Journal of Discourses Volume 6

Delivered By
PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG,

HIS TWO COUNSELLORS,
THE TWELVE APOSTLES,
AND OTHERS.

Reported By
G. D. WATT, J. V. LONG, AND OTHERS,

And Humbly Dedicated to to the Latter-Day Saints in All the World

VOL. VI.

LIVERPOOL:

EDITED AND PUBLISHED BY ASA CALKIN, 42, ISLINGTON.

LONDON:

LATTER-DAY SAINTS' BOOK DEPOT, 35, JEWIN STREET, CITY.

1859. [p.iii]

Preface

Vol. 6, p.iii
In publishing the last two Volumes of the there
have been more than ordinary difficulties to labour under. One of the
effects of the wicked Expedition against the Saints in the Mountains
was a suspension in the delivery of Discourses by the leading Elders
of the Church. Nor was this all. As Jesus the Beloved Son was once
left by his Father, that he might show forth the great integrity of
his soul, so also it seemed at this time wisdom in the Father to leave
his beloved Saints to manifest the vast integrity of their souls.
Therefore the Lord and his Prophets and Apostles, for a moment, as it
were, hid themselves and the voices of the Shepherds were not so often
heard.

Vol. 6, p.iii
Of course, all this told upon the publication of the Journal of
Discourses; for if there were no Discourses delivered, they could not
be published; so that, to prevent the Journal from being discontinued,
we were compelled to publish Sermons delivered in past years, Some of
which had been already published in the Star. But although necessity
compelled us thus to act, there are several good ends thereby reached.
The Journal of Discourses will become a complete journal of all the
Sermons delivered by the First Presidency and the Twelve. Besides
this, in the Sixth Volume will be found published some of the choicest
Sermons of the Prophet Brigham, [p.iv]and also many choice gems from
others of the leading Shepherds of Israel. The Sixth Volume,
therefore, cannot be other than a choice Volume to all its possessors,
while many Saints have had the privilege of reading and possessing
these gems of inspiration who were not in the Church when they were
delivered.

Vol. 6, p.iv
We now respectfully offer to its readers the Sixth Volume of the
Journal of Discourses. But we cannot close this Preface without
expressing gratitude to our heavenly Father that the voices of the
Shepherds of Israel are again heard, which gives us the prospect of
publishing in the Seventh Volume many of their words of inspiration,
power, and salvation.

THE PUBLISHER. [p.1] 

Joseph Smith, April 6, 1844

Character and Being of God—Creation—Salvation of the Dead
—The Unpardonable Sin—Resurrection—Baptism of the Spirit, Etc.

A Discourse, by President Joseph Smith, delivered at the
 Conference held near the Temple in Nauvoo, April 6, 1844.

Reported By W. Richards, W. Woodruff, T. Bullock, and W. Clayton.

Vol. 6, p.1
Beloved Saints,—I will call the attention of this congregation while I
address you on the subject of the dead. The decease of our beloved
brother, Elder King Follett, who was crushed in a well by the failing
of a tub of rock, has more immediately led me to that subject. I have
been requested to speak by his friends and relatives; but inasmuch as
there are a great many in this congregation who live in this city, as
well as elsewhere, who have lost friends, I feel disposed to speak on
the subject in general, and offer you my ideas so far as I have
ability and so far as I shall be inspired by the Holy Spirit to dwell
on this subject.

Vol. 6, p.1
I want your prayers and faith that I may have the instruction of
Almighty God and the gift of the Holy Ghost, so that I may set forth
things that are true and which can be easily comprehended by you, and
that the testimony may carry conviction to your hearts and minds of
the truth of what I shall say. Pray that the Lord may strengthen my
lungs, stay the winds, and let the prayers of the Saints to heaven
appear, that they may enter into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth; for
the effectual prayers of the righteous avail much. There is strength
here; and I verily believe that your prayers will be heard.

Vol. 6, p.1
Before I enter fully into the investigation of the subject which is
lying before me, I wish to pave the way and bring up the subject from
the beginning, that you may understand it. I will make a few
preliminaries, in order that you may understand the subject when I
come to it. I do not calculate or intend to please your cars with
superfluity of words, or oratory, or with much learning; but I
calculate to edify you with the simple truths from heaven.

Vol. 6, p.2
In the first place, I wish to go back to the be§inning—to the morn of
[p.2] creation. There is the starting-point for us to look to, in
order to understand and be fully acquainted with the mind, purposes,
and decrees of the great Eloheim, who sits in yonder heavens as he did
at the creation of this world. It is necessary for us to have an
understanding of God himself in the beginning. If we start right, it
is easy to go right all the time; but if we start wrong, we may go
wrong, and it will be a hard matter to get right.

Vol. 6, p.2
There are but a very few beings in the world who understand rightly
the character of God. The great majority of mankind do not comprehend
anything, either that which is past or that which is to come, as
respects their relationship to God. They do not know, neither do they
understand the nature of that relationship; and, consequently, they
know but little above the brute beast, or more than to eat, drink, and
sleep. This is all man knows about God or his existence, unless it is
given by the inspiration of the Almighty.

Vol. 6, p.2
If a man learns nothing more than to eat, drink, and sleep, and does
not comprehend; any of the designs of God, the beast comprehends the
same thing. It eats, drinks, sleeps, and knows nothing more about God:
yet it knows as much as we, unless we are able to comprehend by the
inspiration of Almighty God. If men do not comprehend the character of
God they do not comprehend themselves. I want to go back to the
beginning, and so lift your minds into a more lofty sphere and a more
exalted understanding than what the human mind generally aspires to.

Vol. 6, p.2
I want to ask this congregation—every man, woman, and child, to answer
the question in their own heart, what kind of a being God is? Ask
yourselves; turn your thoughts into your hearts, and say if any of you
have seen, heard, or communed with him. This is a question that may
occupy your attention for a long, time. I again repeat the
question—What kind of a being is God? Does any man or woman know? Have
any of you seen him, heard him, or communed with him? Here is the
question that will peradventure from this time henceforth occupy your
attention. The Scriptures inform us that "This is life eternal, that
they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast
sent."

Vol. 6, p.2
If any man does not know God, and inquires what kind of a being he
is,—if he will search diligently his own heart—if the declarations of
Jesus and the Apostles be true—he will realize that he has not eternal
life; for there can be eternal life on no other principle.

Vol. 6, p.2
My first object is to find out the character of the only wise and true
God, and what kind of a being he is; and if I am so fortunate as to be
the man to comprehend God, and explain or convey the principles to
your hearts, so that the Spirit seals them upon you, then let every
man and woman henceforth sit in silence, put their hands on their
mouths, and never lift their hands or voices or say anything against
the man of God or the servants of God again. But if I fail to do it,
it becomes my duty to renounce all further pretensions to revelations,
inspirations, or to be a Prophet; and I should be like the rest of the
world—a false teacher, be hailed as a friend, and no man would seek my
life. But if all religious teachers were honest enough to renounce
their pretensions to godliness, when their ignorance of the knowledge
of God is made manifest, they will all be as badly off as I am, at any
rate; and you might just as well take the lives of other false
teachers  as that of mine, if I am false. If any man is authorized to
take away my life because he thinks and says I am a [p.3] false
teacher, then, upon the same principle, we should be justified in
taking away the life of every false teacher; and where would be the
end of blood? and who would not be the sufferer?

Vol. 6, p.3
But meddle not with any man for his religion; and all governments
ought to permit every man to enjoy his religion unmolested. No man is
authorized to take away life in consequence of difference of religion,
which all laws and governments ought to tolerate and protect, right or
wrong. Every man has a natural and, in our country, a constitutional
right to be a false prophet as well as a true prophet. If I show,
verily, that I have the truth of God, and show that ninety-nine out of
every hundred professing religious ministers are false teachers,
having no authority, while they pretend to hold the keys of God's
kingdom on earth, and was to kill them because they are false
teachers, it would deluge the whole world with blood.

Vol. 6, p.3
I will prove that the world is wrong, by showing what God is. I am
going to inquire after God; for I want you all to know him and to be
familiar with him; and if I can bring you to a knowledge of him, all
persecutions against me ought to cease. You will then know that I am
his servant; for I speak as one having authority.

Vol. 6, p.3
I will go back to the beginning, before the worm was, to show what
kind of a being God is. What sort of a being was God in the beginning?
Open your ears and hear, all ye ends of the earth; for I am going to
prove it to you by the Bible, and to tell you the designs of God in
relation to the human race, and why he interferes with the affairs of
man.

Vol. 6, p.3
God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted Man, and sits
enthroned in yonder heavens. That is the great secret. If the vail was
rent to-day, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and
who upholds all worlds and all things by his power, was to make
himself visible, —I say, if you were to see him to-day, you would see
him like a man in form—like yourselves, in all the person, image, and
very form as a man; for Adam was created in the very fashion, image,
and likeness of God, and received instruction from, and walked,
talked, and conversed with him, as one man talks and communes with
another.

Vol. 6, p.3
In order to understand the subject of the dead, for the consolation of
those who mourn for the loss of their friends, it is necessary that we
should understand the character and being of God, and how he came to
be so; for I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have
imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity, I will
refute that idea, and will take away and do away the vail, so that you
may see.

Vol. 6, p.3
These are incomprehensible ideas to some; but they are simple. It is
the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the
character of God and to know that we may converse with him as one man
converses with another, and that he was once a man like us; yea, that
God himself the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth. the same as Jesus
Christ himself did; and I will show it from the Bible. I wish I was in
a suitable place to tell it, and that I had the trump of an archangel,
so that I could tell the story in such a manner that persecution would
cease for ever. What did Jesus say? (Mark it, Elder Rigdon.) The
Scriptures inform us that Jesus said, "As the Father hath power in
himself, even so hath the Son power" —to do what? Why, what the Father
did. The answer is obvious—in a manner, to lay down his body and take
it up again. Jesus, what are you doing to do? To lay down my life, as
my Father did, and take it up again. Do you believe it? If you [p.4]
do not believe it, you do not believe the Bible. The Scriptures say
it, and I defy all the learning and wisdom and all the combined powers
of earth and hell together to refute it.

Vol. 6, p.4
Here, then, is eternal life—to know the only wise and true God; and
you have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and
priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you,—namely, by
going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a
great one, —from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until
you attain to the resurrection of the dead and are able to dwell in
everlasting burnings and to sit in glory, as do those who sit
enthroned in everlasting power. And I want you to know that God, in
the last days, while certain individuals are proclaiming his name, is
not trifling with you or me.

Vol. 6, p.4
These are the first principles of consolation. How consoling to the
mourners, when they are called to part with a husband, wife, father,
mother, child, or dear relative, to know that, although the earthly
tabernacle is laid down and dissolved, they shall rise again, to dwell
in everlasting burnings in immortal glory, not to sorrow, suffer, or
die any more; but they shall be heirs of God and jointheirs with Jesus
Christ. What is it? To inherit the same power, the same glory, and the
same exaltation, until you arrive at the station of a God and ascend
the throne of eternal power, the same as those who have gone before.
What did Jesus do? Why, I do the things I saw my Father do when worlds
come rolling into existence. My Father worked out his kingdom with
fear and trembling, and I must do the same; and when I get my kingdom,
I shall present it to my Father, so that he may obtain kingdom upon
kingdom, and it will exalt him in glory. He will then take a higher
exaltation, and I will take his place, and thereby become exalted
myself. So that Jesus treads in the track of his Father, and inherits
what God did before; and God is thus glorified and exalted in the
salvation and exaltation of all his children. It is plain beyond
disputation; and you thus learn some of the first principles of the
Gospel, about which so much hath been said.

Vol. 6, p.4
When you climb a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step
by step until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles
of the Gospel: you must begin with the first, and go on until you
learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while
after you have passed through the vail before you will have learned
them. It is not all to be comprehended in this world: it will be a
great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the
grave. I suppose I am not allowed to go into an investigation of
anything that is not contained in the Bible. If I did, I think there
are so many overwise men here, that they would cry "treason" and put
me to death. So I will go to the old Bible and turn commentator today.

Vol. 6, p.4
I shall comment on the very first Hebrew word in the Bible. I will
make a comment on the very first sentence of the history of creation
in the Bible—Berosheit. I want to analyze the word. Baith—in, by,
through, and everything else. Rosh—the head. Sheit—grammatical
termination. When the inspired man wrote it, he did not put the Baith
there. An old Jew, without any authority, added the word. He thought
it too bad to begin to talk about the head! It read first, "The head
one of the Gods brought forth the Gods." That is the true meaning of
the words. Baurau signifies to bring forth. If you do not  believe it,
you do not believe the learned man of God. Learned men can teach you
no more [p.5] than what I have told you. Thus, the head God brought
forth the Gods in the grand council.

Vol. 6, p.5
I will transpose and simplify it in the English language. Oh, ye
lawyers, ye doctors, and ye priests, who have persecuted me, I want to
let you know that the Holy Ghost knows something as well as you do.
The head God called together the Gods and sat in grand council to
bring forth the world. The grand counsellors sat at the head in yonder
heavens, and contemplated the creation of the worlds which were
created at that time. When I say doctors and lawyers, I mean the
doctors and lawyers of the Scriptures. I have done so hitherto without
explanation, to let the lawyers flutter, and everybody laugh at them.
Some learned doctor might take a notion to say the Scriptures say thus
and so; and we must believe the Scriptures; they are not to be
altered. But I am going to show you an error in them.

