Journal of Discourses Volume 11

BY PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG

HIS TWO COUNSELLORS, 
THE TWELVE APOSTLES, AND OTHERS.

REPORTED BY G. D. WATT, 
E. L. SLOAN, AND D. W. EVANS,

AND HUMBLY DEDICATED TO THE LATTER-DAY 
SAINTS IN ALL THE WORLD.

VOL XI

LIVERPOOL: 

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY B. YOUNG, JUN., 42, ISLINGTON.

LONDON: 

LATTER-DAY SAINTS' BOOK DEPOT, 30, FLORENCE
STREET, ISLINGTON.

1867. [p.iii] 

Preface

Vol. 11,  p.iii
EACH successive year the power of God is manifestly increasing upon
His people, and more especially upon His ministers in the Holy
Priesthood, whose duty it is to build up and instruct the Church in
His most holy will.

Vol. 11,  p.iii
The "Journal of Discourses" is a vehicle of doctrine, counsel, and
instruction to all people, but especially to the Saints. It follows,
then, then, that each successive volume is more and more valuable as
the Church increases in numbers and importance in the earth, and its
doctrines become more abundantly developed and are brought into
practical exercise by His peculiar people. Every step of its
advancement is fraught with the greatest possible importance to the
human family.

Vol. 11,  p.iii
No Saint can afford to do without these precious precepts until they
are able to exemplify them in their daily lives and conversation.

Vol. 11,  p.1
THE PUBLISHER[p.1] 

George A. Smith, November 15, 1864

Historical Discourse 

Delivered by Elder GEORGE A. SMITH, in the Tabernacle, 
Ogden City, on Tuesday, November 15, 1864.

Reported By G. D. Watt

Vol. 11,  p.1
When the Lord appeared to Joseph Smith and manifested unto him a
knowledge pertaining to the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and the
work of the last days, Satan came also with his power and tempted
Joseph. It is written in the book of Job, "Now there was a day when
the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan
came also among them." In the very commencement of this Work, the
Prophet Joseph Smith was called upon to contend face to face with the
powers of darkness by spiritual manifestations, and open visions, as
well as with men in the flesh, stirred up by the same spirit of the
adversary to edge up his way and destroy him from the earth, and
annihilate the work which he was about to commence. He thus describes
the incident:

Vol. 11,  p.1
"In the spring of 1820, after I had retired into the place where I had
previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself
alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to
God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by
some power, which entirely overcame me, and had such astonishing
influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak.
Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as
if I were doomed to sudden destruction. But—exerting all my powers to
call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had
seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into
despair and abandon myself to destruction, not to an imaginary ruin,
but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who has
such a marvellous power as I had never before felt in any being—just
at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my
head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until
it fell upon me. It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered
from the enemy which held me bound.[p.2] When the light rested upon me
I saw two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description,
standing above me in air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by
name, and said, pointing to the other—'This is my beloved son, hear
him.'"

Vol. 11,  p.2
It was also peculiar in the history of the age, that just at the time
that God was revealing unto his servant Joseph to raise up men to bear
testimony of the principles of the Gospel in its fulness and
simplicity, Satan was at work stirring up the hearts of the children
of men to a species of religious excitement. There were in many parts
of the country strange manifestations, great camp and other protracted
meetings were assembled together to worship under the various orders
denominated Methodists, Campbelites, Presbyterians, Baptists,
Unitarians, etc., among whom were manifested the development of a
spirit which deprived men of their strength; they would faint away,
or, they would manifest a variety of contortions of countenance. There
was introduced into the Western States a phenomenon called the jerks;
persons under the influence of religious fanaticism would jerk
seemingly enough to tear them to pieces.

Vol. 11,  p.2
When the Church was organized, persons came into it bringing along
some of these enthusiastic notions individuals who professed to have
revelations on every subject, and who were ready to banish every moral
principle under the guidance of false spirits. Joseph the Prophet had
also to learn by experience, and to teach the Elders and the early
members of the Church, how they should judge of the manifestation of
spirits. (Book of Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. 17, Par. 7.)

Vol. 11,  p.2
"Wherefore it shall come to pass, that if you behold a spirit
manifested that you cannot understand, and you receive not that
spirit, ye shall ask of the Father in the name of Jesus, and if he
give not unto you that spirit, that you may know that it is not of
God: and it shall be given unto you power over that spirit, and you
shall proclaim against that spirit with a loud voice, that it is not
of God; not with railing accusation, that ye be not overcome; neither
with boasting, nor rejoicing, lest you be seized therewith," and
refers to Hiram Page who began to get revelations through the medium
of a black stone, certain characters appearing on that stone which he
wrote down.

Notes concerning false revelations, apostacies.

Vol. 11,  p.2
Joseph Smith in his history wrote thus:

Vol. 11,  p.2
"To our great grief, however, we soon found that Satan had been lying
in wait to deceive, and seeking whom he might devour. Brother Hyrum
Page had got in his possession a certain stone, by which he had
obtained revelations concerning the up-building of Zion, the order of
the Church, &c., &c., all of which were entirely at variance with the
order of God's house, as laid down in the New Testament, as well as
our late revelations. As a Conference had been appointed for the first
day of September, I thought it wisdom not to do much more than to
converse with the brethren on the subject, until the Conference should
meet. Finding, however, that many, especially the Whitmer family and
Oliver Cowdery, were believing much in the things set forth by this
stone, we thought best to inquire of the Lord concerning so important
a matter; and before Conference convened, we received the revelation
to Oliver Cowdery given at Fayette, New York, September, 1830, in the
4th paragraph of which the Lord says:[p.3]  "And again, thou shalt
take thy brother, Hyrum Page, between him and thee alone, and tell him
that those things which he hath written from that stone are not of me,
and that Satan deceived him; for, behold, these things have not been
appointed unto him, neither shall anything be appointed unto any of
this Church contrary to the Church covenants, for all things must be
done in order, and by common consent in the Church, by the prayer of
faith."

Vol. 11,  p.3
Joseph's history continues:

Vol. 11,  p.3
"At length our Conference assembled. The subject of the stone
previously mentioned, was discussed, and after considerable
investigation, brother Page, as well as the whole Church who were
present, renounced the said stone, and all things connected therewith,
much to our mutual satisfaction and happiness."

Vol. 11,  p.3
Some of the Elders journeyed to the westward from the state of New
York, and built up Branches in the State of Ohio.  Elders Oliver
Cowdery and P. P. Pratt visited Sidney Rigdon who resided in Mentor,
Geauga county, and was famous in that country as a reformed Baptist
minister, more familiarly known as Campbelites. He had preached the
doctrine of baptism for the remission of sins, the regular Baptist
church having a different, view of the subject, for they considered
"baptism as an outward sign of an inward grace," and that in order to
be a candidate for baptism he must have received a change of heart,
changed from a heart of stone to one of flesh; he was required to go
into the congregation and formally renounce the world, the flesh and
the devil, having given evidence that he was a new creature and was
prepared for baptism. But the Reformed Baptists held the doctrine
which I believe was first preached in Ohio, by Sidney Rigdon, that a
man must reform, that repentance was simply a reformation, and the
moment that repentance was resolved upon, the candidate was ready for
baptism; and so far their notion appeared to be an improvement upon
the general idea entertained, and consonant with the Bible view of it,
as it was laid down by the Savior and his Apostles. But here they
stopped, and did not administer the laying on of hands for the gift of
the Holy Ghost, and what was further, they contended there was no need
of it, that it was all done away, and that the written word was all
the spirit there was.

Vol. 11,  p.3
When the Elders waited on Sidney Rigdon and presented to him the Book
of Mormon, teaching him the principle of laying on of hands for the
reception of the Holy Ghost, he received it, as did several hundred
members of his church, and members of other churches in that vicinity,
who were baptized in a few weeks. In a few days Elders Oliver Cowdery,
P. P. Pratt and Ziba Patterson, passed on westward, as their mission
directed them to the western boundaries of the State of Missouri.
Sidney Rigdon took a journey to the east, as did Edward Partridge for
the purpose of visiting the Prophet, and these strange spirits of
which we have already spoken, began to manifest themselves in the
churches and Branches which had been built up.

Vol. 11,  p.3
There was at this time in Kirtland, a society that had undertaken to
have a community of property; it has sometimes been dennminated the
Morley family, as there was a number of them located on a farm owned
by Captain Isaac Morley. These persons had been baptized, but had not
vet been instructed in relation to their duties. A false spirit
entered into them, developing their singular, extravagant and wild
ideas.[p.4] They had a meeting at the farm, and among them was a negro
known generally as Black Pete, who became a revelator. Others also
manifested wonderful developments; they could see angels, and letters
would come down from heaven, they said, and they would be put through
wonderful unnatural distortions. Finally on one occasion, Black Pete
got sight of one of those revelations carried by a black angel, he
started after it, and ran off a steep wash bank twenty-five feet high,
passed through a tree top into the Chagrin river beneath. He came out
with a few scratches, and his ardor somewhat cooled.

Vol. 11,  p.4
Joseph Smith came to Kirtland, and taught that people in relation to
their error. He showed them that the Spirit of God did not bind men
nor make them insane, and that the power of the adversary which had
been manifested in many instances was visible even from that cause,
for persons under its influence became helpless, and were bound hand
and foot as in chains, being as immovable as a stick of timber. When
Joseph came to instruct these Saints in relation to the true Spirit,
and the manner of determining the one from the other, in a short time
a number of those who had been influenced by those foul
manifestations, apostatized. Among the number was Wycom Clark; he got
a revelation that he was to be the prophet—that he was the true
revelator; and himself, Northrop Sweet and four other individuals
retired from the Church, and organized the "Pure Church of Christ," as
they called it, composed of six members, and commenced having
meetings, and preaching, but that was the extent of the growth of this
early schism. John Noah, another of this class, assumed to be a
prophet, and in consequence thereof was expelled from the church.

Vol. 11,  p.4
Among the early baptisms in Northern Ohio, was a Methodist minister by
the name of Ezra Booth. He was present when the Elders first received
the ordination of the High Priesthood. They met together in June,
1831, in a log school house in Kirtland, a room about eighteen feet by
twenty. While they were there, the manifestation of the power of God
being on Joseph, he set apart some of the Elders to the High
Priesthood. Ezra Booth was bound, and his countenance was distorted,
and numbers of the brethren looked at him, and thought it was a
wonderful manifestation of the power of God, but to their
astonishment, Joseph carne forward and rebuked the foul spirit, and
commanded it to depart, in consequence of which Booth was relieved,
and many of the brethren were greatly tried at such a singular
treatment by the prophet of these wonderful manifestations of power.

Vol. 11,  p.4
Others had visions. Lyman Wight bore testimony that he saw the face of
the Savior.

