Part 2

Brother Zerubable,--I have received, through Elder Pratt, the letters you sent him to be forwarded to me; and was very thankful for them, and perhaps you have expected an answer before now, but I have deferred writing as long as I thought I could in safety and have my letters reach you before you start for the Valley; and you will be able to carry a report of me up to this date, in case the letters which I sent by mail fail to reach my family. I was very much pleased at the good spirit which was breathed in your letters, and particularly that you were so decided about going to that peaceful home of Saints early in the spring.

Your appointment as Judge of the Supreme Court of Utah territory, was from the Lord, though it came through the President, and will doubtless be a blessing unto you, in a pecuniary point of view; and if you are wise in the use of it, may be a blessing unto many thousands. * * * * * *

I suppose the Valley news of a general nature you will have obtained from the papers; probably you will also see my letters in the _Star_, and learn a little how we prosper here.

This is a well fortified and pleasant city. The winter has been pleasant--but little snow; and about the temperature of New York. I have good health, and plenty of business, warm friends, and plenty of enemies.

This is a perfect priest-ridden and king-ridden people, but many honest souls among them. We have had some persecution in this city, (saying nothing of the flood of lies that always follows the truth), such as breaking up our meetings, stoning houses and windows and the like, but not so much here as in some other places in the kingdom.

Brother Dykes, who is now laboring in the province of Jutland, has had a hard time, and made some hair-breadth escapes from his enemies, but has been greatly blessed notwithstanding, and has baptized over fifty.

Brother John Forssgren, (whose persecution and expulsion from Sweden I mentioned in my letter in the _Star_), has fared but little better in Denmark. He and a Danish brother was mobbed, and variously maltreated lately in Roskilde, the old capital of Denmark; and after two days complete uproar in the town, they were expelled by the chief authorities of the town, against all law. Notwithstanding all these things, we rejoice continually in the Lord our God, who blesses our labors and pours out the Holy Ghost upon us and the Saints, with its gifts and blessings, visions and dreams, prophecy and healing, casting out devils, &c. We have baptized about one hundred and fifteen in this city, and have a good prospect. We are but miserable tools in the Danish language, at the best, but the Lord makes weak things become strong unto them who believe.

Pray for us continually, that we may do a good work.

I am now very busily engaged with brother Hanson, in translating and publishing the Book of Mormon; it is a very laborious and tedious work to get it issued clean and pure, according to the simplicity of the original; and requires the closest attention. I am publishing three thousand copies--have only one hundred and sixty-eight pages finished, it will take me till May or June. I circulate two hundred by the sheet, weekly.

Yours, &c.

E. SNOW.

LETTER TO PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG

15, _Wilton Street, Liverpool, July_ 10_th_, 1851.

Beloved President,--As I intimated in my letter of last August, I have made an exertion, and through the blessing of God after eight months faithful and unceasing application, have succeeded in the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon, in the Danish language; a copy of which I hope to have the opportunity of sending you soon.

I have issued an edition of three thousand copies; I should have had it stereotyped, and issued a smaller edition first, if I could have found a stereotype foundry in the kingdom, but Denmark is a little behind the age in this as in most other improvements. They are now being thrown into circulation by the brethren, and a bookdealer of Copenhagen.

In the work of translation, I employed such help, as the Lord furnished to my hand, feeling that it was better so to do, than to confide it to learned professors who were not imbued with the spirit of the work. I sought the acquaintance of several, but could not feel satisfied in spirit to confide the work to either of them. After brother Hanson became improved in his language, by a few months' practice, I set him to re-writing and revising his old translation, and soon a Danish lady, a teacher of French, German, and English, embraced the faith, whom I employed to assist in the work; but I did not allow it to go to press until I had become sufficiently acquainted with the language, as I believed to detect any error in sentiment, and given it a thorough review with them a third time.

I feel that I have done the best I could under the circumstances, and that the Lord has accepted it and will add his blessing. As the Saints began to peruse its sacred pages, the Holy Ghost descended upon them, and bore record of it in a marvellous manner, speaking to some in dreams, visions, and divers manifestations, which caused our hearts to magnify the Lord.

In September, I published a small work, entitled "The Voice of Truth to the honest in heart," containing a sketch of the rise of the Church and its doctrines; and in March I published one containing the articles of the Church, and several extracts of revelations, for the instruction and government of the Saints, and also a small collection of some of our best hymns, put into Danish, and adapted to the tunes used in Zion. These little publications were a great help to us, and a source of much joy to the Saints.

Those who have laboured as you have for many years in a cold world to preach the word of life, can easier imagine than I can describe the sensations of our bosoms on hearing the Songs of Zion in a foreign tongue, and the Saints relate their dreams and visions, and pray for Zion and the Presidency, and the travelling Elders and Saints throughout the earth.

