In the Valley of the Rocky Mountains
Great Salt Lake City Dec 29, 1853.Dear Brother, Sister and family and enquiring friends-I take a pen to address a few line to you - it has been a long time since I heard a word from you or you from me as I suppose. In the first place let me tell you that I am in good health so that I work about six days in a week. I am in the whip and whip lash Businefs. I have made and sold last year rising of Nine Hundred Dollars worth, and now I have a partner and we are making seven or eight $ worth per day - we have a great city here, and as healthy a place as any I have ever lived in Luzern not excepted - all brick houses - Well, how do you do how do enjoy your religion - you and I live a momentous age, an important day - a day that is big with meaning - a day that the Lord has set his hand again to gather his ancient covenant people the house of Israel and has raised up a prophet his peoples steps to guide and has restored the fulness of the gospel of the Son of God and is now enjoyed by us as it was by the Saints in the days of the Apostles. Perhaps this will sound like big thins to you but big or small it is true - Paul says he had great zeal for God but it was not according to knowledge he further says he was honest and thereby obtained forgiveness - Now brother the different sects of the day are just as honest by nature and by practice as we are but they have not got the priesthood and therefore they cannot attain to the great things of the gospel that the primitive saints did nor to the things that the Latter Day Saints will attain to.
The weather thus far has been very mild, ladies walking the streets (in the month of Dec.) with parasols over their heads while the mountains on the east and west of us all covered with snow - the settlement of our people now extend from the North to South rising of three hundred miles - the land is very productive the best wheat and the finest flower (flour) of any place that I ever heard of the flower (flour) is wonderfully white - the country abounds in Salt Alum Salerates Brimstone Borax iron ore of the the richest kind and other Mettles gold not excepted. We are commencing the manufacture of all articles that we need as fast as we can get at it. We have a sugar machine brought from England that cost a hundred and fifty thousand dollars and it will not be long before we will make all the sweetiening that we want the sugar beet we are at work on now, but in a few years we shall be raising the Cane.
Here a man can worship according to the dictates of his conscience with his one wife or as many as old Abraham, Isaac or Jacob had just as he pleases. But in your state a man is not allowed to have but one at a time so they establish houses of ill fame where they can go and commit adultery and that is so very pious that many a poor lady has sunk to the grave and the spirit gone to hell and that in the morning of life - I am now living with my fourth wife and the three first I have lost and left behind. But I trust I shall meet them all in the first Resurection - Now my Brother I have touched upon a number of different subjects respecting our sequestered place in the Valley of the Mountains - Now I am going to reason a little on the truth or falsity of our religion - To begin with Joseph Smith was an illiterate young man and considered rather below mediocrity for since only twenty one years old he rose up and combatted all mankind from the President in his chair of state to the drunkard with his bottle of whiskey in his pocket together with lawyer, Doctor, and Priest with all their learning and came off triumphant and the work of God rolled on - Now, look around among your acquaintances and see if you know a young man that has the abilities to meet the learning of this generation and set up a new religion without money without friends or anything to help him along and yet make it more and roll on until the whole four quarters of the globe is in an uproar unless God our Father was at the helm and so with Mr. Smith he brought forth the history of the forefathers of these Indians and now I suppose there is 2 hundred thousand that can testify to the truth of that Book by the power of the Holy Ghost and then again he told them that if they would obey the gospel the Signs that Christ said would follow the Believer should follow them. Now if the Signs had not of followed them how many would of raised up and said Mr. Smith you have lied to us and every editor throughout the Union would of hailed the day and published to the world the testimony that they had got against Mormonism. But no such report, The signs have and do follow the Church. We have the gift of tongues and interpretation in our prayer meeting often and the Lord bless you with the truth is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
A man can communicate but few ideas on paper and then aint more than half told nor more than half explained. I have never had but two children a daughter and a son my Daughter is here in the Valley has four sons and a daughter her husband's name is Wm. Snow He is a Justice of the Peace, an alderman of the City - a code Commissioner and member of the High Council. My sone Norman B. Shearer lives in Lockport N.Y. - has a wife and 2 children. I will now bring my letter to a close by saying that I should be sorry to die and get to Heaven and not find you there and if you miss it I think it will be because you reject the greater light the same as the Jews rejected the Messiah because he was of low parentage and had no formal learning and so it was with him that founded the Latter Day work of the Millenium Church. I now subscribe myself you affectionate brother.