Vol. 11,  p.4
The Priesthood was conferred on a number of Elders, and thirty were
selected to take a mission to the western boundaries of Missouri, and
travel and preach two and two by the way, travelling without purse or
scrip. They did so, building up churches. Joseph was required to
travel by water, or at a more rapid rate to reach there, to meet the
brethren and hold a Conference in the land of Zion. It was only a
short time after the return from this mission, that Ezra Booth
apostatized as did Jacob Scott, Symons Rider, Eli Johnson and a number
of others. The spirit of apostacy was little known, but when these men
apostatized they became more violent, more [p.5] cruel, and manifested
a greater spirit of persecution than any other enemies. What seemed
singular, Ezra Booth had been brought into the Church through the
manifestation of a miracle. The wife of Father John Johnson had been
afflicted with the rheumatism, so as to be unable to raise her arm and
hand for two years. Her husband had believed the work, and she also
was believing. She went to Joseph Smith the Prophet to have him
administer to her, Booth accompanied them, for he was well acquainted
with the family, and the condition of Mrs. Johnson. When the Elders
laid their hands upon her, she was instantly healed, so that she could
use her arm and hand as well as ever she could previously. Booth knew
this to be an instantaneous cure, and soon after witnessing this
miracle, he was baptized, and ordained an Elder. He having formerly
been a Methodist minister, commenced preaching the Gospel without
purse or scrip, and he did so until he found, (using a common
expression,) it did not pay. Under these circumstances he apostatized.
While he was in apostacy he searched his cranium for some means to
justify himself and published a series of lying letters in the Ohio
Star, a paper printed in Revenna. These nine letters had been
republished several times as evidence against "Mormonism;" and his
apostacy culminated in collecting a mob who tarred and feathered
Joseph Smith, and inflicted upon his family the loss of one of its
number at Hyrum, Portage county, Ohio. Joseph Smith was occupying the
room of a house brother Johnson was living in, at the same time; it
was a two story building, had steps in front. The mob surrounded the
house, the twins being afflicted with measles, Joseph was lying upon a
trundle bed with one of them. The mob rushed in, gathered up Joseph
while in his bed, took him out in his night clothes, and carried him
out on to the top of the steps. Joseph got a foot at liberty and
kicked one of the men, and knocked him down off the steps, and the
print of his head and shoulders were visible on the ground in the
morning. Warren Waste, who was the strongest man in the western
reserve considered himself perfectly able to handle Joseph alone, but
when they got hold of him, Waste cried out, "do not let him touch the
ground, or he will run over the whole of us." Waste suggested in
carrying him to cross his legs, for they said that would make it
easier for the Prophet, but that was done in consequence of the severe
pain it would give to the small of the back. He was daubed with tar,
leathered and choked, and aquafortis poured into his mouth. Dr.
Dennison had been employed to perform a surgical opperation, but he
declined when the time came to operate. The liquid they poured into
his mouth was so powerful, that it killed the grass where some of it
had been scattered on the ground. Joseph is reported by the mob to
have said, be merciful, when they told him to call upon his God for
mercy. They immediately, as he began to pray, heard an alarm which
made them think they were about to be surprised, and left suddenly.
Sidney Rigdon, who resided near by, had been dragged by the heels out
of his bed at the same time, and his body stripped and a coat of tar
and feathers applied. The next morning he was crazy, his head greatly
inflamed and lacerated. Joseph found his way in from the light of the
house, the mob having abandoned him. While he was engaged in getting
off the tar by the application of grease, soap and other materials,
Philemon Duzette, the father of our celebrated drummer,[p.6] came
there, and seeing the Prophet in this condition, took it as an
evidence of the truth of "Mormonism," and was baptized. These
circumstances exposed the life of the child, the measles struck in and
caused its death, and the whole of this persecution was got up through
the influence of those apostates; and it made it necessary to keep up
a constant watch lest some violence should be repeated. Luke Johnson
informed us that Warren Waste was afterwards a cripple, rendered so by
weakness in the small of the back, and Dr. Dennison died in the Ohio
Penitentiary where he was incarcerated for procuring an abortion,
which caused death; Joseph soon after located in Kirtland. In Kirtland
there were manifestations of evil spirits in high places, which might
have been considered more dangerous than the manifestations in the
early establishment of the Church. Sidney Rigdon, on one occasion got
up to preach, and commenced by saying that the Church and kingdom was
rent from them and given to another people. Joseph was absent, when he
came home he found Sidney almost like a mad man. He labored with him
and with the Church, and finally succeeded in convincing him that he
was under the influence of a false spirit. A man from the State of New
York by the name of Hawley, stated that while he was working in his
field, barefoot, the word of the Lord came to him, saying that he
should start on the instant, and not stop to put on his shoes. He came
six hundred miles to Kirtland, and went to Joseph with the message
that he had suffered John Noah, a prophet of God, to be cut off from
the Church, and that consequently he had lost his office; and he had
also suffered the women to wear caps, and the men he allowed to wear
cushions on their shoulders, and for these heinous sins he was cut
oft, and this man had come six hundred miles barefooted to bear the
terrible message. You might suppose such an adventurer coming among us
would be regarded as a madman by all, but at that time several men
were ready to listen to him; a Bishop's Council was assembled and an
investigation had. During the investigation, the subject of women
wearing caps and veils and having their heads covered was canvassed,
and the Bible ransacked by Oliver Cowdery and others. When the man was
expelled from the Church for giving way to the power of false spirits,
he rose up in a most solemn manner, and proclaimed to the Council that
they had chosen darkness instead of light. This man went through the
streets of Kirtland in the night crying in a most doleful voice, woe,
woe to this people. I understand that brother Brigham, hearing this
nonsense and noise in the street, jumped up out of his bed in the
night, took with him a cow hide whip into the street, and told that
noisy person if he did not stop his noise he would certainly cowhide
him, which caused him to cease to annoy the inhabitants with his
folly.

Vol. 11,  p.6
Another prophet arose by the name of Hoton, he had his head quarters
at the forge in Kirtland. He was the president, and a man named
Montague was appointed Bishop. They resolved to live precisely in
accordance with the principles, as they understood them, spoken of
soon after the day of Pentecost, for they had all things common. Their
number increased to ten, and they called themselves "the independent
Church." Persons who had apostatized from the Latter-day Saints could
be admitted into their party upon the terms of entering the room,
shaking hands with every member and consecrating their property. [p.7]
This church lasted some two or three months, when a difficulty
occurred between the President and the Bishop. The Bishop accused the
President of being too familiar with his meat barrel; the President,
in turn, accused the Bishop of being too intimate with his sheets. The
result was, a split took place between the two chief authorities, and
the organization ceased to exist.

Vol. 11,  p.7
There was a prevalent spirit all through the early history of this
Church, which prompted the Elders to suppose that they knew more than
the Prophet. Elders would tell you that the prophet was going wrong,
men who thought they knew all about this work thirty or forty years
some of them before the Lord revealed it, tried "to steady the ark."
The Church was constantly afflicted with such a class of men.

Vol. 11,  p.7
I remember well in Zion's Camp, Levi W. Hancock made a fife, from a
joint of sweet elder, Sylvester Smith marched his company to the music
of that fife. That fife may be considered almost the introduction of
martial music among the "Mormons." A dog came out and barked, when
Sylvester Smith was going to kill the dog. Joseph said he was a good
watch dog, Sylvester became wrathy and threatened; finally Joseph
reproved him sharply, showing him that such a spirit would not conquer
or control the human family, that he must get rid of it, and predicted
that if he did not get rid of it, the day would come when a dog would
gnaw his flesh, and he not have the power to resist it. Some months
after the return to Kirtland, Sylvester Smith preferred a charge
against Joseph the Prophet, for having prophecied lies in the name of
the Lord, and undertook to substantiate that charge on the ground that
the Prophet had said a dog should bite him, if he did not get rid of
that spirit, when he had not power to resist. They were three days and
parts of nights, with the High Council in Kirtland, in investigating
this charge; one person spoke three hours in behalf of the Prophet.
Sylvester published a confession which can be seen in the Church
History, acknowledging his fault.

Vol. 11,  p.7
The Church in Kirtland were few in number compared with the
inhabitants of the city of Ogden. We had High Council upon High
Council, Bishop's trial upon Bishop's trial; and labor and toil
constantly to settle difficulties and get our minds instructed in
principle and doctrine, and in the power that we had to contend with.
I remember very well the organization of the High Council, at Kirtland
as a permanent institution, there had been several Councils of twelve
High Priests called for special cases, but they organized it
permanently on 17th Feb. 1834. On the 19th, the first case that was
brought up was that of Elder Curtis Hedge, sen., who while speaking in
meeting had gone into a Methodist spasm, shouting and screaming in
such a manner as caused one of the Elders to rebuke him. Brother Hedge
was brought before the Council for so doing. A great deal of
instruction was imparted to the people, who were assembled in a room
sixteen feet by eighteen. The decision was, that the charges in the
declaration had been fairly sustained by good witnesses, that Elder
Hedge ought to have confessed when rebuked by Elder Ezra Thayer; also
if he had the spirit of the Lord at the meetings where he halloed, he
must have abused it and grieved it away, and all the Council agreed
with the decision. The report of this case is in Millennial Star, Vol.
15, page 18, and well worthy of perusal.

Vol. 11,  p.8
In relation to the manifestation of the spirit and a man exercising
it,[p.8] he may be guilty of error of manner as well as error in
matter, and these principles in this way were gradually introduced
into the minds of the brethren, the Elders being instructed all the
while now and then, when falling out by the way-side. The first
Council I ever attended where the Prophet was present was at the trial
of Doctor P. Hurlburt. This occured in June, 1833. He had been cut off
from the Church by the Bishop's Council, and a Council of twelve High
Priests, was organized to try the case on appeal. Hurlburt did not
deny the charge, but begged to be forgiven, made every promise that a
man could make that he would from that day live a virtuous life.
Finally the Council accepted of his confession, and agreed that he
might on public confession be restored to the Church again.

Vol. 11,  p.8
It was at the same Council that Daniel Copley, a timid young man, who
had been ordained a Priest, and required to go and preach the Gospel,
was called to an account for not going on his mission. The young man
said he was too weak to attempt to preach, and the Council cut him off
the Church. I wonder what our missionaries now would think of so rigid
a discipline as was given at that time thirty one years ago, under the
immediate supervision of the Prophet.

Vol. 11,  p.8
As soon as this Council had made this decision upon Hurlburt, Joseph
arose, and said to the Council, he is not honest, and what he has
promised he will not fulfil; what he has confessed are not the
thoughts and intents of his heart, and time will prove it. Hurlburt
stated to the Branch in Thompson, Ohio, that he had deceived Joseph
Smith's God or the spirit by which he is actuated, I have proved that
Council has no wisdom, I told them I was sorry I confessed and they
believed it to be an honest confession, I deceived the whole of them
and made them restore me to the Church. Hurlburt was the author of
that work known by the name of "Mormonism Unveiled." Booth's letters
were reprinted by Hurlburt, who is the author of "The Spaulding
story," a book which he intended to publish; and in delivering
lectures he had said he would wash his hands in Joseph Smith's blood.
He was taken before the court and required to give bonds to keep the
peace towards all men, and especially towards Joseph Smith. These
circumstances had some influence, and his frends arranged that he
should not publish the book, but put it into the hands of E. D. Howe,
who resided in Painsville, Ohio. He agreed that he would give Hurlburt
four hundred copies of the first printed and bound, for the
manuscript. Hurlburt went round and got subscribers, to pay him when
the book should be delivered, one dollar each for the four hundred.
Howe got the books printed and refused to furnish Hurlburt with his
share, until by a piece of legerdemain he got hold of his subscription
list and got the four hundred dollars, and then he let him have the
books. When Hurlburt went to supply his subscribers he found they had
already been served. The Spaulding story in that country was
considered so ridiculous, that the books could with difficulty be sold
at any price; but it has now found its way into the scientific
journals of the great world as a true history of the origin of the
Book of Mormon, when it is very well known that no statement on this
earth could be more incorrect or more untrue. Let "Mormonism" be true
or false, the Spaulding story from beginning to end is an unmitigated
falsehood. Solomon Spaulding was a Presbyterian minister; he entered
into the iron trade in Conneaut, [p.9] Ohio, but failing in business
he took a notion to write a novel; he wrote a book called the
Manuscript Found, he took his work to Pittsburg, to a man by the name
of Patterson to get it printed, but he failed and never printed it. It
was pretended that it fell into the hands of Sidney Rigdon, and that
he converted it into the Book of Mormon, and induced Joseph Smith to
publish it; whereas it is very well known that there had no connection
ever existed between these parties. In the first place, Spaulding
never wrote any such work; in the next place, Spaulding never had
anything to do with Patterson, and Sidney Rigdon and him were perfect
strangers to each other. The first knowledge that Sidney Rigdon had of
Joseph Smith was when Parley P. Pratt met him in Ohio, and presented
him a printed copy of the Book of Mormon; yet all this has found its
way into scientific literature, and you will find it even in the North
British Review. Hurlburt's failure to destroy "Mormonism" was so
complete, understanding that he was hacked by influential men in
Mentor and vicinity, that it ended in their disgrace and discomfiture,
and this was so complete, that the story in that country was hardly
ever spoken of afterwards. Yet the Spaulding story lives among those
who make lies their refuge, and under falsehood hide themselves.

Vol. 11,  p.9
The word of the Lord given in September 1831—see Book of Covenants,
Sec. 21, Par. 4—to make Kirtland a strong hold for the space of five
years, gave rise to a new development in the feelings and sentiments
of the Saints. The Prophet said, purchase lands in the vicinity of
Kirtland; men were induced to buy farms, and to go to work and build
houses, to quarry rock, and haul them on the ground, to build a
Temple. We were not then supplied with reporters and clerks as we are
now, and many of the books that were kept have been wrested from the
hands of the Church by apostates. The foundation of the Kirtland
Temple was laid in 1833, and there is scarcely a scrap of history
relating to it to be found, not even the names of the twenty-four
Elders in their order who laid the foundation of it. When the Temple
was completed there was a great manifestation of power. The brethren
gathered together to its dedication. We considered it a very large
building. Some nine hundred and sixty could be seated, and there would
be room for a few to stand, the congregation was swelled to a little
over a thousand persons at the time of the dedication. It was a trial
of faith. The Elders from every part of the country had come together.
The finishing of the Temple had involved a debt of many thousands, and
we all came together to the dedication. The congregation was so large
that we could not all get in; and when the house was full, then, of
course, the doors were closed, and no more admitted. This caused Elder
Frazier Eaton, who had paid seven hundred dollars towards building the
house, to apostatize, because he did not get there early enough to the
meeting.  When the dedication prayer was read by Joseph, it was read
from a printed copy. This was a great trial of faith to many. "How can
it be that the prophet should read a prayer?" What an awful trial it
was, for the Prophet to read a prayer! The service of the dedication
being over, it was repeated again on the next day, to accommodate
these who had not been able to get in on the first day, and all those
who had been there on the first day, excepting the authorities, being
required to remain outside, till these who could rot get in the day
before were seated; the result of this [p.10] arrangement was two days
dedication.

