Where others saw only sage, a salt lake, and a great desert, the Mormons saw their “lovely Deseret,” a land of lilacs, honeycombs, poplars, and fruit trees. Unwelcome in Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois, they migrated to the dry lands between the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada to establish Mormon country, a wasteland made green.
Like the land the Mormons settled, their habits stood in stark contrast to the frenzied recklessness of the American West. Opposed to the often prodigal individualism of the West, Mormons lived in closely knit – some say ironclad – communities. The story of Mormon country is one of self-sacrifice and labor spent in the search for an ideal in the most forbidding territory of the American West. Richard W. Etulain provides a new introduction to this edition. — Book promo @ goodreads.com
Persecution and hardship are an exceedingly elective trying ground. The graduates can be counted on, generally. The weak and the half-convinced and the ineducable drop out. Throughout his career Brigham kept that firmly in mind; he fanned the hatred of the Gentiles, he fostered the sense of being surrounded and persecuted. It is a trick which modern prophets and saviors have found useful. Until people are down and out, and have someone to hate for their condition, they do not seem likely to co-operate for any common aim. Brigham, as poker player on a vast scale, played off bitterness against hope, the past against the future.
The month of June closed with three more days of high temperatures over 100°. The new fan handled them much better than the old tower fan that was about to die along with my A/C. Yesterday was forecast to be 84 with a 30% chance of rain. It got hotter than the forecast but with the early cloud buildup and a breeze it was comfortable compared to the past very hot days.
I went to town again this morning with breakfast at Ella’s. Then a quick grocery gathering at Jake’s. I was going to pick up a package at the Post Office that I had sent General Delivery but it was put in the Park’s P.O. Box and the Park owner brought it to me yesterday. Hurried back to the Park and hoped for more cool days.
This was a Scheduled Post. I may add more comments in a future Post if there was anything happen that I have not mentioned.