--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Cannon, Hugh J. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 32 number: 11 published: 1929-09 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Hugh J. Cannon, “Hard Times Come Again No More,” *Improvement Era* 32, no. 11 (September 1929): 898–900." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera32011unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera32011unse start_page: 898 end_page: 900 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1929-09) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera32011unse publication_year: 1929 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1929, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Hard Times Come Again No More Hard Times Come Again No More By Hugh J. Cannon TAND for a moment, and reverently, at the mouth of Emi- gration Canyon. As you look over the Salt Lake valley, now filled with verdant fields, comfortable homes and prosperous factories, visualize if you can the scene which met the gaze of our pioneers on that memorable July day, 1847. The leader spoke, more than a leader on that and other occasions — he was a prophet, "This is the place." And what a place it must have appeared to the weary traveler! Sagebrush, baked plains, desolation! Nearly three-quarters of a century later, Judge LeGrand Young, a nephew of the departed president, speaking at a conference of the Liberty stake, related two pioneer incidents which are worth preserving. Unfortunately, he was not asked to put them in writ- ing in his own words, but subsequently they were told in a meeting at which Judge Young was present, and he was asked to correct any inaccuracies. No corrections were made, and the incidents are here given from memory. Lorenzo Dow Young, an uncle of Judge Young and a brother of the pioneer leader, made his home in what is now a beautiful residential district of Salt Lake City. Then, it was farming land. One morning his wife called attention to the fact that their flour was gone, and that there was nothing in the house to eat. Brother Young's crops demanded his attention for most of the day, and he went about his work with a prayer in his heart that their wants might be supplied. Late in the afternoon he returned, tired and hungry, to the house, still wondering what they were to do for food. "Can't you scrape together a little flour," he asked his wife, "and make a batter cake? I am faint." "I took all there was in the bin this morning, and we haven't a thing left," was her reply. However, at his request she went into the pantry to see if. by any chance, she might find something heretofore overlooked. A moment later she returned, crying. "I don't think it's right of you to play jokes on me at such a time. I'm tired and hungry, too, and wrought up because of our destitute condition, and I think you should have told me about the flour." Brother Young was ignorant of what she meant but was not Sept.. 1929 HARD TIMES COME AGAIN NO MORE 901 long in learning that the bin was full. Then together this good couple thanked the Lord for providing for their needs. In commenting on the circumstance, Judge Legrand Young said: "I know the skeptic will say there was nothing miraculous about this occurrence. The Lord had nothing to do with it, but some kind neighbor who knew the straits in which this family found themselves, and who desired that his left hand should not know what his right hand did, had, unseen, slipped in with a sack of flour. It is possible this was the case. My uncle never found out where it came from, but he always acknowledged this experience as an answer to prayer, and in this I fully agree with him. That the Almighty perhaps used human agencies to bring it to pass matters not at all. These people whose hands were always open to assist others had asked that their own distress be relieved. The prayers were answered. Relief came, and what more could they expect?" The other incident related by Judge Young was about as fol- lows, and the essential features of the story are substantiated by the Deseret News of October 4, 1870: On one of his trips through the south, President Young was very much delighted by the singing of the Parowan choir. This group, like most choirs of Utah even in this day, was made up of people who had come from various parts of the United States and Europe. It will be recalled that President Woodruff converted hun- dreds of people in Herefordshire, England, among them almost an entire choir, and some of those singers had found a home in Parowan, where they and their descendants contributed to the musical develop- ment of the community. It was decided to have this group come to Salt Lake City, to sing at the October conference of 1870. Upon the countenances of many, those who had come from England and other foreign countries, and who in their native lands had worked in factories, offices or stores, the passing years and their struggle with the elements had engraved a pathetic story of hardship and privation. They were weather-beaten and toil-worn. The clothing of some was threadbare and patched. But in one particular they were unchanged ; their faith in the Gospel, which had caused them to gather with the Saints in this new land, was as firm as ever. William Tecumseh Sherman, general-in-chief of the United States army, was in the city at the time, stopping at the old Town- send House. This was the General Sherman who is famous for his apt and terse definition of what war is and who directed the historic "march to the sea" during the civil war. The word had spread that the military band from Fort Douglas was to serenade the general during the evening, and an eager crowd 902 IMPROVEMENT ERA Sept.. 1929 of several hundred people had congregated in front of the building. After the band had rendered several selections, a speech was called for. The general, however, declined to respond, although some of those present obtained a personal interview with him and vainly attempted to persuade him to do so. It had been suggested that the Parowan choir go to the Town- send House to sing for the military party. This suggestion was followed. The singers assembled in the street in front of the hotel, and the general and his party sat on the balcony which extended over the sidewalk. Several selections were rendered and finally they sang "Hard times come again no more." The old soldier, deeply touched, arose as the strains of the familiar melody reached his ears. He walked to the front of the balcony, leaned on the balustrade and stood silently looking down into the faces of the group before him. As the song proceeded, tears came into his eyes and ran unchecked over the furrowed cheeks. When the song was ended the old man said brokenly, "My friends, I see from your faces that you know what hard times are, and I pray God, with you, that they may come again no more." The Church records show that General Sherman was in Salt Lake City on October 3, 1870, and again on September 22. 1883. During the first visit he met President Young and some of the leading brethren. President Daniel H. Wells became somewhat well acquainted with the distinguished visitor and formed a very high regard for him. Not in Vain If I can ease one wounded heart, Or pacify some throbbing breast; If charity I can impart, Or I can cope with friendship's quest; If through the shaded throes of life I can emit a sunny gleam; To give myself with my small mite To help those down to rise again; If I can speak a kindly word To turn your boy from shame and sin. Or, if I lead some wayward girl Back to a wholesome life again; If sympathy for all that live Helps me to feel their inmost pain, Then in my soul I do believe That I shall not have lived in vain. Los Angeles, Calif. O. F. URSENBACH