Daniel Shearer
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June 11, 1854
My Dear Brother;-
I received your letter of March 24 on the 26th of May two months and two days from the date the male is purty regular from here to the States only in Winter when the snow is on the mountains and stops the passage over them. I was pleased to hear from you and yours and that they are enjoying a good state of health and that you are so comfortable situated right by your meeting house - you and I are getting old and to have things handy is very convenient - We are at this time I suppose something like 2500 miles apart you on the borders of the Atlantic Ocean and I nearly so the Pacific But that is nothing compared to the great gulph that the Savior describes between the Righteous and the Wicked for that gulph they could not pass at all and I suppose that I could travel from here to your place in two and 1/2 or three months and that is but a short space of time compared to three score and ten years - You seem disposed to take exceptions to my letter on account of the plain declarations of it - Well what said your Redeemer if you believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins (if men die in their sins they must be miserable and that must have been purty big talk for those honest pious people of that day) - Now let us look at his followers what did they say there is no name given under Heaven whereby man can be saved - Look at the boldness of Peter and John did they not exalt themselves to declare before the nobles of the earth that they must believe on Jesus - I haven't the least doubt but many honest souls thought that Peter and John was not humble enough when they come out with so much boldness and told them the truth there was honest men in that day no doubt that was as zealous for their religion as you are for yours but time has made error and false notions honorable and very humble - Many people are very zealous in their practice of error and I ask what good will it do them it is believing the truth and practicing accordingly that will save you and not error - is there one of the Churches in all the land that is organized according to the new testament pattern Catholic and all not one of them has got the twelve apostles or the Quorem of Seventies or High Priest organized among them not one of all the churches lays on hands for the reception of Holy Ghost nor lays on hands for healing nor anoints the sick with oil and now I will ask who gave any of the churches authority to build up and organize and not do it according to the pattern laid down by Jesus and his apostles tell me if you can I will admit they are honest and have done the best they could but at this time there has new light been sent down from heaven through a prophet that the Lord has raised up to organize his Church and prepare a people for his 2nd advent and the ushering in the glorious day called the millenium, and this Church is now the only true Church on the face of the whole earth and all that rejects it will find a day of morning - Because I declare the truth in plainess and firmenss you think I feel exalted not so - you say the Catholics have the priesthood I say that have not they lost it about 1500 years ago and they have departed as far from the apostolic order as any of you.You seem to draw the idea that I intended to say that the Sects must establish houses of ill-fame and I did not intend to advance anything of the kind. But let me ask you how much they do differ from it. All the sects send men to Congress and the State Legislatures to make the laws and to the City Councils also and they do it in the Cities they license these houses in many parts of the Union - then you next come to the great big strong reasoning that all the men do could not have wives there is one thing perhaps you never thought of at the time Lucifer drew away one third part of the host of heaven did you ever hear of any females that was let out with them Well all the spirits that was left in heaven must come down here and take bodies and those female spirits must come soon or perhaps they lose the privilege and if they come now they would like husbands if they are like the rest of their sex. You speak of working ourselves up into any kind of belief if we neglect to take the Bible as our guide - I think I will give you a little Bible and see how you will like it. Isaiah 4th first four verses This must be fulfilled some time or other of the day to spiritualize his sayings and then read your Bible where it says Abraham Isaac Jacob Saul David Solomon and many others had many wives and Peter in the Acts of the Apostles says that there shall be a final restitution of all thins. Now if all things are to be restored I think the plurality of wives was practiced up to the days of the Savior and we dont hear a word of his finding any fault about it and there must have been many in his day that had more wives than one and if the thing was not allowed in the Christian church, there must have been some that must have been lost for doing the thing they were commanded to take their brother's widow in case of his death and raise up seed to his brother and there was no allowance made for their having a wife or no wife and if they was not allowed a wife of their own while this widow lived (and she might live until he was dead) how was he to have a wife in the Ressurection these things are worthy of a thought for we shall want wives in the Ressurection just as much as we do now and I think we shall prize them a good deal more and then they will know the worth of a husband - You speak of a Bishop and a Deacon - they must be the husband of one wife now the very expression shows that the thing was practiced there at the time Paul spoke or why should he express himself in that way you asked me if I would of followed a leader twenty years ago that would of allowed more than one wife Previous to this work coming forth three fifths of the earth's inhabitance practiced the plurality system but we knew nothing of it and thought of no such thing and thought that all was right and you dont know that the plurality that is practiced here among us is not right you dont know that it is of God you may think and believe all you please But that dont make knowledge the Chinese Tartars and all