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manship of the people of the Transvaal seems to have been entirely misleading; and now the English are reminded that within the last year or two the Boers have been in constant practice, that they have been under the training of French artillerymen and German officers, and are constantly trained to a higher standard of markmanship than was supposed to exist among them. It is hardly likely that the Boers will undertake the storming of the cities in which the British are shut up. That would entail a loss of men which they cannot afford, and it is said that even should they intend to storm Ladysmith, they have no bayonets with which to make a charge.

There has been some thought that the natives would join the British in the present war. Certainly the British would offer no aid to such a policy as this, and have already probably informed the natives that in the absence of an attempt on the part of the Boers to invade their lands, they are to remain neutral. News, however, reaches us of an uprising among the natives, and an effort on their part to take sides with England. This would be somewhat of a serious movement to the Boers. The natives in recent years have been to some extent armed, and if they should attack the Boers on the rear the latter would be obliged in defense of their homes and families to withdraw a considerable portion of their army to defend the frontier against the negroes. On the other side, it is not unlikely that an effort to secure the assistance of the natives would result in disaffection among the Boers of Cape Colony, who might easily be induced to leave this British possession to join their brethren in the Transvaal.

Indeed, it is already said that numbers of farmers from the northern part of Cape Colony have already cast their lot on the side of the Boers in the present war. At this time it is not possible to determine just how many soldiers the Boers have in the field. Only the "first-call" men, about twenty-five thousand were summoned. The "first-call" men include those between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five. It is said, however, that five thousand of the second-called men have joined the army of the Boers without a suminons, and that about ten thousand from Natal and other provinces have enlisted, so that the entire army must now aggregate somewhere in the neighborhood of forty thousand men. Eng

land expects to put eighty thousand men in the field, and at present it is doubtful whether the Boers will be able to resist this with a greater force than fifty thousand. The country, however, is mountainous, and the Boers must act largely on the defense; and if they maintain a stubborn resistance, the war is likely to result in a terrible loss of life and treasure.

WHY DON'T YOU LAUGH?

Why don't you laugh, young man, when troubles come,
Instead of sitting 'round so sour and glum?

You cannot have all play,

And sunshine every day;

When troubles come, I say, why don't you laugh?

Why don't you laugh? "Twill ever help to soothe
The aches and pains. No road of life is smooth;
There's many an unseen hump,

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O'er which you'll have to jump. Why don't you laugh?

Why don't you laugh? Don't let your spirits wilt;
Don't sit and cry because the milk you've spilt;
If you would mend it now,

Pray let me tell you how:

Just milk another cow! Why don't you laugh?

Why don't you laugh, and make us all laugh, too,
And keep us mortals all from getting blue?

A laugh will always win;

If you can't laugh, just grin,——

Come on-let's all join in! Why don't you laugh?

-Independent.

THE LIFE AND LABORS OF SIDNEY

RIGDON.

BY JOHN JAQUES, ASSISTANT CHURCH HISTORIAN.

II.

On Sunday morning, January 3, 1836, "President Sidney Rigdon delivered a fine discourse on revelation."

In a council at Kirtland, on the 13th, under the hands of Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Hyrum Smith, several brethren were ordained to the High Priesthood and to be counselors in that stake of Zion. Also Joseph, Sidney, W. W. Phelps, David Whitmer, and Hyrum Smith were appointed to draft rules and regulations to govern the house of the Lord, which was done accordingly, and in a council on the 15th the rules were unanimously accepted. President Rigdon, on his request, was administered to for a severe affliction in his face, which troubled him most at night, probably neuralgia.

On the 16th, Joseph, Sidney and others attended a council of the Twelve, where some unpleasantness caused by harsh expressions, was mollified, and the brethren covenanted to be more regardful of each other's feelings, Joseph stating that he did not countenance harsh language, neither in himself nor any other man.

The next day, Sunday, an excellent meeting was held, the brethren confessing their faults to each other.

