Journal of Discourses Volume 12

BY PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG, 

HIS TWO COUNSELLORS, 
AND THE TWELVE APOSTLES,

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. XII

LIVERPOOL: 

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY ALBERT 
CARRINGTON, 42, ISLINGTON. 

LONDON: 

LATTER-DAY SAINTS' BOOK DEPOT, 20, BISHOP'S 
GROVE, ISLINGTON.

1869.[p.iii] 

Preface

Vol. 12,  p.iii
EACH discourse in this the XIIth volume of the "Journal" commends
itself to thoughtful perusal, being plain, practical, and of much
worth to all who desire to keep pace with the progress of truth.

Vol. 12,  p.iii
While Zion is so rapidly and prosperously lengthening her cords and
strengthening her stakes, it behooves all to be acquainted with the
teachings pertaining to her advancement and the perfecting of the
Saints; and inasmuch as the affords such
excellent facilities for an acquaintance with those teachings, it is
both desired and expected that the lovers of truth and of their own
best interests will at all times sustain its publication and profit by
its perusal so far as may be in their power.

THE PUBLISHER[p.1] 

Daniel H. Wells, April 8, 1867

Schools And School Teachers—Tithing, Etc.

REMARKS by President Daniel H. Wells, delivered in the 
Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, April 8th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.1
This is one of the greatest days that Israel has ever seen in this
dispensation, and one of the largest congregations that ever assembled
in the capacity of a Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. The cause which we have espoused possesses,
probably, to-day, a greater degree of prosperity than it has ever done
from its commencement. Thus may it ever be from this time henceforth
and for ever! From the commencement of this work until the present
time we have continually increased in power and numbers, and in
blessings from the Lord our God; and I believe that, today, a greater
degree of unity dwells in the hearts of the people called Latter-day
Saints than ever before.

Vol. 12,  p.1
When we look back on the past history of this people, and see the
difficulties they have had to encounter and have overcome, our hearts
should swell with joy and gratitude to the benign Providence which has
brought us to the position that we now enjoy. As we have been blessed
and preserved in the past, so it will ever be with us, if we will only
be true to ourselves and walk in the ways of truth and righteousness.
Has not our experience been sufficient in the past to give us
confidence in the future? Has not our faith been increased by the
multiplicity of blessings and favors which we have received at the
hands of our heavenly Father? Inasmuch as we have asked in faith for
blessings, and have had our prayers answered upon our heads, have we
not faith and confidence to approach our heavenly Father again and
again to supplicate for blessings? Most assuredly this is the
experience of every faithful Saint. Then let us continue to improve,
and endeavour to weed from our hearts every evil influence and strive
to overcome every besetting sin. Let this be among our labors in the
future, beginning with ourselves and then with oar families.

Vol. 12,  p.1
Upon this latter point, especially, let me say a word. Let us provide
schools, competent teachers, and good books for our children, and let
us pay our teachers. I would have no objection to seeing the standard
works of the Church introduced into our schools, that our children may
be taught more pertaining to the principles of the gospel in the
future than they are at present. And let one test of fitness on the
part of those who teach be a thorough acquaintance with and love for
the principles of the gospel which we have received, that our children
may be taught the principles of truth and righteousness, and be
trained from their youth in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Let this course be taken in our schools, and let us pay our teachers.
We have those among us who are well qualified for teachers if we will
[p.2] only pay them; but the great cry now is—"We cannot afford to
teach school, for the wages is too low, and low as it is we cannot get
it when it is earned." This is the great difficulty among us in this
matter, and it has always been a crying evil. It has no need to be so;
we should pay our school bills among the first things we pay.

Vol. 12,  p.2
If we wish to have teachers for our children let us sustain them. And
we should sustain our own publications, which inculcate the principles
of truth and righteousness, in preference to any others which may be
brought into our midst. There are other works that are good, against
which I do not wish to say anything; but let us first sustain our own
works, which are exclusively devoted to the spread of the principles
of truth. The Lord has undertaken to raise the standard of truth in
the earth through the instrumentality of His servants, and it is the
duty of the Saints to sustain those works which have the dissemination
of truth for their only object. We send forth Elders to the nations of
the earth, as messengers of salvation to the people; and while we
sustain those who go to proclaim the gospel, let us also sustain the
printed word.

Vol. 12,  p.2
Enough has been said on this subject, and I do not wish to
recapitulate, Let us pay our tithing, and do all we can to sustain the
servants of God. And in paying our tithing we should not forget our
money tithing. We hear considerable about hard times, so far as money
is concerned; they who are endeavouring to sustain the work of God
feel the pressure as much as anybody else. Let us contribute our mites
to assist; if we have not much let us give a portion for that
purpose—be free and liberal. What have we to do but to accomplish our
minion in building up the Kingdom of God? I know of nothing else that
is worth the attention of the Latter-day Saints. Then let us do this
with all our faith, might, and means, and be united as the heart of
one man in sustaining whatever is brought before us by those who are
placed over us to lead, guide, and direct our labors.

Vol. 12,  p.2
Has not the Lord the right to dictate the earth and its inhabitants?
Most a suredly, He has; and it would be a great blessing for the
people if they would allow Him to do so. We who have come here have
said we are willing to be dictated by the Lord. through His servants;
then let us make it our business to be no as long as we dwell in the
flesh, the more especially as we expect to reap the rewards and
benefits that will result from such a course. If we expect the
blessings of heaven we should take a course that will draw them down
upon us, ten they will most assuredly be ours as fast an we can make
good use of them. It we are only true to ourselves, and are faithful
to the end, our reward will be such that we will have no need to
complain of it. And even while we pass along through life, the course
of the Latter-day Saint is more conducive to happiness and peace than
that of any other individual on the face of the earth.

Vol. 12,  p.2
Let us not be disheartened nor discouraged, but press onward in the
good work which we have espoused. Our minds have been lit up with the
principles of life and salvation and the truths of heaven; then let us
cleave to those principles with tall purpose of heart, keeping God's
commands, and walking blamelessly before him in all things every day
of our lives. We shall thus accomplish our mission in the Kingdom of
God, and eventually be welcomed into the presence of our Redeemer,
which, I hope, will be the lot of every Latter-day [p.3] Saint, and of
every honest soul in the world.

Vol. 12,  p.3
These are some of my feelings. I hope and pray that we will all attend
to the teachings which we receive from time to time, for it is God in
His mercy who deals them out to us, and it is for us to treasure them
up in good and honest hearts, to carry them out in our lives, and to
shun all things that are offensive in His sight. This is the mission
of the Saints. Every man can be useful in his day and generation in
promoting these principles; and if we will be united in so doing,
truth will triumph in the hearts of the Saints, and a power for good,
such as we have never yet seen, will soon be developed, and will
increase until finally the earth will be redeemed from the thraldom of
sin, and the power of the wicked be for ever broken.

Vol. 12,  p.3
That our labors may speedily bring about this desirable consummation
is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Charles C. Rich, April 8, 1867

Labor To Build Up The Kingdom

REMARKS by Elder C. C. Rich, delivered in the 
Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, April 8th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans] 

Vol. 12,  p.3
I am glad to enjoy the opportunity of meeting with the brethren and
sisters at this Conference. I am also glad that we have beard the
instructions which have been imparted to us. The principle of the
Saints being united is one that we have labored to establish from the
commencement up to the present time. Every Saint who has any knowledge
of the gospel as it has been revealed to us in these last days, knows
that this principle has been impressed on their minds from the time
they first heard the gospel. Still, with all our labors and exertions
in the past, we have not yet reached this point, and we must continue
our labors for the accomplishment of this object.

Vol. 12,  p.3
When we am united in all things, the Lord will be able to use us in
very deed for the building up of His Kingdom; until then, He can use
us only as we are willing to be used. We say we are the people of God,
and that we are laboring to build up His Kingdom, but when we come to
think of it, we only do that which we can persuade ourselves to do.

Vol. 12,  p.3
We should be willing to do everything that the Lord requires us to do,
and even if we are, there is still great need for us to improve and
progress. This has been incumbent upon us from the time we embraced
the gospel, but more especially at this Conference, and when we make
up our minds individually and collectively to do all things that the
Lord requires of us, it will be a comparatively easy matter for us to
do so. We do not expect to learn everything [p.4] at this Conference,
but we can make ourselves willing to learn righteous principles, and
we can, if we choose adopt them as fast as we learn them.

Vol. 12,  p.4
We are placed under circumstances where we can apply our labors for
the accomplishment of the designs of the Almighty here on the earth,
and we ought to esteem this as a very great privilege.

Vol. 12,  p.4
There are a great many notions and opinions with regard to the work of
God and the building up of His Kingdom on the earth. We have received
the everlasting gospel from the heavens. It found us in the various
nations of the earth, and it has gathered us to this place for the
purpose of establishing the principles of righteousness and of
building up the Kingdom of God on the earth. As we have heard this
afternoon, and on many other occasions, the gospel we have obeyed
embraces all truth on earth and in heaven. We have not to emigrate to
some other world to find truth. We find it where we are; it is taught
to us faster than we are willing to receive and practice it; and I can
bear testimony that it has ever been so. We have never had to wait to
know what was the right course for us to pursue. "Labor for the
building of the Kingdom of God," has been the counsel given to us
continually, and when we have been called upon to perform any labor,
no matter in what direction, it has been with that object in view.

Vol. 12,  p.4
I have been reflecting a little in relation to the state of society
which would soon be in existence if the counsel given from this stand
this Conference were to be observed. We Would soon find a great deal
more peace, love, and oneness among the Saints than have existed in
times past; and, if we ever expect to be one, we, as a people, must
adopt in our lives those principles that have been and are continually
taught us by the servants of the Lord. If we ever expect to have
heaven, we must adopt those principles that will make hearten for us.
We have had the gospel revealed to us from the heavens, for the
purpose of bringing about that state of things here that exists in
heaven. And it will most assuredly result in this if we will
faithfully observe its principles. A faithful adherence to the
principles of the gospel will cure all the evils we now endure. Where
difficulties exist with individuals or communities, we would find, if
they were traced to their Source, that they exist simply because the
principles of the gospel have not been adopted and applied.

Vol. 12,  p.4
It is this labor that lies before us to learn the principles of the
gospel of salvation, and to apply them in our lives. This will remove
the evils we have to encounter, and will bring about union and
happiness; and, no matter where our lot may be cast, will make for us
a heaven upon earth. This is a joyous labor, and one in which all
should unite with an unwavering determination. By so doing we will
sustain those who preside over us, and our efforts will most
effectually tend to build up the Kingdom of God on the earth.

Vol. 12,  p.4
How can this Kingdom be built up unless God dictates? and how can we
labor to serve Him unless He dictates us? and how will He do this? He
will do it, as He ever has done, by and through His servants whom He
has placed at our head. In this way we can be united in building up
God's Kingdom and in moving forward His work on the earth. This is a
very great privilege, the possession of which confers upon us great
honor and blessings. When the whole people are united in, and live
continually according to, the principles of the gospel in all things,
evils [p.5] and difficulties will vanish from their midst like snow
before the rays of the sun, and soon the knowledge of God will cover
the earth as the waters cover the deep.

Vol. 12,  p.5
We have yet much to learn, but I often think that we can do more for
the spread of truth and the work we are engaged in than we imagine. We
can read of individuals among the ancients who performed wonders on
the principle of faith. They subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness,
obtained promises, stopped the months of lions, and performed many
wonderful works. Can we not do something on the principle of faith?
Can we not have power with God as well as the ancients, if we labor
continually to carry out His designs? I am satisfied that if we all go
home and carry out the principles which have been taught to us during
this Conference we shall soon see happy results flowing therefrom.
There is a responsibility resting upon us all to do so, and we should
discharge that responsibility honorably before God and each other. By
following the counsel given us during this Conference, our union,
peace, and best interests will be greatly advanced and forwarded.

Vol. 12,  p.5
Severe indisposition prevented me from being present at last fall
Conference, but I am thankful that I am present now. I always rejoice
to be at Conference, or at any meeting with the Saints. I love to see
and talk to them, and I love to hear others talk, and I love to use my
influence to move forward and build up the cause of Zion, and to
establish righteousness on the earth. We all ought to cultivate this
kind of feeling and principle. We never need be afraid if we are doing
right, but fear only to do wrong. Individuals are apt to think
sometimes that if they do a wrong no person in the world knows it but
themselves, but it is known also to God, and if a wrong is known to
God and to the one who commits it, his influence with God is
destroyed, and it lowers him in his own estimation. Suppose, for
instance, that a person wants a favor of President Young, but he has
done some wrong that is known to the President, he cannot ask that
favor with any confidence, but his head is cast down, and he feels
condemned because of the wrong he has done. How much more is this the
case when seeking blessings from the Lord. We should think of this in
our course through life. We should also remember that the Lord has
said, that "inasmuch as ye do it to one of the least of these my
servants, ye do it unto me."

Vol. 12,  p.5
When we apply this principle to our conduct, strictly and properly, we
shall Feel that we do not want to injure anybody or do anything wrong,
and injuries and wrongs will fast disappear and will be soon blotted
out of existence. This is what we are laboring for, and this course of
conduce will move forward the cause of Zion, and enable us to do all
things the Lord requires of us.

Vol. 12,  p.5
That we may labor to accomplish this work faithfully is my prayer, in
the name of Jesus. Amen.[p.6] 

George A. Smith, May 19, 1867

Prosperity of Southern Utah 

REMARKS by Elder Geo. A. Smith, delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, May 19th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans] 

Vol. 12,  p.6
Unpropitious as the morning has been we are assembled here for the
purpose of receiving instruction. It is a pleasure to me to meet with
the Saints. I feel the spirit that prompts them in the discharge of
their duties, and the response which comes from the congregation to
the speaker, inspired by the Spirit of the Lord, is mutually
calculated to instruct and encourage us in the discharge of our
several duties.

Vol. 12,  p.6
Since Conference I have visited the settlements south to some extent,
accompanying President Young on his journey. I have been much
gratified that the Saints are progressing, and that the teachings
given at Conference are being generally carried out, although the
settlements were then but thinly represented, in consequence of the
almost impassable state of the roads. The word, however, has gone
forth, and the feeling is implanted in the breasts of the Saints to
make new efforts and endeavors to fulfil the duties of their calling,
and to cultivate that spirit of oneness which is necessary to enable
us to overcome and to attain that position in the earth which God
designs His Kingdom to occupy in the last days.

Vol. 12,  p.6
I must say that in travelling through the country, and looking at
things as they naturally exist, I could but wonder that anybody on the
earth could envy us the privilege of living in these mountain deserts.
Our brethren in the cotton country have had to struggle against
natural difficulties to a great extent, and have overcome them only by
main strength, and a continued exercise of that strength is necessary
to keep what they gain. It is true that, some of the settlements or
towns are located in positions where they can obtain their water for
irrigation from springs; this, however, is in limited quantity. The
city of St. George receives its water from a number of springs which
seem to be increasing in quantity, but if the city should be enlarged,
as anticipated, the water will have to be brought from a distance at a
very great expense. The city lots in Washington and Tokerville are
watered by means of springs, but the farming lands in Washington and
St. George are watered from the Rio Virgen and Santa Clara rivers.
These streams are subject to floods. The soil on their banks is so
friable and uncertain that whenever a flood comes the dams that are
placed in these streams, to aid in taking out the water, are easily
washed away, and the cotton and grain fields can be irrigated only at
a vast annual expense.

Vol. 12,  p.6
It seems a difficult task to contend with the elements, and to
accomplish that which is required of us; and I am very well satisfied
that no other people would attempt to improve [p.7] these locations
for a long time to come were we not occupying them. The settlements
already made are like oases in the desert—they are made productive by
irrigation and the industry of the Saints, and are kept flourishing by
the constant application of labor. This rule applies with almost equal
force to every settlement in the Territory, as well as those in the
cotton country. All the irrigation that is carried on, whether it be
from large or medium sized streams, is done at considerable expense,
and when the floods come, through the melting of the snow, sudden
rains, or waterspouts, the canals are filled up and the works torn
away, which imposes constant and continued labor on the hands of the
Saints; the result is that, whatever agricultural improvement is made
is held by main strength.

Vol. 12,  p.7
Now, I regard this as peculiarly favourable to the Latter-day Saints,
because they are possessing what nobody else in the world would have.
You know when we lived on the rich fat lands of the Mississippi and
Missouri valleys, our fields and improvements were coveted. Our
enemies gathered around us and attempted to drive us away, and
ultimately succeeded, and they robbed Us Of our inheritances, which
were worth millions of dollars. When we located here we located on a
spot that was not likely to be desirable to anybody else, any further
than our labor made it so.

Vol. 12,  p.7
The country in the southern part of this Territory is singularly
constructed, and embraces a variety of climates within a very few
miles. For instance, when we reached Parowan it was cold, the season
was backward, the bloom on the peach trees was scarcely visible; we
went on to Cedar, eighteen miles farther, and there was a very slight
change. We then went on to Kanarra, a settlement thirteen miles
farther, there was a very slight change, but the season was not near
so forward as at Salt Lake City. Between Kanarra and Toquerville, a
distance of twenty-three miles, we pass over a series of low ridges,
generally denominated the Black Ridges. About twelve miles of this
road have been worked through rocks at a very great expense, and it is
still very rough. The winds and rains together have so blown and
washed the soil from among the rocks that it is a hard road to travel.
There is nothing on it, however, but a few patches of sand to hinder a
team from hauling considerable of a load. When we had crossed this
road and reached Toquerville, it was astonishing to see change in
vegetation. The town was perfectly green; the apricots were from
one-third to one-half grown, the peaches were as large as bullets, end
the grapes all set and the stems formed, and it looked like
mid-summer. This was in the short distance of some twenty-three miles.
The little belt of land upon which the settlements along the southern
border of the Territory blessed with this climate are located, was so
narrow and small that it was really believed by those who first
explored it that it was scarcely capable of supporting any population
at all. Every year, however, develops more and more its capabilities,
and the people are becoming more healthy and contented as prosperity
smiles upon them and attends their labors.

Vol. 12,  p.7
I have passed through the region to the south of our settlements a
great many times, and I have been thankful for the desert that I had
to go over. As many of you know, it is many miles from one spring, or
from one place where it is possible to obtain water, to another. There
are [p.8] water stations formed by springs or little mountain streams;
but they sometimes go dry, and it is generally fifteen miles, and
sometimes twenty or thirty between each. Nothing grows there except
sage and a little grass, and when we get to the southern border of the
Territory we find thorns and thistles, and the cactus, which grows to
a tree seven or eight feet high, and so thorny that no one, seemingly,
can get near it. I was struck with the good condition of the cattle as
I passed through the country. I could not see what they got to eat;
they would stand and watch the cactus, it looked so nice and green,
but woe to the animals that touched it. The earth in this region is
fortified with thistles sufficiently to justify the prediction to
Adam, when, cast from the garden—"Thorns and thistles shall it bring
forth."

Vol. 12,  p.8
A great portion of the soil cultivated by the brethren is sand;
cultivation, however, seems to change its nature considerably. In
Washington and St. George they have been greatly inconvenienced in
consequence of mineral being in the soil. Much of this mineral land is
being reclaimed, and the prospects for abundance of fruit are very
good. Grape vines planted three or four years ago now bear
plentifully, and the extent and breadth of soil for the planting of
vineyards, and for raising abundance of other fruit to which that
climate is more particularly adapted than this upper region of the
basin, are being greatly increased. To look at these little spots one
would think that all the land susceptible of cultivation was now
occupied, and that there was no room for more; but, by continued labor
and expense, additional land may be reclaimed. The dam constructed
four years ago for the irrigation of the farms near Washington,
situated four miles above the town, has been washed out by the floods;
the result will be to some extent disastrous to the cotton crop, and
but little, probably, will be planted. The fact is, however, that as
soon as the people are able to do it, they can dig canals on each side
of the Narrows where this dam has been located, and thus procure a
permanent supply of water.

Vol. 12,  p.8
The proposed canals will bring under range of irrigation several
thousand more acres of land, which, by being carefully and properly
cultivated, will make room for many more settlers. Notwithstanding the
many difficulties with which the people have to contend, we found them
progressing and feeling warm and warm-hearted. Most of them were sent
there as missionaries, and sacrificed good homes and competence in
this part of the country to go and assist in building up that mission,
and we feel, in relation to them, that they are really the choice
children of Israel. The town of St. George is being built up
magnificently, many of the houses are of first-class character, their
improvements are permanent, and their gardens and vineyards are being
cultivated in a very tasteful manner, and its present appearance seems
to indicate that at no distant day it will be one of the most
delightful spots in creation.

Vol. 12,  p.8
The people who were sent on that mission, and who have remained in the
country, are those who are willing to do what is required of them, and
determined to fulfil the laws and commandments of God. There are many
who thought the country could not be reclaimed, and abandoned it, who
are scattered along the road between here and there, and some are now
going back to make a beginning. The building of the cotton factory by
President Young at Washington has also encouraged the Saints; [p.9] it
is a good building, has excellent machinery, is capable of making
considerable yarn, and is calculated to promote the growth of cotton
and to render the settlements permanent. We did not visit Kane County,
but understood that the settlers there had suffered considerably from
floods in the Rio Virgen destroying the dams and washing away fields
and orchards. Many of the Saints from Kane County attended Conference
at St. George, and rejoiced in the instructions that were given.

Vol. 12,  p.9
I will say that, so far as I am concerned, I was not annoyed during
the whole journey by being compelled, or even required by gallantry or
common courtesy, to take tea or coffee. The brethren of the party
observed the Word of Wisdom in this respect, and wherever we went we
found the feeling to do the saute general among the people. Some of
the brethren who had long been in the habit of chewing tobacco found
it unpleasant, but as a general thing they were reflecting on the
subject, and were disposed in good faith and with determination to do
right. President Young and his brethren were received at every place
with demonstrations of joy, gratitude, and pleasure. The meetings were
crowded, and every building and bowery we assembled in seemed to be
too small. It was astonishing where so many people came from. We
realized that our settlements were increasing, and that our
institutions were favourable to the increase of population. Still
there is room for more, for all were busy and had more than they could
do, and there are yet many ways in which labor can be advantageously
employed in building towns, cities, school houses, and in making other
improvements.

Vol. 12,  p.9
With this view of the subject I can but express my thanks to God for
all the drawbacks peculiar to our location here—the mountains,
perpetual snows, the deserts, the barren sage plains, the sand hills,
the noxious mineral in the soil, and the uncertainty of the climate,
for they help to isolate and shelter us from our enemies; for, for
some cause, from the time we commenced to preach the principles of the
gospel of Christ it has been the fixed determination of our enemies to
destroy us, and they have sought every occasion against us. Wherever
we have lived we have been law-abiding, still we have been subjected
to the power of mobocracy. Mobocrats have robbed us of our
inheritances, and have driven us from place to place, but here, while
we have to contend with the sand, rebuild our dams, and to irrigate
every particle of vegetation that we raise for our sustenance, we are
no longer subject to their molestation. Like the fabled fox in the
brambles, I rejoice at these difficulties. The fox had been chased by
the dogs, and he escaped to the brambles; he found himself in a rather
thorny position, but consoled himself with the reflection that though
the thorns tore his skin a little they kept off the dogs. So it is
with us. These mountains and deserts, with their changeable climate
and the great difficulty and immense labor necessary for us to endure
and perform in order to sustain ourselves, keep off those who would
rob and deprive us of the comforts of life; and every man of
reflection who passes through this country is apt to say—"This country
is just fit for the Mormons; nobody else wants to live in it."

Vol. 12,  p.9
To be sure men might come into your garden and partake of your
strawberries and other fruits, and seeing what a nice little spot you
had [p.10] made with twenty years of labor, they might say, "had we
not better rob them of this," or "cannot we lay some plan to rob them
of this?" There was a person of this kind over in Nevada, who
presented a bill to Congress to rob the Latter-day Saints of their
inheritances unless they took certain oaths, which no Latter-day Saint
could take conscientiously. What does this spirit of robbery amount
to? It simply shows the corruption and wickedness of men, and makes us
thankful that God has given us this country for an inheritance, that
the Saints may attain strength, cultivate virtue, uprighteousness,
honesty, and integrity, and maintain themselves as the servants of the
Most High.

Vol. 12,  p.10
I have enjoyed myself very much on this tour; we have had very
agreeable meetings. During twenty-three days the President preached
about nine hours. We had altogether thirty-five meetings It was a very
industrious trip. It was pleasant, but the pleasure was hard earned.
So far as we learned, the natives were disposed to be friendly, all of
them we saw were so, and those who were reported to us were in the
same condition. We have hopes that the action of our brethren in
gathering to stronger positions and living more compactly is
calculated to promote peace. Carelessness on the part of the brethren
in scattering beyond their settlements with their families and cattle,
and thus tempting the wild men of the mountains to come out and rob,
plunder, and murder, has been the chief cause of Indian difficulties
heretofore. The observance of the counsel and instruction given will
put a better face on these matters, and more peaceable times may be
anticipated. So far as the hearts of the Saints are concerned, they
seemed one. We found no divisions, jarrings, or contentions, but all
were struggling to do a great and good work. They rejoiced to see the
President and to hear his instructions, and were ready to carry them
out.

Vol. 12,  p.10
The brethren and sisters are struggling with all their might to build
up the Kingdom of God, enjoy its blessings, and partake of its glory.
This is the feeling we found in travelling; we rejoiced in it, and we
rejoice in the privilege of returning; and we pray the Father that His
peace may be on the Saints, that they may eternally enjoy a fulness of
the everlasting gospel, with all its glory, in the celestial kingdom,
through Jesus our Redeemer, Amen.[p.11] 

Wilford Woodruff, May 19, 1867

The Pleasure and Trials of Missionary Labors—Improvement
in the South—Every Gospel Principle Righteous and Essential

REMARKS by Elder Wilford Woodruff, delivered in the 
Tabenacle, Great Salt Lake City, May 19th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.11
I also am a missionary, and I always considered it a great honor to be
one. I received a mission when I embraced this work; it has never been
taken from me yet. In company with a number of the brethren I have
just returned, as br. Taylor has said, from visiting our brethren in
the south. We have had an excellent time. We have been over a great
many rough roads, traveled hard, and have preached from once to three
times every day. We have been taught, instructed, and edified; at
least I have a great deal. We have had a good time in visiting the
Saints, and as President B. Young remarked in some of his discourses,
we have been able to draw the contrast between preaching to the Saints
and preaching to the world. My own experience enabled me to bring that
subject home very readily, and I presume it is so with most of the
Elders who have been on missions preaching the gospel. I have
travelled a great many thousands of miles to preach the gospel without
purse or scrip, with my knapsack on my back, and begging my broad from
door to door. I have done many things that all the gold in California
would not have hired me to do except for the gospel. My natural
feelings would forbid me travelling through the world asking fur my
bread from door to door; I would much sooner labor for it.

Vol. 12,  p.11
We have been called to preach the gospel; the Lord Almighty has
required it at our hands; we would have been under condemnation as
Elders if we had not done it. We have done it, and our garments, in a
great measure, are clear of the blood of this generation. For over
thirty years we have labored to preach the gospel; and we have
gathered together a people to these valleys of the mountains, with
whom I rejoice to meet. I once asked the Lord to let me go and preach
the gospel. I had a desire to preach the gospel in its beauty,
plainness, and glory, and to show the worth of the principles it
contained. I felt that they were of as much value to my fellow men as
to me. The Lord gave me, the privilege I asked for, and I believe that
I have preached to the nations of the earth as much as I desire; if
duty should not require it, I never wish to go and preach to the world
again. I have had my day and time at it; still, if called to go, I
presume I should go as I have always done. But I do enjoy the society
of the Saints, I love home, and I love to travel through these
settlements, and to see the boys, the girls, the men, and the women
parading the streets to welcome the President and his brethren; and,
on our return here, to meet with greetings from ten thousand Saints
brought peculiar meditations to my mind. It brought [p.12] home very
forcibly the contrast between preaching to the Saints and preaching to
the world.

Vol. 12,  p.12
In my early missions, when preaching in the Southern States—Arkansas,
Tennessee, an Kentucky—I have waded swamps and rivers and have walked
seventy miles or more without eating. In those days we counted it a
blessing to go into a place where there was a Latter-day Saint. I went
once 150 miles to see one; and when I got there he had apostatized,
and tried to kill me. Then, after travelling seventy-two miles without
food, I sat down to eat my meal with a Missouri mobocrat, and he
damning and cursing me all the time. That is the nature of the
Southern people—they would invite you to eat with them if they were
going to cut your throat. In those days we might travel hundreds and
hundreds of miles and you could not find a Latter-day Saint, but now,
thank God, we have the privilege of traveling hundreds and hundreds of
miles where we can find but little else. I regard this as a great
blessing.

Vol. 12,  p.12
Our missionaries are going abroad under different circumstances from
what we went. We had no Zion, no Utah, no body of Saints to give us
any assistance. We were commanded to go without prose or scrip, and we
had to do it. We trusted in the Lord, and he fed us. We found friends,
built up churches, and gathered out the honest and meek of the earth.
Tinges have changed since then. These brethren are going to the
nations of the earth where starvation stares many of the people in the
face, and where it is hard for millions to obtain the necessaries of
life. The people here are wealthy, and it is no more than right that
we should impart of our substance to help those who are going on
missions. I hope the brethren and sisters will help liberally, and
will impart sufficient to send the brethren to their several fields of
labor.

Vol. 12,  p.12
I rejoice in the gospel of Christ; I rejoice in the principles that
have been revealed for our salvation, exaltation, and glory. I rejoice
in the establishment of the work in these mountains, and in our
southern settlements. As has been already said, the Lord has blessed
our brethren there. It is a miracle to see those settlements when we
consider what the country was such a short time since. The city of St.
George is second to none in the Territory unless it be Great Salt
City; and I doubt the latter being equal to St. George, when we take
into consideration the population of the two places. They have better
buildings and improvements there, according to numbers, than we have
here. At Toquerville, too, they are laying fine foundations for stone
and brick buildings, and they are improving all through the southern
settlements. The soil there is so sandy that it looks as if it would
require two men to hold it together long enough for a hill of corn to
grow. Like the waves of the sea, it is ever on the move. It contains,
too, a good deal of mineral which destroys the vegetation and
everything with which it comes in contact. Some of the brethren have
spent as much as two thousand dollars to render an acre of land
productive; now they have fine gardens and vineyards growing, and,
strange to say, though the country naturally looks like a desolate,
barren, sandy, unfruitful desert, still the cattle are fat, all kinds
of stock look well, and everything was green and flourishing in the
settlements as we passed through them. The whole of that mission at
its commencement presented a most forbidding aspect, and really had so
many discouraging features that men [p.13] were compelled to work by
faith and not by sight. Now, however, the soil is blessed, the climate
is delightful, and plenty and prosperity attend the labors of the
people. To show you the difference of the climate in the country, and
of the district of country a few miles this side of it, I need only
mention that the morning we left Beaver there was ice along the
creeks, but when we got to Toquerville, two days' travel further
south, we found the apricots half grown, the peaches as large as peas,
the cottonwood trees green and in full leaf, altogether looking like
another country. It is a different climate altogether from what it is
in these higher places.

Vol. 12,  p.13
The hand of God is in all the operations we are trying to carry out.
We have to build up Zion independent of the wicked; we have got to
become self-sustaining, and the Lord is inspiring His prophets to
preach to us to lay the foundation for the accomplishment of this
work. The day is not far distant when we shall have to take care of
ourselves. Great Babylon is going to fall, judgment is coming on the
wicked, the Lord is about to pour upon the nations of the earth the
great calamities which He has spoken of by the mouths of His prophets;
and no power can stay these things. It is wisdom that we should lay
the foundation to provide for ourselves.

Vol. 12,  p.13
With regard to the Word of Wisdom, I must say I was agreeably
surprised to see how generally the people are taking hold of it. We
did not see much coffee or tea, and I do not think that one in the
company drank a drop of it. I rejoice in this; it is going to make the
people more wealthy, it will save us a great deal of means, besides
preventing our being poisoned to death, for these things are poisoned,
and the Lord understood that when He gave the Word of Wisdom many
years ago. The people are improving in a great many tilings. There is
a very good spirit and feeling among them, and the feeling to carry
out the purposes of God is general.

Vol. 12,  p.13
I rejoice in this work because it is true, because it is the plan of
salvation, the eternal law of God that has been revealed to us, and
the building up of Zion is what we are called to perform. I think we
have done very well considering our traditions and all the
difficulties which we have had to encounter; and I look forward, by
faith, if I live a few years, to the time when this people will
accomplish that which the Lord expects them to do. If we do not, our
children will. Zion has got to be built up, the Kingdom of God has got
to be established, and the principles revealed to us have to be
enjoyed by the Latter-day Saints. There is no principle that God has
revealed but what has salvation in it, and we, in order to be saved,
must observe His laws and ordinances. Where is there a man or woman
who does not wish to be saved? All wish to be saved; all desire
salvation, and to enjoy those blessings which they were created to
enjoy. The gospel has been offered to this generation for the purpose
of saving them in the Kingdom of God if they will receive it. I
rejoice in all the principles revealed to us, and the more I see,
hear, and learn, the more I am satisfied of the importance of the
revelations that God has given to us. As President Young remarked in
one of his sermons south, "Whatever the Lord reveals to this or any
other people does not ignore anything revealed before." No part of the
gospel is superfluous. It is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever,
and all the inhabitants of this world and all others have got to be
saved by it, [p.14] if saved at all. It is necessary, therefore, that
we receive and obey all of its principles. When the first principles
of the gospel were revealed to us we rejoiced in them. After them we
had other principles revealed, the principle of baptism for the dead,
for instance. We did not know anything of that until about the year
1840, on our return from England. I rejoice in that principle. It is a
great blessing that there can be saviors on Mount Zion. It is a
glorious principle that we can go forth and erect temples and attend
to ordinances for the living and the dead; that we can redeem our
forefathers and progenitors from among the spirits in prison. They
will be preached to in prison by those spirits on the other side of
the vail who hold the keys of the Kingdom of God, and we will have the
privilege of attending to ordinances in the flesh for them. Then,
again, the blessing that God has revealed to us in the patriarchial
order of marriage—being sealed for time and eternity—is not prized by
us as it should be. When that principle was revealed, the prophet told
the brethren that this kingdom could not advance any farther without
it; "and," said he, "if you do not receive it you will be damned saith
the Lord." You may may think this very strange, but the Lord never
reveals anything that He does not require to be honored.

Vol. 12,  p.14
What would have been our position if this had not been revealed? This
principle is plain, clear, and interesting; without it not a man in
this Church could have either wife or child sealed to him for
eternity, for all our marriage covenants before were only for time,
and we, as a Church, had arrived at that point when, in order to
insure a full salvation, it was necessary to reveal this principle. It
is a great blessing to us. We love our wives and children, and wish to
enjoy their society, but the thought of separation would mar all the
happiness that the Saints might otherwise attain. The Saint who
aspires to salvation and glory wants a continuation of family ties and
assocations after death. Without this principle we were like the rest
of the world—without any such hope. From the day the apostles were
slain until the Lord revealed this principle in the last days, not a
man ever dwelt in the flesh who had wife or child sealed to him for
eternity, so that he could enjoy their society in the resurrection.
That was just our position before this ordinance was revealed, but
now, whether we have one wife, two, three, or as many as the Lord sees
fit to bestow upon us, when we come forth from the grave our families
remain with us in the eternal world. So it is with every principle the
Lord reveals—it is good for His people in time and eternity.

Vol. 12,  p.14
Brethren and sisters, let us be faithful, and look at the promises of
God as they are contained in the gospel of Christ, and never treat
lightly any principle, no matter what it is, whether it be faith,
repentance, baptism for the remission of sins, the resurrection of the
dead, eternal judgments, the marriage covenant, baptism for the dead,
or any other ordinance that the Lord has revealed; they all belong to
the kingdom, are necessary to salvation, and the responsibility of
carrying them out rests upon this people. We know that the world looks
with contempt upon us and upon the institutions of the Kingdom of God.
They do not object to institutions that are corrupt and ungodly. The
world is flooded to-day with evil and wickedness, and the earth groans
under it. But because we as a people follow [p.15] the example of
Abraham, in taking more wives than one, we are universally decried and
despised. The Christian world profess to believe in Abraham, and he,
through obedience to the command of God in this respect, was called
the "Father of the faithful," and the twelve gates of the New
Jerusalem will each be named after one of the twelve patriarchs, his
descendants, and the sons of a polygamist, and fathers of all Israel.
Even the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to lay down his
life to redeem the world, was through the same lineage. He was of
Judah; He was the King of the Jews and the Savior of the world.

Vol. 12,  p.15
These principles are as righteous to-day as in any other age of the
world when governed and controlled by the commandments of God. Let us
prize all the principles, revelations, and blessings that God has
revealed to us; let us treasure them up, do our duty to God, to one
another, and our fellow men. No man has any time to sin, to steal,
swear, or break any of the laws of God if he wishes to secure a full
and complete salvation; but we must all do the best we can, laboring
with all our might to overcome every evil, for it will take a whole
life of faithfulness and integrity for any Saint of God to receive a
full salvation in the presence of God.

Vol. 12,  p.15
May God bless us, and give us His spirit, and wisdom to guide and
direct us into all truth, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

George Q. Cannon, April 7, 1867

Necessity Of Union And Obedience To Counsel

REMARKS by Elder Geo. Q. Cannon, delivered in the 
Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, April 7th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.15
There have been a great many excellent remarks made to us since we
assembled ourselves together to celebrate the anniversary of the
organization of the Church, remarks which, if treasured up in our
hearts and practiced in our lives, cannot fail to make us a much
better people than we are to-day. It should be clear to the mind of
every Latter-day Saint that there is an extreme necessity for us to be
united. it is to our union alone, imperfect though it may have been,
that we may attribute oar success in the past, under the blessing of
God. If we have any name or prestige in the earth, if there is
anything attached to the name of Latter-day Saint or "Mormonism" that
conveys the idea of power to the minds of the people, it has its
origin in our union, obedience, concentration of effort, and our
oneness of action, and the more this oneness increases the more marked
and distinct we will be among the nations of the earth. What is it
that has made us the people we are to-day? It is [p.16] obedience to
the counsels which God has revealed through His servants. If there is
anything on the earth that will continue to add distinction and power
to us, and elevate us and make us strong and mighty, it is an increase
of this obedience which has already given us this distinction.

Vol. 12,  p.16
I have thought considerably since we have been together of the
counsels which have been given to us, and of the action of the people
in the past. There was a time when every Latter-day Saint who bad the
spirit of his religion felt as though he wished to devote himself and
all that he bad to the upbuilding of the Kingdom of God. This feeling
doubtless predominates to-day, but it has been partially buried up and
covered by other feelings—the love of gain, the desire to acquire
property, and feelings akin to these. There was a law revealed to
us—the law of consecration—through obedience to which every man
expected to hold all that he possessed subject to the dictation of the
servants of God. It is right that we should recollect this law, and
continually seek to carry it out. We should feel that we are placed as
stewards over the property God has placed in our hands, and that all
we bare is subject primarily to the counsels of God's servant, and
that before we take any step el importance it is our duty to seek
counsel from him who has the right to counsel. Imagine the power there
would be in this Territory, and it would be felt throughout the
nations of the earth, if this entire people, from Bear Lake Valley in
the north to the settlements on the Muddy in the south, were thus
united, holding themselves and all the wealth that God has so
bountifully bestowed upon them, subject to the counsel that God has
placed in His Church. What would be the effect of this? If you will
allow your minds to expand you may be able to contemplate to some
small extent the great results that would follow such a concentration
of action on the part of this people. Is it the will of God that it
should be so? It is.

Vol. 12,  p.16
The Lord has placed a man at our head upon whom He has bestowed great
wisdom· There has never been a time when he has lacked the wisdom
necessary to guide all the affairs of the Kingdom of God. Joseph of
old had wisdom given to him by which he was enabled to save Egypt. God
has given to us a leader who has wisdom equal to any emergency, and if
we will be obedient to his counsels we shall realize as great
salvation as was wrought out by Joseph for those with whom he was
associated. Herein we possess advantages not possessed by other
people; we have revelation to guide us, we have the word of the Lord
in our midst; we are not dependent upon man's wisdom, nor upon human
plans, but we have the wisdom of eternity manifested through the
servants of God to guide us. We have the opportunity of building up
the Kingdom of God and of carrying out the designs of heaven according
to His plan; and if we will do so we shall fulfil the word of the Lord
given anciently, when speaking of and comparing his people with the
people of the world. Said he, "My servants shall eat, and you shall be
hungry; my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty; my servants
shall rejoice, but you shall be ashamed; my servants shall sing with
gladness of heart, but you shall sorrow with sadness of heart and howl
with vexation of spirit. And ye shall leave your name as a curse to my
chosen: for the Lord God shall slay thee, and call His servants by
another name."

Vol. 12,  p.17
It seems as though the day had [p.17] come when God will slay the
wicked, and when He will call His people by another name. How will
these words of the ancient prophets be fulfilled? By our listening to
the counsel of him whom he has placed to preside over us, and being
guided in wisdom in all flyings. When we do this we will be a mighty
and a powerful people, and President Young will be what he ought to be
to-day, the head of this people, the mouth-piece of God in our midst;
and when his counsel is given it will be listened to by all Israel; no
one will disobey from one end of the land to the other. How much good
could be accomplished if this were the case! What mighty labors could
be achieved if this people were in this condition to-day. What hinders
it being so? Nothing but the disposition within us to be careless and
indifferent to the principles taught us.

