[. . .]

Pres. Mrs Sarah [H.] Strong made a few introductory remarks. Said she was happy to meet with the society, and was glad to see sister E R Snow, and the other sisters who had called to see us, hoped the Lord would give us His spirit that we might comprehend the things they would impart unto us

Miss E. R. Snow, remarked I see by the Minut[e]s of the young ladies Association that their subject was obedience. Obedience is a great principle, one that I have tried to practice since I arrived at the years of accountability. Perfection is the aim we should have in view; and happy it will be for those that <are> faithful and humble, who never take a step outside of ¹the [page damaged] straight and narrow path, if we can [page damaged]e a fa[page damaged] of wh[page damaged] I am very much ple[page damaged] [pleased] [page damaged]th [with] the mi[page damaged] [minutes?] of the [p. 29]

Retrenchment Association, they are rich with instruction, they breathe that right and holy spirit. I cannot find language to express my feelings, when I see the young girls improving their minds and preparing themselves for the responsible positions they will have to occupy as daughters in Zion. The time in [is] near when the young ladies will have all the book keeping, the telegraphing, the clerking, and the printing, will <to> do and these are only a few of the positions they will have to occupy. We desire to see the young girls grow up to be firm, intelligent, substantial women women of good understanding, and well developed intellect, very soon they will have to officiate behind the counter, they must be thorough business going girls, girls that can be depended upon. We want those who have proved most faithful to their meetings. We have three young ladies in the Printing Office setting type for the Exponant. I am very sorry to say we have some young girls in the Church who are a disgrace in Zion, their main object seems to be dress, that curse to woman, but I cannot blame them so much as I blame their mothers, for not looking after the eternal welfare of their daughters. They are objects of pity. I am pleased with the effort the young ladies have made to suppress the round dances I would have been better pleased had they voted them down altogether; the[y] are doing this in obedience to the counsel of Pres. [Brigham] Young. Who is Brigham Young that we should obey him? He is God’s agent, the man whom He has placed on earth to lead, guide, <govern> and direct His people, to look after their temporal as well as their spiritual welfare. When God placed Moses on the earth, did he not look after their temporal good. I think he did, he told them how to make their cloth and their garments. The kingdom is temporal as well as spiritual. The young girls have more influence than they are aware of and they can either wield it for good or evil. I wish they would exercise it over the young men when they see them going astray, gambleing, drinking intoxicating liquors, blaspheming the name of the Deity, and in various other ways debauching themselves. I am sorry to say our sons are far behind our daughters in the enjoyment of the Spirit of God. I know the young ladies in this ward have the Spirit of God in their hearts, it breathes from their minuts, cling closely to it. I wish all the girls and boys in Zion had more of that spirit, it is a safeguard against <the> temptations of the Adversary. There are only two Kingdoms on the earth, the Kingdom of God, and the kingdom of Satan.

Now comes the United Order to us. The prophet Joseph Smith said it was one of the first orders of the kingdom, and it would be the last one to be obeyed. ²Our inte[page damaged] [interests] [page damaged]e [are] not one, One person’s interest’s contaminate’s with another’s one [page damaged] [a]nd another[’]s wants that, it is one continual clashing of [page damaged] [p. 30] failure, would it not be better to fail with the Lord, than be linked with other side? When the Lord starts a thing it is going to be accomplished. The order will stir up interests heretofore unknown, we will be in a better condition, work more harmoniously. I rejoice that it is coming to Zion, as Pres. Young says, we have just got to the falls, and unless something comes to arrest our fall we will go over the rapids. When I embraced the gospel I set my eyes Zionward. I do not care for the world, the interests of the Kingdom of God, are my interests. I can see when looking back, I have not lived up to the priviledges of a saint. I love the religion of Jesus. I wish my soul could be ignited with it. I hold myself ready to succumb my feelings to it, but we cannot all do this for we are differently organized. To me there is nothing else worth living for—all other things are perishable,—nothing else will endure to the end.

If we get a body cleansed from all disease and death in the next world, will this not compensate us for all we suffer here in the flesh. We may have all the blessings pronounced upon us that patriarchs can give, but unless we live for them, they will avail us nothing. Let the Lord govern your temporal things if the saints had lived up to the Order of Enoch when they first settled in these vallies [valleys], the gentiles would not have such a foothold here now. May God bless you my sisters, and help every one of us, to <live faithful to> the gospel, that we will be enabled to live by every word that procedes from the mouth of God and that it may be the happy lot of every one of us to be acknowledged by Him, and redeemed by our elder brother Jesus Christ is my prayer.

Mrs. [Mary Isabella] Horne [. . .] since the United Order has been revealed to us, we see the necesity of the retrenchment associations. This people must humble themselves. Live nearer to God obey His commandments. We ought to have confidence in one another. Retrenchment is a preparatory step to the United Order; those who belong to these associations are better prepared to enter into it, than those who don’t belong to those. We should have confidence in the authorities—had we hearkened to the counsels of the Pres. Young we would now be an independant self sustaining people. [. . .]

Mrs. Zina [D. H.] Young. [. . .] When I heard the United Order was going to be organised I felt to rejoice [. . .] [p. 31] [. . .]

Mrs. Precinda [Presendia L. ] Kimball [. . .] I like the idea of the Young ladies being clerks in our stores and tithing offices, and telegraph oporators and type setters, it is ladies work. When the United Order is established we will become a self-sustaining people. I felt that something would have to be done to redeem the saints they are becoming estranged from each other, they are not united: there is such a combination of spirits, at first I could not see how the Lord was going to bring it about, but now I can [. . .] [p. 32] [. . .]

Miss E. R. Snow. Union and truth call down the blessing of God upon us, these we can receive if we are faithful, through faith the sick can be healed the dead raised. This generation will not pass away before the Lord will have the temple finished, and in it will be accomplished all that He wishes.

Pres. Mrs. Sarah Strong expressed her thanks to the sisters, and gratification for what they had said, hopped [hoped] the sisters would profit by it.

[. . .] [p. 33]