nations that practice the plurality marriage just as much as we would laugh at or pity them - all things that the Lord requires of his people in the last days was not revealed twenty years ago now you dont know that it is all revealed yet - I believe that there will be more things come to light yet that you and I have never thought of and when it comes it will be well for those who can tell the things that are of God whose understanding is so enlightened by the Spirit of God that they shall know the things that are ot of him and those that have not enough of the Spirit to tell them will see sorrowful thimes for when the Son of Man comes they will not be looking for him I think I have said enough on this subject. Now I will tell you something and that is as the Lord liveth there is no salvation for one man or woman now on the face of the whole earth only be repentance and through the ordinances of this church that is much despised but I dont know as it is any more despised than the Church that was in the days of Christ and the Apostles and let the Methodists go to laying on hands and anointing the sick with oil as the primitive Christians did and you would soon find that their popularity would beging to wane and the name of the apostolic order they or any other people practice the more enemies they will get and the more despised A few words more my Bible teaches me to deny all ungodly lusts but my Bible nor yours dont teach that lawful marriage to two or more women at the same time is ungodly lusts there must have been a good may cases of that kind among the Jews when Jesus came and they must have entered the Christian Church ore they would not be saved for that was the order of salvation after his death and no other - God never had but one plan of salvation in operation at a time. But people at this time have got 666 more for ought I know - Our Brother Joel has settled about 100 miles south of hanover in Illinois - was doing purty well and staid there until last fall he wrote me he had sold out and on his way here and I shall look for him after while one of his daughters is here in the Valley now - My son Norman wrote to his sister the last mail and says he hopes he shall never be left to deny that he knows to be true Now I shall close by saying may the Lord bless you and yours with enough of his Spirit to enable you to discern between truth and error for it is the practice of truth that will save you and not the practice of error In the name of Jesus Christ I bless you - - Amen
Daniel ShearerBack to Top of Page
Postscript added to some letter not here - no year given
Sept 6
I have neglected the mailing of this letter for a whole week and what for I know not without it is to give you a little more warning about the War and not let me say to you all that has transpired as yet is no more than a priming to what you may look for - the people has slain many of the Saints and murdered in cold blood 2 as good men as ever was on this earth Joseph and Hyram Smith and the whole nation has winked at it and many have rejoiced secretly in their hearts while they have kept their tongues still and the Priests and the Editors have made it a theme of speculation and now the Lord has let the (blank) war upon the wicked that they may punish each other for their wickedness Jos. Smith told us all these things 25 years ago and more Famine and Pestilence Earthquakes and devouring fire and the Lord showed these things to me before I was a Mormon. Knowing what is coming I have told a number of our family they had better sell out for what they can get and clear for the mountains in the West and so with you. Now do as you please I feel clean of you bloodD.S.GSL City December 18, 1857
My Dear Brother
Thomas your letter of Sept. 24 was received on the 14th of this and I now take my pen to answer it - - - And let me tell you I was glad and rejoyced to hear from you and the Blessings that the Lord has conferred on us by the priviledge of communcating by letter from one to another I esteem as a great one - - - Although some of our minds may not of received as much light and knowledge and understanding as others yet I feel to hear with their infirmities - - - The reason that I said nothing about my family was that my wife had gone to Illinois and Michigan on a visit to see her children and had been absent at the time I wrote 2 years later and returned here on the 15th of August last - - - Since I have been engaged in this latter day work of the Lord I have built six houses made imporvements of all kinds necessary around them such as yards stables corn cribs bee houses and have been driven from the whole except the one I now occupy I got But $350 for all of my labors which if I had of put all my labour on one place it would have shined as bright as a new silver Dollar.March 2, 1861And had I not of known by Revelation from the Lord for my Self that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God I could of not endured these things But knowing as I did now do that the Reward was to those that endure to the end I feel to hold on to old Ship Zion and not to be weary in well doing - - - As for having piety enough to resist temtation thus far I haven't brought no Stain on the church that I belong to and I hope I never shall - - - You missconstrued the meaning of my remarks about whoredom adultery and such like abominations As is now practised in ever Christian nation I think on the whole globe they allow and even license houses of that kind of Link of Corruption one of the most Damnable Sins that any people can be guilty of next to the sheding of innocent blood in the days of Israel whoredom was finished by Death and Peter says there shall be a final Restitution of all things and those among us that do those things will be furnished according to their deserts - - - There has been more wickedness such as murder whoredom robbery stealing committed in years since the troops came in here and I think four times as much as ever had been done before put it all together since we came here except the Indian Depridations they have been hostile at times and have murdered quite a number of Emigrants and the troops being stationed here don't restrain them they act as though they are afraid of the Indians - - - You speak about a prophet - - - can you put your