Vol. 12,  p.17
This condition of things will be brought about, and it might be more
rapidly than it is if the people would be obedient and diligent in
carrying out the counsels given to them. All within the sound of my
voice, probably, have heard that Israel, in the days of Moses, were
commanded to sprinkle their door-posts with the blood of a lamb, that
they might escape destruction; now if we had been told that Israel
were destroyed because they paid no regard to this instruction, who
among us would not have said, How foolish Israel must have been to
have suffered destruction rather than do such a simple filing as this!
Yet what has God said to us in these days with regard to the Word of
Wisdom? He has said that "all Saints who remember to keep and do these
sayings, and walk in obedience to My commandments, shall receive
health to their naval and marrow to their bones, and they shall find
great treasures, even hidden treasures of wisdom; and they shall run
and not be weary, and walk and not faint; and I, the Lord, give them a
promise that the destroyer shall pass them by, as he did the children
of Israel, and not slay them." Here is a promise that the Lord has
given to us on condition that, we obey this requirement, or rather
this counsel. It is wise counsel; we have proved its wisdom. What has
disobedience to this counsel done for this people? It has made us in
many respects, to a certain extent, subject to our enemies. How many
called Latter-day Saints, through disobedience to the Word of Wisdom,
have been led away to California and other places where they could
obtain these things which they thought so necessary to their comfort,
but which God had counselled them to forsake? A great man have been
led away through this; and every time we disobey this counsel we bring
ourselves more completely under bondage to our own appetites and to
the enemies of the Kingdom of God.

Vol. 12,  p.17
As a people we should arise, and with one effort say we will follow
the example, in this respect, of him who leads us. Does President
Young drink tea, or coffee, or liquor, or chew tobacco? No; his life
is exemplary, and we should copy after it. There is no man among us
more exemplary in these things than he is; and it is a shame to us, as
a people, if we do not follow his wise example. The Lord is bearing
testimony to us through His Spirit, that we should carry these things
into effect; and I trust that the people from one end of the Territory
to the other, will manifest by their future course that they will
observe the counsel that has been given at this Conference, and thus
seek to be one with the President. There is no need to disguise elm
fact that he is anxious to have us subject [p.18] to him in these
matters. He is anxious that his power should be felt through the
length and breadth of this Territory sufficiently to control and
govern the people for good. Why? Because he knows that God has
revealed principles by which they can be led back into His presence if
they will only he obedient to His counsel.

Vol. 12,  p.18
Short sermons are the order, and I will not lengthen out my remarks.
My prayer is, my brethren and sisters, that God will enable every one
of us to see these things aright, and to understand the obligations
resting upon us; and that union may pervade the bosoms of the Saints
from the lowest to the highest, from the least in the land to the
Presidency of the Church, which may God grant for Christ's sake. Amen.

Brigham Young, April 7, 1867

Every Saint on a Mission

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, delivered in the 
Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, April 7th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.18
I confess before the Latter-day Saints that like others who live in
the religious and political world, or the world of history, or any
other world you have a mind to name, I really want power and
influence. I confess to the Latter-day Saints and to the world that I
want power to prevail on all the inhabitants of the earth to embrace
the gospel of the Son of God that they may he saved in the Kingdom of
Heaven. I want influence in the midst of the Latter-day Saints,
sufficient to get all men and women to sanctify themselves before the
Lord and to sanctify the Lord God in their hearts, and that they may
be of one heart and one mind in all things, that they may be the
disciples of the Lord Jesus. This comprehends a great deal.

Vol. 12,  p.18
I will now take the liberty of telling you what I do not want. I do
not want influence or power over any nation, people, family, or
individual on the face of the earth to do them an injury or lead them
astray, to promote strife or corruption in their hearts, or direct
them in the way that leads to death. But I would like to have power
with the people to induce them to accept those principles which would
put them in possession of life, liberty, peace, joy, and all the
blessings that can be enjoyed by the children of men, and that are
promised in the gospel of life and salvation. I wish you ever to
remember this when you think of yourselves, your brethren, or of any
man that wants influence in the world. Always learn what an individual
wants influence for. If he wants it for good, to promote peace and
righteousness, never hinder his efforts, but promote them if you can.
But when men try to gain influence for evil, to lead their fellow
creatures in the way to death, [p.19] exercise all the power you
possess to abridge such influence; destroy it if you can. I calculate
to take this course myself.

Vol. 12,  p.19
There are a few of the Latter-day Saints here to-day; only just a few,
scarcely any from the country. You know we are estimated variously,
some say 80,000, some 100,000, some 150,000; but, to tell you the
secret, I do not want anybody to know our number. I do not want to
number Israel yet. I am very frequently asked the question by
political men, "How many do the Latter-day Saints number in the
mountains?" My invariable reply is that we have enough to make a
Territory. I wish the Latter-day Saints to increase and multiply. It
has been said to me—"Why do you not call men to go on missions to
preach the gospel in order to swell the ranks of the Saints?" I will
tell you what my feelings are with regard to the Latter-day Saints
increasing. One of these young men or girls around me here to-day,
born and brought up in the Church, is worth, as a general thing, far
more than those who come into the Church with all their traditions
when we go preaching. I recollect the stand I took when I was in
England or whenever I was out preaching. Whenever a man would
transgress we would talk with and persuade him to forsake evil, and he
would confess and say, "I will do so no more," but by and by we would
have occasion to call him up again, and I felt and said that "I would
rather convert two men or women who never heard the gospel than
attempt to make righteous men or women of those who know the way but
will not walk in it."

Vol. 12,  p.19
We wish the brethren to understand the facts just as they are; that
is, there is neither man or woman in this Church who is not on a
mission. That mission will last as long as they live, and it is to do
good, to promote righteousness, to teach the principles of truth, and
to prevail upon themselves and everybody around them to live those
principles that they may obtain eternal life. This is the mission of
every Latter-day Saint. I talked to the sisters yesterdy; I can talk
to the brethren to-day on the same principle—there is not a man in
this Church but what is capable of doing good if he has a mind to do
so. Here are Elders who say, "I want a mission; I want to go and
preach; I want to be oradained a Seventy, or a High Priest," or
something or other. I will tell you what you really need. You need
eyes to see things as they are and to know your standing before God
and the people. This is what the elders need. To go and preach, or to
be ordained into the quorums of the Seventies, does not make good men
of them, if they are not so before. The ordination of a man to the
High Priest's quorum does not make him a good man. Let every elder,
priest, teacher, and deacon set that example before his family, his
brethren, and the world, that the nations of the earth will hear of
the good works of the Latter-day Saints, that the honest in heart may
be constrained to say—"We are going up to Zion to join this people, of
whom we hear nothing but that they are honest, upright, industrious,
frugal, and intelligent. Let us go up and join this people against
whom so much has heretofore been said."

Vol. 12,  p.19
Will you do this, priests, teachers, and deacons? Will you do this,
Elders of Israel, Seventies, High Priests, and Apostles? Will you live
so that the report may go out from this time from Utah Territory that
the Latter-day Saints are perfect examples for the nations of the
earth?[p.20] This will be the loudest preaching we can do. We have a
good deal to say yet to this Conference, if we have the time, and the
people attend. We will bring our meeting to a close now.

John Taylor, April 14, 1867

Instructions to Missionaries

REMARKS by Elder John Taylor, delivered 
in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, April 14th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans] 

Vol. 12,  p.20
I feel very much interested, as indeed all must do, in hearing the
remarks of our young brethren who are going out into the world to
proclaim the gospel. There is a very great difference between our mode
of promulgating the gospel and that pursued by the world. Many of
these men who have been expressing themselves before you would be very
unlikely instruments for preaching the gospel according to popular
notions; but the grand difference between us and them is that we go
forth in the name of Israel's God, sustained by His power, wisdom, and
intelligence, to proclaim the principles of eternal truth communicated
to us by Him, while they go forth to proclaim what they have learned
in colleges.

Vol. 12,  p.20
Our Elders go forth in weakness, while others, generally, are largest
When they are first born. Having learned what they call the Science of
Divinity, they consider themselves qualified to teach it anywhere and
under all circumstances; they have nothing more to learn and nothing
more to teach. When our elders go forth they have no preparation
beyond the common rudiments of education that all are supposed to
learn; but it is not words they go to teach, it is principles. And
although before an audience learned in the laws of God, they may feel
a good deal of tremor and bashfulness in trying to express themselves,
yet, when they go forth and stand before congregations in the world,
the Spirit of the Lord God will go with them, the Lord will sustain
them, and will give unto them wisdom, "that all their adversaries will
not be able to gainsay nor resist." That is the promise made to the
servants of the Lord who go forth trusting in Him.

Vol. 12,  p.20
I have a great deal more confidence in men who rise here feeling their
weakness and inability than I have in those who feel that they are
well informed and capable of teaching anything and everything. Why?
Because when men trust to themselves they trust in a broken reed, and
when they trust in the Lord they will never fail. I have been out when
I was as young as many of these, before my head was gray, and I had to
learn to trust in God. When we forth into the world we do not go among
friends, for sometimes they do not treat us very friendly.[p.21]  I
would say to these brethren, they will meet with enemies on every hand
who will oppose and persecute them, malign their characters, and say
all manner of evil about them, and who will try to overturn the
principles they advocate, unless there is a very great change in the
world since the time that I used to preach among them. At the same
time they will find many very good people, who will bless them, feed
and clothe them, and take care of them. And the Lord is over all, He
watches over His people, and if these brethren will continue to trust
in God, as they now evince a desire to do, His Spirit will rest upon
them, enlighten their minds, enlarge their capacities, and give to
them wisdom and intelligence in time of need. They need not be under
any apprehension with regard to the wisdom of the world, for there is
no wisdom in the world equal to that which the Lord gives to His
Saints; and as long as these brethren keep from evil, live their
religion, and cleave to the Lord by keeping His commandments, there is
no fear as to the results; and this will apply to all the Saints as
well as to these brethren,

Vol. 12,  p.21
I would say, however, to those going on missions, that they should
study the Bible, Book of Mormon, Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and
all our works, that they may become acquainted with the principles of
our faith. I would also say to other young men who are not now going
on missions, but who will probably have to go at some time in the
future, that these things are of more importance to them than they
realize at the present time. We ought to be built up and fortified by
the truth, we ought to become acquainted with the principles,
doctrines, and ordinances pertaining to the Church and Kingdom of God.
We are told, in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, to search after
wisdom as we would for hidden treasures, both by study and by faith,
to become acquainted with the history and laws of the nation we live
in, and of the nations of the earth. I know that when young men are
working around here, going to the cañon, working on the farm, going to
the theatre, and so on, their minds are not much occupied with these
things, but when they are called upon to take a part in the drama
themselves many of them will wish they had paid more attention to the
instructions they have received, and had made themselves more familiar
with the Bible, Book of Mormon, and the Book of Doctrine and
Covenants.

Vol. 12,  p.21
These missionaries are now going to school to teach others, and in
teaching others they themselves will be instructed, and when they rise
to speak in the name of Israel's God, if they live in purity and
holiness and before Him, He will give them words and ideas of which
they never dreamed before. I have travelled hundreds and thousands of
miles to preach this gospel among all grades and conditions of men,
and there is one thing that always gave me satisfaction—I never yet
found a man in any part of the world who could overturn one principle
that has been communicated to us; they will attempt it, but error is a
very singular weapon with which to combat truth; it never can vanquish
it. When men go forth in the name of Israel's God there is no power on
earth that can overturn the truths they advocate. Men may misreprent
and calumniate them, they may circulate false reports, for as a
general thing men love lies better than truth, but when men go forth
possessing the truths of the everlasting gospel which God has
revealed, they have a treasure within them that the world knows
nothing about; they [p.22] have the light of revelation, the fire of
the Holy Ghost, and the power of the priesthood within them—a power
that they know very little about even themselves, which, like a
well-spring of life, is rising, bursting, bubbling, and spreading its
exhilerating streams around. Why, says the Lord, with you I will
confound the nations of the earth, with you I will overturn their
kingdoms.

Vol. 12,  p.22
Who are these young men, these very weak instruments? They are men who
hold the holy Priesthood of the Son of God after the order of
Melchisedec. From whom did they receive it? They received it through
the medium of the Holy Priesthood, which has been revealed to Joseph
Smith and others in these last days. They say they are weak. Let us
ask who is strong? Who can boast of anything? Who among you, ye Elders
of Israel, can boast of any knowledge or intelligence? Why we know
nothing about the principles of truth, only what God has revealed. How
do I know anything about baptism for the remission of sins even, and
the laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost? Why, the
Lord revealed it; if He had not I should have known nothing about it,
neither would Joseph Smith, President Young, br. Kimball, nor anybody
else—all our knowledge comes from God. If we know anything about who
we are and where we came from, or about our relationship to our
Heavenly Father, how do we know it? It would be no use arguing on the
point, for all would be obliged to come to the conclusion that He had
revealed it. If He had not we should still have been in ignorance. Who
knows anything about endowments, anointings, blessings, or promises
pertaining to the future, unless revealed from God? The schools of the
world know nothing about these things, and for all we know we are
indebted to God, and if He had not revealed them to us we should have
been as ignorant as they are.

Vol. 12,  p.22
These young men are just like the rest of us—they have received the
spirit of life, light, and intelligence—the gift of the Holy Ghost—and
they are the messengers of the Great Jehovah, whom He has selected,
set apart, and ordained to go and proclaim His will to the nations of
the earth. They go not in their own name or strength, but in the name,
strength, and power of Israel's God. That is their position, and if
they cleave to God and magnify their callings, adhere to the
principles of truth, and shun temptation and corruption of every kind,
the power of God will be with them, and God shall open their mouths,
and enable them to confound the wisdom of the wise, and they will say
things that will astonish themselves and those who listen to them.

Vol. 12,  p.22
I would say to these brethren—let it be your study to fulfil your
mission. Never mind the world, never mind the dollars and cents, the
pounds, shillings, and pence. You cleave to God, live your religion,
magnify your callings, humble yourselves before God, call upon Him in
secret, and He will open your path before you, and you shall have food
and clothing, and your every want will be supplied, and you will be
able to accomplish a good work and return to Zion in peace and safety.
These are my feelings.

Vol. 12,  p.22
We talk sometimes about going without purse and scrip. I have
travelled hundreds and thousands of miles that way, and if I were
going on a mission I would rather go trusting in God than in the
President of the United States, the Queen of England, the Emperor of
France, [p.23] Austria, or Russia, or any king or potentate on earth.
If they were to say to me, "You may go and preach your gospel in our
dominions, and we will see you provided for," I would rather trust in
God than in any of them. These are my feelings and that is my
experience. Why? Because I might be in situations where their
munificence could not reach me, but I could not be in a place where
the Lord God could not see me, for His eyes are over all the earth,
and His angels will guard and His Spirit will comfort and sustain His
servant. That is why I say cleave to Him and magnify your callings.
When you do not the Spirit will be withdrawn from you, and you will be
weak indeed. In all my travels I never wanted anything, and this is
the experience of my brethren all around, who have been engaged in the
same work. The Lord has always provided for us while we were engaged
in his work and doing His will. And if the whole people will cleave to
Him, and be humble, faithful, and united in keeping His commandments,
the Spirit and power of God will rest upon them, and their blessings
will be a thousand fold greater than they are to-day.

Vol. 12,  p.23
Our strength is in God, and not in our ourselves. Our wisdom and power
come from Him; they are not of ourselves. We are the servants of God,
and to Him we have to look for guidance, direction, and sustenance in
all things, and if we will only do that which lie requires of us as a
people, there is no promise that has been made, not a blessing over
pronounced, not a privilege ever conferred upon, any people under the
face of the whole heavens in our age of the world but will be
conferred upon us.

Vol. 12,  p.23
We are living in the dispensation of the fulness of times, when God
has commenced to gather together all things in one. He has revealed to
us His law, and He is continuing to do so. It is for us to learn to
subject ourselves to that law, to obey His commands, submit to His
authority, and pursue that course that we can always have the
approbation of the Most High. Let us eschew evil, cleave to that which
is good, honor our God and our religion, and the blessings of heaven
will rest upon and abide with us from this time henceforth and for
ever. Zion will arise and shine, the power of God will be made
manifest in our midst, and no hand, nor any power that shall rise
against us, shall be able to injure or destroy us.

Vol. 12,  p.23
In relation, again, to these elders, I will tell you the first thing I
used to do when I went preaching, particularly when I went to a fresh
place—and that was to go aside to some place, anywhere I could get,
into a field, a barn, into the woods, or my closet, and ask God to
bless me and give me wisdom to meet all the circumstances with which I
might have to contend; and the Lord gave me the wisdom I needed and
sustained me. If you pursue a course of this kind He will bless you
also. Do not trust in yourselves, but study the best books—the Bible
and Book of Mormon—and get all the information you can, and then
cleave to God and keep yourselves free from corruption and pollution
of every kind, and the blessings of the Most High will be with you;
and if you go forth trembling and in weakness, bearing precious seed,
you shall return rejoicing and bringing your sheaves with you.

Vol. 12,  p.24
May God bless you, and all Israel, in the name of Jesus. Amen.[p.24] 

George A. Smith, June 2, 1867

Kindness The True Spirit of Instruction And Government

REMARKS by Elder Geo. A. Smith, delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, June 2nd, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.24
It is certainly good to receive instructions from fathers in Israel,
and the kind of instruction which is most desirable is that pertaining
to our every-day life, for a great share of the unhappiness and misery
of the world is the result of ignorance. Many people do not know how
to enjoy the blessings they receive. When they have comforts around
them they make themselves miserable longing for something in the
distance and beyond their reach; something imaginary, and often not
really necessary. It is the duty of every person to cultivate the
spirit of contentment, and, no matter what our condition in life may
be, we should be sure to do right, be contented, and trust in God to
improve it. When we are placed in uncomfortable circumstances—for
instance, when we lack the necessaries and comforts of life, we are
apt to give way to a spirit of discontentment, when, peradventure, if
we understood the providences of the Almighty we should find that they
are to give us an experience we could not otherwise attain to, and
which is necessary to prepare us for the performance of greater duties
which may be required of us.

Vol. 12,  p.24
President Kimball's remarks in relation to going with his boys, and
teaching them how to work, were excellent; and one of the greatest
blessings that a man has bestowed upon him on earth is that of being
with his family. A great many do not appreciate it, but the privilege
of being with one's family, and teaching them the principles of truth
and how to become useful in life, cannot be too highly prized. The
Presidency and numbers of the elders have so many responsibilities of
a public nature resting upon them, that they are deprived, to a great
extent, of that association with their families which is necessary to
enable them to instruct them personally, consequently they have to
leave it to others. President Kimball told us that if he hired a man
to work for him he had to show him which was the top end of a straw.
My family, once during my absence, employed a man to work in the
garden. They gave him a lot of cabbages, turnips, onions, and carrots
to set out for the raising of seed. He set every one of them into the
ground with the roots up. When the ladies came to see what was done,
they gave him a lecture on the subject that he remembered, and he
learned to do such work properly. A great many of our people have been
gathered from the various nations of Europe, and while there the
majority of them were operatives in factories, or engaged in different
mechanical pursuits, and never planted an onion, carrot, turnip, or
parsnip in their lives, and have no idea of the process, consequently,
when they gather [p.25] here, where almost every man is under the
necessity of raising his own food, they have to learn the method of
doing so.

Vol. 12,  p.25
President Kimball has been urging us strongly to store our bins with
wheat and flour. This may sound like strange counsel to those who,
during most of their lives, have been in the habit of receiving their
wages every Saturday, and, then, without further care, laying in their
week's provisions. But in this country, where we are liable to seasons
of scarcity, it is requisite to prepare for such emergencies; hence
the counsel to store up food is frequently given, and is absolutely
necessary. Yet, as a people, we are apt to neglect it, for the sun
rises and sets, the seasons come and go with unfailing regularity, and
we expect that every year will bring plenty; yet we have had years of
scarcity, and may have again, and we are not safe unless we provide
against them, and be prepared for a day of hunger. Hence, in this
respect and in many others, the Latter-day Saints have many things to
learn.

Vol. 12,  p.25
Many men do not know how to be comfortable in their families; they are
cross and crabbed with their wives, and think it is necessary to scold
and find fault with almost everything they do. Now, you can do a good
deal more with a person without finding fault than with; the man that
is pleasant with, and never says a cross word to his family, governs
them the best, as a general thing. Women, too, who talk pleasant and
comforting words to their husbands, and never find fault, always have
the most influence with them. And yet we find men and women who, in
their family relations, seem to think that the rod and a disposition
to be cross and crabbed, to scold, and find fault, and threaten, is
the best policy, whereas the right policy is directly opposite. We
should overcome with love and affection, guide with kindness, and
teach and instruct by good example and self government, for the man
who can govern his own temper, rule his own passions, and regulate his
own conduct, will have more influence over others ten thousand times
than he will who is feared and dreaded, and consequently hated. The
question arises in the world—"How is it that Brigham Young can control
so easily so many Latter-day Saints?" And "How was it that Joseph
Smith could send his brethren all over the world, and bring so many
people together, without ever seeing them?" It is by the power of that
magic which wins hearts; by the power of those external principles of
salvation which exist in God and in his faithful servants. Every man
knows that in Brigham Young he has a friend and a father, and that
when he counsels, instructs, corrects, or reproves, it is with the
spirit of a father to his children—he corrects them for their own
good; hence every person fears to do wrong and desires to do right,
and, so far as this principle extends, Israel is governed by love and
charity, by that strong bond of eternal truth which will make peace
throughout the earth.

Vol. 12,  p.25
How are the nations of the earth governed? Generally through fear or
self-interest. What is it that props the French Empire? A million of
bayonets. What holds the autocrats of Europe on their thrones? The
fear of death, for if any attempt be made to overthrow them death
would be the inevitable doom of the conspirators. Is that the
principle by which governments can stand? No; the only principles by
which they can be permanently sustained is the love of truth, honor,
and integrity, and these virtues should be honored and observed by the
sovereign more [p.26] than by anybody else, and that superior love of
truth would enable him to control every person in his empire, for
virtue reigning triumphant would frown down vice, and would thus lay
the foundation for an empire that would be lasting.

Vol. 12,  p.26
When one sovereign gets more bayonets than the others blood and
slaughter result, and downfall follows. How will it be in the Kingdom
of God? It will be governed by peace, truth, and order, and truth will
eventually govern the world. Men will be taught correct principles,
and they will then govern themselves. That is the secret of
"Mormonism." President Young teaches the Saints correct principles,
and the Saints govern themselves.

Vol. 12,  p.26
I bear my testimony to the truth of the Counsel and instruction that
we have received this morning, and I trust they will be treasured up
in good and honest hearts, and that men and women will consider these
things and realize that we have one great interest, which is to build
up Zion, sustain the principles of salvation, walk humbly before the
Lord, remember our prayers, and deal honestly and justly with each
other. If a man owes another let him discharge his obligations
honorably; if circumstances beyond his control prevent him doing
according to agreement, let him go to his creditor and show to him the
real circumstances of the case, and that it is absolutely out of his
power, and not become a man's enemy because he is your creditor. It
frequently happens, I notice, that in the dealings of brethren one
with another, when pay day comes men are not so pleasant and agreeable
as when they are trying to obtain the credit. This is wrong. In all
cases our word should be our bond, certain and sure, and nothing short
of that which is beyond the ordinary course of events should prevent
us fulfilling it.

Vol. 12,  p.26
By pursuing this course of events we shall increase confidence in our
midst, build each other up, and build up Zion. Let us not build on
borrowed capital, but learn to live within our means, and teach our
children the beauties of industry, prudence, and frugality, that we
may all be prepared and qualified to magnify our callings. Thus the
rising generation will be prepared to bear the burden and carry off
the kingdom; the work will increase, and truth will spread until it
covers the whole earth.

Vol. 12,  p.26
I feel thankful for the privilege of bearing my testimony. I pray that
the blessings of heaven may rest upon you, and that the peace of God
may be upon all Israel. I heartily unite with br. Kimball in praying
for the recovery of his son, and for prosperity and blessings upon all
Israel; which may God grant, for Jesus sake. Amen.[p.27] 

Brigham Young, April 7, 1867

The Word of Wisdom

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, April 7th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans] 

Vol. 12,  p.27
I will take the liberty of suggesting to my brethren who address the
congregation that our sermons should be short, and if they are not
filled with life and spirit let them be shorter, for we have not time
at this Conference to let all the Elders who speak preach a long
sermon, but we have time to say a few words in bearing testimony, to
give a few words of counsel to encourage the Saints, to strengthen the
weak, to endeavor to confirm those who are wavering, and so forward
the Kingdom of God. I have a few words to say to the Bishops and
others who are leading men in the House of Israel, including your
humble servant now addressing you. There are certain rights and
privileges belonging to the Eiders in Israel, and there are certain
things that it is not their privilege to indulge in. You go through
the wards in the city, and then through the wards in the country, and
ask the Bishops—"Do you keep the Word of Wisdom?" The reply will be
"Yes; no, not exactly." "Do you drink tea?" "No." "Coffee?" "No." "Do
you drink whisky?" "No." "Well, then, why do you not observe the Word
of Wisdom?" "Well, this tobacco, I cannot give it up." And in this he
sets an example to every man, and to every boy over ten years of age,
in his ward, to nibble at and chew tobacco. You go to another ward,
and perhaps the Bishop does not chew tobacco, nor drink tea nor
coffee, but once in a while he takes a little spirits, and keeps
whisky in his house, in which he will occasionally indulge. Go to
another ward, and perhaps the Bishop does not drink whisky nor chew
tobacco, but he "cannot give up his tea and coffee." And so it goes
through the whole church. Not that every Bishop indulges in one or
more of these habits, but most of them do. I recollect being at a
trial not long since where quite a number of Bishops had been called
in as witnesses, but I could not learn that there was one who did not
drink whisky, and I think that most of them drank tea and coffee. I
think that we have some Bishops in this city who do not chew tobacco,
nor drink liquor nor tea nor coffee to excess.

Vol. 12,  p.27
The Word of Wisdom is one thing, and ignorance, superstition, or
bigotry is another. I wish people to come to an understanding with
regard to the Word of Wisdom. For illustration, I will refer to a
certain brother who was in the church once, and President of the
Elder's Quorum in Nauvoo. While living at that place there was a great
deal of sickness among the people, and he was sometimes called in to
lay hands on the sick, but if he had the least doubt about their
drinking tea, if he even saw a tea-pot, he would refuse.[p.28] I
recollect he went into a house where a woman was sick, who wanted him
to lay hands on her; he saw a teapot in the corner containing catnip
tea, but without stopping to enquire he left the house, exclaiming
against her and her practices.

Vol. 12,  p.28
Now, there is no harm in a teapot, even if it contains tea, if it is
let alone; and I say of a truth that where a person is diseased, say,
for instance, with canker, there is no better medicine than green tea,
and where it is thus used it should be drank sparingly. Instead of
drinking thirteen or fourteen cups every morning, noon, and night,
there should not be any used. You may think I am speaking
extravagantly, but I remember a tea-drinking match once in which
fourteen cops a-piece were drank, so you see it can be done. But to
drink half a dozen or even three or four cops of strong tea is
hurtful. It injures and impairs the system, benumbs the faculties of
the stomach, and affects the blood, and is deleterious in its nature.
If a person is weary, worn out, cast down, fainting, or dying, a
brandy sling, a little wine, or a cup of tea is good to revive them.
Do not throw these things away, and say they must never be used; they
are good to be used with judgment, prudence, and discretion. Ask our
Bishops if they drink tea every day, and in most cases they will tell
you they do if they can get it. They take it when they do not need it
and when it injures them. I want to say to the Elders in Israel, this
is not our privilege. We have a great many privileges, but to indulge
in liquor or other things to our own injury is not one of them. We
have the right, to live, labor, build our houses, make our farms,
raise our cattle and horses, buy our carriages, marry our wives, raise
and school our children, and then we have the right to set before them
an example worthy of imitation, but we have not the right to throw sin
in their path or to lead them to destruction.

Vol. 12,  p.28
I recollect telling the people here, not long ago, something in regard
to the rights of the Elders. Our rights are numerous. If we are so
disposed, we have the right to dictate the House of Israel in their
daily avocations. We have the right to counsel them to go to the gold
mines if it is wisdom and God requires it, and we have the right to
counsel them away from the gold mines when it is not wisdom to go
there. We have the right to ask them to go and buy goods, and to sell
those goods without fraud or deception. I am sorry to say we cannot
say this of many of our merchants. We have merchants that say they are
of us and with us, and that they wish to be Saints, but they are not
honest in their dealings; they will trade fradulently, and they will
take all the advantage they possibly can. I said here a year or two
ago that unless such merchants repent they will go down to hell; I say
so to-day. They never can enter the celestial kingdom of our God
unless they refrain from their dishonest course and become Saints
indeed.

Vol. 12,  p.28
To the Bishops and the Elders in Israel I wish to say that we have the
right to do right, but not to sin. The right to obtain large families,
although obnoxious to the refined Christians, all classes of whom
preach against it—the priest in the pulpit, the judge on the bench,
the senators and representatives in Congress, as well as the
bar-keeper and the drunkard wallowing in his filth—they are all
against it except God and the Saints; yet this is a right that the
Saints have, and which no others legally possess. Others will
presumptuously arrogate to themselves certain rights and privileges,
but the [p.29] result will be their overthrow, their condemnation, and
their damnation.

Vol. 12,  p.29
We urge the people continually to be one in their temporal affairs. We
do not offer prayers to dead Saints—to Peter, Paul, Mary, and
others—but we frequently pray the living Saints, in Christ's stead, to
be reconciled to God. If we urge the people to this until we get them
to be really of one heart and one mind, what will be the result? We
shall then possess Zion, it will then be developed in our midst, and
we will be as independent as ever the children of Zion can be in our
capacity. Will wrath, anger, strife, and selfishness then reign within
us? No, they will not. It is our right and privilege to live so that
we may attain to this, so that we may sanctify our hearts before the
Lord, and sanctify the Lord God in our hearts, but it is not my
privilege to drink liquor, neither is it my privilege to eat tobacco.
Well, bro. Brigham, have you not done it? Yes, for many years, but I
ceased its habitual practice. I used it for toothache; now I am free
from that pain, and my mouth is never stained with tobacco. It is not
my privilege to drink liquor nor strong tea and coffee although I am
naturally a great lover of tea. Brethren and sisters, it is not our
privilege to indulge in these things, but it is our right and
privilege to set an example worthy of imitation.

Vol. 12,  p.29
When we come to home-made cloth, I must say it would make clothes good
enough for me to wear. "Then why do you not wear it, bro. Brigham?"
Shall I tell you? I have hardly worn a suit of clothes for years that
has not been presented to me. If I knew that doing this would be a
hindrance to the work of God, I would say to the next friend who
wished to present me with a suit of clothes—"I thank you, but I will
not wear them; you will please take them back to the store, or take
them home and put them in the trunk." I know the thoughts of many are
"I wish they would serve me so." I wish they would; and if they will I
will never say wear home-made again as long as friends will give you
that which is imported, and you can lay by the money you save to send
the Elders abroad to preach the gospel, to gather the poor, to help to
build the temple of the Lord, or to finish the canal that we may get
the rock here for the temple.

Vol. 12,  p.29
You men owning saw mills bring on the lumber to finish the tabernacle,
and you carpenters and joiners come and help to use it up. We are
going to plaster the main body of this building here immediately; take
down the scaffold at the west end from the body of the building while
the east end is being put up. And we are going to lay a platform for
the organ, and then make a plan for the seats. And we calculate by
next October, when the brethren and sisters come together, to have
room for all; and if there is not room under the roof, the doors are
placed in such a way that the people can stand in the openings and
hear just as well as inside. I expect, however, that by the time our
building is finished we shall find that we shall want a little more
room.   "Mormonism" is growing, spreading abroad, swelling and
increasing, and I expect it is likely that our building will not be
quite large enough, but we have it so arranged, standing on piers,
that we can open all the doors and preach to people outside.

Vol. 12,  p.29
Now I want you should recollect—Bishops, Elders of Israel, High
Priests, Seventies, the Twelve Apostles, the First Presidency, and all
the House of Israel, hearken ye, O, my people! keep the word of the
Lord, observe the Word of Wisdom, sustain [p.30] one another, sustain
the household of faith, and let our enemies alone. As for those in our
midst who love and work iniquity, the Lord will gather them from among
us in His own due time. They will grow fewer and fewer until we will
be free from them. the Lord chasteneth His people for their good, but
see the sufferings of the wicked! God has always favored the righteous
more than the wicked. Still, we have those among us who are afraid.
"Well, this time we are going to see trouble," or "we are going to be
afflicted," or "I think the Mormons will have to leave," is their cry.
I want to tell you we are not going to leave these mountains unless
the Lord says so. The devil may say so until his throat splits, but we
shall not do it; and woe to the men or people who drive us into the
mountains, and compel us to hide ourselves in the dens and caves of
the earth! Woe to the people who do this; they will find something
they never learned yet; but they will never do it. I am looking for
something entirely different. The wicked will waste away and destroy
each other.

Vol. 12,  p.30
We are blamed for praying that sin and wickedness may cease on the
earth, but the only way to effect that is for the perpetration of
crime to cease. Will the people turn from evil, refrain from sin and
iniquity, and serve the Lord? I would to God they would, but they will
not do it. Sin must cease on the earth before iniquity and the workers
thereof are unknown, there is no other way. We should not be blamed
for praying that righteousness may reign, and that peace may come to
the people. Is there war in our religion? No; neither war nor
bloodshed. Yet our enemies cry out "bloodshed," and "oh, what dreadful
men these Mormons are, and those Danites! how they slay and kill!"
Such is all nonsense and folly in the extreme. The wicked slay the
wicked, and they will lay it on the Saints. But I say again that if
the people called Latter-day Saints will live their religion they will
never be driven from their homes in the mountains, but if they do sin
to that extent that the Lord God of heaven will let them be driven,
woe to them that come after us, for they will find greater desolation
than we found when we came. If we will do right we are safe in the
hands of God. We wish evil to no man or woman on this earth, but we
wish to do good to all. Our Elders have circumscribed this little
globe again and again without purse and scrip, offering the gospel to
the nations of the earth. Will they have it? No; they prefer death,
carnage, and destruction, and in the end they will receive the reward
of the unjust. Let us take a course in which we shall be justified. We
wish all people to do right, and if the Latter-day Saints will do so,
and will sustain themselves and live within their own means, and never
let their wants swell beyond them, all is right, we shall reign, and
triumph over sin and iniquity. It is no more than reasonable, right,
just, and equitable for us to ask those who wish to supplant us here
to go to other places and build cities, plant orchards, raise grain,
and make themselves comfortable, as we have done. They are perfectly
welcome to eat, live, rule, and reign over one another, but let us
alone to serve our God, build up His Kingdom on the earth, and live
righteously and godly as we should.

Vol. 12,  p.30
Now, Elders of Israel, if you have the right to chew tobacco, you have
a privilege I have not; if you have a right to drink whisky, you have
a right that I have not; if you have a [p.31] right to transgress the
Word of Wisdom, you have a right that I have not. If you have the
right to buy and sell and get gain, to go here and there, to do this
and that, to build up the wicked and the ungodly, or their cities, you
have rights that I have not got. I have the right to build up Zion,
but I have no right to build up a city in wickedness. It is the to
close our morning's meeting.

Brigham Young, April 8, 1867

Education—Employment of Females

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, delivered in the 
Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, April 8th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.31
A few words to the Latter-day Saints, and especially to our young men.
We have a great deal of time to spare over and above going to the
kanyon, and working in the fields and in our shops. It is true this is
not exactly the time of year to establish evening schools and lyceums,
but we wish our young men to make preparation this summer, and send
east to procure the necessary articles for the formation of societies
in this and other cities throughout the Territory for the purpose of
studying the arts and sciences. Now, if a man in the North, say
sixty-eight or a hundred miles away, should have a limb broken, he has
to send to this city for a surgeon. It is all folly; there is no more
real necessity for it, if men would devote their time to the study of
such things, than there is to send for a man to put a rafter or joint
on his house, or a panel into his door.

Vol. 12,  p.31
As the subject of education is open, and has been from time to time
during this Conference, I will now urge it upon the people—the young
men and the middle-aged—to get up schools and study. If they are
disposed to study physic or surgery, all right; they will know then
what to do if a person is sickly, or has his elbow, wrist, or shoulder
put out of joint, or his arm or any other bone broken. It is just as
easy to learn such things as it is to learn to plant potatoes. I would
like to urge these matters upon our young men, and I am convinced this
meets the feelings of all the brethren. I do hope, and pray you, my
brethren and sisters, to be careful to observe what br. Wells has said
in regard to introducing into our schools the Bible, Book of Mormon,
Doctrine and Covenants, and the Standard works of the Church, and all
the works pertaining to our faith, that our children may become
acquainted with its principles, and that our young men, when they go
out to preach, may not be so ignorant as they have been hitherto. I
would like very much to urge upon our young people, the sisters as
well as the brethren, to pay more attention to arithmetic and other
things that are useful, instead of acquiring a little [p.32] French
and German and other fanciful studies that are not of so much
practical importance. I do not know how long it will be before we call
upon the brethren and sisters to enter upon business in an entirely
different way from what they have done. I have been an advocate for
our printing to be done by females, and as for men being in stores,
you might as well set them to knitting stockings as to sell tape. Such
business ought to be done by the sisters. It would enable them to
sustain themselves, and would be far better than for them to spend
their time in the parlor or in walking the streets. Hardy men have no
business behind the counter; they who are not able to hoe potatoes, go
to the kanyon, cut down the trees, saw the lumber, &c., can attend to
that business. Our young men in the stores ought to be tuned out and
the sisters take their place; and they should steady arithmetic and
bookkeeping necessary to qualify them for such positions. I would also
like our school teachers to introduce phonography into every school;
it is an excellent thing to learn. By its means we can commit our
thoughts and reflections to paper with ease and rapidity, and thus
preserve that which will be of benefit to ourselves and others, and
which would otherwise be for ever lost. This is a delightful study! In
these and all other branches of science and education we should know
as much as any people in the world. We have them within our reach, for
we have as good teachers as can be found on the face of the earth, if
our Bishops would only employ and pay them, but they will not. Let a
miserable little, smooth-faced, beardless, good-for-nothing Gentile
come along, without regard for either truth or honesty, and they will
pay him when they will not pay a Latter-day Saint. Think of these
things. Introduce every kind of useful studies into our schools. I
have been urging upon our young men for years to get up classes for
the study of law. The laws of this Territory, of the United States, of
the different States, of England, and foreign lands. Do this instead
of riding over the prairies hunting and wasting your time, which is
property that belongs to the Lord our God, and if we do not make good
use of it we shall be held accountable.

Vol. 12,  p.32
Now, my brethren and sisters, I feel to bless you in the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ, and I pray my Father in heaven to continue His
mercies to us, and I pray you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to
God in all things. We will now bring our conference to a close.[p.33] 

Brigham Young, April 14, 1867

General Instructions to Missionaries Going Abroad

DISCOURSE by President Brigham Young, delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, April 14th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.33
Inasmuch as I am a missionary, and have been called of God to proclaim
the gospel, I rise here to bear my testimony in connection with my
brethren whom you have heard speak this day. We hear the testimony of
brethren brought up in the Church, as well as the testimony of those
who receive the gospel in other lands and gather with the Church. They
all agree that this is the truth—the gospel of life and salvation.
These brethren are going to preach, because they have got the truth
and the world are destitute of it. One of the brethren said he was
going after truth. I would correct him, and say he has got truth, and
is going to carry to others who have if, not. You are not going to
England, Scotland, or to the Continent for truth, but to carry truth
to people who sit in darkness and in the regions of the shadow of
death. I am a missionary called to preach the gospel, and I am going
on a mission; not that I have been lately converted, but I feel to go
and strengthen my brethren, and I am going on a preaching tour for
that purpose. There is no place on this earth where greater good can
be done than here, preaching the gospel to this people and getting
them to be Saints indeed. I would say to my young friends and to the
middle-aged brethren, though I believe all who are going may be called
young men, that if you go on a mission to preach the gospel with
lightness and frivolity in your hearts, looking for this and that, and
to learn what is in the world, and not having your minds riveted—yes,
I may say riveted—on the cross of Christ, you will go and return in
vain. Go forth weeping, bearing precious seed, full of the power of
God, and full of faith to heal the sick even by the touch of your
hand, rebuking and casting out foul spirits, and causing the poor
among men to rejoice, and you will return bringing your sheaves with
you. If you do not go in this way your mission will not be very
profitable to yourselves nor to the people. I wish you to bear this in
mind. We do not send these elders forth for political purposes; we
have nothing to do with the political world. Neither do we wish them
to go for two or three years to learn what is transpiring in the
scientific world. If they wish to study the sciences, they can do that
at home. We have an abundance of scientific men among us. If you wish
to know what is going on in theatres, do not go to theatres to learn,
but wait until you come back to our own. I am simply giving you a word
of counsel. This is as good a time to do it as when you assemble
together to receive your parting blessing. We do not send you for any
of these purposes, but to preach the gospel. Let your minds be
centered on your missions,[p.34] and labor earnestly to bring souls to
Christ.

Vol. 12,  p.34
I would like to impress upon the minds of the brethren, that he who
goes forth in the name of the Lord, trusting in Him with all his heart
will never want for wisdom to answer any question that is asked him,
or to give any counsel that may be required to lead the people in the
way of life and salvation, and he will never be confounded worlds
without end; while he who trusts in the wisdom of man, or leans on the
arm of flesh, is weak and blind, and destitute of the principles that
will lead the Elders of Israel to victory and glory. Go in the name of
the Lord, trust in the name of the Lord, lean upon the Lord, and call
upon the Lord fervently and without ceasing, and pay no attention to
the world. You will see plenty of the world—it will be before you all
the time—but if you live so as to possess the Holy Ghost you will be
able to understand more in relation to it in one day than you could in
a dozen days without it, and you will at once see the difference
between the wisdom of men and the wisdom of God, and you can weigh
things in the balance and estimate them at their true worth. I can say
also to the brethren and sisters, no matter what you are doing—working
in the garden, plowing, sowing, going to the kanyon, building houses,
laying rock or adobies, attending to your household affairs in the
kitchen, the washroom, in the parlor, or in your bedchambers, live
continually so that you may have the Spirit of the Lord with you and
the counsel of God within you, that you may be able to give a word of
counsel, instruction, and comfort to the disconsolate, to strengthen
the weak, and to confirm the wavering, and spend every day of your
lives in doing good. Unless we take this course it is useless to talk
about being Latter-day Saints, the redemption of Zion, or the
establishment of the Kingdom of God, for nothing short of the wisdom
and power of God and the Holy Ghost will ever enable any people on the
face of the earth to redeem Zion, and to establish the kingdom of God
in these latter days.