Vol. 6, p.5
I have an old edition of the New Testament in the Hebrew, Latin,
German, and Greek languages. I have been reading the German, and find
it to be the most correct translation, and to correspond nearest to
the revelations which God has given to me for the last fourteen years.
It tells about Jachoboy, the son of Zebedee. It means Jacob. In the
English New Testament it is translated James. Now, if Jacob had the
keys, you might talk about James through all eternity, and never get
the keys. In the 21st verse of the fourth chapter of Matthew, my old
German edition gives the word Jacob instead of James.

Vol. 6, p.5
The doctors (I mean doctors of law, not of physic,) say, "If you
preach anything not according to the Bible, we will cry treason." How
can we escape the damnation of hell, except God be with us and reveal
to us? Men bind us with chains. The Latin says Jackabod, which means
Jacob; the Hebrew says Jacob, the Greek says Jacob, and the German
says Jacob. Here we have the testimony of four against one. I thank
God I have got this old book; but I thank him more for the gift of the
Holy Ghost. I have got the oldest book in the world; but I have got
the oldest book in my heart, even the gift of the Holy Ghost. I have
all the four Testaments. Come here, ye learned men, and read, if you
can. I should not have introduced this testimony, were it not to back
up the word Rosh—the head, the father of the Gods. I should not have
brought it up, only to show that I am right.

Vol. 6, p.5
In the beginning, the head of the Gods called a council of the Gods;
and they came together and concocted a plan to create the world and
people it. When we begin to learn in this way, we begin to learn the
only true God and what kind of a being we have got to worship. Having
a knowledge of God, we begin to know how to approach him and how to
ask so as to receive an answer.

Vol. 6, p.5
When we understand the character of God and know how to come to him,
he begins to unfold the heavens to us and to tell us all about it.
When we are ready to come to him, he is ready to come to us.

Vol. 6, p.5
Now, I ask all who hear me, why the learned men who are preaching
salvation say that God created the heavens and the earth out of
nothing? The reason is, that they are unlearned in the things of God
and have not the gift of the Holy Ghost. They account it blasphemy in
any one to contradict their idea. If you tell them that God made the
world out of something, they will call you a feel. But I am learned,
and know more than all the world put together. The Holy Ghost does,
anyhow; and he is within me, and comprehends more than all the world;
and I will associate myself with him.

Vol. 6, p.6
[p.6] You ask the learned doctors why they say the world was made out
of nothing; and they will answer, "Don't the Bible say he created the
world?" And they infer, from the word create, that it must have been
made out of nothing. Now, the word create came from the word banrau,
which does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize—the
same as a man would organize materials and build a ship. Hence we
infer that God had materials to organize the world out of
chaos—chaotic matter, which is element, and in which dwells all the
glory. Element had an existence from the time He had. The pure
principles of element are principles which can never be destroyed:
they may be organized and reorganized, but not destroyed. They had no
beginning, and can have no end.

Vol. 6, p.6
I have another subject to dwell upon, which is calculated to exalt
man. But it is impossible for me to say much on this subject. I shall,
therefore, just touch upon it; for time will not permit me to say all.
It is associated with the subject of the resurrection of the
dead—namely, the soul, the mind of man, the immortal spirit. Where did
it come from? All learned men and doctors of divinity say that God
created it in the beginning. But it is not so. The very idea lessens
man in my estimation. I do not believe the doctrine. I know better.
Hear it, all ye ends of the world; for God has told me so; and if you
don't believe me, it will not make the truth without effect. I will
make a man appear a feel before I get through, if he does not believe
it. I am going to tell of things more noble.

Vol. 6, p.6
We say that God himself is a self-existent being. Who told you so? It
is correct enough; but how did it get into your heads? Who told you
that man did not exist in like manner upon the same principle? Man
does exist upon the same principles. God made a tabernacle and put a
spirit into it, and it became a living soul. [Referred to the old
Bible.] How does it read in the Hebrew? It does not say in the Hebrew
that God created the spirit of man. It says, "God made man out of the
earth, and put into him Adam's spirit, and so became a living body."

Vol. 6, p.6
The mind or the intelligence which man possesses is coequal with God
himself. I know that my testimony is true; hence, when I talk to these
mourners, what have they lost? Their relatives and friends are only
separated from their bodies for a short season: their spirits which
existed with God have left the tabernacle of clay only for a little
moment, as it were; and they now exist in a place where they converse
together the same as we do on the earth.

Vol. 6, p.6
I am dwelling on the immortality of the spirit of man. Is it logical
to say that the intelligence of spirits is immortal, and yet that it
had a beginning? The intelligence of spirits had no beginning, neither
will it have an end. That is good logic. That which has a beginning
may have an end. There never was a time when there were not spirits;
for they are co-equal with our Father in heaven.

Vol. 6, p.6
I want to reason more on the spirit of man; for I am dwelling on the
body and spirit of man—on the subject of the dead. I take my ring from
my finger and liken it unto the mind of man—the immortal part, because
it has no beginning. Suppose you cut it in two, then it has a
beginning and an end; but join it again, and it continues one eternal
round. So with the spirit of man. As the Lord liveth, if it had a
beginning it will have an end. All the fools and learned and wise men
from  the beginning of creation, who say that the spirit of man had a
beginning, [p.7] prove that it must have an end; and if that doctrine
is true, then the doctrine of annihilation would be true. But if I am
right, I might with boldness proclaim from the housetops that God
never had the power to create the spirit of man at all. God himself
could not create himself.

Vol. 6, p.7
Intelligence is eternal and exists upon a self-existent principle. It
is a spirit from age to age, and there is no creation about it. All
the minds and spirits that God ever sent into the world are
susceptible of enlargement.

Vol. 6, p.7
The first principles of man are self-existent with God. God himself,
finding he was in the midst of spirits and glory, because he was more
intelligent, saw proper to institute laws whereby the rest could have
a privilege to advance like himself. The relationship we have with God
places us in a situation to advance in knowledge. He has power to
institute laws to instruct the weaker intelligences, that they may be
exalted with himself, so that they might have one glory upon another,
and all that knowledge, power, glory, and intelligence which is
requisite in order to save them in the world of spirits.

Vol. 6, p.7
This is good doctrine. It tastes good. I can taste the principles of
eternal life, and so can you. They are given to me by the revelations
of Jesus Christ; and I know that when I tell you these words of
eternal life as they are given to me, you taste them, and I know you
believe them. You say honey is sweet, and so do I. I can also taste
the spirit of eternal life. I know it is good; and when I tell you of
these things which were given me by inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
you are bound to receive them as sweet, and I rejoice more and more.

Vol. 6, p.7
I want to talk more of the relation of man to God. I will open your
eyes in relation to your dead. All things whatsoever God of his
infinite wisdom has seen fit and proper to reveal to us, while we are
dwelling in mortality, in regard to our mortal bodies, are revealed to
us in the abstract and independent of affinity of this mortal
tabernacle; but are revealed to our spirits precisely as though we had
no bodies at all; and those revelations which will save our spirits
will save our bodies. God reveals them to us in view of no eternal
dissolution of the body, or tabernacle. Hence the responsibility—the
awful responsibility that rests upon us in relation to our dead; for
all the spirits who have not obeyed the Gospel in the flesh must
either obey it in the spirit or be damned. Solemn thought!—dreadful
thought! Is there nothing to be done? No preparation—no salvation for
our fathers and friends who have died without having had the
opportunity to obey the decrees of the Son of Man? Would to God that I
had forty days and nights in which to tell you all! I would let you
know that I am not a "fallen prophet."

Vol. 6, p.7
What promises are made in relation to the subject of the salvation of
the dead? and what kind of characters are those who can be saved,
although their bodies are mouldering and decaying in the grave? When
his commandments teach us, it is in view of eternity; for we are
looked upon by God as though we were in eternity. God dwells in
eternity, and does not view things as we do.

Vol. 6, p.7
The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is
to seek after our dead. The Apostle says, "They without us cannot be
made perfect;" for it is necessary that the sealing power should be in
our hands to seal our children and our dead for the fulness of the
dispensation of times—a dispensation to meet the promises made by
Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world for the salvation of
man.

Vol. 6, p.8
Now, I will speak of them. I will [p.8] meet Paul half-way. I say to
you, Paul, you cannot be perfect without us. It is necessary that
those who are gone before and those who come after us should have
salvation in common with us; and thus hath God made it obligatory upon
man. Hence God said, "I will send Elijah the prophet before the coming
of the great and dreadful day of the Lord and he shall turn the hearts
of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their
fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."

Vol. 6, p.8
I have a declaration to make as to the provisions which God hath made
to suit the conditions of man, made from before the foundation of the
world. What has Jesus said? All sins, and all blasphemies, and every
transgression, except one, that man can be guilty of, may be forgiven;
and there is a salvation for all men, either in this world or the
world to come, who have not committed the unpardonable sin, there
being a provision, either in this world or the world of spirits. Hence
God hath made a provision that every spirit in the eternal world can
be ferreted out and saved, unless he has committed that unpardonable
sin which cannot be remitted to him either in this world or the world
of spirits. God has wrought out a salvation for all men, unless they
have committed a certain sin; and every man who has a friend in the
eternal world can save him, unless he has committed the unpardonable
sin. And so you can see how far you can be a saviour.

Vol. 6, p.8
A man cannot commit the unpardonable sin after the dissolution of the
body, and there is a way possible for escape. Knowledge saves a man;
and in the world of spirits no man can be exalted but by knowledge. So
long as a man will not give heed to the commandments, he must abide
without salvation. If a man has knowledge, he can be saved; although,
if he has been guilty of great sins, he will be punished for them. But
when he consents to obey the Gospel, whether here or in the world of
spirits, he is saved.

Vol. 6, p.8
A man is his own tormentor and his own condemner. Hence the saying,
They shall go into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. The
torment of disappointment in the mind of man is as exquisite as a lake
burning with fire and brimstone. I say, so is the torment of man.

Vol. 6, p.8
I know the Scriptures and understand them. I said no man can commit
the unpardonable sin after the dissolution of the body, nor in this
life until he receives the Holy Ghost; but they must do it in this
world. Hence the salvation of Jesus Christ was wrought out for all men
in order to triumph over the Devil; for if it did not catch him in one
place, it would in another; for he stood up as a Saviour. All will
suffer until they obey Christ himself.

Vol. 6, p.8
The contention in heaven was—Jesus said there would be certain souls
that would not be saved; and the Devil said he could save them all,
and laid his plans before the grand council, who gave their vote in
favour of Jesus Christ. So the Devil rose up in rebellion against God,
and was cast down, with all who put up their heads for him.

Vol. 6, p.8
All sins shall be forgiven except the sin against the Holy Ghost; for
Jesus will save all except the sons of perdition. What must a man do
to commit the unpardonable sin? He must receive the Holy Ghost, have
the heavens opened unto him, and know God, and then sin against him.
After a man has sinned against the Holy Ghost, there is no repentance
for him. He has got to say that the sun does not shine while he sees
it; he has got to deny Jesus Christ when the heavens have  been opened
unto him, [p.9] and to deny the plan of salvation with his eyes open
to the truth of it; and from that time he begins to be an enemy. This
is the case with many apostates of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints.

Vol. 6, p.9
When a man begins to be an enemy to this work, he hunts me; he seeks
to kill me, and never ceases to thirst for my blood. He gets the
spirit of the Devil—the same spirit that they had who crucified the
Lord of Life,—the same spirit that sins against the, Holy Ghost. You
cannot save such persons; you cannot bring them to repentance: they
make open war like the Devil, and awful is the consequence.

Vol. 6, p.9
I advise all of you to be careful what you do, or you may by-and-by
find out that you have been deceived. Stay yourselves; do not give
way; don't make any hasty moves: you maybe be saved. If a spirit of
bitterness is in you, don't be in haste. You may say that man is a
sinner. Well, if he repents, he shall be forgiven. Be cautious: await!
When you find a spirit that wants bloodshed—murder, the same is not of
God, but is of the Devil. Out of the abundance of the heart of man the
mouth speaketh.

Vol. 6, p.9
The best men bring forth the best works. The man who tells you words
of life is the man who can save you. I warn you against all evil
characters who sin against the. Holy Ghost; for there is no redemption
for them in this world nor in the world to come.

Vol. 6, p.9
I could go back and trade every subject of interest concerning the
relationship of man to God, if I had time. I can enter into the
mysteries; I can enter largely into the eternal worlds; for Jesus
said, "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I
would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." (John 14th
chap., 2nd v.) Paul says, "There is one glory of the sun, and another
glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star
differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of
the dead." (1st Cor. 15th chap., 41st v.) What have we to console us
in relation to the dead? We have, reason to have the greatest hope and
consolations for our dead of any people on the earth; for we have seen
them walk worthily in our midst, and seen them sink asleep in the arms
of Jesus; and those who;have died in the faith are now in the
celestial kingdom of God. And hence is the glory of the sun.

Vol. 6, p.9
You mourners have occasion to rejoice (speaking of the death of Elder
King Follett); for your husband and father is gone to wait until the
resurrection of the dead—until the perfection of the remainder; for at
the resurrection your friend will rise in perfect felicity and go to
celestial glory, while many must wait myriads of years before they can
receive the like blessings; and your expectations and hopes are far
above what man can conceive; for why has God revealed it to us?

Vol. 6, p.9
I AM AUTHORIZED to say, by the authority of the Holy Ghost, that you
have no occasion to fear; for he is gone to the home of the just.
Don't mourn; don't weep. I know it by the testimony of the Holy Ghost
that is within me; and you may wait for your friends to come forth to
meet you in the morn of the celestial world.

