"wet & drisly [ ] the camp was caled together about 10 oclock when Brigham addressed us and said it was no use to pursue our journey any further with the spirit that was in this camp at the present [ ] there was fidling & dancing playing cards loud laughter and disorder on every hand and said if we did not stop and turn to the Lord we were a ruined people [ ] he talked to us some length of time [ ] told us we were surrounded by evil spirits that we did not know what we were about and that he was determined to know who were willing to forsake their evil ways and turn to the Lord by making a covenant and those that were not willing might withdraw [ ] said that those that persisted in taking their Maker's name in vain should be cursed and dwindle away to nothing [ ] he asked the brethern if they were willing to make the covenant to which they all agreed to [ ] he first caled to his brethern the Twelve to come forward and hold up their hands and covenant with him [ ] then the High Priests [ ] then the Seventies [ ] then the Elders and then those that did not belong to any Quorum [ ] there were 18 High Priests 80 seventies 8 elders [ ] Brigham recommended that we have a fast and prayer meeting the next day which would be Sunday and that we would now pursue our journey and felt to bless us and prayed that we would be faithful in observing our covenants [ ] we then continued our trael about 8 3/4 miles and camped to spend the Sabbath"
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Charles was a member of the 27th Quorum of the Seventy. Some people must think that Brigham was 'rigid' in his leadership of the pioneers ... and in his discipline. He had to be the way he was. They would never have gotten to where they were going without the leader that he was. The personality that Brigham had happened to be exactly what they all needed as a group with a common goal. So read Charles' entry for the day and also the following journal entry of Albert Rockwell with that thought in mind. It was a different time, and different needs had to be met.
Albert's entry is a bit hard to read, but he did as well as he could with the education that he had.
"May 29 [ ] Lite mist of rain this mornig[ ] at Eleven ten o'clock the horn blew for geatheng the teams to stat [ ] at Eleven a meeting of all the brothering was called in the Sirkle (circle) [ ] the roal was caled when 141 answered to there names [ ] two we[re] out hunting which made the 143 or the number in camp [ ] After this Pres young spoke from a text which was that he was determined not to travel aney further with the Spirit that prevailed in camp at this time [ ] at one o'clock we started on our journey traveled 9 miles mostly over a barron Prary [ ] camped ner good feed [ ] had a fine shower about o'clock it continug about one hour [ W are now from Winter Quarters 523 miles [ ] Pres youngs remarks on his text at the meeting wer strong and imfatic showing forth the folley manifest in the camp buy there liteness Rudeness Levity loud laughing Dancing to Excess card playing Checkers & Dominows &c [ ] showed that (if) this persisted in (it) wood lead some to insubornation some of which had all ready been manifest [ ] he said that it must be checked in the bud and he was determined to do it and that he rather go with six good men into the wilderness to sherch out the Location for the saints than to go with a company that possesed the spirit that was prevailing at this time [ ] finely he concluded with saying that he had rather go alone &c [ ] Shewed forth the Effectt that of that the spirits of devels had over tabinickles said that the Gentiles wer not around us for thier spirits to git into there for these spirit wer indeving to creep in among us unaware and thus introduce disorde which wood terminate in quarrels and from that to fites and from that to stabing which would produce death [ ] this would caus a division in camp and the law must be put in force which cut the rebelieous off from the church jest below there Ears and thus a posion of the Elders wood fall the instruments on persons holding the preasthood would be surspended in their labours others would have to arise to fill there places and thus the devels thought to retard the work of the Lord [ ] Pres ordred the twelve to geather round him which they did [ ] he then called upon them to covenant to sees there liteness and and renew ther covenant to serve the Lord which they did unaniisly—he then cald upon the high priest to come around [ ] Eighteen wer present all of which mad the same covinents [ ] he then ordred the seventies to parade in to rows when 78 paraded and asserted to the same [ ] then the Elders & Lay members mad[e] the same covinent [ ] then Brs H. C. Kimball,Orsen Pratt & Willford Woodruff spoke on the subject in the power of the Spirit [ ] Pres Young moved that tomorrow be set apart for a day of fasting and prayer [ ] carried unamismusly [ ] he also directed that the sacradment be administered and stated that the twelve and some others would retire for prayer"