Vol. 12,  p.34
A great many things were said while we were assembled in a Conference
capacity. We are composed of such material, and our organization and
education are of such a nature, that a great many things have to be
said to us continually. Like children, there is no day but we need
instruction, and if we do not live so that we may have the Holy Ghost
within us continually we need to be taught by our friends around us
how to build up the Kingdom of God, to sanctify ourselves, to prepare
for the coming of the Son of man, and for the accomplishment of the
great work of the latter days. The work in which we are engaged should
be interesting to every soul that has named the name of Christ; it
should be first and foremost, morning, noon, and night, with us every
day of our lives. Our religion should be first with us all the time.
Coming to this tabernacle to worship and do the will of God for one
day in the week, and following our own inclinations and doing our own
will at all other times, is a folly; it is useless, and a perfect
burlesque on the service of God. We should do the will of God, and
spend all our time for the accomplishment of His purposes, whether we
are in this tabernacle or elsewhere. We are often told that, so far as
the principles of our religion are concerned, we are one. Our brethren
here are going on missions to Scandinavia, Germany, and perhaps to
places where the gospel has never been preached before, and some,
perhaps, [p.35] to the antipodes of others, yet in the proclamation of
the principles of the gospel I do not expect there will be any
variation. They will go north, south, east, and west, and they will
all take up the scriptures of truth contained in the Bible, Book of
Mormon, and Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and each one will
corroborate the testimony of the other in establishing the truth of
the gospel of the Son of God, and all will exactly agree. Yet, when we
are gathered together, there are as many minds as there are persons in
regard to the affairs of every-day life and the managing of financial
affairs. Now, the people of God are being gathered together expressly
to become one with regard to the things of this world.

Vol. 12,  p.35
I would like to be understood, if I could explain myself. We never
shall become one to that extent that we shall look alike or possess
precisely the same mental power and ability; this is not the design of
Heaven. But we expect to become one in all our operations to bring
forth the fullness of the Kingdom of God on the earth that Jesus may
come and reign King of nations as He does King of Saints. Shall we
call this a union for political purposes? I say it is good policy for
people to be of one heart and mind in all their operations. I have
frequently looked at the inhabitants of the earth and seen how their
feelings, dispositions, and pursuits differ; no two, scarcely, can
agree. If two men enter into partnership, say in the banking business,
or in mercantile business or manufacturing, it is very seldom that
they agree a great while. Their minds will run in different channels
with regard to business matters, and one will not be trammeled with
the ideas of the other, so each resolves to take his own course. If
you wish for a perfect example of this, I can tell you where to find
it: just as quick as warm weather comes you see these little red and
black ants on the hills. You will see them running in every direction,
but it is seldom that two of them take the same course; they will run
against each other, tumble over each other, and, finally, rob each
other. This is a perfect example of the course pursued by the
inhabitants of the earth.

Vol. 12,  p.35
I would say that it is good policy if we can be agreed in all matters.
To illustrate, suppose we want to go and quarry rock out of the
granite mountain here; we are building a huge fabric and we want some
columns, say sixty feet high, five, six, seven, or eight feet through
at the base, and perhaps four or five feet through at the top. Let one
man undertake such a work, and how long would it take him? But let us
he united in the undertaking, and we can soon have our columns
quarried, hauled, and erected. Suppose there was a union of effort in
every political and financial matter undertaken for the benefit of the
whole people, who cannot see the good that would result? We have tried
this to some extent in relation to our markets here; but suppose we
were fully agreed on the point, we could demand a fair price for our
products, and we need not be imposed upon by traders and traffickers.
If we were agreed, we could supply ourselves from distant markets, say
with our clothing, at a far less cost than now. Suppose, as was said
at Conference, that we dispense with the luxuries of tobacco, tea,
coffee, and whisky, how much could we save? If we had the money on
hand that we have spent on these needless articles during the the year
that is past, we should have abundance to donate to the missionaries
to land them in their fields of labor.[p.36] 

Vol. 12,  p.36
The people, perhaps, will turn round and say—"We pay our tithing, and
that is all we feel to do." If you do, you do more than the people did
some years ago. At that time we found that in the staple article of
wheat, of which there is more paid on tithing than anything else in
the Territory, that we did not receive one bushel in a hundred of that
which was raised, to say nothing one in ten. The people are not
compelled to pay their tithing, they do as they please about it, it is
urged upon them only as a matter of duty between them and their God.
This little moiety that is now paid on tithing is used to bring the
poor here, to find them houses to live in, bread to eat, and wood to
burn, when we can get the brethren to bring it in on tithing, but that
is an article pretty hard to get. Now, suppose we had a little more of
this surplus on hand, could we not help the brethren on their way to
preach the gospel to the nations? Yes, we could. Some of them will
leave families that will, probably be destitute, and if we had means
on hand we could donate to help them, and to prevent them from running
continually to the Bishops. The Bishops have nothing in their hands,
the tithing is used up, it has gone to sustain the poor, the
Priesthood, and the Public Works. Yet when they go to a Bishop he has
to look round to procure them a house, some wood, or some wheat or
flour on tithing. But suppose we had the money on hand that we have
spent on these useless articles which have been referred to the case
would be different. When I begin to talk about these things I see so
much that I can tell but very little. To see the slackness,
slothfulness, and neglect of duty in taking care of the things which
God gives to us. We may say we have abundance—more than we need—but
will we give it to those who need it? No, but it is wasted in buying
articles for which there is no real need. The people here seem to be
perfectly lost, and cannot imagine what they do want. They are not
clogged with every luxury, to be sure; they are not over surfeited
with riches, for they are not rich; but they are comfortable, and they
spend their substance for naught, for that which neither enriches the
soul nor builds up the Kingdom of God.

Vol. 12,  p.36
How is it with you, my brethren and sisters? Can you call to mind any
circumstances that have transpired in the midst of this people that
could have been avoided, and that should put you on your guard? Yes,
plenty of them, if you will only reflect. I asked one man, for
instance, how he lived. "Oh," said he, "I hardly know how; I can
hardly sustain my family." "How many have you in family?" "Eight of
us." "And what do you have a day?" "Three dollars." Perhaps here is
another man who gets five dollar a day, and he is poor; and another
one who has a hundred cattle running on the prairie, and he is living
on a dirt floor; he is not able to buy a few boards to make a floor.
Go through the country and you will see numbers living, year after
year, on dirt floors, and unable to procure a little sand and lime to
plaster the walls of their dwellings, and at the same time, perhaps,
they have hundreds and hundreds of animals running on the prairie.
What economy!

Vol. 12,  p.36
You recollect that I asked a few questions at Conference as to the
amount paid out last year for those needless articles—tea coffee, &c.
Will one hundred thousand dollars pay for the tobacco that the Elders
of Israel chewed and spit out? It will not and the tea that was drunk
will perhaps cost a hundred thousand more, [p.37] and the coffee will
amount to pretty near the same sum. As for the sugar, I should say,
continue to purchase that, and let the children have it, not to live
on it alone, but in connection with other nutriment, for you should
understand that our food is composed of three staple articles—sugar,
starch, and glue, consequently sugar is good. But to train your
children to drink tea and coffee at two, three, or four years old is
very pernicious and injurious. You mothers and daughters in Israel who
are taking this course, how do you expect to live to accomplish the
work the Lord has assigned you? Why you will not live half your days;
you will come short of it, as much as the wicked. Is this true? It is
verily true. You get up in the morning and have your cup of tea, your
fried ham, your cold beef and mince pies, and everything you can
possibly cram into the stomach, until you surfeit the system and lay
the foundation for disease and early death. Says the mother—"Do eat,
my little daughter, you are sick; take a piece of pie, toast, or meat,
or drink a little tea or coffee; you must take something or other."
Mothers in Israel, such a course engenders disease, and you are laying
a foundation that will cut off one-half or two-thirds of the lives of
your children; and yet a more healthy country than ours cannot be
found upon the face of the earth, if the people would learn to live
prudently.

Vol. 12,  p.37
In foreign lands you may find districts where many of the people do
not have, probably, more than two-thirds of what they need to eat—and
they live thus from year to year—yet you will find them reach more
healthy than they who gorge themselves continually. Take the
Americans, say in the old Granite State where I have travelled, and to
look at their surroundings out of doors you would not think they had
more than one bean to a pint of water, but go into their houses and
you will find beef, pork, apple pie, custard pie, pumpkin pie, mince
pie, and every luxury, and they live so as to shorten their days and
the days of their children. You may think that these things are not of
much importance; no more they are, unless they are observed, but let
the people observe them and they lay the foundation for longevity, and
they will begin to live out their days, not only a hundred years, but,
by and bye, hundreds of years on the earth. Do you think they will
stuff themselves then with tea and coffee, and perhaps with a little
brandy sling before breakfast and a little before going to bed, and
then beef, pork, mutton, sweetmeats, and pastry, morning, noon, and
night? No; you will find they will live as our first parents did, on
fruits and on a little simple food, and they will never overload the
stomach.

Vol. 12,  p.37
Let the people be temperate in their food, then go to work and clothe
themselves. Ladies, why can you not make your own bonnets as well as
buy them? Will you go to work and do it? I know not. You can do as you
please. Will you dispense with your frills, ruffles, bows, and
nonsense? To correspond with the ladies the gentlemen ought to have
one half el their hals covered with feathers and the other half with a
cockade, and frills up and down the sleeves of their coats and the
legs of their pantaloons. Still, we see some who wear home-made. I
noticed one young man, who is going on a mission, and who spoke here
to-day, with a suit of home-made cloth on. We can make our own cloth
and then wear it. We can learn how to raise and improve our stock, how
to raise our grain, fruit, and vegetables, we [p.38] can raise our our
own wool and flax and make it into cloth, and in fact we can learn to
raise and make all that we need, and this is one of the great objects
to be attained to in the gathering of the Saints together. As for your
surplus means, you can lay it away, and when a call is made you can
donate to assist the elders who are sent on missions to the nations of
the earth, and help to sustain their families while they are away.

Vol. 12,  p.38
To the elders who are going to preach I will give another word of
counsel—try and maintain yourselves as much as you can. You are going
where thousands of the people die annually of starvation. Do not go
and beg of them, but rather give to them. I have told every one of my
boys not to depend on the people, but when they get a dinner from the
poor, instead of taking the last crumb or morsel they have, leave
something with them to enable them to supply their wants. I have known
many sisters, and perhaps there are some of them here to-day, who,
when times were far better than they are now, would pinch themselves
for a whole week in order to provide a comfortable dinner or supper
for an elder who would visit them, at the same time they, probably,
did not have more than one-half, or at most two-thirds, of what was
necessary to sustain themselves. The Elders of Israel should go forth
calculating to help the people both temporally and spiritually, but
some of them have done nothing but beg from the time they left here
until their return. For brethren to leave a country like this, where
labor is plentiful and means so easily acquired, and go and ask alms
of the poor in other countries is a shame and disgrace. I want the
missionaries to remember this and lay it to heart, if they will. Go
and preach the gospel, and help the honest-in-heart to gather, that
they may aid in building up Zion, for that was the design of the Lord
when He said, through the Revelator John, "Come out of her my people
that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her
plagues."

Vol. 12,  p.38
Take the people in the east, west, north, and south who have obeyed
the gospel, and, so far as the spiritual gifts are concerned, they are
all of one heart and one mind, but not one soul knows how to build up
Zion. Not a man in all the realms and kingdoms that exist knows how to
commence the foundation of the Zion of God in the latter days without
revelation. If the people in the world could sanctify themselves and
prepare themselves to build up Zion they might remain scattered, but
they cannot, they must be gathered together to be taught, that they
may sanctify themselves before the Lord and become of one heart and of
one mind. By and by the Jews will be gathered to the land of their
fathers, and the ten tribes, who wandered into the north, will be
gathered home, and the blood of Ephraim, the second son of Joseph, who
was sold into Egypt, which is to be found in every kingdom and nation
under heaven, will be gathered from among the Gentiles, and the
Gentiles who will receive and adhere to the principles of the gospel
will be adopted and initiated into the family of Father Abraham, and
Jesus will reign over His own and Satan will reign over his own. This
will be the result.

Vol. 12,  p.38
Now, Latter-day Saints, only think how far short we come of being what
we ought to be. Some will indulge in a little falsehood here and
there, evil, folly, nonsense, wickedness, lies, deception, arrogating
to themselves that which does not belong to them. We are gathered
together expressly to expose the wickedness that is in [p.39] our
hearts. How often, in looking over the congregations of the Saints, I
can pick out a man here and a woman there guilty of these things.
Here, probably, is a brother who has been a deacon in the Baptist or
Presbyterian church for thirty or forty years, and was just as good a
man as there was in the world, but gather him home with the Saints,
and though his whole judgment is convinced that the gospel is true,
and he believes it with all his heart, yet he will deceive and lie a
little and take that which is not his own. "Did you ever know those
who have been deacons in the sectarian churches guilty of such
things?" Yes, many of them, who have been considered flaming lights
there, yet, when they gathered with the Saints, according to the words
of the prophets, they have spued out the iniquity that was in them,
and revealed the secrets of their hearts to their neighbors. If John
should drop his axe in the kanyon, and Benjamin should come along,
although he had been a preacher, he would pick up that axe and keep
it. I have seen many such things. Such practices, if not repented of
and forsaken, will canker the very souls of those who are guilty, and
will deprive them of the glory that will be enjoyed by honest and
virtuous men and women.

Vol. 12,  p.39
When Jesus was preaching on these principles, and showing how strict
and pure in their lives they must be who are counted worthy to be
brought into the presence of the Father and the Son, be crowned with
crowns of glory, immortality, and eternal life, and become Gods, even
the Sons of God, I do not wonder that His disciples cried out, "Who,
then, can be saved?" Said Jesus, "Strait is the gate and narrow is the
way that leads to the lives to come and few there be that find it."
This is the rendering in the new translation. As Jesus said to the
disciples so I say to the Latter-day Saints—"Strait is the gate and
narrow is the way that leads to the lives to come and few there be
that find it." I know you might turn round and say: "Brother Brigham,
do you expect to find it?" I expect to try; and when I get through I
expect the Lord to do what He pleases with me. I have not asked where
He is going to place me, nor what He will do with me, nor anything
about my crown or mansion. I only ask God, my Father, in the name of
Jesus, to help me to live my religion, and to give me ability to save
my fellow-beings from the corruptions of the world, to fill them with
the peace of God, and to prepare them for a better kingdom than this.
That is all I have inquired about. What the Lord will do with me, or
where He will place me, I do not know, neither do I care. I serve, and
have irnplicit confidence in Him, and I am perfectly satisfied that we
will all receive all we are worthy of. May the Lord help us to live so
that we may be worthy of a place in His presence. Amen.[p.40] 

George Q. Cannon, April 21, 1867

Remarks on Revelation, Missionary Fund, Word of Wisdom, Etc.

REMARKS by Elder George Q. Cannon, delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, April 21st, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.40
It is always exceedingly interesting to listen to missionaries
expressing their feelings either before going on missions or after
their return, especially when they return possessing the Spirit of
God, having fulfilled their missions honorably. I, for one, can
testify, and I presume that all can who have listened to the brethren
to-day and last Sunday, that if they go forth possessing the spirit
they have manifested in their remarks here, and are influenced and
guided by it in their addresses to and associations with the people
during their absence, the result will be great glory to themselves and
salvation to the honest in heart with whom they come in contact.

Vol. 12,  p.40
There is an influence and power attending the testimony of an honest
man inspired by the Spirit of God, that carries conviction to the
souls of those who are unprejudiced, and who listen dispassionately to
what he has to say, and when the inhabitants of the earth hear these
testimonies borne in meekness and simplicity, and, through prejudice,
reject them, condemnation falls upon them. If all who have heard the
and gospel, have received testimonies of its truth, had embraced it,
the Church of Jesus Christ, to-day, would have numbered millions.
There is a testimony accompanying the words of truth spoken in
soberness that carries conviction to the heart of every honest person
who bears it, and there is no man or woman to whom it is declared but
what has a secret, conviction that there is something more in it than
they are willing to allow.

Vol. 12,  p.40
It has been truly said that it makes but little difference in what
direction our labors are applied. We have learned by experience,
individually and as a people, that God our Heavenly Father knows what
is best for us. He knows our wants and circumstances, and how our
labors can be best applied, and in directing us He is always guided by
infinite wisdom. it makes but little difference what will be the
results of the labors of these brethren. If they do not bring many to
a knowledge of the truth, they, at least, can return with a
consciousness of having done what was required at their hands, and
their garments will be clear of the blood of the people. The Lord has
said that after the testimonies of His servants He would send other
testimonies, which should bear witness of the truth of that which they
had spoken. These testimonies have been, and are being, sent among the
people, and they are being increased; and, no doubt, thousands of the
honest-in-heart through the nations of the earth, whose minds have
been darkened by the precepts and traditions of men, will be aroused
to reflection, and will have their feelings of prejudice removed by
the circumstances [p.41] through which they are called to pass, and
they will see truth as they never saw it before. Hence, there is a
constant necessity for the elders to go forth and proclaim the gospel
among the nations of the earth.

Vol. 12,  p.41
We are living in a very eventful period; the events now transpiring in
the nations have been predicted to us years and years ago. We were
almost as familiar with them before they came to pass as we are now.
Scarcely an event has befallen our nation but what we had an
intimation of long before it transpired. I recollect very well that in
the fall of 1860, while going to England, we were invited at Omaha to
preach the gospel to the people of that city. A good many of the
leading citizens procured the Court-house for us, and br. Pratt
preached. By request, I read the revelation given through Joseph
Smith, on the 25th of December, 1832, respecting the secession of the
Southern States. It created a great sensation, the election of Abraham
Lincoln having just been consummated, and it being well known that
there was a great deal of feeling in the South in relation to it. A
great many persons came forward and examined the book from which the
revelation was read to see the date, to satisfy themselves that it was
not a thing of recent manufacture. The revelation was in the Pearl of
Great Price, which was published 1851. And when the people saw this
they were struck with surprise, and were more especially impressed
when, in the course of a few hours afterwards, the news reached Omaha
that South Carolina had passed the Ordinance of Secession. There was a
direct confirmation of the words of the Prophet Joseph spoken
twenty-eight years previously. But who in that congregation were
prepared to receive that prediction as one that had emanated from
Heaven? We understood and were prepared for it. It made no difference
to us whether South Carolina had then seceded, or whether secession
had been deferred for years, we knew that the words of God must be
fulfilled, and that the words which He had spoken by the mouth of His
servant would come to pass.

Vol. 12,  p.41
There are a great many who have been stirred up to reflection by
recent events, which have been mapped out, as it were, before the
Saints of God through the spirit of inspiration and prophecy, which
our Heavenly Father has poured out upon His servants and people; and
if we continue to be diligent, humble, and faithful, there never will
be a time from this time forward, so long as the earth endures, that
we will be destitute of the knowledge necessary to guide us. There
never has been a time since we came to these valleys that we have been
ignorant of the course that we should take. It is true that many
invidious remarks are made by those not of us upon the men who preside
over us. They do not know how it is that President Young has been able
to lead us through every difficulty as he has done. They imagine that
it is all attributable to his superior wisdom and smartness, and that
what we term revelation and the spirit of prophecy are the concoction
of his brain or the fabrication of those who are immediately
associated with him. But we who, from the organization of the Church.
until the present, have been led by the spirit of inspiration, know
that it is nothing of the kind, but that God our Heavenly Father does
actually make known His mind and will to His servants in these days as
He did anciently.

Vol. 12,  p.41
Men's ideas differ very much in relation to, what a prophet is or
should be; they have certain ideas [p.42] and opinions as to how he
should receive the gift of prophecy and revelation, and if a man
professing to be a prophet or servant of God does not conform to those
ideas, he is, of course, set down as an impostor. The spirit of
revelation is not so mysterious and incomprehensible as many imagine
it to be. Men have imagined that it is something they cannot
understand, and that men in possession of it must differ very
remarkably from those who are destitute of it. But the Lord in His
dealings with the children of men never did produce these
monstrosities. His servants were not so remarkable in appearance as to
strike everybody who saw them with surprise, but on the contrary they
were natural men, similar in form feature, and apparel, and speaking
the same language as others, and because of this men could not
entertain the idea that they were the servants of God or were intimate
with His purposes, or that they could possess more wisdom than man
obtains by the exercise of his natural mind. My brethren and sisters,
it is a glorious privilege that we possess, of living so before the
Lord our God that we can have the testimony constantly within us that
we are operating and laboring in conformity with the requirements of
Heaven.

Vol. 12,  p.42
There is one subject that I wish to speak upon in connection with the
departure of these missionaries. There has been a movement made in
some of the wards to raise the means necessary to send the
missionaries from these wards to the nations to which they have been
appointed. I do not know how many wards are engaged in this movement,
but it is desirable that the whole people should do what they can to
assist in sending the missionaries, and also to assist their families
while they are away. It will probably be easy for the 13th, 14th, and
20th wards to send the brethren who are called from them, but there
may be some wards that are too poor to assist to the extent that is
needed, and a unity of action on the part of the people generally may
therefore be necessary. President Young desires that all who are here
this morning should do what they can, and that all who come this
afternoon should come prepared to do the same. And all here are
requested to notify all they can to this effect. A few years ago an
exertion was made to raise a Missionary Fund, and for a time that fund
was tolerably well sustained, but by degrees the feelings of the
people became cool, whether for the want of being reminded or not I do
not know, but for some time this matter has fallen into disuse.

Vol. 12,  p.42
A good many are now being called to go on missions, and as we have
done very well in this matter in the past we must not be unmindful
now. It is true we have a great many labors to perform; we have to pay
our tithing, and in various ways have to contribute of our means for
the upbuilding of the Kingdom of God, and it is by taking a course of
this kind that we shall become a great and mighty people. We have
proved this to our satisfaction. We have proved that we can go to the
nations of the earth and spend years, if necessary, in proclaiming the
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and then come back and accumulate
means as rapidly as it we had never gone. And those who remain at home
and devote their energies and means to building up the Kingdom of God
increase in wealth and material advantages far more rapidly than they
who have neither given their time abroad nor their means at home. We
are surrounded with the blessings of God, and He can multiply or
withdraw them as seems good in His sight, and [p.43] it ought to be,
and I have no doubt that it is, a pleasure to the Latter-day Saints to
do all they can to roll forth His work. When we have gone, seemingly,
as far as we can, the Lord opens our way and makes it plain before us,
just as He does for the elders when they go forth to preach.

Vol. 12,  p.43
There have been times with the elders abroad preaching when it seemed
as though they could do no more—all was dark before them, every door
seemed closed, and they did not know where to get food to eat, raiment
to wear, or a place of shelter; and, when they could do no other
thing, God has opened the way for them, their faith has been
increased, and they have gone forward with renewed energy to perform
the labors devolving upon them. So his with us here, my brethren and
sisters. I look upon the training we are receiving as essentially
necessary. God is testing us and trying our faith. Our means are
comparatively very limited, but by their proper use, and the exercise
of faith, God, will open up our way before us. This people, called
Latter-day Saints, have performed the mightiest works ever
accomplished with the least means. It is in consequence of their
faith, and it will be more and more the case as we progress in the
things of the kingdom; and if we continually comply with the
requirements of Heaven we shall become heirs of God and joint heirs
with Jesus Christ. And if we are heirs of God and joint heirs with
Jesus Christ we expect to have control over many things, and there is
reason to believe that our dominion will be very extensive. But before
we attain to that dominion we must learn to be wise rulers over the
few things that God has placed in our charge, and to use them for His
glory and the advancement of His purposes on the earth. When He sees
that our eyes are single to His glory, and that our hearts are pure
and free from avarice and every sordid and selfish feeling, He will
multiply His blessings upon us, because He will then know by testing
us that we are fit to be trusted, and it will be said to us according
to the words of the Scriptures, "You have been faithful over a few
things and you shall become rulers over many things."

Vol. 12,  p.43
We cannot say what good will follow from our exertions, though very
feeble and like bread cast upon the waters, yet if we perform the
duties devolving upon us in the Spirit of the Lord, and pray that His
blessing may attend them, great results will follow to us and others.
We all ought to have learned this long ago, and I doubt not that, with
few exceptions, we all have; and the spirit that has been awakened
within us of late, respecting keeping the Word of Wisdom and other
things of a kindred character, ought to keep us keenly alive to the
importance of using to the best advantage all the means God places in
our hands. I recollect very well a saying of President Young, some
seven years ago, I think, this coming summer, in speaking of the
missionaries who were then going abroad, he said that when he was in
England he hesitated to spend a penny for fruit or anything of that
kind, because he thought of what that penny, or a few pence, would do
if judiciously expended for the benefit of the work of God. We should
all feel like this, and should endeavor to deny ourselves of a great
many things that are injurious to us that we may be better prepared to
help to roll forth the work of God our Heavenly Father. If we have
obeyed the counsel given at Conference we have already saved something
in denying ourselves of some of those things which we call luxuries,
and we can [p.44] donate that, if no more; but we might as well donate
something in anticipation of the amount we will save during the coming
year by strictly following the counsel that has been given to us. By
so doing we will confer a blessing upon those going on missions, and
we will have the satisfaction of knowing that our means has been used
for the accomplishment of God's purposes.

Vol. 12,  p.44
I have been very much pleased, as an individual, to hear the
instructions which have been given on these points. I called in at a
Bishops' meeting the other evening and heard some remarks which were
being made on this subject. I would have liked very much, if
circumstances had permitted, to have added something to what was said.
I do not like to hear anybody express himself as though this movement
in relation to keeping the Word of Wisdom is one got up and sustained
only by enthusiasm. I do not call that enthusiasm which prompts people
to walk up to the line of their duty and renounce evil practices, and
when I hear men say—"I have seen the people get enthusiastic about the
Word of Wisdom before, but they have soon relapsed into their old
habits," I consider it wrong. We ought not to require to be talked to
and counselled on points so well recognised and established as this.
God has given to us a most positive promise on this subject, and we
should be diligent in carrying it into effect without waiting to be
counselled, getting up an excitement, or acting on the spur of the
moment and after awhile returning to old habits. I do not think any
person will be benefitted by acting in this manner. There should he a
well settled conviction in the mind of every person belonging to this
Church that it would be a real benefit for him or for her to observe
the Word of Wisdom, and to carry into effect the counsel God has given
on any point. If I do not see the evils that result from smoking and
chewing tobacco, drinking liquor, tea, and coffee, or eating meats to
excess, and the benefits that would result from abstaining, what
anybody else may see would only bare a temporary effect upon me. I
must feel in my own heart that it is injurious to me to indulge in
these things, there must be a well settled conviction within me that
this is the case, then when I am thrown in contact with persons who
use them, and inducements are offered me to do the same, it is easy
for me to decline, because I am satisfied in my own mind that they are
injurious, and there is no need of excitement or enthusiasm to enable
me to refrain.

Vol. 12,  p.44
Our teachings during Conference will, at any rate, induce parents and
guardians to keep their children from learning pernicious habits,
which in early life are so easily acquired, and which when acquired
retain their hold upon us with such tenacity, and if, in addition to
this, five hundred people throughout the Territory are induced to keep
the Word of Wisdom I do not think that our preaching will have been in
vain. But I anticipate far greater results than this. It is true,
probably, that there are many points concerning our welfare that may
not have been touched upon by our Heavenly Father in the Word of
Wisdom, but in my experience I have noticed that they who practice
what the Lord has already given are keenly alive to other words of
wisdom and counsel that may be given. I would consider that for a
person who was in a profuse perspiration to go into the wind without
being properly clothed would be more foolish and injurious than to eat
meat or to drink tea or coffee to excess. There are a [p.45] thousand
ways in which we can act unwisely; our attention has been directed to
some few points, and if we observe them the Lord has promised us great
treasures of wisdom, which will enable us to see a thousand points
where we can take better care of our bodies, preserve our health, and
which will enable us to train our children in the way of the Lord. The
result will be that our children will be healthy and strong, and we
will raise up a generation that will be a blessing to us, and through
whom the Lord can accomplish His great and mighty works in the earth.

Vol. 12,  p.45
These things are very desirable, my brethren and sisters, and I hope
that no person in this congregation will consider that the teachings
we have had during Conference, or their results, arise from
enthusiasm, but attribute them to the right source, the promptings of
the Spirit of God. This is the true view of the matter, and it is for
every one of us to carry them into effect. We do not wish the people
to be coerced or asked, even, to make covenants to observe these
teachings. It is not desirable or wise that this should be done. If
the bishops and teachers in their wards and blocks choose to ascertain
how many will observe this counsel, it may be wise to do so, but it
would be decidedly unwise to go and exact covenants of this character,
because I have noticed that when we make covenants there is a power
brought to bear against us, and temptations thrown in our path to
cause us if possible to break them. We should be exceedingly careful
in these things, and, if we wish to carry them out let us resolve to
do so upon principle and by the help of God, and not in our own
strength, or because somebody else tells us to do so. This is the
course for us, as Latter-day Saints, to take, then the benefits
resulting will be permanant. It is the design of the Lord to develop
within every man and woman the principle of knowledge, that all may
know for themselves. He has poured out His holy spirit upon all of us,
and not upon President Young nor upon bro. Joseph alone. The Lord
designs that the principle of knowledge shall be developed in every
heart, that all may stand before Him in the dignity of their manhood,
doing understandingly what He requires of them, not depending upon nor
being blindly led by their priests or leaders, as is the universal
custom, and one of the most fruitful sources of evil to the people on
the face of the earth. God intends to break down this order of things,
and to develop in the bosom of every human being who will be obedient
to the gospel and the principles of truth and righteousness, that
knowledge which will enable them to perform understandingly all the
labors and duties he requires of them.

Vol. 12,  p.45
If we, in our experience, have not yet proved the truth of the words
of the prophet—"Cursed is he that trusteth in man, or maketh flesh his
arm"—probably we will do if we live long enough. There is a curse
attending every man and woman who does this. If we will watch the
operations of the gospel of Jesus Christ among us, we will see that it
has a tendency to develop knowledge in the bosoms of all, and it is
the design of Providence that it should be so. We must all learn to
depend upon God and upon Him alone. Why, the very man upon whom we
think we can rely with unbounded confidence, and trust with all we
possess, may disappoint us sometimes, but trust in God and He never
fails. We can go before Him at all times, and upon all occasions, and
pour out our souls and desires before Him, and we [p.46] feel that we
lean upon a rock that will not fail, and upon a friend that will not
desert us in the day of trial. He is omnipotent, and in Him only can
we trust under all circumstances, therefore we perceive why the
prophet has said—"Cursed is he that trusteth in man, or maketh flesh
his arm."

Vol. 12,  p.46
God, our Heavenly Father, designs that all who will observe truth and
righteousness should possess wisdom and understanding for themselves,
and He is bringing us through circumstances that will develop within
us that portion of the Godhead or Deity which we have received from
Him, that we may become worthy of our high and glorious parentage.
This being His design respecting us, we should seek by every means in
our power to aid Him in carrying it out, until the whole people ale
enlightened by His Spirit, and act understandingly and in concert in
carrying out His designs. In other systems the design is to keep the
people down in ignorance and darkness respecting the principles that
are taught them, to keep the knowledge in the hands of a select few,
upon whom the people are forced to depend, but this is not the genius
of the kingdom of God. The spirit of the church of God is that
manifested by Moses when, in answer to Joshua, who wished him to
reprove some who were prophesying, he said—"No; but I would to God
that all were prophets." That is the spirit of the gospel of Jesus
Christ. The genius of the kingdom with which we are associated is to
disseminate knowledge through all the ranks of the people, and to make
every man a prophet and every woman a prophetess, that they may
understand the plans and purposes of God. For this purpose the gospel
has been sent to us, and the humblest may obtain its spirit and
testimony, and the weakest of the weak may obtain a knowledge
respecting the purposes of God. This is the difference between the
church and kingdom of God and the creeds and institutions of men. The
idea that prevails in the world concerning us is that we are
hoodwinked and led blindly by our leaders; but the contrary to this is
the case, for it is the wish of every man who comprehends this work
that the people should all understand it. The bishops and teachers, if
they have the right spirit, wish their wards to understand the
principles of the gospel and the requirements of heaven as they
understand them, and so it is through all grades of the priesthood and
through all the ramifications of the church of God. If we take this
course continually we will become a great and mighty people before the
Lord. If we do anything let us do it understandingly. If we hear any
principle taught from the stand that we do not understand let us seek
to comprehend it by the Spirit of God. If it be not of God we have the
privilege of knowing it. We are not required to receive for doctrine
everything that we hear. We may say—"I do not know whether this is
true or not, I will not fight it, neither will I endorse it, but I
will seek knowledge from God, for that is my privilege, and I will
never rest satisfied until I have obtained the light I require." If
you hear a doctrine that does not agree with your feelings, or that
you do not believe, take this course; do not reject nor endorse
hastily, without knowing or understanding. By taking this course you
will develop the principle that God designs we should possess, and we
will thus become a wise and understanding people, for we will be based
on the Rock of Revelation.

Vol. 12,  p.47
May this be the case with you, my [p.47] brethren and sisters, until
you are brought back into the presence of God, to dwell at His right
hand eternally, is my prayer for Christ's sake. Amen.

John Taylor, May 19, 1867

Trip to Southern Utah—the Works and Faith of the Saints

REMARKS by Elder John Taylor, delivered in the Tabernacle, 
Great Salt Lake City, May 19th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.47
As we have just returned from a journey from the south I presume it
would be interesting to you to hear some little about how the Saints
generally are getting on. We have had quite a pleasant journey, but
rather a laborious one, travelling thirty, forty, or fifty miles a
day, and preaching from once to three times a day. But we have had
very pleasant remarks, feelings, and associations during our absence.
We found that the President and those who were with him were welcomed
and well received in every place we visited. There seems be an
increase of faith among the Saints and a desire to live their religion
and keep the commandments of God. We also find that improvements are
taking place in almost every place we visited; they are improving in
their farming operations, their orchards, gardens, dwellings, &c., and
some places, we find, are really very beautiful. Down in the far
south, in Saint George and through that region of country, the people
are beginning to live easier and better than heretofore, so that the
matter of living is no longer a problem with any of them. In the early
days of the settlement of that country a good many became disaffected
and left. Geo. A. used occasionally to go down with reinforcements,
expecting to find quite a large company, but when he tried to put his
finger on them, like Paddy's flea," they were not there. At the
present time, however, different feelings prevail. There are many now
who desire to go down there as a matter of choice, and a great many
there with whom I conversed feel as though it was as good a home as
they could find anywhere in the valleys, and they would not wish to
leave unless counselled to do so. It took counsel to take them there,
and it would take counsel to bring them away. So far as the city of
Saint George is concerned, it is the bess and most pleasant looking
city in the Territory, outside of Great Salt Lake City, and that is
saying a good deal for a new place. They have beautiful gardens and
orchards, and quite a large number of very beautiful buildings, and
they are making for themselves a very pleasant home. And not only so,
but the promises to them are beginning to be fulfilled, waters are
beginning to burst forth in desert [p.48] places, where they had none
before, and they are beginning to feel that the hand of the Lord is
over them, that He is interested in their welfare, that He is their
God, and that they are His people. In fact, when we were down there at
Conference, which we attended for two days, we had a pleasant time,
and a good spirit prevailed, and I felt almost as though we were at
home, there were so many familiar faces. I noticed, too, that there
was a very general disposition among the people to observe the Word of
Wisdom. Of course we had to keep it—we could not for shame do anything
else—and if we had been disposed to do otherwise we could hardly have
helped ourselves, for nobody offered us either tea, coffee, tobacco or
liquor. There seemed to be a general disposition among the people to
obey, at least, that counsel, although they had not heard much
preaching upon it until we went down and talked things over together.
We enjoyed ourselves very much, and the people expressed themselves as
being very highly gratified. They met as you meet us here with their
bands of music, schools, escorts, and so forth and they made us
welcome wherever we went, and we found that it was indeed a very
different thing to preach the gospel among the Saints from what it is
to preach it in the world. Instead of receiving opposition, contumely,
and contempt, we were received with kindness, good feelings, and a
hearty welcome.

Vol. 12,  p.48
In relation to these missionary operations which have been alluded to,
I should like to see something done, I do not know that it is
necessary to talk about it. We used to be in the habit of going
without purse or scrip. That is the way I have travelled hundreds and
thousands of miles, but then we felt as the disciples of old did. When
we returned, if asked if we had lacked anything, we could say verily
no. But there was a time afterwards when Jesus said—"Let him that has
a purse take it with him, and let him that has no sword sell his coat
and buy one." We do not always remain in statu quo. At that time we
were the poorest people in the world, but now we are better off than
the generality of mankind, and we are able to help one another, and
there is no necessity for our missionaries to go under the
circumstances they have done heretofore; and since it is the counsel
that they shall not, why let us do what we can to help them. In
relation to the Kingdom of God, it is still onward, and we expect it
to continue to progress, and we expect, individually, to be co-workers
in its affairs and participators in its progress. If we are called on
missions we go; if we are called upon to contribute to assist others
to go we contribute. If the word is, "remove here," or "go there," we
go—that is, many of us do, some do not. When I was at Conference at
Saint George I felt that I was among a very good people, and that
there was a great deal of the Spirit of the Lord there; but when I
came to reflect on the circumstance I was not surprised that there
should be a good people there, because they who were a little shaky in
the knees, and did not have a great deal of faith, left and came away,
and consequently they passed through that sieve and returned again,
some to us and some to the settlements around, according to
circumstances. And where there is a people that have been called upon
to undertake what they consider to be a painful or unpleasant task or
mission, and they go and perform that mission without flinching, they
feel that they are engaged in the work of God, and that His work and
Ills commands and [p.49] the authority of the Holy Priesthood are more
to them than anything else; and they have the blessing of God resting
upon them, which produces peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, and that is
the reason why there is so good a feeling and so large a flow of the
Spirit of the living God through that district of country. But where
there is a backwardness and a shrinking from duties assigned us there
is a drying up of that Spirit and a lack of the light, life, power,
and energy which the Holy Ghost imparts to those that fulfil the
dictates of Jehovah. When I reflect upon these things I take this
lesson to myself: "That it is a good and pleasant thing to obey the
dictates of the Lord, that it is praiseworthy and honorable to be
found walking in the commands of Jehovah, and that it is a blessing to
all men to fulfil all missions and to discharge all responsibilities
and duties that the Lord lays upon them. When selecting brethren to go
down there I remember the Bishops asked me "what kind of men I
wanted?" I told them I wanted men of God, men of faith, who would go
and sit on a barren rock and stay there until told to leave it. If we
get a number of men of that kind to go, there is faith, union, power,
light, truth, the revelations of Jesus Christ, and everything that is
calculated to elevate, exalt, and ennoble the human mind and happily
the Saints of God. These are my views in relation to the Kingdom of
God.

Vol. 12,  p.49
The Lord has established His kingdom on the earth, and He has given us
His servants to guide and direct us. We, as a people, profess
emphatically to be governed by revelation. We do not believe in this
simply as theory, as something that would be beneficial to somebody
else, but as something that will be a blessing to ourselves. We
believe that God has spoken, that angels have appeared, that the
everlasting gospel in its purity has been restored; we believe that
God has organised His Church and Kingdom on the earth, and that,
through channels which He has appointed and ordained, He manifests His
will first to the Saints and then to the world. And we believe that
the more we adhere to the teachings of the servants of God the more we
shall prosper, both temporally and spiritually, the more we shall
enjoy the favor of the Almighty, and the more likely we shall be to
obtain for ourselves an everlasting inheritance in the celestial
kingdom of our God. We believe that the intelligence and wisdom of man
cannot guide us, and that we, therefore, need the guidance of the
Almighty; and, being under His guidance and direction, it is our duty
to submit to His law, to be governed by His authority, do His will,
keep His commandments, and observe His statutes, that we may
ultimately be saved in His celestial kingdom.