Vol. 6, p.9
Rejoice, O Israel! Your friends who have been murdered for the truth's
sake in the persecution shall triumph gloriously in the celestial
world, while their murderers shall welter for ages in torment, even
until they shall have paid the uttermost farthing. I say this for the
benefit of strangers.

Vol. 6, p.9
I have a father, brothers, children, and friends who have gone to a
world of spirits. They are only absent for a moment. They are in the
spirit, and we shall soon meet again. The time will soon arrive when
the trumpet [p.10] shall sound. When we depart, we shall hail our
mothers, fathers, friends, and all whom we love who have fallen asleep
in Jesus. There will be no fear of mobs, persecutions, or malicious
law-suits and arrests; but it will be an eternity of felicity.

Vol. 6, p.10
A question may be asked—"Will mothers have their children in
eternity?" Yes! yes! Mothers, you shall have your children; for they
shall have eternal life; for their debt is paid. There is no damnation
awaits them, for they are in the spirit. But as the child dies, so
shall it rise from the dead, and be for ever living in the learning of
God. It will never grow: it will still be the child, in the same
precise form as it appeared before it died out of its mother's arms,
but possessing all the intelligence of a God. Children dwell in the
mansions of glory and exercise power, but appear in the same form as
when on earth. Eternity is full of thones, upon which dwell thousands
of children reigning on thrones of glory, with not one cubit added to
their stature.

Vol. 6, p.10
I will leave this subject here, and make a few remarks on the subject
of baptism. The baptism of water, without the baptism of fire and the
Holy Ghost attending it, is of no use: they are necessary and
inseparably connected. An individual must be born, of water and the
spirit in order to get into the kingdom of God. In the German, the
text bears me out the same as the revelations which I have given and
taught for the last fourteen years on that subject. I have the
testimony to put in their teeth. My testimony has been true all the
time. You will find it in the declaration of John the Baptist. [Reads
from the German.] John says, "I baptise you with water; but when Jesus
comes, who has the power (or keys), he shall administer the baptism of
fire and the Holy Ghost." Great God! where is now all the sectarian
world? And if this testimony is true, they are all damned as clearly
as anathema can do it. I know the text is true. I call upon all you
Germans who know that it is true to say aye. (Loud shouts of aye.)

Vol. 6, p.10
Alexander Campbell, how are you going to save people with water alone?
For John said his baptism was good for nothing without the baptism of
Jesus Christ. "Therefore, not leaving the principles of the doctrine
of Christ, let us go on unto perfection, not laying again the
foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of
the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of
resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we
do, if God permit." (Heb. 6th chap., 1st to 3rd v.),

Vol. 6, p.10
There is one God, one Father, one Jesus, one hope of our calling, one
baptism. All these three baptisms only make one. Many talk of baptism
not being essential to salvation: but this kind of teaching would lay
the foundation of their damnation. I have the truth, and am at the
defiance of the world to contradict me if they can.

Vol. 6, p.10
I have now preached a little Latin, a little Hebrew, Greek, and
German; and I have fulfilled all. I am not so big a feel as many have
taken me to be. The Germans know that I read the German correctly.

Vol. 6, p.10
Hear it, all ye ends of the earth—all ye priests, all ye sinners, and
all men. Repent! repent! Obey the Gospel. Turn to God; for your
religion won't save you, and you will be damned. I do not say how
long. There have been remarks made concerning all men being redeemed
from hell; but I say that those who sin against the Holy Ghost cannot
be forgiven in this world or in the world to come: they shall die the
second death. Those who commit the unpardonable sin are deemed  to
Gnolom, to dwell in hell, worlds without end. [p.11] As they concoct
scenes of bloodshed in this world, so they shall rise to that
resurrection which is as the lake of fire and brimstone. Some shall
rise to the everlasting burning of God; for God dwells in everlasting
burnings; and some shall rise to the damnation of their own
filthiness, which is as exquisite a torment as the take of fire and
brimstone.

Vol. 6, p.11
I have intended my remarks for all, both rich and poor, bond and free,
great and small, I have no enmity against any man. I love you all; but
I hate some of your deeds. I am your best friend; and if persons miss
their mark, it is their own fault. If I reprove a man and he hates me,
he is a feel; for I love all men, especially these my brethren and
sisters.

Vol. 6, p.11
I rejoice in hearing the testimony of my aged friends. You don't know
me: you never knew my heart. No man knows my history. I cannot tell
it: I shall never undertake it. I don't blame any one for not
believing my history. If I had not experienced what I have, I could
not have believed it myself. I never did harm any man since I was born
into the world. My voice is always for peace.

Vol. 6, p.11
I cannot lie down until all my work is finished. I never think any
evil, nor do anything to the harm of my fellow-man. When I am called
by the trump of the archangel and weighed in the balance, you will all
know me then. I add no more. God bless you all. Amen.

          * * *

Orson Hyde

The Work of Reformation—The United States' Army—
Labours of "Mormon" Missionaries—Judgments of God, Etc.

A Discourse by Elder Orson Hyde.

Vol. 6, p.11
Dear Brethren and Sisters,—I am highly pleased with the privilege I
now enjoy of speaking to you. I wish to call your attention to a
subject which, to me, is of vast importance, and no less so to you.

Vol. 6, p.11
The commencement of what has been termed our reformation was more than
a year ago; and first attended with the desire only of correcting some
irregularities among us and of awakening the Saints to righteousness,
to purity of life, to sanctification, and holiness before the Lord.
Our efforts were attended with results highly satisfactory to the
upright and the good. We were led on by this spirit of reformation to
expose and rebuke the evils. of those among us who did not belong to
the Latter-day Saints. This kind of preaching made them angry; yet
their anger did not cause us to soften our speech or to modify the
tone of high moral sentiment which we wished and were determined
should be enforced. "Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you; but
rebuke a wicked man, and he will hate you." This truth we saw
abundantly exemplified. Their pens were then set in operation against
us, and many false accusations were sent to the States [p.12] by them,
over fictitious names, no names at all, and also over their own real
names. But the latter class, not being fortified with truth and
honesty, felt unable to endure the just frowns of a community so
belied. They had recourse to flight; and then told the awful and
pitiful tale in the States that they barely escaped with their
lives,—a fine cover for their unrighteous deeds. They hoped by this
feint and hypocritical pretension to excite public sympathy in their
favour, and to arouse indignation against the Saints. Jesus spoke
plainly of just much persons, saying: "Ye are they who justify
yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts; for that which is
highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God."

Vol. 6, p.12
For this very plain preaching, which they were compelled to hear or
hear of, they threstened us with troops of the United States; and they
left no stone unturned to excite the Government to send troops. This
idea was a momentary damper upon some spirits; but sober second
thought asked the question—"Shall I, through fear of an army being
sent here, be guilty of collusion with sin and of failure to expose
and rebuke it?" The noble-minded and fearless servants of God said,
"No! No!! No!!!" The work of reformation and purification. went
gloriously on; and by-and-by the word of assurance and comfort came to
us through our Prophet and fleer—the fearless Brigham, who dares to do
right—"Sanctify yourselves before me; put iniquity far from you;
assert your rights, and stand up to them; and behold, and lo! I will
fight your battles, and the children of Zion shall be victorious; and
the name of your God shall be magnified in the eyes of your enemies.
Trust in me; be valiant and fear not, and the kingdom is yours." I may
not repeat the word of the Lord through his servant verbatim, but give
it according to memory. I am not, however, far wrong.

Vol. 6, p.12
On the 24th day of July last, rumour came to us that United States'
troops were actually being fitted out to come here to chastise us.
Just ten years ago that very day, when the pioneers first entered the
valley, brother Brigham said, in view of the injustice and cruelty
inflicted upon us by our enemies, "If the United States will now let
this people alone for ten years to come, we will ask no odds of them
or any one else but God." The saying passed out of his mind and out of
the minds of the pioneers who heard it, until ten years from the very
time, when he and some thousands of others were in Big Cottonwood
Kanyon, celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Saints' entrance into
this valley.

Vol. 6, p.12
This announcement of troops by the express brought the saying vividly
to many of the minds of the old pioneers. No heart appeared sad—no
countenance gloomy; but the lamp of joy was evidently lit in every
heart and blazed in every countenance. We regarded it as an omen of
deliverance by the arm of the Almighty. From that very hour the
prayers of this entire people, old and young, male and female, by day
and by night, have been and still are offered up unto the God of
heaven, in the name of his son, Jesus Christ, that the army sent here
by the United States may never be able to accomplish their design; for
the design of the Government in sending them, and that, too, upon
evidence known to be incorrect, proved to us that iniquity was to be
sustained and righteousness suppressed. Will our prayers be heard and
answered? I believe they will. I do believe that God is about to come
out of his hiding-place and to vex the nation  according to his word
through the martyred Joseph. (See Book of Covenants, second European
[p.13] edition, page 282.) Do I believe that the United States will be
divided? Yes, I do; and the prayers of all the Saints throughout the
world should be to that effect; for they wage war against the kingdom
of God, and have fallen upon that stone with an army; and let them be
broken, even according to the words of Jesus.

Vol. 6, p.13
"If the army now invading Utah should be overthrown," says an
unbeliever, "are you not fearful that a much larger one will be sent
to chastise you?" No, sir; I am not. If we honour our God by keeping
his law, no army of this world can ever prevail against us; and the
greater its numbers, the greater and more complete its overthrow. If
the Red Sea be not the trap in which the enemy will be caught, there
will be a snow or hailstorm, a whirlwind, an earthquake, fire from
above or from beneath, or the sword of the Lord and of Brigham. I only
fear that we may not live so that God will hear and answer our
prayers. If we get any important petition granted by any legislative
body, we must have some, influence enlisted in its favour; and if we
expect God to grant our petitions, we must so live before him as to
have influence with him. To have influence with the king is next to
being king ourselves.

Vol. 6, p.13
We do not desire to shed the blood of our enemies. We have never
desired it. But our prayers should be, that the power and strength
arrayed against us may be broken by the providence of God, or by the
arm of his power; that they may be smitten with confusion and
darkness; that the means they may adopt left their success may be
providentially overruled for their overthrow; that they may be wasted
away like the early frosts, and be scattered about like chaff before
the wind, until, as the martyred Joseph said, just before he was
murdered by Governor Ford's mob, there shall not be a potsherd of them
left. This prayer should not be confined to our enemies on our
immediate borders; for they are only the blind tools of a power that
has decreed our overthrow; but should extend, with increased faith and
zeal, to that very power that handles these tools.

Vol. 6, p.13
Brethren, the army sent to operate against us has been stopped in the
vicinity of the ruins of Forts Bridget and Supply. By what power or
agency were they stopped? Col. Alexander assured Governor Young that
he had abundant means or power at his command to come into Salt Lake
Valley. Add to this the fact that one Mormon was taken prisoner by the
Colonel's order, and it is said that orders were found on his person
to annoy the enemy in every way he could, but not to kill any or fire
a gun. I know nothing of any such orders. Still the enemy claim that
they found such orders upon the person of their "Mormon" prisoner.
Now, if Colonel Alexander really believed his own statement to
Governor Young, that he had abundant means at his command to force his
way into the city, and if he believed the pretended orders said to be
found with his "Mormon" prisoner to be genuine—that nobody was to be
killed nor a gun fired, why did he not march in with his army? He had
plenty of force to do it, and the assurance, according to his showing,
that the "Mormons" were not to kill any nor fire a gun? What kind of
reason or apology can he make to the Department for not marching
directly into the city. That is his business, however, not ours.

Vol. 6, p.13
It was not "Mormon" numbers, according to his views, neither "Mormon"
bullets that arrested the progress of the army; but it really was the
united faith and prayers of the Saints of God that set bounds to their
progress. Having, therefore, this evidence that God hears and answers
our prayers, [p.14] it should inspire us with redoubled zeal, union,
faith, and energy, to continue to call upon the Lord until every power
that lifts an arm against his kingdom crumbles and fails like the
mighty image that the Babylonish monarch beheld in the visions of the
night.

Vol. 6, p.14
Our enemies have eyes, but they cannot see. They may say that the
tardy movements of the forces in concentrating, together with an
unexpected snowstorm, in which many, of their animals perished, were
the causes of their hindrance on Ham's Fork; but who caused the tardy
movements of the collecting forces? and who sent the snowstorm? The
same invisible hand that forced off the wheels from Pharaoh's chariots
that caused them to drag heavily. The prayers of the Saints by day and
by night are more potent than the multitude of soldiers, armed with
Sharp's and the Minie rifle. Yet the Saints should be liberally
endowed with both.

Vol. 6, p.14
If we continue in all humility before the Lord, full of faith and
diligent in prayer, with hearts full of integrity, and honour the
words of our Prophets and leaders, and the United States continue
their hostile movements against the Saints, it shall be with them as
it was with the man upon the scaffold lifting at the granite rock,
when the scaffolding gave way and fell, and with it the man; and the
stone, falling on the top of him, ground him to atoms.

Vol. 6, p.14
The United States' army is sent by the President. He is the highest
power which they know or recognize. Did they know any higher, they
would never have come here. Has that army a chaplain Prophet that can
obtain the word of the Lord for them, or one whose prayers the Lord
hears? We say no, and they cannot say yes; neither dare they. The
policy of the Government will not allow of a chaplain Prophet to Icad
its armies; and a man inspired of the Lord—one who can say, "Thus
saith the Lord."—would not lead them under their present policy.