On the 15th September, 1850, we duly organized "Jesu Christi Kirke af sidste dages Helege" in Denmark, consisting of fifty members. We had been baptizing and confirming from the 12th of August, but had operated privately in small family gatherings, for I felt constrained to refrain from any attempt at public meetings.

We now presented our organization and sketch of our faith, before the "Cultus-minister" and board of magistrates, and obtained permission to procure a place of worship and hold meetings, but he informed us that we might meet obstruction from the police.

Elder John E. Forssgren being banished from Sweden, arrived in Copenhagen on the 18th September. Soon after this elder Dykes was appointed to commence labour in Aalborg, in the province of Jutland, where he soon established a branch of the Church. I thought to send brother Forssgren to the island of Bornholm, which formerly belonged to Sweden, and has a dialect nearly allied to the Swedish; but he was positively refused a pass to that or any other province. The reason assigned by the president of the police department was, that he had taken upon himself, at the request of the Swedish government, to see to it, that Forssgren did not make his escape into Sweden. He has consequently remained in and about Copenhagen ever since, and has been a great help to me, for he was soon able to make himself understood by the Danes, as well or better than myself; besides, there were many native Swedes in Copenhagen, many of whom are now numbered among our best members.

During the winter a bill relating to dissenting religious parties, with very liberal provisions, was introduced into the legislature, but met with such powerful opposition from the bishops and their clergy in all parts of the state, that it was finally ruled out.

While this was pending many of the papers were teeming with misrepresentations about "Mormoniterne," and the chief bishop published a pamphlet against the bill, in which he detailed the usual catalogue of transatlantic lies about the Saints, and thought it the duty of governments to "protect the people against this dangerous sect." Several marvelous cases of healing, and other manifestations of the power of God, together with the weekly distribution of 200 copies of a sheet of the Book of Mormon, contributed also greatly to exasperate them, and arouse the demon of persecution, which came upon us almost simultaneously, in every place where we were sowing seed.

In Aalborg, where the Saints had secured a popular hall, the chief officer of police suppressed their meetings; and elder Dykes was mobbed in a neighbouring town, where he had begun to baptize, and narrowly escaped with his life. In Roskilde, where brothers Forssgren and Aagren had secured a hall and commenced preaching, they were mobbed, beaten, arrested, and banished from the town by the chief officers of police, while those that were known to have received them, paid the penalty with the loss of windows and the like.

In Hersholm, where they next commenced, they fared but little better. In Copenhagen, our hall and the streets about it were thronged by a great crowd of journeymen, apprentices, sailors, &c., led on by the theological students, who turned our meetings into a "pow wow," dealing out all manner of threats and abuses, until we were finally obliged to cease our public meetings, while the police refused interference in our behalf.

Some private houses where we had small gatherings next became the object of vengeance. Near the same time also evil spirits attacked some persons in the Church, and manifested their power in many strange ways, and it took sometime to entirely subdue them, all of which afforded lessons of wisdom and experience to the young Saints. They also made an angry demonstration upon brother Forssgren and myself, in our room at night, somewhat similar to that upon elders Hyde and Kimball, in Preston. My eyes were open to behold them, and through humble prayer we obtained power to withstand them and rebuke them from our presence and room. It seemed, indeed, as though the powers of earth and hell were combined to crush the work of the Lord in that land, but through much prayer and fasting we received strength, and the clouds began to disperse. We sent a deputation to the king with a memorial, a Book of Mormon, and my pamphlet. I shortly after heard of the Book of Mormon in the possession of the queen dowager (who is reputedly pious, and a lover of the Bible), who, as her "maids" reported, was so wrought upon by the presentation, and tale of the book, that excitement and alarm spread through her palace, and she was unable to leave her room for several days.

We were afterwards informed through the "Cultus-minister," who has the superintendence of all school and church affairs, that the government was disposed to allow us our regular course, and interpose no obstacles. After this, the police officer in Aalborg, by order of the "Cultus-minister," restored to the Saints their privileges, and we began also to enjoy peace and quietness in our meetings at Copenhagen. Branches were organized in Hals and Hersholm, and the Saints generally increased in number, faith, and joy, in the Holy Ghost.

Before the adjournment of the legislature, a law passed in a modified form, sustaining religious freedom, and abrogating the old law which denied the rights of matrimony, and all other civil and social privileges to native subjects, unless sprinkled, educated, and confirmed in the Lutheran church. Yet there is nothing in the constitution or laws that guarantees us that _protection_ in our worship, and in the exercise of our religious rights, which is afforded by the laws of England and America.

