On the second day of July, the nation and the world was horrified to learn that President James A. Garfield had been shot by an assassin, in Washington. The news flashed over the civilized world in a few moments after the awful deed, and was verified during the day by particular accounts of the circumstances of the assault, by a description of the would-be murderer, Charles J. Guitteau, of Chicago, and of the nature of the wound received by the President. For the first two or three days hopes for the recovery of Mr. Garfield were scarcely entertained by the physicians in charge, or by the people. In consequence of the universal gloom of the occasion, the usual celebration of the Fourth of July, was abandoned throughout the country. Elaborate arrangements had been made in Salt Lake City, by the old citizens and by the outsiders, to have separate celebration exercises-both were abandoned. A feeling of genuine sorrow was expressed on the faces of all citizens. President John Taylor, at a meeting of the people's celebration committee, made some timely remarks, in which not only the horror he felt as an individual was expressed, but the sentiment of the whole people in relation to so dastardly a deed. For the time all other feelings than of profound sympathy for the sufferer, and his family, and of execration for the miserable wretch who fired the assassin's weapon, and of sorrow that such deeds should occur in our free land of liberty, were buried. Telegrams from all parts of the union and from all nations poured in to the Executive Mansion testifying to the universal sympathy and concern the sad incident had developed. From the time that the case appeared less hopeless, and thoughts were entertained of the possible recovery of the President, congratulatory messages, containing words of encouragement and prayers for his welfare, were more numerous than those of sympathy at first received; and as the daily reports have been sent out from the sick chamber, signifying improvement in the wounded man's condition, thankfulness has taken the place of apprehension in the hearts of the people. At the present writing the whole nation is waiting to learn the hoped for, and generally expected, announcement that President Garfield is out of danger, when they will celebrate his recovery in such thanksgiving ceremonies as the world has never witnessed before, for the restoration to life of any of her sons. This deed,occurring in the fairest land on earth, in the most liberal government, at a time of general peace and prosperity, awakens lively thoughts upon the condition of mankind in relation to the designs and purposes of their Creator. We are taught in the sacred writings to acknowledge the hand of God in all things. But when an upright, high minded gentleman, occupying the position that Mr. Garfield does, is wantonly assailed by an assassin in the effort to murder, most gloomy and terrible thoughts are sugges ted, in acknowledging the hand of God in such a deed. And yet the plain duty of Christian men is to follow the Scriptural injunction, and harmonize it with the circumstances and condition of the times in which we live, as best we may. It is wholly impossible to do this satisfactorily without the aid of Divine light. If we knew the purposes of the Lord, we might be able to see wherein His wisdom is displayed in permitting so atrocious a crime to be committed; a crime, which not only endangered the life of an individual, but assails the freedom and attacks the prerogatives of office, which the government professes to secure. Of course the deed was the act of a mad- | clamoring for spoils which office secures, man, without confederates or sympathisers. He is not however irresponsibly insane. He was mad because he was disappointed in seeking for office, and he knew what he was doing when he attempted to take the President's life. Our nation was brought into existence through the favor of God, who decreed, ages before its establishment, that a free people should be raised up on this land, from among the Gentiles, over whom no king should rule. He promised great blessings to the people of that nation, when they should receive it, but He imposed the obligation on their part that they should be lovers of liberty, and law, and order. He said that if they fell away from the spirit which should actuate its founders, and charactize their efforts to organize it upon the earth, and should continue in darkness, unrepentant, He would permit them to go on until they should fill up their cup of iniquity, when He would wreak vengeance upon them and destroy them. These predictions God made through His prophets, to the forefathers of the aborigines of this land of America—a people that He has preserved for many generations, for they are of the blood of Israel, and are yet to realize the blessings of Israel. There is something prophetic of the destruction of this free people, in the obligation the Almighty has thus demanded from the sons of the Revolutionary fathers, and well may they take warning when they fall from the spirit and stray from the path in which their fathers walked. Perhaps a comparison of the motives men now have for desiring office, with those that pervaded the breasts of Washington and his contemporaries, would reveal a state of loyal interest in the modern officeholder, in which selfishness, pride, and all the baser attributes of mind, sully the pure love of liberty, and the righteous desire to do good to his country and his fellowman, that might suggest the beginning of Heaven's wrath to be poured out upon the lovers of iniquity. In a word we will express it as our belief: the corruption of men in office, the the self-aggrandizement which results, and the abuse of power in the oppression of the weak, all of which, in a general sense, applies to our national administration to-day, and has for many years past, has awakened the vengeance of Him, who declared that the people should not be oppressed on this land, and if we will so take it, we may see the hand of God, in striking Mr. Garfield down, as a warning to the nations. We do not mean that personally the President has performed any act in his administration, for which he should now lie at the point of death. But he is the representative of the nation that God helped to build on this land a hundred years ago, that