Vol. 12,  p.50
May God help us to be faithful in the name of Jesus. Amen.[p.50] 

Brigham Young, May 26, 1867

Our Delegate to Congress—the Word of 
Wisdom—the Union Pacific Railroad—Spiritual 
Ignorance of Popular Preachers

DISCOURSE by President Brigham Young, delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, May 26th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.50
If br. Hooper had accomplished his wish in saying just what he desired
to say, would he not have been a superior man? He would. If he were to
do so, he would be about the only man whom I know who could do so. I
am happy to hear what I have heard from him in his speaking to-day,
and in our communications one with the other. Since his return home it
has pleased me more than anything else in the world concerning our
Delegate to find that the spirit of faith, humility, and resignation
to the will and providences of God, our Father, is increasing in him.
This pleases me more than it would to learn that he had grown
exceedingly rich; and, as we profess to be Latter-day Saints, I
rejoice for myself and for his constituents that the spirit of the
holy gospel is increasing in him from year to year. I do not say this
to flatter br. Hooper; I am not the least concerned about it injuring
him, for when a person sees things as they are, flattery and reproach
are all the same to him, he sees no difference. If he finds that he is
pleasing God and his brethren, he is exceedingly rejoiced, and feels
an increase of humility and resignation. When a man is proud and
arrogant, flattery fills him with vanity and injures him; but it is
not so when he is increasing in the faith of God; and I can say of a
truth, according to my understanding of the spirit of the gospel, that
it grows as fast in Win. H. Hooper as in any man I know. He came to
this Territory, as he has said, seventeen years ago next month; he
came as clerk to Ben. Holladay. We found him as he was, he found us as
we were. We have lived together many years, and, notwithstanding his
speculations, I learned years and years ago, through his honesty,
uprightness, child-like feeling, and naturally humble, contrite
spirit, that there was in him the germ of truth and salvation. Now he
is our Delegate, and I am really proud of him, not to detract in the
least from br. Bernhisel, for I am proud of him, too, as a true
gentleman. Br. Hooper has been fervent in every labor placed upon him,
and he has labored indefatigably; his tasks have been arduous, yet he
has succeeded to my astonishment and his own. This is in consequence
of his faith and integrity in the truth that he has embraced. We ·
sent one delegate to Congress, who was baptized, confirmed, and
ordained an elder, to my certain knowledge, for he was ordained under
my hands, and when he got to Congress I understand he denied being a
"Mormon." But br. Hooper, every time he is asked if he is a Latter-day
Saint, replies: "Yes, and I thank God that I am." By this course he
has won the battle, and he has [p.51] obtained more than I could have
anticipated. I am glad that I have this to say in his behalf. Now I
will venture to say a little more, that Willlam H. Hooper, from the
period of his earliest recollection, never enjoyed that peace,
quietness, and solid joy that he now possesses in the situation with
which we have honored him, and that he has obtained by his submission
to the providences of God and his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. [Br.
HOOPER: I never was so happy, nor enjoyed such good health in my life
as now.]

Vol. 12,  p.51
Now, is not this encouraging? Why, just for the sake of passing
through this life I would not fail of being a Saint for all the riches
in this world. Talk about kings on their thrones! Is there one of them
who feels safe and who can repose in quietness and security? Do you
know one who can?

Vol. 12,  p.51
Take all the Emperors and great men of the world, who receive so much
honor and homage, and what is their peace? It is sorrow. What is their
joy? It is grief and sorrow. Are they safe? No, I think not; and I
will say to my brethren and sisters that there is not a king, emperor,
or potentate on the earth who begins to possess the joy, peace, and
quietness that our delegate now experiences in returning to his
constituents. I think not any of them, unless they enjoy the spirit of
the holy gospel of the Son of God, though their subjects bow their
knees to the ground and take off their hats to them to do them homage
and honor, it is mere show, outward appearance; many of the people do
not do these things from their hearts. This we very well know.

Vol. 12,  p.51
Br. Hooper has returned here to visit, mingle, and talk with the
brethren and sisters, and to learn their feelings. I will say for his
satisfaction, and for the satisfaction of my friends who live in this
city and throughout the Territory, that I am perfectly satisfied with
his labors. Has he been as indefatigable as we could wish? He has. Has
he accomplished as much as we expected he could? More; and above all
this, there is nothing so consoling and cheering to me as to find br.
Hooper increasing in the faith of the holy gospel. I have heard
expressions from his mouth since he came home that have been
heart-cheering to me. Speaking of his business and of the hard times
here, said he, "What is all this speculation, money, or property? It
is nothing at all when compared with peace and the blessings of Heaven
that we desire upon the people called Latter-day Saints, and their
success in spreading the gospel and gathering the poor." this is first
and foremost in his heart, and this makes me cry Hallelujah, and thank
God. I say this for br. Hooper.

Vol. 12,  p.51
I am now going to say a few words for myself with regard to my own
situation and circumstances in the midst of this people, the joy and
thankfulness that seem to surround the people and their leaders. The
increase that is perceptible to those who live in the faith of the
holy gospel is heart-cheering, comforting, and consoling, and is
praiseworthy to the Latter-day Saints. To illustrate, I will refer to
one item of our proceedings at Conference. While assembled there I
told the people what my feelings were in regard to the Word of Wisdom.
I said to them—"The Spirit signifies to me that we should cease
drinking tea, coffee, and liquor, and chewing tobacco." On our journey
south I saw one old lady over eighty years of age drink a little
coffee, and that was the only coffee I saw while from home. I think
there was one of our sisters [p.52] in the company who was sick one
day, and she had a little tea; with this exception, from the time we
left home until we returned, I did not see a drop of tea or coffee
offered to the company. Is not this marvellous? Was there any command
given to the people, or any coercion used towards them at Conference
in relation to these things? Not the least in the world, and the
strongest term I used was that "the Spirit signifies to me that this
people should observe the Word of Wisdom."

Vol. 12,  p.52
It has been said to me—"This reformation in the midst of the people is
too hasty to be permanent." I have replied—"I trust not; I have not
been hasty in my reflections and considerations to honor the purposes
and to do the will of God." It is true that to illustrate the
advantages that would accrue from our observance of the Word of
Wisdom, I compared the abundance of means we should then possess with
the scarcity now existing. Instead of being poor and needy, this would
give us all we could ask, to assist our poor brethren and sisters
abroad to emigrate to this country, to send our elders abroad to
preach the gospel, and to furnish the means necessary to enable them
to do without seeking assistance of those who are already so poor that
they seldom have more than half enough to eat. There are many there
who have grown to manhood and womanhood, who can say of a truth—"Never
in my life did I have the privilege of eating what my nature desired
or required."

Vol. 12,  p.52
If we would observe the Word of Wisdom, and cultivate faith, economy,
and wisdom, the Lord would add blessings to us so that we would have
abundance to give our elders, that they need never be under the
necessity of saying to this sister or that brother, "give me a
breakfast or something to assist me on my way," but they would have
enough to provide for their own necessities, and something with which
to assist the poor whom they might meet. When I was in the old country
I never was under the necessity of asking a penny from any person, and
for which I have been thankful a thousand times since in reflecting
upon it. I believe the only alms I ever asked, or the only intimation
I ever gave of being in need, was on Long Island, when on my way to
England. The brethren there, or rather those who were brethren
afterwards, gave me some money. When I got to England I had a few
shillings left. While there the Lord put means into my hands, and
after I was established in my office, I do not know that I ever went
out without first putting into my pocket as many coppers as my hand
could grasp, to give to the needy I met by the way, and I have fed and
clothed many. I have been very thankful for this. But most of our
elders, when they go to the old country, are under the necessity of
obtaining assistance from the people. We should not suffer this, and
if we, here, will observe the Word of Wisdom, there will be no need of
their doing so in the future. Last week I received a note in which was
enclosed three dollars from a sister; I cannot tell her name, for she
did not give it. She said she had not drank any tea since Conference,
and she had saved about three dollars, which she enclosed for me to do
good with. I felt "God bless her," and she will be blessed as sure as
she lives.

Vol. 12,  p.52
Now, here are brethren on the right hand and on the left who, if they
had observed my counsel and the Word of Wisdom in their economy and in
their dealings, would have been worth hundreds of thousands to-day
where they have not got [p.53] a shilling. But you know when we
exercise faith and influence to induce the people to take a certain
course, they will not always be satisfied that the result will be as
it is described, until, by experience, they learn the opposite. There
have been times when we have let the people do as they had a mind to,
without trying to restrain them by counsel, and when we had done so,
and not sought with all the power we had to concentrate them in their
dealings and in their faith, they have met with difficulty and come to
want; but when we hold them together, and they take our counsel, they
always have plenty. Thank the Lord we do not suffer for food, and I do
not know anybody who suffers for raiment. We have plenty of feed, and
we expect we shall have.

Vol. 12,  p.53
As I have not appeared before you since my return from the south until
to-day, I will say a few words in relation to that. I designed coming
to this Tabernacle last Sabbath, but my health would not permit me. I
am here to-day, however, to present to you my heartfelt thanks for
your faith and confidence in your leaders. When I returned home I saw
an exceedingly delightful manifestation of the good feelings of the
people. The greeting we received from thousands of children and grown
people, who lined the sides of the streets, and the hundreds who came
in carriages to meet us, was very gratifying. When I got home I felt
perfectly peaceable, and not the least concerned about anybody coming
to injure me. I am not like the monarchs of the world, although I have
no doubt there are individuals who would like to throw me a little
lead—I have had intimations to that effect—but I am not at all
concerned. I am always prepared. I am always on the watch. If any man
can creep on me, day or night, he must be exceedingly quick. Still, I
am in the hands of God, and I have to acknowledge that I am not
preserved by my own wisdom and watchfulness, but it is through the
providences of God. The Lord raises up one here and pulls down another
there. He brings forth kingdoms and empires, and He sets monarchs on
their thrones through His providences and at His pleasure. The Lord
has His eye upon all His creatures. His presence and His influence
fill immensity. Understand, Latter-day Saints, I do not teach you the
doctrine that the centre of God is everywhere and His circumference
nowhere. That is false doctrine and nonsense. But His influence. His
power, His spirit fill immensity, and are around about all things,
above all things, beneath all things, and through all things, and they
govern and control all things, and He watches His creatures with that
minuteness that not a hair of the head of even a wicked and ungodly
man falls to the ground unnoticed. Now, permit me to say that through
the providences of God, you and I are, I mean in our present
condition.

Vol. 12,  p.53
Our delegate says he is not fearful of anything arising in this world
to militate against this work and people, except it arises among
ourselves. Now, for your consolation I want to say that we are not
going to commit errors, wrongs, and sirs that will dis-fellowship us
from the heavens, cut us off from the Holy Priesthood, and cast us
out. I have no such faith, not a particle of it. There will be a great
many foolish ones, no doubt. If you and I live to see the time when
the voice is heard, "Behold, the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet
him," we shall find many right in the midst of this people without oil
in their lamps; no question of this. But as for believing that this
people will [p.54] apostatize (without having any allusion to what br.
Hooper has said), I do not fear it, though, in reality, it is the only
fear I ever had. I do not fear anything from God and holy angels, from
the powers of darkness, nor from the powers of this world, the only
things I ever feared were the discord, discontent, confusion, and
apostacy in the midst of this people. Still, you and I are not going
to apostatize, we will not apostatize. There are individuals among us
who will, but they will be very few. Another thing that creates
exceeding joy in my heart is, that when a person apostatizes from the
truth, and becomes filled with darkness and unbelief, how anxious he
is to get away from this poor, miserable, sterile, sage plain, where,
as br. Hooper has said, the people have the privilege of getting up in
the night to water their land. This is a matter of great joy to me,
for it is one of the providences of God.

Vol. 12,  p.54
Speaking of the completion of this railroad, I am anxious to see it,
and I say to the Congress of the United States, through our Delegate,
to the Company, and to others, hurry up, hasten the work! We want to
hear the iron horse puffing through this valley. What for? To bring
our brethren and sisters here. "But," says one, "we shall not have any
money." Yes, we shall, if you and I observe the Word of Wisdom, we
shall have plenty of it. Now, let me extend that a little further than
to tea, coffee, tobacco, and whisky—that is, keep your flour here, and
do not send it to Montana nor anywhere else, but keep it here and
store it up, and your grain too. You flour speculators here, do you
know what flour is worth a barrel in New York? It is worth twenty-two
dollars. In my young days, when it reached ten or twelve dollars per
barrel we thought we were all going to starve to death. It is worth
eighteen dollars on the frontiers and twenty at St. Louis. But, again,
with regard to this railroad; when it is through, even in ordinary
times it opens to us the market, and we are at the door of New York,
right at the threshold of the emporium of the United States. We can
send our butter, eggs, cheese, and fruits, and receive m return
oysters, clams, cod fish, mackarel, oranges, and lemons. Let me say
more to you—do up your peaches in the best style, for they will want
them. Their fruit trees are failing in the east. Right in the very
land where the Book of Mormon came forth, and was translated by
Joseph, there has not been an apple grown for this dozen years without
a worm in the centre, as I have been told by men who live there. The
worm is in the centre of all there is there, and it will canker and
eat them until they are consumed. Wherever this work has been, and the
powers of darkness have succeeded in driving the Priesthood, I can
tell you that desolation and ruin, the abomination of desolation will
follow. But where the Saints cultivate the soil, the Lord will bless
it and cause it to bring forth. Let us be fervent, then, in all our
labors, in producing fruits, grains, vegetables, and everything
necessary to sustain life, for by and by it will be said—"We must send
to Zion, or starve to death." Do you believe it? I do not care whether
anybody believes it or not, it makes no difference to me. I am a
Yankee; I guess things, and very frequently guess right.

Vol. 12,  p.54
To the Latter-day Saints I say, live your religion. This is the cry
all the time. Let us live our religion, be faithful, watchful,
prayerful, keep the commandments of God, and observe His word. And now
that we [p.55] have commenced to observe the Word of Wisdom, never
treat resolution with a cup of tea or coffee, for as sure as you treat
resolution once, it will plead hard for a treat again. "But is not tea
and coffee good medicine?" Yes, first-rate; but if you use it as
medicine you will never use it for pleasure. Keep the Word of Wisdom,
help the poor, feed the hungry, and clothe the naked. Never let it be
said of the Territory of Utah that a poor person had to go to the
second house for a morsel to eat. It never has been said. I never
heard of a person going to the second house for something to eat, from
the fact that he always got it at the first, no matter whether friends
or foes, saints or sinners. It is for you and me to do good to all,
and to bless all. As far as we have the ability and capacity, let us
bless our fellow beings, preach to them the gospel of life and
salvation, and treat them as our brethren, sisters, and friends, until
they prove themselves otherwise.

Vol. 12,  p.55
Oh, what a blessing that I have been born! When br. Hooper was
speaking about Mr. Beecher's having said that it was the greatest
misfortune that ever happened to man to be born, it proved to me
positively that he (Mr. Beecher) had not the first glimpse of the
importance of this life, the organization of the earth, or the
destinies of the human family. It never entered his heart, and his
mind never conceived the first principle of the design of the Almighty
in forming the earth and peopling it. He is an eloquent orator, and
pleases the people, but he cannot understand the ways of God. In this
respect he is like the rest of the world. In my youthful days i have
asked some of the smartest and most intelligent ministers America ever
produced, if they could tell me one thing about God, and I have been
mortified, ashamed, and chagrined when I found they could not. They
could read the Bible, and if they had believed it they could have told
me about Him just as well as about their brother or their father, but
no, they could not tell the first thing. Neither had they the
slightest idea with regard to the location of Heaven, hell, or the
spirit world. I believe I have already told here about listening to
one of the smartest of American preachers preach on the soul of man.
When he had exhausted two hours on the subject, he finally wound up,
in his eloquent style, by saying—"My beloved brethren and sisters, I
must come to the conclusion that the soul of man is an immaterial
substance!" Why, such a thing never did nor can exist. What could I
learn from that man with regard to Heaven, earth, hell, man, the soul
of man, a prior existence, a present or a future existence, more than
just to eat and drink, like the brute beasts that are made to be taken
and destroyed. I concluded that I would not give a farthing for all
the religions that existed, and I found nothing to satisfy me, until I
round the revelations that Joseph Smith received from Heaven and
delivered to the people. I have spent time enough. May God bless you.
Amen.[p.56] 

Brigham Young, June 16, 1867

The Priesthood to Dictate in Temporal As Well As 
Spiritual Things—Inconsistency of An Equal Division 
of Property—Let Apostates Alone

DISCOURSE by President Brigham Young, delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, June 16th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.56
These words—"If ye are not one ye are not mine"—are the words of the
Savior, through the prophet Joseph, and given to us. This is a
principle about which you have heard bro. Robert Williams say a good
deal in his way of talking. His mind is like the minds of a great
many, both in this Church and out of it, with regard to temporal
things. If they had the privilege of dictating the affairs of this
people, or of any other, they would divide the substance of the rich
among the poor, and make all what they call equal. But the question
would arise with me at once, how long would they remain equal? Make
the rich and the poor of this community, or of any other, equal by the
distribution of their earthly substance, and how long would it be
before a certain portion of them, would be calling upon the other
portion, for something with which to sustain themselves? The cry would
soon be—"I have no bread, no house, no team, no farm; I have nothing."
And in a very few years, at the most, large properties would thus pass
from the hands of such individuals, and would be distributed among
those who know how to accumulate wealth and to preserve it when
accumulated We should be one, there is no doubt of that, but the very
men and women who would take the property of the rich and dispose of
it to their own advantage, would spurn from their presence and
disregard every word of counsel given by those who know how to
accumulate and preserve, and they would say, "We know as much as you,
and we can dictate our own affairs." So they can, until they hake
themselves poor and have to be helped by others.

Vol. 12,  p.56
The capacity of the inhabitants of the earth to dictate their temporal
affairs, is a matter that has occupied a certain portion of my time
and reflection. Now, politically, we as a government enjoy the extent
of the franchise granted to us by our Constitution, and that is all we
can ask for; but who knows and understands how to dictate and guide in
wisdom for the benefit of the whole community? Very few. And take the
inhabitants of the earth from first to last, there is not one man in
ten, neither is there one in twenty, and probably not one in forty,
who is capable of guiding himself through life, so as to accumulate
the necessaries and comforts of life for himself and family, and go to
the grave independent, leaving a comfortable living for his wife and
family, with instructions to enable them to pass through life
judiciously, wisely, and prudently. Politically and financially there
is not one man in forty capable of pursuing the course I have
indicated. Then in a moral point of view, take [p.57] our young men,
who are easily operated upon, do they know how to guide their steps so
that a good life may crown their last days? No, they do not. Do the
young ladies know the course to take to preserve themselves in honor?
They do not, any more than the young men. They have to be watched like
an infant running around the house, that knows no better than to take
the carving knife or fork and fall upon it and put out its eyes. And
it is so with the middle aged as well as with the young—they have to
be looked after and cared for. And when this people become one, it
will be one in the Lord. They will not look alike. We will not all
have grey, blue, or black eyes. Our features will differ one from
another, and in our acts, dispositions, and efforts to accumulate,
distribute, and dispose of our time, talents, wealth, and whatever.
the Lord gives to us, in our journey through life, we will differ just
as much as in our features. The point that the Lord wishes to bring us
to is to obey His counsel and observe His word. Then every one will be
dictated so that we can act as a family. Then if br. Robert wanted a
pair of boots, pants, a coat, or a hat, or a dress for his wife or
child, he could have it, but only in the order of God, and not until
he can be dictated by the Priesthood.

Vol. 12,  p.57
I am talking with regard to our temporal affairs—of being so dictated,
guided, and directed, that every man's time and talents will amount to
all he could wish and desire. Are the Latter-day Saints in this
situation? Partially so. Can they be dictated? Yes, in some things.
You take these very men and women who want to make us all equal, and
they tell us that we are covetous, because we have horses, carriages,
houses, lands, and money. Have the poor got greedy eyes? Are they
covetous and penurious? I shall go a little too far if I am not
careful. I must guard myself, because the Lord has chosen the poor of
this world. But what kind of poor? Now the poor may be divided into
three classes. In the first, place there is the Lord's poor, of which
you may pick up one here and another there, one in a city, two in a
family. Is there any other kind? Yes, you come across a certain class
that may be called the Devil's poor. Is there any other class? Yes,
there is another class, who, long before I ever mentioned them, were
denominated poor devils. Hence we have the Lord's poor, the devil's
poor, and poor devils.

Vol. 12,  p.57
We have plenty of men in this community whom we have gathered from
England, Scotland, France, Germany, and the islands of the sea. They
have believed the truth and received it, and we have sent for them
here that they may live their religion. But if Jesus tells the truth,
there is a certain class of people who receive the truth without the
love of it. When such characters gather—and there are plenty of them
here—they would just as soon fellowship, deal, and associate with, and
hold in close communion the poor miserable sharks that follow us, as
they would with the best Saint here, and they do not know the
difference. Why is this? Because, although they have embraced the
gospel and know it is, true, they have not received the spirit of
Christ.

Vol. 12,  p.57
When we come to the doctrines that we preach, as contained in the
Bible, and lay them before the people, the whole Christian world
cannot gainsay a word of them. I have read many and many a time out of
the prophecies, and the sayings of the Savior and His apostles that
the Bible contains, until they who listened [p.58] have got up and
declared they would hear no more from that wicked book, believing it
to be the Book of Mormon. Priests and deacons have declared they would
hear no more from that vile record. I have said, "Does not this agree
with your faith and feelings?" "No, it does not, and if we had it in
our houses, we would take the tongs and put it in the fire." "Well," I
have replied, "the book I have been reading from is the Holy Bible,
the Old and New Testaments, translated by order of King James." But
they did not know what those records contained. When we come to the
doctrines contained in this book the Christians cannot gainsay them;
they are struck dumb and silent as night, or rage in anger. Truth
overcomes error, and when it is set before the people, the honest
receive it. I wonder if there are any elders here who ever had a
minister, deacon, or so-called Christian say to them, "If you will
perform such and such miracles I will believe." I have had that said
to me a great many times; it always shocked me. I would say to them:
"You have not read the Bible, I think." "Oh, yes, we have," they would
say, "we are Bible scholars." "Well, then, I will ask you a question.
Did you ever read in your Bible anything like this—'A wicked and
adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, and there shall no sign be
given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas?" "We do not know that
we ever did." I would turn to the passage and show it to them. Still,
men have believed because they have seen a miracle wrought. They
cannot withstand that by argument, because they see the truth
mathematically demonstrated. Do such characters endure? No; they come
here and then turn away from their God, from the angels, from the holy
prophecies of the Lord Jesus, from their brethren and benefactors who
brought them here from the land of oppression, where they could not
own so much as a chicken, and where almost all they could get was a
morsel of bread. Yet they come here and turn away from their brethren
and the covenants they have made, and are traitors to God and heaven,
and to the good in the heavens and on the earth. Are there men who
came here in this way who have got rich? Yes, there are men now in
flits city who came here poor, naked, and barefoot, and willing to
take a spade and go a ditching for me, or for anybody else who would
furnish them a little bread, and now they are rich. They have made
their wealth out of this people who constitute the kingdom of God, and
they are using it to build up the kingdom of the devil. What are we to
say to them? I would say, let them alone severely. The man who will
apostatize from the truth, forsake his God and his religion, is a
traitor to everything there is in heaven, earth, and hell. There is no
soundness, goodness, truth, or virtue in him; nothing but darkness and
corruption, and down to hell he will go. This may grate on the
delicate ears of some, and they may think it is a pretty hard
sentence, still it is true.

Vol. 12,  p.58
When apostates in this city or Territory crave your gold, silver, fine
flour, and your substance, refuse them. Tell them they have the same
privilege to earn bread that you have, and if they will work for and
earn it, like honest men and women, they are free to do so, but not to
pluck it from the pockets of the honest and poor. Let the Latter-day
Saints give their substance to men who will pay their tithing, help to
support the elders in their preaching to us, donate to the families
here whose husbands and fathers have gone to preach the gospel to the
nations, [p.59] and let the apostates alone. If I were to ask you
honestly and sincerely, and in the character of a Christian, and then
a little stronger, in the name of the Lord God of Israel, will you let
apostates alone and trade with them no more, what would the Saints
say?

Vol. 12,  p.59
How many of the Latter-day Saints would say—"I would as soon trade
with this man as that man, or spend my money in this store as in that
store, even though they pay tithing, and do good with their means?"
Those men and women in whom this feeling exists must get rid of it, or
they will not be numbered with those who are of one heart and of one
mind. Now, remember that! I will promise those who feel in their
hearts that they would sooner trade with an apostate or with a corrupt
outsider, than with a brother, if the former would sell them a shawl a
dollar cheaper, and persist in such a course of things, that they will
never enter in at the strait gate, nor be numbered with those who are
sanctified and prepared to enjoy the celestial presence of God our
Father and of Jesus the Redeemer. I promise you this in the name of
the Lord God of Israel.

Vol. 12,  p.59
You may say it is hard that I should dictate you in your temporal
affairs. Is it not my privilege to dictate you? Is it not my privilege
to give this people counsel to direct them so that their labors will
build up the Kingdom of God instead of the kingdom of the devil? I
will quote you a little Scripture, if you wish, the words of an
apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ to me. You may think that I saw him
in vision, and it was a vision. given right in broad daylight. Said
he—"Never spend another day to build up a Gentile city, but spend your
days, dollars, and dimes for the upbuilding of the Zion of God upon
the earth, to promote peace and righteousness and to prepare for the
coming of the Son of Man, and he who does not abide this law will
suffer loss."

Vol. 12,  p.59
That is a saying of one of the apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. He
said it to me. Do you want to know his name? It is not recorded in the
New Testament among the apostles, but it was an apostle whom the Lord
called and ordained in this my day, and in the day of a good portion
of this congregation, and his name was Joseph Smith, junior. These
words were delivered to me in July, 1833, in the town of Kirtland,
Geauga County, State of Ohio. The word to the elders who were there
was: "Never, from this time henceforth, do you spend one day or one
hour to sustain the kingdoms of this world or the kingdoms of the
devil, but sustain the Kingdom of God to your uttermost." Now, if I
were to ask the elders of Israel to abide this, what would be the
reply of some amongst us? The language in the hearts of some would
be—"It is none of your business where I trade." I will promise those
who feel thus that they will never enter the celestial Kingdom of our
Father and God. That is my business. It is my business to preach the
truth to the people, and it will be my business by and by to testify
for the just and to bear witness against the ungodly. It is your
privilege to do as you please. Just please yourselves; but when you do
so, will you please bear the results and not whine over them.

Vol. 12,  p.59
It is the way with thousands and thousands, when they burn their
fingers they will turn round and complain of somebody else, when they
themselves are the only ones to blame. How natural is it for some to
endeavor to blame others for the troubles their own follies have
induced! It is [p.60] a trick of the devil. You never see Saints take
this course. When they do wrong they do not try to lay the
responsibility on their neighbor, or on some brother or sister. The
Saint is ready to acknowledge his fault, to bear the responsibility,
and to kiss the rod and reverence the hand that corrects him. But you
hear those who are not Saints continually complaining. It is so, to a
great extent, with our new comers. When they come here they look for
perfection. They say this is Zion. And so it is; but if we go to the
Scriptures we shall find that the Zion of God is composed of the pure
in heart. Brethren and sisters, have you Zion within you? If Jesus
Christ is not in you, the apostle says, "then are ye reprobates." If
the Zion of God is not within the bosom of you who profess to be
Latter-day Saints take care that you are not reprobates. Be careful
that no man takes advantage of you, leads you astray, and causes you
to leave the Church and Kingdom of God, apostatize, and go down to
hell. If you have Jesus and the Kingdom of God within you, then the
Zion of God is here.

Vol. 12,  p.60
Our brethren and sisters, when they gather here, are apt to find fault
and to say this is not right and that is not right, and this brother
or that sister has done wrong, and they do not believe that he or she
can be a Latter-day Saint in reality and do such things. The people
come here from the east and the west, from the north and the south,
with all their traditions, which impede their progress in the truth
and are difficult to lay aside. Yet they will pass judgment on the
acts of their brethren and sisters. I want to ask who made them the
judges of the servants and handmaidens of the Almighty, who, shoulder
to shoulder, have borne off this kingdom for more than a bird of a
century? Thousands upon whom the yoke of Christ has rested so long,
and who have borne oil the kingdom, are judged and found fault with,
by some who probably were baptized last summer or but a short time
ago. You know that this is so, you are witnesses to the truth of what
I am saying, for you hear it yourselves. Now, who are they who will be
one with Christ? If I were to tell the truth just as it is, it might
not be congenial to the feelings of some of my hearers, for truth is
not always pleasant when it relates to our own dear selves. You take
some of those characters to whom I have referred to-day, who want us
all to be of one heart and of one mind, and they think we cannot be so
unless we all have the same number of houses, farms, carriages, and
horses, and the same amount in greenbacks. There are plenty in this
Church who entertain such a notion, and I do not say but there are
good men who, if they had the power, would dictate in this manner, and
in doing so they would exercise all the judgment they are masters of,
but let such characters guide and dictate, and they Would soon
accomplish the overthrow of this Church and people. This is not what
the Lord meant when He said: "Be ye of one heart and of one mind." tie
meant that we must be one in observing His word and in carrying out
His counsel, and not to divide our worldly substance so that a
temporary equality might be made among the rich and the poor.

Vol. 12,  p.60
You take these very characters who are so anxious for the poor, and
what would they tell us? Just what they told us back yonder—"Sell your
feather beds, your gold rings, ear rings, breast pins, necklaces, your
silver tea spoons or table spoons, or anything valuable that you have
in the world, to help the poor." I re[p.61] collect once the people
wanted to sell their jewellery to help the poor; I told them that
would not help them. The people wanted to sell such things so that
they might be able to bring into camp three, ten, or a hundred bushels
of corn meal. Then they would sit down and eat it up, and they would
have nothing with which to buy another hundred bushels of meal, and
would be just where they started. My advice was for them to keep their
jewellery and valuables, and to set the poor to work—setting out
orchards, splitting rails, digging ditches, making fences, or anything
useful, and so enable them to buy meal and flour and the necessaries
of life.

Vol. 12,  p.61
A great many good men would say to me—"Br. Brigham, you have a gold
ring on your finger, why not give it. to the poor?" Because to do so
would make them worse oil. Go to work and get a gold ring, then you
will have yours and I will have mine. That will adorn your body. Not
that I care anything about a gold ring. I do not have a gold ring on
my finger perhaps once in a year.

Vol. 12,  p.61
You who are poor and want me to sell that ring, go to work and I will
dictate you how to make yourselves comfortable, and how to adorn your
bodies and become delightful. But no, in many instances you would
say—"We will not have your counsel, we want your money and your
property." This is not what the Lord wants of us.

Vol. 12,  p.61
There was a certain class of men called Socialists, or Communists,
organized, I believe, in France. I remember there was a very smart
man, by the name of M. Cabot, came over with a company of several
hundreds. When they came to America they found the City of Nauvoo
deserted and forsaken by the "Mormons," who had been driven away. They
set themselves down there where we had built our fine houses, and made
our farms and gardens, and made ourselves rich by the labor of our own
hands, and they had to send back year by year to France for money to
assist them to sustain themselves. We went there naked and barefoot,
and had wisdom enough, under the dictation of the Prophet, to build up
a beautiful city and temple by our own economy and industry without
owing a cent for it. We came to these mountains naked and barefoot.
Are you not speaking figuratively? Yes, I am, for it was only the
figure that got got here, for, comparatively, we left ourselves
behind. We lived on rawhide as long we could get it, but when it came
to the wolf beef it was pretty tough. We lived, however, and built a
fort, and built our houses inside the fort. Then we commenced our
gardens, we planted our corn, wheat, rye, buckwheat, oats, potatoes,
beets, carrots, onions, parsnips, and we planted our peach and apple
seeds, and we got grapes and strawberries, and currants from the
mountains. The seeds grew, and so did the Latter-day Saints, and we
are here to-day.

Vol. 12,  p.61
I am not unfrequently asked the question—"What induced you to come to
this desert sterile country?" Sometimes my answer is—"We came here to
get rid of the so-called Christians." This is somewhat of a stumbling
block to them; they do not knew how to understand it. They could
understand it if they had been with us and had seen the Methodists,
Baptists, and Presbyterians leading on the mob to rob, plunder, and
destroy, as I have seen them. Do you think we came here of our own
choice? No; we would have stayed in those rich valleys and prairies
back yonder if we could have had the privilege of inheriting the land
for which[p.62] we had paid the government our gold and silver, but we
could not, so we came here because we were obliged to. And now we are
gathering, gathering. Did you ever read in the New Testament that the
Kingdom of Heaven in the last days would be like a net cast into the
sea which should gather all kinds—the good and the bad? If this is not
a proof to the inhabitants of the earth that this is the Kingdom of
God, why there is abundance of other evidence to prove it. But this is
one true evidence to all the inhabitants of the earth—we are gathering
the good and the bad of all kinds. The good, I expect, will improve
until they are gathered into the garner, and the bad will be cast
away, thrust overboard.

Vol. 12,  p.62
Now, I want to come back to a subject upon which I have already
touched. I want to hit somebody or other. Will you remember it? Never,
from this time henceforth and forever, sustain a man, men, a people, a
community, or anybody that operates against or forsakes the Kingdom of
God. Do you know what I call them, or have you forgotten what I said
about the poor of this world? The Lord has chosen them, it is true,
but He has not chosen the devil's poor nor the poor devils. They who
forsake or operate against the Kingdom of God are what I call poor,
miserable devils. That is a harsh expression, especially to come from
the pulpit, but I built this stand to say just what I pleased in it.
Who among the people of the world can dictate for themselves? They
want to be talked to, guided, directed, pampered, and caressed like
little children. This people also do. How many are there here who, if
they had stayed in their native land, would ever have owned a chicken
or a sixpence, who have now a good house, farm, garden, orchard, and a
carriage to ride in? There are hundreds.

Vol. 12,  p.62
Shall I make an application of this? If you please I will. The Lord
owns the heavens and the earth, all things are His, and He delights to
give them to His children, and He would much sooner that they should
enjoy the good things of the earth than that they should not do so, if
they would use them for the accomplishment of His purposes. It would
cheer and comfort His heart to see all the Latter-day Saints combined
in their efforts to promote His kingdom instead of promoting the
kingdoms of this world. But we are but children, and the Lord is
merciful, gracious, and long-suffering to His people and to all the
inhabitants of the earth. We are all His children—saint or sinner, it
makes no difference. Every son and daughter of Adam and Eve that ever
came on this earth is the offspring of that God who lives in the
heavens whom we serve and acknowledge. How merciful He is to His
children! To see the wicked flourish like a green bay tree, and see
the nations of the earth that oppose Him, set at naught all His
counsel and will have none of His reproof, and spurn His servants, yet
see how merciful lie is to them. But let me say that the time is now
at hand when the chastening hand of the Almighty will be upon the
nations of the earth. He has commenced His work. Through His kind
providences He has ordained that it should commence here where it
commenced in the morning of creation. On this continent He will wind
up His work; from here He will send the gospel of Jesus Christ to the
uttermost parts of the earth, and woe to the nation that rejects it,
and that persecutes and slays His servants; they will have to pay the
debt.[p.63] 

Vol. 12,  p.63
I can make a just comparison between the nations of the earth and the
children of Israel. Of all the hundreds of thousands who left Egypt,
and who were over twenty years of age, who crossed the Red Sea, and
travelled in the wilderness two only were permitted to go into the
land of Canaan. This was in consequence of their transgressions, and
the Lord cut them off in the flesh that He might save them in the day
of the Lord Jesus. So it will be with all the nations of the earth.
Some few will be saved, but, to use scripture terms, very few will
escape the punishment of the lake that burns with fire and brimstone.
The Lord is merciful, but, when He comes to His Kingdom on the earth,
He will banish traitors from His presence, and they will be sons of
perdition. Every apostate who ever received this gospel in faith, and
had the Spirit of it, will have to repent in sackcloth and ashes, and
sacrifice all he possesses, or be a son of perdition, go down to hell,
and there dwell with the damned; and those who persecute and destroy
the people of God, and shed the blood of innocence, will be judged
accordingly.

Vol. 12,  p.63
Now, if you will please to hearken and hear, you Latter-day Saints, do
not spend another dollar with an apostate, neither in this city nor in
any other. Will we purchase from outsiders? Yes, and call them ladies
and gentlemen, because many of them are the friends of God if they did
but know it. There are plenty in the world who want to be, but very
few come here except these apostates, who would sap the fountain of
the Kingdom of God, and destroy all that was virtuous and truthful on
the earth, like many others who never come into the Church. Let them
alone. Will you sell them your wheat? No, sir; if you do—but remember
you can do just as you please. I will not injure you, nor speak, nor
even think evil of you, but my prayer will ever be—"O, God, the
eternal Father, I ask Thee, in the name of Thy Son Jesus Christ, to
save the righteous, and let the wicked and the ungodly go to their
place and share the reward of their doings." I will lift my heart to
God in your behalf who feel to build up the kingdoms of this world.
You say this is harsh. No, it is not, it is good policy, to say
nothing about religion. Is it not good policy to trade with and
support our friends? If you go to London, Paris, the German States, or
even in America, do you ever hear a Catholic found fault with for
trading at a store owned by a Catholic? And the same is true with
regard to the Church of England, Methodists, or any other society. It
is good policy and economy to sustain each other. Then why is it not
so with the Latter-day Saints? It is so, and we will do it, so help us
God. We are here because there was no other place on the face of the
earth where we could go and be safe; but here we are all right, and
here the Lord designs that we should stay. By and bye we shall hear
the locomotive whistle, screaming through our valleys, dragging in its
train our brethren and sisters, and taking away the apostates. "Will
not our enemies overslaugh us when we get the railroad?" No, ladies
and gentlemen. Do you want to know what will take every apostate and
corrupt hearted man and woman from our midst? Live so that the fire of
God may be in you and around about you and burn them out. But if we
mingle, fellowship, shake hands with, and think they are as good as
anybody, the Lord says: All right; you may try it until you are tired.
But the Lord has said that He will [p.64] gather the pure in heart;
they shall come by thousands, and "the chariots shall rage in the
streets, they shall jostle one another in the broadways, they shall
seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings." I do not know
what the prophet referred to here unless it was one of those engines.
But the Lord will gather up His people, and fill the land of Zion with
those who love and serve Him, and will waste away the wicked and the
ungodly.

Vol. 12,  p.64
I can say to you, Latter-day Saints, I will guide you in the way of
truth if you will be guided, and I will tell you how to save
yourselves spiritually and temporally.

Vol. 12,  p.64
May the Lord bless you. Amen.

Brigham Young, June 23, 1867

How Divisions Were Introduced Into the Christian 
World—the Gospel Perfect, But Its Teachers Imperfect—
the Priesthood and Its Restoration

DISCOURSE by President Brigham Young, delivered in the 
Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, June 23rd, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.64
The Latter-day Saints believe in the doctrine that was taught by the
prophets, by Jesus, and by his Apostles. Much has been said and
written concerning the Church that was organized in the days of the
incarnation of the Savior, and there has been a great deal of
speculation as to the faith of that Church and the doings of its
members. To tell what this religion, which we call the gospel of
salvation, comprises, would require more than a lifetime. It would
take more than our lifetime to learn it, and if it were learned by us
we should not have time to tell it. In it is incorporated all the
wisdom and knowledge that have ever been imparted to man, and when man
has passed through the little space of time called life, he will find
that he has only just commenced to learn the principles of this great
salvation. In the early days of the Christian Church we understand
that there was a good deal of speculation among its members with
regard to their belief and practice, and the propagation of these
speculative ideas created divisions and schisms. Even in the days of
the Apostles there was evidently considerable division, for we read
that some were for Paul, some for Apollos, and others for Cephas. The
people in those days had their favorites, who taught them peculiar
doctrines not generally received and promulgated. The Apostles had the
truth, and thought that they were so established in it in their day
that they really had the power to unite the Church together in all
temporal matters, as Jesus prayed they might be, but they found
themselves mistaken. Have we any proof of this? Yes; you recollect
reading that the Apostles assembled [p.65] themselves together to
break bread and to administer; and they did administer from house, and
from congregation to congregation, the words words of life and the
ordinances of the gospel. They thought they had power to make the
people of one heart and one mind with regard to temporal things, and
that they could amalgamate the feelings of the people sufficiently to
organize them as one family. And the people sold their possessions and
laid the price at the Apostles' feet, and they had all things in
common. There is no doubt that this is a correct doctrine, and can be
practiced to the benefit of a community at large, if believed and
understood. But who has got the doctrine; who has eyes to see, ears to
hear, and a heart to believe? Who has the authority and the capability
to organize such a society? The Apostles thought they had, but when
Ananias and Sapphira fell dead because they had lied, not only to man
but to the Holy Ghost, in saying they had laid their all at the feet
of the Apostles when they had only laid part there, a great fear fell
upon the people, and they dispersed. Have we any history that the
people ever assembled in a like capacity afterwards? I think you
cannot find it. After the days of the Apostles, when the Council of
Nice was called, they then and there determined what they considered
to be correct and scriptural and what they would lay aside, but that
sure word of prophecy which Jesus had shed forth into the hearts of
those who believed On him seemed to be so mixed up and interwoven with
darkness and unbelief, that they could not come to understanding and
receive the full testimony of Jesus. So the old Christians lived, and
so they spent their days down to the days of the Reformation.

Vol. 12,  p.65
If we have eyes to see, we can understand at once, the difficulties
that the Apostles had to encounter. If the people had lived according
to the gospel that was delivered to them, the Apostles would have had
power to accomplish a great deal more than they did, although there
can be no doubt but they were mistaken with regard to the time of the
winding up scene, thinking it was much nearer than it really was, and
they might have made mistakes in other respects. Many of the
difficulties they had to encounter, we are not troubled with. We have
not only the sure word of prophecy delivered in the days of the
Apostles, but we actually have that surer word of prophecy delivered
to us through the Prophet Joseph, that in the last days the Lord would
gather Israel, build up Zion, and establish His kingdom upon the
earth. This is a more sure word of prophecy than was delivered in the
days of the Apostles, and is a greater work than they had to perform.

Vol. 12,  p.65
The few hints that I have dropped clearly show, I think, to all who
are acquainted with its history, how these schisms and divisions have
been introduced into the Christian world. For more than seventeen
hundred years the Christian nations have been struggling, striving,
praying, and seeking to know and understand the mind and will of God.
Why have they not had it? Can you tell me why it is there has not been
a succession of the Apostleship from one to another through all these
seventeen centuries, by which the people might have been led, guided,
and directed, and have received wisdom, knowledge, and understanding
to enable them to build up the Kingdom of God, and to give counsel
concerning it until the whole earth should be enveloped in the
knowledge of God? "O, yes. it was the apostacy." Very true, if it had
not been for those [p.66] schisms such might not have been the case. I
have taken the liberty of telling the Latter-day Saints in this and
other places something with regard to the Apostles in this our day. It
is true that we have a greater assurance of the Kingdom and the power
of God being upon the earth than was possessed by the Apostles
anciently, and yet right here in the Quorum of the Twelve, if you ask
one of its members what he believes with regard to the Deity, he will
tell you that he believes in those great and holy principles which
seem to be exhibited to man for his perfection and enjoyment in time
and in eternity. But do you believe in the existence of a personage
called God? "No, I do not," says this Apostle. So you see there are
schisms in our day. Do you think there was any in the days of the
Apostles? Yes, worse than this. They were a great deal more tenacious
than we are.

