Page:The Rocky Mountain Saints.djvu/697

Rh than one missionary appears to have thoroughly understood him!

The illustration at the beginning of this chapter is a perfect representation of the Prophet's style of travelling through the settlements. He tries to visit all the Saints once a year. His visit north occupies between three and four weeks, and his southern trip takes between five and six weeks.

The order of travel after leaving Salt Lake City is: first, the Prophet's carriage.; next, the members of his family; then his counsellors, the apostles, chief-bishop, bishops generally; then distinguished visitors. The latter take the first vacant place in the long suite, and remain there all through the journey. The only rank and aristocracy in Zion is priesthood, and precedence in every quorum is seniority of ordination. In these journeys, the last-ordained apostle is the last in the order of travel among the apostles; but if the youngest apostle should be a son of the Prophet he overtops them all the "royal blood of Young" is more honoured than the royal priesthood of Melchisedec!

Some miles before "the President's company" arrives at the first settlement to be visited, he is met by a company of mounted cavalry, bearing aloft the stars and stripes, and, as they near the settlement, the citizens turn out to greet the Prophet, and there is usually a procession of the school-children. If it is a very large settlement, and the bishop is a very "live man," the procession often embraces all the people. On such occasions there is a brass-band heading the citizens, the elderly brethren are arranged together, bearing in front of them a banner with the inscription, "Fathers in Israel;" the elderly sisters have their banner, "Mothers in Israel;" the young men carry their banner, "Defenders of Zion;" the maidens their banner, "Daughters of Zion, Virtue;" and the little, toddling school-children are, "The Hope of Israel." Those too young to walk are, as usual, in the arms of indulgent mothers, standing by the doors to make up the other part of the picture.