Vol. 11,  p.10
The question has often arisen among us, why it is that we do not see
more angels, have more visions, that we do not see greater and more
manifestations of power. Any of the brethren that were there could
have heard testimonies of manifestations in abundance.

Vol. 11,  p.10
On the first day of the dedication, President Frederick G. Williams,
one of the Council of the Prophet, and who occupied the upper pulpit,
bore testimony that the Savior, dressed in his vesture without seam,
came into the stand and accepted of the dedication of the house, that
he saw him, and gave a description of his clothing and all things
pertaining to it. That evening there was a collection of Elders,
Priests, Teachers and Deacons, etc., amounting to four hundred and
sixteen, gathered in the house; there were great manifestations of
power, such as speaking in tongues, seeing visions, administration of
angels. Many individuals bore testimony that they saw angels, and
David Whitmer bore testimony that, he saw three angels passing up the
south aisle, and there came a shock on the house like the sound of a
mighty rushing wind, and almost every man in the house arose, and
hundreds of them were speaking in tongues, prophecying or declaring
visions, almost with one voice.

Vol. 11,  p.10
The question arises, where are those men? a number of them who
manifested the greatest gifts, and had the greatest manifestations
have fallen out by the way side, you look around among us and they are
not here. Many who received the knowledge of the things of God by the
power of his spirit, and sought not after signs and wonders, and when
the spirit rested upon them seemed to produce no visible
demonstration, you look around among the Saints in the valleys of the
mountains, and you find they are here with us bearing on high the
standard of Zion, or have descended into honorable graves. But where
you find men who have turned away, and have got terribly afflicted
with self conceit, you will find those, who, on that occasion and
similar occasions, received great and powerful manifestations, and
when the spirit came on them it seemed to distort the countenance, and
caused them to make tremendous efforts in some instances. Sylvester
Smith bore testimony of seeing the hosts of heaven and the horsemen.
In his exertion and excitement it seemed as though he would jump
through the ceiling.

Vol. 11,  p.10
Brother Cannon in speaking on the subject this morning referred to the
old adage, soon ripe, soon rotten. God has laid the foundation of his
kingdom never to be destroyed, and it appears wisdom in him to develop
gradually power and glory and strength. I have always heard it
suggested that as the spirit of "Mormonism" gathered together the seed
of Abraham—mostly the sons of Abraham that are mixed among the
nations; that the Holy Spirit falling upon men, who are not of the
pure blood, who had the predominance of other blood in their veins,
that the manifestation is greater, and when great manifestations fall
on men, great trials immediately follow.

Vol. 11,  p.10
I have been conversant with early Elders, and I am satisfied that a
large number of them fell from their positions in the kingdom of God
because they yielded to the spirit of adultery; this was the cause of
their destruction. There was an Elder named John Smith who lived in
Indiana, who was quite popular in that part of the country as a
preacher. He apostatized, but he did not know it. In talking about his
faith and how firm it was, he said, I have proven [p.11] the
revelation given to Joseph Smith untrue, which says if a man shall
commit adultery he shall lose the spirit of God, and deny the faith. I
have proven that not to be true, for I have violated that commandment
and have not denied the faith. He was so blind that he could not see
through the darkness that the spirit of adultery had placed upon his
head, the great apostacy which seemed to shake the Church, and tried
men's souls.

Vol. 11,  p.11
Some time after the finishing of the Temple, the brethren under the
direction of the Prophet had established a bank in Kirtland, the paper
to be redeemed by specie, and secured by real estate. The directors of
that bank were members of the Church, and they were determined to
sustain the credit of that money. The question has some times been
asked, how much has that bank failed for; it did not fail for a single
dollar, and yet when it failed there was perhaps a hundred thousand
dollars of the bank paper out in circulation. Warren Parrish was the
teller of the bank, and a number of other men who apostatized were
officers. They took out of its vault, unknown to the President or
cashier, a hundred thousand dollars, and sent their agents around
among the brethren to purchase their farms, wagons, cattle, horses and
every thing they could get hold of. The brethren would gather up this
money and put it into the bank, and those traitors would steal it and
send it out to buy again, and they continued to do so until the plot
was discovered and payment stopped. It was the cursed apostates—their
stealing and robberies, and their infernal villainies that prevented
that bank being conducted as the Prophet designed. If they had
followed the counsel of Joseph, there is not a doubt but that it would
have been the leading bank in Ohio, probably of the nation. It was
founded upon safe principles, and would have been a safe and lasting
institution. Parrish and his coadjutors professed to have discovered
that Joseph was not a Prophet, and commenced making a noise about it,
and went so far as to organize about thirty of the Elders, into a new
church called the Parrish party, many of them had been a long time in
the church. That may be considered the time that tried men's souls;
for a man that would stand up in the streets and say he was Joseph's
friend, could not get a greater compliment than being called a lick
skillet. Joseph had few friends; but among the leading Elders of the
Church, in Kirtland the High Council, one of the members of the first
Presidency, some of the seven Presidents of the seventies, and a great
many others were so darkened that they went astray in every direction.
They boasted of the talent at their command, and what they would do.
Their plan was to take the doctrines of the Church, such as
repentance, baptism for the remission of sins, throw aside the Book of
Mormon, the Prophet and Priesthood, and go and unite the whole
Christian world under these doctrines. Where are they to-day? Like a
rope of sand that has vanished to the four winds of heaven. Many of
them have already in dust and ashes lamented their fate, they have
never been able to prosper in any business, or take a leading part in
any capacity. This is the result of that apostacy; and yet it was so
great that Joseph himself and his friends had to flee from Kirtland.
There was a council there when President Young, Brother Brigham as we
called him, spoke in favor of Joseph, and Jacob Bump who had been a
long time a Pugilist before he came into the Church, said "how on
[p.12] earth can I keep my hands off this man," Brigham said, lay them
on if it will do you any good. The voice seemingly of an individual,
was absolutely necessary to say that Joseph had a single friend. You
look at times of danger, moral and physical, and you will find that
the spirit of determination and strong will in the breast of a single
man may save a most terrible panic and disaster. By management it was
proved that Joseph had friends, and when he had gone to the state of
Missouri, having fled from Kirtland, he was met with coldness by men
who were in authority there. All this was the result of apostacy. The
public funds were held in their own name, and another battle had there
to be fought, not perhaps as severe, but at the same time there was a
constant pressure seemed to be necessary to give strength to the
growing kingdom; yet the revelations were that the kingdom should
continue to prevail. The very fact of the promise of its continuing to
prevail, signifies that it should have something more or less severe
to prevail against. God has been with this people and has guided them,
and dictated them, and is continuing to do so up to the present
moment, and will continue so to do until the kingdoms of this world
become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ. May we be prepared to
fulfil our share in this great work, is my prayer in the name of Jesus
Christ. Amen.

Brigham Young, December 11, 1864

Knowledge in this Life Limited—the Lord Will Waste 
Away the Wicked—People Do not Live to Obtain What They Most 
Desire—Joseph Desired to Go to the Rocky Mountains—More for Us 
Than Against Us—Will Go to Jackson County From the West—
Exhortations to Merchants, Speculators, &c.

Remarks by President BRIGHAM YOUNG, delivered 
in the Taberaacle, Great Salt Lake City, Sunday, Dec. 11, 1864.

Reported By G. D. Watt

Vol. 11,  p.12
We are so organized that we can learn but little at a time, and the
little we do learn should be that kind of knowledge which will bring
to us as individuals and as a community, temporal and eternal
salvation. If men were to live until the number of their days should
be one hundred years, they still would be but children in the
knowledge of this life, and would only be commencing to learn the
things which pertain to their temporal life, health and comfort, and
how to live hereafter. Very few of the inhabitants of the earth have
the time and priviledge of making themselves comfortable in a temporal
point of view, before they are called to return to their mother earth.

Vol. 11,  p.13
We have had excellent instructions [p.13] to-day. They have been
edifying, comforting and strengthening to the Saints. I will take the
liberty of referring to a few things the brethren have dwelt upon in
their remarks. In relation to the contest between Jesus and the power
of Satan that is upon the earth, brother George Q. Cannon has said he
is ready to commence the contest anew to-day against sin, and the
effects of it which have often tried to overthrow us as a people. I
have been engaged in a contest against the devil and his rule, for the
last thirty three years this present winter. It is that many years
since I took the Book of Mormon, and went into His Brittanic Majesty's
realms to teach the Gospel of life and salvation. From that day to
this I have been contending against the powers of evil, according to
the little ability God has given me. The kingdom of God is
re-established upon the earth; and the Gospel of life and salvation
must be preached in all the world, that all may be judged thereby.
Every nation, kindred, tongue and people must be warned before the
Lord can come out of his hiding place, and waste away the wicked who
have rejected his warning message. We have contended against sin in
high places; we still contend against it in our own bosoms; for we
should seek earnestly to gain the victory over sin in ourselves,
before we can reasonably expect to gain the conquest over sin in
others. Until we can subdue our own passions, and bring every human
feeling and aspiration into subjection to the will of God, we are not
really capable of guiding and dictating ethers to the full possession
of victory in the Kingdom of God. To conquer and subdue, and school
ourselves until we bring everything into subjection to the law of
Christ, is our work.

Vol. 11,  p.13
Our Heavenly Father does not always reveal to his children the secret
workings of his providences, nor does he show them the end from the
beginning; for they have to learn to trust in him who has promised to
fight our battles, and crown us with victory, if we are faithful as
was faithful Abraham.  The contest which we have now on hand is
chiefly against sin in ourselves. "For if we sin wilfully after that
we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more
sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and
fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries." Then let us
contend against sin in our families, in our neighbors and friends, and
strive to restore to the inhabitants of the earth and to all the
creatures which God has made to dwell upon it, that which was lost by
the fall of man. Our labor will not end until this is accomplished,
our work completed, and the kingdom is the Lord's. "Know ye not, that
they which run a race, run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run
that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is
temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown
but we an incorruptible." Then let us fight on, "For it is the day or
the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy
of Zion." He has commenced it with this, our once happy nation, and he
will continue until Jesus shall rule and reign triumphantly in the
midst of his Saints, over sin, death, and hell. The Lord is gracious
and is waiting for us to purify ourselves, and thus be better prepared
to receive the providences of God when he arises to shake terribly the
earth, and bring to pass the perfect deliverance of his people. "For
the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to
reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to [p.14] be punished."
For we are made nigh unto Christ by his blood. "But the righteousness
which is of faith speaketh on this wise, say not in thine heart, who
shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
Or, who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ
again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even
in thy mouth, and in thy heart; that is the word of faith, which we
preach." The Lord is here with us, not in person, but his angels are
around us, and he takes cognizance of every act of the children of
men, as individuals and as nations. He is here ready by his agents,
the angels, and by the power of his Holy Spirit and Priesthood, which
he has restored in these last days, to bring most perfect and absolute
deliverance unto all who put their trust in Him, when they are ready
to receive it; and, until they are ready, the work of preparation must
be vigorously progressed in, while at the same time we in patience
must possess our souls. For what scholar can at once make himself
acquainted thoroughly with the beginning and the end of a finished
education? It is a work of time. The Lord is gracious and full of
kindness to his children, and has given them this probation to prepare
themselves for his coming, and to dwell with him in mansions of glory.

Vol. 11,  p.14
I wish my brethren and sisters to understand that the contest between
themselves and the power of Satan is now, to-day, and has been ever
since the Lord Almighty bestowed his Holy Priesthood upon his servant
Joseph. When holy angels where sent from heaven to call and ordain
Joseph Smith, and he to ordain others, the war commenced against sin
and the power of it, and will continue until the earth shall be
cleansed from it, and shall be made a fit habitation for Saints and
angels. The Holy Priesthood has been restored expressly for this
purpose. There is nothing that the Saints can ask, or pray for, that
will aid them in their progress to the attainment of all the freedom,
liberty, power, and conquest, that they are capable of desiring and
making a good use of, that will not be granted unto them, if they will
only patiently struggle on. I am happy in saying that the Lord is
doing his work most admirably. Are we progressing as fast as the work
of the Lord is progressing? He has pled with the people by the voice
of his Spirit, by the voice of angels, and by the voice of his
servants; but their ears are heavy. He is pleading now with the sword,
as well as with the voice of his servants, and he will plead with them
by tempest and storm, and soon will plead with them by famine and by
pestilence. The Savior has said: 'And ye shall hear of wars, and
rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled; for all these things
must; come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise
against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be
famines, and pestilences and earthquakes in divers places. All these
are the beginning of sorrows."