Vol. 12,  p.66
We have another one in the Quorum of the Twelve who believes that
infants actually have the spirits of some who have formerly lived on
the earth, and that this is their resurrection, which is a doctrine so
absurd and foolish that I cannot find language to express my
sentiments in relation to it. It is as ridiculous as to say that
God—the Being whom we worship—is principle without personage. I
worship a person. I believe in the resurrection, and I believe the
resurrection was exhibited to perfection in the person of the Savior,
who rose on the third day after his burial. This is not all, we have
another one of these Apostles, right in this Quorum of the Twelve,
who, I understand, for fifteen years, has been preaching on the sly in
the chimney corner to the brethren and sisters with whom he has had
influence, that the Savior was nothing more than a good man, and that
his death had nothing to do with your salvation or mine. The question
might arise, if the ancient Apostles believed doctrines as absurd as
these, why were they not handed down to after generations that they
might avoid the dilemma, the vortex, the whirlpool of destruction and
folly? We will not say what they did or did not believe and teach, but
they did differ one from another, and they would not visit each other.
This was not through the perfection of the gospel, but through the
weakness of man.

Vol. 12,  p.66
The principles of the gospel are perfect, but are the Apostles who
teach it perfect? No, they are not. Now, bringing the two together,
what they taught is not for me to say, but it is enough to say this,
that through the weaknesses in the lives of the Apostles many were
caused to err. Our historians and ministers tell us that the church
went into the wilderness, but they were in the wilderness all the
time. They had the way marked out to get out of the wilderness and go
straightforward into the Kingdom of God, but they took various paths,
and the two substantial churches that remain—a remnant from the
apostles, that divided, are now called the Holy Catholic Church and
the Greek Church. You recollect reading in the Revelations of John
what the angel said to John, when he was on the Isle of Patmos, about
the Seven Churches. What was the matter with those Churches? They were
not living according to the light that had been exhibited. Do the
Latter-day Saints live according to the light that has been exhibited
to them? No, they do not. Did the ancient saints live according to the
revelations given through the Savior and written by the Apostles, and
the revelations given through the Apostles, and left [p.67] on record
for the Saints to read? No, they did not. We may say there is some
difference between the days of Jesus and the Apostles and these days.
Then, Jesus said, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to
every creature;" proffer this gospel to all the inhabitants of the
earth. That was a day of scattering and dispersion for those who
believed in the Savior. When we come to discriminate between the
former and the Latter-day Saints we shall find there was a little
difference in their callings and duties, and in many points that we
may say pertain to our temporal lives. Not in the doctrine of baptism,
the laying one of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost, nor in
the gifts of the gospel. There is no difference in these things, but
there is a difference in regard to the temporal duties devolving upon
us. In those days the command was "Go to the nations of the earth;" in
these days it is "Come from the nations of the earth." Do you not see
the difference? Read the revelations in the Book of Doctrines and
Covenants given through Joseph, and you will find that the burden of
the gathering of the House of Israel, the building up of Zion, and the
sanctifying of the people, and the preparing for the coming of the Son
of Man is upon the elders of this church.

Vol. 12,  p.67
Soon after the death of Jesus the word He gave to His Apostles was to
go and preach the gospel to the nations) that all might be benefitted
thereby; but now, it is to gather up the House of Israel, and the
fulness of the Gentiles, and bring them home to Zion, and to the lands
of their fathers, that they may receive their inheritances on the
lands given to them of the Lord in ancient days. So you see there is
some difference between the duties and callings of the Saints in
former and in latter days. When the Lord called upon Joseph he was but
a boy—a child, only about fourteen years of age. He was not filled
with traditions; his mind was not made up to this, that, or the other.
I very well recollect the reformation which took place in the country
among the various denominations of Christians—the Baptists,
Methodists, Presbyterians, and others—when Joseph was a boy. Joseph's
mother, one of his brothers, and one, if not two, of his sisters were
members of the Presbyterian Church, and on this account the
Presbyterians hung to the family with great tenacity. And in the midst
of these revivals among the religious bodies, the invitation, "Come
and join our church," was often extended to Joseph, but more
particularly from the Presbyterians. Joseph was naturally inclined to
be religious, and being young, and surrounded with this excitement, no
wonder that he became seriously impressed with the necessity of
serving the Lord. But as the cry on every hand was, "Lo, here, is
Christ," and "Lo, there!" Said he, "Lord, teach me, that I may know
for myself, who among these are right." And what was the answer? "They
are all out of the way; they have gone astray, and there is none that
doeth good, no not one." When he found out that none were right, he
began to inquire of the Lord what was right, and he learned for
himself. Was he aware of what was going to be done? By no means. He
did not know what the Lord was going to do with him, although He had
informed him that the Christian churches were all wrong, because they
had not the Holy Priesthood, and had strayed from the holy
commandments of the Lord, precisely as the children of Israel did.
They were the children of promise,[p.68] of whom the Lord had
said—"They shall be called by my name, and I will save them;" and for
generations he had striven to do so. When pursued by the hosts of
Pharaoh He had delivered them from Egyptian bondage; He had destroyed
the Hittites and other heathen nations, and had given them possession
of the land of Canaan, and in every way had tried to bless them; yet
they would not be blessed, and in the Prophet Isaiah's writings we
read that they had transgressed the laws, changed the ordinances, and
broken the everlasting covenants. Do you think the Gentile Christian
nations have rebelled? I know they have. Take, for instance, the
sayings of Jesus of Nazareth, the Savior of the world, as found in
this book—the Bible. He commanded His Apostles to go go all the world
and preach the gospel to every creature, and he that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved. How many methods of baptism were practised in
those days? Just as many as there were saviors—one. How many methods
of laying on of hands for the Holy Ghost? One. How many methods of
obtaining the spirit of prophecy and the gifts of healing and the
discerning of spirits? One. One God, one faith, and one Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ, and one only. Well, the Apostles went and
preached this gospel, yet one would vary a little on one point, and
another on another, and those who took the gospel and ran here and
there would introduce items of doctrine that were altogether
imaginary. Do we find any curious ideas advanced in our day? Yes, I
can relate a circumstance that I once heard myself, from one of the
first elders in this church· He was preaching to the people on the
principle of adultery, and told them that, according to the law of the
Lord, whosoever commits adultery shall have his blood shed. But the
idea striking him that millions had committed this crime whose blood
had never been shed, he thought this could not be correct, and so to
improve it he said if their blood was not shed in this life it would
be in the resurrection. What an absurdity! There is no blood there.
Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. Does not this show
to you how these little things will creep into the Church? Have we the
power and authority and the method of detecting every such error? We
have. Do you know what they are? Some of you do, and if you do not I
shall not tell you to-day. But we are in possession of the means by
which to detect every error that comes into the church, and to decide
satisfactorily on every point, and to decide what is and what is not
true.

Vol. 12,  p.68
The gospel is a fountain of truth, and truth is what we are after. We
have embraced the truth—namely, the gospel of the son of God. Its
first principles are to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, to repent of
our sins, then go down into the waters of baptism for the remission of
our sins, and have hands laid upon us for the reception of the Holy
Ghost, which will lead us into all truth. If there are any of my
friends or enemies here who do not know what "Mormonism" is, I am
telling them. We believe in God our Father. This leads me right to
another point that I have not much time to talk about. I recollect
preaching once in the old bowery with regard to our Father and God,
the Being we worship and whom we think so much of. There was a Baptist
minister present; he was staying at my house· He was a kind, friendly
man, and was on his way to the gold mines. He was sitting beside me. I
wanted to leave [p.69] him in a puzzle. I would not tell him, but
brought him right to the point, and there left him. When we got home,
said he, "Oh! brother Young, you came right to the point exactly, and
I did pray that you might tell us what kind of a being God is." I
replied, "I left you in a puzzle on purpose for you to guess it. You
have read it frequently, and you can hardly read the Bible at all
without reading precisely what kind of a being our Father is." Said
he, "I am not aware that I know anything about it." I asked him if he
could fell me what kind of a being Adam was. "Oh! Adam was a man like
I am." I asked him if he believed in the history of the creation, as
given in Genesis by Moses, for if he did he would find that God said
to His associates, "Let us go down and make man in our own image and
likeness." He believed the history given by Moses, and had read the
passage to which I referred. "Then," said I, "you must believe that
Adam was created in the exact image of the Father." He had never
thought of that in his life. I told him I had read that many times to
Christians and to Christian ministers, but they would not believe what
was in the Bible. Says Jesus, "Whosoever has seen me has seen the
Father." He is the Being the Latter-day Saints worship; He is a
man-God. Can you get a better term than that—a God-man? It is said
that Jesus is the only begotten of the Father. It is strange that
people cannot understand it, but they cannot unless they are told. How
can we know unless we are told, and how can we tell the people unless
the Lord tells us to do so? Faith comes by hearing the word of God
declared, and this must be declared by those having authority. This
character whom we serve is God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ and the Father of our spirits, if the Apostle tells the truth;
if he has not, who can correct him unless they have a revelation from
the heavens? I have had a great many ministers tell me that I must
understand that spiritually. I have told them that I read and
understood it just as it was, and if it was not right, and they could
give the correct meaning (which it was impossible for them to do
without revelation), they were under condemnation before the Lord if
they did not do so. That would stop them.

Vol. 12,  p.69
Our Lord Jesus Christ—the Savior, who has redeemed the world and all
things pertaining to it, is the only begotten of the Father pertaining
to the flesh. He is our elder brother, and the heir of the family, and
as such we worship him. He has tasted death for every man, and has
paid the debt contracted by our first parents. What about this? I am
not going to tell this, for I have a few more ideas with regard to the
Christian world that I wish to lay before you. Why have they wandered
so far from the path of truth and rectitude? Because they left the
Priesthood and have had no guide, no leader, no means of finding out
what is true and What is not true. It is said the Priesthood was taken
from the Church, but it is not so, the Church went from the
Priesthood, and continued to travel in the wilderness, turned from the
commandments of the Lord, and instituted other ordinances. There are a
great many churches that do not believe in ordinances at all, and
there are some called Christians who do not believe in the blood of
the Savior, and that he, himself, was nothing more nor less than a
good man. If they believe in the baby resurrection, or that a person
who had committed adultery would have his blood shed in the [p.70]
resurrection, it would be just as consistent as to believe what they
do believe. These ideas are all wrong.

Vol. 12,  p.70
The Christian world struggled on until the days of the Reformation.
But what of the Reformation? Nothing, only it shows that there were
some few among them who had courage to come out against the orthodox
principles ordained, published, and proclaimed by the Priests. They
had an idea in their minds that the Lord was going to do something for
the people, but they could not tell what. There was a spirit upon them
that prompted them to declare against the wickedness of those
professing to be Christians. Did they profess to know enough to take
the truth and leave the error? No; down to the days of my youth the
Christians did not know any better than to renounce any doctrine that
the Church believed from which they came. This is more or less the
case with every denomination on the face of the earth. Some who call
themselves Christians are very tenacious with regard to the
Universalians, yet the latter possess many excellent ideas and good
truths. Have the Catholics? Yes, a great many very excellent truths.
Have the Protestants? Yes, from first to last. Has the infidel? Yes,
he has a good deal of truth ;and truth is all over the earth. The
earth could not stand, but for the light and truth it contains. The
people could not abide were it not, that truth holds them. It is the
Fountain of truth that feeds, clothes, and gives light and
intelligence to the inhabitants of the earth, no matter whether they
are saints or sinners. Do you think there is any truth in hell? Yes, a
great deal, and where truth is there we calculate the Lord has a right
to be. You will not find the Lord where there is no truth. The devil
had truth in his mouth as well as lies when he came to mother Eve.
Said he, "If you will eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of
good and evil, you will see as the gods see." That was just as true as
anything that ever was spoken on the face of the earth. She did eat,
her eyes were opened, and she saw good and evil. She gave of the fruit
to her husband, and he ate too. What would have been the consequence
if he had not done so? They would have been separated, and where would
we have been? I am glad he did eat. I am glad the fruit was given to
mother Eve, that she ate of it, and that her eyes were opened, and
that my eyes are opened, that I have tasted the sweet as well as the
bitter, and that I understand the difference between good and evil.

Vol. 12,  p.70
When the Lord called upon His servant Joseph, after leading him along
for years until he got the plates, from a portion of which the Book of
Mormon was translated, "By and bye," said he, "you are going to
organize my church and establish my kingdom. I am going to have a
church on the earth. All these churches you have inquired about are
wrong; they have truth amongst them, but not the Priesthood. They lack
a guide to direct the affairs of the Kingdom of God on the earth—that
is the keys of the priesthood of the Son of God." This tells the
story. We possess the Priesthood. The Lord sent John to ordain Joseph
to the Aaronic Priesthood, and when he commenced to baptize people he
sent a greater power—Peter; James, and John, who ordained him to the
apostleship, which is the highest office pertaining to the Kingdom of
God that any man can possess on the face of the earth, for it holds
the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and has power to dispense the
blessings of the kingdom. This [p.71] priesthood is that which the
Christian world do not possess, for they have taken leave of the
kingdom and the priesthood. Joseph bestowed this priesthood upon
others, and this Church possesses it and its power, which enables us
to detect all error, and to know what is true.

Vol. 12,  p.71
There are other things I wanted to talk about, not pertaining to the
Kingdom of God on the earth, but to the faith of this people before
God, but I shall leave this for the present, as I feel that I have
talked as long as is prudent for me. May the Lord God of Israel bless
you, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Daniel H. Wells, June 30, 1867

Joseph Smith Taught By Revelation—the Gospel 
Reasonable and Consistent—the Lord Works Through 
Simple Instruments—Mormonism Full of Charity

DISCOURSE, by President D. H. Wells, delivered in the 
Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, June 30th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.71
I have been pleased whilst listening to the remarks of br. Eldredge.
The recital of his reasons for receiving the principles of the gospel
forcibly reminded me of the days of Joseph, and of the effect which
those principles had on my mind as I heard them proclaimed by the
servant of the Lord. Many of the principles which he taught were in
the world—they were not new, yet it seemed as though they had never
been thought of, comprehended, or understood by the children of men;
at least, they had not been by me. I did not know anything about God
my heavenly Father, nor the connection which existed between Him and
the children of men, nor the object He had inview in sending them
through this earthly probation, until I learned it from the prophet;
and I apprehend that this is, to a very great extent, the case with
the world to-day. I had no more confidence in Joseph Smith being a
prophet, or in his knowing anything about religion, than I have now in
a juggler or a wandering mountebank. I knew nothing at all about
Joseph, except what I had heard from his enemies or read in the
papers.

Vol. 12,  p.71
It was not very far—only two or three counties—from where I was born,
in the State of New York, that this work took its rise. I had
frequently heard through the religious papers of the miracles that had
been performed by the "Mormons," and I supposed the whole affair was a
great humbug, that the "Mormons" were fanatics and very bad people.
The days of my youth were days of religious excitement—the days of
revivals, which so pervaded that section of country at that time—and I
can well apprehend the effect these things [p.72] must have had on the
mind of Joseph; he was a young man, I was but a boy, and I know how
those revivals affected young minds in the neighbourhood in which I
lived. Some of those preachers would hold their protracted meetings
for days and weeks, and sometimes for a month, one meeting after
another, every day and every evening, getting around the young with
their influences, and concentrating their prayers, perhaps, on a
single individual, and praying for no other, until he would say he had
got religion and was converted. Suffice it to say, that I was
disgusted with it, and did not believe in any of it, and rested my
chance, so far as religion was concerned, on trying to do that which
was right as near as I could, and running the risk.

Vol. 12,  p.72
In this frame of mind I was introduced to Joseph Smith, by Sidney
Rigdon, who remarked, at the time, that he was the man who was talked
about so much. He was a fine looking man; he did not say much to me
nor I to him. Time passed along, and for years after I was
occasionally thrown into his society, and frequently heard him speak;
and, though I did not at first believe that he was inspired or that he
was more than a man of great natural ability, I soon learned that he
knew more about religion and the things of God and eternity than any
man I had ever heard talk. I read the Book of Mormon and the Book of
Doctrine and Covenants without their having any particular effect on
my mind. I did not get the principles from either of these sources,
but I obtained them from Joseph, and it seemed to me that he advanced
principles that neither he nor any other man could have obtained
except from the Source of all wisdom—the Lord himself. I soon
discovered that he was not what the world termed a well-read or an
educated man; then where could he have got this knowledge and
understanding, that so far surpassed all I had ever witnessed, unless
it had come from Heaven? It commended itself to my understanding and
my sober judgment, and although I admitted nothing, and did not
embrace the gospel, but stood aloof, yet the words and principles
which I heard from him had their effect on my mind.

Vol. 12,  p.72
I had been a reader of the Scriptures, and had learned a great deal by
heart in my youth in the Sunday school. I had read a great many
religious publications, and had a tolerable idea of what the sects of
the day believed with regard to the principles of salvation. I had
investigated and had been raised according to orthodox notions, and in
my early youth I believed in the "Trinity." I investigated the
principles of the Unitarians, who did not believe in the "Trinity,"
and also the doctrines of the Universalists, and I believed about as
much in Universalism at the time I was introduced to Joseph as in any
of the religions of the day, if not a little more, but had not united
myself with any church organization, because I was not fully
satisfied. I heard Joseph Smith state at one time in Nauvoo that
whether "Mormonism" was right or wrong, the people were just as wall
without as with the ordinances taught and administered by the
sectarians of the day. That was exactly what I thought, though I did
not comprehend so much then in relation to the ordinances of the
gospel, and those authorized to administer in them, as I afterwards
learned. And although my understanding of these things may have been
of slow growth, yet I can say and feel that it is grounded in the
truth of heaven; for with the [p.73] few keys I received from the
servants of God I obtained corroborating testimony from the
Scriptures, which I have read from that time until now with an
understanding that I never had before; and even now, whenever I search
the Scriptures, I find things that are new to me, that I never
understood nor comprehended before, although I have been familiar with
with them from my youth.

Vol. 12,  p.73
When I first heard Joseph Smith enunciate the principle of baptism for
the dead, and the method of administering it, I was astonished that no
person had ever thought of that before, it was so plainly laid down in
the Scriptures. The principle of acting by proxy was just as plain to
me as the noon-day sun the moment it was explained to me, but I never
thought of it until that time. When I heard these principles my heart
leaped for joy, and although I was not a praying man I prayed inwardly
that whatever else I might do, I might never be left to deny the
principles of truth which the prophet was revealing. That was the
inward conviction of my soul. Still I did not join the Church, and I
did not know that I ever would; I was not fully satisfied. Some things
were made very manifest to me, others I could not comprehend. He
preached a funeral sermon once, in which the doctrine of eternal
judgment was dwelt upon considerably; this I received, and many a time
in Council have i heard him develop the principle so plainly that it
would have been a sin against light and knowledge for me to have
rejected it, therefore I treasured it up in my own heart. Many and
many a time he would go right along developing principle without ever
alluding to the Scriptures, while my own knowledge of them would bring
passage after passage to my mind in corroboration of that which he was
advancing.

Vol. 12,  p.73
When he said it was the privilege of the Latter-day Saints to be
baptized for their dead, I remembered the words of Paul, "Else what
shall they do which are baptized for the dead if the dead rise not at
all? why are they then baptized for the dead?" and when he spoke upon
the principle of preaching to the spirits in prison, it flashed across
my mind, as quick as lightning, that the Savior did that between the
time of His crucifixion and resurrection. The analogy of the thing
struck me with such force that I could not get it out of my mind. And
so scripture after scripture and testimony after testimony come to my
mind, proving that the principles he advanced were true. But had I
ever thought of them, or had the Christian world for ages? No, not
until Joseph revealed them. The Catholics, even for praying for the
deliverance of the dead from purgatory, were scouted and ridiculed,
yet this principle of administering for the spirits in prison was
unfolded to my mind, and in and of itself was great and glorious. Said
I, if they who were disobedient could be administered to by the Savior
of the world, how much more reasonable is it to suppose that they can
be administered for, who have not been disobedient, but who have died
without a knowledge of the gospel? This seemed reasonable and
consistent to me, and the principle was sustained by the Scriptures of
divine truth which I had been taught to believe from my youth up. When
the apostle used the expression—"If the dead rise not, then why are ye
baptized for the dead," he was instructing the Church at Corinth on
the principle of the resurrection, some of them apparently having been
embued with the doctrine of the Sadducees who denied the resurrection
of the dead. I saw the reason and [p.74] propriety of the expression.
I never had comprehended it before; I did not know God, nor His Son
Jesus Christ, nor the relationship that we, His children, bear to Him.
That is the condition of the Christian world at the present day. They
do not comprehend God, themselves, their past, nor their future.

Vol. 12,  p.74
These principles have come to us by revelation through the Prophet
Joseph. There may be those here who hate not received these
principles; it will do no harm to talk upon that awhile, and it may
not harm those who have. They are incontrovertible. Arguments to
sustain them can be adduced if necessary, but I do not think they need
it. Still it has a tendency to open up the mind and prepare it to
receive those principles which have been made manifest in this our day
for the salvation and exaltation of mankind. It showed to me that
there was a work to be done, and that the time, so long talked of for
its accomplishment, was hastening on. I saw that there was a necessity
for it, for truly all people seemed to me to be blinded concerning the
tilings of God. Like the Jews at the appearance of the Savior, they
multiplied words, made long prayers, made great pretensions in
religions matters, but their hearts were far from God. The fact of
some of the Jews denying the resurrection, after hearing the Savior
and his Apostles elucidate it so clearly, proves to me that they were
nearly if not quite as ignorant with regard to the things of God as
the Christian world at the present day. They read the Scriptures
without understanding, they administered in the ordinances without
power, and they changed the ordinances, substituting one thing for
another, thinking the change would, doubtless, answer the same purpose
and suit their convenience a little better.

Vol. 12,  p.74
It was thus that schisms crept into the church, and men began to
reason themselves out of the principles of their most holy faith, as
was touched upon here a short time ago by the President. I can see how
this parity of reasoning would carry men off. To illustrate for a
moment. We say that Jesus died for all mankind, that his blood was
shed for everybody, but will this save them unless they comply with
the requirements of the gospel? Why, no. Some say that the doctrine of
one being born to be saved and of another being born to be damned
would set that aside. That is the extreme view. Others come along and
say, "If men's salvation depends upon their actions, where is the need
of the atonement, for with all the efficacy of the atonement men
cannot be saved without repenting of evil, and if they do this they
will be saved anyhow."

Vol. 12,  p.74
This is fallacious reasoning. Jesus died that all might live. As we
read in the Scriptures, "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall
all be made alive." Every son and daughter of Adam may be saved if
they will live according to the principles of the gospel. Salvation is
within the reach of every human being, because the restitution is as
good as the fall. Here is the platform, and if men are not saved it is
their own fault. The plan of salvation devised by our Father in heaven
is amply sufficient to reach the whole of the human family. He will be
justified and we condemned, if we do not receive the principles of the
gospel. We can receive the principles of the gospel with its virtues
and the attributes of God, or we can go on in the practice of evil
until we go down to death and destruction, if we choose.

Vol. 12,  p.75
Here comes another man, however, who reasons that the virtues and
[p.75] attributes of God are what make God, and that without these
attributes He would not be God, hence that the attributes alone are
God. Do you not see how fallacious this reasoning is? What is a
principle without being acted upon? It is no more than the iron in the
ore, it is inert and dead. Of what benefit are principles in the
abstract, however good they may be? They are of no benefit to humanity
unless manifested throngh organized intelligence. Food when
appropriated to its natural use imparts vigor to the system, but
unappropriated it is comparatively worthless. The same is true of
water and other beverages—they are good to quench thirst if rightly
used, otherwise they are of little value. By partaking of the Spirit
of God, our thirst for knowledge will be satisfied, and it will be
within us as a well of water springing up to eternal lives. But if we
partake not of that Spirit we will sink, and our course will be
continually downward. Hence we see, that in and of itself, the
attribute is no more than the iron in the ore, to be beneficial it
must he developed by use. If there is a disposition in me to live
according to good and true principles, they are bound to elevate and
exalt me, just the same as the growth of a child is promoted by proper
supplies of nutritious food, whereas if it did not partake of this
food it would starve and die. It is just so in spiritual matters. It
is not in those matters themselves, but in the individual, and the
capacity of the individual who receives and applies them to his own
use, and practices upon them, that they are calculated in their nature
to elevate and exalt him.

Vol. 12,  p.75
Such views as I have referred to, do away with God entirely; they do
away with the Savior and the virtue of the atonement. They are worse
than infidelity. They turn things completely around. Men advancing
them say if such things had been so so and so, other things would have
been so and so. For instance, "What would have been the condition of
the world of mankind if the Savior had not died?" I do not know
anything at all about it. It was in the plan devised in the councils
of the Gods before man was brought forth to inherit the earth. One
came with, and as a consequence of, the other. I do not know what the
condition of man would have been if the Savior had not died. I do not
suppose man would have been here if that had not been part of the
arrangement. It is not a supposable case with me. I take things as
they are. The Lord has arranged it, and if I do not like His
arrangement it will not make any difference to Him, though with
mankind generally it might. It is for me to submit to the arrangement
as I find it, having faith and confidence that it is the best and the
only way for us, as the children of God, to walk in, that we may
obtain salvation and exaltation in His kingdom.

Vol. 12,  p.75
Do you suppose that our heavenly Father would have sent us through
this probation of sin, trial, misery, and death, if it would have been
as well for us to have stayed in our spiritual state in the eternal
world? I do not suppose any such thing, but I believe there is a wise
purpose in sending us to pass through this mortal state, and that was
so well understood by our spirits that they were willing to come and
run all risks, and descend below all things, that they might have the
privilege of rising above all things. The principle of the thing is
plain, beautiful, and correct to my mind. I begin to understand my
origin and the purpose [p.76] of God my Father in sending me to this
state of existence, and the relationship in which I stand to Him.

Vol. 12,  p.76
To those called to mourn the departed who have died in the faith,
these principles are a source of great consolation; their
contemplation causes the heart to bound with joy and exultation, and
to rejoice in God and the holy gospel which He has revealed. You can
bear testimony to this as well as I can. You had no knowledge
pertaining to the principles of salvation, the knowledge of God and
things pertaining to eternal life, until you received it through the
gospel. The sectarians of the Christian world, although they are
professedly engaged in the promulgation of these things, are as
ignorant in relation to them as the beasts that perish. They do not
know anything about the principles of salvation, and they are so
prejudiced that they will not be taught; they ignore the only source
whence they can be obtained in these days, because it is unpopular,
and they will be damned, because great is the sin of unbelief. As it
was with the Jews in the days of the Savior, so it is now with the
Christian world. Light is offered them, and they reject it, and this
will be their condemnation. It was said anciently that no good thing
could come out of Nazareth, and to-day the Christians say that no good
thing can come from the "Mormons" or from Joseph Smith. By and by they
will find that a great many good things can come from just such a
source.

Vol. 12,  p.76
That is the way the Lord works. He takes the poor weak things of the
earth to confound those who are wise and mighty in their own
estimation. God will have the glory, it is His right. He will
accomplish His work and His purposes in His own due time. It is His
right to do so, and to have the glory and the honor of it. If the Lord
were to choose those who are great and wise, according to the notions
of the world, they would want to dispute with Him because of their
great attainments, and they would claim the honor for this and for
that, and would say that such a man should be canonized because of his
holy and righteous life, and great honor should be paid to another
because of his learning, and because he has divulged so many things.
If the Lord were to reveal principles of truth to such men they would
claim the honor, and would make merchandize of the gospel. Some may
inquire how I know this? I know it by what they have done and are
doing. They are selling men's souls and their own for filthy lucre's
sake. There is a scramble among the clergy for the loaves and fishes.
They will take children and make ministers of the gospel of them
without any authorized ordination, and whether the Lord wants them or
not, no matter whether their minds are touched With the principles of
truth or not, provided they become learned in the law and have Rev. or
D.D. appended to their names. Such things are abominable in the sight
of Heaven? It is not likely that the Lord would avail Himself of such
people to make known His law to the children of men. There is no room
in such hearts for Him to make an impression, upon. It is a great deal
more likely that He would select such a one as Joseph Smith, who was
free from tradition, and on whose mind He could make an impression as
easily as He could with a pen on a piece of white paper—an honest,
sincere soul, seeking the way of eternal life. It is far more
reasonable to me to suppose that the Lord could make an impression on
such natures, than that He [p.77] could on learned doctors of the law.

Vol. 12,  p.77
The prophet has said that when this thing came forth, the poor and the
meek of the earth should rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. They do,
they have rejoiced in Him. This gospel commends itself to their
understanding, whether it does to the understanding of the rich and
learned or not. They whose understandings have been touched with the
principles of salvation have enjoyed a great privilege, and our elders
who go forth can teach the whole world the way of life and salvation.
It is that which makes them bold to stand up in any place, for they
know that if the people will heed their teachings they can lead them
into the celestial Kingdom of God. I was bold to declare this to the
elders while abroad in the nations, in order to strengthen and
encourage them, for they know more than any other set of men on the
face of the earth, pertaining to the things of God and eternal life.
Therefore I encourage them to stand up in all confidence, trusting in
God, and declare the things they had received, and I assured
congregation after congregation, when attending conference where the
elders were, that if they would listen to the teachings and principles
which the elders would unfold to them, they would lead them into the
celestial Kingdom of God.

Vol. 12,  p.77
It becomes the Latter-day Saints, then, to live so that they may show
by their good works that they do believe in these glorious principles,
and that they will cleave to them with full purpose of heart. This
course will increase faith, which is the source and root of power; it
will give confidence in God and in the principles of the gospel. When
a man has gone before the Lord and prayed for the recovery of the
sick, and his prayer has been answered, can he not go a second time
with more confidence? Most assuredly; and if he continues to live a
pure and virtuous life, keeping himself from the contaminations of the
wicked and ungodly, he will go on step by step, continually increasing
in faith in God and the things of eternal life. The world is full of
sin, iniquity, contamination, and everything that is calculated to
destroy man's existence here on the earth. And what does Christianity,
in its present phase, accomplish for the redemption of the human
family? Has not wickedness continued to increase, until now it
pervades all classes of society, and it is impossible to stem the
torrent? Look at those who are numbered with the Christian world, they
are but a small portion of the people on the face of the earth, and
then, again, how few of them believe, or even profess to believe in
the principles of Christianity. There are a few sects, but a great
number of people do not join themselves to any of them, though, as I
have already said, they are just as well without. Then, how
uncharitable in those few sectarians to believe that they are the only
ones in the way of eternal life! The "Mormons" are sometimes accused
of being uncharitable, but the fact is, "Mormonism" will save all who
can be saved.

Vol. 12,  p.77
Then a large portion of the sectarian world do not believe in many of
the principles I have referred to pertaining to the plan of salvation.
For instance, they do not believe that anything can be done for a man
after death, although he may have died without a knowledge of the
gospel. Look what myriads would be debarred from salvation through
this alone, according to popular religious notions. There are the
Baptist and Presbyterian churches, that number but a few thousands on
the earth, and yet according to their theories nearly [p.78] everybody
but themselves must be damned and go to hell. It is the same with the
Catholics. Take them all combined, and there are but a few millions on
the earth who call themselves Christians, and yet, in their midst and
numbered with them, except in Catholic countries, are the old and the
young, and, in fact, a majority of all classes, who never attach
themselves to any church, and these latter, according to the doctrine
of their orthodox brethren, will be damned. In Catholic countries the
majority of the women belong to the church, and the children, too,
until they reach maturity, when they become infidel, and when, instead
of attending church on a Sunday morning, they spend their time in
restaurants. In the afternoon, males and females all spend their time
in enjoyment, going to balls, races, restaurants, &c. In countries
where the Protestants and Dissenters prevail they make more profession
in relation to the observance of the Sabbath. A great many faithfully
attend church, while others stay at home or go out riding, or on
excursions, or otherwise enjoy themselves.

Vol. 12,  p.78
I have heard men standing at the corners of streets praying for their
sinful brethren—for one who had been on an excursion, perhaps,
spending his time on the Sabbath in pleasure; and for mercy on another
man who had been beating his wife; pleading for the Lord to have mercy
on this and on that class of what they termed sinners, and saying that
all these would be consigned to eternal torments unless He did have
mercy on them, though they are denominated Christians, in the general
classifications, and that all but the few who believed as they did,
whether such ever heard the contracted creeds taught by them or not,
would be doomed to hell to suffer through all eternity; and this they
say because of their illiberal ideas and uncharitable notions. But the
gospel of Jesus teaches us, that while those sinners whom they prayed
for must repent of their sins and do right, as well as those who, like
the Pharisees, prayed for them at the street corners, all the human
family who ever did, do now, or will yet live upon the earth, may be
saved if they will obey the principles of the gospel, except such as
have been "once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and
were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word
of God, and the powers of the world to come," for "if they shall fall
away" it is impossible "to renew them again unto repentence, seeing
they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an
open shame." But to all will the gospel be preached, if they are in
the flesh that they may act for themselves, and if they are in the
spirit world, that they may be administered for in this world, "that
they may be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according
to God in the spirit," This shows that, after all, the principles
which the "Mormons" have embraced are calculated to save more of the
human family than any other known to men on the earth. Then how can
they call us uncharitable They cannot without injustice.

Vol. 12,  p.78
May God bless us and help us to be faithful, and to pass along from
knowledge to knowledge, and from virtue to virtue, practising those
things through our lives which are calculated to exalt us eventually
in the presence of our heavenly Father, which is my prayer in the name
of Jesus. Amen.[p.79] 

John Taylor, July 21, 1867

Condition of the World and of the Saints—God Has 
Commenced to Regenerate the World By Revealing the 
Gospel: Its Purity and Its Union—President Young 
a Benefactor to the Human Family

REMARKS by Elder John Taylor, delivered in the 
Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, July 21st, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.79
I have been very much interested in the remarks made by br. Bywater
this afternoon, and in fact I was very much interested in listening to
the remarks made this morning. It is difficult for anybody to rise
here and place themselves under the influence and dictation of the
Spirit of God, and not advance ideas and principles that are
calculated to enlighten the mind, expand the capacity, enlarge the
understanding, and enable us to appreciate more fully the blessings of
that life, light, truth, and intelligence which God has been pleased
to manifest to us, in these last days, for our salvation and
exaltation. It was said in former days, and may with equal propriety
be said to-day, "Happy is that people whose God is the Lord," and if
we fall short of obtaining truth, light, and intelligence from Him,
whatever our situation may otherwise be, it is very deplorable for us
as rational, intelligent, eternal beings. The principles that are made
known by the Lord and enunciated by His servants are eternal, and they
are not only calculated to promote our happiness on the earth, but
also our happiness hereafter; they go back to far distant times and
show our associations with and relationship to God. They have a
bearing on our present existence and happiness, and they look forward
to something in the future that is really certain and tangible. When
we talk about the world and the confusion, folly, and evil of its
inhabitants, we look at them as they are, we value them at their
present worth. We do not expect to compare ourselves and our hopes
with them and their hopes. We have come out from among the world,
guided by the light of revelation, by the Spirit of eternal truth, by
the everlasting gospel which God has sent among us. He has gathered us
from the world, we are no longer of them, and we do not expect to
compare ourselves with them; and what their ideas, views, and notions
with regard to us may be, we care but very little, it is to us a
matter of very little importance. We feel desirous to know what the
will of our heavenly Father is, we feel desirous to comprehend what
are the duties and responsibilities that devolve upon us, and we feel
an emulation in our own bosoms to overcome the ignorance, evil, folly,
and vanity with which we are surrounded; that, as the servants of God
who have dedicated themselves to, and made a profession of faith in
Him, we may participate in the Spirit that dwells in and with God;
that we, as individuals, as cities, and as communities, in this land
of Saints, may act as becomes the Saints of the Most High, walking in
the paths of truth, virtue, holiness, and purity.[p.80] 

Vol. 12,  p.80
A remark was made by br. Bywater to the effect that perhaps one of the
weakest arguments that could be adduced in support of any movement
amongst us as a people, was one that touched our temporal affairs, or
our pockets. If we were all perfect this would be a very weak
argument, but we are not, we are very imperfect, we are surrounded by
all the infirmities of human nature, and we exhibit them in the varied
actions of life, and men have to be dealt with as they are, and not as
if they were angels or the spirits of the just made perfect. We are
surrounded with all our infirmities, weaknesses, and follies, and,
until they are overcome, we have to be governed, more or less, on the
principle that I have heard the President express. Says he, "I would
like to lead this people a little faster, but, if they will not come
up to my speed, I must make mine correspond with theirs." If he did
not do this he would soon be beyond the reach of the people, but he
has got to be one with us, and we have got to be one with each other,
and we must all seek to be one with the Lord.

Vol. 12,  p.80
We have been brought up in error, we have been born in, sin and
cradled in iniquity, we have sucked in superstition, folly, and vanity
with our mother's milk. We have scarcely imbibed one principle that is
true and that will stand the test or scrutiny of eternal truth, and
bear to be compared with the laws of life, as they emanate from God.
The Lord has to deal with us as He best can, just as He does with the
world. We talk sometimes about the world. What could any ruler do with
a depraved, corrupt world, with men lost to every sense of propriety,
honor, integrity, and truthfulness, men wallowing in vice,
licentiousness, fraud, and corruption of every kind? What ruler could
govern such a people? No one, unless he listened to correct
principles. The Lord understood this very well when He commenced
gathering people from among the nations of the earth by the preaching
of the gospel. Says He, "My sheep hear my voice, and know me, and
follow me, and a stranger will they not follow, because they know not
the voice of a stranger." God sent forth His servants to the world to
declare the principles of truth. His sheep heard the voice of mercy
and obeyed the gospel, and the same spirit and influence that operated
upon them there, operates upon them here; hence it is that, under the
auspices of the Spirit of God, we were gathered together; not in a
political capacity, but in a religious capacity. Our moral sense was
appealed to, our love of honesty, truth, and integrity was appealed
to, the light of the gospel, as it existed in former days, was made
manifest to us, we admired it, believed in, and obeyed it, and through
obedience, we received a portion of the Spirit of God, and felt a
disposition to listen to His laws and to be governed by the principles
of truth. And yet how weak that feeling is still within us! How
frequently those evil propensities and powers that operated upon us in
former days still operate upon us, and our minds become befogged,
beclouded, and dimmed by the darkness with which the enemy of truth
seeks to inspire us! How little we appreciate our relationship to, and
standing before God, and the destiny that is before us! It is very
difficult for us to comprehend correct principles, and it is more
difficult still to bring ourselves into subjection to, and to be
governed by them. Hence we have to be treated not like men but like
children. Yet, notwithstanding the weaknesses and infirmities of His
creatures, neither God nor His servants feel like destroying them,
[p.81] cutting them off, and sending them to perdition. The Lord has
never dealt with His people in that way; He is full of magnanimity,
kindness, love, and regard for the human family. We read that the
Savior, while upon the earth, "Was tempted in all points like unto us,
yet without sin; therefore he is a faithful high-priest, and knows how
to deliver those who are tempted." We have our weaknesses, our
infirmities, follies, and foibles. It is the intention of the gospel
to deliver us from these; it operates upon the mind and intelligence
of man, that we may be led from strength to strength, from
intelligence to intelligence, from knowledge to knowledge, from one
degree of faith to another, victory over one evil and then over
another, until we shall see as we are seen and know as we are known.
If we make any little stumbles the Savior acts not as a foolish,
vindictive man, to knock another man down. He is fall of kindness,
long suffering, and forbearance, and treats everybody with kindness
and courtesy. These are the feelings we wish to indulge in and be
governed by; these are the principles, and this is the spirit, that
ought to actuate every elder in Israel, and by which he ought to
govern his life and actions. Having gathered us together in the
position we now occupy, we are prepared, more or less, to be governed
in regard to other things; we know that the goal before us is one of
the brightest that has ever attracted the attention of the human mind,
one in which God calculates to elevate and exalt us, not only on the
earth but in the heavens. God has commenced to establish His kingdom
on the earth, and He will accomplish His own purposes in His own time,
and bring to pass His designs with regard to a world lying in
wickedness.

Vol. 12,  p.81
We sometimes reflect on the situation of the world, and feel as though
we would be glad to see them destroyed. Now no right feeling man has a
wish of this kind in his heart. We should be glad to see iniquity
destroyed, but unfortunately the workers of iniquity would have to
share in that catastrophe. We should be glad to see evil rooted out of
the earth, and we know that if men will not submit to the law of God,
by and by, however painful it may be, their destruction will be
consummated, and we know, as has been referred to, that all
governments and kingdoms having the elements of destruction within
themselves, must necessarily dissolve, and we know that if we could
have just laws, a just administration—if we could have the revelations
of the great God for our guide, and men inspired by God for our
rulers, if we could have what the Israelites prayed for and what the
prophets have prophesied about, the Lord for our king, the Lord for
our judge and law-giver, and have Him to reign over us—there is no
right thinking man on the earth, no matter what his principles may be,
but what would appreciate such a system of things as that. But they
despair of accomplishing it, and they may well despair, for with the
materials that they have it would be impossible to bring about such a
result. You may take a graft from any poor tree there is in existence,
and graft it once, or ten thousand times, and it will still bear its
like. But if you can get a better graft, and have that implanted
there, then you may have a chance of having better fruit.

