Beloved President,—As I intimated in my letter of last August, I have made an exertion, and through the blessing of God after eight months faithful and unceasing application, have succeeded in the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon, in the Danish language; a copy of which I hope to have the opportunity of sending you soon.

I have issued an edition of three thousand copies; I should have had it stereotyped, and issued a smaller edition first, if I could have found a stereotype foundry in the kingdom, but Denmark is a little behind the age in this as in most other improvements. They are now being thrown into circulation by the brethren, and a bookdealer of Copenhagen.

In the work of translation, I employed such help, as the Lord furnished to my hand, feeling that it was better so to do, than to confide it to learned professors who were not imbued with the spirit of the work. I sought the acquaintance of several, but could not feel satisfied in spirit to confide the work to either of them. After brother Hanson became improved in his language, by a few months' practice, I set him to re-writing and revising his old translation, and soon a Danish lady, a teacher of French, German, and English, embraced the faith, whom I employed to assist in the work; but I did not allow it to go to press until I had become sufficiently acquainted with the language, as I believed to detect any error in sentiment, and given it a thorough review with them a third time.

I feel that I have done the best I could under the circumstances, and that the Lord has accepted it and will add his blessing. As the Saints began to peruse its sacred pages, the Holy Ghost descended upon them, and bore record of it in a marvellous manner, speaking to some in dreams, visions, and divers manifestations, which caused our hearts to magnify the Lord.

In September, I published a small work, entitled "The Voice of Truth to the honest in heart," containing a sketch of the rise of the Church and its doctrines; and in March I published one containing the articles of the Church, and several extracts of revelations, for the instruction and government of the Saints, and also a small collection of some of our best hymns, put into Danish, and adapted to the tunes used in Zion. These little publications were a great help to us, and a source of much joy to the Saints.

Those who have laboured as you have for many years in a cold world to preach the word of life, can easier imagine than I can describe the sensations of our bosoms on hearing the Songs of Zion in a foreign tongue, and the Saints relate their dreams and visions, and pray for Zion and the Presidency, and the travelling Elders and Saints throughout the earth.

On the 15th September, 1850, we duly organized "Jesu Christi Kirke af sidste dages Helege" in Denmark, consisting of fifty members. We had been baptizing and confirming from the 12th of August, but had operated privately in small family gatherings, for I felt constrained to refrain from any attempt at public meetings.

We now presented our organization and sketch of our faith, before the "Cultus-minister" and board of magistrates, and obtained permission to procure a place of worship and hold meetings, but he informed us that we might meet obstruction from the police.

Elder John E. Forssgren being banished from Sweden, arrived in Copenhagen on the 18th September. Soon after this elder Dykes was appointed to commence labour in Aalborg, in the province of Jutland, where he soon established a branch of the Church. I thought to send brother Forssgren to the island of Bornholm, which formerly belonged to Sweden, and has a dialect nearly allied to the Swedish; but he was positively refused a pass to that or any other province. The reason assigned by the president of the police department was, that he had taken upon himself, at the request of the Swedish government, to see to it, that Forssgren did not make his escape into Sweden. He has consequently remained in and about Copenhagen ever since, and has been a great help to me, for he was soon able to make himself understood by the Danes, as well or better than myself; besides, there were many native Swedes in Copenhagen, many of whom are now numbered among our best members.

During the winter a bill relating to dissenting religious parties, with very liberal provisions, was introduced into the legislature, but met with such powerful opposition from the bishops and their clergy in all parts of the state, that it was finally ruled out.

While this was pending many of the papers were teeming with misrepresentations about "Mormoniterne," and the chief bishop published a pamphlet against the bill, in which he detailed the usual catalogue of transatlantic lies about the Saints, and thought it the duty of governments to "protect the people against this dangerous sect." Several marvelous cases of healing, and other manifestations of the power of God, together with the weekly distribution of 200 copies of a sheet of the Book of Mormon, contributed also greatly to exasperate them, and arouse the demon of persecution, which came upon us almost simultaneously, in every place where we were sowing seed.

In Aalborg, where the Saints had secured a popular hall, the chief officer of police suppressed their meetings; and elder Dykes was mobbed in a neighbouring town, where he had begun to baptize, and narrowly escaped with his life. In Roskilde, where brothers Forssgren and Aagren had secured a hall and commenced preaching, they were mobbed, beaten, arrested, and banished from the town by the chief officers of police, while those that were known to have received them, paid the penalty with the loss of windows and the like.

In Hersholm, where they next commenced, they fared but little better. In Copenhagen, our hall and the streets about it were thronged by a great crowd of journeymen, apprentices, sailors, &c., led on by the theological students, who turned our meetings into a "pow wow," dealing out all manner of threats and abuses, until we were finally obliged to cease our public meetings, while the police refused interference in our behalf.

Some private houses where we had small gatherings next became the object of vengeance. Near the same time also evil spirits attacked some persons in the Church, and manifested their power in many strange ways, and it took sometime to entirely subdue them, all of which afforded lessons of wisdom and experience to the young Saints. They also made an angry demonstration upon brother Forssgren and myself, in our room at night, somewhat similar to that upon elders Hyde and Kimball, in Preston. My eyes were open to behold them, and through humble prayer we obtained power to withstand them and rebuke them from our presence and room. It seemed, indeed, as though the powers of earth and hell were combined to crush the work of the Lord in that land, but through much prayer and fasting we received strength, and the clouds began to disperse. We sent a deputation to the king with a memorial, a Book of Mormon, and my pamphlet. I shortly after heard of the Book of Mormon in the possession of the queen dowager (who is reputedly pious, and a lover of the Bible), who, as her "maids" reported, was so wrought upon by the presentation, and tale of the book, that excitement and alarm spread through her palace, and she was unable to leave her room for several days.