Vol. 11,  p.14
The men and women, who desire to obtain seats in the celestial
kingdom, will find that they must battle with the enemy of all
righteousness every day. "Stand therefore, having your loins girt
about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and
your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; above all,
taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all
the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and
the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with
all prayer and supplication [p.15] in the spirit, and watching there
unto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints." Thus let
every Saint protect and guard his little castle against every effort
of the enemy to assail, and secure a foothold therein. Let us see to
it that we are ready for the enemy, to baffle him at every point,
contending bravely against him until he is successfully repulsed.

Vol. 11,  p.15
With regard to the obedience of heavenly beings, to which reference
has been made to day; they live pure and holy, and they have attained
unto this power through suffering. Many of them have drank of the
bitter cup even to the dregs. They have learned that righteousness
will prevail, that truth is the foundation of their very existence.
They have learned that their Father and God never commits an evil,
that he never proposes an evil, and that whatever he dictates is for
their good. When an angel is appointed to perform a duty, to go to the
earth to preach the Gospel, or to do anything for the advancement of
his Fathers kingdom in any part of the great domain of heaven, the
vision of that angel is opened to see and understand the magnitude of
the work that is expected of him to perform, and the grand results
which will grow out of it. That is the reason why the angels are of
one heart and of one mind, in their faithfulness and obedience to the
requirements of their Father and God. They can desire and ask for
nothing that will make them happy, good and great that is withheld
from them; and life eternal is theirs. Why, then, should they not be
of one heart and of one mind? They see alike, understand alike, and
know alike, and all things are before them, and, as far as their
knowledge and experience extend, they see the propriety of all the
works of God, and the harmony and beauty thereof.

Vol. 11,  p.15
Those who do not believe in Jesus Christ, in Joseph the Prophet, or in
the Book of Mormon, in short, all who do not believe as we do, or who
are out side of this Church and kingdom, love health, wealth, joy,
peace, light, intelligence, power, eloquence, and elegance; they want
all these blessings which the righteous live for; but they will not
live for them. They do not pursue the course to put themselves in
possession of the very things they most desire; they are aiming
entirely in the opposite direction, and manage always to be too late
in obtaining them. Not so with the Latter-day Saints, or the
Former-day Saints: they were, are and will be always just in time to
secure the blessings they live for. The Saints have their trials, to
be sure, to prove their faithfulness before God, and they have the
experience and blessings which spring from them. It is thought; by
many that the possession of gold and silver will produce for them
happiness, and, hence, thousands hunt the mountains for the precious
metals; in this they are mistaken. The possession of wealth alone does
not produce happiness, although it will produce comfort, when it can
be exchanged for the essentials and luxuries of life. When wealth is
obtained by purloining, or in any other unfair and dishonorable way,
fear of detection and punishment robs the possessor of all human
happiness. When wealth is honorably obtained by men, still the
possession of it is embittered by the thought that death will soon
strip them of it and others will possess it. What hopes have they in
the future, after they get through with this sorrowful world? They
know nothing about the future; they see nothing but death and hell.
Solid comfort and unalloyed joy are unknown to them. When the faithful
Latter-day Saints come to the end [p.16] of their earthly existence,
"we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved,
we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in
the heavens." The faithful Latter-day Saint knows that the dissolution
of this mortal house will introduce his immortal spirit to freedom
from death and punishment, and to the enjoyment of the society of the
spirits of just men made perfect. To a person who has such a glorious
hope everything is bright and beautiful. If he has but little, he
enjoys that little with a thankful heart to his Heavenly Father; if he
possesses much, he is still thankful, not worshiping, or placing his
heart upon the filthy lucre God has placed in his power to do good
with. In poverty he feels blest and happy; in riches he feels blest
and happy; for his hope is in God, and his wealth consists in eternal
riches, having laid up treasures in heaven where moth doth not
destroy, nor rust corrode, nor thief break through nor steal. the
Latter-day Saints have been driven from their homes, and their goods
have been spoiled; but they esteem this as nothing. What do we care
for houses and lands and possessions? The whole earth is before us and
all the fulness thereof. The Latter-day Saints are living in the
expectation of redeeming Zion, when the law shall go forth from Zion,
and when Jesus will reign king of nations, as he now reigns king of
Saints.

Vol. 11,  p.16
Remarks have been made as to our staying here. I will tell you how
long we shall stay here. If we live our religion, we shall stay here
in these mountains forever and forever, worlds without end, and a
portion of the Priesthood will go and redeem and build up the centre
Stake of Zion. if we leave here, where shall we go to? Has any one
discovered where we can again pitch our tents, when we leave this
country? In the days of Joseph we have sat many hours at a time
conversing about this very country. Joseph has often said, "If I were
only in the Rocky Mountains with a hundred faithful men, I would then
be happy, and ask no odds of mobocrats." And neither do I. Who are
going to pull up stakes and leave here? If we forsake our God and our
religion, then woe to us; for then we shall be all apostates together,
and under such circumstances we have no promise of God for our
protection; but, if we live in the faith of the Son of God, we have
the heavens, the power of God and of angels on our side. I can tell
you, as truly as Elisha said to his servant, "fear not; for they that
be with us are more than they that be with them," (our enemies.) For,
"the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around about
Elisha."

Vol. 11,  p.16
Satan has great power upon the earth, which he will exercise against
Christ and his kingdom, and we have so to like as to gain power to
triumph over him, and successfully drive him and his adherents from
the earth, and introduce everlasting righteousness and peace; and we
will do it in the name of Israel's God. The Lord being my helper, I
will never give up the ship; I will never leave it, as long as there
is an inch of plank left; and it will live in wilder seas than have
yet assailed it, and come out unharmed; in short, it will endure for
ever. We may apostatize from the faith, and go out of the Church and
Kingdom of God, and be lost; but this will have no effect upon the
progress of the Lord's Work, neither can all the powers of hell
combined accomplish aught against it. The Lord God of Israel has led
this people from the beginning, and every effort the enemy has made to
destroy them has only added renewed strength and vigor to [p.17] the
cause of truth, although at the time of our great afflictions, and
while in the straits in which we have been placed, we could, naturally
speaking, see nothing but death and suffering. The Lord has suffered
all these things for the perfecting of the righteous and the good of
his people, and that the wicked may be left without excuse.  There is
not another nation under heaven but this, in whose midst the Book of
Mormon could have been brought forth. The Lord has been operating for
centuries to prepare the way for the coming forth of the contents of
that Book from the bowels of the earth, to be published to the world,
to show to the inhabitants thereof that he still lives, and that he
will, in the latter days, gather his elect from the four corners of
the earth. It was the Lord who directed the discovery of this land to
the nations of the old world, and its settlement, and the war for
independence, and the final victory of the colonies, and the
unprecedented prosperity of the American nation, up to the calling of
Joseph the Prophet. The Lord has dictated and directed the whole of
this, for the bringing forth, and establishing of his Kingdom in the
last days. On one occasion, when the Prophet was imprisoned, Sidney
Rigdon exhorted the Saints to scatter and every man do the best he
could for himself; "for," said he, "this work of the gathering of the
Saints we shall not accomplish, these Saints will never be gathered
again." I took the liberty of saying to him that it was my opinion
that we should be gathered again, and that, by and bye, we should have
Joseph with us. Some thought it impossible; but we had Joseph again
and we gathered. The Lord thus proved his people, and tried them
whether they would apostatize and give themselves up to the power of
Satan, or be faithful to their calling and to their God under every
circumstance. The Lord will try this people in all things, as he tried
Abraham of old, to prove whether they will forsake him, or cling to
the faith of the Holy Gospel. I have been in this Kingdom almost from
the beginning; and I have not yet seen anything I would call a trial,
that I could not willingly and joyfully endure; for, "blessed is the
man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive
the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him."
The Lord has thrown his people on several occasions, into
circumstances of destitution and dependence, to try the leaders of the
nation, and has thus said unto them, what will you now do for my poor
and afflicted people; and their reply has been, "We will destroy them,
if we can." They think they will destroy us yet. In this, however,
they are mistaken, "for God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to
obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ."

Vol. 11,  p.17
Shall we still cling to the faith of Christ, or will we forsake the
Lord our God, and seek "the friendship of the world which is enmity
against God?" Before we were driven out of Missouri I had a vision, if
I would dare to say that I had a vision, and saw that the people would
go to the east, to the north and to the west; but we should go back to
Jackson County from the west. When this people return to the Centre
Stake of Zion, they will go from the west. The Lord has used every
means to save the nation. He has called upon them by night and by day,
through His servants whom he has sent among them.; but they are bent
on their own destruction. When we were driven from Nauvoo, our Elders
went to the East to lay our case before the judges, governors, and
rulers of the different Slates to ask for an asylum; but none [p.18]
was offered us. We sent men through the Eastern country to try and
raise some means for the destitute women and children, whose husbands,
fathers and brothers had gone into the Mexican war at the call of the
General Government, leaving their wives and children and aged fathers
and mothers upon the open prairies without home or shelter, and the
brethren who went East hardly got enough to bear their expenses. The
great men of the nation were asked if they would do anything for the
Lord's people. No; not a thing would they do, but hoped they would
perish in the wilderness. "Therefore," saith the Lord, "behold, the
destroyer I have sent forth to destroy and lay waste mine enemies: and
not many years hence they shall not be left to pollute mine heritage,
and to blaspheme my name upon the lands which I have consecrated for
the gathering together of my saints." In the year 1845 I addressed
letters to all the Governors of States and Territories in the Union,
asking them for an asylum, within their borders, for the Latter-day
Saints. We were refused such privilege, either by silent contempt or a
flat denial in every instance. They all agreed that we could not come
within the limits of their Territory or State. Three members of
Congress came to negociate with us to leave the confines of the United
States, and of the public domain. It was understood that we were going
to Vancouver Island; but we had our eye on Mexico, and here we are
located in the midst of what was then northern Mexico. Fears have been
entertained that we shall again be meddled with; but you will find
that the enemies of the cause of God will have plenty of business
besides digging gold and silver and fighting the Saints, and I trust
Utah will be left as unnoticed as it is in the President's message. I
thank them for what they have done and for what they have not done. I
thank the Lord that he has led this people, and suffered them to be
driven from place to place. I thank the Lord that we have the words of
eternal life; and if we live by them, our feet are as sure and as fast
as these everlasting hills. I know where the Saints will dwell.

Vol. 11,  p.18
In the mind of God there is no such a thing as dividing spiritual from
temporal, or temporal from spiritual; for they are one in the Lord.
There was nothing of a temporal or spiritual nature suggested by
Joseph Smith in his day, for the action of the Latter-day Saints that
would not have been beneficial for them, if they had, with one heart
and mind, performed all he desired them to do. We have proposed many
things with regard to our temporal affairs in these valleys, which,
when strictly obeyed, have been attended with great benefits. Our
action touching our grain has greatly benefited this community; it has
resulted in replenishing the wardrobes of the people throughout the
Territory, and placed in their possession many thousands of dollars.
If you have a few hundred pounds of flour to sell, keep it by you;
by-and-by, you will be offered a good price for it in gold. Do not be
tempted to sell your breadstuff for a ribbon, or a frill, or for some
useless trapping; for herein we are exposed to danger, when we treat
as a light thing the blessings of the Lord, and squander them as a
thing of naught. Those men and women who barter away their breadstuff
for naught, trifle with the blessings which the heavens have bestowed
on them.

Vol. 11,  p.18
There are brethren who have studied law; but where is there a man in
our midst now that is worth anything by studying law? Where is there a
merchant among us who has, year after year, continued in the love of
the world, that cares anything about the kingdom of God? Look out, ye
[p.19] men of Israel, and be careful that you love not the world or
the things of the world in their present state, and in your loftiness
and pride, forget the Lord your God. We ought to care no more for the
silver and the gold, and the property that is so much sought for by
the wicked world, than for the soil or the gravel upon which we tread:
"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of
the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the
world, and the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that
doeth the will of God abideth for ever." "If any man love the world,
the love of the Father is not in him." I will refer to our merchants,
I mean our "Mormon merchants" particularly. What do they say about
their goods? They do not ask what their goods are worth, or what they
paid for them, but what will the people give for them? That is the
price. It is not what their goods are really worth, but "how many
greenbacks will it take to buy me another stock of goods?" It will
take a good many. What their goods are worth is not a question with
them, but what they can get. They will get sorrow—the most of them
will be damned, there is no doubt of it, unless they repent. You will
excuse me for talking thus of my brethren, but what else can I say
about them? I am not speaking about my individual feelings towards
them, but upon principle. My individual feelings are nothing but good
towards them. They are kind to me, and I have no fault to find with
them in their dealings with me; but I see the danger they are in. Ye
merchants, and lawyers, and doctors and speculators, be careful that
you secure to yourselves eternal life in the kingdom of God, in
preference to doing anything else. That perfect union, which must
ultimately be enjoyed by the Latter-day Saints, can only be brought,
about by every man and woman living so as to keep their minds pure and
unspotted like a piece of clean white paper, being constantly free
from the love of the world, that the spirit of revelation may easily
indite upon the heart whatever is the mind and will of the Lord. We
cannot be truly the members of Christ's mystical body without living
in this way, that the Spirit may indite as easily upon the heart the
things of God, as these brethren, our reporters, can write with ink on
paper. In this way you have the witness within yourself, and "need
that no man teach you only as the same anointing teacheth you of all
things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you,
ye shall abide in him." May the Lord bless the righteous. Amen.[p.20] 

John Taylor, December 11, 1864

Blessings of the Gospel Contrasted With the ideas of 
Men—Evidence Received Through Obedience—Mode By Which 
the Spirit is Imparted and Unity of the Saints—Their Confidence With 
Reference to the Future of the Church—Ultimate Establishment 
of the Government of God on Earth

Remarks by Elder JOHN TAYLOR, made in the 
Tabernacle in Great Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 11, 1864.