Vol. 12,  p.81
The Lord has commenced on this principle. He has revealed himself from
the heavens, and has restored correct principles which are calculated
to elevate, ennoble, and exalt the human mind, and having commenced
[p.82] this, it will be like the little leaven Jesus speaks of—it will
work and work until the whole lump is leavened, and has become
indoctrinated or inducted into the family of God, and become heirs of
Him and joint heirs with Jesus Christ, having a relationship to our
Heavenly Father that will live and exist "while life and thought and
being last or immortality endures." It is upon this principle, and
upon no other, that the knowledge of God will ever cover the earth as
the waters cover the deep.

Vol. 12,  p.82
This is the work that lies before the Saints of God, but it will not
be done all at once, it will be the work of time and progress, and
will require a continual warfare with evil, corruption, error, and
vice, in all their varied forms. It is the greatest blessing that can
be possessed by this or any other people on the face of the earth, to
have the word of God among them, and then it is a great blessing when
men can appreciate that word, and honor God and His servants, and obey
His laws. This is what we are seeking to attain—to bring our passions,
thoughts, reflections, and feelings, and everything pertaining to us,
in subjection to the law of God, that as wise children, under the
guidance of our Heavenly Father, we may be able to fulfil our destiny
on the earth, whatever that may be, and prepare ourselves for an
everlasting inheritance in the celestial kingdom of our God.

Vol. 12,  p.82
The fact is, God has commenced to regenerate the world, but the world
does not know it, and we, sometimes, hardly understand it. We become
captivated and carried away by every little foible and folly that we
see around us. We can only understand these things as we live our
religion, and as the Spirit of God reveals them to us, and if we want
to know more we must seek for more of the Spirit of God, which gives
wisdom, light, and intelligence, and enables us to see things as they
are and as they ought to be. If men are living in the enjoyment of
that Spirit there is no difficulty about false doctrines or errors of
any kind, or evil passions, for it will lead them into truth, and will
enable them to overcome all that is evil, and if we enjoy that Spirit
we shall feel better and happier, and we shall not see so many faults
in our neighbors, or in the Priesthood, or anything associated with
the Kingdom of God, for as the light of God, the revelations of the
Most High, inspires the hearts of the Saints, they will be one with
each other, with the servants of God, with God our Heavenly Father,
and with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Jesus prayed most devoutly
for this when about leaving the earth. Said he, "Neither pray I for
these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their
word, that they all may be one." This is the kind of feeling we should
cherish.

Vol. 12,  p.82
With regard to the world. I know there is a feeling that President
Young is illiberal in his remarks sometimes, and that we ought to feel
more like catering to their prejudices and feelings. I do not think
so. I think it is one of the greatest blessings we can have to have
somebody to tell us when we are wrong; and does President Young, or do
any men of intelligence in this Church and Kingdom, have feelings of
enmity towards the world? I do not think they have. I have seen
President Young travel thousands and thousands of miles, without purse
or scrip, to preach the gospel of salvation to the world. Does that
show that he is an enemy to the world? There is no man of reflection
and good judgment but what would say to the reverse. [p.83] We have
come out from among the world, for the express purpose of serving God
and keeping His commandments, building up Zion, and establishing His
Kingdom upon the earth. Are there not men in the world who seek to do
right and try to be just and equitable in their acts? Yes, and there
are a great many who seek to do wrong, who are full of lasciviousness,
corruption, and evil; a great many who would seek to lead us down the
paths of death and destruction. And shall not the shepherd who stands
on the walls of Zion lift up his warning voice? What is the good of a
shepherd if he does not do that? Who does not know that, combinations
have been entered into, from time to time, right here in our midst,
for the purpose of undermining the virtue of this people? Who does not
know that the public prints in the east have been very profuse in
their recommendations to send out fine fast young men to Utah? What
for? to corrupt our virtue and to bring us down to their own level.
Who does not know that we have had organizations in our midst,
plotting night after night, to effect the political and social
destruction of this people, and seeking to undermine their virtue? Are
we—the servants of God—to sit still and not lift a warning voice in
relation to these things? Are we to go hand and glove with the world?
No, we are not of the world; God has chosen us out of the world to be
His people, that we may be subject to His laws and bow to His
authority. Do we plot against the virtue of any man? God forbid! Is
there any man on the face of the earth who can bring a charge of this
kind against the elders of Israel? I defy them. We sustain all
virtuous principles here and everywhere in the world where our lot may
be cast. Did we ever go, as elders, or as messengers of any kind among
the nations of the earth, and interfere with the rights and privileges
of the people, or seek to overturn the government of any nation?
Never. We were always subject to the law, authority, rule, and
dominion prevailing in the nations in which we have sojourned. What
right have others, then, to intere with us? None. Shall we allow them
to do it? No, in the name of Israel's God we will not. [The
congregation said, amen.] We will root out the workers of iniquity,
and maintain purity and virtue. When men come among us who are
honorable and virtuous we will treat them accordingly; but when men
come among us and seek to destroy our virtue, supplant our
institutions, and try to put a sword to the neck of the good, honest,
and virtuous, in the name of Israel's God we will oppose them with all
the might God shall give to us. [The congregation said, amen.] These
are our principles. What good honorable man in the world would not
sanction them? There are none but what would. Every virtuous man and
woman would submit to principles of this kind, and say it is right.

Vol. 12,  p.83
There is another point to which I would refer here: that all men are
not depraved, as it is said by some, but the natural instinct of man,
as President Young has remarked, is to do good.

Vol. 12,  p.83
May God help us to do right and keep His commandments, that we may be
saved in His kingdom, in the name of Jesus. Amen.[p.84] 

Orson Pratt, August 11, 1867

Experience in Missionary Labors—Ancient Prophecies 
Concerning the People of God in the Last Days

DISCOURSE by Elder Orson Pratt, delivered in the 
Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, Sunday, August 11th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.84
I have long looked forward with joyful anticipations to the time, when
I should again meet with the people of God in these mountains, and
have the privilege of standing before them. I feel very thankful to my
Father in heaven for this great privilege. I have been absent from
this city and place over three years, and have performed one of the
longest missions of my life. I feel thankful to God that you gave me
this privilege, and that I have had the opportunity of adding one more
lengthy mission to the long catalogue of missions which I have taken
abroad among the nations. It is a great satisfaction to me to have the
privilege of being numbered with this people, and to have my name
enrolled among those who profess to be Latter-day Saints. With them is
safety; with them are joy, peace, and satisfaction. And I feel to say,
as one said in old times—that with this people I desire to live, and,
if it is necessary to die, I desire to have the privilege of dying
with them. But I do not know whether it will be necessary for all of
us to die, perhaps there may be some who will escape this curse in
some measure, and who may meet with a change equivalent to that of
death.

Vol. 12,  p.84
I have been abroad for the purpose of doing good, that was the only
object I had in view in leaving this Territory three years ago last
spring. Whether I have done much good or not remains for the day of
judgment to reveal; it is not altogether for me to judge in relation
to this matter. We are well assured that our Father, who reigns in
yonder heavens, keeps a journal, or, in other words, a record—a great
record in which He records the doings of the children of men. We know,
from a certain declaration of Jesus in the Book of Mormon, concerning
the records of heaven, that the acts and doings of all men are
recorded by the Father in that book, and the time is fast hastening
when I, as an individual, and all others, must be brought before the
Judge of all the earth, and our acts and doings here, in this short
space of time appointed to us as a probation, will be read before us,
or if not read they will be perfectly remembered by us and by those
who sit in judgment, so that a righteous judgment will be rendered on
our heads, and we will receive the reward of our doings, whether they
be good or evil. I have enjoyed myself remarkably well on this
mission. I hope that some good has been done, and that the Lord will
remember the good that I have intended to do, even though it may not
have been fully accomplished. He knows the desire of my heart has been
to fulfil the numerous missions which I hay e taken during the last
thirty-seven years of my life.[p.85] 

Vol. 12,  p.85
Since I came home, I have contrasted the present condition of myself
and this people with what existed when I first became acquainted with
this gospel. Then we were a little handful of people—there were,
perhaps, not a hundred persons in all the States who had received the
truth. I received it about five months after the organization of this
Church, and, although but a boy, was immediately called to the
ministry. In my inexperience I went forth, with gladness of heart, to
bear my humble testimony to what I knew to be true. You may ask me if
I had a knowledge before I commenced preaching this gospel. I answer,
yes. I went forth from a farming occupation in the eastern part of the
State of New York, and traveled alone between two hundred and three
hundred miles, for the purpose of beholding the Prophet Joseph Smith.
I found him in Fayette, Seneca County, New York, at the house of
father Whitmer, where this Church was organized with only six members.
In that house I found not only Joseph, the Prophet, but David Whitmer,
John Whitmer, Christian Whitmer, and many of those witnesses whose
names are recorded in the Book of Mormon. Those were happy days to me.
To see a prophet of the living God, to look on a man whom the Lord had
raised up to bring forth one of the most glorious records that ever
saluted the ears of mortal man, was to me almost equal to beholding
the face of an holy angel! Yet, when I took that journey, and first
beheld his countenance, I did not certainly know that he was a
prophet. I believed him to be such because of the purity of the
doctrine that I had heard preached which he had brought forth. I knew
it was a scriptural doctrine, agreeing in every respect with the
ancient gospel. For although but a boy, I had already become
acquainted, in some measure, with the doctrines of the various
religious sects of the day, but none of them satisfied me, none of
them seemed to coincide with the word of God. I stood aloof from all,
until I heard this, when my mind became fully satisfied that God had
raised up a people to proclaim the gospel in all its ancient beauty
and simplicity, with power to administer in its ordinances. That was a
great satisfaction, so far as faith was concerned, but still I sought
for a knowledge. I felt as though I was not qualified to stand before
the people, and tell them that the Book of Mormon was a divine
revelation, and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, unless I had a
stronger testimony than that afforded by ancient prophets. However
great my assurance might be, it seemed to me, that to know for myself,
it required a witness independent of the testimony of others. I sought
for this witness. I did not receive it immediately, but when the Lord
saw the integrity of my heart and the anxiety of my mind—when He saw
that I was willing to travel hundreds of miles for the sake of
learning the principles of the truth, He gave me a testimony for
myself, which conferred upon me the most perfect knowledge that Joseph
Smith was a true prophet, and that this book, called the Book of
Mormon, was in reality a Divine revelation, and that God had once
more, in reality, spoken to the human family. What joy this knowledge
gave me! No language that I am acquainted with could describe the
sensations I experienced when I received a knowledge from Heaven of
the truth of this work.

Vol. 12,  p.85
In that early day the prophet Joseph said to me that the Lord had
revealed that twelve men were to be chosen as Apostles. A manuscript
[p.86] revelation to this effect, given in 1829—before the rise of
this Church—was laid before me, and I read it. Joseph said to me,
although I was young, weak, inexperienced, especially in public
speaking, and ignorant of many important things which we now all
understand, that I should be one of this Twelve. It seemed to me a
very great saying. I looked upon the Twelve Apostles who lived in
ancient days with a great deal of reverence—as being almost
superhuman. They were, indeed, great men—not by virtue of the flesh,
nor their own natural capacities, but they were great because God
called them. When Joseph told me that I would be one of the Twelve, I
knew all things were possible with God, but it seemed to me that I
would have to be altogether changed to occupy such a great position in
the Church and Kingdom of our God.

Vol. 12,  p.86
But I will pass over the first years of the organization of the Church
and come down to the time when the Twelve were chosen. It was in the
year 1835. In the preceding year a few of us, by commandment and
revelation from God, went up to the State of Missouri in company with
the Prophet Joseph Smith. By the direction of Joseph I was requested
to stay in Clay County for a few months, to visit the Saints scattered
through those regions, to preach to and comfort them, and to lay
before them the manuscript revelations, for they were not then fully
acquainted with all the revelations which had been given. After having
accomplished this work, and proclaimed the gospel to many branches of
the Church in the western part of Missouri, I returned again a
thousand miles to the State of Ohio, preaching by the way, suffering
much from the chills, and the fever and ague, while passing through
those low sickly countries, wading swamps and sloughs, lying down on
the prairies in the hot sun, fifteen or twenty miles from any
habitation, and having a hearty shake of the ague, then a violent
fever, thus wandering along for months before getting back to
Kirtland, Ohio, where the Prophet lived. In the meantime, however, I
built up some few branches of the Church, and then started for the
capital of the State of Ohio—the city of Columbus. I entered the city,
a stranger, on foot, and alone, not knowing that there was a
Latter-day Saint within many miles, but, while passing along the
crowded streets, I caught a glimpse of the countenance of a man who
passed, and whirling around instantly, I went after him, and inquired
of him if he knew whether there were any people called "Mormons" in
the city of Columbus. Said he: "I am one of that people, and the only
one that resides in the city." I looked upon this as a great marvel.
"How is it," said I, "that here in this great and populous city, where
hundreds are passing to and fro, that I should be influenced to turn
and accost the only Latter-day Saint residing here." I look upon it as
a revelation, as a manifestation of the power of God in my behalf. He
took me to his house, and, when there, presented me with a paper
published by our people in Kirtland. In that paper I saw an
advertisement, in which br. Pratt was requested to be at Kirtland on
such a day and at such an hour, to attend meeting in the Temple, that
he might be ready in take his departure with the Twelve who had been
chosen. The day and hour designated were right at hand; the Twelve
were chosen, and were soon to start on their first mission as a
Council. I had been travelling among strangers for months, and had not
seen the paper.[p.87] 

Vol. 12,  p.87
I saw that I had not time to reach Kirtland on foot, as I had been
accustomed to travel, and consequently could not thus comply with the
request; but, with a little assistance, I got into the very first
stage that went out, and started post-haste for Kirtland, and landed
at Willoughby, or what was then called Chagim, three miles from
Kirtland, to which I travelled on foot, reaching there on Sunday
morning at the very hour appointed for the meeting, which I entered,
valise in hand, not having had time to deposit it by the way. There I
met with Joseph, Oliver Cowdry, David Whitmer, Martin Harris, and
others of the witnesses to the Book of Mormon, besides several of the
Twelve who had been chosen and ordained a short time previous. They
were meeting on that day in order to be fully organized and qualified
for their first mission as a council. And, strange to relate, it had
been prophesied in that meeting, and in prior meetings, I would be
there on that day. They had predicted this, although they had not
heard of me for some time, and did not know where I was. They knew I
had been in Missouri, and that I had started from there, several
months before, but the Lord poured out the spirit of prophecy upon
them, and they predicted I would be there at that meeting. When they
saw me walk into the meeting, many of the Saints could scarcely
believe their own eyes, the prediction was fulfilled before them so
perfectly. I look at these things as miraculous manifestations of the
Spirit of God.

Vol. 12,  p.87
I was ordained, and went forth with the Council of the Twelve. We
performed an extended mission through the eastern States, built up
churches, and returned again to Kirtland.

Vol. 12,  p.87
It is not my intention to give many items of our history. I merely
touch upon these points, as they present themselves to my mind. I have
continued, from that day until the present, to bear testimony to that
which I know to be true. I do not speak enthusiastically when I say I
KNOW. It is not a spirit of excitement which prompts me to declare
these things, but I testify now, to that which I know by revelation to
me from heaven, as I have testified to hundreds and thousands of
people, both in America, in England, and on the Continent in Europe. I
know this great work which you, Latter-day Saints, have received, to
be the work of Almighty God. I have the same certainty that I have
that you are now sitting on these seats. This religion is not a whim;
it is not a wild enthusiastic creed, invented by human wisdom, but the
origin of this Church is divine. This book, called the Book of Mormon,
God gave, by the inspiration of His holy Spirit, to Joseph Smith, whom
you and I believe, and not only believe, but know to be, a prophet.
This book I consider the choicest book communicated to the children of
men for many centuries. The choicest! Why do I say the choicest? Are
there not many useful and interesting books of great value, containing
much information and many things of importance, that have been sought
out by the judgment, skill, and learning of men? Yes; but among all
those which have appeared since the first century of the Christian
era, there is one common characteristic—viz., they were written by the
wisdom of man. No doubt, in many respects, though unknown to their
authors, they were measurably dictated by the inspiration of the
Spirit of the living God. But God Himself is the author of the Book of
Mormon. He inspired the ideas it contains, and gave them [p.88] by the
urim and thummim. He sent forth His angel from heaven, clothed in
brightness and glory, to chosen witnesses, commanding them to declare
to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, that this precious book
was a divine revelation. How great, then, is the importance of this
work!

Vol. 12,  p.88
It was a very interesting period of my life, when but nineteen years
of age, to visit the place where this Church was organized—the room of
old father Whitmer—where the Lord spoke to His servant Joseph and
others, as printed in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. In that same
room a revelation, through the prophet Joseph, was given to me,
November 4th, 1830, which is also printed. That house will, no doubtf
be celebrated for ages to come, as the one chosen by the Lord in which
to make known the first elements of the organization of His Kingdom in
the latter days.

Vol. 12,  p.88
But there are many wonderful things connected with this
dispensation—not only in the manifestations of the Spirit of God to
His servants in the many revelations that were given to individuals,
in healing the sick, in casting out devils, in restoring the blind to
their sight, in making the deaf to hear, and in causing the lame man
to leap as a hart—but what is still more wonderful, the gathering of
the people from distant nations. It is a wonder to me to look upon the
great sea of faces now before me in this bowery. Twenty years ago on
the twenty-first day of July, I stood solitary and alone on this great
city plot, near the place where now stands bishop Hunter's house,
being the first man of the Latter-day Saints that ever stood on this
ground: this was in the afternoon of the twenty-first day of July;
1847. Brother Erastus Snow entered the valley with me in the
afternoon. We travelled down to the south-east of the city. Br.
Erastus lost his coat off his horse, and went back to hunt it up, and
told me if I wanted to look over the country he would wait for me at
the mouth of what we now call Emigration Kanyon. I started from where
we parted, and came up and stood on the bank of City Creek. I gazed on
the surrounding scenery with peculiar feelings in my heart. I telt as
though it was the place for which we had so long sought. Brother
Brigham had requested me to proceed on and search out the road.
Several of the brethren had been taken sick at Yellow Creek, and they
appointed me and a small company to go on and see if we could find
anything of Salt Lake Valley or a country suitable for a location.
What did I see when I came into this valley? I saw some few green
bushes on yonder bench, but saw but little life throughout the valley,
except a certain insect that was afterwards called a cricket. I saw
them cropping the few isolated bushes, and gnawing everything green
around them. The land on yonder bench was all parched up, and the
soil, as we went down still further, also dry and baked; but as we
neared the waters we could see there was a little moisture round the
banks. It was really a solitary place, and is well described by the
prophet David in the 107th Psalm. He exclaims in this beautiful
language: "O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy
endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He hath
redeemed from the hands of the enemy, and gathered them out of the
lands, from the east and front the west, from the north and from the
south." But David describes the country to which this people were to
be gathered. He calls it a dreary desolate land.[p.89] "They wandered
in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in."
Are there not many sitting on these seats who can reflect back to the
time when they wandered over the solitary plains, the and deserts, and
rugged mountains? Are there not here some of the pioneers who were
numbered among the one hundred and forty-three who travelled fifteen
hundred miles from Nauvoo and a thousand from our Winter Quarters on
the Missouri river, who can bear testimony that we did "wander in the
wilderness in a solitary way?" Oh, how solitary it was except for the
red men, buffalo a few antelope, some elk, deer, and howling wolves!
It was indeed solitary; no road broken for us, no bridges across the
streams; we were unable to tell what latiture or longitude we were in
only by taking astronomical observations—get ting the altitude of the
sun, moon, or stars, and determining our latitude and longitude to
find out where we were, as sea captains do on the great deep. And thus
we continued, month after month, to wander in this solitary way, in
this wilderness, as it were, and when we entered these valleys we
found no city already built for us. David said that the people who
should be gathered from all lands would "find no city, to dwell in"—no
city already prepared for them.

Vol. 12,  p.89
Did we have any suffering, affliction, hunger, thirst, and fatigue? I
can bear testimony that the pioneers, and many others who followed in
their track that season, can look back to that period of their lives
as to a time when they experienced the fulfilment of David's
words:—"Hungry and thirsty their souls fainteth in them. Then they
cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of
their distresses." This was liferally fulfilled, for we were faithful
in calling on the Lord; we bowed before Him in the morning, we humbled
ourselves before them in the evening, and we prostrated ourselves
before Him in our secret places. Some of us went out upon the hills by
ourselves, and called upon the Lord, according to the order of the
Holy Priesthood, which order many of you who have received your
endowments understand. Many times we were thirsty, and our souls were
ready to faint within us, but we came forth by the direction of the
Almighty. His hand was with us, He heard our cries, our prayers came
up before Him, and He delivered us from all our afflictions. Yet we
found no city to dwell in, no splendid houses, mansions, and palaces,
and everything conducive to happiness and comfort, as our emigration
from foreign countries find in these times.

Vol. 12,  p.89
Finding no city to dwell in, the Lord permitted us to prepare a city
for habitation. I have stated that the Lord had accomplished
wonders—great wonders—besides healing the sick and doing those things
already named, and one of those great wonders is the city of Great
Salt Lake. It is a miracle to my eyes, it is a miracle to the
Latter-day Saints who dwell within it, it is a miracle to all the
inhabitants of the Territory, it is a miracle to all our enemies
scattered abroad, and a wonder to all the nations of the earth who
have read its description. Let me tell a secret that some of you,
perhaps, have not fully understood. Do you know, Latter-day Saints,
that this city is already celebrated in distant nations, across the
sea, as one of the most beautiful cities upon the American Continent?
It is even so. What renders it beautiful? It is not because all the
houses have been joined [p.90] house to house, and story piled on
story. No; that does not add to the beauty of a city. That is after
the fashion of old Babylon, or like the cities of the nations. They,
it is true, build some very superb buildings, of the most beautiful
and costly materials—granite and marble stone, magnificent in style,
and adorned with all the beauties of modern architecture. We see this
in the cities of the eastern states, in old England, on the Continent
of Europe, and wherever modern civilization extends; but what is all
this when compared to the beauty of our habitations? When emerging
from Parley's Kanyon in the stage, I put my head out of the window to
look for the city of Great Salt Lake, but it was so completely
shrouded in trees that I could scarcely get a glimpse of it. Now and
then I caught sight of a chimney peeping out above the stately shade
trees and smiling orchards; I could also see this great tabernacle
that you are now building, towering up, like a little mountain; but it
was impossible to get a full view of the city generally, it was so
completely covered with orchards and ornamental shade trees. I thought
to myself that I never saw a grander sight. Where did these trees come
from? You brought them down from the mountains, then little saplings;
many of you brought them on your shoulders, others piled them on their
wagons, and then you set them out on land that had the appearance of
being a parched desert, and in soil that to all human appearance was
unproductive. And during the twenty years that have rolled over your
heads, you have beautified this city, and made it a paradise. It
surpasses all the cities of the east in beauty, and your industry is
spoken of abroad as something wonderful and marvellous. For a people
without capital driven from their former homes, having nothing, us it
were, but bone and sinew, to bring to pass the marvels we now behold,
is considered without a parallel.

Vol. 12,  p.90
But David says, that this people, gathered from all nations, who would
find no city to dwell in, should finally prepare a city for
habitation. Thank you, brethren, for having fulfilled the prophecy.
Many other things, in this same Psalm, are now being fulfilled. The
inspired psalmist predicts that the Lord would cause waters to break
out in the wilderness, and in the desert springs of water, and that
the thirsty ground should become pools of water. Has this been
fulfilled? What aspect is presented over the country, for miles and
miles around, when you irrigate your farming lands? Do you cast your
eyes over them sometimes, and see standing pools of water? If you do
you behold the fulfilment of the psalm. In the twenty-ninth chapter of
Isaiah—the very place where this book (the Book of Mormon) is spoken
of, and the marvellous work that should be accomplished by its means,
we also read that a forest "shall be turned into a fruitful field, and
the fruitful field shall be esteemed as s forest." David also says,
that you were not only to make a city for habitation, but you were to
plant vineyards, sow fields, and eat the increase thereof, and he
would not suffer your cattle to decrease.

Vol. 12,  p.90
I have been gone about three years, and I would like to inquire of
those who keep cattle, whether they are on the increase in this
Territory? I think if they were to answer they would say they are.
Brother Kimball says the Territory is perfectly alive with them, and I
have no doubt that the hills, mountains, and valleys are sprinkled
over with them, and [p.91] that they are on the increase. This is what
David says:—"He suffers not their cattle to decrease;" and he also
informs us that that barren, thirsty land, that solitary place, that
wilderness through which His people should be led, should become, as
it were, a fruitful field—this you know has been literally fulfilled.
We are further informed that "blessed are they who sow beside all
waters and send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass." How do
you farm in this land? You answer, by the side of the water streams.
They do not farm in this way in the old countries, but wherever they
find a beautiful piece of soil, whether on mountain or plain, they
convert it into a farm, it is no matter if it be many miles from the
water. But Isaiah saw that this people would be put in possession of a
land where it would be necessary to "sow beside all waters," and in
passing up and down this Territory it is universally the case that all
our farming lands are located alongside the water streams which come
out of the mountains.

Vol. 12,  p.91
Do you want a blessing, brethren? If you do, Isaiah has given you one,
for he exclaims, "Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send
forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass." David also declares, in
the Psalm already referred to, that "He setteth the poor on high from
affliction, and maketh him families like a flock." What does the
Psalmist mean? Does he mean to say that the families of a poor man who
has been gathered should increase like a flock? This is what he
predicts; why do the world find fault with it? Are there not some
fault-finders? I hope not. Br. Kimball says they are all dead; if so,
it is to be hoped that we will be troubled with them no more.

Vol. 12,  p.91
We should rejoice to think that God has brought us into this desert
country, and made it so fruitful, like the Garden of Eden, where the
poor man, who in the old countries could scarcely live, has, in the
course of the twenty years, not only got flocks and herds, but
"families" (for David actually puts in the plural) "like a flock." To
go around these valleys, and occasionally count the families of a poor
man, is like counting a flock of sheep. Gentiles (we merely repeat the
name they have given themselves) feel like finding fault with us in
regard to this matter, but if we are satisfied, why should they find
fault? If the poor man has been lifted up on high, just as David said
he should be, and if the Lord has made him to have families like a
flock, why should you find fault with this poor man? Is he not better
off here than in the old countries, where for twelve or sixteen hours
daily labor he received only eight shillings per week, for himself and
family—and was scarcely able to keep body and soul together—living and
dying in the most squalid poverty?

Vol. 12,  p.91
I cannot see any harm in the people coming to this distant land, and
gathering around them flocks, and herds, and fields, and each
multiplying his own families, till they resemble a flock. All seem to
feel tolerably well about it. The wives of these poor men have smiling
faces, and seem happy. I do not know but some of them quarrel, but
that does not prove that the principle is not good and true.
Monogamist families also quarrel sometimes, but you would not do away
with marriage, and say that a man ought not to have one wife, because
they pull hair occasionally. Why find fault, then, with the poor man
David speaks about, whose families should be like a flock, because now
and then one gets up a quarrel? The system is good; the [p.92] quarrel
is no part of the system, but is a violation of it, and is the
introduction of discord into that which the Lord intended to
harmonize. Plurality of wives is something a little different from
what our fathers have taught us, and it will take us a little while to
learn this ancient scriptural order. You would not find fault with a
little child because it did not learn the alphabet, spelling lessons,
and get into reading in one day. Let all have a chance to learn by
experience, and by that which God has revealed in ancient and modern
times, to rule, govern, and control these great flocks and families so
that they may be worthy to rule in the Kingdom of God.

Vol. 12,  p.92
There are many curious things written in the ancient prophecies and in
the writings of the Psalmist. The people abroad in the world generally
think a great deal of what David said. There are some churches so
pious that they would not have a hymn, composed in modern times, sung
by their congregations. They would think their chapels were polluted
by singing a hymn composed by any poet or poetess in these days. You
may think I am misrepresenting them, but I am not. You go to Scotland
if you wish to see the truth of these words. Will the Scotch
Presbyterians permit hymns of their own composition to be sung in
their sanctuaries? No; what do they substitute? The Psalms of
David—the man after God's own heart, who was so righteous when but a
boy that God was with him, and who, long before he was raised to the
throne of Israel, and while yet a youth, as it were, had eight wives,
and into whose bosom God afterwards gave all the wives of his master
Saul, This man knew how to make psalms, for he made them by
inspiration for the Scotch Church to sing; he understood it, and when
he looked upon and realized what a flock of wives and children he had,
he no doubt felt a glow of pleasure in anticipation of the time when
the same order should be established among that people who were to be
gathered from all lands. When have any people ever fulfilled. these
ancient prophecies if this people are not doing it now.

Vol. 12,  p.92
Go back, now, historians, and tell us what people have ever fulfilled
these sayings, except the Latter-day Saints. Did the ancient church
ever fulfil these prophecies? No; why not? Because the dispensation of
gathering had not then come. They were commanded to build up churches
in Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, and various parts of the earth,
and when they had built up these churches they were permitted to stay
at home. David says the people of God are to be gathered from all
lands, and we see float it was not done by the ancient church· Now
come down from the days of the introduction of Christianity into
Palestine to the present period and place your finger, if you can, on
a people who have fulfilled these prophecies. You can find nothing
that has had the appearance of it until the appearance of the Prophet
Joseph Smith. Since his day you can see what the Lord has done in
sending abroad His missionaries, as swift messengers, to preach the
gospel to all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, baptizing all
who would repent, and building up churches to His holy name, then
proclaiming in the ears of all the Saints, "Go from all these nations
to the great western hemisphere, locate yourselves on the high
portions of the North American Continent in the midst of the
mountains, and be gathered in one, that you may fulfil the prophecies
that have been uttered concerning you." When we [p.93] see this, we
see God fulfilling that which He spake many long centuries ago. And
the work is still rolling on, just as fast as the wheels of time can
roll it. The Prophet Isaiah, in the 35th chapter, says "The wilderness
and the solitary place shall be glad for them, and the desert shall
rejoice and blossom as the rose."

Vol. 12,  p.93
Latter-day Saints lift up your hearts and rejoice with joy
unspeakable, for you are the very ones who have the privilege of
fulfilling this, you see it directly before you. Has this prophecy
been fulfilled here? Was there a wilderness here? Was there a desert
here, and does it blossom as the rose? I was not here this spring, but
I will venture to say that if I had been within three miles of this
city, in April or May, I should have seen, for five or six square
miles, peach, pear, plum, and apple trees all in bloom, literally
making the wilderness to blossom as the rose· What a miracle compared
with twenty years ago, when I stood, solitary and alone, by the side
of City Creek, near this temple block, and surveyed the scene! The
prophecy of Isaiah has been fulfilled, thanks be to Him who rules,
controls, and guides all these things.

Vol. 12,  p.93
If there ever was a people that needed blessings, it seems to me that
the Latter-day Saints are the ones. How much you have suffered in
years past and gone! How great have been your trials for the truth's
sake! How great your exertions to gather out from among the nations of
the earth! How great has been your toil in this desert country to
fulfil these prophecies! God bless you, and your generations for
evermore, and give you a hundred fold, besides these valleys, to make
you and your posterity rejoice, is my prayer in the name of Jesus
Christ. Amen.

Brigham Young, June 30, 1867

Condition of Apostates—the Young Men of the Saints—
Bible Christians—Mormon Battalion—His Testimony to 
Strangers—Council to Mothers  and  Daughters on Polygamy

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, delivered in the 
Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, June 30th, 1867.

[Reproted By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.93
We have heard good instruction and good news from our brethren in the
south and in the east, and we hear good news concerning Zion. But this
is not good to the world, for Zion and the spirit of Zion are not
loved by the wicked. There is good news, and it may be summed up by
saying that God is carrying on His work most admirably. He has
commenced His work in the last days, for the last time; and into this,
work He will gather all things. We are here in these mountains.
Accidentally? Perhaps so. If we had Brother George A. Smith to tell
the starry, he would say we came here because we were obliged to come,
and we stay here because there is no other place to which we can go.
We [p.94] have built cities in this mountainous region, because there
was no other place where we could do so. We have not got through with
our work here yet. The people have hardly commenced to realize the
beauty, excellence, and glory that will yet crown this city. I do not
know that I will live in the flesh to see what I saw in vision when I
came here. I see some things, but a great deal more has yet to be
accomplished. We go abroad and preach to the people and gather them
home to Zion, and it appears to be the feelings of a great many that
when they get here they have done all that the Lord requires of
them—their mission is out, and they are then ready to go and work for
themselves. I heard of one man who came here twenty years ago, who
stayed a few years and got more property than he ever had before, then
sold it, and went to California, feeling and believing that he had
worked long enough for the Lord, and that henceforth he would work for
himself. The last I heard of him he was in poverty, distress, and
disgrace. Loved of the Lord? No; if the Lord did not hate him, he did
not love him. Angels did not love him, Saints did not love him, and
the devil despised him, as he does all apostates.

Vol. 12,  p.94
On this particular point I said a little a Sunday or two ago. I will
now take the liberty of saying a little more. If there is a despicable
character on the face of the earth, it is an apostate from this
Church. He is a traitor who has deceived his best friends, betrayed
his trust, and forfeited every principle of honor that God placed
within him. They may think they are respected, but they are not. They
are disgraced in their own eyes. There is not much honesty within
them; they have forfeited their heaven, sold their birthright, and
betrayed their friends. What will the devil do with such characters?
Will he have them in his kingdom? Yes, he will be obliged to, because
he is an apostate himself. He apostatized from the Celestial Kingdom,
and was thrust down to hell. Yet, when apostates get to his kingdom,
he will say—"I do not like you, for you are just as mean as I am. I
was a traitor and a liar, and I am yet. I despise myself and every
character that betrays his trust." That is all I wish to say on that
point. Let apostates go.

Vol. 12,  p.94
A word now to the Elders of Israel, especially to the young elders.
There are a great many young men born and brought up in this Church,
and if they do not go to the nations of the earth to preach they are
not, therefore, obliged to make shipwreck of their good education and
the faith they have received. Brother Pitkin was talking about young
men being ruined through acquiring bad habits and forming bad
associations here. If we had sent such young men to preach they would,
in all probability, have disgraced themselves and the cause; for I am
satisfied that if any man or woman, old or young, wished to be honest,
upright, truthful, and virtuous, there is no community on the face of
the earth that honors and seeks to promote every holy principle to
such an extent as this does. Do you know it? If you do not, just go
into the world and mingle with the people, and you will soon find it
out.

Vol. 12,  p.94
If there are any ladies and gentlemen present who have not joined the
Church, I wish to say a few words to them. Are men or women honest
with themselves and their God when they refuse or neglect to search
diligently to know the truth of the latter-day work? I could not be,
with the sensibility God has blessed [p.95] me with. A man or woman
desirous of knowing the truth, upon hearing the gospel of the Son of
God proclaimed in truth and simplicity, should ask the Father, in the
name of Jesus, if this is true. If they do not take this course, they
may try and argue themselves into the belief that they are as honest
as any man or woman can be on the face of the earth; but they are not,
they are careless as to their own best interests. Before I heard the
gospel I searched diligently to know and understand whatever could be
learned among the sectarians respecting God and the plan of salvation.
It was so with the majority of the Latter-day Saints. But very little
can be learned among Christian professors; they are ignorant about God
and His kingdom, and the design He had in view in the formation of the
earth and peopling it with His creatures. The Christian world are
deficient in these matters; and many among them who believed the Bible
was true have felt this, and Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Wesley,
and other great Reformers and revivalists have felt this, and have had
the spirit of conviction upon them that God was going to reveal
something or other to His creatures. My brother Joseph once said to me
(and we were both Methodists at the time), "Brother Brigham, there is
not a Bible Christian in the world; what will become of the people?"
For many years no person saw a smile on his countenance, in
consequence of the burden of the Lord being upon him, and realizing
that the inhabitants of the earth had all gone out of the way and had
turned every man to his own views. I am not speaking now of the world
morally, but of their ignorance of the gospel of the Son of God and of
the way to be saved in the celestial kingdom of our Father. There was
not a Bible Christian on the face of the earth who was known to us. I
cannot say what is to be found in the frozen regions of the north, or
a little beyond; if any nook or corner among the icebergs contains an
Apostle, I do not know it, but I suppose none have been able to find
one. No people on this earth had the Priesthood of the Son of God at
their command or within their grasp, and there was no delegation from
God to the children of men.

Vol. 12,  p.95
Now, we come proclaiming that the Lord has spoken from Heaven, and has
sent His angels to administer to the children of men. If you ask
"where is my proof?" my reply is, I am a witness. Have we any more
witnesses? Yes, here is this whole people. What else has brought them
together? Do you think they have been gathered for the sake of making
money, or for raising a political kingdom? Try if, you statesmen and
philosophers, and see if you can gather a people together as we came
here. How did we come here? We came comparatively naked and barefoot,
driven from our homes into these mountains, robbed of our horses and
cattle, and our houses rifled by mobs. Were we sustained by any
government? Did England put forth her hand to sustain us, or did
France donate anything for the assistance of this poor people? No not
anything. Did the Government of the United States? No, but I will you
what they did do—they imposed a trifling tax upon us. When they were
at war with Mexico they said, "Now, you Mormons are going into the
wilderness, but we will prove whether you are loyal or not—we want
five hundred of your men." Did we give them? Yes, we took the men from
their wagons, from their aged fathers and mothers, their [p.96] wives
and children, and they went to fight the battles of the United States.
Who helped us here? The Lord Almighty, and He has fed and clothed and
sustained us, and given us the ability to gather around us the
comforts of life. And now we declare that the principles we preach are
the principles of the gospel of the Son of God, and no man nor nation
beneath the Heavens can contradict or confute what I say. And here are
my witnesses—some few thousands in this congregation, Who would rise
and testify by the power of the Holy Ghost that this is the gospel of
life and salvation. Can men and women be honest who lot this pass by
as a thing of nought, and say—"These poor despised 'Mormons' and their
religion are not worthy of our notice, they are beneath our dignity
and refinement." Stop! Pause and think! Do you know what refinement
is? Do you know what belongs to honor and greatness? If you do, you
will never make use of such expressions. Those who are honorable will
honor their being, and prepare according to the best of their ability
and knowledge, and the revelations God has given, to preserve their
existence and identity, and to dwell for ever in the presence of the
Father and the Son. Every person who is honorable and loves truth will
do this. I do not want men to come to me or my brethren for testimony
as to the truth of this work; but let them take the Scriptures of
divine truth, and there the path is pointed out to them as plainly as
ever a guideboard indicated the right path to the weary traveller.
There they are directed to go, not to Brothers Brigham, Heber, or
Daniel, to any apostle or elder in Israel, but to the Father in the
name of Jesus, and ask for the information they need. Can they who
take this course in honesty and sincerity receive information? Will
the Lord turn away froth the honest heart seeking for truth? No, He
will not; He will prove to them, by the revelations of His Spirit, the
facts in the case. And when the mind is open to the revelations of the
Lord it comprehends them quicker and keener than anything that is seen
by the natural eye. It is not what we see with our eyes—they may be
deceived—but what is revealed by the Lord from Heaven is sure and
steadfast, and abides for ever. We do not want the people to rely on
human testimony, although that cannot be confuted and destroyed;
still, there is a more sure word of prophecy that all may gain if they
will seek it earnestly before the Lord. This is to my friends or my
enemies who do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and in the gospel
which He has revealed in these days. Now, mark my words, if you are
honest to yourselves you will inquire as to its truth. You are invited
to inquire, and it is your duty to do so, of the Father in the name of
Jesus, if these things are so. "Well," say a great many, "when Jesus
was on the earth he wrought miracles." Very true, and have we not done
so? You read all the history of the world, laying aside the Book of
Mormon containing the history of the people who once inhabited this
continent, and you cannot produce anything that will compare with the
labors of this people in these mountains. Everything is thrown into
the shade when compared with it. Have we any witnesses with regard to
the healing of the sick by the power of God? Plenty of them. "O," say
you, "we do not know anything about that." We do not want you to know
anything about it until you learn for yourselves. [p.97] Miracles, or
these extraordinary manifestations of the power of God, are not for
the unbeliever; they are to console the Saints, and to strengthen and
confirm the faith of those who love, fear, and serve God, and not for
outsiders. When Jesus was spoken to with regard to miracles, he said,
"An evil and an adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, and there
shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the Prophet Jonas," and
this principle is as true with regard to individuals as to
generations. Here is the truth—God has spoken from the heavens,
calling upon the inhabitants of the earth to repent, and we call upon
them to repent. Is there anything immoral or in the least
unchristian-like in this? Not in the least. We also call upon all men
to be baptized for the remission of their sins. Is this a heresy, is
it immoral or unchristianlike? No, everybody will agree that it is not
in the least. Then we say to all, if you have been in the habit of
lying, stealing, or committing any sin whatever, do it no more, but
live righteously and godly as long as you stay on the earth. Who can
complain of this.

