Dear Brother—Before I left England, President Richards desired me to write to the Liverpool office as often as I conveniently could while on my way to the mountains. I have written three times, once "Off Cork", again from Boston, Massachusetts, and the other day from St. Louis, Missouri. I left the last place at 7 p.m. on the 23rd instant, via Illinois Town, Pana, LaSalle, Rock Island for Iowa City. Whilst sitting in the cars here waiting for them to start, I resolve to employ the time jotting down a few more thoughts in the shape of a letter, addressing them to you. While on my journey, I passed through what one of my fellow travelers called a "Grand Prairie", somewhere between Pana and LaSalle. It may be good land, but the verdure did not appear near as green as that on the fine rolling prairies which I expect to pass through today on my journey to Iowa City. I've got a five gallon keg of liquor with me and I seem to be running all kinds of hazards with it. At one place the conductor called it freight, and claimed a quarter on it. At Rock Island this very morning I was told that the probability was that I should have the keg taken from me on this side of the river. In consequence of the respect the people have in Iowa for the "Maine Liquor [p.116] Law". Now it will be too bad, after bringing this all the way from St. Louis, to lose it here. I say nothing to nobody, but keep it in the car with me, under careful supervision. I do not recollect that I ever before was under the necessity of being such a firm and undeviating friend to intoxicating drink. If I am questioned about this firewater, I must say that it is for medicinal purposes in a camp of emigrants across the plains, and get off the best way I can. In my last letter to you from St. Louis, I spoke rather lengthy of sea matters. I have a little more to say about them. And first I would say that it is almost a proverb that the laws, manners, and customs of the Saints are "Peculiarly hard" upon the Gentiles, when they associate with us. How, among ordinary emigrants, ship officers and sailors go out and find pasture I cannot say having had no experience. But I can readily believe that they find "Jordan a hard road to travel" among the Saints. Not only is the road hard, but the ground is rather barren to outsiders, and consequently, the pasture scanty, if indeed they find any. Our order of morality make them better than they would be otherwise be, better than they wish to be; make them comparatively good whether or no, and often against their will.

The first mate on the Horizon persuaded one of the sisters to stay at Boston, to be married to him, it was reported. She was the cause of all the unpleasantness that occurred between him and the Saints on board. How any girl, professing to be a Saint, could suffer herself to be led away by such a swearing, wicked man, ungovernable fellow as he was, I am at a loss to say. She seemed to be the only one, among passenger or crew that desired his acquaintance after leaving the ship. To be sure, it might have appeared, to the Saints on the Horizon, a fine thing to be waited upon with a carriage and a pair of greys, but that is not the end of the matter. Such a thing is not very wonderful in this country, as it only costs a dollar or two, and dollars are more plentiful and more easily obtained here than in England.

It was reported that this man was about to be a captain over a ship. I should be sorry to be one of a company of Saints on board his vessel. He would protect them from injury and insult from the sailors and others, but from the tyranny of his own ungovernable temper there would be no protection but the Almighty.

My experience thus far has taught me that if the Saints are watchful and prayerful, and faithful to the holy principles they have embraced, it is a hard matter indeed for gentiles to cross the line that separates them from the people of God. And the sons of Belial when they desire to steal in among the daughters of Zion, and are met in such a spirit, find it hard in every way—hard to get in the fold, and hard to keep out. . . .[p.117]

BIB: Jaques, John, [Letter], Unpublished letter by John Jaques, IN Life History of John Jaques, (privately printed, 1978) pp. 116-117. (
CHL)
(source abbreviations)