Prompt to the suggestion of President Brigham Young, in an order designed to firmly cement the bonds of union among the Latter-day Saints, thereby laying a foundation for mutual self support and independence, through a combination of temporal and spiritual interests, founded on a co-operative basis, Hercules-like, Lorenzo put his shoulder to the wheel, and, although he saw at a glance the magnitude of the undertaking, that it required almost superhuman skill and the labor of years, with him duty was the watchword, and success the ultimatum. Results have shown that no difficulties were too great for him to encounter, and no achievement too ponderous for his grasp.
Generations hence, when its illustrious founder shall be sleeping with the fathers, Brigham City will be an unique, interesting subject for the study of the sociologist, and the review of the historian. It will stand as an example of a city that grew up on a pure co-operative plan; it will prove that social commonwealths are possible; and it will historically perpetuate to the Latter-day Saints themselves the order that the Prophet Joseph revealed as the basis of a millennial society. Truly is Brigham City a great social monument of the age. Its venerable founder is worthy of immortality for the social problems he has solved for our latter day Zion; and the people who have so nobly wrought with him are worthy of remembrance in the pages of history.
In the following letters the reader will find a condensed history of the United Order of Brigham City, which shows the work of great inventive skill, the power and strength of union and concert, combined with unabated perseverance and unwavering faith in God.
Notwithstanding a series of calamities have, for a time, partly suspended the combined operations of this model system of co-operation, the very satisfactory point to which it has attained, and the beneficial results of the workings of the combination, are proof of the practicability of its success.
Brigham City, October, 1876.
Bishop Lunt, Cedar City:
In accordance with your request, I send you the following brief account of the rise, progress and present condition of "Brigham City Mercantile and Manufacturing Association."
We commenced over twelve years ago by organizing a mercantile department, which consisted of four stockholders, myself included, with a capital of about three thousand dollars. The dividends were paid in store goods, amounting, usually, to about twenty-five per cent per annum.
As this enterprise prospered, we continued to receive capital stock, also adding new names to the list of stockholders, until we had a surplus of capital, or means, and succeeded in uniting the interests of the people and securing their patronage. We resolved, then, to commence home industries and receive our dividends, if any, in the articles produced.
Similar fears and notions were entertained by the stockholders when this was proposed as you stated agitated the minds of your capitalists, viz: a possible diminution of dividends. It required some effort on the part of our stockholders to reconcile their feelings with a knowledge of their duty and obligations as Elders of Israel and servants of God. A good spirit, however, prevailed, and a desire to build up the Kingdom of God, and work for the interests of the people, outweighed all selfish considerations; hence, consent was granted by all the stockholders to establish home industries and draw dividends in the kinds produced.