Vol. 12,  p.97
Now, the sermon which I design preaching to the ladies comes right
before me. It is said—"If it were not for your obnoxious doctrine of
plurality of wives we could believe in the rest very well." It is not
that. That is not the touchstone at all, but it is because our wives
and daughters cannot be seduced; it is because this people are
strictly moral, virtuous, and truthful. Now, taking the history of
creation as given by Moses, let me ask the question—"Mother Eve, did
you not partake of the forbidden fruit, as also did Adam, and thus
bring sin and iniquity into the world?" "O, yes," says mother Eve.
Then, why cannot you bear the affliction of it? Why not say—"If I was
the cause of bringing evil into the world, I will firmly bear all that
God puts upon me, and maintain His word and His law, and so work out
my salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God working within
me." I ask this question of you, mother Eves, every one of you. If you
are not sanctified and prepared, you ought to be sanctifying and
preparing yourselves for the blessings m store for you when it will be
said of you, this is Eve. Why? Because you are the mother of all
living. You might as well prepare first as last. If you wish to be
Eves and mothers of human families you ought to bear the burden. But
you say this is cruel. No, it is not cruel at all. Is there a passion
in man that he cannot subdue for the sake of the gospel of salvation,
that he may be crowned with glory, immortality, and eternal lives?
Shame on the elder who, if duty calls, cannot go and preach the gospel
until he winds up his earthly career and never permit a female to kiss
him. I do not wish to say much upon this subject, but I say, woe to
you Eves if you proclaim or entertain feelings against this doctrine!
Woe to every female in this Church who says, "I will not submit to the
doctrine that God has revealed." You will wake up by and by and say,
"I have lost the crown and exaltation I might have gained had I only
been faithful to my covenants and the revelations which God gave. I
might have been crowned as well as you, but now I must go to another
kingdom." Be careful, O, ye mothers in Israel, and do not teach your
daughters in future, as many of them have been taught, to marry out of
Israel. Woe to you who do it; you will lose your crowns as sure as God
lives. Be careful! "Well," but say you,[p.98] "these men, these elders
of Israel, have it all their own way." That is not so, and we are not
going to have it all our own way, unless our way is to do just right.
And the man and woman who set up their will against the providence of
God, will be found wanting when accounts are squared. They will have
to say, "the summer is past, the harvest is ended, and we have not
received our crowns." Will you think of this, sisters, you who are not
married as well as you who are? I have a good many daughters, but it
would he better for every one of my daughters, and for every female in
this Church, to marry men who have proved themselves to be men of God,
no matter how many wives they have, than to take these miserable
characters who are running around here. For myself, I desire to please
God, whether it is ever to see another wife or child while I live or
not. Have I proved it? Yes, God, the heavens, and the Saints know it.
When Joseph called upon me and my brethren here, we were always ready.
We made it a point ever to be ready to leave fathers, mothers, sisters
and brothers, wives and children to go and preach the gospel to a
perishing world, and save as many as would hearken to our counsel. We
have proved this years ago. We have been willing to leave all for the
sake of the gospel, and therein the Lord has made us rich. But who is
going to complain about it?

Vol. 12,  p.98
I want the daughters of Israel, both old and young, to remember that
part of my sermon intended especially for them; and I want our friends
who come here, who are not of us, to hear what the Latter-day Saints
have to say. If we have the words of eternal life for you, and you
will not receive them at our hands, we want you to be left without
excuse. The Lord has spoken from the heavens; He has sent His
delegation to the earth, and He has commissioned men on the earth to
preach this gospel and to bring people into the Church. If they
disobey they must take the consequence; it is they and the Lord for
it. As we have always told them, the gospel of Jesus which we believe
and preach, which they call "Mormonism," is the doctrine of life and
salvation, and if they do not believe it, they can pray to the Lord
and ask Him for knowledge. All this they can do if they please. We do
our duty in telling them what they should do, and the result is with
them and their God. May God bless you. Amen.[p.99] 

Brigham Young, November 17, 1867

The Witness of the Spirit—How to Continue to 
Be Sons of God—Necessity of Prayer

REMARKS by President Brigham, Young, delivered in the 
Old Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, November 17th, 1867.

[Reported By G. D. Watt]

Vol. 12,  p.99
We have great reason to be thankful for the blessings we enjoy as
individuals and as a people. There is no other people on the earth,
that we have any knowledge of, who are blessed to the same extent as
this people called Latter-day Saints. If we are blessed more than
others, we should be more thankful than others. The blessings and
bounties of the Lord upon us are bestowed according to our
faithfulness and obedience to the requirements made of us. We have
seen times in our history as a people, that if the hand of God had not
been immediately over us, we must have perished. But to secure His
blessings the Lord requires the strict obedience of His people. This
is our duty. We obey the Lord, Him who is called Jehovah, the Great I
AM, I am a man of war, Eloheim, etc. We are under many obligations to
obey Him. How shall we know that we obey Him? There is but one method
by which we can know it, and that is by the inspiration of the Spirit
of the Lord witnessing unto our spirit that we are His, that we love
Him, and that He loves us. It is by the spirit of revelation we know
this. We have no witness to ourselves internally, without the spirit
of revelation. We have no witness outwardly only by obedience to the
ordinances.

Vol. 12,  p.99
About the time I was preparing myself to embrace the gospel, there
were great reformation meetings, and many professed to be converted.
Those were very stirring times. The cause of religion was the great
topic and theme of conversation, and preachers were full of zeal to
bring souls to Christ through repentance and faith in His name. I
recollect very distinctly that if I permitted myself to speak in any
of their meetings, the spirit forbade me mentioning or referring to
the testimony of Jesus, only in a superficial way. A few who believed
in the everlasting gospel which had been revealed through Joseph, the
prophet, testified in their meetings that they knew by the spirit of
revelation that God had done thus and so, and they were hooted at
immediately by those reformers. If I spoke at all in their meetings, I
had to guard every word I uttered, lest I should offend those who
professed to understand the gospel of life and salvation, but who did
not. Gradually we broke through this fear, and ventured to utter the
sentiments of our hearts, in faith before God, delivering that to the
people which the Lord had revealed to us. Such is the condition of the
professed religious portions of Christendom to-day. They refuse to
receive the testimony of Jesus through revelation from His spirit; but
they believe in the mutterings, [p.100] whisperings, and rappings of
low, foul, degraded spirits, who delight to lead astray rather than to
guide to the truth. They "Seek unto them that have familiar spirits,
and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter; should not a people seek
unto their God for the living to the dead?" Unless we are willing to
be guided by the revelations of the spirit of the Almighty, by obeying
and living up to the principles of His gospel, we are as apt to
believe one thing as another, and to be influenced by, and follow the
dictations of a bad spirit as a good one. We have the same testimony
as the faithful followers of the Lord Jesus had anciently.

Vol. 12,  p.100
The scriptures made use of by Elder George A. Smith this morning, show
the way in which the former Saints became the sons of God. "But as
many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on His name." Who did receive Him and
believe on His name? Did the Jews as a nation? No. Did the Gentiles as
nations? No. A few Jews and a few Gentiles only received Him and
believed on His name.  When the gospel was preached to the Jews and to
the Gentiles, a few had ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts that
understood by the spirit of revelation; they believed the sayings of
the Savior, and received the Lord Jesus Christ as the promised
Messiah. It is written, "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what
he seeth the Father do; for what things soever He doeth, these also
doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him
all things that himself doeth." Again, it is written, "For I have
given unto them the words which thou gavest me." The disciples
believed the words of the Savior, and proved to Him and to His
apostles that they were sincere and honest in their belief. Thus they
were entitled to the spirit of revelation through their obedience.
They asked and they did receive, "not the spirit of bondage again to
fear, but the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father. The
spirit itself bearing witness with our spirit that we are the children
of God." While the same Holy Spirit, or comforter, becomes the
testimony of Jesus to all true believers, "He will reprove the world
of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment;" for in the days of the
Savior many who did not receive the gospel were pricked in their
hearts, and they did perish, although convinced of its truth. And so
it is to-day; wherever the gospel is preached by the Elders of this
Church many are pricked in their hearts, and they testify in their own
conscience that it is from heaven, and yet they will not receive the
gospel, and perish in their sins. They smother the spirit of
conviction within them, and go into greater darkness than before.
"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God." When a
man or woman anciently renounced the Jewish religion, or any of the
sects of it that then existed among the Jews, forsaking every mode of
worship excepting that which Jesus introduced, it was regarded as a
sufficient testimony that they were honest—that they were born of
God—and all the sincere and honest believers received the testimony of
Jesus, which is the spirit of prophecy, and received power to become
His sons.

Vol. 12,  p.100
I think, however, that the rendering of this Scripture is not so true
as the following, namely: "But as many as received Him, to them gave
He power to continue to be the sons of God." Instead of receiving the
gospel to become the sons of [p.101] God, my language would be—to
receive the gospel that we may continue to be the sons of God. Are we
not all sons of God when we are born into this world? Old Pharoah,
King of Egypt, was just as much a son of God as Moses and Aaron were
His sons, With this difference—he rejected the word of the Lord, the
true light, and they received it. For "this is the condemnation, that
light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light,
because their deeds are evil. Then we receive not the gospel that we
may become the sons of God, but that we may remain the sons of God
without rebuke. Inasmuch as all had apostatized, they had to become
the sons of God by adoption, still, originally, all were the sons of
God. We receive the gospel, not that we may have our names written in
the Lamb's book of life, but that our names may not be blotted out of
that book. "For," saith the Lord, "He that overcometh, the same shall
be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of
the book of life." Why? Because he had overcome through his
faithfulness. My doctrine is—that there never was a son and daughter
of Adam and Eve born on this earth whose names were not already
written in the Lamb's book of life, and there they will remain until
their conduct is such that the angel who keeps the record is
authorized to blot them out and record them elsewhere. These are my
views on that intricate point, but we are satisfied to use this
Scripture as it is rendered by our translators.

Vol. 12,  p.101
I now wish to make an application of this to our own day. By what
means. shall the people of this generation become the sons and
daughters of the Almighty? By believing on the Lord Jesus Christ? Yes.
How shall they know that they believe in Him? By yielding obedience to
the gospel as it is revealed to us in this generation, at the same
time believing in all that has been revealed to others until now,
concerning the children of men, the character of God, the creation of
the earth, the ordinances of the Lord's house, the oracles of
truth—believing in all things that have been revealed to mankind from
the time that the Lord first began to reveal His will to them. Now, we
say to the people of the nineteenth century, and we speak the truth
and lie not., whosoever believes that Joseph Smith, jun., was a
prophet sent of God, and was ordained by Him to receive and hold the
keys of the Holy Priesthood, which is after the order of the Son of
God, and power to build up the kingdom of God upon the earth, to
gather the house of Israel, to guide all who believe and obey to
redemption, to restore that which has been lost through
transgression—who soever believes this, believing in the Lord, and
obeying His commandments to the end of their lives, their names shall
not be blotted out of the Lamb's book of life, and they shall receive
crowns of glory, immortality, and eternal life. This is for the
nineteenth century, for the generation of people now living, and who
lived thirty or thirty-seven years ago. I am not now preaching to a
congregation of unbelievers, but to the Saints; and I now say to you,
Saints, and to the unbelievers, that all who reject the gospel, who
despise the principles of life and salvation that have been delivered
to us, they must taste of the second death if they do not repent.
There may be some, however, who are so ignorant that repentance is yet
left for them. This is the gospel that we preach, the testimony which
we send forth to the [p.102] world, inculcating strict obedience to
the requirements of heaven, which is expected from all who embrace
this gospel. For example, Joseph, the prophet, said to the Colesville
branch, "sell your farms.' So he said to other branches, "gather up
and let us go to the Ohio," and they went, and from the Ohio to
Missouri. Before we went to the Ohio, Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer
jun., Parley P. Pratt, and Ziba Peterson started in the fall of 1830
to visit the land where the centre take of Zion was afterwards
located.  When Joseph went up he located the city. Those who had farms
and stores were instructed to sell out, to forsake all, to give to the
poor, and to impart of their substance to sustain this elder, clothe
another elder, and to send another on his mission, which they did, and
up they got, and to the Ohio and to the Missouri they moved. What
other people would have done this? They are not to be found in
Christendom. While in Missouri they moved from county to county, and
then back east into Illinois; for, thus said the Lord, through the
prophet Joseph, return to Illinois, and there the prophet was killed.
Then the word of the Lord to us was: gather up my people, and flee to
the mountains, and hide yourselves, and there wait until you shall see
the hand of the Lord made bare, and the wrath of the Almighty poured
out upon the wicked nation that has consented to the death of my
prophets. Impart of your substance, was the word of the Lord to them,
and who were there in all those trains of Saints that did not impart
of their substance? When we left Missouri we covenanted before the
Lord that we never would cease our endeavours until the last man,
woman, and child should be brought out of Missouri to Illinois who
wanted to be moved. A few tarried in Missouri and apostatized. When
the persecuted and driven Saints reached Illinois, the word of the
Lord through the prophet Joseph was—gather up to Commerce, which was
afterwards darned Nauvoo. We did not lose sight of one Saint in
Missouri, and gave our means to gather out the last and least Saint
that would leave. When the word came—"gather to the mountains from
Nauvoo"—we agreed before we left that city that we would use our means
and our influence to gather the last Saint to the mountains. I have
sent, time and time again, to inquire if there was a Saint in Nauvoo
who wished to be gathered to these mountains. If there are any, let
them come, for we have means and teams to bring them. This proves that
we have kept our covenants. Now the word of the Lord is go
forward—press on. The kingdom of God is onward and upward. The proof
of this declaration is before me to-day.

Vol. 12,  p.102
Who believes Joseph Smith to be a prophet? These my brethren and
sisters who are now sitting before me. They entertain no doubts on
this subject. They may sometimes be tempted and tried, and neglect
their prayers, until they hardly know whether "Mormonism" is true or
untrue. The cares of the world, we know very well, flood in upon them;
but let me tell you one thing—and I want you to seriously remember
it—if you are in darkness, and have not the spirit of prayer, still do
not neglect your prayers in your families in the morning. You, fathers
and husbands, get down on your knees, and when the cares of this world
intrude themselves upon your devotions, let them wait while you remain
on your knees and finish your prayers. Brother Daniel D. Hunt's
blessing over a dinner in Missouri, [p.103] when he and Benjamin Clapp
first met, is a very good prayer for us all. It was: "O, Lord, save us
from error." If you can say no more than this very short but
comprehensive prayer, go down upon your knees and say it. When you
have labored faithfully for years, you will learn this simple
fact—that if your hearts are aright, and you still continue to be
obedient, continue to serve God, continue to pray, the spirit of
revelation will be in you like a well of water springing up to
everlasting life. Let no person give up prayer be. cause he has not
the spirit of prayer, neither let any earthly circumstance hurry you
while in the performance of this important duty. By bowing down before
the Lord to ask Him to bless you, you will simply lind this result—God
will multiply blessings on you temporally and spiritually. Let a
merchant, a farmer, a mechanic, any person in business, live his
religion faithfully, and he need never lose one minute's sleep by
thinking about his business; he need not worry in the least, but trust
in God, go to sleep and rest. I say to this people—pray, and if you
cannot do anything else, read a prayer aloud that your family may hear
it, until you get a worshipping spirit, and are full of the riches of
eternity, then you will be prepared at any time to lay hands on the
sick, or to officiate in any of the ordinances of this religion. I do
not recollect that I have seen five minutes since I was baptized that
I have not been ready to preach a funeral sermon, lay hands on the
sick, or to pray in private or in public. I will tell you the secret
of this. In all your business transactions, words, and communications,
if you commit an overt act, repent of that immediately, and call upon
God to deliver you from evil and give you the light of His spirit.
Never do a thing that your conscience, and the light within you, tell
you is wrong. Never do a wrong, but do all the good you possibly can.
Never do a thing to mar the peaceable influence of the Holy Spirit in
you; then whatever you are engaged in—whether in business, in the
dance, or in the pulpit—you are ready to officiate at any time in any
of the ordinances of the House of God. If I commit an overt act, the
Lord knows the integrity of my heart, and, through sincere repentance,
He forgives me. Before Joseph's death he had a revelation concerning
myself and others, which signified that we had passed the ordeal, and
that we should never apostatize from the faith of the holy gospel;
"and," said Joseph, "if there is any danger of your doing this, the
the Lord will take you to Himself forthwith, for you cannot stray from
the truth." When men and women have travelled to a certain point in
their labors in this life, God sets a seal upon them that they never
can forsake their God or His kingdom; for, rather than they should do
this, He will at once take them to Himself. Probably this is so with
many of the elders who are taken from us, and over whom many
ignorantly mourn. I say, to God give thanks, for who knows but that
had they lived there might have been trials to pass through which they
could not overcome. It is all right, blessed be the name of the Lord.

Vol. 12,  p.104
May the Lord bless you. Amen.[p.104] 

Brigham Young, November 3, 1867

The Witness of the Spirit—Bishops Should Be 
Examples—the Saints not Ignorant

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, delivered in the Old 
Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, November 3rd, 1867.

[Reported By G. D. Watt]

Vol. 12,  p.104
I will, in the commencement of my remarks, take up a subject upon
which much has been said in the pulpit and in the chimney corner. It
is regarding the Spirit of the Lord manifesting His will to His
children. There is no doubt, if a person lives according to the
revelations given to God's people, he may have the Spirit of the Lord
to signify to him His will, and to guide and to direct him in the
discharge of his duties, in his temporal as well as his spiritual
exercises. I am satisfied, however, that in this respect, we live far
beneath our privileges. If this is true, it is necessary that we
become more fervent in the service of God—in living our religion—and
more truthful and honest with one another, that we be not slack in the
performance of any duty, but labor with a right good will for God and
truth. If this people, called Latter-day Saints, live beneath their
privileges in the holy gospel of the Son of God, are they justified in
every respect before Him? They are not. If we do not live in the
lively exercise of faith in the Lord Jesus, possessing His Spirit
always, how can we know when He speaks to us through His servants whom
He has placed to lead us? It was observed here this morning, by one of
the brethren, that he never attempted to perform a duty required of
him unless the Spirit manifested to him beforehand that he would be
justified in doing it. Now, let me ask, how many of you know, by the
manifestation of the Spirit of revelation, that the Lord has whispered
to His servants the necessity of this people observing the Word of
Wisdom? Some submit to it, and say that it is right, because their
President says so; but, how many of the Saints have received the
manifestations of the Spirit to themselves that, this is the will of
God? Again, how many know by the Spirit of revelation that they should
contribute of the substance the Lord has given to them to gather home
the poor Latter-day Saints from Europe? Many may have received a
testimony from the Holy Spirit that this is their duty, but there may
be one-half of the community who have not received such a
manifestation. Now, is it the duty of those who have not lived so as
to enjoy the Spirit of revelation, as others do, to perform this
labour of love and charity, the same as those who have received the
Spirit of revelation, to witness to them that it is right? We think
that it is. I can call to mind revelations which the Lord delivered to
His servant Joseph, that when they were written and given to the
people there would not be one in fifty of the members of the Church
who could say that they knew, by the revelations [p.105] of the Lord
Jesus, that they were of the Lord; but they would have to pray and
exercise faith to be able to receive them, and in some instances some
apostatized in consequence of revelations that had been given. This
was the case when the "Vision" was given through Joseph Smith and
Sidney Rigdon.

Vol. 12,  p.105
At that time there was not as many in the whole Church as there is in
this congregation. Yes, many forsook the faith when the Lord revealed
the fact to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, as He did to His ancient
Apostles, that all would receive a salvation except those who had
sinned a sin unto death, of which the Apostle John said—"I do not say
that ye shall pray for it." I prayed and reflected about it, and so
did others. I became satisfied that, when a revelation came to Joseph
for the people to perform any labor or duty, it was their privilege to
go to with their might and do it collectively and individually, not
waiting for the manifestations of the Spirit to me, but believing that
the Prophet knew more than I knew, that the Lord spoke through him,
and that He could do as He pleased about speaking to me. This is a
close point; but I will tell you what is right, what is the duty of
the Latter-day Saints, unless they can, by undeniable proof, show that
the word of the Lord has not come through the President, they have no
right to hesitate one moment in performing the duties required of
them. This is the way I understand revelation. It is the privilege of
the Latter-day Saints to know and understand the mind and will of God
concerning them; yea, it is even the privilege of the wicked world to
know this. The Spirit of the Lord bears witness to all people
according to the faith, honesty, and humility which dwell in the
individual who hears and in those who administer the word. In a great
measure it depends upon this with regard to the witness of God to
them. It is hard, however, for people to understand these things. The
intelligence we possess is from our Father and our God. Every
attribute that is in His character is in His children in embryo. It is
their duty to improve and develop those attributes; and it is,
consequently, necessary to pay strict attention to every requirement
of Heaven, that we may better understand the mind and will of God
concerning us and our duty. If we will live so as to enjoy the Spirit
of revelation, we may know concerning ourselves and those we preside
over.

Vol. 12,  p.105
If the people are ready and prepared to receive the word of the Lord
continually, it can be given to them. An elder may declare the truth
philosophically, and the light of Christ may kindle up the candle of
the Lord within those who hear him, and they see, understand, and are
convicted of its truth, although the elder who preaches it to them may
himself be void of the Spirit of revelation. Again, a man may preach
to a people whose ears are closed, and their hearts hardened against
conviction, they will not believe the gospel, yet the man who
testifies to them may be full of the power of God. For example, we
will say, here is a man on the right or the left, Who declares that he
cannot perform this or that duty unless he receives a witness to
himself, direct from the Lord, that He requires the duty at his hands.
Upon what principle has he the right to question any requirement made
by the constituted authority of God on the earth? Is he entitled to
any such right? He is not. He is not entitled to the right of bringing
up any argument in his [p.106] own mind, as to the right or wrong of
it, or to in any way remonstrate against any requirement the Lord has
made of him through His servants. He is under obligation to obey,
whether the Spirit of the Lord gives him a manifestation or not. When
the authorities call for so many loads of rock to be hauled for the
Temple, should every man wait to know by direct revelation to himself
whether he should draw rock or not? Or should all acknowledge the call
as the word of the Lord to us, and promptly and willingly obey? When
we asked the brethren to build this New Tabernacle, did they wait to
get a revelation to themselves before they commenced the work? life;
but while they were engaged in that work, when they knelt down to pray
before the Lord, His Spirit was with them, and it justified the act.
And so will it be with every duty that is required of this people, if
they perform the same in faith before God. Our beloved brother did not
speak as he meant. He will be understood to mean simply this: If a
requirement is made of this people, it is their privilege to have a
testimony that it is of God. This is what I mean, and it is what my
brother meant who spoke this morning. I wish now to say a few words to
the Bishops. It is a common saying, "as with the priest so with the
people." I will change that a little, and say as are our bishops so
are the people. We have said much to the people with regard to laying
up provisions to last them a few years. This is our duty now; it has
been our duty for years. How many of our bishops have provisions laid
up for one year, two years, or seven years? There may be a few bishops
who have got their grain laid away to last their families a year, but
the great majority of them have not. The people do, or should look to
their bishops for example. Each bishop should be an example to his
ward. If the bishop Of a ward lays up wheat to last his family a year,
two years, or seven years, as the case may be, his neighbors on the
right and on the left will be very apt to do the same; they will very
likely build good bins and try to fill them. But I need not talk much
about this. Do you ask me if I have wheat laid up? Yes, I have it all
the time. I have been furnishing this tithing office in part with my
own flour for the building of the New Tabernacle, and I calculate to
furnish it still. I have so many hundreds of people to feed, it cannot
be expected that I can save much; yet I have enough laid by to last my
family for years.

Vol. 12,  p.106
I wish now to refer to what was said this afternoon regarding this
people's knowledge. I think of this frequently. It is said by our
enemies that the Latter-day Saints are an ignorant people. I ask all
the nations of Christendom if they can produce a people, considering
all the circumstances, who are better educated in all the great
branches Of learning than this people, as a people. Many of them have
been brought from poverty, and have been placed in comfortable
circumstances in these mountains, where they have been taught how to
get their living from the elements, and to become partially
self-sustaining. How much do you know among the nations? Can you make
an axe helve? "Yes," and so can we, and make an axe to fit it, and
then we know how to use it. We can make a hoe-handle and a hoe to fit
it, and then we know how to hoe the ground with it. Can we make a
plough? Yes, and know how to use it as well as any people on the
earth. We can make every agricltural implement, and can [p.107] use
it. We can make a cambric needle; and we can make the steam engine and
vessel to carry it. We can direct the lightning, and make it our
servant, after Franklin showed us how; and the philosophers of the day
are as dependent on his discoveries as we are. We have all the
improvements that have been made in the arts and sciences, and know
how to use them to our advantage. We can make boots and shoes for the
sturdy, plodding agriculturist in the field, and for the delicate lady
in the parlor, and we know how to make the leather as well as others
do. We can read the Bible and understand it, and our lexicographers
can make dictionaries. Wherein, then, are we more ignorant than
others? We have good mechanics, good philosophers, good astronomers,
good mathematicians, good architects, good theologians, good
historians, good orators, good statesmen, good school teachers, and we
can make a good prayer and preach a good sermon. I heard a very
sensible prayer the other day at camp Wasatch. In the prayer were
these words—that "the militia might be enabled to keep their guns
bright and their powder dry." We know how to make cloth, how to make
it into garments, and wear it; we know how to provide for ourselves,
how to protect ourselves, and we ask nobody to help us but God our
heavenly Father. Then, wherein are we so woefully ignorant as some
people make us out to be? We know how to build houses, and can make
the furniture to furnish them; we know how to plant gardens, set out
orchards, and plant vineyards. We know how to raise all kinds of
vegetables, fruit, and grain, and everything else that will flourish
in this latitude. Wherein are we ignorant? 

Vol. 12,  p.106
We may not be able to get out a great burst of words, which mean
nothing, as many of the preachers and reverend divines abroad can.
They speculate a great deal about walking the golden streets of the
New Jerusalem, and about going into the presence of God to sing psalms
forevermore, but when they are asked seriously where they are going
when they leave this earth, they are unable to tell you. If you ask
them what they are going to do in the next existence, when the labors
of this word are ended, they are still in the dark. You may ask them
where God lives, and they do not know—they say in heaven; but where is
heaven? They do not know. If you ask them what He looks like, still
they do not know. Some have gone so far as to say that He dwells
beyond the bounds of time and space, and is seated on a topless
throne, being Himself without body, parts, and passions. Numerous are
the wild speculations of religionists regarding God and His
habitation. We can instruct the world oil these matters; wherein are
we ignorant? We know and read history; we understand the geography of
the world, the manners, customs, and laws of nations. Our astronomers
describe to us the geography of the heavens, measure the distances
between the earth and the sun, moon, and planets. We have learning to
speculate on all these works of God. and revelation unfolding reliable
knowledge on many of the wonders of the heavens. Now, wherein are we
more ignorant than other people? Is it because we believe the Bible,
which declares that man is made in the likeness and image of God, that
He has ears to hear our prayers, eyes to see His handiwork, a
stretched-out arm to defend His people, and to make hare to punish the
wicked nations of the earth? Wherein are we ignorant?[p.108] We
understand the laws of domestic and civil government; we know how to
conduct ourselves like men of sense, like gentlemen and christians; we
understand natural philosophy and medicine; and are satisfied of the
emptiness of the vain philosophy of the world. If believing and
knowing what we do constitute ignorance, then let us be ignorant
still, and continue in the way which will lead us to the perfection of
knowledge which the world call ignorance.

Vol. 12,  p.108
Now, let me say to you, it is our imperative duty to use a portion of
our substance to send for our poor brethren and sisters who are still
back in the old countries. May the Lord bless you. Amen.

Brigham Young, November 17, 1867

The Saints a Peculiar People—Gathering 
of the Poor From Europe

REMARKS by Elder Brigham Young, jun., delivered in the Old 
Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, November 17th, 1867.

[Reported By G. D. Watt]

Vol. 12,  p.108
I am grateful for this privilege of speaking to you for a short time
this afternoon, and I trust that the Spirit of the Lord will be
present to bless and edify both the speakers and hearers. By our
experience we can testify that the Spirit of the Almighty is always
present where His Saints congregate, and no person can come into their
assemblies without feeling the influence of that Spirit, although he
may not personally possess it. I have met with religious bodies of
people in various nations, but I have never experienced that heavenly
influence in any of their meetings that I have invariably felt while
assembled with the Latter-day Saints.

Vol. 12,  p.108
There is something about this people that is truly peculiar, and this
peculiarity consists in their enjoying the Holy Spirit to a greater
degree than it is enjoyed by any other people of the present day and
for many ages past. The possession of this Spirit makes us happy under
every circumstance of life, except in committing sin. The Lord has
enlightened our minds by the spirit of revelation; hence, wherever you
find a Latter-day Saint upon the face of the whole earth, you will
find a happy person. Faithful Latter-day Saints everywhere triumph
over all the ills that humanity is subject to, because they know that
the Lord has redeemed them, and brought them forth to bless them with
salvation in His presence.

Vol. 12,  p.108
We, as a people, cannot sufficiently realize what the Lord has done
for us. When we reflect upon the situation of this people in Missouri,
Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, and other places, and contrast our present
position with our circumstances then, we can, in a measure, realize
what the Lord has [p.109] done for us, and we begin to understand that
He has led us from the midst of our enemies, and planted us where no
man maketh us afraid. This has not been done by the feeble effort of
man, but by the power of the Almighty, and the praise and thanksgiving
of all His Saints are justly due to Him.

Vol. 12,  p.109
This people are greatly blessed by receiving the Spirit of the
Almighty, and by being privileged to go into His house and making
covenants with Him, and in return receiving the keys of eternal life
from his hands. We are peculiar in this. There is no other people upon
the face of the earth that we know anything about who are permitted to
make such covenants with the Most High God. If we do not appreciate
these blessings it is because we do not live faithfully to the
covenants we have made—because we do not do all in our power to fulfil
the commandments of the Almighty, and obey, fully and freely, the
words and counsels of those who hold God's authority upon the earth,
who have led us thus far efficiently, and who can lead us into the
presence of our Father and God.

Vol. 12,  p.109
These servants of the Most High have called upon us, as a people, to
step forward and do our utmost to deliver our brethren and sisters who
are now in the old countries. The Lord has placed means in our
possession to do this. He has led us forth from the midst of our
enemies, where the lives of our leaders were constantly sought, and
where no man durst say, he knew that Jesus was Christ, and that he
lives. In delivering us, He has given us new life, and all that we
require to sustain us and to make us happy and comfortable. Now, shall
we use a portion of these means which He has given us to gather the
Saints? The people of this city are better prepared to-day to emigrate
every Latter-day Saint from foreign lands to these mountains, than the
whole people of Nauvoo and surrounding country were prepared to
emigrate one hundred families. I believe this statement to be true,
and that it will bear scrutiny. While we feel very poor, we are really
increasing in wealth; yet as we increase in wealth, our wants
increase. If we have a fine carriage, we must then have a fine horse
and harness to go with it; but instead of spending our means upon
unnecessary luxuries, it is far better for us to sacrifice everything
in property that our hearts are set upon, and let it go where it can
be used to the gathering of Israel. This is the standard to which all
the faithful are approaching, and the sooner we reach it the better
for us. We must, sooner or later, give our whole hearts to our Father
and God, if we wish to gain salvation. We owe to Him every energy of
our souls, and all the earthly wealth we can amass, if He calls for it
through His servants. We should look upon God as being unjust were He
not to give us the blessings we are entitled to through His promises.

Vol. 12,  p.109
There are hundreds in this congregation who know the situation of the
poor Saints in the old countries, for they were once in the same
condition themselves. It has not improved any since you left; but you
were not able to realize it then as you should now be able to. When
you were there in the midst of your enemies, when your children wanted
bread, and were destitute of clothing and the comforts of life, there
were none to help you to preserve them from perishing with hunger.
Here you are comfortable, and the great majority of this people in
these mountains are wealthy, and it has all been given them of the
Lord. Then, shall [p.110] we refuse to subject all we have to Him?
When we identified our interests with this Church, we made a Covenant
with Him to aid all in our power to gather together the honest from
every land, kindred, tongue, and people, but we are too apt to forget
our covenants, and to be slow in the performance of our duties. An
immense labor has already been performed; many thousands are now in
this Territory who have been gathered from the nations of Europe, and
from other parts of the earth, still there are thousands in those
lands who are praying for deliverance, and whose greatest hope in life
is to identify their interests with ours in this our mountain home,
and join with us in building up cities and temples to the most High
God. They look to us for help, shall they look in vain? Shall we not,
with uplifted hands, covenant afresh that we will devote the means
which God has given us for the building up of His kingdom, and the
gathering of His people of the house of Israel? Those who are not
living under broken covenants will feel ready and willing to do this.

Vol. 12,  p.110
If we do not put forth our hands to strengthen the cause of Zion on
the earth with all we have and are it is a dereliction of duty on our
part, to say the least of it, and for which we stand accountable to
God. In a few months the emigration of the year 1868 will leave
England, and now is the accepted time for the means to be supplied.
The sooner we put forth our means for this purpose the better, that
our agents may not be pressed for time to make every necessary
arrangement.

Vol. 12,  p.110
If you will show me a member of this Church, in this or any other
country, who has faithfully paid his tithing, although he might only
get ten shillings a week, and have to support a large family out of
it, if he has been obedient to the counsels of the servants of God,
there you will find a man who has prospered continually. It is
invariably the case that men who have been honest with God have been
greatly blessed of Him, even until they had not room to contain His
blessings. I have known men in the old country whose wages did not
exceed $2.50 per week, and out of this small sum thay have supported a
family of nine persons, paid their tithing, and in three years saved
money enough to emigrate the whole of them. This could not have been
done if the Lord had not blessed them. This is their testimony. I have
seen it, and it is my testimony. We have seen His blessings so often
and so visibly bestowed upon the faithful, that there is no room to
doubt His word or His ability to bless us with all that we need. The
words of the Apostle may be very fifty applied here: "And he that
doubteth is damned—for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." Every
intelligent Latter-day Saint, who has made himself acquainted with the
dealings of God with this people, has no room to doubt the hand of the
Almighty. We cannot doubt and at the same time enjoy the blessings
which are for the faithful.

Vol. 12,  p.111
May God bless you. Amen.[p.111] 

Brigham Young, December 8, 1867

Salvation—All Knowledge the Result of Revelation—
Freedom of the Kingdom of God—How to Care for the Poor

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, delivered in the Old 
Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, December 8th, 1867.

[Reported By Edward L. Sloan]

Vol. 12,  p.111
The subject of salvation is one which should occupy the attention of
the reflecting among mankind. Salvation is the full existence of man,
of the angels, and the Gods; it is eternal life—the life which was,
which is, and which is to come. And we, as human beings, are heirs to
all this life, if we apply ourselves strictly to obey the requirements
of the law of God, and continue in faithfulness. The first object of
our existence is to know and understand the principles of life, to
know good from evil, to understand light from darkness, to have the
ability to choose between that which gives and perpetuates life and
that which would take it away. The volition of the creature to choose
is free; we have this power given to us.

Vol. 12,  p.111
We have reason to be thankful more than any other people. We have no
knowledge of any other people on the face of the earth who possess the
oracles of God, the priesthood, and the keys of eternal life. We are
in possession of those keys, and, consequently, we are under greater
obligations, as individuals and as a community, to work righteousness.
I hope and trust we will continually manifest before the Lord that we
appreciate these blessings. There is no question but every person here
who seriously reflects upon his own existence, his being here, and the
hereafter which awaits him, must many times feel that he comes short
of doing all the good for which our Father in heaven has brought us
forth. This I conclude from my own experience. Every mind that thinks
deeply upon the things of time and eternity, sees that time, which we
measure by our lives, is like the stream from the mountains which
gushes forth, yet we cannot tell from whence it comes, nor do we know
naturally where it goeth, only it passes again into the clouds; so our
lives are here, and this we are certain of. We do know that we live
and that we have the power of sight. We do know and can realize that
we possess the faculty of hearing. We can discern between that which
we like and that which we dislike. Give a child candy and it is fond
of it, it wishes more; but give it calomel and jalap, and if turns
from it with loathing. It has the power of discerning between that in
which it delights and that in which it does not delight. It can taste,
smell, see, and hear. We know we are in possession of these faculties.
This life that you and I possess is for eternity. Contemplete the idea
of beings endowed with all the powers and faculties which we possess,
becoming annihilated, passing out of existence, ceasing to be, and
then try to reconcile it with our feelings and [p.112] with our
present lives. No intelligent person can do it. Yet it is only by the
spirit of revelation that we can understand these things. By the
revelations of the Lord Jesus we understand things as they were, that
have been made known unto us; things that are in the life which we now
enjoy, and things as they will be, not to the fullest extent, but all
that the Lord designs that we should understand, to make it profitable
to us, in order to give us the experience necessary in this life to
prepare us to enjoy eternal life hereafter.

Vol. 12,  p.112
These principles are before us. We are now acting upon them. We feel
to exhort ourselves and our fellow-beings, not only those who have
embraced the gospel, but all mankind, to hearken to the words of truth
and wisdom, to hearken to the still, small voice that whispers to the
conscience and understanding of all living beings according to the
knowledge and wisdom which they possess, instructing them in right and
wrong, entreating them, wooing them, beseeching them to refrain from
evil. There is not a person so sunk in ignorance but has that
principle in him teaching him that this is right and that is wrong,
guiding him in the way that he will not sin a sin unto death. Can we
realize this? Yes. There are many who possess the spirit of revelation
to that degree that they can understand its operations upon the
creature, no matter whether they have heard the gospel preached or
not, nor whether they are Christians, Jews, or Mahommedans. They are
taught of the Lord, and the candle of the Lord is within them, giving
them light.

Vol. 12,  p.112
This principle we are in possesion of, and it should be nourished and
cherished by us; it is the principle of revelation, or, if you like
the term better, of foreseeing. There are those who possess
fore-knowledge, who do not believe as we believe with regard to the
establishment of the Kingdom of God on the earth. Take the statesman,
for instance; he has a certain degree of knowledge with regard to the
results of the measures which he may recommend, but does he know
whence he derives that knowledge? No. He may say: "I foresee if we
take this course we shall perpetuate our government and strengthen it,
but if we take the opposite course we will destroy it." But can he
tell whence he has received that wisdom and foreknowledge? He cannot.
Yet that is the condition of the statesmen in the nations of the
earth. If the philosopher can gaze into the immensity of space, and
understand how to fashion and make glasses that will magnify a million
times, that knowledge comes from the fountain of knowledge. A man of
the world may say: "I can foresee, I can understand, I can frame an
engine, make a track, and run that engine upon it, bearing along a
train of loaded cars at the rate of forty, fifty, or sixty miles an
hour." Another may say: "I can take the lightning, convey it on wires,
and speak to foreign nations." But where do they get this wisdom? From
the same source where you and I get our wisdom and our knowledge of
God and godliness. Realizing these things, I look upon my brethren and
sisters, and ask what manner of persons ought we to be? We are apt to
think wrong and to speak wrong. Our passions will rise within us, and
without reflection the organs of speech are put in motion and we utter
that which we should not speak. We have feelings which we should not
have, and we neglect the great and glorious principles of eternal
life. We are grovelling, of the earth earthy. We [p.113] look after
the the things of this life, are attached to them, and it is hard for
us to see and understand the final result of things, even though we
have the spirit of revelation.

Vol. 12,  p.113
What will be the final result of the restoration of the gospel, and
the destiny of the Latter-day Saints? If they are faithful to the
priesthood which God has bestowed upon us, the gospel will
revolutionize the whole world of mankind; the earth will be
sanctified, and God will glorify it, and the Saints will dwell upon it
in the presence of the Father and the Son. We need to exert our
powers, and call forth all the ability within us, and put into
requisition every talent that God has given us, to bring about this
glorious result, to bear off this Kingdom, and see that the gospel is
preached to all the inhabitants of the earth. This is our duty and
calling. It is obligatory upon us to see that the House of Israel have
the gospel preached to them; to do all that is in our power to gather
them to the land of their fathers, and to gather up the fulness of the
Gentiles before the gospel can go with success to the Jews. We are
under obligations to establish the Zion of our God upon the earth, and
establish and maintain its laws, so that the law of the priesthood of
the Son of God may govern and control the people.

Vol. 12,  p.113
Go into the world, among the inhabitants of the nations of
Christendom, whether Infidels, Episcopalians, Baptists, Methodists,
Presbyterians, or people of any other religious sect, and tell them
plainly that the law of God is going to be the law of the land, and
they would be terrified, they would fear and tremble. But tell them
that the law of liberty, and equal right to every person, would
prevail, and they could understand that, for it is according to the
Constitution of our country. To do the greatest good to the greatest
number of the people is the principle inculcated in it. But tell them
that the law of Zion will be the law of the land, and it grates upon
their ears, they do not like to hear it. Many have read with regard to
the effects of Catholicism, when it exercised great power among the
nations, and the thought of any church getting such a power strikes a
terror to them. That church professed to be the church of God upon the
earth, and some dread similar results to those which attended that.
Supposing the early Christians had not departed from the truth, but
had retained the keys of the kingdom, there never would have been a
man put to the test with regard to his religious faith. If an Infidel
had abused a Christian, it would have been stopped, and the wrong-doer
would have been compelled to cease his violence, but no religious test
would have been applied. The law of right would have prevailed. Some
suppose that when the Kingdom of God governs on the earth, everybody
who does not belong to the Church of Jesus Christ will be persecuted
and killed. This is as false an idea as can exist. The Church and
Kingdom of God upon the earth will take the lead in everything that is
praiseworthy, in everything that is good, in everything that is
delightful, in everything that will promote knowledge and extend an
understanding of truth. The Holy Priesthood and the laws thereof will
be known to the inhabitants of the earth, and the friends of truth,
and those who delight in it, will delight in those laws and cheerfully
submit to them, for they will secure the rights of all men. Many
conclude, from reading the history of various nations, that
Catholicism never granted any rights to any person, unless he would
believe it as he was [p.114] required to believe. But it is not so in
the Kingdom of God; it is not so with the law nor with the Priesthood
of the Son of God. You can believe in one God, or in three gods, or in
a thousand gods; you can worship the sun or the moon, or a stick or a
stone, or anything you please. Are not all mankind the workmanship of
the hands of God? And does he not control the workmanship of His
hands? They have the privilege of worshipping as they please. They can
do as they please, so long as they do not infringe upon the rights of
their fellow-beings. If they do well they will receive their reward,
and if they do ill they will receive the results of their works. You
and I have the privilege of serving God, of building up Zion, sending
the gospel to the nations of the earth and preaching it at home,
subduing every passion within us, and bringing all subject to the law
of God. We have also the privilege of worshipping Him according to the
dictates of our own consciences, with none to molest or make us
afraid.