men of all the world might find a refuge here, from tyranny, and live in liberty, pursuing whatever course of life that seemed unto them good, while not infringing on the rights of others. Are there any who do not enjoy this liberty? If so, then expect to witness the chastisement of God. Are the weak oppressed? Are the Indians driven to the wall, stripped and scourged! Are men curtailed in the free worship of God, according to the dictates of conscience? Have they suffered martyrdom for religion here? Are people of this great commonwealth ruled over by men not of their choice? Are there any threatened with the curtailment of their present liberties? If so, then look for the baring of the arm of Jehovah. If evils exist in our national affairs, may it please our Father above to enlighten the administrators thereof, that they may see and correct them, and thus avoid the awful doom of which we have a warning, when it is possible for the President of the freest nation under heaven to be driven to death, as the monarchs of absolute despotism are in the old world. We pray for the recovery of President Garfield, and demand the punishment of his assailant. We hope that the present Administration may gain the admiration and respect of all the world, which the correction of national abuses would secure; and among these we would suggest, for their own credit, that they deal honorably with the red men, liberate the | ship as they please, and we believe God people of the Territories from colonial bondage, let the Latter-day Saints and all other religious bodies alone, to wor will add honor to that, with which the humanity and intelligence of such a course would be sure to crown them. YOUNG WRITERS. "He that writes, Or makes a feast, more certainly invites His judges than his friends; there's not a guest But will find something wanting, or ill-drest," THERE is perhaps not a class of people in the world who are more severely criticised than writers; and I was about to say, they are the most sensitive, and suffer most under it; that may be wrong, however I do not assert it as positive. We hear remarks occasionally like these: "There are too many books;" "There are too many scribblers who fancy they can write, who push their works upon the public;" "The world is full of them, we don't want so much rhyming and scribbling, we want real poetry and prose, worth careful reading;" "We want depth of thought and sentiment, and eloquent and brilliant expression; not so many common place writers." All this is very discouraging to the young, to the beginner, who must first try his skill and strength in the path of literature; I know some will say one should keep the first efforts to themselves, but the writer is not a good critic, he cannot possibly judge, without prejudice in favor of his own work; of course he should revise, correct and re-write, but some one else must be the judge. The world is not made up of geniuses, in fact they are very few, and those few are often in need of a balance. If only literary geniuses produced books and writings, the world would be scantily provided with literature; great writers are about as scarce as great singers, and what should we do in all our little villages, in all our homes, our schools, and our churches, if people refused to sing because some one had succeeded in achieving a great musical triumph, and possessed a voice like a nightingale, and had set the world in a furore; if such were the case the world would not be so full of music as it is, and many a sad heart would lack the sweet consolation and healing balm that comes through the soothing influence of song; it is a blessed thing, to be able to sing, or play on a musical instrument. It gives relief to the feelings, and voice and expression to the holiest emotions of the soul; then let us encourage all that which elevates and purifies; and whatever opens up avenues for the exalted emotions of the human soul, tends to fuller development of the inner life and promotes that higher culture, which is a step in advancement towards the exaltation, we all desire to attain. Instead of discouraging those who have a desire to write, even though their efforts are poor, rather stimulate them to greater diligence, and more presistent effort, in cultivating the talent with which they have been endowed, or in pouring forth the song which is welling up in the soul. We have not too many writers, nor too many books in my humble opinion. We had far better pay out more money for books and reading matter, and less for many other things not so useful or pleasant in a home. I hope to see the day when in every home in the land, there will be a library of choice books and papers, suited to different tastes, and also musical instruments, and other attractions for a home that will elevate the minds of the inmates and produce a higher mental and spiritual atmosphere, and make mankind more godlike in intelligence, which is said to be the glory of God, Himself. How foolish it would be when one has a song upon his lips not to pour it forth, because some who are learned and able will criticise him severely or unjustly; such a one is unjust to himself, and is not making use of the talent committed to his keeping, and will one day be held | unaffected, unpretentious style, and who accountable for hiding it. Such a one knows but many people may be better lacks fortitude, and needs encourage- pleased and more edified than with some ment from those who are stronger or heavy article from the pen of a great braver. St. Paul says, let those who are writer. We want variety, and originality is strong bear the burdens of those who are always more acceptable than affectation. weak, and if we truly loved one another we would be more willing to do this; but instead of such being the case, many are ready to pull down and discourage those who are using their best endeavors to benefit the world of mankind, and often crush the one who is struggling against difficulties, when they might reach out and help him; a little influence to support one when making an earnest effort to develop one's gifts is most welcome, and the gratitude of the receiver is ample recompense, for it is always more blessed to give than to receive. I know it is said true genius will surmount every difficulty and rise triumphant in the greatest emergency, but unless