Saturday, May 15, 2010

Female Relief Society June 1875

Meeting in the Meeting House Jan 29 1875.  Opened with singing "How Beauteous Are Their Feet".  Prayer by Sister Peel.  Sister Morrison addressed the meeting and said it was impossible to accomplish anything without the assistance of God and  each other.  Thought that to assist  the poor in their bodily comforts was less important than to assist them in their spiritual  welfare.  She made some remarks in regard to home industry, of raising silk (worms), straw hats and working up wool, etc.  The following petition was read and subsequently signed by ninety three sisters:

To Our Brethren  of Mt. Pleasant City.  We the Sisters of the Female Relief Society present before you this memorial.  Being much impressed with the propriety of raising up our children in the fear of the Lord, Our God.  Those little ones whom God hath consigned to our care as the sons and daughters of Zion and to whom we are accountable that they be instructed in the right way, and that this important duty cannot be consigned to the care or tuition of any teacher of any other communion than that of the True and Living God.

 We most earnestly present before you this memorial as a token of our respect fore the teachings of this Holy Priesthood which God has placed upon you, his servants, requesting that you will keep your children away from the schools of any communion outside the CJCLDS (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), seeing that we have separated ourselves from the nations of the earth to establish ourselves with the ways of the God of Jacob.  We deem this step expedient and pray that you our brethren in the holy priesthood will do your utmost to assist us in this laudable undertaking.
Sister Madsen said she feels to go forward with renewed strength and spoke of the importance of teaching little children to pray.  Sister Peel hoped the sisters would all try to set a good example before their children and thought they should be more united in coming to meeting.  She had heard many persons say that the servants of the Lord had not so much power now as in former days, but thought it was the people who had not so much faith and confidence in themselves as formerly.  Sister Simpson bore her testimony to the truth of the work and said it was her desire to do right in all things.  Sister Scovil mad a few remarks.  Emily Coates, Clarissa Beckstead, Hilda Dehlin, Ellen Olsen, Elizabeth Fowles, Annie Jensen, Julia Dehlin, Hedvig Hansen, Maria Elizabeth Lovgren, Dorthea Christensen, Annie Rasmussen, Margretta Rasmussen, Christine Larsen, Annie Oman, Carin Johansen, Mary Ann Miller,  Mary Hendricksen, Mary Christine Anderson, Cora Christensen were admitted as members of the Society. 
MF Morrison, Presidentess
Hilda Dehlin, Secretary