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What did Brigham Young enjoy doing on Christmas Day?
a.
Eating
b.
Teaching the
Saints
c.
Relaxing at home
d.
Sleigh riding
Yesterday’s
answer:
C The temple
construction site
The Journal History recorded an interesting account of
the Christmas celebration in 1851:
“Christmas Day. Fine weather prevailed in Great Salt
Lake City. All the hands engaged on the public works attended a picnic party at
Carpenter’s Shop on the Temple Block which was cleared and decorated for the
occasion. Several hundred persons attended and enjoyed themselves in both dance
and song. President Brigham Young was also present. The enjoyments were varied
with songs and addresses. The brethren of the band serenaded the inhabitants of
the city from midnight till daylight, which was quite a treat.”
George D. Watt wrote the following account of these
same Christmas events:
“Early on Christmas morning, Thursday, December 25, several
companies of serenaders, with brass instruments, made the sleeping mountains
echo with the sound of rejoicing. Our attention was drawn more particularly to
the Governor’s mansion, in the front to which was drawn up in military order a
troop of horsemen. This was the bass band giving his Excellency a good wish in
sweet strains.
“At ten o’clock a.m. the committee of management was
in respectful waiting to receive those who were invited to the party. The
Carpenters’ Hall, one hundred feet long and thirty-two feet wide, is admirably
adapted for a mammoth party, which was comfortable and suitably decorated for
the occasion. Now the merry workmen, with their happy wives and smiling
daughters clad in genteel apparel, came pouring in from every quarter loaded
with an abundance of luxuries of every description, which were deposited in an adjoining
hall called the machine room, which is forty feet square, in which also was
situated the ladies’ dressing room.
“At eleven o’clock the house was called to order and a
suitable prayer and thanksgiving was offered up to the Donor of All Good by
Bishop N. H. Felt. The band then struck up a merry tune, and his Excellency,
Governor Young, and Hon. H. C. Kimball, and other distinguished personages led
off the first dance.
“The excellent order, the quick succession of dances
do great honor to the managers. We counted from ninety-six persons to one
hundred forty-four persons upon the floor at once. These were set in order in
the same time that we have seen four cotillions in other parties. There was no
confusion, no dissatisfied looks, no complaining, but the day passed in peace
and happy merriment, with thanksgiving to the Father of all our mercies. . . .
“The atmosphere of our hall was not polluted with
tobacco fumes or the stench of the drunkard’s breath. No! We breathed the pure
mountain air, drank of the mountain stream, and ate the produce of mountain
valleys, we thought on the gloomy past and the glorious present and prospective
future; every heart beat high with gratitude and gladness, and every
countenance was lit up with the bright fire of enduring friendship.
“About seven o’clock a few songs were sung by sundry
individuals, one in particular that called up feelings not strange to us, was
sung by Phineas H. Young, entitled ‘Farewell to Nauvoo.’ This song gave the
company an ample opportunity of comparing the present with the past.
“Governor Young arose to address the meeting and
congratulated the assembly on their present situation and blessings as a
people.” He talked about the persecutions they had endured and surmounted and
how blessed they were to now live in the mountains where “none could make us afraid.”
He said, “Your barns and presses are filled with fine wheat and other produce
of these days, your tables groan under the abundance of blessings of the
Almighty. There is no room for complaint.” He also talked about tithing and
that he was resolved to build a house unto the Lord “where He can come or send
His servants.” The congregation shouted “Yea!” to this news.
The benediction followed, and the dancing and
merriment stopped for the night.
The celebration continued on Friday, December 25. The
citizens again met in the Carpenters’ Hall and danced until midnight.
Musical entertainment was enjoyed in between dances.
John Kay, his wife, and two daughters performed, one on a guitar and the other
on a tambourine, at the same time singing. Then Mr. and Mrs. Kay sang a duet
after which John Kay sang “The Seer,” which caused Willard Richards to respond.
He talked about the difference between this evening and June 27, 1844. He
recalled the vents of the tragedy at Carthage, Illinois, when Joseph Smith and his
brother Hyrum were murdered. George A. Smith also addressed the meeting, and
then the dancing resumed.
At 10 o’clock a vote of thanks was called for to show
gratitude to Daniel H. Wells, chairman, and Miles Romney, clerk, for all the
work they had done organizing the celebration. Five hundred people responded
with enthusiasm. After the benediction was rendered, the group left and
returned to their homes, declaring that this festival was the best they had
ever been to.
International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Museum Memories (Talon Printing: Salt
Lake City, 2011), 3: 220-222.
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