Vol. 6, p.14
The whole army and nation are blind enough to be led by mere men who
lay no claim to the inspiration of the Almighty, and not one among
them that can receive the word of the Lord. The man whose prayers the
hears can obtain his word touching the duties of the sphere in which
he is legitimately called to act. Yet the nation despise the "Mormons"
because they are led by a man who can receive the word of the Lord for
them, and whose prayers the Lord hears and answers: The evidence of
this is before us, day by day, and year by year. A fashionable
chaplain, who is master of much flowery language, may formally tell
the Almighty how great and glorious he is—how high is his throne, and
how vast are his dominions; and yet the God of Israel will never thank
him for the information, neither praise him for his sweet rhetorical
sentences. But the man that is chosen of God, and armed with the power
of revelation and the visions of heaven, is the man to lead the
Latter-day Saints. No less will satisfy them. To the rule of, no other
will they willingly submit. Govern Utah who will, Brigham Young or his
duly chosen successor can alone govern the "Mormons." Freemen have the
right to choose their own rulers. The world often kill the men whom
God appoints; but the Saints choose them. Here is the difference. The
Saints may be killed—that is, their bodies; but their spirits can
never yield to the powers of this world. And our God says that, if we
will be valiant, pure, and faithful, we never shall, worlds without
end.

Vol. 6, p.14
What is the real design of the Government in sending troops to Utah?
This winter, or during this Session of Congress,  special legislation
[p.15] is contemplated; a stringent law against polygamy to be
enacted; and the troops are sent here in advance of the passage of
such an act to make themselves comfortable and strongly establish
themselves in these valleys and hold themselves in readiness to
enforce that law when enacted. Then they would say, "Now, Mr. Mormon,
we have got you!" Anything for a lawful pretence to raise a fuss with
the "Mormons," to destroy them from the earth! But everlasting thanks
to Zion's God! He has said, "Sanctify yourselves before me, assert
your rights, and I will back you up and fight your battles. You have
long pleaded with the Government ,and people of this nation, and they
would not hear you; and now, verily, saith the Lord, I will plead with
the nation for you."

Vol. 6, p.15
According to our faith in God is our boldness to meet whatever may
come. Brethren, let us be valiant. A mighty host may gather against
us; but if God be with us, we may have a seven months' job in burying
their dead; and their weapons of war may furnish us fuel for years, so
that we shall not have to go to the kanyons for this indispensable
auxiliary to our domestic comfort and happiness. A mighty slaughter is
to occur in the armies of the Saints' enemies in some country where
firewood is scarce, and a high value placed upon their weapons of war
for that purpose.

Vol. 6, p.15
It is said that a new Governor has been appointed for Utah, judges,
secretary, &c. I do not pretend to know much about governmental usages
or etiquette; but, to my coarse understanding, it would seem no more
than proper for some department at Washington to have notified
Governor Young of such appointments direct, and also of the object in
sending an armed force with them, if, indeed, such force be really
sent by the order of Government. The fact of our mail being
unanimously taken away from us, in connection with the silence on the
matters before spoken of, left us to conclude that death and
destruction were determined on as the lot and portion of the" Mormons"
in Utah, The public papers that happened to reach us seemed also to
breathe this kind of spirit, which were our main index to the real
intentions of the Government. If, therefore, persecution and death
must come, we concluded that we might better make the job cost our
enemies all in our power, by selling our lives and liberties as dearly
as possible. These were and are the feelings of the masses. Our
leaders speak for themselves. In this position We have been greatly
encouraged from a source that we deem infallible, provided we live in
obedience to the commands of Him who holds all power both on earth and
in heaven. I deem it unnecessary, however, to argue the merits of the
case, but patiently await its issue,—at the same time to be active in
the vigorous discharge of every known duty to God and man.

Vol. 6, p.15
Our Elders and missionaries have laboured throughout the nations of
the earth incessantly for the last twenty-seven years. We have endured
and suffered shame. The great ones of the earth have generally spurned
us from their presence. The holy and sanctified clergy have been most
bitter against us. We have been very often like our Master, without a
place to lay our head. We have slept by the wayside, under the trees
of the forest, in sheds, and in barns, without money, and often
without food; yet we have been cheerful, and in reality have lacked
nothing. Our feet have bled with walking, and our hearts with sorrow
over the blindness of the people: yet we have been joyful in our God.
The four quarters of the globe and the islands of the sea have heard
our voice and testimony. We have laboured and have not fainted. [p.16]
Though weak, combatting the world, the flesh, and the Devil, and
though our enemies have reproached us with being a set of ignoramuses,
dupes, villains, impostors, and fools, we have cried aloud and spared
not.

Vol. 6, p.16
In the midst of all this, our Prophets have been murdered, our
brethren and sisters, friends, and families mobbed and driven from
place to place, and from time to time living in tents, waggons, and in
the open air. They have been maimed, crippled, and slain without
mercy; and none have laid it to heart. "Your cause is just, but we can
do nothing for you," is the heartless sentiment of an unbelieving and
persecuting world. These are some of the circumstances under which the
"Mormons" and "Mormon" missionaries have carried the Gospel to the
nations of the earth. But those few that have ministered to the wants
and necessities of these labourers and of these persecuted people
shall in nowise lose their reward.

Vol. 6, p.16
These missionaries and labourers are now called home. The Lord says,
"It is enough." "Come out of her, my people," is now the voice of God
to his servants in every land and nation. The vials of his wrath
cannot be poured out until you, like Lot, flee from the countries
doomed to feel the vengeance of God. To you, my faithful brethren
abroad, the Spirit of Christ has often whispered, during the last six
months, "Go home—go home." Your guardian angels have said it to you in
dreams and in visions, and we expect to see you come. Scores have
already arrived. God bless them and you too, if you listen to the
whisperings of that voice. that speaks truth to the heart.

Vol. 6, p.16
What now remains to be done? Your testimony is borne—your words have
gone into all the earth. Read in the Book of Covenants, page 102, and
you will find the answer in part"After your testimony cometh wrath and
indignation upon the people; for after your testimony cometh the
testimony of earthquakes, that shall cause groanings in the midst of
her; and men shall fall upon the ground and shall not be able to
stand. And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and
the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of
the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds; and all
things shall be in commotion; and surely men's hearts shall fail them,
for fear shall come upon all. people," &c.

Vol. 6, p.16
Again, the sign gives in the Book of Mormon, showing when the times of
the Gentiles shall be fulfilled and they abandoned to the judgments
and wrath of Almighty God, and showing also when the covenants of the
Father with the house of Israel shall be fulfilled, is this important
declaration—"I will take the fulness of my Gospel from among the
Gentiles," &c. It might be considered treason to quote further. With
our Elders and missionaries comes the fulness of the Gospel from among
the Gentiles, who, like the leaky ship, are abandoned to the mercy of
the winds and the waves.

Vol. 6, p.16
I, for one, care but little about the stoppage of the mails; yet it
would afford me some satisfaction to have the current news of the day.
There is, however, an upper telegraph which the powers of this world
cannot cut, neither suspend in any way. By that we can know all the
news that are really essential to us as a people, if we strive to be
in communication with it. This upper telegraph is the revelation of
God. All things that are really essential for us to know will be made
manifest unto us by the Lord; "for he doeth nothing, but he revealeth
his secrets to his servants and Prophets." This is the sort of  mail
that we should patronize. It is conveyed with despatch and with
safety. It goes at all times of day and of [p.17] night, and is sure
to bring an answer to our communications. The Government would think
it strange to read from our records, made and penned more than twenty
years ago, the very things which it is now doing in relation to us.
But to read the issue, it would think stranger still. I read both more
than twenty years since; and when I see things fulfilling every day
and every year, it inspires me with assurance and joy. Have light in
yourselves, says Jesus; and if our eye be single, our whole bodies
will be full of light. God knows all things that are going on in the
universe; and if we possess his mind, his Spirit, and his will, we may
know at least some things that are going on in the world, even without
a mail.

Vol. 6, p.17
Brethren, the Lord is hearing and answering our prayers the time to
favour Zion is come. And now, I beseech you, let there be no
contentions or disputations in your midst; for Jesus says, "Blessed
are ye, if there be no disputations among you." Dishonesty,
covetousness, nonsense, and folly should all be purged from our hearts
and purged from our wards; and if the guilty will not cast away such
principles, let him go to the army, to the States or wherever he
likes, so that he does not abide in our midst. "He shall gather out of
his kingdom all things that offend and that do inquity." Cleanse the
inside of the platter or territory, so that God and angels may dwell
with us for our defence. Bishops, High Priests, and Seventies, arise
in the majesty of Jehovah's strength, and cause the moral atmosphere
that surrounds you to be pure and healthful, if you have to raise a
storm of thunder and lightning to effect it. Fear not! only hurt not
the oil or the wine. Be wise, and yet be strong. Remember that a good
man does not steal, neither lie. He is not an idler, suffering his
family to want. He does not take the advantage of his neighbour. He
does not absent himself from your ward meetings, neither decline
bearing his part of the burdens that are laid upon you. You will
generally find a good man right where you want him, in person, in
spirit, and in the means that he controls. He never has many excuses
to make, but is on hand. He is always ready. A good man pays his
Tithing, pays his devotions to God in all sincerity and faith, pays
his just debts so far as he is able, is careful about contracting
debts, lives well, yet prudently, and generally has something to
bestow for charitable purposes. He never has much difficulty with his
neighbours, readily yields to the counsel of his Bishop or other
superior officer, worships no horse, ox, mule, ass, farm, or house,
but worships the true God of heaven. Remember that all victory and
glory that God is well pleased with are obtained by our diligence and
prayers of faith.

Vol. 6, p.17
Remember your fasts, your solemn assemblies, sacraments, and
charities. Mark those in your wards that do not attend your meetings.
Thieves and iniquitous persons do not, as a general thing, like to
attend the house of worship. Slothful, prayerless, and worldly-minded
persons often calculate to go to or return from the kanyons on the
Sabbath, or go visiting on that day, or manage to hunt cattle on the
range, or transact some business by which they can have a plausible
excuse for not attending the house of worship. The flaming truths
which they would be compelled to hear—the rebukes and chastisements
there dealt out to such characters are not agreeable to their ears.

Vol. 6, p.17
The persons that cannot profit by merited rebukes and chastisements
cannot profit by blessings and communion with the Saints. Priests,
Teachers, and Deacons, be active in the discharge of your duties. You
[p.18] are watchmen in your wards, and stand in a similar relation to
your Bishops that the Apostles do to the Presidency. Great
responsibility rests upon you. Every person in your wards should be
known to you, and his business or occupation also. You should not only
know the man or the woman and his business, but should likewise know
his spirit and be able to weigh it in the balance of truth.

Vol. 6, p.18
Shepherds of Israel, watch well your flocks. Keep them healthy and
vigorous. Encourage good with kind and generous words, and fear not to
deal with offenders or rebuke sin in a manner that corresponds with
the nature thereof and also with the dignity of your high and holy
calling. The great object is to be alive and awake to every duty, and
to be "armed with righteousness and the power of God in great glory."

Vol. 6, p.18
Our enemies are trying to come here to teach this people civilization
and pure Christianity by killing our men and sleeping with our women.
It seems that we have been prejudged and condemned to death. The
halters are prepared by the waggon-load, and knots already tied (so
says report). If they had the chance, they would probably go through
the forms of law trials with us, with great kindness and moderation
affectedly; but death is in the pot, and we must eat it. As we have
been foreordained in Washington to be hung or shot, we must suffer it,
guilty or not guilty. If we repent, we must be damned; and if we do
not repent, we must be damned. The ropes are all prepared! But if we
do our duty, that proud Haman will yet see, the despised Jew in a
position which he will have cause to envy. Though the course of our
enemies stands in their power and not in their justice, yet they shall
come to an inglorious end, and none shall help them; and let all
Israel say, Amen.

Vol. 6, p.18
May the blessings of the Highest be and abide with the upright in
heart, now and for ever! Amen.

          * * *

John Taylor, November 1, 1857

"The Kingdom of God or Nothing"

A Sermon by Elder John Taylor, delivered in the Tabernacle,
 Great Salt Lake City, November 1, 1857.

Reported By G. D. Watt.

Vol. 6, p.18
I shall take the liberty, this afternoon, of selecting a text. In the
Second Epistle and last verse of the Gospel according to St. Brigham
to Colonel Alexander, will be found the following words:—"WE SAY IT IS
THE KINGDOM OF GOD OR NOTHING."

Vol. 6, p.18
We revere the testimony of ancient men of God; as recorded in what are
often termed "the Scriptures of divine truth;" and it is quite common
for men to refer to what the Prophets have said and to reason from
their words. Now, I have been of the impression, for some length of
time, that the sayings of modern men of God are of as great importance
as the sayings  of ancient men of God [p.19] and a great deal more
applicable to our condition.

Vol. 6, p.19
In looking at the Epistle to Colonel Alexander, and considering the
important things said in it, I was particularly struck with the last
words, which compose my text—"The kingdom of God or nothing."

Vol. 6, p.19
In other days, men have had their theories and their ideas about
Christianity, Paganism, &c., which were referred to this morning. But
we believe in living Priesthood—in present revelation—in the Church
and kingdom of God as it now exists on the earth, as well as in things
that were spoken of by ancient Prophets: consequently we believe in
adapting our lives and actions to the position that we now occupy as
servants of the true and living God—as God's representatives on the
earth—as those who are destined to lay the foundation of that kingdom
which shall stand for ever.