the genius has an indomitable will, or destiny has given him a particular mission to fill, such will not of necessity be the case; most geniuses have had patrons, men or women of influence, who have brought them forward, for true merit is modest and retiring; besides, geniuses are rare-they are like precious diamonds-but there are a quantity of other gems, and people with one talent or two are much more common in this world than those gifted with ten. Every human soul wants some development mentally, and one day we shall become more fully alive to this truth. In the Gospel there is full scope for this development if it were understood. There are many superior advantages for the Latter-day Saints that will, when comprehended, more fully satisfy the yearnings of the human soul. But I am anticipating, to come back to the question under consideration in regard to writing and writers, we would say, never shrink from a duty because there is another who can perform it better, let not your heart fail you from writing a few lines because you are not equal to Thackeray, or Carlyle, or George Eliot, or George Sand, or Harriet Beecher Stowe, but write in your own simple, Should a star refuse to shine because some other more brilliant casts a shadow over it-it may be even the more lovely? What if the sparrow were to decline to sing because the robin's song was more admired. Each one may shine in his own way, it is not noble to refuse to do what one has the ability and talent to perform; but it is very ignoble to discourage another in any pursuit or profession; we may advise, if we think one has mistaken his calling, and so be helpful to a friend. "Mormonism" is rich in themes for the production of literature, and one may find subject for rhyme, for poetry, for a variety of prose works, for the drama, and for the most profound writings; and though our home writers may not be very highly esteemed at present, and their works not so meritorious, yet those who desire to see Utah take an honorable place in the nation should encourage the author, and help sustain literary labor. "Despise not the day of small things," when we see the blossom it is significant of fruit; but the garden of literature wants great attention, careful culling, weeding and pruning. Our young people should try to do their literary work well, and not be offended if they are not successful in being recognized at first. One grave fault of inexperienced writers is that they are fearful of revising and correcting lest they lose the inspiration; they have an idea that poets are inspired, and themes actually given them word for word, and that any correction would detract from the genuineness of its inspirationality. The Lord has given us our intellect-are we to make no use of it? Has He to put words in our mouths without our ever exerting ourselves? Certainly not. He expects us to apply our minds to gain knowledge and understanding, and seek diligently after wisdom. Such "a poem was given me," you will hear one say. It was cer tainly expected you would polish it then. As well say the marble cut from the quarry is the Lord's work, and we shall mar it if we attempt to shape or polish it. I would advise the young author to do his work well, to review and revise, and let his friends judge, and even then not be disappointed if the publishers should return it to him. Do not feel that you can never write again because your first manuscript was rejected; many of those who are now the best writers of the day have had this experience. Sing your song, it will cheer and elevate yourself if no other, and some poor lone one may listen and be comforted thereby. If you are not capable of reaching the highest notes, make as much melody as possible on the lower ones, and leave the higher for more cultivated or daring songsters; but be sure and sing; your heart will be expanded by the notes you strike, and others may hear and be gladdened. The humble daisy blossoming by the wayside cheers the weary traveler, and has as many admirers as the gayest flower that blooms in the garden; so it often is with the homely writer, he blesses the lowly and the humble; they comprehend and appreciate him, his simple language is music to them and they laugh at the critics, who deem his efforts a failure. I rejoice to see progress in this direction and I feel sure there might be much more were some encouragement held out to stimulate young writers. If those who have means and influence would become patrons of literature, and draw out some of the talent that at present is buried in obscurity, the community might be enriched, for there must from natural consequences be a mine of wealth in the hearts and minds of the young people born and reared amidst these mountain vales. Amethyst. ASSOCIATION INTELLIGENCE. QUARTERLY CONFERENCES. ON Sunday evening, June 19, 1881, the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations of Parowan Stake, met in quarterly conference. The Stake Presidency and other authorities were on the stand. The Young Ladies' Associations were also represented. It was the first meeting of the kind held by the young people, and was designed to inaugurate regular quarterly conferences to be hereafter held by them. Elder Junius F. Wells being present, gave instructions in relation to completing the Stake organization of the Y. M. M. I. A., and in regard to meetings, missionary labor, systematic exercises, etc. Bro. John Parry, Jr., who has heretofore been the Stake Superintendent, expressed his interest in the cause of mutual improvement, and his pleasure at the proposition to perfect the organization. He had taken satisfaction in his past labors and desired to continue to do all in his power for the welfare of the young. The following officers were It was THE quarterly conference of the Y. M. M. I. Associations of the Weber Stake of Zion, held in the Tabernacle, Ogden, July 10, 1881, had one distinguishing feature that is especially worthy of notice among its many good ones. that of having a programme, consisting of lectures on the first principles of the Gospel, songs, addresses, historical and otherwise, and readings. Some time ago the Presidents and Counselors of the different Wards met with the Central Board, and it was arranged that, at the quarterly conferences hereafter to be held, each society should take a part by |