I now feel that "the shell is broken" in old Scandinavia, and the work of the Lord will advance. Probably an earlier mission to that country would have proved a failure.

Though to you and others they might have seemed trifling, yet upon me the cares, anxieties, and pressure of circumstances attending the mission have weighed heavily. In the midst of them I have frequently been visited with encouraging dreams, in which I often saw brother Joseph Smith, yourself, or president Kimball, and received instructive lessons. In the midst of the exciting scenes of the winter, I saw myself and brethren navigating a dangerous stream, on a fishing excursion. Our vessel had neither steam nor sails, yet (by what power was not perceivable) it was slowly but steadily advancing against a rapid current, and we were drawing in fish.

In the spring three Icelanders who had embraced the faith in Copenhagen returned to their native land, with the Book of Mormon and pamphlets, two of whom I ordained and commanded them to labour among their people, as the Lord opened their way, to read, pray, teach, baptize, translate, &c., and one of them to return to me in the fall. They were mechanics, and the Spirit rested copiously upon them.

The total number baptized, including those baptized by elder Forssgren in Sweden, is about three hundred. The number of elders, priests, teachers, and deacons, ordained in branches, and travelling, is about twenty-five.

Towards the close of May I appointed brother Hanson and five others in pairs, supplied with books and pamphlets, to open new fields of labour: two to south Jutland, two to Bornholm, and two Swedes to that part of Sweden lying immediately across the Sound from Copenhagen. These last were instructed to go among their friends, circulate tracts, read, talk, pray, and baptize, secretly if they could, in a manner to attract the least possible attention from the priests.

The winter in Denmark was mild. Little snow, but much rain, and exceedingly thick foggy weather; this coupled with my anxieties and close application to the Book of Mormon, and my other duties, considerably impaired my health. Leaving the presidency with brother Forssgren, I resolved to join my brethren in conference at London, and rest and recruit myself a little season, by a change of labours and scenery.

I came by steamboat to Wismar, in Germany, and from thence to London; passing through the states of Mecklinburgh-Schwerin, Hanover, Belgium, and part of Prussia, by railway, and crossed the channel from Ostend to Dover. On my way I called upon a pious German nobleman, on the Elbe, with whom I had corresponded, and to whom I had sent a "Voice of Warning." He welcomed me to his family; and said he had begun to translate the Voice of Warning into German. His interest or curiosity became sufficiently excited to induce him, in a few days, to follow me to London; but when he learned that we did not believe in standing still to be killed, only when we were compelled so to do, he turned back with many _pious regrets_, thinking it utterly impossible to reconcile "Mormonism" with his favourite doctrines of peace and non-resistance.

We had an interesting and profitable time in London. Elders Taylor, L. Snow, and F. D. Richards, were present, and the American elders generally. The great Crystal Palace and its collected products of a world's industry, was the great theme of London, not to say of Europe and America. Since the June conference in London I have attended conference in Manchester and Preston, and spent about ten days with elder Joseph W. Johnson, in the Preston and Clitheroe conferences, where he is doing a good work, reviving the dead in those old conferences. He wished me to remember him affectionately to you.

On the arrival of the "Fifth General Epistle," I forwarded it to Denmark, to be translated and published. I have the "Voice of Warning," and portions of the "Doctrine and Covenants" in process of translation. I expect to return in a few days, and I hope to be able before another spring to establish a monthly periodical, and publish some works also for circulation in the Swedish language. I should do violence to my feelings to close this epistle without expressing the gratitude of my heart for the deep interest of, and efficient aid afforded me by presidents O. Pratt, F. D. Richards, and others. Here I would say, a word about the labours of brother Richards, and the grace of God that abounds upon him since the departure of elder Pratt, but with you it can add nothing, his works will speak for themselves. He honors his station, and feels its responsibility. I love him, and so do all the Saints.

Please present my affectionate remembrances to my beloved family when opportunity affords, and accept assurances of the same for yourself and family. "When shall we all meet again?" Echo answers--"When."

May the choice blessings of Israel's God rest upon you and all his people; and may a liberal share of that Spirit that is upon you be my portion, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

I remain your fellow-labourer in the kingdom of God,

ERASTUS SNOW.

To B. Young, President of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter-day Saints, in all the world.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM ELDER FORSSGREN.

_Copenhagen, July_ 1_st_, 1851.

