... all the members of the council of F[ifty] or Kingdom of God in the Camp except Brother Thomas Bullock, went onto the bluffs and selecting a small, circular, level spot, surrounded by bluffs, and out of sight, we clothed ourselves in the priestly garments and offered up prayer to God, for ourselves, this Camp and all pertaining to it, the brethren in the army, our families and all the Saints, President Young being mouth. ... The two latter [Albert Carrington and Porter Rockwell] having no clothing with them stood guard at a little distance from us to prevent interruption. When we started for the bluffs, there was a heavy, black thunder cloud rising from the South west, and to all appearance, it might rain any minute, but the brethren believed it would not rain till we got through and if it did we chose rather to take a wetting than to be disappointed of the privilege. It kept off remarkably till we got through, and got our cloths on, but soon after began to rain and after we got to Camp it rained considerable accompanied by strong wind. I never noticed the brethren so still and sober on a Sunday since we started as today. There is no jesting, nor laughing, nor nonsense. All appear to be sober and feel to remember their covenant, which makes things look far more pleasant than they have done heretofore.

[William Clayton]


[Source: George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://bit.ly/WilliamClayton]