finger on a passage of Scripture in the Bible that shows that God ever had a Church on earth and no prophet or prophets in it if you can won't you cite me to the passage. I know your answer these things or old things are done away who has God revealed it to that the primitive order of the Church should hear - - - 25 years ago tell the inhabitants of the United States that God had raised up a prophet and they would laugh you in the face But now they can follow the Spirit reappears and get communications from the Spirit would and almost all men believe in them and so do I but I do not believe them to be of God because wicked men can get Revelation in that way and very few good and rightous men go after them and they will swallow all most all the lies that there wicked Spirits tell and call it sweet morsel of intelligence Oh this dark and (blank) world when will they learn wisdom and will then know good from evil truth from error that they may detect false and delusive Spirits - - - You speak of your piety to restrain you from adultry and there are a good many of the priests of the day that do commit adultery or they are belied - - - you speak of the papers telling tales they tell ten lies to one truth about us - - - There is not a body of people living on this earth that is a near justification of God as this people called Mormons are although there are some bad ones among us and if one of them commit a bad act then it laid on the whole community and the press will represent that whole body has done it and is alike guilty and in this way tell lies and they will have weeping and gnashing of teeth for it yet. You speak of Priesthood - - - what is priesthood I answer it is the authority from God to Build up his Church and Kingdom here on the Earth and Joseph Smith and Oliver Cawdry was ordained by Angels and commanded to go and do so and if that is not priesthood I don't know where to look for it - - - Now get away from that if you can and just as far as you get away from that just so far you get away from God - - - I am writing what I know by Revelation from the Lord - - - you speak of our territory being a prison before the troops came in here - - - one year before the troops came in my wife went to the States and more than two hundred at the same time and not finding things in the States as good as they expected many of them have returned as I now prophecy that many more will return Now you watch and see how that will come out of my prophecy I mean - - - You warn me to beware of the arm of flesh Now let me ask you who formed the Discipline or Articles of Faith of the church you belong to was it done by the Lord or by men please tell me which - - - If by men I have no doubt but John Wesley done the best he could but not being inspired by the Holy Spirit I think he made some mistakes in the Representation of Beings and Things. There are thousands of people in the world that are just as honest in their belief as we are in our knowledge and will yet come to understanding and embrace of the gospel and come into this new covenant that the Lord God has made for the latter days and as a prepatory work for the Second coming of the Lord of Glory the ushering in of the melennium the great day of rest for the people of God - - - I see that your Spirit is not as good as it used to be you seem to want to find fault and blow at the Sacred things of God now you had better hold on for you don't know but that this work is of God and by and by if you should find that you had been fighting the work of the Lord you will have great sorrow weeping and perhaps the gnashing of teeth - - - Everything that the inhabitants of the earth has undertaken to do against the progress of this work has all come to naught the Lord has thawrted them in all their plans and will do so form this time on - - - There is going to be great trouble in the United States and that before many years the Ball is now open they have had a (blank) at Harper's ferry and it will go on until blood flows freely the North abolitionist and proslavery men against each other a few words plurality - - - it frequently happens on the Sea Board and in time of war that there is a majority of females and God has commanded them to multiply and replenish the earth and the Legislators of the different States says that a man shant have but one wife now Law are there women to do what God has commanded when a man is allowed but one wife they might just as well said you surplus females shant marry thereby in their acts of Legislation driving thousands and thousands to whoredom and prostitution Would it not be better for them to of been lawful wives even there shoud ten or more sealed to one man one sheet is too small for a communication of this kind and God must close - - - Your brother according to the flesh God bless you
Daniel ShearerIf you want to hear anything more ask the questions in your next and I will answer write often.
My dear Brother Thomas and Family,It is a long time since I heard from you and think perhaps a line from me mite stir up your minds by way of remembrance So I say to you that I enjoy excellent health and the free mountain air and peace with all But how long the peace will last I dont know or dont care - The Devil with his emassaries on earth has been after us for thirty years and we are not destroyed and if they come against us again I think some them will bite the dust. We know what we are doing. I lost over $3000 in Missouri and about half that amount in Illinois and considerable at Council Bluffs. But all that is nothing to compare to what I am looking for when Jesus shall make his second appearance or when I shall pass hebind the vale in another state of existence So bless your hearts we are right and I know it just as well as Peter or Paul or John did when they were brought before the Council and tried for preaching that Christ was the Redeemer of the world. If we did not know we are right how could we endure to lose everything 3 several times and begin anew in a desolate and barren country where Mr. Bridger said he would give $1000 for the first ear of corn raised in that valley Oh the blindness and folly of this generation. They think that people wont die fast enough so they are inventing the most powerful and ingeneous weapons of death to destroy each other.