Vol. 6, p.19
What is the kingdom of God? This is a question that is in almost
everybody's mouth. Every Saint is interested in this question. We need
not go into the nonsense of sectarianism: we will let it go entirely,
hook and line; for we know enough about it to care nothing about it,
nor about the absurd ideas entertained by sectarians of the kingdom of
God.

Vol. 6, p.19
The question is, What is the kingdom of God? How do we stand related
to it? What is our position and what are the duties devolving upon us
to-day, to-morrow, and every day of our lives, as servants of the
living God?

Vol. 6, p.19
In the Epistle I have referred to, there is something said about the
struggles we have endured; the privations we have suffered, the
difficulties we have passed through, the wrongs and indignities that
have been heaped upon us continually, and the persecutions that have
been multiplied upon us as a people, even from the day of the
organization of this Church to the present. There was in it a strong,
marked, and determined expression. It gave Colonel Alexander and
whomsoever it concerned to understand that it was time that these
things should cease—that this people as well as every other people
should have their rights, and these rights they were bent upon having
at all events, not fearing the result,—that we, as a people, are
determined to be free; for with us it is—"The kingdom of God or
nothing."

Vol. 6, p.19
When we talk about kingdoms, we talk about governments, rule,
authority, power; for wherever there is a kingdom, these principles
exist to a greater or less extent. The kingdoms of this world have
their powers, authorities, rule, regulations, law-givers, &c.,
according to the kind of government they adopt. Hitherto we, as a
people, have been amalgamated to a great extent with other nations. It
is true we have had a Church government, Church laws, Church
discipline, and by the holy Priesthood associated with this Church we
have governed the people. Still we have been subject to another
government, power, and authority, to Gentile rule, Gentile dominion,
Gentile laws, to Gentile usages and customs, to which we have been
willingly subject, so far as they were righteous; and it was told us
by the Lord, that if we observed the laws of God, we need not break
the laws of the land.

Vol. 6, p.19
The laws of man we have kept faithfully, adhering tenaciously to the
principles of the Constitution of the Government, under which we have
lived. We have not transgressed them in one iota, but have maintained
our relationship honourably with the nation we have been associated
with.

Vol. 6, p.19
The first thing we did when we came to this land was to organize a
government for our protection, which was according to the pattern set
us by our neighbours—Oregon, for [p.20] instance; then represented our
case to the United States.

Vol. 6, p.20
We came out here because we were disfranchised, exiled, robbed of our
rights as American citizens, and forced to wander in the wilderness to
seek among the savages of the forest that freedom denied us by
Christianity. Did we in this transgress any laws of the United States,
depart from any usage, or act contrary to any established custom or
law of the Government? We did not. We applied for the sanction of
Congress to our doings, and it was a matter of astonishment and
surprise that we should take such steps, after the usage we had
received. Our course was applauded by statesmen, senators, members of
Congress, and the authorities of the United States generally; and all
our transactions, constitution, and laws were approved gladly,
considered right, and according to the usages and laws of the United
States.

Vol. 6, p.20
By-and-by we petitioned for a Territorial Government and obtained it.
Our enemies have all the time been complaining of us that we have
infringed upon the Constitution and, laws of the United States. But I
ask, Wherein have we done it? Who appointed our Governor? The
President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of
the Senate, according to the usage which exists, but indeed contrary
to any right they possessed; still he did it. Who appointed our
Judges, United States Marshal, Secretary of State, and Indian Agency?
The President of the United States.

Vol. 6, p.20
Has there been another Governor appointed? I suppose there has; but he
has not yet been qualified. No man has authority to act in the
gubernatorial capacity in this Territory at the present time,
according to the laws of the United States, but Govenor Young. No
Governor has a right to act here, although he may have been appointed
by the President of the United States, until he comes here and is
qualified. No man has ever come yet to be qualified, and consequently
Governor Young stands legitimately in that place.

Vol. 6, p.20
What law have we transgressed? I have tried to find out. We have
examined the Constitution of the United States and the laws pertaining
to these matters; and if anybody here or elsewhere can point out any
law that we have transgressed as American citizens, they know more
about it than I have been able to learn; and I should like such a
person to put me in possession of that information.

Vol. 6, p.20
What next? Why, on the back of this, after lying about us, slandering,
abusing, and imposing upon us, trampling upon our rights, and sending
the meanest curses among us that ever disgraced the footstool of
God—men they are ashamed of themselves, they have now sent an armed
force contrary to law and right and to the principles that ought to
prevail in the United States. They have no more right to do this than
I have to cut any of your throats.

Vol. 6, p.20
There is no authority guaranteed to the President of the United States
to perpetrate so diabolical an act as the one he has engaged in. Why
is it that this is done? Is it because we are worse than other people?
No. After raking up everything they could, before I left the States,
the only thing they could find against us as a people. was that we had
burned some books belonging to the United States' Court; and since
that I have seen published affidavits, totally denying any such thing,
by the Clerk of that Court.

Vol. 6, p.20
The President of the United States has now taken upon himself the
responsibility of sending into this Territory an armed force to
trample upon the rights of 100,000 American freemen, on purpose to
subserve a political interest, for the benefit of [p.21] his own
party. It becomes a serious question with us what to do under these
circumstances.

Vol. 6, p.21
Shall we lie down and let those scoundrels cut our throats? is the
first question. Shall we untie our neckcloths and tell them to come on
and cut and carve away as they please, and knock down, drag out, and
introduce their abominations among us—their cursed Christian
institutions—to prostitute our women and lay low our best men? Shall
we suffer it, I say?

Vol. 6, p.21
There are certain things that are sacred to us and to every man and
woman. If we submit to a thing of that sort, we submit to see the very
institutions of our own nation trampled under foot—the Constitution of
our country desecrated and rent in pieces. We submit to see the bonds
severed that have bound this nation together, and blood, anarchy, and
and confusion prevail.

Vol. 6, p.21
If they have a mind to cut each other's throats, we have no
objections. We say, Success to both parties. But when they come to cut
ours, without ceremony, we say, Hands off, gentlemen. We are not so
religious as to sit down meekly and tamely submit to these things. We
understand something of the difference between what some call treason,
or treasonable acts, and base submission to the will of a tyrant, who
would seek to bring us into servile chains—into perfect submission to
his sway.

Vol. 6, p.21
We are engaged here in protecting ourselves, our wives, and
families,—in guarding everything that is sacred and honourable among
men from invasion and oppression of some of the most corrupt wretches
that ever disgraced the footstool of God.

Vol. 6, p.21
"This is pretty plain talk," say you. I meant to talk plain: I do not
wish to be misunderstood. I have lately been conversant with some of
their proceedings, having been in their neighbourhood for some time
recently. Some of our brethren, who went among them with messages,
have said that such was the filth and obscenity of their
language—cursing, swearing, and every meanness, that, rather than stay
all night with them, they chose to go off some distance and lie on the
ground. If these are the feelings of our brethren, some of whom are
rough and uncouth in their manners, we know not how our sisters would
feel in such delectable society.

Vol. 6, p.21
We will not submit to such a state of things for ever. If you, our
enemies, are determined to invade our rights, trample upon our
liberties, snatch from us the rich boon we have inherited from our
fathers, to make us bow in vile subservience to your will, we will
resist you: we will not submit to it. We will say, Stand back and give
us our rights. We will act the part of freemen, and we say it shall be
"The kingdom of God or nothing."

Vol. 6, p.21
Why is it that we are persecuted? It is because we believe in the
establishment of the kingdom of God upon the earth—because we say and
know that God has established his kingdom—because the principles of
righteousness are introduced among the the children of men, and they
expose the evils, corruption, priestcraft, political craft, and the
abominations that, everywhere exist. They lay naked before all men the
abominable acts of the human family. It is not because there is evil
among us, but because there is goodness, truth, holiness. It, is
because God has spoken, and his word has had effect on our hearts, to
govern and influence our conduct.

Vol. 6, p.21
It is because of these things that the present crusade has been set on
foot against us, and no doubt it began to rage at the very time that
you were humbling yourselves before God, when you commenced the
reformation and were repenting of your sins and making restoration. At
the time the Spirit, [p.22] of God began to be manifested among you,
the spirit of the Devil began to rage among them against you, stirring
them up to pluck you down, root you lap, and destroy you from the face
of the earth.

Vol. 6, p.22
Why was it that you had the reformation among you, that you were
stirred up to repent of your sins and make restitution? It was because
you had the holy Priesthood in your midst—the spirit of prophecy and
revelation,—because you had men among you who could commune with. the
Most High and contemplate his purposes and designs towards the human
family. It was because they saw evils existing among you and dare tell
of it, and the Spirit of God pointed the word at your hearts, which
brought you to repentance.

Vol. 6, p.22
If we had corruption, grog-holes, rowdyism, and every kind of
pollution among us, and were this place permitted to be a perfect sink
of iniquity, where the gambler, horse-racer, blackleg, and every evil
character would be tolerated, then we should be hail fellows, well
met, with our enemies. The wicked would bow and scrape to us all over
the earth: they would call us gentlemen everywhere, and we should he
respected. It would be as it was with a few of our brethren who had to
play a ruse upon some of the Missourians. The "Mormon" boys were
flying from a mob and had to pass a meeting-house when the people were
coming out from their prayers. These pious souls suspected that the
brethren were "Mormons."

Vol. 6, p.22
"You are 'Mormons,' damn you," said they.

Vol. 6, p.22
"We are not, damn you. Let go of my horse, or I will knock your damned
head off."

Vol. 6, p.22
"Oh, we discover you are not 'Mormons,' gentlemen: we are under a
mistake;" and they let them go.

Vol. 6, p.22
Who is it that is acquainted with this people and does not know that
they are better, more pure, more virtuous and true to their God and
his laws, and more faithful to the laws and Constitution of their
country than any other people? I know the difference, for I have been
among others and seen their actions.

Vol. 6, p.22
What is the cause, then, of the evil planned against us? It is because
we are the Church and kingdom of God. Have we ever left our houses to
interfere with other people anywhere? Did you ever hear of a crusade
by a set of "Mormons" upon any other people? Did the "Mormons," when
in Nauvoo, go to Carthage, La Harpe, Warsaw, or to any place, and
interfere with the rights of anybody? Have we done it here? Have we
gone to Mexico, California, Kansas, Nebraska, Oregon, Minnesota, or to
any of the surrounding districts, to interfere with their business or
rights?

Vol. 6, p.22
If there has been such a crusade, I have remained altogether ignorant
of it, as to when it took place, who were engaged in it, and how many.

Vol. 6, p.22
If we do not interfere with anybody else, what right has anybody else
to interfere with us? I speak now as an American citizen. I speak, if
you please, as a politician. On this ground I ask what right any
people or number of people have to come and interfere with us? There
is no such right in the catalogue, gentlemen.

Vol. 6, p.22
They, however, do interfere with us; and what is the cause of it? It
is because of the kingdom of God—because of the truth of God—because
of the Spirit of God and certain principles that exist among this
people. And what are they? It is polygamy that they are so incensed
against. They need not draw down such a long face about that, for they
themselves do a thousand times worse than that, were it even as
heinous a crime as they say it is.

Vol. 6, p.23
It is not polygamy that they are so horrified at. I know their
meanness [p.23] and abominations, and have told them of them scores of
times. There have been from the foundation of the world two principles
and powers—the principles of darkness and the principles of light, the
principles of truth and the principles of error, the Spirit of God and
the spirit of the Devil;—and there has been a mighty struggle between
these two principles and powers.

Vol. 6, p.23
Hitherto the good, the virtuous, the pure and upright, the men of God,
the Saints of the Most High have been trampled under foot and east
out—have wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins, dwelt in
deserts, dens, holes, and caves of the earth, of whom the world was
not worthy; and the spirit and power of darkness have prevailed over
the powers of light, error over truth, and the spirit of the Wicked
One over the Spirit of God, to a certain extent; so much so, that
truth, equity, and righteousness have always been at a discount, and
men of God have been deprived of their rights and robbed of their
inheritances.

Vol. 6, p.23
God has had a certain design to accomplish, associated with the human
family; and I suppose that everything which has taken place has been
just. I am not going to find fault with God or the Devil. I suppose
the Devil is as necessary as any other being, or he would not have
been.

Vol. 6, p.23
The righteous have been trampled under foot, but it is well with them.
It was not their day. The time for them to reign and have dominion was
not come. While wrapt in prophetic vision, they could view the events
that were to transpire in the last-days, and prophesied of a kingdom
that should be set up and stand for ever. They looked with joyful
anticipation to this day. They expected a time when a certain power
would exist on the earth, that would be more powerful than the powers
of darkness, when the righteous should no more be trodden under foot,
cast out; and oppressed,—when the kingdoms of this world should become
the kingdoms of our God and his Christ, over which he should rule for
ever.

Vol. 6, p.23
Men in our day have got hold of many odd ideas. The Millerites, for
instance, have talked about Christ's coming to reign on the earth at a
certain time; and they were all going to be transfigured, changed,
caught up, &c. In France and elsewhere, they had their social systems;
but they knew no more about God, Christ, or anything of this kind than
the Devil, I was going to say; but they did not begin to know as much
as the Devil about God and his ways. These Socialists talked about a
great millennium, and people went to them, expecting them to be a very
righteous, praying people. They were something like the man whom the
Indian thought was a "Mormon;" but when the Indian found out that he
did not pray, that convinced him to the contrary. They did not regard
God or his laws, but took up a little twig of Christianity and planted
it on to their infidelity. They were going to ameliorate the condition
of the human family and bring about the millennium.

