Interest attaches to the Church commission, dated February 20, 1883,
received by Christopher Layton on his appointment as head of the San
Pedro and Gila Valley settlers. It was signed by John Taylor and Jos. F.
Smith of the First Presidency and contains instructions and admonitions
that might well have served as a basic law of any God-fearing community.
President Layton was instructed to see that the settlers did not scatter
themselves promiscuously throughout the land, that surveys be made for
townsites, that the people settle in these localities, with facilities
for public schools and meeting houses, and that due provision be made to
protect the settlers against depredations of the lawless and unprincipled
combinations of brigands and other hostile marauders.
A notably interesting paragraph recites, "You will understand that our
object in the organization of the Stake of St. Joseph is to introduce the
Gospel into the Mexican nation, or that part of it which lies contiguous
to your present settlement, and also, when prudence shall dictate and
proper arrangements are entered into, that a settlement may commence to
be made in that country."
It was recommended, in forming cities either in Arizona or Mexico, "care
should be had to place them in proper localities, convenient to land and
water, with careful examination of the sanitary conditions. It is the
general opinion that it is more healthy and salubrious on the plateaus or
mesas than on the low land, the latter of which in your district of
country are more or less subject to malarial diseases, which ought,
always, when practicable, to be avoided."
The streets should be wide and commodious, with public squares for
church, county, school and ornamental purposes.
[Illustration: GILA VALLEY PIONEERS
1--Wm. R. Teeples 2--John M. Moody
3--Jos. K. Rogers 4--Ebenezer Pryce 5--Hyrum Brinkerhoff
6--Samuel H. Claridge 7--Frank N. Tyler]
[Illustration: PIONEER WOMEN OF THE GILA VALLEY
1--Elizabeth Hanks Curtis 2--Mrs. W.R. Teeples
3--Elizabeth Moody 4--Margaret Brinkerhoff 5--Elizabeth Layton
6--Josephine Wall Rogers 7--Rebecca Claridge]
School and church affairs should be kept separate. There was warning
against favoritism in the allotment of town lands and a recommendation
that the principles of the United Order be approached, without the
placing of the communities under rigid rules.
Another interesting paragraph recites, "The order of Zion when carried
out, will be that all men should act in the interest of and for the
welfare of Zion, and individualism, private speculation and covetousness
will be avoided, and that all act in the interest of all and for the
welfare of the whole community. We may not, at present, be able to carry
out these ideas in full, but without any special formality or rule, we
may be approaching these principles as fast as circumstances will admit
of it. We profess to be acting and operating for God, and for His
Kingdom, and we are desirous that our acts should be in consonance with
our professions."
In the selection of elders, care was enjoined that all such persons
should be honorable, free from any pernicious or degrading habits, "for
if men cannot control themselves, they are not fit to be rulers or
leaders in the Kingdom of God."
There was special injunction that the Lamanites, the Indians, be treated
with all consideration and shown that the Mormons do not teach one thing
and practice another. The Indians should be taught to be "friendly with
the government of the United States or Mexico and to live at peace with
one another, to be chaste, sober and honest and subject to the law of
God."
Tithing of one-tenth was stipulated as in the interest of the people. The
new leader was advised that, "God has placed you as a watchman on the
walls of Zion and He will hold you accountable for your acts," and he was
directed to see that the laws of God were carried out in his community,
irrespective of persons or families.