Reported By G. D. Watt

Vol. 11,  p.20
We meet together, as intelligent beings, desirous of understanding
something of our common origin, our present existence, and our future
destiny. We meet to find out something in relation to our Heavenly
Father, in relation to His providential dealings with the human
family, in relation to His policy and designs pertaining to us, and in
relation to the object of our creation; and to know something, if
possible, pertaining to that world that lies beyond our present scene
of action. These are some things among the many that we are desirous
to know, to comprehend, to find out if possible. We further wish to
pursue a course that shall be acceptable to our God and Father; having
partaken of a portion of His Holy Spirit we are desirous to be taught
more perfectly the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, we are
desirous of cultivating His Holy Spirit, and to draw from the fountain
of light and intelligence; from the spirit of revelation that flows
from God; and the spirit that dwells in us, comfort, consolation, and
intelligence; that we may feel that we are the sons and daughters of
God, that we are walking in the light of His countenance, that we are
doing the things that are pleasing and acceptable in His sight, that
our own consciences are producing satisfactory evidence to our minds
that our conduct and acts are acceptable before the Lord, and that the
Holy Ghost also bears testimony to us that we are His children, doing
His will, walking in the light of His countenance, helping to
establish His kingdom on the earth, and to fulfil the varied duties we
are placed here upon the earth to attend to. These are some of the
ideas and feelings which all good men and women entertain in relation
to the past, the present, and the future. Notwithstanding, we have
many weaknesses, infirmities, follies, and foibles; yet, at the same
time, when we are filled with the spirit which flows from the Lord our
Heavenly Father, these are generally the feelings which we entertain.
We feel a spirit of gratitude to our Heavenly Father for the blessings
that we have received from His hands; and when we look upon things as
they exist around us, in our nation, and in other nations, we
certainly have great cause to cultivate feelings of thankfulness when
we reflect upon the position of the world, and view the darkness,
ignorance, folly, superstition, wickedness, corruption and evil that
is spread abroad, and which prevails over the face of the earth. When
we reflect that light and intelligence have beamed forth from the
heavens, that God in his mercy has made manifest His will to the human
family; that in the [p.21] plenitude of His mercy and goodness He has
restored the Holy Priesthood, and placed us in communication with
Himself; that he has taught us not only how to pray but how to
approach unto him for the forgiveness of our sins, for the reception
of the Holy Ghost, for instruction and guidance in relation to all
matters pertaining to our fathers, relative to this world and to the
world that is to come, we certainly have great cause of gratitude to
our Heavenly Father for the many mercies and blessings He has
conferred upon us. Wherever we turn our attention we can find cause of
gratitude to our Heavenly Father for the blessings that we enjoy, and
we can truly say, as was said by a certain person of old, "The lines
are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage."
The Lord has revealed unto us the principles of eternal truth, so
"That" (unlike the world) "we henceforth be no more children, tossed
to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the
sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to
deceive." But our feet are established upon the rock of eternal truth
which has been revealed from the heavens, for the benefit, blessing,
and exaltation of the human family, in time and in eternity. How very
different is our position in relation to this from what it was before
we heard the Gospel. Then we were surrounded with ten thousand
influences, notions, and ideas which might be right, or which might be
wrong; we had no test, no rule, no principle whereby to guide our
lives or our conduct; we could not find any person on the earth that
knew anything about the principles of eternity; we never heard any
thing further than opinion before we embraced this doctrine; we had
the opinion of commentators, of divines, philosophers, and
politicians, nothing but opinion without certainty to guide our erring
feet. We were desirous, perhaps as much so as we are to-day, to do
right, we were perhaps as zealous then as we are now in pursuing the
course that we thought might be satisfactory to our Heavenly Father;
but we knew not what would please Him. The world of mankind to-day are
just in the position that we were then in, they have no more
certainty, evidence, or knowledge than we had before we embraced the
principles of eternal truth—and, in fact, the truth does not exist in
the world, or, if it does exist, it is unknown to the men of the
world; they are unable to discern between truth and error, light and
darkness, between the things of God and the things of man.

Vol. 11,  p.21
The Lord has revealed to us the principles of eternal life. It is not
a matter of mere thought, of mere opinion; our principles are not
ideal, but they are facts, not notions; they are truths, not opinions;
they are certainties—things that we know and comprehend for ourselves.
Nothing can be more forcible, nothing can be a stronger evidence, if
we want any evidence, than the testimony or evidence which the Lord
has communicated unto us individually.

Vol. 11,  p.21
Paul said when he was speaking to the people, "And my speech and my
preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in
demonstration of the Spirit, and of power; that your faith should not
stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." Again, "If we
receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is
the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that
believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that
believeth not God, hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the
record that God gave of his Son." Every person who [p.22] embraced the
gospel in that day enjoyed an evident testimony of which the world
were ignorant. They received an inspiring intelligent assurance which
was imparted by the Holy Ghost unto all those who receive the gospel
both in former and in latter times, and hence they that believe have
the witness in themselves.

Vol. 11,  p.22
When the Elders were sent to preach the gospel, they were told to call
upon the people to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the
remission of sins, and they should receive the Holy Ghost. This was
told to the people in ancient days, and no stronger testimony than
this could be given to the heart of man; nothing is greater evidence
that the Lord is with His Elders that go forth bearing the precious
seeds of eternal life than this. An Elder is the minister of God, His
representative on the earth; he acts by His authority, in His name,
and God sanctions his acts, and proves to him and to those who receive
the gospel, that he is the messenger of God. The Lord has told him to
go and preach baptism for the remission of sins, and that when people
repented and were baptized for the remission of sins, and had hands
laid upon them for the reception of the Holy Ghost, that they should
receive the Holy Ghost, and have evidence for themselves, as they
received and knew formerly under the administration of the ancient
apostles. Thus every person so baptised and administered to has
evidence undoubted within himself, and every Elder has a testimony
that God is with him and sanctions his acts; and as an Elder could not
impart the Holy Ghost without the authority and power of God, so the
person receiving the Holy Ghost could not partake of it without the
Lord's administration through the Elder.

Vol. 11,  p.22
You may use the reasoning of men, you may bring into requisition the
strongest oratorial powers, and all this will fail to convince any
man, without the Spirit of God. You may bring the brightest talent to
bear, and collect the strongest evidence it is possible for man to
produce, but in the absence of the Holy Ghost all this will pass away
like an idle dream, or with passing remarks such as, "That man is a
very eloquent man, the principles he advances are evident, plain, and
reasonable, but then it don't concern us at all, we are not interested
in the matter," etc.; but when the Spirit of eternal truth, emanating
from God operates upon our spirits, which are a part of deity, if you
please, when there is a union formed, and an intercourse opened, and
intelligence communicated, then the persons who possess this
intelligence, this knowledge, this comforting influence, this strong
assurance that is imparted, and can be imparted only from spirit to
spirit; when persons receive this, they then have for themselves an
assurance that no earthly argument or philosophical demonstration can
possibly impart. We are a part of deity, that is, our spirits are a
part, as it were, of the Great Jehovah, that have been struck from His
eternal blaze—eternal intelligence and light and life.

Vol. 11,  p.22
When the light that is in heaven communicates with the light within
us; when the Spirit that dwells in the bosom of the Almighty dwells in
ours, and an intercourse is opened between heaven and us, we are then
placed in a position to understand that which it would be impossible
to comprehend upon any natural principle known to us, and hence it is
written, "For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of
man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the
Spirit of God." In order that men may indeed become the children
[p.23] of God, He has introduced in the first principles of the gospel
the means of their becoming possessed of His Spirit through baptism
and laying on of hands by those having authority, being sent and
ordained and authorized by Him that they may receive the Holy Ghost.
What can be a stronger evidence to any man than an evidence of this
kind? It is not something that affects the outward ear alone; it is
not something that affects simply his judgment, but it affects his
inner man; it affects the spirit that dwells within him; it is a part
of God imparted unto man, if you please, giving him an assurance that
God lives. This is a thing of very great importance, more so, perhaps,
than many people imagine. A man receives an assurance that God lives,
and not only that God lives, but that he is a son of God, because he
feels that he has partaken of His spirit, the spirit of adoption; and
hence it was said concerning the Saints of old, "For ye have not
received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but, ye have received
the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit
itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of
God."

Vol. 11,  p.23
The Saints of old received a spirit whereby they were enabled to say
Abba, Father, or, my Father. Now, reflecting upon this, what strong
confidence is imparted unto the Saints of God, giving them an
assurance that no person has, and that no person can have, unless they
adopt the same means, in order to partake of the same blessings or to
be administered to in the same way, and receive through the same
medium, that same spirit of intelligence which nothing but the Holy
Ghost can impart. When persons receive this they are enabled to say,
my Father. What were they enabled to say before? Did they know
anything about their Father or about their God? Did they know anything
about their origin, or did they know anything really in relation to
the future?

Vol. 11,  p.23
What can you find among the world like this anywhere, among the most
pious, best, the most honorable, pure, and virtuous, what can you find
among them? Only, simply, "we try to do the best that we can, and we
hope it will be well with us hereafter; we hope our great Heavenly
Father will be merciful to us." They can make no further advances than
that, without the gift and blessing of the Holy Ghost. They hope
certain things, they believe in certain things, they pray for certain
things, they desire certain things, but they have no assurance in
relation to them. Nothing but the Holy Spirit proceeding from the
Father and the Son can impart unto us that intelligence which is
necessary to place the Church and Kingdom of God upon a sure and firm
basis. The Lord has introduced this among us. It is no matter what
language a man may speak, or what country he lives in, no matter what
his former profession or circumstances, here is the Gospel of eternal
life and truth proclaimed by the weakest of God's Elders, which he has
chosen and set apart to preach the words of eternal life in all the
world. Wherever people receive the words of truth that that Elder has
preached unto them and obey them by baptism, and have hands laid on
them for the reception of the Holy Ghost, they all feel alike, no
matter what country they were born in, what their religion, politics,
social ideas, or anything else; whether Jew or Gentile, bond or free,
they are all one in Christ Jesus.

Vol. 11,  p.23
We have people gathered together in this Territory front all parts of
the earth; they have all been baptized into one baptism, and all have
partaken [p.24] of one spirit, and that one spirit proceeds from the
fountain of light and truth. It would be impossible, under any other
circumstances, to unite people together as our people in the mountains
are united. It would be impossible for all the reasoning powers of man
to bring about any such result; nothing but the power and Spirit of
God could accomplish it.

Vol. 11,  p.24
We all feel alike in regard to the great principles of eternal truth.
Why do we feel alike? Because we have all partaken of one spirit,
which proceeds from our Heavenly Father, it is the Holy Ghost. How
does it affect us? It affects our spirits. And although we do not
understand, sometimes, one another's speech, and are ignorant of the
ideas entertained by one another; and although the habits, customs,
and manners are diverse and various among the different nations from
which we have come, we still are one in sentiment, one in faith and in
confidence, and one in assurance.

Vol. 11,  p.24
I have heard men in the United States thank God with their whole heart
for the spirit imparted to them and for the blessings of the
everlasting Gospel; I have heard them do the same in France and in
Germany, and I have heard them do the same among other nations whose
language I was not acquainted with The same spirit inspires the
whole—it is the spirit of God, imparted through obedience to his laws,
and through the administration of the Gospel through the Holy
Priesthood, or by means of the Elders he has sent forth, and whose
acts He sanctions by imparting the Holy Ghost on whom they lay their
hands; and hence we are one, having been baptized into one baptism,
and partaken of the same spirit, and hence we have assurance, and are
constituted as no other people are under the heavens. We possess that
evidence and assurance which the world cannot give, neither can the
world take it away; and hence, we go forth with a steady unerring aim
with regard to the future. We know, individually and collectively,
what we are doing, and if there be those among us who do not
comprehend all things, yet we do know that we have partaken of the
Holy Ghost. We feel like the man that was born blind, who was healed
by the Savior. The Pharisees said to the healed man, "Give God the
praise, we know that this man is a sinner." He answered and said:
"Whether he be a sinner or not, I know not; one thing I know, that,
whereas I was blind, now I see."