Joseph Smith and Oliver Coudry were ordained by angels from heaven to start this work there is where they got this authority to do what they done and the work is going on under the same authority. This work is of God and all the men in the US cant help themselves. I have been in this Valley over nine years and have all the time followed the whip business. I have at this time about $1300 worth on hand, but am getting old and cant do as much as when I was young but when the weather is warm and the days long I have got up $18.00 in a week. Sunday went to meeting. I dont work on the Sabbath if I play or set and read six days in the week. Our harvest last season came in well both wheat and corn Wheat can be bought for 70 cents per bushel and corn about the same. I fat my pork almost altogether on wheat my customers bring more wheat than corn that is why I use it I suppose I have fed over 200 bushels wheat to my hogs since I have been here. As to the sects of the day where is there a church that is organized according to the pattern that is laid down by Christ and his apostles Paul says God has set some in the Church first apostles and then read 1 Cor. 12-2 Where are their seventies - where ar the gifts the apostles speaks of Please write to me on the receipt of this and tell me what you think of the Organization of a Church and what you think of the War - we think there will be much destruction and the misery of many souls the whole country or nearly all laid to waste Father against Son and Brother against Brother and the Mother against the Daughter just as Jesus said and I knew 25 years ago that these things were close at hand and now may God bless you with light and truth is the wish of your despised brother and unkle in the Lord
Daniel ShearerBack to Top of Page
My Dear Brother ThomasI received your letter of the 11th this instant 2 days since and was glad to hear from you and to hear that you are recovering your health again But you and I are getting in years and need not expect to stay here much longer except our ages are renewed and as for myself I have no desire to stay longer only that I might be an (instrument?) in the hands of God of bringing Souls unto him - - - I have been through the different persecutions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints been robbed three different times until I became poor as to property But I kept doing something and the Lord Blessed me so that at this time I am in comfortable circumstances and have all the comforts of life about me. I am looking now shortly for a famine to be over all the land and I am preparing for I think I have Bread Stuff enough in my house to last me 2 years and I am buying all the time as opportunity offers But one thing I reget that is I have to make my pork on wheat this is a great wheat country and not so good for corn - - - Since I wrote you last March I have buried my wife She died the 3rd of April after 22 days of severe illness of the Bloody flux So that I am now alone again my health is good I am still in the whip business and when I am not too lazy I can get up $3.00 worth of work in day but my stock costs about one third of that I have a shop and house of my own no rent to pay and a good meeting house about 12 rods from door a small stock of cattle and the famine I spoke of you may look for until it comes for come it will as sure as the sun rises next January - - - As for the war that you have you need not look for it too close until a great number of people are slain perhaps a million or more I knew 20 years ago that this war was coming and if I told to anyone that did not belong to our Church they were angry so I quite talking about it only to my Brethern and as for either party whipping the other they will ot do it soon I think But there will be much misery and distress in the land before it comes to an end - - - But it supposes me that I am now talking to those that will not thank me for these things So I will now forebear - - - Now as for the origination of the Church I want you to tell me who has had the authority from the Lord to organize a church and leave out the priciple officers that Christ set in the church Apostles Seventies and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost as you may read in the Acts 8-19 Chapters and (blank) 6th the washing of feet these officers and ordinances were set in the church in the early day of it and I want to know who has had authority to set them out or leave them unattended to or act in the name of the Lord and not attend to them - - - tell your Son Boni I want him to write me a long letter and tell me about all the children where they are and what they are about and our old Luzern friends Squire Wells and family Rockwells family his great uncle Artimases family the Stewart family G L Ostroms for I tell you I know that trouble distress and much misery is near at your doors and the Lord suffered the people to drive us a (blank) Scourge although we have had some Scourging yet nothing to what the people of Missouri are now undergoing and it will be in every state of this great Republic tooat Virginia Kentucky and all the States where the war is now laying and it is going to be the same in the State of N York Vermont Massachusetts and ove all the land and by and by they will send another Crusade up against us But let them come they will not have as Buchannan's army did we fed them but the next will have to take the oath to us before they will get any Bread - - - The people generally thought that Buchanan's army would wipe out the Mormons but you might just as well undertake to wipe out the Sun - - - We are all firm Constitution men and are determined to stand by it after Congress and the President and all other men have foresaken it or nearly all there are some private citizens that will stand by the Constitution until the last - - - When the wicked rule the people mourn God Bless you Amen
From your Brother Daniel Shearer