Vol. 6, p.23
In relation to the kingdom of God, what is it? Is it a spiritual
kingdom? Yes. Is it a temporal kingdom? Yes. Does it relate to the
spiritual affairs of men? Yes. Does it relate to the temporal of men?
Yes. And when it is fully established upon the earth, the will of God
will be done upon the earth precisely as it is done in heaven.

Vol. 6, p.23
It is the will of God we are trying to do at the present time, in
trying to fulfil his law, submit to his ordinances, and obey his
commandments—not in one little item, but in every action of our lives,
seeking to be perfectly submissive to the admonitions of the Almighty.

Vol. 6, p.24
[p.24] Was the kingdom that the Prophets talked about, that should be
set up in the latter times, going to be a Church? Yes. And a State?
Yes, it was going to be both Church and State, to rule both
temporarily and spiritually. It may be asked, How can we live under
the dominion and laws of the United States and be subjects of another
kingdom? Because the kingdom of God is higher, and its laws are so
much more exalted than those of any other nation, that it is the
easiest thing in life for a servant of God to keep any of their laws;
and, as I have said before, this we have uniformly done.

Vol. 6, p.24
Who made this earth? The Lord.

Vol. 6, p.24
Who sustains it? The Lord.

Vol. 6, p.24
Who feeds and clothes the millions of the human family that exist upon
it, both Saint and sinner? The Lord.

Vol. 6, p.24
Who upholds everything in the universe? The Lord.

Vol. 6, p.24
Who provides for the myriads of cattle, fish, and fowl that inhabit
the sea, earth, and air? The Lord.

Vol. 6, p.24
Who has implanted in them that instinct which causes them to take care
of their young, and that power by which to propagate their species?
The Lord.

Vol. 6, p.24
Who has given to man understanding? The Lord.

Vol. 6, p.24
Who has given to the Gentile philosopher, machinist, &c., every
particle of intelligence they have with regard to the electric
telegraph, the power and application of steam to the wants of the
human family, and every kind of invention that has been brought to
light during the last century? The Lord.

Vol. 6, p.24
Who sets up the kings, emperors, and potentates that rule and govern
the universe? The Lord.

Vol. 6, p.24
And who is there that acknowledges his hand? Where is the nation, the
people, the church even, or other power that does it? You may wander
east, west, north, and south, and you cannot find it in any church or
government on the earth, except the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints.

Vol. 6, p.24
What is the cause of all the darkness, confusion, and misery that
abound, the imprisonment and chains, and the thousand evils that
afflict; mankind, embracing all the wars, bloodshed, and distress of
nations? It is because they do not acknowledge the hand of the Lord in
all things, nor understand his will. They pursue their own course, and
do not, seek the wisdom and intelligence of God.

Vol. 6, p.24
Why is it that thrones will be east, down, empires dissolved, nations
destroyed, and confusion and distress cover all people, as the
Prophets have spoken? Because the Spirit of the Lord will be withdrawn
from the nations in consequence of their wickededness, and they will
be left to their own folly.

Vol. 6, p.24
Who has a right to rule the nations, to control kingdoms, and govern
all the people of the earth? Are you a father? Have you, wives and
children? Do you feed, clothe, and provide for them? Yes. Have they a
right to rebel against you? If they did, what would you think of such
children?

Vol. 6, p.24
Such is the position of the whole human family; such is the position
of the whole world—of every society, religious, political, social, or
otherwise; and none of them acknowledge God or are obedient to his
laws.

Vol. 6, p.24
Now, then, suppose you had a farm, and you put people on it to
work—you fed and clothed them, and expected them to be obedient to
you; but instead of that, while you were feeding, clothing, and taking
care of them, they were abusing you, departing from your laws,
transgressing your precepts, and listening to somebody else who was
your enemy,  instead of listening to you;—would you let them remain
for ever on your farm, or would [p.25] you by-and-by put somebody else
in their place that would be more faithful to you?

Vol. 6, p.25
The transactions of men are even more outrageous against the Lord, and
the only excuse for them is their ignorance. What! are Christians
ignorant? Yes, as ignorant of the things of God as the brute beast.

Vol. 6, p.25
Let us rook at it a little luther. If you wished the welfare of your
family, would you not chastise them? You would, if they did wrong.
Would you not try to make them submit to your law? You certainly
would; and if they would not, after you had pleaded with them and
chastised them, you would disinherit them. The Lord said of Abraham,
"I know he will fear me and command his children after him to do it."
It was this principle that recommended him to the favour of God.

Vol. 6, p.25
What would you think of the conduct of a God who would let the human
family continue for ever to transgress his law without interfering?
You would think he was getting foolish and in his dotages—that he did
not understand himself nor correct principles in allowing a lot of bad
boys to rise up and increase around him, letting evil principles exist
instead of righteous ones, and the wicked afflict and persecute the
good with impunity.

Vol. 6, p.25
The time was to come, and is now, that God has set up his kingdom upon
the earth, and he is determined that men shall be in subjection to his
laws. Can the Lord go to any other people but this and declare his
will? He cannot. There is not a nation, kingdom, power, or
people,—there is not a political, moral, social, philosophical, or
religious society in the world that would receive the word of God,
except this people.

Vol. 6, p.25
If there cannot be a people anywhere found that will listen to the
word of God and receive instructions from him, how can his kingdom
ever be established? It is impossible? What is the first thing
necessary to the establishment of his kingdom? It is to raise up a
Prophet and have him declare the will of God; the next is to have
people yield obedience to the word of the Lord through that Prophet.
If you cannot have these, you never can establish the kingdom of God
upon the earth.

Vol. 6, p.25
What is the kingdom of God? It is God's government upon the earth and
in heaven.

Vol. 6, p.25
What is his Priesthood? It is the rule, authority, administration, if
you please, of the government of God on the earth or in the heavens;
for the same Priesthood that exists upon the earth exists in the
heavens, and that Priesthood holds the keys of the mysteries of the
revelations of God; and the legitimate head of that Priesthood, who
has communion with God, is the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator to his
Church and people on the earth.

Vol. 6, p.25
When the will of God is done on earth as it is in heaven, that
Priesthood will be the only legitimate ruling power under the whole
heavens; for every other power and influence will be subject to it.
When the millennium which we have been speaking of is introduced, all
potentates, powers, and authorities—every man, woman, and child will
be in subjection to the kingdom of God; they will be under the power
and dominion of the Priesthood of God: then the will of God will be
done on the earth as it is done in heaven.

Vol. 6, p.25
This places man in his true relationship to the Most High; and while
others are boasting of their own intelligence, powers, authority,
rule, greatness, and might, our boast, glory, might, strength, and
power are in the Lord. Do we have any temporal blessings? We
acknowledge the hand of God in it. Do we have spiritual [p.26]
blessings? We acknowledge the hand of God in it. Do we do wrong and
receive chastisement? We acknowledge his hand in it, and consider it a
blessing. Are we in difficulties? We acknowledge the hand of God
therein, and consider that it is necessary we should be tried and
proved in all things, that we may be counted worthy to associate with
the intelligences that surround the throne of God. Do we have
prosperity? We acknowledge the hand of God in it, and pray him for
wisdom to use properly what he has put in our hands. Do we possess
scientific knowledge—knowledge on agriculture or any other kind of
knowledge? We acknowledge his hand in it. Are we here in these
mountains, surrounded, as a people, by the barriers of the everlasting
hills, brought out from our enemies to inherit these valleys? We
acknowledge the hand of God in it. Does an army come to make war on
us? We acknowledge the hand of God in it. We feel that we are in his
hands, and say, "It is the Lord; let him do what seemeth good unto
him, and we will seek to do what is right on our part. Have we to go
to war? We will acknowledge the hand of God in it. If we are told not
to kill our enemies, we will not kill them, but cultivate a spirit of
meekness and humility, doing what the Priesthood of God dictates—what
the servants of the living God tell us. In peace and prosperity, war
and adversity, we will lean on the hand of God, and acknowledge, it,
and say, "Hallelujah! the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth."

Vol. 6, p.26
What is it we are seeking to do? Is it to get a farm, a house, or a
possession of any kind? Who is anxious about such things, which are
here to-day and gone to-morrow? They are well enough in their place.

Vol. 6, p.26
Some of you are tried because you do not have many things you would
like to have. If you had those things, you would not be tried in that
point, and it is therefore necessary you should be placed in that
position. It may be necessary, after awhile, that you should be tried
with more of the things of this life than you know what to do with.

Vol. 6, p.26
With none is the Lord God angry except those who do not acknowledge
his hand in all things. What does it matter whether we are farming,
building, planting, fighting, or anything else, if we are doing as we
are told? Who cares? I do not. Let matters come in whatever way they
have a mind to, it is all right, if we do right.

Vol. 6, p.26
As eternal beings, associated with eternity that was and with eternity
that is to come—beings that dwelt in eternal light before we came
here, we are now seeking for salvation, preparing for celestial
inheritances in the eternal worlds. This is what we are after: we are
trying to lay a foundation for ourselves, for our progenitors, and for
our posterity, that will endure and extend while countless ages roll;
and we are taught the principles by which we may obtain this salvation
by the holy Priesthood—by the revelations of God communicated to us
through that Priesthood.

Vol. 6, p.26
And now, having been forced from the United States, after having been
driven time and time again from our homes by our murderous
enemies—having fulfilled all the requirements that God or man could
require of us, and kept every law necessary for us to observe,—after
all this, and more, I say, shall we suffer those poor, miserable,
damned, infernal scoundrels to come here and infringe upon our sacred
rights?

Vol. 6, p.26
["No!" resounded throughout the Tabernacle, making the walls of the
building tremble.]

Vol. 6, p.26
NO! It shall be "The kingdom of God or nothing" with us. That is my
text, I believe; and we will stick [p.27] to it—we will maintain it;
and, in the name of Israel's God, the kingdom of God shall roll on,
and all the powers of earth and hell cannot stop its progress. It is
onward, ONWARD, ONWARD, from this time henceforth, to all eternity.

Vol. 6, p.27
[Voices of "Amen."]

Vol. 6, p.27
"Are you not afraid of being killed?" you may ask me. No. Great
conscience! who cares about being killed? They cannot kill you. They
may shoot a ball into you, and your body may fall; but you will live.
Who cares about dying? We are associated with eternal principles: they
are within us as a well springing up to eternal life. We have begun to
live for ever.

Vol. 6, p.27
Who would be afraid of a poor, miserable soldier—a man that gets eight
dollars a month for killing people, and a miserable butcher at
that—one of the poorest curses in creation? Mean as the Americans are,
they will not, many of them, hire for soldiers. But the Government
must hire foreigners for eight dollars a month to come out here to
kill us! Who is afraid of them? Let them come on or stay and wiggle,
it is all right.

Vol. 6, p.27
We are the Saints of God; we have the kingdom of God, and the devils
in hell and all the wicked men on the earth cannot take it from us. We
shall rule and have dominion in the earth, and they cannot help
themselves. They can take their own course. They may fight against us,
if they like, or they can back out and leave us; but the kingdom will
go on. They may take what course they please: the kingdom is ours, and
we are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

Vol. 6, p.27
It is for us to live our religion, keep God's commandments, and we
shall be saved: we shall thus have the honour of doing something for
the kingdom of God, in rolling back the flood of darkness that is
enveloping the universe, and preparing ourselves for dominion on the
earth and eternal exaltation in the kingdom of God for ever.

Vol. 6, p.27
God bless you and preserve you in purity and holiness before him, that
you may inherit all you anticipate, I pray in the name of Jesus
Christ! Amen.

          * * *

[p.28]

Heber C. Kimball, November 8, 1857

Truth, Life, and Light—God Acts Through Agents—
Obedience Produces Knowledge, Which Supersedes Faith—
The Spirit of Man—Revelation and Obedience Thereto, Etc.

Remarks by President Heber C. Kimball, made in the Tabernacle,
 Great Salt Lake City, Sunday Morning, November 8, 1857.

Reported By Leo Hawkins.

Vol. 6, p.28
I have almost a good mind to talk a little,—that is, if you want I
should; but I certainly do not want to, without you want I should. And
then again, if I felt really like it, I should talk, whether you
wanted I should, or not. The reason I make that expression is because
I am called to an holy calling, with our President, or brother
Brigham. He is my leader, and I am his brother and servant. I am his
fellow-servant,—that is, I am one with him; and my calling actually
requires me to talk, and to teach, and to instruct, and to exhort, and
to invite all men to embrace the Gospel and plan of life and
salvation.

Vol. 6, p.28
Jesus, in the let chap. of John, 4th verse, says, "In him was life,
and the life was the light of men."

Vol. 6, p.28
Also, in the 8th chap. and 12th verse, "Then spake Jesus again unto
them, saying, I am the light of the world. He that followeth me shall
not wall; in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

Vol. 6, p.28
And in the 14th chap. and 6th verse, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the
way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by
me."

Vol. 6, p.28
Well, you have heard me express, several times, that truth is life,
and life is light. Well, it is true, because Jesus says, "I am the
life and the light of the world; and no man that is born upon the face
of this earth can obtain eternal life except they go by me. They must
come by moor through me to obtain eternal life."