Vol. 11,  p.24
All the sons and daughters of God who are living their religion, and
faithfully keeping the commandments of God, can render a reason for
the hope that is within them, and can answer the whys and the
wherefores for the movements of the Church and kingdom of God upon the
earth. They may not know what is going to be the result of this, that
and the other; but they do know that they have received the Holy
Ghost, and that God lives—that they have received a principle, whereby
they are enabled to say, Abba Father—My Father. "And this is life
eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus
Christ whom thou hast sent." Hence we have partaken of a portion of
eternal lives, and have begun to live for ever. It was upon this
principle that Jesus spake to the woman of Samaria, when he asked her
for a drink. Now there was a strong enmity existing between the Jews
and the Samaritans, and she thought it singular when Jesus asked her
for a drink of water. "Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou
knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith unto thee, give me
to drink; thou would'st have asked him, [p.25] and he would have given
thee living water." "Whosoever drinketh of this water, shall thirst
again; but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him,
shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him, shall be in
him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

Vol. 11,  p.25
Did the world know who these Elders are that go forth among them
bearing the precious seed of eternal life; could they comprehend and
realize it, they would ask of them, and they would give them water
which would be in them a well springing up into eternal life; for they
are the representatives of God on the earth, going forth with
authority from Him to impart unto the world the Holy Ghost, and lead
them into the paths of life. We have partaken of this Holy Spirit, and
hence there is confidence manifested in all our movements and actions
as a people.

Vol. 11,  p.25
Who among the true saints of God ever doubts as to the destiny of this
kingdom? Who that has the spirit of revelation—the spirit of
truth—ever dreams that this kingdom will ever be overthrown? They
quake in the north, and in the south; they wonder what the end will
be—whether they will gain that victory or lose that battle; whether we
are going to be divided into two separate nations, be consolidated in
one, or divided into a great many. These are matters that puzzle the
wisest of our statesmen. If we have any wise men in the United States,
and in the nations of Europe or the earth, let them manifest their
wisdom and put the world right.

Vol. 11,  p.25
The Latter-day Saints have no wonder what is going to become of them,
it never enters into our minds that anything will transpire that will
overthrow the Church and kingdom of God on the earth. What man that is
a Saint and has in his possession the gift of the Holy Ghost, that
does not know that the kingdom of God is onward? We know that we shall
overcome every opposing power. No matter what transpires, what effect
has it on us? None at all. It only affects the weak and vacillating,
that have not lived their religion and followed the light of the Holy
Spirit in them, they may fear; but the men and women of God, those who
live in the light of the countenance of the Lord, and cherish the Holy
Spirit in their bosoms, having no other feeling but the final triumph
of the kingdom of God on the earth, they know nothing else.

Vol. 11,  p.25
What inspired the ancient prophets to know that the time would come
when the Saints of God should take the kingdom, and the greatness of
it under the whole heavens should be given to them and He whose right
it is, should rule and reign, and have dominion? The same Spirit that
dwells in us proceeds from the same God that inspired the prophets of
old, developing the same truths, making manifest the same things, and
unfolding the same principles. We have confidence in relation to these
matters; and hence men that understand this, who live their religion,
feel perfectly satisfied in regard to any or all the events that shall
transpire on the earth.

Vol. 11,  p.25
We were driven out of Missouri—we were driven from one place to
another in Missouri, before we were driven out altogether; then we
were driven from Illinois to this Territory. But what of that? I know
some men who thought the work was at an end. I remember a remark made
by Sidney Rigdon—I suppose he did not live his religion—I do not think
he did—his knees began to shake in Missouri, and on one occasion he
said, "Brethren, every one of you take your own way, for the work
seems as though it had come to an end." Brigham Young encouraged the
people, [p.26] and Joseph Smith told them to be firm and maintain
their integrity, for God would be with his people and deliver them. I
never saw a time that the Saints enjoyed themselves better than when
they, apparently, were wading through the deepest troubles; I never
saw them more full of the Holy Ghost, and take more joyfully the
spoiling of their goods. Why was this? Because they had that spirit
within them of which we are speaking, and they knew what would be the
result of all these things. When we left Nauvoo, we sang joyfully:—

Vol. 11,  p.26
"On the way to California,
In the spring we'll take our journey;
Far above Arkansas fountains,
Pass between the Rocky Mountains." 

Vol. 11,  p.26
When it was asked us, "Where are you going?" our reply would be, "We
hardly know; we are going somewhere, and God will protect us, and all
is right and well in Zion, and all is peace, and all will be peace to
those who will love God and keep his commandments; because his kingdom
is established upon the rock of ages, and it is God's business to take
care of his Saints, and all is well."

Vol. 11,  p.26
And when the nation with which we are associated is shaken to its
centre and crumbles to pieces (it is pretty well shaken now,
notwithstanding what our President seems to say about it, that
everything is very prosperous, and that we have more men now than
before the war), notwithstanding all this, it is crumbling and
falling, and it will continue to fall and to crumble, until it is no
more, and by and bye there will be an end of it. Not so with the
kingdom of God; it will stand, and continue to exist and spread and go
forth, and correct principles—principles of eternal truth and light
and revelation from God—will be unfolded, and intelligence that dwells
with the gods will continue to be imparted to this people, and God
will be their God, and they will be His people, and He will continue
to lead them on from strength to strength and from knowledge to
knowledge, until they understand all correct principles that can be
known on the earth, until they are enabled to redeem themselves and
their posterity, and then establish the kingdom of God on the earth
until the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our God
and His Christ, and He shall reign for ever and for ever. And to this
end God has imparted unto us the spirit of intelligence and wisdom
that is unfaltering, unwavering, and unchanging, and that will live
and abide for ever. Have we not cause to be gratetful to God our
heavenly Father? I think we have. We enjoy peace, we enjoy happiness,
we enjoy the Holy Ghost, we enjoy communication with our heavenly
Father, we enjoy an association with the holy Priesthood, we have the
revelation of God in us, and God has undertaken to lead His people on
from strength to strength, from intelligence to intelligence, from
knowledge to knowledge, until they are able to see as they are seen,
and know as they, are known. And He is going to establish a reign of
righteousness and introduce a correct form of government, even the
government of God, the laws of God, the revelations of God to guide
and direct in all things: He will be our guide in philosophy, in
politics, in agriculture, in science, in art, and in everything that
is calculated to enlighten and impart intelligence, and give knowledge
of the laws of nations, of the laws of nature, of matter, and of all
laws that regulate all things pertaining to time and to eternity. He
will continue to instruct and to make manifest, and to put us in
possession of those principles that will exalt us and prepare us to
dwell with the Gods. We look on the future; [p.27] we looked on it
years ago, and we knew that the kingdom of God would roll on, and we
know so to-day, only our faith and knowledge is becoming more stable,
more established. We know that this kingdom will continue to spread
and to increase. Who can deprive us of that knowledge? No earthly
influence or power, or reasoning can do it; hence, we are perfectly
satisfied in relation to these things. And while we know this is
taking place and that a reign of righteousness will be introduced that
will be calculated to exalt and ennoble the human family, and make the
earth a paradise and to blossom as the rose, and make the wilderness
and desolate places glad, and the government and kingdom of God exist
from the rivers to the ends of the earth; whilst we are attending to
these things, we are also attending to other things, we are securing
to ourselves an everlasting exaltation, we are learning God and His
laws, and the whisperings of His Spirit, whereby we can be saved and
exalted and be brought to a closer union and connection with Him by
covenants and ordinances, and anointings, and endowments, and
blessings, that He is revealing and unfolding. We are learning to
build temples where we can receive instruction, and revelation, and
ordinances to be performed both for the living and the dead, for
ourselves, progenitors, and posterity, and bless the human family
throughout, that we may be saviors on Mount Zion and the kingdom be
the Lord's. We are learning to secure for ourselves mansions with our
heavenly Father, that where He is we may be also. Jesus said, "I go
away; but if I go, I will come and receive you to myself, that where I
am there you may be also," &c. We are preparing ourselves for those
mansions, and others are helping to prepare mansions for us who are
behind the veil. We shall operate for those who are there, and they
for us; for they, without us, cannot be made perfect, nor we without
them. We are forming an alliance, a union, a connection, with those
that are behind the veil, and they are forming a union and connection
with us; and while we are living here, we are preparing to live
hereafter, and laying a foundation for this in the celestial kingdom
of God. Ought we not to call upon our souls, and upon all that is
within us, to bless the name of the God of Israel, and to forget not
all His mercies? Ought we not to be seeking continually to glorify God
in our bodies and spirits, which are His? Ought we not to be seeking
to have our passions and desires and appetites in obedience and
subjection to the will of God? Ought we not to be seeking to control
our will and desires, and have everything yielding obedience to that
Spirit which emanates from our heavenly Father? Ought we not to be
seeking to promote a union with every godlike principle, with
everything that is lovely and amiable, and divest ourselves of all our
evil passions and propensities, and follies and waywardness, and seek
to draw near unto God ourselves, and also to draw our families near
unto Him, and seek to cultivate the Holy Ghost, that it may be in us a
well of water springing up into everlasting life, that we may be
worthy to be citizens of the kingdom of God; and that hereafter we may
enjoy an immortality of happiness with our progenitors and our
posterity, and with our God in the eternal world, even in this world,
when it shall be redeemed and sanctified and be made new?

Vol. 11,  p.28
May God help us to keep his commandments, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.[p.28] 

George Q. Cannon, November 13, 1864

Blessings of the People of God—Power of Evil and Unseen 
Influences—Ministration of Angels—Faith Necessary First As A 
Preparation for Greater Things—Holy Spirit Necessary 
for the Right Performance of Temporal Duties

Remarks by Elder GEORGE Q. CANNON, 
made in Kaysville, Sunday, November 13, 1864.

Reported By G. D. Watt

Vol. 11,  p.28
It is with very peculiar feelings, my brethren and sisters, that I
stand before you this morning to address you upon the principles of
life and salvation. In rising before you I request your faith and
prayers, that I may have the Spirit of the Lord to dictate unto me
those thoughts and reflections and instructions, which will be
profitable unto us. I feel myself that the Spirit of the Almighty is
here; I have enjoyed it very much this morning. While listening to the
singing, I felt that the singers had the Spirit of God resting upon
them.

Vol. 11,  p.28
We can enjoy ourselves while we are met together to-day; it is our
privilege to have a goodly outpouring of that Spirit which fills our
hearts with joy, with peace, light and intelgence. If we concentrate
our minds upon the object which has called us together, exercising
faith in our Father and God, these meetings will be counted among the
most delightful associations of our lives. I do not know that I ever
enjoyed myself so happily under any circumstances, as I have in
meeting with my brethren and sisters in conferences and in meetings
like these that we have had yesterday and to-day. At these meetings we
can throw aside the cares that press us from day to day, and
concentrate our minds upon the blessings which pertain to the kingdom
of God and to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and understand to a greater
extent than we can probably on ordinary occasions, how much the Lord
our God has favored us in revealing unto us His everlasting Gospel,
and in sending unto us His servants, authorized to administer unto us
the ordinances thereof. When we are in meetings like the present, we
can think about these things and ponder upon them, and our hearts are
filled with renewed feelings of thanksgiving and gratitude to God for
His abundant mercies to us as individuals and as a people. Since my
arrival home from abroad this last time, I think that I never have
experienced such a feeling of thanksgiving, joy, and happiness as I
have during the last two or three weeks. My feelings have been
peculiarly solemn, and I have often felt as though it would be a great
luxury to get off in some corner alone and weep for joy for all the
blessings God has so bountifully bestowed on us as a people, and upon
myself as an individual. The older we grow, and the more the kingdom
becomes developed, the more apparent are the blessings heaven bestows
upon us. He must be indeed blind who cannot see that we are a people
highly favored of God our Father, especially if it should be his lot
to go forth among the nations, and come in contact with the evil which
abounds in other countries. I believe there is a [p.29] feeling of
gratitude and thanksgiving pervading the breasts of the Saints
generally, which causes them to appreciate the kindness of the Lord
towards them. This feeling should increase more and more within us
every day we live.