Beloved brother Snow,--Having received news from you through brother Dykes, I take pleasure in addressing you a few lines concerning myself and the church here universally. In the Copenhagen branch peace and union prevail. * * * Brother Dykes, in company with brother Jensen, from Aalborg, arrived here this morning in the steamer Juno. * * The little ship Zion, of Aalborg, has stood through a dreadful storm in the last eight or nine days, which you may hear of through the papers before you get this. On Sunday, the 22nd, Elder Jensen and his brethren of the priesthood, came to the conclusion to go and baptize at a public place by the sea shore, which caused a great gathering of great and small, aged, middle aged, and young. To these, brothers Larsen and Jensen bore testimony of the truth, according to the spirit of the Book of Mormon, and warned the people to flee from the church of the devil, and let them know those priests they had in those high steepled temples, were Gentiles, &c.

The ungodly became enraged, seized one of the brethren, and took him before the high priest; the whole body of the mob gathered round his house, to see what he would say and do. The priest with horror and affright cried out, "away with him." Some took shelter in brother Olson's house, but on the way were stoned, knocked into the gutters, and clothes torn off some. The mob then proceeded to the place of the Saints' worship, and began a havoc on the house, all the windows went in as with a blow, and doors torn down. Sister Petersen, who resided in the small room, escaped through a window with a babe in her arms. * * * The police and soldiers of the city guard were ordered out to quell the tumult, but all their efforts were in vain, till the artillery of heaven was moved upon. Sharp thunder and lightning and a shocking shower of rain came down upon them, which caused the mob to disperse for the night. Next day they began with more strength; all the windows of the Saints' houses were stoned to pieces; some of the women taken and dealt with in a brutal manner. Since the commencement of the uproar, all the Saints have been more or less roughly handled. Elder Jensen's manufacturing establishment has been threatened, but it stands good yet. The Saints' house of worship was unroofed, and part of the walls torn down.

For nine days has the town been in a dreadful tumult,--the police quarrelled among themselves, the citizens with each other, and the lower classes fighting among themselves. * * * * * *

Brother Dykes arrived there yesterday, but was immediately taken and sent on board the steamer out of the way, that none of the Saints could see him. Brother Jensen made his escape on board a boat, unknown to his enemies. * * * He will now be with us for a short time, he is full of joy in the Holy Ghost. He will probably seek to talk with the king, to seek protection for the Saints in Aalborg. * * *

No news from those brethren lately sent out on missions. We hope to hear from you soon.

Your ever humble servant, and brother in the new and everlasting covenant,

J. E. FORSSGREN.

P.S.--Last week eight were baptized, and the work is taking root among the better quality of people.

AN EXTRACT FROM ELDER SNOW'S REPLY.

_Rock Ferry, July_ 11_th_, 1851.

Beloved brother,--Yours of the first instant is received. * * * I sincerely sympathize with the Saints in Aalborg in their trials, and pray that the grace of God may be sufficient for them. I doubt not that what they did was with the purest motive; and I have faith in God, that he is able to overrule all for good in the end, and hope that it may contribute to arouse and combine the energies of the right minded in favour of truth and freedom.

I hope the scenes growing out of that public baptism, and the imprudent sayings of the brethren on that occasion, however painful the results, may serve as a lesson of wisdom and experience for all Saints in that land from henceforth.

Where a cold indifference prevails, a little _healthy excitement_ to arouse the public mind to investigation may be profitable, provided it can be controlled, and the _truth kept before the people_. But Denmark is not England nor America--religious liberty is not grounded in the hearts of the people. They are under the influence of their priests and attached to their religion--once their feelings outraged, the voice of truth or reason cannot be heard. While a little fire kindled upon the hearth, in a cold day, is very convenient, all will admit the folly of firing the house, by which the inmates might be consumed or left houseless in mid winter.

Counsel the Saints in Aalborg to continue their little meetings for prayer and exhortation, if they can, without excitement: and if you can, you had better send them an Elder, not known there, to encourage and minister among them until I come, which I trust will not be long.

DENMARK

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE COUNTRY AND PEOPLE.

Denmark Proper is but a small state, including the peninsula of Jutland and the islands of the Cattegat, and those of the southern and western parts of the Baltic, to which is attached the dukedoms of Sleswick, Holstein, Oldenburg and Lauenburg, the most of whose inhabitants use the German language. Her foreign dependencies, like those of Great Britain, are far more extensive than her home dominions. These have their peculiar dialects, and use the Danish language only in part, chiefly in public affairs and business transactions, and even her home provinces and islands have great dialectic peculiarities, to a considerable extent unintelligible to each other. But the literature of Copenhagen is the regular and standard language, if in truth it can be said to have a standard. But the language, like the people, is so surrounded and intermixed with others, that changes and improvements are very considerable, and its laws quite unsettled.

In the State of Norway, the Danish language is spoken and written generally and taught in her schools. And although they maintain their rustic dialects, it is doubted if the old Norsk language has been used in printing since the days of the Reformation.