Vol. 6, p.28
Brethren, I want you to understand, if you will treasure up principles
of truth as you would treasure up gold and silver and precious
stones—if you will treasure up truth, every truth that you treasure
up, that truth is life, and that life is light. Do you not see that if
you treasure up the principles of truth in you, and you have your
treasury full of them, then, of course, your treasury is saviour of
all? Why? Because life is light, and light is life. Do you not see, if
you have got the true principles dwelling in you, if you treasure up
truth, you are bound to have life; and then, if you have life, you are
bound to have light; and if those true principles dwell in you, and
they abound, do you not see you cannot be unfruitful? You are bound to
be fruitful in the knowledge of God and in the accomplishment of his
purposes.

Vol. 6, p.28
If you do not take a course to treasure up truth, you never will be
prophets and prophetesses; for it is in treasuring up truth, and life,
and light. If these principles be in you, and they abound, you will be
like a well of water springing up into everlasting life. It will be
everlasting, do you not see, if it springs up; and that will bring us
back to the fountain of life,  from whence springs life and [p.29]
light. Do you not see it springs from God. It emanates from him; and
if It is in us and abounds, it will be in us as a well of water
springing up into everlasting life, from whence it sprang.

Vol. 6, p.29
Well, here are a few ideas before you,—something I had not thought of
before I got up. Well, I am called and ordained to be a teacher and to
instruct; but if you do not receive my instructions and the principles
of truth that emanate from me, then you are not profited; for the Lord
says, "If a man offers you a gift, and you do not receive that gift
with gladness and joy, then, of course, the man that offers the gift
is not blessed; but if the receiver receives it with joy, then the man
that gives the gift has joy in giving it. Do you not see it? Well,
upon the same principle, if God confers gifts, and blessings, and
promises, and glories, and immortality, and eternal lives, and you
receive them and treasure them up, then our Father and our God has joy
in that man. Do you understand me? I do not know whether you get my
idea or not; but, to save my head, I cannot talk any plainer. You know
I am called simple. Well, I wish I was simpler and could convey things
with greater simplicity than I do. Why? Because I have not a spirit
within me to wish to talk one word to you except good sense, and
light, and information, and instruction to the child that sits before
me to-day. Do you not see God is not pleased with any man except those
that receive the gifts, and treasure them up, and practise upon those
gifts? And he gives those gifts, and confers them upon you, and will
have as to practise upon them. Now, these principles to me are plain
and simple.

Vol. 6, p.29
Do you suppose that God in person called upon Joseph Smith, our
Prophet? God called upon him; but God did not come himself and call,
but he sent Peter to do it. Do you not see? He sent Peter and sent
Moroni to Joseph, and told him that he had got the plates. Did God
come himself? No: he sent Moroni and told him there was a record, and
says he, "That record is matter that pertains to the. Lamanites, and
it tells when their fathers came out of Jerusalem, and how they came,
and all about it; and, says he, "If you will do as I tell you, I will
confer a gift upon you." Well, he conferred it upon him, because
Joseph said he would do as he told him. "I want you to go to work and
take the Urim and Thummim, and translate this book, and have it
published, that this nation may read it." Do you not see, by Joseph
receiving the gift that was conferred upon him, you and I have that
record?

Vol. 6, p.29
Well, when this took place, Peter came along to him and gave power and
authority, and, says he, "You go and baptise Oliver Cowdery, and then
ordain him a Priest." He did it, and do you not see his works were in
exercise? Then Oliver, having authority, baptised Joseph and ordained
him a Priest. Do you not see the works, how they manifest themselves?

Vol. 6, p.29
Well, then Peter comes along. Why did not God come? He sent Peter, do
you not see? Why did he not come along? Because he has agents to
attend to his business, and he sits upon his throne and is established
at head-quarters, and tells this man, "Go and do this;" and it is
behind the vail just as it is here. You have got to learn that.

Vol. 6, p.29
Peter comes along with James and John and ordains Joseph to be an
Apostle, and then Joseph ordains Oliver, and David Whitmer, and Martin
Harris; and then they were ordered to select twelve more and ordain
them. It was done. Do you not see works were manifest? They received
the truth, and thus you and I are here to-day; and if it had not
[p.30] been for the practice, you and I would not have been here,
would we?

Vol. 6, p.30
Well, practice makes perfect: it makes perfect men and perfect
Apostles, and Prophets, and Elders, and Teachers, and Deacons; and how
can you be perfect without it? It is by our practice and living up to
our profession that we increase and grow in grace and in the knowledge
of the truth.

Vol. 6, p.30
There are a great many things, probably, that are taught you from this
stand—that is, from individuals. They are taught to you; and you,
probably, have not got faith and confidence in them. Well, now, I do
not care whether you have or not: if you will go and do as you are
told, you shall have a knowledge, although you had not a particle of
faith when you began. That is curious religion; hut there is no
knowledge on any other principle, only by obedience.

Vol. 6, p.30
Some time ago I brought up a figure. Say I, John, Timothy, Jack,
Peter—I do not care who they are—you go up above the arsenal and dig a
well, and dig ten or twelve feet, and you shall find a good spring of
water. "Well," says brother John, I have no confidence in that, that
there can be water got there, neither have I any confidence in you as
an Apostle." Say I, I do not care whether you have or not: go and do
as I tell you, and you shall be paid for it. You go and dig a well,
and dig twelve feet, and find a good spring of water. Now, do you not
get the knowledge of that water without a particle of faith or
confidence? It is in the works.

Vol. 6, p.30
Some say, "What is the use of my doing this, or that, or the other
thing? I have no faith in it." I do not care a dime for your faith.
They produce the knowledge; and then, do you not see, knowledge
swallows up faith before you ever had it?

Vol. 6, p.30
Did you ever know anything to swallow a thing when it was not? Yes,
the Methodists God has neither body, parts, nor passions; and yet they
have swallowed him.

Vol. 6, p.30
Well, now, this is a kind of curious doctrine, but it is true
doctrine; for I never knew much faith in exercise in a man, except
that man had good works, by going and doing as the servants of God
say, to produce faith and knowledge.

Vol. 6, p.30
Now, I will ask you a question—a scriptural question. I do not know
where it is. It is in the Bible. I cannot refer to chapter and verse.
I want to refer you to the case of Naaman, the Assyrian, who was
smitten with leprosy. How much faith had he? He had not a particle;
but his servant, who had faith, prevailed upon him to go down to
Jordan. When the Prophet spoke to him and told him to go and dip
himself seven times, and he should become whole, he had not a particle
of confidence in it. He went down with his riches to buy health, but
he could not buy it: he had to do as the Prophet told him. He went
down and. dipped himself seven times and was healed. Do you not
believe, then, he knew things? Said he, "I know now they are the men
of God. I know now that God lives, and their words are true; for I did
as they told me, but I had not any confidence in them, and I was
healed."

Vol. 6, p.30
Does not that agree with me? I merely bring that up that you may not
find fault with my doctrine. Do you not see that is the principle that
we must be actuated by? I care not whether you have any faith or not:
you go and do as you are told to do, and that produces knowledge; and
how long will it be before we shall be presented into the presence of
Jesus Christ, the Son of God? It will not be but a little while. Now,
there are a great many people, even to this day, with all the
reformation that has been in our midst, who make a practice of telling
lies. It is impossible for them [p.31] to tell a story, except they
put into the interstices of that story lies of their own
manufacturing. Do you not see that destroys? They make a practice of
it. They cannot transact business except they must lie a little. How
long, do you suppose, it will take that man to get to heaven and to
enter into celestial glory, where lies or anything that is impure
cannot exist? It will take him as many millions of years as there will
be millions of years to come.

Vol. 6, p.31
Perhaps some people may think that if we do lie and are dishonest, and
so forth and so on, when we die, the death that comes upon us and the
change that comes upon us will change and take away those lies, and we
shall find ourselves basking in truth. No such thing. I may tell a he
to you—I may be dishonest to my neighbours and ungodly, then I may get
up and go out of doors; and I want to know what better am I when I go
through that door than I was this side of it? Has it changed my
nature? No—not one particle.

Vol. 6, p.31
I will refer to brother Morley's words. He says, "The mind makes the
man." That is true. What is the mind? It is that character that was
made and fashioned after the image of God before these bodies were
made,—that is, our spirits. What is the mind? It is the spirit that
was made before this body. Do you know it? Well, now let me tell you,
it is that spirit that makes the man. I care not how humble he is—if
his nose is three feet long and all his body was disfigured—I will
tell you, if there is a good spirit in that man, and that spirit
cultivates wholesome doctrine and lives to God, you love him. It is
the spirit that is in the man that makes the man, which is the mind
that you were speaking of, father Morley. You meant so, did you not,
father Morley? ["Yes."] Well, you did.

Vol. 6, p.31
Well, our change from this state of existence does not change our
character. The character must be made and formed before it goes
through the vail, if he is going to continue with the servants of God,
the Prophets.

Vol. 6, p.31
Now, brethren, you have got a spirit in you, and that spirit was
created and organized—was born and begotten by our Father and our God
before we ever took these bodies; and these bodies were formed by him,
and through him, and of him, just as much as the spirit was; for I
will tell you, he commenced and brought forth spirits; and then, when
he completed that work, he commenced and brought forth tabernacles for
those spirits to dwell in. I came through him, both spirit and body.
God made the elements that they are made of, just as much as he made
anything. Tell me the first thing that is made on earth that God did
not organize and place here in this world. Not a thing.

Vol. 6, p.31
Well, it is the mind or spirit that is in the man that makes the man.
Was that Spirit a wicked spirit when it was organized and brought into
existence? No—no more than our little children are sinners. But we
have been led—that is, perverted, or rather led away from these true
principles—led into evil principles by others. Well, then, of course,
we are not exactly as we were when we were organized. No; we have
taken other men's books and reasonings, and fell into other
principles—led away from nature,—some say, "nature's darkness." I do
not know anything about such a thing as nature's darkness. If we were
as we were in our first creation, we should be as innocent as little
children, every one of us. Perhaps you do not see these things as I
do; but I have not any notion of my own to communicate unto you.

Vol. 6, p.32
You see I am the simplest fellow there is. I wish to God I was more
[p.32] simple than I am: I should be nearer to what I was in nature. I
do not know how to use what they call big words. I never studied them.
I have no taste particularly for thorn; and if I had, I should not
know where to put them, and should be very apt to stick the head to
the feet, and the feet to the head. I do not know where to apply them.
Well, what are they? You may ask brother Taylor, and he will tell you
they are conflabberation of all languages. Conflabberation! Well,
that's a good word, is it not? That is, they are French, English,
Irish, Dutch, Hebrew, and Latin, and they are all kinds of words; and
there are not many of them that have good sense. Well, they are a
mixture: every language is a mixture. I have not studied them.

Vol. 6, p.32
Do you want to blame me? Cannot you understand me in my simple way of
communicating to you? After all my simplicity and simple words, and
trying to simplify my words to the capacity of the people, there are
lots of you who do not understand the words I use—the words I was
taught from my youth in my simplicity.

Vol. 6, p.32
Well now, brethren, I tell you I have said what I have said; and may
God grant that it may inspire your hearts—that it may exalt your
minds—that you may treasure up these truths, as far as they are
truths; and I know nothing to the contrary but what they are truths;
and if you do, or anybody else, I would be pleased to be
corrected,—that is, to have the real thing presented instead of them.
Is it to my injury, because I did not happen to get it, and somebody
steps forward and puts it there? Does it injure me? No: it
communicates to me that I had not got,—that is, a truth; and truth is
life, and life is light. Do you not see what I get by it?

Vol. 6, p.32
In regard to our situation and circumstances in these valleys,
brethren WAKE UP! WAKE UP, YE ELDERS OF ISRAEL, AND LIVE TO GOD and
none else; and learn to do as you are told, both old and young: learn
to do as you are told for the future, And when you are taking a
position, if you do not know that you are right, do not take it—I mean
independently. But if you are told by your leader to do a thing, do
it. None of your business whether it is right or wrong, You will get
water, if you dig away. That is rather presumptuous doctrine with some
people; but with me it is not.

Vol. 6, p.32
I have heard men teach in this stand that I was under no obligation to
do anything, except I had a revelation. I do not believe the doctrine
at all. I don't care who preached it. I am not the leader—I am not the
Prophet, nor the chief Apostle. I do not hold the keys independently.
I have no keys, only what I hold in brother Brigham; and then brother
Brigham has the word of God the must do thus and so. He comes to me
and says, "Brother Heber, I want you to do thus and so." Wait till I
go home, get into my private room, and ask God that I may get a
revelation! Aint that pretty, brother Taylor? Well, I will not talk
just as I think. If I did, I would knock this pulpit head over heels,
when I think of such folly. Go and get a revelation, when God has
spoken through my head!—and then the tail goes off, and gets down on
his knees to get a revelation, when the head has got one !

Vol. 6, p.32
Now, I have heard that doctrine preached here, that they must have a
revelation before they are bound to receive that word and go and
pratise it, just as it would have been with those men I employed to go
and dig that well by the arsenal. "Wait, sir." I will not wait a
minute. Go along, or I will employ men that will do it. "I am going to
get a revelation to  know if there is water there." They [p.33] its
not know that by believing on any man's testimony they increase in
knowledge, wisdom, and the power of God. They forget that. Do you not
see that I can learn more to be led than I can to lead, if I have the
right man to lead me? Brother Brigham is my leader: he is my Prophet,
my seer, and my Revelator; and whatever he says, that is for me to do;
and it is not for me to question him one word, nor to question God a
minute. Do you not see?

Vol. 6, p.33
I will tell you what it is right for me to do. If there is time, (and
if there is not, it is not necessary,) go along and bow down before
the Lord God. Say I, "Father, help me to be faithful and do the words
of brother Brigham, my leader, that I may see glory in it, and that I
may see immortality and eternal lives in it."