Vol. 11,  p.29
The remarks which were made yesterday by the brethren who spoke were
to me highly edifying; I rejoiced greatly in them, and I could echo
the feeling expressed by Brother Woodruff when he said, we were the
most blessed people on the face of the earth, in having a father in
our midst who talks unto us in such plainness and simplicity the
principles of life and salvation. While Brother Brigham was speaking
unto us and dwelling upon the plain and simple principles of the
Gospel, and those things necessary for us to observe in order that we
may become developed before our heavenly Father, I felt that it
requires constant teaching and admonition on the part of the servants
of God to keep us in mind of our duty; it requires the servants of God
to be stirred up continually to diligence in preaching the plain and
simple principles of the Gospel to the people, that they may be duly
impressed therewith. Notwithstanding all we have heard, and we have
heard a great deal of the principles of righteousness, we still
require to be admonished day by day concerning our duty. It seems to
be one of the weaknesses of human nature that we are apt to forget the
principles of truth and righteousness, and to give way to influences
that are not of God. We are placed in this existence for the express
purpose of learning to overcome all these things. One of the great
objects, as I imagine, which God has in view in sending us here upon
the earth, is to give us experience in the influences of the earth
that we may contend with them successfully and overcome them, that
when we pass beyond the vail we may be in a position to comprehend
them to a greater extent than we could had we not come here and felt
the influences to which human nature is subject. I have thought that
we, as a people and as individuals, do not sufficiently realize the
importance of keeping guard upon ourselves, and upon our feelings, and
of resisting the influences that surround us.

Vol. 11,  p.29
While the brethren were speaking upon one point, namely, the
disposition of some people to imbibe spirituous liquor, it brought
some reflections to my mind connected with the influences that prevail
throughout the various portions of the earth. I believe there are
places and circumstances in which people can be placed, where there
are influences of this character brought to bear upon them that are
more difficult to resist than there would be under other circumstances
and in other places. I have often heard it remarked by the brethren,
and I have remarked it myself, that in some places there is a greater
disposition entertained by the people to commit adultery and indulge
in kindred sins of this description than there is in this country.
There seem to be influences in the atmosphere in those lands of such a
character, that unless a person is on his guard and constantly
watching and resisting them, he will be led down to destruction by
them. A spirit and disposition will creep over the people unless they
are careful, to lead them astray in the direction which I have named.
This is undoubtedly the case. There are spirits in the atmosphere that
are filled with that disposition, and who seek to influence those with
whom they are brought in contact, impressing those who are in the
tabernacle of flesh to indulge in the same sin.

Vol. 11,  p.29
There are influences in the atmosphere that are invisible to us that,
while we are here upon the earth, we [p.30] ought to resist with all
our might, mind, and strength—influences which, if we would be led by
them, would lead us to destruction—influences that are opposed to the
Spirit of God—influences that would bring upon us destruction here and
hereafter, if we would yield to them. These influences we have to
resist. We have to resist the spirit of adultery, the spirit of
whoredom, the spirit of drunkenness, the spirit of theft, and every
other evil influence and spirit, that we may continually overcome;
and, when we have finished our work on the earth, be prepared to
govern and control those influences, and exercise power over them, in
the presence of our Father and God. I have no doubt that many of my
brethren and sisters have sensibly felt in various places and at
various times evil influences around them. Brother Joseph Smith gave
an explanation of this. There are places in the Mississippi Valley
where the influence or the presence of invisible spirits are very
perceptibly felt. He said that numbers had been slain there in war,
and that there were evil influences or spirits which affect the
spirits of those who have tabernacles on the earth. I myself have felt
those influences in other places besides the continent of America; I
have felt them on the old battle grounds on the Sandwich Islands. I
have come to the conclusion that if our eyes were open to see the
spirit world around us, we should feel differently on this subject
than we do; we would not be so unguarded and careless, and so
indifferent whether we had the spirit and power of God with us or not;
but we would be continually watchful and prayerful to our heavenly
Father for His Holy Spirit and His holy angels to be around about us
to strengthen us overcome every evil influence.

Vol. 11,  p.30
When I see young men indulging in drunkenness and in stealing, I come
to the conclusion that they are led captive by the evil spirits around
them. We call it the spirit of the evil one; but he has numerous
agencies at work, even as the Lord has numerous agencies to assist him
in bringing to pass the consummation of His great designs. The
adversary has numerous agencies at his command, and he seeks to
control and lead to destruction the inhabitants of the earth who will
be subject to them. If we could see with our spiritual senses as we
now see with our natural senses, we should be greatly shocked at the
sight of the influences that prompt us to disobey the counsels of God
or the Spirit of the Lord in our hearts. But we cannot see them, for
they are spiritually discerned; and he who discerns the most, is the
most fully impressed by the Spirit of God; he who does not discern,
has not profited by the instructions given to him, and yields to those
evil influences in an unguarded moment, and is taken captive in his
blindness. He who is imbued with the Spirit of God is sensibly aware
when the evil power approaches; but he does not welcome it to his
bosom; he resists it with all the might and strength God has given
unto him, and he obtains power over it, and it no more troubles him;
if it does, its influence is more weakened than previously.

Vol. 11,  p.30
We often talk about and desire to see angels. Every person who has
joined this Church has had a desire to have revelations from God our
Heavenly Father, and have knowledge poured out upon him as it was
poured out in abundance upon the prophets of old. I merely suppose
that this is so with everybody else, because I have these feelings
myself, and judge others in this respect by myself. But, until we can
learn to control and resist those evil influences that are now
invisible, I think it would be unprofitable to have the administration
[p.31] of angels personally or visibly unto us. Until we can do this,
I do not expect that we can have those other blessings profitably
bestowed upon us. I do not expect that in the providence of God we
will be favored with those other blessings until we can listen unto
and obey the counsels of those appointed to preside over us. I know it
is natural for people to he anxious to have some ministering spirit
wait on them, and reveal itself unto them. For my own part, my
reflections have caused me to view this in a different light than I
viewed it in the beginning. I then thought it would be a great
blessing to have that favor bestowed upon me. But when I have
reflected upon the character and calling of the men whom God has
called and sent in this generation—when I have thought of Brother
Joseph Smith, and his greatness, his magnanimity, and his faith, I
have thought, and still think, it is one of the greatest blessings of
God upon me to have been permitted to behold his face and to listen to
his teachings. I feel the same now towards the present leaders of
Israel. I am satisfied that this generation has been honored by as
great prophets as ever stood before God upon the earth excepting the
Lord Jesus Christ; and how could I expect, if I disobeyed Brother
Joseph Smith's counsel, that I could be favored with the presence and
instruction of any being farther advanced than he was when he was in
the flesh? And so I feel in relation to Brother Brigham, whom we now
have with us; he is one of the noblest sons of God, a man whom God has
endowed with the wisdom of eternity, with the power in part that is
exercised in its fulness by the Gods of eternity. If we disobey his
counsel, disregard his warning voice, and are careless respecting his
teachings and the teachings of those associated with him, we are
indeed unworthy of the presence of personages who have been glorified
and who now dwell in the presence of God. I do not expect the day to
come when this people will be favored with the administration of
angels—with the presence of those holy and immortal beings—until we
can learn to appreciate the teachings and instructions of the men of
God in our midst. When that day does come that this people will
implicitly obey the voice of those whom God has placed over them, and
give heed to every instruction imparted to them by the spirit of
revelation through the servants of God, then I shall expect visits
from holy angels, and the glory and power of God to rest upon us to
that extent it has never done hitherto; but I cannot well expect it
before that time arrives, because if these blessings were to be
bestowed upon us before we are prepared to receive them, I should fear
they would turn to our condemnation, as they have done to many in the
early history of this Church.

Vol. 11,  p.31
There is nothing that we, as a people, have needed since our
settlement in these valleys, and I may say since the organization of
the Church, connected with the kingdom of God, in intelligence, in
wisdom and counsel, that we have had to wait for. We have had line
upon line, precept on precept, here a little and there a little, from
the beginning unto the present time, and there never was a day, an
hour, a moment, from the organization of this Church unto the present
time that we, as a people, have been destitute of the voice of God and
the instruction of the Holy Ghost. While this is the case, and we have
abundance of teachings poured out upon us, and we should refuse to
obey any of them, we need not expect visitations from higher
personages, coming down to administer unto us and impart unto us
things that we could know, if we would only learn to be obedient
[p.32] to the counsels and instructions we now receive. It is
necessary that we should be taught and instructed in the things of the
kingdom of God, and that our faith should be developed to such an
extent that we will have great confidence in those who labor in our
midst and who preside over us. It is for this purpose that the Gospel
is sent forth by the hand of the servants of God unto the inhabitants
of the earth. The Lord says through his servant Joseph Smith, in the
Book of Doctrine and Covenants, "Wherefore I, the Lord, knowing the
calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called
upon my servant, Joseph Smith, jun., and spake unto him from heaven,
and gave him commandments; and also gave commandments to others, that,
they should proclaim these things unto the world, and all this that it
might be fulfilled which was written by the prophets; the weak things
of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong
ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the
arm of flesh, but that every man might speak in the name of God the
Lord, even the Savior of the world; that faith also might increase in
the earth; that mine everlasting covenant might be established; that
the fulness of my Gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the
simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers."

Vol. 11,  p.32
This is the reason of the Gospel being preached, that faith might
increase within us, and that the New and Everlasting Covenant might be
established in our midst. These things were preached unto us in the
beginning, because it is necessary that man should be impressed with
the importance of the Gospel and plan of salvation which God has
revealed, and that he might have confidence in the words of the
servants of God. We have to learn that those who are worthy to be
entrusted with our salvation, and with the direction of the affairs of
the kingdom of God, are also worthy to be entrusted with the guidance
of temporal affairs in the same kingdom. It was a difficult lesson to
learn in the beginning. The people of God could not understand, in the
beginning, that Brother Joseph had wisdom sufficient to direct them in
their temporal affairs as well as in their spiritual affairs. While
the Church was in Kirtland it was a lesson they had not learned; they
could admit that Joseph was a prophet of God, and chosen of Him to
establish His kingdom on the earth, but they would not admit that he
had wisdom sufficient to direct them in temporal affairs, and they had
to be whipped, scourged, and driven from place to place before they
could really believe that the servants of God had this wisdom; but,
by-and-by, this knowledge dawned upon them, and they began to see that
men, chosen of God to establish righteousness and build up His
kingdom, had also wisdom concerning temporal affairs, and that the
same God who made the earth so beautiful for the habitation of His
saints—He who organized the heavens and controls the movements of the
heavenly bodies, that same God had power to give Brother Joseph Smith
wisdom to guide them in temporal affairs. This is a lesson that we
have had taught unto us from that time until the present; and to-day I
feel as though we were but poor scholars, and that there are many
things yet to be impressed upon our understandings connected with this
lesson.

Vol. 11,  p.32
We have to learn that, in the first place, the Lord sent His servants
forth to preach the principles of the Gospel, to impress upon the
inhabitants of the earth the necessity of believing in Jesus Christ as
the Savior of the [p.33] world, repenting of their sins, and being
baptized for the remission of them, and receive the Holy Ghost by the
laying on of hands, and it was hoped and expected that when the Holy
Ghost descended upon men and women they would be fined with the
spirit, of obedient, and that their understandings would he so
awakened that they would begin to Comprehend the object God had in
view in resisting the everlasting Gospel to the earth. It has had that
effect, but it has been slowly manifested; it has dawned upon us ray
by ray, gradually opening our minds to the comprehension of the great
work the Lord has established on the earth; and to-day, after years of
experience, the Church of Christ has barely commenced to comprehend
the great work God had in view in establishing His kingdom on the
earth. But we are learning it now more rapidly than we have in past
years. The knowledge is being brought home to us to a greater extent,
because we are in a position where we can be better taught these
things than before. We are beginning to understand that there is
something, besides that which concerns our spiritual welfare, needed
for the upbuilding of the kingdom of God on the earth; we begin to
understand that the Lord wishes us to be a people wise in the arts and
sciences, full of understanding and wisdom in the building up of
cities, in the erection of beautiful habitations and magnificent
temples, and in the exhumation of minerals from the bowels of the
earth, and their proper application for the beautifying of the cities
of Zion and the convenience of God's people. We begin to understand
that the Gospel has been revealed to show unto us the object of our
existence, that it affects every action of our lives from birth to the
grave, and that we cannot do anything but what is comprehended in the
Gospel. We hope our children will learn this lesson better than we
have, and to a greater perfection than we have learned it. As I have
said, it is necessary in the first place that we should have
confidence in the servants of God—in the affairs that pertain unto our
eternal salvation, and we would suppose we might trust them with the
direction of our temporal affairs, if, indeed, temporal and spiritual
can be divided, which really cannot be done.

