Building Up Blackfoot Stake

My brethren and sisters: I am pleased with the opportunity of reporting the Blackfoot Stake of Zion. I desire to enjoy the Spirit of the Lord in the few remarks I shall offer. I am interested in the work to which I have been called. I look forth with hope and aspiration to be able, as a servant of God, to do something, to make a good account of my stewardship, and not to be a disappointment to God and to His servants whom He has placed at the head of this Church. I will take advantage of this opportunity to bear testimony concerning the brethren who stand at the head of this Church. I have perfect confidence in the integrity and honor of the leaders of our Church. I lift up my voice in protest against every declaration of disrespect concerning them, and, so far as my influence and power goes, to stay such declarations. I protest against them. I have been brought in contact with President Joseph F. Smith and his counselors, and a number of the Twelve Apostles, and I am proud of the honor of their acquaintance, and can testify to their virtues and integrity. I tell you, regardless of statements which are made inside and outside of the Church, those men are interested in the welfare of all people, and are laboring incessantly for their welfare and upbuilding. This is my humble testimony to you, my brethren and sisters, and that is the reason I have for saying at this time I believe in them, and extend to them my faith and prayers, and I will give them my support with the help of God. I believe in this Church also. I know it is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I am willing to make any reasonable sacrifice, and I pray that I may be willling to make the sacrifice of my life, if called upon, for the building up of the Church and kingdom of God in these latter days. If I understand the position correctly, this is a covenant that every man and woman in the Church has entered into. Therefore it behooves us to be upon our guard and cease evil speaking. I believe the people of Blackfoot Stake will compare favorably with the Saints in any other part of God's vineyard, but I have heard some things that have not been pleasing to me respecting the subject I have just mentioned. It is a principle that has been known by our people ever since the organization of this Church, that those who lift up their voices against the Lord's anointed will not be blessed. It is something that our people should become better acquainted with. In reading the other day about the Japanese, I learned that they are recognized as the most loyal people of any nation. They love their Emperor, they love their country, and that is their religion. I do not think the Japanese should be one whit ahead of the Latter-day Saints in loyalty. We should revere and honor those whom God has placed at our head. We should give them our faith and prayers. We should not only love them, but we should love our God, our Church and our country. That is my religion, and I pray that I may have it burned into my heart and brain so that I may never forget it as long as I live. ¶

I feel well in the gospel. I know that it has made me what I am, if I am anything. I know it will make me what I hope to become, through a faithful, honest, virtuous life. It is worth to me more than all the riches of the world, and with the Lord's help I hope to be willing to sacrifice all for it. ¶

It is about two months since I was called to preside over the Blackfoot Stake of Zion. It came hard upon me because I was required to break up my home and go to a new country. You who have not passed through that experience will hardly understand my feelings, but you who have been called to fill missions to the nations of the earth, and to make sacrifices in that line, will appreciate some of my feelings. I went into that country and looked over the situation, and, to tell the truth, I was a sick man for about ten days and until after I met with the people. Subsequently I felt to glorify God that I had been called from where I lived to a new country, where I might grow up with the people, and help them to develop one of the best sections in God's vineyard. ¶

Now I will tell you a little about the country. I invite all our brethren and sisters who are without homes, and who expect in the future to seek homes in a new country, to come to the Blackfoot Stake. On the west side of the river from Blackfoot, there are over one hundred thousand acres of as good land as lies out of doors. From Basalt, on the north, down the river to Thomas, in the southwest part of the stake is a distance of twenty-five miles. It has an average width of from six to seven miles, and every foot of that land is arable and can be covered with water. Running through this section of the country are eight canals, which, when completed will hold a hundred and forty-two inches of water — more water than you have in Salt Lake valley. On the east side of the river there is a great extent of territory, which is covered with large canals taken from the Snake river. The country is only partly inhabited. There are many men in that section owning from six hundred and forty to three thousand acres each. They all love the almighty dollar enough to be willing to sell some of their lands. I regret to state, however, there is an excitement at the present time in our community. Eastern capitalists have thought it advisable and profitable to build a sugar factory near Blackfoot City, and the people have been thrown into an excitement on this account, as they were in Salt Lake City when the "boom" was on, and they are asking two or three times the price for their land that they were willing to take a month ago. I hope and anticipate that this spirit will disappear, and that the people will become more reasonable in their prices. In looking over that country I estimate it is capable of sustaining from forty to fifty thousand people, if it be cut up into smaller farms. I have never seen better soil; it is as good as you will find in any part of the Snake River valley, and in my opinion that is the greatest valley in the Rocky mountains. You who are unacquainted with the size of Snake river, and the Snake River valley, have a very slight conception of what there is to the north of you. I believe that every one claiming the name of Latter-day Saint could go into the Snake River valley and become comfortably situated upon farms, it is so large. The Blackfoot district is an excellent farming and fruit district. While I do not wish to discourage our brethren who live up the valley (for they are living in one of God's finest countries), I believe I have many reasons to offer why the Blackfoot section of the Snake River valley is better to live in than it is farther up. It is claimed by the citizens who have lived in that section of the country for a long time that the open seasons there are between two and four weeks longer than they are further up the valley. The altitude of Blackfoot is about the same as Salt Lake City— four thousand five hundred feet— but it is considerably colder than Salt Lake City on account of the winds which prevail there. I have faith, however, in God's willingness and power to help His people if they will keep His commandments, and though these cold winds are disagreeable I think He will do as much for the people of Snake River valley in causing the winds to abate, and the climate to become more pleasant, as He did for the people of Bear Lake valley. My brother Golden and I used to live in Bear Lake valley; we ranched there for fourteen years, and we became inured to the windstorms which occurred continuously through the winter in that country. President Budge, of the Bear Lake stake, informs me that now it is a rare thing to have a severe wind storm, and the climate has become moderated and more desirable for the people. I have faith that this will occur in the Snake River country. People who live here have been educated to believe it is an undesirable country, with a cold, rigorous climate; I hope the time will come when you will get a correct idea regarding that section, and that some of you will come there and settle. There are thousands of young people in these older settled communities who would be greatly blessed if they would pick up their knapsacks and come out into the Snake River valley. I realize it is not the desire of our brethren that these older settlements shall become depopulated; but there are hundreds of young men who, if they stay in these older communities, will have small opportunity of ever becoming anything particular or gathering around them this world's goods. They have natural ability and intelligence, and they should go into a new country, grow up with it, and become prominent in the community. ¶

I pray the Eternal Father that He will bless the Saints of God, and inspire us all to be faithful, true to our covenants, pure, and to abstain from everything that is reckless or unwise. I pray that we may become more loyal to God and to His servants. I feel highly honored, my brethren and sisters, in being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and in associating with you as such. I feel highly honored in being called to preside over the Blackfoot Stake of Zion, and with the Lord's help, and the help of my brethren and sisters who live there, we will accomplish something in the development of that country. I have two counselors who are strenuous young men, who have faith in the future, who believe in God, and who have love and confidence in His servants; and we are united. We have a desire to build up that country, that our people will have something to be proud of. May God bless us to this end, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