Vol. 6, p.33
I am teaching you, Elders. Now, if I am not right, I am wrong. I leave
it to you to judge whether I am right or wrong. It is curious for me
to talk, but it is not for me to question his words any more than it
was Naaman, the Assyrian. Said he, "What better are the waters of
Jordan? Why are not the rivers of Damascus and the water round
Jerusalem just as good? Why is there not as much virtue in them as
there is in Jordan? Why, there is; but the virtue is in the man of God
telling him what to do. There was virtue in doing what the servant of
God told him to do. If he had told him to have gone and got into a mud
hole, it would have had the same effect as that water. It is in the
words of the man of God, and God lets his angels go along wherever he
goes, and the angel of God goes along and touches the man with the
touch of his finger, and says, "Be thou made whole!" Why? "Because the
servant of God says so, and I have come here to help to fulfil it."
Either side of the vail they am active to see that your words are
fulfilled. If they are not, they are not with us, nor we with them.

Vol. 6, p.33
What difference does the vail make? None at all. To us there is a
vail, but to them there is no vail. They can see through the side of a
house as well as through the air. I know that by experience. "Well,
now," some one says, "What good does it do for two or three thousand
men to be in the mountains? Why, I don't know that it is any of our
business. It says "Uncle Sam cannot come. We are ready; we are on the
spot." Well, what else? It gives those men. an experience that they
cannot have on any other principle. They are getting an experience—for
what? To cultivate them for something greater, which will come next
year; and if it does not come then, it will come some time. I do not
say it will come next year. You never heard me say it would; but you
and I want to live our religion and do as we are told, not questioning
a word for a moment. You have got to stop that. It is enough for
others to do that, without our meddling with those things. I am
speaking to the Elders of Israel.

Vol. 6, p.33
Well, these things are all right. You learn to do as you are told; and
those that have not been baptised into the Church, I say, Go and be
baptised, and put on Christ by baptism, that you may receive the Holy
Ghost and be one with us: that is all I have got to say to you.

Vol. 6, p.33
Bless your souls, I pray my Father to bless brother. Brigham, with his
Counsellors, that they may be one; to bless the Twelve, that they may
be one, with us; to bless the Seventies, that they may be one with the
Twelve, and the High Priests one with the Seventies, and the Elders
one with the High Priests, and the Priests one with the Elders, &c.;
that we may all be one and partake of the same Spirit and same power,
and same Holy Ghost, and same religion. That is my [p.34] exhortation
to you: I cannot preach any other.

Vol. 6, p.34
If that takes place, I want to know what any power has to do with us?
As we relax our power and live our religion—do you not see, as we
relax that the Devil will gain power upon us? Suppose, now, I was to
take a rough and tumble with a man and wrestle with him: I wrestle a
spell pretty valiantly, and almost gain power over my antagonist; I
have almost gained power over him, and I begin to slack up to get a
little breath: do you not see that that antagonist is bound to put me
down if I slack up? Well, if you slack up your religion, living
faithfully, praying, exhorting, and living to God, do you not see our
antagonist is gaining power over us? But let me tell you, gentlemen,
we will take it just as God dictates; and if he says rough-and-tumble,
let us take it rough-and-tumble, and pitch them headlong where they
belong.

Vol. 6, p.34
Well, now, if you will do just as you are told, you will increase in
knowledge ten thousand times faster than you will to pray six hours;
and if you follow that course, you will not advance in your religion
one-hundredth part so much as that man that will do just as he is
told, no matter what.

Vol. 6, p.34
If you are told to watch, watch. Can you pray when you are watching? I
do: I pray all the time. Well, live your religion—that is, not your
religion, but the religion of Jesus Christ, and serve your God. Cease
all, your contentions. Are there not contentions enough in the world?
Are there not contentions enough with that army and with the devils in
hell without there being any with us? These things should subside:
they should take an avalanche, like the snow. You know the snow will
take a slide down the sides of the mountains. They call, that an
avalanche. I should call it a hell of a full of a fuss,—that is, it is
a convulsion. Well, excuse me for that language.

Vol. 6, p.34
Well, there are those troops over yonder. They are not here, are they?
Well, some of you thought they were coming here, and several ran away,
supposing they were coming. Well, I am glad of that, and I wish every
other one that feels so would put off. We will help them. Brother
Brigham has fulfilled his word: he said if he could find any man or
woman that wanted to go, he would send them to that happy place. Well,
he has sent Mrs. Mogo. No doubt she will die a happy death.

Vol. 6, p.34
This great Mr. Johnson, the Commander of those troops has come, I
suppose. Brother Grossbeck has come in with his company from the
States. God gave him wisdom, and he is here, and he escaped those
troops. Mr. Johnson says he is going to obey the President's orders,
and says he will come in; but by the time he goes up and down Ham's
Fork a few times, it will take away his strength. If you do not
believe it, try some other Ham's Fork. I had as here sit on a bayonet
as a fork. He has had a fever all the way, and will have a chill when
he has lost his strength. He will have an all-killing chill. He will
not come here. We have told you all the time they will not come. But
he may attempt to come, and then he may not, That is just as God has a
mind to.

Vol. 6, p.34
I feel the Lord designs the thing should move along and no blood be
shed, because I do not consider God is so anxious that we should be
bloodthirsty men as some may be. God designs we should be pure men,
holding the oracles of God in holy and pure vessels; but when it is
necessary that blood should be shed, we should be as ready to do that
as to eat an apple. That is my religion, and I feel that our platter
is pretty near clean of some things, and we calculate to keep it clean
 from this time henceforth and [p.35] forever, and, as the Scripture
reads, "Lay judgment to the line and righteousness to the plummet." We
shall do that thing, and we shall commence in the mountains. We shall
clean the platter of all such scoundrels; and if men and women will
not live their religion, but take a course to pervert the hearts of
the righteous, we will "lay judgment to the line and righteousness to
the plummet," and we will let you know that the earth can swallow you
up, as it did Korah with his host; and as brother Taylor says, you amy
dig your graves, and we will slay you, and you may crawl into them.

Vol. 6, p.35
I do not mean you, if you are not here. I mean those corrupt
scoundrels. Well, this is just as brother Brigham has said here
hundred of times.

Vol. 6, p.35
If those troops could have come in here, let me tell you, all the
finest and smartest devils would have entered into the smartest bodies
and come here to overturn us. You will not catch a mean, low,
inferior, stupid devil in a smart man. I will tell you the Devil has
his smart men. Says he, "You get into a smart body." Smart spirits do
not get into inferior bodies. Would you? No. Well, then, do you
suppose they would do what we would not do under the Same
circumstances?

Vol. 6, p.35
Was not Lucifer a pretty smart lad? Just look at it—son of the
morning—when all heaven wept when he fell. He was a smart man. It
takes a smart man—that is, one who thinks he is, to act the devil.
Well, I merely speak of these things.

Vol. 6, p.35
Well, they would come from Dan to Beersheba, and from California to
France,—that is, wicked and abominable spirits would have come into
this valley when those troops came, do you not see? The blacklegs, and
highway robbers, and whoremongers, and whores would have gathered into
this place, if those troops could have come into this place to have
slain our leaders. Let me die an honourable man living my religion
rather than to bow down to their cursed yoke again, as the Lord God
liveth. They have made us stiffen our upper lip, and now we have got
to keep it stiff—I mean the upper lip; and if you grow as you ought,
five years will not pass away before your lips will be five times as
thick as they are now. Joseph had a high lip, and he was a beautiful
man—one of the most lovely men I ever saw, especially when the Spirit
of God was in him; and his countenance was as white as the whitest
thing you ever saw.

Vol. 6, p.35
Let all these domestic broils and family difficulties cease, ye Elders
of Israel; and if you have got things that will not sleep and, will
not rest, live your religion, and I would take my johnny-cake and go
into the mountaions and spend my days defending the house of Israel,
before I would stay at home and quarrel one moment. Is it not better
for you? Well, now stop these little broils at home in your families:
that is the end of all trouble with us; and God will bless us and will
bless the earth, and the air, and the elements, and we shall be
blessed with fruits and grain, and with every other thing that our
hearts can desire.

Vol. 6, p.35
Is there anything that we ever saw or thought of but what is in the
elements, the air we breathe, and the earth we walk on?—and blessing
be to God that I live on an earth that lives. Well, that is a curious
idea. I heard a Methodist preacher preach that ones at Miller's
Corners, in Bloomfield, Ontario County, New York, and thought it was a
curious idea. Well, it is truth.

Vol. 6, p.35
Now, I will prove this to you, if any of you doubt it, by true
philosophy—by natural philosophy. Do you believe that a dead woman can
conceive from a live man and bring forth a live child? Do you believe
it, any of you mothers? Do you believe it, any of you fathers? No, you
know better. [p.36] Well, if a woman will not produce when she is
dead, then the earth cannot produce living things if it was dead.

Vol. 6, p.36
Does the earth conceive? It does, and it brings forth. If it did not,
why do you go and put your wheat into the ground? Does it not conceive
it? But it does not conceive except you put it there. It conceives and
brings forth, and you and I live, both for food and for clothing,
silks and satins. What! satin grow? Yes. What produces it? The
silkworm produces it. Does the silkworm produce except it conceives?
No, it eats of the mulberry tree. Where does the mulberry tree come
from? It comes from the earth. Where did the earth come from? From its
parent earths.

Vol. 6, p.36
Well, some of you may call that foolish philosophy. But if it is, I
will throw out foolish things, that you may gather up wise things. The
earth is alive. If it was not, it could not produce: If you find a
piece of earth that is dealt, you cannot produce anything from it,
except you resurrect it and restore it, to life. If that is not true
philosophy, it is nothing that I have produced. It is what every man
knows; if he can only reflect. But I thought it was curious doctrine
when that Methodist spoke of it.

Vol. 6, p.36
How could my head produce hair, if it was dead? Neither can the earth
produce grain, if it is dead. Now, brethren, do you not see the
propriety of our blessing the earth—the earth that we inhabit and
cultivate? If you do not see the propriety of it, for heaven's sake do
not bless the sacrament again. Do not take a bottle of oil to the
prayer-circle to be blessed, when you do not believe the earth can be
blessed.

Vol. 6, p.36
If you have got half-an-acre, you can bless it, and dedicate it, and
consecrate it to God, and ask him to fill it with life. Well, then, if
you can bless half-an-acre, why can you not bless a whole acre? And if
you can bless an acre; why can you not bless all .this Territory? Just
reflect for a moment, If you can bless a gill of oil, then you can
bless a pint. When you bless a pint, you can bless a quart, and so on
until you can bless a bottle of oil as big as this valley.

Vol. 6, p.36
Bless God! Yes, I bless my Father and my God pertaining to this earth;
I bless his Son; I bless everything in heaven and on earth. Now, you
may call that improper, when you do it, all of you, indirectly. Bless
my Father! Suppose I had an earthly father here, and he had received
the Gospel and was a Patriarch, I would bless him and put all the
blessings on him that I had power and strength; that is, I would put
all I had on to him; then I could get it back: then I could bless his
father, and he could bless his father, and his father his father, and
the blessings I would put on my father would go clear back until it
came to the Father and God from whence it came, and then it comes down
to us again, just as the sap and nourishment in the tree: if it does
not go into the root, it never would go into the top; and every limb
and branch pertaining to that tree has to give up a portion of the
nourishment they receive, and then we are all impregnated with the
roots.

Vol. 6, p.36
Well, I am talking these things as plain as I can: Perhaps some of you
do treasure them up. But we live on an earth that lives: if we do not,
we cannot produce nor get produced from it. You never will get peaches
if you do not plant and let the earth conceive; but if the earth
conceives, and you nourish it, you are bound to have peaches, and
apples, and currants, and plums. If you cultivate and partake of the
elements that God has made, you will have houses, and barns,  and
granaries, and everything else. God has made it. All we have to, do is
to [p.37] take it from the earth. But you say it is all dead, do you?
Oh folly! There is nothing that is dead that lives, nor shall we ever
die temporally nor spiritually; for that tabernacle that I live in is
life; and when it goes back to the earth, it goes back into a living
creature, For what purpose? To become analyzed, and cleansed, and
purified, that I may receive it again, more glorious than this body.
How can I obtain it? On no other principle only to do just as I am
told. You have got to learn that lesson. I have got to learn it; and
if I have got to learn it, I can prove that you have got to do as I
do.

Vol. 6, p.37
You are very exact in military tactics. Here is Squire Wells, and he
is under the direction of our Governor; and then every other officer
in his turn must be dictated and governed as he is dictated. Does
Squire Wells run to every man? No: he gives his Order to the officer
next to him, and so on till it goes down to the fourth corporal. See
how accurate you have to be in that discipline. Should not you be more
so in the kingdom of your God?—and if you do not, you are not making
progress.

Vol. 6, p.37
Why are you not wide awake? Cultivate, make, take, and increase, and
bring forth those things that you need. You do not believe the gate is
going to be shut down, do you? Mr. Johnson says there shall not an
article or a train come in, except the Governor lets him come in. The
Governor will not, except he grounds arms; and if he will ground arms,
he will ground arms; and if he no ground arms, then he no ground arms,
and he cannot come here. Gentlemen, your leaders all say he cannot
come here. Why, if he wants to come here himself, with a few of his
council,—if they really want to come to see the Governor, they have
the privilege; but they would have to ground arms. I am not going to
take that word back. They have got to ground arms from this time
henceforth. But we have shouldered