165 years ago today - Jul 25, 1847

[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] July 25 Sunday This is the first Sunday that the Latter Day Saints ever spent in the great /salt Lake valley/ bason. We Washed Shaved & Cleaned up & met in the Circle of the encampment. Meeting was opened by the bishops & G A Smith Preached /the first sermon while standing upon the cannon .... Several other Brethren also expressed their feelings & there was one universal feeling of Satisfaction with the valley. Evry man that spoke upon the subject said they were Joyfully disappointed that the whole appearance was Altogether better throughout the valley than they had Anticipated or even dreamed of.

At the Close of the meeting President Young though feble Addressed [us] for A few moments And Informed the brethren + they must not work on Sunday that they would loose five times as much as they would gain by it, & they must not hunt or fish on that day. And there should not any man dwell among us who would not observe these rules...

He said that no man should buy any land that come Here. That He had no land to sell neither should He buy any but evry man should [have?] his land measured of to him for City & farming purposes what He could till. He might till it as he pleased but He should be industrious & take care of it. He also warned the Saints against keeping any thing that did not belong to them. That if they followed this course it would leek out & they would Stink in the nostrils of Jehovah Angels & the Saints & though they might live with the Saints & die with them they would be damned at last & go to Hell for they were thieves & nothing but burning through Hell would Clens them. ...

[Source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

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