of the wonderful work that has been done by these people. It is this
field especially that has been covered in this book.

Occasionally it will be found that the colonizers have been referred to
as "Saints." It is a shortening of the preferred title, showing a lofty
moral aspiration, at least. It would be hard to imagine wickedness
proceeding from such a designation, though the Church itself assuredly
would be the first to disclaim assumption of full saintliness within its
great membership. Still, there might be testimony from the writer that he
has lived near the Mormons, of Arizona for more than forty years and in
that time has found them law-abiding and industrious, generally of sturdy
English, Scotch, Scandinavian or Yankee stock wherein such qualities
naturally run with the blood. If there be with such people the further
influence of a religion that binds in a union of faith and in works of
the most practical sort, surely there must be accomplishment of material
and important things.


Pioneers in Agriculture

In general, the Mormon (and the word will be used without quotation
marks) always has been agricultural. The Church itself appears to have a
foundation idea that its membership shall live by, upon and through the
products of the soil. It will be found in this work that Church influence
served to turn men from even the gold fields of California to the
privations of pioneer Utah. It also will be found that the Church,
looking for extension and yet careful of the interests of its membership,
directed the expeditions that penetrated every part of the Southwest.

There was a pioneer Mormon period in Arizona, that might as well be