At meetings on the 21st and 22nd, at which the Presidency and others were present, the ordinance of anointing with oil and of blessing was attended to, many glorious visions were beheld, and the ministration of angels was enjoyed. On the 28th and 30th,

the several quorums of the authorities of The Church met and were set in order. The holy anointing was further attended to and more angelic visions were beheld. A similar meeting was held on the 1st of February.

The next day, in the school house, President Rigdon delivered an animated discourse, chiefly on the scattering and gathering of Israel, and "the Spirit bore record that the Lord was well pleased." During the same month a number of other meetings and councils were held, at which more visions were seen by some of the brethren. About this time, Joseph, Sidney, and other brethren were engaged in learning Hebrew, under the teaching of Professor Seixas.

On the 25th, President Rigdon's wife was very sick, but after being administered to by Joseph and other brethren she began to

recover.

On the 3rd of March, the Presidency and several quorums met to consider certain resolutions concerning licenses, at which time Joseph said, "Equal rights and privileges, is my motto; and one man is as good as another, if he behaves as well; and that all men should be esteemed alike, without regard to distinctions of an official nature." Joseph was nominated as chairman of conference to sign. licenses, and Sidney as chairman pro tem.

On the 13th, the Presidency and Twelve decided that they move to Zion (Western Missouri) on or before May 15th, if the way was opened before them.

On the 18th, Sidney preached a fine discourse at the funeral of Susan Johnson.

On the morning of the 27th, in solemn assembly, at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, President Rigdon opened and closed by prayer, and also preached two and a half hours, among other things showing that conflicting sects and parties and diversity of religious sentiment ever had obtained and ever would obtain when people were not led by present revelation.

President F. G. Williams said that while President Rigdon was offering the first prayer, an angel entered the window, took his seat between Father Smith and President Williams, and remained there during the prayer. Many glorious visions were beheld, and Joseph said the temple was filled with angels. He offered the dedicatory prayer. A bright light, like a pillar of fire, rested upon the

temple, and the people in the neighborhood "were astonished at what was transpiring."

On the 29th, Joseph, F. G. Williams, Sidney, Hyrum Smith, and Oliver Cowdery met in the most holy place in the Lord's house, and sought for revelation concerning going west. During the meeting, Sidney washed the feet of Joseph Smith, Jr., and his father, also of Hyrum Smith. Joseph washed Sidney's feet, and Hyrum washed David Whitmer's and Oliver Cowdery's. The feet of many other brethren were washed also, on that day and the next.

On the 31st, the temple services were repeated.

In a Council meeting, April 2, Sidney Rigdon and F. G. Williams were appointed a committe to devise means to discharge the debts of the printing company.

On May 27th, Joseph Smith's grand mother, Mary Smith, died. Sidney Rigdon delivered the address at her funeral.

Presidents F. G. Williams and Sidney Rigdon, June 16, presided in a High Council meeting at the trial of Preserved Harris and Isaac McWithy.

On the 25th of July, Joseph, Sidney, Oliver Cowdery, F. G. Williams and Hyrum Smith wrote to W. W. Phelps and others, in Missouri, advising them not to be the first aggressors, but to be wise and prudent, to preserve peace with all, and to stand by the constitution. Also one to John Thornton and others, of Liberty, Clay County, concerning the Missouri troubles.

The same afternoon, Joseph, Sidney, Hyrum Smith, and Oliver Cowdery left Kirtland and in the evening took steamer at Fairport, arriving at Buffalo, N. Y., next evening. Thence they took a line boat for Utica, arriving there on the morning of the 29th, then took rail for Schenectady, on the first passenger car on the new road, being six hours traveling eighty miles, and by rail also to Albany, arriving the same evening. There, next day, they went on the steamer Erie, which had a race with the steamer Rochester, the Erie arriving at New York a few hours ahead. Thence by steamer to Providence, and from there to Boston by rail, arriving at Salem, Mass., early in August. There they hired a house and engaged in preaching and teaching, returning to Kirtland in September.

A conference in the house of the Lord, December 22, was attended by the First Presidency and other authorities of The

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