We were afterwards informed through the "Cultus-minister," who has the superintendence of all school and church affairs, that the government was disposed to allow us our regular course, and interpose no obstacles. After this, the police officer in Aalborg, by order of the "Cultus-minister," restored to the Saints their privileges, and we began also to enjoy peace and quietness in our meetings at Copenhagen. Branches were organized in Hals and Hersholm, and the Saints generally increased in number, faith, and joy, in the Holy Ghost.

Before the adjournment of the legislature, a law passed in a modified form, sustaining religious freedom, and abrogating the old law which denied the rights of matrimony, and all other civil and social privileges to native subjects, unless sprinkled, educated, and confirmed in the Lutheran church. Yet there is nothing in the constitution or laws that guarantees us that protection in our worship, and in the exercise of our religious rights, which is afforded by the laws of England and America.

I now feel that "the shell is broken" in old Scandinavia, and the work of the Lord will advance. Probably an earlier mission to that country would have proved a failure.

Though to you and others they might have seemed trifling, yet upon me the cares, anxieties, and pressure of circumstances attending the mission have weighed heavily. In the midst of them I have frequently been visited with encouraging dreams, in which I often saw brother Joseph Smith, yourself, or president Kimball, and received instructive lessons. In the midst of the exciting scenes of the winter, I saw myself and brethren navigating a dangerous stream, on a fishing excursion. Our vessel had neither steam nor sails, yet (by what power was not perceivable) it was slowly but steadily advancing against a rapid current, and we were drawing in fish.

In the spring three Icelanders who had embraced the faith in Copenhagen returned to their native land, with the Book of Mormon and pamphlets, two of whom I ordained and commanded them to labour among their people, as the Lord opened their way, to read, pray, teach, baptize, translate, &c., and one of them to return to me in the fall. They were mechanics, and the Spirit rested copiously upon them.

The total number baptized, including those baptized by elder Forssgren in Sweden, is about three hundred. The number of elders, priests, teachers, and deacons, ordained in branches, and travelling, is about twenty-five.

Towards the close of May I appointed brother Hanson and five others in pairs, supplied with books and pamphlets, to open new fields of labour: two to south Jutland, two to Bornholm, and two Swedes to that part of Sweden lying immediately across the Sound from Copenhagen. These last were instructed to go among their friends, circulate tracts, read, talk, pray, and baptize, secretly if they could, in a manner to attract the least possible attention from the priests.

The winter in Denmark was mild. Little snow, but much rain, and exceedingly thick foggy weather; this coupled with my anxieties and close application to the Book of Mormon, and my other duties, considerably impaired my health. Leaving the presidency with brother Forssgren, I resolved to join my brethren in conference at London, and rest and recruit myself a little season, by a change of labours and scenery.

I came by steamboat to Wismar, in Germany, and from thence to London; passing through the states of Mecklinburgh-Schwerin, Hanover, Belgium, and part of Prussia, by railway, and crossed the channel from Ostend to Dover. On my way I called upon a pious German nobleman, on the Elbe, with whom I had corresponded, and to whom I had sent a "Voice of Warning." He welcomed me to his family; and said he had begun to translate the Voice of Warning into German. His interest or curiosity became sufficiently excited to induce him, in a few days, to follow me to London; but when he learned that we did not believe in standing still to be killed, only when we were compelled so to do, he turned back with many pious regrets, thinking it utterly impossible to reconcile "Mormonism" with his favourite doctrines of peace and non-resistance.

We had an interesting and profitable time in London. Elders Taylor, L. Snow, and F. D. Richards, were present, and the American elders generally. The great Crystal Palace and its collected products of a world's industry, was the great theme of London, not to say of Europe and America. Since the June conference in London I have attended conference in Manchester and Preston, and spent about ten days with elder Joseph W. Johnson, in the Preston and Clitheroe conferences, where he is doing a good work, reviving the dead in those old conferences. He wished me to remember him affectionately to you.

On the arrival of the "Fifth General Epistle," I forwarded it to Denmark, to be translated and published. I have the "Voice of Warning," and portions of the "Doctrine and Covenants" in process of translation. I expect to return in a few days, and I hope to be able before another spring to establish a monthly periodical, and publish some works also for circulation in the Swedish language. I should do violence to my feelings to close this epistle without expressing the gratitude of my heart for the deep interest of, and efficient aid afforded me by presidents O. Pratt, F. D. Richards, and others. Here I would say, a word about the labours of brother Richards, and the grace of God that abounds upon him since the departure of elder Pratt, but with you it can add nothing, his works will speak for themselves. He honors his station, and feels its responsibility. I love him, and so do all the Saints.

Please present my affectionate remembrances to my beloved family when opportunity affords, and accept assurances of the same for yourself and family. "When shall we all meet again?" Echo answers—"When."

May the choice blessings of Israel's God rest upon you and all his people; and may a liberal share of that Spirit that is upon you be my portion, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

I remain your fellow-labourer in the kingdom of God,

ERASTUS SNOW.

To B. Young, President of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter-day Saints, in all the world.