Graves Mill, Va

June 3, 1893

Dear Brother Joseph, Your two letters were received in gratitude and read in pleasure. The one of previous date was a good long letter and contained many things of which I had not heard. Besides that it is not the words, but the spirit that giveth life. That is, I rejoiced in having something to draw my sympathies and thoughts towards home for a spell. 

I have been looking over your writing and began this letter. During the time, Elder Gillies, with the Hymn Book in hand began singing "Home, sweet Home." Do you think I continued writing or joined in with the music? 

You mentioned about the Davis County Clipper. If you send me a copy as often as it is convenient, I shall be pleases to look it over and give it for others to read. There are some who are eager to be furnished with such evidence of the realities of life in Utah. Such efforts go to counteract popular opinion. We distribute tracks quite freely and some reach those whom we fail to meet. It is like bread cast upon the waters. 

There has been so much said about statehood for Utah that a great many people have the impression that the Territory has become one of the sovereigns. 

There are many things I would take satisfaction in writing about, but it does not seem fitting to direct my attention to home too much. It is well enough to have a variety and it does me good to write home occasionally and receive home news. 

You intimated that you thought some of running feed stables in Salt Lake and that Wilford was called to Montpelier. It is for us to seek first the Kingdom of God. That is the principle to actuate us and we can have great satisfaction then in reviewing the past of our lives. 

It is a grand work in which we are engaged and it is well for us to launch out and the motives that prompted us to do this or that will have a great influence on our future and on our children. 

We should be hopeful of the future. Hope is a virtue - a virtue to be cultivated in ourselves and those around us. We should strive to make the future bright with faith and hope. And out aim should be high; for if we don't aim high we shall not shoot high. What we admire in man is to see him taking a steady straight forward course tending upward higher and higher. There is plenty of time if we are right eternity stretched before us. It is for us to see that we get well started out in this life.

Heard from Elder Richards the other day he sends regards.

Write to me Joseph when you fell like it Indeed I accept you [your] explanation about writing. I don't look for many letters and am thankful for those I get. I understand you and hope that I may be able to be worthy of the trust given me

We are having a good opportunity to meet with the people at their homes and in small meetings. It is a day of warning and testimony. People are going to be proud of those Latter Day Saints who are proving themselves as such and will continue to maintain principles of richeousness [righteousness] in the earth, while they themselves have not the divinity within them to make a practical use of the Gospel. This makes the Gospel something that should be appreciated by those who had it and can believe it. It is truly a Pearl of Great Price.

That you may accomplish that work for which you hjave been sent forth to do. I pray God to bless you

C.R. Clark.

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