SUPPLEMENT TO BIOGRAPHY AND AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
On the 26th of October, 1872, my brother Lorenzo left home on a tour to Palestine. A short time previous to this, President Brigham Young suggested to his first counselor, President G. A. Smith, to select a company for that purpose, and to go to Jerusalem; the object of which the following epistle briefly explains:
Salt Lake City, Utah Territory,
15th October, 1872.
President George A. Smith:
Dear Sir.—As you are about to start on an extensive tour through Europe and Asia Minor, where you will doubtless be brought in contact with men of position and influence in society, we desire that you observe closely what openings now exist, or where they may be effected, for the introduction of the Gospel into the various countries you shall visit.
When you get to the land of Palestine, we wish you to dedicate and consecrate that land to the Lord, that it may be blessed with fruitfulness, preparatory to the return of the Jews, in fulfilment of prophecy and the accomplishment of the purposes of our heavenly Father.
We pray that you may be preserved to travel in peace and safety, that you may be abundantly blessed with words of wisdom and free utterance in all your conversations pertaining to the holy Gospel, dispelling prejudice and sowing seeds of righteousness among the people.
(Signed) Brigham Young,
Daniel H. Wells.