Vol. 11,  p.33
There is one point we should be guarded against, and the brethren have
endeavored to impress it upon our minds, that is, in our seeking to
develop the resources of the earth and build up cities and temples and
the various works that are incumbent on us, that we should not forget
to keep our minds right before the Lord, that we should have his Holy
Spirit abiding within us. When the cares of every day life increase
upon us, in the business of forming settlements, pioneering and
performing our labors from day to day, we are too apt to forget, that
we should constantly seek to God with the same fervor and diligence
for His aid as we do for spiritual blessings. I find that I have to be
careful while engaged in business, for I know that the tendency of my
mind is to devote all my thoughts and all my time and attention to the
business that is in hand—that happens to occupy my attention at the
time. This is the tendency of people generally, and we have to guard
against it, and for which we have to be reproved, that we may not
yield to it to so great an extent as to drive the Spirit of God from
us. There is no necessity for this. If we grieve the Spirit of God
when we are performing our temporal duties, it is because we allow the
one idea to absorb our attention too much. While we are engaged in
these duties, we should have the Spirit of God resting [p.34] upon us,
as if we were engaged in preaching the Gospel.  

Vol. 11,  p.34
It is recorded in the Book of Mormon that when the Nephites were
oppressed by the Lamanites, who would not suffer them to pray orally
unto God, they prayed in their hearts, while engaged in their labors,
for the blessings of God to be granted unto them, for His deliverance
to be extended to them, and that their enemies might not have power to
hold them in bondage; and the word of the Lord came to them and
whispered peace, and told them that the day of their deliverance was
nigh at hand, the day in which He would emancipate them from the
thraldom of their enemies. This is a good example for us to follow. It
is possible for us to bring ourselves into such a condition that we
can pray unto God in our hearts, no matter what labor we are
performing. We are exhorted to pray constantly unto Him, and it is
possible for us to concentrate our thoughts on the things of God while
we are doing our labor, and our thanksgivings can ascend silently unto
God, and they are not unheard by Him, and His blessing can descend
upon us, and His joy can fill our hearts, and we can become the
happiest and the most Messed people upon all the face of the earth. I
know it requires a struggle to concentrate our thoughts on the things
of the kingdom of God, while we are engaged in business; but this is
one of the things which we have to train ourselves to and to overcome.

Vol. 11,  p.34
I am pleased to see our people developing the resources of the earth
as they are. It is gratifying to see them enjoying the blessings of
the earth, to see them wearing clothing of home manufacture, and to
see their houses carpeted with home-made carpets; to see the sisters
wearing beautiful dresses, spun with their own hands, is more pretty
to my mind than brocade silk or satin, or fine cloth imported from
foreign parts. In these things I can see the independence of our
people being gradually secured.

Vol. 11,  p.34
I will bring my remarks to a close, praying God to bless you, my
brethren and sisters, and those who may speak unto us, and to fill
them with His Holy Spirit, and also those who listen to their sayings,
that their hearts may rejoice together with exceeding great joy before
Him, which is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.[p.35] 

Orson Hyde, December 18, 1864

Analogy Betwixt the History of Joseph in Egypt and that of the 
Latter-Day Saints—Discovery of America By Columbus—Its Effect 
on the Work of the Last Days—Goodness of God to His People

Remarks by Elder ORSON HYDE, made in the 
Tabernacle in Great Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 18, 1864.

Reported By E. L. Sloan

Vol. 11,  p.35
I feel thankful, my brethren and sisters, for the privilege of once
more meeting with you in this tabernacle. I feel thankful that so many
of us are spared to meet together.

Vol. 11,  p.35
I need not reiterate in your bearing, that we are living in a most
important day and age of the world, equally important to the Saints of
the Most High as to the rest of mankind; for the present is fraught
with events that should admonish us to live near to the Lord, and to
keep ourselves unspotted from the world. We have been tried in
adversity. Many of us know what it is to be in the very depths of
poverty and privation; and we now seem to have advanced into a
measurable prosperity, in order that we may be proved and tried in
another manner, and let it be known in the heavens and to the just on
the earth whether we are able to abide prosperity as well as
adversity.

Vol. 11,  p.35
There are so many things before me and in my mind, that I hardly know
what to speak upon and call your attention to. I do not know that it
matters much, for the Saints are interested in everything that is
good, comforting, and cheering to the heart. I will say, however, that
what was written beforetime was written for our profit and
instruction, that we, through an understanding thereof, might have
patience and hope. A great enterprise was determined upon by our
Heavenly Father, and for this purpose he seemed to have inspired a
certain individual with the manifestations of his will in dreams, and
visions of the day, perhaps, also, of the night, and that individual
was Joseph of old. It appears that in this son of the Patriarch Jacob,
the germs of greatness and power were manifest, not only to himself in
his own reflections and thoughts, and by reason of the manifestations
he received of the Divine will, but, also, to the satisfaction of his
brethren, that he was likely to aspire to, or be elevated to, dominion
and government over them. This roused their envy and jealousy until
they could not endure his presence. They sought to rid themselves of
him, and contrived various plans and means to accomplish it,
especially after he had told them his dream, that their sheaves had
made obeisance to his sheaf as they were binding in the harvest-field.
And then, to cap the climax, he told them he had had another dream, in
which the sun and the moon and the eleven stars had made obeisance to
him. Not only was he to have dominion and power over his brethren, but
his father and mother, as well, were to recognize his power.

Vol. 11,  p.35
This created a jealousy that was satisfied only in his separation from
them, and they sold him to certain [p.36] Ishmaelitish merchants, who
bore him away, a slave, into Egypt. Little did they think, as they saw
him take his departure with the camels of those merchants, that he was
but a pioneer to open a way before them, and that they would actually
have to follow on his track and seek succor at his hands. But in
process of time it proved to be true, for the country from which he
had been expelled, sold as a bondman and thrust away by force, was
visited by famine, and he, by the interposition of Providence, was
elevated to power in the land to which he had been banished. He had
become a prince in that land, and its revenue and riches were under
his control. His brethren were forced by famine to go down there; so
were his father and their little ones. When they came to him and found
him occupying a princely state, it was overwhelming to them. They
bowed down to him. He was a prince! The Almighty had blessed him and
made him strong in the land to which they had banished him. Their very
jealousy and envy had placed him on the road to greatness and power,
and they were themselves compelled to seek succor from the brother
they had hated and banished.

Vol. 11,  p.36
I have adverted to but few circumstances connected with the history of
these individuals, for it would consume too much time to enter further
into them. But enough has been said to show you the analogy that
follows: We have been expelled from a certain country because our
enemies discovered in us germs of power and greatness which aroused
their jealousy and hatred, and they were determined to be rid of us.
When they saw us leaving, to cross the vast plains that stretched
before us, as we turned our backs upon the homes we had marie with
much labor and toil, they flattered themselves that they were rid of
any dominion of ours, either real or imaginary. But little did they
think when they were doing so, that they were forcing us on to a track
they would have eventually to travel themselves. This was hid from
their eyes.

Vol. 11,  p.36
The Saints did cross the plains to leave that country, and here we
are; and who better than ourselves can appreciate the circumstances
that now attend us? The Almighty has blessed us in this country; He
has poured His blessings bounteously upon us, for which every heart
here should beat with gratitude to the Most High. While war is
desolating the country from which we came, we are here in peace, for
which we should be thankful now that we are here. That element that
drove us away, not, perhaps, the first, but that very element is
beginning to follow in our track. What is its policy? The policy, no
doubt, is to cease to invade us by force of arms. But another is
adopted, more easily accomplished. What is it? Why, "We will oil our
lips, and smooth our tongues, and ingratiate ourselves into your
favor; we will mingle and co-mingle with you as brothers, and lead you
away; we will contaminate you, and by pouring wealth into your laps,
we will make you indifferent to your God, your faith, and your
covenants." The object is to destroy those germs of greatness which
Heaven has planted in our souls, at which they feel alarmed—germs of
greatness which, if cultivated, will lead us to wield a power to which
the nations will have to bow, as the nations had to bow to that Joseph
who was sold into Egypt.

Vol. 11,  p.36
Another circumstance I will call your attention to. In the first
place, every great enterprise is attended with its difficulties, its
hardships, and oppositions, for there must needs be opposition in all
things. We are told [p.37] that in the year 1492 this American
continent was discovered by Christopher Columbus. Look at the
exertions made by him to obtain the necessary means to effect the
discovery. It required ships, means, and men to enable him to make his
way across the trackless deep to find a country which, to him, seemed
necessary to balance the earth. The Spirit of God came upon him, and
he had no rest day nor night until he accomplished what the Spirit
wrought upon him to do. He went first to one place and then to another
to procure help. He applied to different crowned heads, and received
rebuffs and discouragements. He was poor; the plans of Jehovah are
mostly carried out by humble and poor individuals. So it was with
Columbus; he was poor, but daring and persevering, and with a soul
formed within his bosom to undertake and prosecute the great
enterprise that was to bring to light a vast continent reserved in the
providence of God as the theatre of great events in a period that was
then in the future. By the aid of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain he
obtained three small vessels, old and almost rotten, poorly manned and
badly provisioned. It was not because they believed he would be
successful, but like the unjust judge with the poor widow, they
desired to get rid of his importunities. The unjust judge had no very
strong feelings in favor of the widow, but that he might be rid of her
importunings, he hearkened to her prayer. So did they serve Columbus.
They said they would fit him out and send him away, and he might go on
his explorations for the imaginary country he fancied lay towards the
west. If they had had any faith that he would be successful, they
would have fitted him out with the best ships that any navies of the
time could have afforded, manned with sufficient men and supplied with
all the necessary equipments; and then they would have said, "Go and
prosper, and the God of the seas pioneer your course." But they had no
faith in the enterprise; they wanted to stop his importunings and get
rid of him.

Vol. 11,  p.37
When we look back at our history we find a certain analogy in it to
that of this man. Our enemies wanted to get rid of us. We applied to
the powers that were for aid and succor. What did we receive in
response to our applications? Silence in some cases; contempt in
others. And when we had to sell out, it was not with old rotten ships
that they paid us, but with old rotten wagons, old spavined horses,
and other things equally worthless. Then they said, "Go and do the
best you can." They thought they had given us an outfit that would
last us until our destruction would be consummated; they imagined it
would last us until we got beyond what they pleased to call
civilization; but thinking that, perhaps, we might live through all,
they demanded five hundred of our best men, while in camp in the
wilderness, leaving our camp to the care of cripples and old men and
women, in the midst of an Indian country. But we lived.

Vol. 11,  p.37
Little did Ferdinand and Isabella think that Columbus was leading the
way that all Europe would have to follow. If they had so thought, they
would have given him better ships and a better outfit. But when they
found he had opened a new country, rich and bountifully productive,
behold the surface of the ocean was whitened with the sails of
vessels, bearing their living freights crowding to seek fortune on the
new continent that spread itself invitingly before them. All Europe,
figuratively speaking, followed in his track, and spread themselves
over the face of the land. But see what these adventurers have come
to. This country, discovered [p.38] by him, is enveloped in war; and
if you live a few years longer, you will see much of the land that has
been blessed with unequalled prosperity, from the east to the west, a
wilderness and a desolation; and this will be in consequence of the
abuse of the blessings bestowed upon it by those who enjoyed them. If
I mistake not, a certain Senator said to a Senator from Louisiana,
"What are you going to do with Louisiana?" "Why," was the reply,
"Louisiana was a wilderness when we bought her from France, and if she
secede we will make her a wilderness again." If the land does not
become a wilderness and a desolation, we do not see correctly—we do
not understand correctly the revelations which the Almighty has given
us. The Scripture says, that in the last days His people will go forth
and build up the waste places of Zion. But they must first be made
desolate, before they can be called "the waste places of Zion." Then
the hands of the Saints will be required to build them up.

Vol. 11,  p.38
Compare the coming of the Saints here with the banishment of Joseph
into Egypt, and the manner in which Columbus was sent off on his
perilous exploration, and note the conclusion that follows. The world
dreaded the germs of greatness which they saw in the Saints. They
dreaded the power that seemed to attend them. They were almost at war
with us because we were united. They disliked the idea of our being
politically one. They wanted us to be of different parties. But when
they saw we were united, they Said, "There is a power that is destined
to make them great, to exalt them." And let me say here to the Saints,
be you united and be one with your leader, and you will as surely
ascend to power and elevation in the earth as Joseph of old did in the
land of Egypt. We are here, and in unity. We are not destroyed. When I
look at our condition at the present time, I cannot but feel that we
should be thankful to the Lord every day of our lives.

Vol. 11,  p.38
I was once in business, in the East, in the mercantile line, and we
used to sell our common unbleached factory at 16 2-3rd cents a-yard. A
yard of factory brought a bushel of oats. When I see that the Saints
can now get three yards of factory for a bushel of oats—three times as
much for their produce in this "God-forsaken country," so called by
some, as we could get when we were in the east, I have said, what but
the hand of God could have done it? I feel that the hand of God is
over this people. Then why, in the day of prosperity, should we permit
our hearts to run after the things of this world, and not permit our
feelings and affections to be centred in this kingdom, and use the
riches of this world as we use the waters of the ocean,—not enter into
them to be engulphed by them, but glide over them to power and
greatness as the ship moves onward to her destined port.

Vol. 11,  p.38
I am glad of the privilege of being with yo