and profit by its teachings and warnings. Men must be striving to be holy and pure and to keep the commandments of God, or it cannot remain in their midst. The authority with which man assumes to act in the name of Jesus, without the right, is not affected by the righteousness or unrighteousness of the people. Persons who assume it can continue to dwell among and associate with the wicked for years and centuries without any diminution of influence or power. Not so with the Priesthood of God. For instance when men bearing IT are sent, they have certain instructions and warnings to give unto the people; if the people hear and obey them, they receive the blessings which the Lord promises; but if they do not, and persistently turn a deaf ear to them and reject them, despite every entreaty, those who have the Priesthood, sooner or later, either withdraw voluntarily from their midst or are compelled to do so by violence, and the people are left in the hands of that God whose message they have rejected and whose servants. they have despised. Hence, it was, that the Jews were left for such long intervals without Prophets, and that, when they did appear, the people were severely scourged if they did not submit to the requirements of the Lord madeknown through them.

When the Priesthood in a Branch do their duty, they know the standing of every member in the Branch. If anyone is negligent, and inattentive to the duties of a Saint, and is disobeying the requirements and commandments of God, they know it. Knowing this, how long can such a member remain connected with the Branch and not repent, if they do their duty? Can such members remain for a long period without being pruned from the Branch, if they do not repent? The obligations of the Priesthood would compel a Teacher or a Priest visiting such a person to teach and warn him of the danger

he was in by pursuing such a course, and, if he would still persist, those obligations would require him to report him to the council of the Branch, that some action might be taken upon his case. By this means all the rebellious and wicked would be cut off from the Branch, and it would be kept in a healthy, progressive condition, and life would fill every member. This ought to be the state of every Branch throughout these Missions. The Presiding and Travelling Elders should be wise and merciful, not too rash or too exacting; but bearing with the weaknesses of the people—so long as they evince a desire or disposition to do better-as they would wish the Lord and their brethren to bear with them; yet they should be firm in dealing with and extirpating every species of sin from the midst of the Branches, neither allowing iniquity to breed and bring forth its corrupt fruits, nor countenancing those who indulge in its practice. The Presidents of Districts and Conferences have Travelling Elders enough in their fields now to enable them to carry out any wise policy they may wish to adopt. They can either visit themselves, or request the Travelling Elders to visit, every Branch in their fields, and institute and carry out the necessary measures for keeping the Branches healthy. The local Priesthood should be instructed in their duties, and it should be seen that, while they hold the Priesthood, they should attend to them. Harmony should exist between the Elders constantly engaged in the ministry and the Elders and other officers who only devote to it a portion of their time. Dead members-members whose determined course is to cut themselves off by their actions from all the life-giving influence of the Spirit of the Lord, should be dealt with, and, unless they repent, cut-off.

They should not be allowed to cumber and deaden the Branch with which they may be connected. The judicious use of the pruning knife, at the proper season, in lopping-off dead branches, has a good effect upon fruit-bearing trees. So, also, with the Church. The excommunication of members when they stubbornly persist in doing wrong, is necessary to keep the Church in a thrifty condition. The power to excommunicate, though a power that should not be exercised lightly or upon insufficient grounds, ought nevertheless to be resorted to and used, when necessary, for the purpose for which it was designed. But the Teachers have important duties to perform before recourse is had to excommunication, and every President of Conference should know, before further action is taken, that they have been performed wisely and well.

Again: enthusiasm should not be permitted to carry the Priesthood away upon these points. There is too much of a disposition among some to be very lax and careless respecting the acts of members until the Branch or Branches become very indifferent respecting the performance of their duties, then, seized all at once with a sudden spurt of zeal, they will act with more vigor than discretion, suffering themselves to be carried as far beyond the mark as they were previously short of it. Of course, such action as that cannot be attended with beneficial results. A firm, steady, wise course, neither too yielding nor too exacting, is the course which the Elders and other officers should adopt, and which we hope they will adopt, in all the Branches throughout these Missions. Then the wolves which may be prowling around the sheep-fold, disguised as sheep, and trying, with whining. voice, to deceive the flock, will find all their efforts utterly futile, for the sheep will be in a condition to discern their wicked deceptions, and to recognize and be comforted by the voices and presence of the shepherds.

ABSTRACT OF CORRESPONDENCE.

747

CHANGES AND APPOINTMENTS.

Elder Isaac Bullock is appointed to preside over the Districts comprising the Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee Conferences.

Elder Samuel H. Hill is removed from laboring in the Newcastle-upon-Tyne District, and is appointed to labor in the Swiss and Italian Mission, under the direction of Elder John L. Smith.

What has heretofore been known as the Irish Mission, is now annexed to the Bristol District, and will be under the Presidency of Elder George Halliday.

Elder William North is appointed to preside over the Derbyshire Conference. President of the Church of Jesus Christ

GEORGE Q. CANNON,

of Latter-day Saints in the British Isles and adjacent countries.

ABSTRACT OF CORRESPONDENCE.

LONDON CONFERENCE.-Elder Richard Bentley, in a letter dated Nov. 3rd, says:-"I am happy to say my health is good, and we are having some excellent times in London. About the only complaint I hear is that our meeting-halls are too small."

LAND'S-END CONFERENCE.-Elder J. L. Dolten, writing from Devonport on the 30th ult., expresses his happiness in laboring in the ministry. He says:"I have just returned from a trip in Cornwall. The Saints there have a desire to emigrate, and they feel well. The people outside of the Church did not seem to care much about listening to me-they have to be made to open their eyes to their own good. It makes my heart ache to see the wickedness among them. I feel happy to think that I have the privilege of bearing my testimony to them, and I wish that they could see and feel for themselves as the Elders do for them."

I

HEREFORDSHIRE CONFERENCE.-Elder George W. Grant, writing from Newport, on the 4th inst., says :- "By the last of December we shall have most of our Book-debt off. The Saints are taking hold in earnest, and we know when that is the case nothing is too great for them to accomplish. baptized one person last week, and I can assure you our prospects are bright in that respect for the future. We have excellent meetings, and they are well attended. I feel to rejoice in my labors, and I am determined to live more faithful. I know but little, yet the experience that I have gained since I came to this land makes my heart swell with joy unspeakable."

SOUTHAMPTON CONFERENCE.-We have before us a letter written by Elder David P. Kimball, from Portsmouth, on the 27th ult. He was at that time enjoying himself in the labors of the ministry, and was endeavoring to magnify his calling as an Elder of Israel. He says:-" "To know that I am doing good is just what suits me. I can say that the Spirit of God is just as great a blessing as could be bestowed upon this people, for it has united them in their feelings, so that when we go into their meetings, which are well attended by our people and by strangers, we feel that his Spirit is in our midst and we enjoy ourselves greatly. I have never had the privilege of attending a better meeting than we had here last Sunday, and all that were present seemed to enjoy themselves.

We have many that will enter the waters of baptism as