-- Jan 19, 1859
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 19th I attended the Legislature.
I spent the evening at President Young. W Woodruff J Taylor O Hyde & C. C. Rich of the Twelve President Young conversed upon the subject of the present position of the United States in Connexion with England & France in relation to the South American Question. He said If I had been President of the United States 7 years ago I would have disbanded all of the armey and expended the same amount of money in building a Navy of armed Steamers. I would have setled the Southern Mexico with americans & bought out the Mexicans & finally annexed it to the United States. And now if we have war with England the United States will have to send their armies by Land.
He also said I have found out of Late what I have said before that the British Government sent four regiments to Lake superior to stop the mormons from going into the British possessions & told the Govornor that England would support him with all the British force if necessary to keep the mormons from entering the British possessions.
President Young said we are here in these valley whare we shall stay untill the Lord shall lead us. We shall never be driven from these Mountains I do not believe.
Elder Hyde told a dream which He had a short time since. Thought that He was riding on a horse through a vast water like a roaring [...]terock. His horse had to wade in deep water one narrow strip of land in order to keep from Drowning but he got out safe. (1)
-- Feb 6, 1859
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] ... Elder O Hyde told a dream which he had last fall. He saw the prophet Joseph who told him we should Conquer in the first Campaign. President Young we shall Conquer all the time if we do right for I Can tell you the time has Come when the Lord will sit to Judge the Nations and he will Controll things in such a manner that the people of the world will not understand that the Lord has any thing to do with it, no more than the Jews did in the days of the Savior. He said their are some officers in this City from the Armey. Some Compan[ies?] that wish to kill some men thinking that will start up a General war and we must be on the watch....President Young said He dreamed that President Buchanan sent him a fine time peace saying you may now regulate your own time. I expect He will Soon send us the time peace or pass the act giving Utah as well as other Territories the right to Elect their own officers which I Consider to be the time peace. The
Govornor may soon Call the Legislature to gether and Elect their own officers and Regulate their own affairs.
I met with O. Hyde O. Pratt & C C Rich of the Twelve in the prayer room. O. Hyde prayed. O Pratt was mouth. We Conversed upon the things of the Kingdom of God. Spoke of prayer & fasting. O. Pratt said that He had often wished that He Could get faith enough to enjoy the Blessings the ancient Apostles Enjoyed. He said Joseph taught that unless the Apostles and Elders of this Church did fast & pray untill they Could get the Heavens opened unto them so they Could see the face of the Lord their testimonies would not be worth much to this generation. Brother Hyde moved that we asked the privilege of Presidet Young to fast and pray as a Quorum in the Endowmet House for one week to which we all agreed. (1)
-- Feb 22, 1859
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] ...The Twelve Met in the prayer Closset at 12 oclok their being present O Hyde O. Pratt W. Woodruff John Taylor G. A. Smith E. T. Benson Lorenzo Snow, C. C. Rich Erastus Snow F. D. Richards.
....Erastus Snow spoke Concerning the feelings of many of the people against seeing the Twelve prosper in Temperal things. He thought if the Lord did not Sanction this He permited it to be & he thought perhaps it was not the will of God that we should be engaged in Temperal business. When I was ordained Brother Brigham told me to lay down my hoe & all farming tools & labouring in the ministry and I do not prosper in any temperal business.
F. D Richards said he Brother Snow had spoken his feelings exactly. He did not feel like engaging in any temperal Business.
C. C. Rich spoke upon the same Subject & said that He did not no as all the Twelve all experienced the same thing but I think the people are exercised by a spirit that they do not Comprehend or know what it ment but their is an opposition to Joseph & the Presidency & Twelve against their prosperity. I think we should use wisdom in the preservation of our bodies & live[s?]. We have received a gospel and principles which will save us but we must apply it to our bodies as well as to our souls in the season thereof in [order] to be saved. Brother C. C. Rich Called upon the Lord in prayer and asked the Blessing of God upon us.
Lorenzo Snow spoke. Was thankful to meet with us & when He herd of it thought he would undergo a great deal in order to meet with us. If we did not have those great & marvellous things that was manifest on the day of Pentecost yet it was good to meet & pray. And while our Enemies are seeking our overthrow we should Call upon God for our protection.
We are differently situated from the Ancient Apostles. They had not the kingdom of God to build up as we have. Now the power seems to be assimulated among the people & not confined to one or two men or Twelve. Yet I Consider Brigham Young is performing a greater work in saving providing and organizing his family, in the way he has than he would to divide the waters, or heal the Sick, Cast out Devils, or do other miracles and the wisdom of God is with him.
With regard to our attending to temperal matters I think we shall have to attend to temporal matters & understand them in order to build up the kingdom of God. I have no dour but that if Bishop Hunter would take Care of our Families & we do nothing els No doubt we should be great & powerful men in spirit & make the hearts of men tremble & be filled with the power of God but would this benefit the people more than for us to know how to teach the people in temperal things?
O Hyde said I have thought of the subject as Erastus spoke of but I have thought it was best for us to take a medium Course. We must have cares and if we could do as Bishop Hunter spoke of we might become dry & dull. I believe we shall have a variety sometimes fat & sometimes lean & sometimes nothing. We shall have trials but I think we ought to do our duty magnify our Calling and trust in God and all will be right. I believe the day is not far off when the Twelve will have all that is necessary.
He related a dream about B[e/a?]llon & gold &c. J Taylor said I will prophesy that it shall be fulfilled. Lorenzo Snow said I will prophesy that the Moon is made under which it shall be fulfilled. O Hyde said I will Prophesy that the time will soon come when we shall have all that we want.
E. T. Benson asked how much wood O Hyde got at Sessions Settlement. He said he had paid $5 for one load of maple wood of the Bishop. That is all that I had in that Settlement.
We had a mixed Conversation upon the subject before us. We finally Concluded to fulfill our mission /first/ and be industrious and provided for our families as well as we Can & then trust in God. (1)
Footnotes:
1 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993
Mormon Timeline: Dreams
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