Vol. 12,  p.114
I am now going to preach you a short sermon concerning our temporal
duties. My sermon is to the poor, and to those who are not poor. As a
people, we are not poor; and we wish to say to the Bishops, not only
in this city, but through the country, "Bishops, take care of your
poor." The poor in this city do not number a great many. I think there
are a few over seventy who draw sustenance from the General Tithing
Office. They come to the Tithing Office, or somebody comes for them,
to draw their sustenance. If some of our clever arithmeticians will
sit down and make a calculation of the hours lost in coming from the
various parts of the city to the Tithing Office, and in waiting around
there, and then value those hours, if occupied in some useful
employment, at twelve and a half cents each, every eight of them
making a dollar, it will be found that the number of dollars thus lost
by these seventy odd persons in a week would go far towards sustaining
them. We have among us some brethren and sisters who are not strong,
nor healthy, and they must be supported. We wish to adopt the most
economical plan of taking care of them, and we say to you Bishops,
take care of them. You may ask the question, '"shall we take the
tithing that should go to the Tithing Office to support them, or shall
we ask the brethren to donate for that purpose?" If you will take the
time consumed in obtaining the rations drawn by them out of the
General Tithing Office—for every person who is not able to come must
send some one for them—and have that time profitably employed, there
will be but little more to seek for their sustenance. Get a house in
your Ward, and if you have two sisters, or two brethren, put them in
it, make them comfortable, find them food and clothing, and fuel, and
direct the time now spent coming to this Tithing Office wisely in
profitable labor. Furnish the sisters with needles and thread to work
at sewing, and find something for them to do. Take those little girls
who have been coming to the Tithing Office, and have them taught to
knit edging, and tidies, and other kinds of knitting, and make lace,
and sell the products of their labor. Those little girls have nimble
fingers, and it will only take a little capital to start them at such
kinds of work. Where you have brethren who are not strong enough to
saw and split wood, or do some kind of out-door labor, agree with some
chairmakers to have his chairs bottomed, and get rushes, and set the
brethren to bottoming the chairs. If you cannot get that for them to
do, procure some flags or [p.115] rushes, and let them make foot-mats,
and sell them, but do not ask too high a price for them; do not ask a
dollar or two dollars each for them, for one can be made in an hour or
two. And if the market should get stocked with them, get some willows
and have willow baskets made, and you can scarcely stock the market
with them, for they wear out almost as fast as they can be made. In
the spring have these brethren sow some broom-corn,—they will enjoy
working a little out of doors in the nice spring weather,—and then in
fall they can make brooms with the corn. By pursuing this course a
Bishop will soon be able to say, "I have accomplished a good work; the
brethren and sisters whom I had to help are now in a condition to help
themselves." And in a short time, if their labor and time are wisely
employed, you can build for them the finest house in the ward. You may
call it a poor-house if you choose, though it should be the best house
in the ward, and there its inmates can enjoy themselves, the younger
ones can be taught music, and thus a source of enjoyment be created,
as well as being taught in various kinds of profitable employment, and
the lives of all be made a blessing to themselves, they being in the
enjoyment of happiness and comfort. You may think that I am painting a
fancy sketch, but it is practicable, and those are places I intend to
visit by and by.

Vol. 12,  p.115
Now, Bishops, you have smart women for wives, many of you; let them
organize Female Relief Societies in the various wards. We have many
talented women among us, and we wish their help in this matter. Some
may think this is a trifling thing, but it is not; and you will find
that the sisters will be the mainspring of the movement. Give them the
benefit of your wisdom and experience, give them your influence, guide
and direct them wisely and well and they will and rooms for the poor,
and obtain the means for supporting them ten times quicker than even
the Bishop could. If he should go or send to a man for a donation, and
if the person thus visited should happen to be cross or out of temper
for some cause, the likelihood is that while in that state of feeling
he would refuse to give anything, and so a variety of causes would
operate to render the mission an unsuccessful one. But let a sister
appeal for the relief of suffering and poverty, and she is almost sure
to be successful, especially if she appeals to those of her own sex.
If you take this course you will relieve the wants of the poor a great
deal better than they are now dealt by. We recommend these Female
Relief Societies to be organized immediately.

Vol. 12,  p.115
Another thing I wish to say. You know that the first Thursday in each
month we hold as a fast day. How many here know the origin of this
day? Before tithing was paid, the poor were supported by donations.
They came to Joseph and wanted help, in Kirtland, and he said there
should be a fast day, which was decided upon. It was to be held once a
month, as it is now, and all that would have been eaten that day, of
flour, or meat, or butter, or fruit, or anything else, was to be
carried to the fast meeting and put into the hands of a person
selected for the purpose of taking care Of it and distributing it
among the poor. If we were to do this now faithfully, do you think the
poor would lack for flour, or butter, or cheese, or meat, or sugar, or
anything they needed to eat? No, there would be more than could be
used by all the poor among us. It is economy in us to take this
course, and do better by our poor [p.116] brethren and sisters than
they have hitherto been done by. Let this be published in our
newspapers. Let it be sent forth to the people, that on the first
Thursday of each month, the fast day, all that would be eaten by
husbands and wives and children and servants should be put in the
hands of the Bishop for the sustenance of the poor, I am willing to do
my share as well as the rest, and if there are no poor in my ward, I
am willing in divide with those wards where there are poor. If the
sisters will look out for rooms for those sisters who need to be taken
care of, and see them provided for, you will find that we will possess
more comfort and more peace in our hearts, and our spirits will be
buoyant and light, full of joy and peace. The Bishops should, through
their teachers, see that every family in their wards, who is able,
should donate what they would naturally consume on the fast day to the
poor.

Vol. 12,  p.116
You have read, probably, that we are starting the school of the
prophets, We have been in this school all the time. The revelations of
the Lord Jesus Christ to the human family is all the learning we can
ever possess. Much of this knowledge is obtained from books, which
have been written by men who have contemplated deeply on various
subjects, and the revelations of Jesus have opened their minds,
whether they knew it or acknowledged it or not. We will start this
school of the prophets to increase in knowledge. Brother Calder
commences to-morrow to teach our youth and those of middle age the art
of book-keeping and impart to them a good mercantile education. We
expect soon to have our sisters join in the class and mingle with the
brethren in their studies, for why should not a lady be capable of
taking charge of her husband's business affairs when he goes into the
grave? We have sisters now engaged in several of our telegraph
offices, and we wish them to learn not only to act as as operators but
to keep the books of our offices, and let sturdy men go to work at
some employment for which by their strength they are adapted, and we
hope eventually to see every store in Zion attended by ladies. We wish
to have our young boys and girls taught in the different branches of
an English education, and in other languages, and in the various
sciences, all of which we intend eventually to have taught in this
school. To-morrow evening we shall commence our course of lectures on
theology. To that class I have invited a few, but not many. I believe
I have invited the First Presidency, the Twelve Apostles, Bishop
Hunter and his Counsellors, the first seven presidents of Seventies,
the Presidency of the High Priests' quorum, the Presidency of this
Stake of Zion, the High Council, the Bishops and their Counsellors,
and the City Council. A few more will be invited, enough to fill the
room. I wish us to profit by what we hear, to learn how to live, to
make ourselves comfortable, to purify ourselves, and prepare ourselves
to inherit this earth when it is glorified, and go back in the
presence of the Father and the Son.

Vol. 12,  p.117
God bless you. Amen.[p.117] 

Brigham Young, August 17, 1867

The Word of Wisdom—Degeneracy—Wickedness 
in the United States—How to Prolong Life

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, delivered 
in Tooele City, August 17th, 1867.

[Reported By G. D. Watt]

Vol. 12,  p.117
I desire to say much to the people, but I fear I shall have to deny
myself the satisfaction, unless I am strengthened of the Lord. I will
present before you a few things with which I am more particularly
impressed. I desire you to hearken to that which has been said during
the session of this Conference, and to that which may yet be said
during the continuation of our meeting.

Vol. 12,  p.117
We can enjoy the blessings of heaven, or we can deprive ourselves of
that enjoyment. Intelligent beings have the power to exercise their
free will and choice in doing good, equally as much as in doing evil.
All have the privilege of doing evil if they are disposed so to do,
but they will always find that the wages of sin is death. The
Latter-day Saints, by their righteousness, can enjoy all the blessings
which the Lord has promised to bestow upon His people, and they can,
by their unrighteousness, deprive themselves of the enjoyment of those
blessings. We, for instance exhort the Saints to observe the Word of
Wisdom, that they may, through its observance, enjoy the promised
blessing. Many try to excuse themselves because tea and coffee are not
mentioned, arguing that it refers to hot drinks only. What did we
drink hot when that Word of Wisdom was given? Tea and coffee. It
definitely refers to that which we drink with our food. I said to the
Saints at our last annual Conference, the Spirit whispers to me in
call upon the Latter-day Saints to observe the Word of Wisdom, to let
tea, coffee, and tobacco alone, and to abstain from drinking
spirituous drinks. This is what the Spirit signifies through me. If
the Spirit of God whispers this in His people through their leader,
and they will not listen nor obey, what will be the consequence of
their disobedience? Darkness and blindness of mind with regard to the
things of God will be their lot; they will cease to have the spirit of
prayer, and the spirit of the world will increase in them in
proportion to their disobedience until they apostatize entirely from
God and His ways.

Vol. 12,  p.117
This is no new or strange thing that you are required to do.
Thirty-five years ago we were called upon to reform in our lives, by
giving heed to the same Words of Wisdom; and if any man comes to you
and tells you that you must have a little tea and a little coffee, by
the same rule he may urge you to take a little tobacco and a little
intoxicating liquor, or a little of any other substance which is
hurtful to man. This destroys their claim and right to the spirit of
revelation, and they go into darkness. There is not a single Saint
deprived of the privilege of asking the Father,[p.118] in the name of
Jesus Christ, our Savior, if it is true that the Spirit of the
Almighty whispers through His servant Brigham to urge upon the
Latter-day Saints to observe the Word of Wisdom. All have this
privilege from the apostle to the lay member. Ask for yourselves.

Vol. 12,  p.118
We are called to be Saints, to be the chosen people of the Lord
Almighty, to be the saviors of the children of men, to gather the
house of Israel, and save the house of Esau. Are we trifling with our
high and holy calling before the Lord? Are we trifling away our
precious time? If we are, we are trifling with our salvation. Then
hearken, O ye Latter-day Saints, and hear the Words of Wisdom which
the Lord has given unto you. It is written: "For the children of this
world are in their generation wiser than the children of light." There
is a just reason for this saying. But the Latter-day Saints who
hearken to the words of the Lord, given to them touching their
political, social, and financial concerns, I say, and say it boldly,
that they will have wisdom which is altogether superior to the wisdom
of the children of darkness, or the children of this world. I know
this by the revelations of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the results
of my own actions. They who have hearkened to the counsels given to
them in temporal matters, have invariably bettered their condition
temporally and spiritually. The day has gone by in which the people of
God are to be trodden under foot by their enemies, in which they are
to be poor outcasts to wander in sheep skins and goat skins, etc., but
they had better continue to do that, and dwell in the caves of these
mountains, and dress as the Indians do, than to forsake their God and
their religion. Who is there among this people who cannot handle the
things of this world without loving them in preference to the things
of God? If there is such a person, I pray God to make him or her poor.
Some among us are so foolish as to lift up their heels against the
Almighty as soon as He blesses them sufficiently to make them a little
comfortable and independent. This is lamentable. It is a disgrace to
humanity to suffer the paltry things of this mortality to decoy away
our affections from God and turn them to the beggarly elements of this
world.

Vol. 12,  p.118
If you observe faithfully the Word of Wisdom, you will have your
dollar, your five dollars, your hundred dollars, yea, you will have
your hundreds of dollars to spend for that which will be useful and
profitable to you. Why should we continue to practise in our lives
those pernicious habits that have already sapped the foundation of the
human constitution, and shortened the life of man to that degree that
a generation passes away in the brief period of from twenty-seven to
twenty-nine years? The strength, power, beauty, and glory that once
adorned the form and constitution of man have vanished away before the
blighting influences of inordinate appetite and love of this world.
Doubtless we are about the best looking people to-day upon this
footstool, and about the healthiest; but where is the iron
constitution, the marrow in the bone, the power in the loins, and the
strength in the sinew and muscle of which the ancient fathers could
boast? These have, in a great measure, passed away; they have decayed
from generation to generation, until constitutional weakness and
effeminacy are bequeathed to us through the irregularities and sins of
our fathers. The health and power and beauty that once adorned the
noble form of man must again be restored to our race;[p.119] and God
designs that we shall engage in this great work of restoration. Then
let us not trifle with our mission, by indulging in the use of
injurious substances. These lay the foundation of disease and death in
the systems of men, and the same are committed to their children, and
another generation of feeble human beings is introduced into the
world. Such children have insufficient bone, sinew, muscle, and
constitution, and are of little use to themselves, or to their fellow
creatures; they are not prepared for life, but for the grave; not to
live five, six, eight, and nine hundred years, but to appear for a
moment, as it were, and pass away. Now, when a person is fifty years
of age he or she is considered an old man or an old woman; they begin
to feel decrepit, and think they must feel old, appear old, and begin
to die. Premature death is in the marrow of their bones, the seeds of
early dissolution are sown in their bodies, they feel old at fifty,
sixty, and seventy years, when they should feel like boys of fifteen,
sixteen, and seventeen. instead of feeling decrepit at those years
they should feel full of strength, vigor, and life, having attained to
early maturity, prepared now to enter upon the duties of a long future
life, and when two hundred years have been attained, they should then
feel more vigorous than the healthiest of men do in this age at forty
and fifty years.

Vol. 12,  p.119
Let me assure you, my friends, that there does not exist another
people in all the world who will take good counsel as readily as the
Latter-day Saints do. All men are free to do right or to do wrong, to
take good advice or reject it, to pursue the path that leads to
eternal life, or to go down to death their own way. I am as
independent in praying, and living a righteous life, as I would be if
I were to violate the laws of God and man. This is my philosophy with
regard to the human mind. We have cried to the nation of the United
States, and to other nations for over a third of a century, saying,
the wages of sin is death. Every man and woman who wishes to forfeit
their right to the tree of life have the privilege of doing so. The
nation that kills the prophets of God in any age must expect to reap
cursings instead of Blessings, unless it speedily repent. Judgment
must begin at the house of God first, and we are perfectly willing it
should. In 1857 they sent an army to Utah to annihilate "Mormonism,"
but the scourge with which they intended to overwhelm this people has
come upon their own heads, and the end is not yet. I told General
Thomas L. Kane, that friend to humanity, when he visited us in 1857,
that the coming of that army was the entering wedge to split the
Government of the United States in pieces, and that soon. He, of
course, could not see how this could ever be. They then were in great
prosperity, and were going to annex the whole continent and
neighboring islands, and so continue to annex until the whole world
should take shelter under our national banner. He only saw this from a
political stand point, basing his expectations of such grand results
upon the goodness of the Constitution and laws. I acknowledged to him
that we have the best system of government in existence, but queried
if the people of this nation were righteous enough to sustain its
institutions. I say they are not, but will trample them under their
feet. I told General Kane that the Government of the United States
would be shivered to pieces. Will this Government ever be restored to
its former peace and tranquillity, and the institutions thereof ever
be maintained [p.120] and honored? If they are, it will be by this
people. Everything they are doing at present in Congress is only
calculated to widen the breach, and alienate and destroy every vestige
of love and affection that may yet be existing; and this they will
continue to do until they have severed the last tie and worked out the
entire destruction of the Government. They think they are doing the
best that can be done. Many of them are honorable men, and would do
good to the nation if they knew how. The results of their acts will be
dissolution, strife, war, and bloodshed, until they are wasted away.
The Lord will waste away the wicked as lie maid lie would. A curse
will come upon them to the third and fourth generation, saith the Lord
Almighty, if they repent not, and refrain not from their sins. There
is no likelihood of their doing this.

Vol. 12,  p.120
The destruction of property and life during the war has been enormous;
but I am satisfied that the destruction of the love of virtue—the love
of every exalted principle of honor, and of political and social
government—has been greater, comparatively, than the destruction of
property and life. Religious societies abound in the nation. Although
it never was more wicked than at the present time, it is strange to
say that it never was more religious in profession. Religion is the
ruling power. The conscience of the masses in regard to religion, to
politics, and social life is moulded from the pulpit. In my early life
I was acquainted with ministers of the sects of the day, and am
satisfied that many of them lived honorably in their families,
praying, and desiring, and seeking for guidance from on high. While on
the other hand, to my certain knowledge, many of them encouraged a
practice which to-day exists to an alarming extent, and which is
openly and shamelessly acknowledged as a necessity of the age. To
check the increase of our race has its advocates among the influential
and powerful circles of society in our nation and in other nations.
The same practice existed forty-five years ago, and various devices
were used by married persons to prevent the expenses and
responsibilities of a family of children, which they must have
incurred had they suffered nature's laws to rule pre-eminent. That
which was practised then in fear and against a reproving conscience,
is now boldly trumpeted abroad as one of the best means of
ameliorating the miseries and sorrows of humanity. Infanticide is very
prevalent in, our nation. It is a crime that comes within the purview
of the law, and is therefore not so boldly practised as is the other
equally great crime, which no doubt, to a great extent, prevents the
necessity of infanticide. The unnatural style of living, the extensive
use of narcotics, the attempts to destroy and dry up the fountains of
life, are fast destroying the American element of the nation; it is
passing away before the increase of the more healthy, robust, honest,
and less sinful class of the people which are pouring into the country
daily from the Old World. The wife of the servant man is the mother of
eight or ten healthy children, while the wife of his master is the
mother of one or two poor, sickly children, devoid of vitality and
constitution, and if daughters, unfit, in their turn, to be mothers,
and the health and vitality which nature has denied them through the
irregularities of their parents are not repaired in the least by their
education. A great proportion of the leading men of our nation have
sprung from wealthy and influential families, have been reared and
educated in the midst [p.121] of circles where the vices of the age
flourish the most vigorously, destroying moral force and the love of
truth and virtue, making education and refinement mere cloaks to cover
sins of the blackest dye. The great majority of that class of persons
appear in society as polished gentlemen, whose suavity of manners
would deceive, if it were possible, the very elect. They have been
educated in our seminaries of learning, and this class of men are now
seeking to denude the Constitution of the United States of all its
protective and saving powers.

Vol. 12,  p.121
Why all this? They killed the Prophet. The mob that collected at
Carthage, Illinois, to commit that deed of blood contained a
delegation representing every State in the Union. Each has received
its blood stain. In the perpetration of this great national sin, they
acted upon their own free volition which God implanted within them, as
much so as if they had been willing to hearken to the advice of the
Prophet and his friends when they showed them how to preserve the
nation from destruction, how to do good to all, and how so introduce
every holy principle that is calculated to bless and exalt a people.
But, said they, "we will not hearken to the counsels of this man;"
for, like the Jews of old, they were afraid if they let him live he
would take away their place and nation. They not only feared the
principles which he taught, but they feared the increasing numbers
which followed him; they feared that if they let him alone he would
incorporate in his religion all the religion there is that is good for
anything, or that is according to the Bible, and all the honest,
truthful, and virtuous of the nation, they feared, would follow him;
and they feared that thereby they would be deprived of their rich
emoluments and livings, so they concluded to get rid of him by slaying
him. In killing the Prophet Joseph Smith, they did not kill
"Mormonism," and they cannot kill it unless they kill all the
"Mormons," for if they leave a single Latter-day Saint living he will
cry to the people to repent of their sins and return to the Lord, and
the Lord will work with him to gather the righteous, build up His
kingdom, build up Zion, and establish Jerusalem no more to be thrown
down. Well, they will go on their way, and we will go on ours. If they
had hearkened to the counsel of Joseph Smith, this nation would have
had no wars; there would have been no division in the Government, but
it would have gone on in harmony and prosperity. So this people if
they will take the counsels which the Lord gives to them through His
servants with regard to their grain, and prepare for all contingencies
to which they are subject in this mountainous country, we shall never
see a famine; but if we neglect this counsel, refusing to hearken to
good advice, we shall, by taking this course, bring distress upon
ourselves and upon all who depend upon us for a subsistence. Let us
pursue a course to preserve ourselves and avert every calamity. This
we can do. It is not necessary for calamity to come upon us, if we
will only take a course to prevent it. According to present
appearances, next year we may expect grasshoppers to eat up nearly all
our crops. But if we have provisions enough to last us another year,
we can say to the grasshoppers—these Creatures of God—you are welcome.
I have never yet had a feeling to drive them from one plant in my
garden; but I look upon them as the armies of the Lord, and with them
it is easy for Him to consume a great nation. We had better lay up
bread [p.122] instead of selling it to strangers, and thus avoid a
great calamity that otherwise might overtake us. If the people refuse
to hearken to this timely counsel they will commit a great error. Good
actions always result in blessings. The history of the people of God
in all ages testifies that whenever they have listened to the counsel
of heaven they have always been blessed. All this people are satisfied
that they will be more blessed to hearken to good counsel than not to
do so.

Vol. 12,  p.122
Instead of doing two days' work in one day, wisdom would dictate to
our sisters, and to every other person, that if they desire long life
and good health, they must, after sufficient exertion, allow the body
to rest before it is entirely exhausted. When exhausted, some argue
that they need stimulants in the shape of tea, coffee, spirituous
liquors, tobacco, or some of those narcotic substances which are often
taken to goad on the lagging powers to greater exertions, but instead
of these kind of stimulants they should recruit by rest. Our
artificial wants, and not our real wants, and the following of
senseless customs subject our sisters to an excess of labor. To supply
these wants—to get a ribbon, an artificial flower, this, that, and the
other gewgaw, rather than substantial necessaries—our farmers sell
their wheat. Work less, wear less, eat less, and we shall he a great
deal wiser, healthier, and wealthier people than by taking the course
we now do. This whole Yankee nation eat so much, and so many good
things, that they are always poor in their bodily habit; now and then
only you will see a fleshy person among them; it is also the case with
the people of the southern portion of the nation. It is difficult to
find anything more healthy to drink than good cold water, such as
flows down to us from springs and snows of our mountains. This is the
beverage we should drink. It should be our drink at all times. If we
constantly drink even malt liquor made from our barley and wheat, our
health would be injured more or less thereby. It may be remarked that
some men who use spirituous liquors and tobacco are healthy, but I
argue that they would be much mere healthy if they did not use it, and
then they are entitled to the blessings promised to those who observe
the advice given in the "Word of Wisdom." Some few persons who have
been addicted to the use of hot drinks, &c., have reached the age of
eighty, eighty-three, and eighty-four years, but had they not been
addicted to such habits of living they might have reached the age of a
hundred or a hundred and five years.

Vol. 12,  p.122
We profess to be Saints of the Most High. We are the children of that
Being who lives in the heavens, who is filled with all intelligence,
and possesses all power. We cannot be prepared to dwell with Him
unless we instruct our minds and sanctify ourselves in all things. I
am happy to see our children engaged in the study and practice of
music. Let them be educated in every useful branch of learning, for
we, as a people, have in the future to excel the nations of the earth
in religion, science, and philosophy. Great advancement has been made
in knowledge by the learned of this world, still there is yet much to
learn. The hidden powers of nature which give life, growth, and
existence to all things, have not yet been approached by the wisdom of
this world. There exists around us, in the works of God, an
everlasting variety—no two leaves, no two blades of grass are alike.
Natural philosophy, so far as [p.123] known, marks these phenomena of
nature, and reveals her wonders, but is incapable of revealing the
modus operandi of the production. All this is veiled in impenetrable
mystery to mortals. It is information which cannot be approached by
science and philosophy known to man; it can only be reached through
the revelations of the Almighty, the Great Author of Nature's work
Great perfection has been attained in the application of important
discoveries to the wants and necessities of mankind. I can, in a
moment, transmit my wishes to the east, and in a few minutes to the
city of London. Great perfection has been attained in the art of
telegraphy, yet there is much more to be learned, and the same may be
said of the power of steam, and its application to the wants of
mankind. While the wonders of art and science in the present age
astonish us, yet there was much useful knowledge possessed by the
ancients which is lost to us. One little simple art that they
understood was that of tempering copper and making it equal to our
finest tempered steel.

Vol. 12,  p.123
Let the children in our schools be taught everything that is necessary
with regard to doctrine and principle, and then how to live; and let
mothers teach their daughters regarding themselves, and how they
should live in their sphere of existence, that they may be good wives
and good mothers. Let the sisters study economy in the labor and
management of their homes. I am satisfied that more than one-half of
the labor that is done in our houses can be saved by a judicious
exercise of thought and good judgment. Then be wise in these things,
and we shall not need tea and coffee, or any other stimulant stronger
than our natural food. I say, God bless you, and I bless you in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Brigham Young, December 29, 1867

Saints Improving Slowly—Guidance of the Spirit 
and Dictation of the Priesthood—Fasting 
and Gathering the Poor

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, delivered in the Old 
Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, December 29th, 1867.

[Reported By G. D. Watt]

Vol. 12,  p.123
It is said that short visits make long friends, and short sermons
perhaps make interesting meetings. I am sure this is the case
sometimes. I am thankful for the privilege of being instructed, and of
meeting with a people who manifest by their lives a desire for
improvement. I am thankful that we have the privilege of meeting in
this tabernacle from Sabbath to Sabbath. Last Sabbath I referred to
the meagre congregations that generally attend in the morning, and
to-day I really expected to see every seat in this house occupied. I
cannot think that the [p.124] people are sleigh riding, for there is
no snow; neither can I conclude that they are in the kanyon, for the
roads cannot be travelled. I do not think that they are fishing at
this season of the year; neither can they all be in attendance at
Sabbath schools. Then what are they doing? Are they praying, resting,
sleeping, or wasting their time in frivolous and unprofitable
employment? We are happy to see large congregations of the Saints in
the afternoons. This is the only public meeting house in which
meetings are held in the morning and afternoon on the Sabbath day in
this city. The people of Great Salt Lake City make to one point to
attend meeting in the morning and afternoon, unlike the people of the
large cities of the world. I have seen them go to meeting in some of
those cities, and I cannot compare them to anything that will describe
them as they appeared to me better than the inhabitants of an ant
hill. They run in all directions, the Methodists jostle against the
Baptists, and the Baptists against the Presbyterians, and the
Presbyterians against the Quakers, &c.

Vol. 12,  p.124
Let the people come to meeting, and hear what is said, and if any of
you are not instructed to your satisfaction, be so kind as to send up
a card to the stand, intimating your desire to speak, and we will give
you an opportunity of doing so, to display your wisdom; for we wish to
learn wisdom and get understanding.

Vol. 12,  p.124
We are in a great school, and we should be diligent to learn, and
continue to store up the knowledge of heaven and of earth, and read
good books, although I cannot say that I would recommend the reading
of all books, for it is not all books which are good. Read good books,
and extract from them wisdom and understanding as much as you possibly
can, aided by the Spirit of God, for without His Spirit we are left in
the dark. I have very frequently urged upon the people to live so that
they can enjoy the spirit of revelation, even that intelligence which
proceeds directly from heaven—from the fountain of all intelligence.
Do this people live so? Yes, measurably. We improve slowly, and as
brother George A. Smith has said, we do not improve fast enough. I
acknowledge that this people are improving, and I am proud of it. When
I address the throne of grace in prayer, I am happy to be able to
thank God that the Latter-day Saints are striving to order their lives
correctly before Him. I am pleased, I am happy, I am full of comfort,
of joy, of peace, because of the progress this people are making; and
yet I see how easy it is for a person to slide backward, and get into
darkness and blindness of mind. We are prone to wander, and do that
which our inclinations bid us do; like the boys with their sleds, we
go up hill very slowly, but rush quickly down again. We are too apt to
be slow to learn righteousness, and quick to run in the ways of sin.
The adversary of our souls is constantly watching to decoy us from the
path of truth and duty to God, until we become reckless in our
disobedience to His commandments and to the counsels of His servants.
There is one path—one line to follow to obtain and continue in the
love and light of the Lord, which is, as it were a compass to direct
the Saint to the haven of safety, and it will not vary, for its
directions are sure.

Vol. 12,  p.124
We have many duties to perform, and a great work is before us. We have
Zion to build up, and upon this we are all agreed, but we differ more
or less respecting the modus operandi for we wish, in the majority of
instances to follow the dictates of our [p.125] own inclinations. We
do this too much for our good. If the people will live so as to be
directed continually by the light of the Spirit of the Lord, they
never will go much astray. In many instances our anxieties, our
desires, and our wills are so great that we actually plead with the
Lord to allow us to bend duty a little particle for the purpose of
accomplishing what we wish. We are pleased to do this, and to do evil
also, hence "man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward." We are
very prone to wander. Let the people watch themselves lest they take a
course that will lead them into darkness, and they know not the things
of God, and be left to believe a lie instead of the truth. What is
that which turns people away from this Church? Very trifling affairs
are generally the commencement of their divergence from the right
path. If we follow a compass, the needle of which does not point
correctly, a very slight-deviation in the beginning will lead us, when
we have travelled some distance, far to one side of the true point for
which we are aiming. When men take upon themselves strength, depending
upon their own wisdom, light, and knowledge, saying—"I am right, and I
care not what anybody else says;" and, "I will do thus and so on my
own responsibility," asking no odds of God and His servants. "If I
wish to go to the north, south, east, or west, or follow this or that
employment, or pursue this or that course to obtain the necessaries of
life, it is my affair, and I cannot see that any other man has
anything whatever to do with it." I say, if we thus arrogate to
ourselves strength, wisdom, and power, and think that we can judge for
ourselves in all things independent of God and His servants, then are
we liable to be led astray. Every man and woman who walks in the light
of the Lord can see and understand these things for themselves; but
through our anxiety, and over desire to have our own way, we often
swerve and turn to the right or to the left of the true line of our
duty. How often have we sealed blessings of health and life upon our
children and companions in the name of Jesus Christ and by the
authority of the Holy Priesthood of the Son of God, and yet our faith
and prayers did not succeed in accomplishing the desires of our
hearts. Why is this? In many instances our anxiety is so great that we
do not pause to know the spirit of revelation and its operations upon
the human mind. We have anxiety instead of faith. When a man
prophecies by the power of the Holy Ghost, his words will be fulfilled
as sure as the Lord lives; but if he has anxiety in his heart, it
swerves him from the thread of the Holy Gospel, from the true thread
of revelation, so that he is liable to err, and he prophesies, but it
does not come to pass, he lays his hands upon the sick, but they are
not healed. It is in consequence of not being completely moulded to
the will of God. Do we not realize that this is so? And do we not
realize that we should constantly strive to live in the counsel and
light of God day by day, and hour by hour? If we do this we shall
certainly make sure to ourselves a celestial inheritance.

Vol. 12,  p.125
We have gathered the best people from among the nations of the earth,
and yet we are not so good as we should be. Why are we not as good as
we should be? Because we have eternal light and knowledge here, and no
person is deprived of the privilege of asking and receiving of God for
himself, but we do not all avail ourselves of this great privilege. We
are not like others who are called by [p.126] men to go on missions to
the world, we are called of God, and carry with us true credentials,
not the credentials of Paul, Peter, or any of the old Apostles and
servants of God, who used them a thousand years ago, but we have the
living oracles and the Holy Priesthood restored in our day, giving
authority to men in the nineteenth century as in days of old. Having
this authority, and these great advantages, we should be better than
anybody else. We have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have
received in our faith the fullness of the gospel, we have yielded
obedience to God's commandments, obeyed the ordinances of His house,
receiving them in our faith and practice, and these we have received
through apostles and prophets, called of God, in. our own age, as was
Aaron. These blessings and callings the Almighty has revealed in this
as in all ages for the benefit of finite beings, that through
obedience to the gospel, eternal life in the presence of God might be
brought upon all who endure to the end in righteousness. By obeying
the ordinances of God, mankind glorify God, but if they do not obey
Him, they do not detract one particle from His glory and power.
Although all His children should wander from the holy commandments,
God will be glorified, for they are left to choose for themselves, to
choose death instead of life, darkness instead of light, pain instead
of ease, delight, and comfort. This liberty all beings enjoy who are
created after the likeness and image of God, and thus they become
accountable for their own actions. The commandments of God are given
to us expressly for our benefit, and if we live in obedience to them
we shall live so as to understand the mind and will of God for
ourselves, and concerning ourselves as individuals. This is a subject
upon which a great deal can be said, but I shall not follow it at this
time.

Vol. 12,  p.126
I exhort my brethren continually to live so that they may have the
light of the Holy Spirit in them, to know their duty, and when they
know their duty fully it will be to follow truly those whom God has
placed over them to lead them as a community, as a people, as a
kingdom of God; it will be to obey the counsel that is given them from
time to time. What does the man who understands the spirit of his
religion believe with regard to his own affairs, with regard to his
life, with regard to his business transactions, &c.? He believes that
it is his privilege to be dictated by the constituted authorities of
the church of God and the spirit of revelation in all things in his
mortal life. There is no part of his life that he will consider exempt
from the guidance and dictation of the Priesthood of the Son of God.

Vol. 12,  p.126
We wish the Latter-day Saints to meet at their respective houses,
erected for that purpose, on the day appointed for a fast, and take
with them of their substance to feed the poor and the hungry among us,
and, if it is necessary, to cloth the naked. We expect to see the
sisters there; for they are generally first and foremost in deeds of
charity and kindness. Let the hearts of the poor be made glad, and let
their prayers and thanksgiving ascend unto God, and receive an answer
of rich blessings upon our heads. I think I told you last Sabbath that
I would mention this subject again to-day.

Vol. 12,  p.126
If you would be healthy, wealthy, full of wisdom, light and knowledge
do all you can for the kingdom of God. I expect that there are
brethren who are well to do, who can command their thousands, who
consider that their business crowds them this year, and they do not
see how [p.127] they can give anything for the gathering of the poor
Saints. I have a word of consolation for such. You, merchants,
mechanics and farmers; yea, every one; let me console you, and say to
you, keep your money, and pay your debts, and buy your teams, and your
farms, and your goods. You think I am speaking to you ironically.
Well, I acknowledge to you that I am. You keep all, and do not apply
one dollar for any purpose outside of your business, and I will
promise you, in the name of the Lord, that you will be poorer than you
would have been if you had given of your substance to the poor. Do you
consider these hard words? They are true words. The earth is the
Lord's and the fullness thereof, the gold and the silver are all his;
and he throws up the precious metals to view whenever he pleases, and
when he pleases he sends his messengers to hide them in the bowels of
the earth, beyond the reach of man. He also closes the eyes of wicked
gold hunters, that they cannot see them; but they walk over them, and
leave them for the righteous to gather in the due time of the Lord.
Now, you who think that you must keep your means and that you cannot
spare a portion to gather the poor another year, remember that you
will not get rich by so doing. You may ask what I am going to do? I am
going to get rich, for I calculate to give considerably more to gather
the poor than any other man; because I want to be richer than any
other man. I want more, because I believe I know what to do with it
better than most of men.

Vol. 12,  p.127
These are a few words of consolation to the brethren who wish to keep
their riches, and with them I promise you leanness of soul, darkness
of mind, narrow and contracted hearts, and the bowels of your
compassion will be shut up, and by and by you will be overcome with
the spirit of apostacy and forsake your God and your brethren.

Vol. 12,  p.127
I see around me a great people. Joseph Smith was called of God, and
sent to lay the foundation of this latter-day kingdom. He presided
over this people fourteen years. Then he was martyred. Since that time
your humble servant has presided over and counselled this people; he
has directed the Twelve Apostles, the Seventies, the High Priests, and
every quorum and department of the Melchesidec and Aaronic
Priesthoods, guiding them throngh the wilderness where there was no
way into a dry, barren land. For the space of twenty-four years he has
watched over their interests, holding at bay their enemies, teaching
them how to live, and redeem this country from the barrenness and
desolation that have, for many generations, made it unfit for the
habitation of man. What man or woman on the earth, what spirit in the
spirit-world can say truthfully that I ever gave a wrong word of
counsel, or a word of advice that could not be sanctioned by the
heavens? The success which has attended me in my presidency is owing
to the blessings and mercy of the Almighty. Why I have referred to
this is to show you that I realize the importance of obeying the words
of the Lord, which he gives through his acknowledged servants. When
revelation is given to any people, they must walk according to it, or
suffer the penalty which is the punishment of disobedience; but when
the word is, "will you do thus and so?" "It is the mind and will of
God that you perform such and such a duty;" the consequences of
disobedience are not so dreadful, as they would be if the word of the
Lord were to be written under the [p.128] declaration, "Thus saith the
Lord."

Vol. 12,  p.128
Now, I say to the people, will you gather the poor? To the Elders I
say, will you carry the Gospel to all the world? Blessed are they who
obey when the Lord gives a direct commandment, but more blessed are
they who obey without a direct commandment. For it is written: "It is
not meet that I should command in all things, for he that is compelled
in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant;
wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men should be
anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own
free will, and bring to pass much righteousness, for the power is in
them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do
good they shall in no wise lose their reward. But he that doeth not
any thing until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with a
doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned."
I say this that you may understand that I feel just as patient, and
just as kind towards the Latter-day Saints as a man's heart can feel,
and am careful to take every precaution in directing their steps to
the possession of eternal life in the presence of God that none may be
lost. My course is not to scold, but to persuade and entreat the
people to do their duty, holding before them the reward of
faithfulness. It requires all the care and faithfulness which we can
exercise in order to keep the faith of the Lord Jesus; for there are
invisible agencies around us in sufficient numbers to encourage the
slightest disposition they may discover in us to forsake the true way,
and fan into a flame the slightest spark of discontent and unbelief.
The spirits of the ancient Gadiantons are around us. You may see
battlefield after battle-field, scattered over this American
continent, where the wicked have slain the wicked. Their spirits are
watching us continually for an opportunity to influence us to do evil,
or to make us decline in the performance of our duties. And I will
defy any man on earth to be more gentlemanly and bland in his manners
than the master spirit of all evil. We call him the devil; a gentleman
so smooth and so oily, that he can almost deceive the very elect. We
have been baptized by men having the authority of the holy Priesthood
of the Son of God, and consequently we have power over him which the
rest of the world do not possess, and all who possess the power of the
Priesthood have the power and right to rebuke those evil spirits. When
we rebuke those evil powers, and they obey not, it is because we do
not live so as to have the power with God, which it is our Privilege
to have. If we do not live for this privilege and right we are under
condemnation.

Vol. 12,  p.128
I know that the Bishops in this Church are improving, and are better
men, and they should lead and dictate their Wards still better than
they do.

Vol. 12,  p.128
It may be asked, should not brother Brigham lead the people better? No
doubt he should. Will you hearken to one little saying? I can say,
follow me as I follow Christ, and every one of us is sure to go into
the celestial kingdom of our God, God being our helper. Can all the
Bishops say this? I think not in every case. But are they improving?
They are and that is not all, they will continue to improve, and they
will become wise leaders of the people. They should be fathers to
their Wards. They are looked upon as such by the people; and their
example has its effect for better or for worse, and they should be
foremost in every good word and work, to be [p.129] successful in
leading the people into the celestial kingdom of God.

Vol. 12,  p.129
Here is a great people, and we have Called upon them to contribute of
their substance to gather the poor Saints from abroad another year. It
is now nearly three months since we commenced to call upon them for
means to apply in this way. Means for this purpose does not come in so
readily as we think it should. Now, I will mention a single
circumstance in this city to show you that there is money in the
country. One mercantile house in this city traded in one month
forty-one thousand dollars. If one house can sell this amount of goods
in a month, surely we can gather considerable for so laudable a
purpose as the gathering of our poor brethren and sisters to a place
where they can be fed and clothed, and taught further in the things of
God. Yet, for all this, we are improving as a people; but do we serve
God with a perfect heart and a ready and willing mind? We do not. If
the Latter-day Saints will put into my hands one-twentieth part of the
means that go into the hands of their enemies, I think we can gather
up every poor saint there is in the old country. Will they do this? I
do not expect they will. My brethren are willing to go and preach the
gospel in all the world. I would like to see them just as willing to
assist in gathering them home. The kingdom of God is the safest
institution on earth in which to invest means. We are citizens of His
kingdom and members of His church, and we realize that we have to
suffer all things for the gospel, but it will make us richer than we
can possibly be in any other work. May God bless you. Amen.

John Taylor, May 19, 1867

Good Spirit of the People South

REMARKS by Elder John Taylor, delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, May 19th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.129
As we have just returned from a journey from the south, I presume it
would be interesting to you to hear some little about how the Saints
generally are getting on. We have had quite a pleasant journey, but
rather a laborious one, travelling thirty, forty, or fifty miles a
day, and preaching from once to three times a day. But we have had
very pleasant remarks, feelings, and associations during our absence.
We found that the President and those who were with him were welcomed
and well received in every place we visited. There seems to be an
increase of faith among the Saints, and a desire to live their
religion and to keep the commandments of God. We also find that
improvements are taking place in almost every place we visited; they
are improving in their farming operations, their orchards, gardens,
dwellings, &c., and some places we find are [p.130] really very
beautiful. Down in the far south, in St. George, and through that
region of country, the people are beginning to live easier and better
than heretofore, so that the matter of living is no longer a problem
with any of them. In the early days of the settlement of that country
a good many became dissatisfied and left. George A. used occasionally
to go down with reinforcements expecting to find quite a large
company, but when he tried to put his finger on them, like "Paddy's
flea," they were not there. At the present time, however, different
feelings prevail; there are many now who desire to go down there as a
matter of choice, and a great many there with whom I conversed feel as
though it was as good a home as they could find anywhere in the
valleys, and they would not wish to leave unless counselled to do so.
Many of then, stated that it took counsel to take them there and it
would take counsel to bring them away. I noticed, too, that there was
a very general disposition among the people to observe the Word of
Wisdom. Of course we had to keep it; we could not for shame do
anything else, for while teaching others to observe it we were morally
bound to observe it ourselves; and if we had been disposed to do
otherwise we could hardly have helped ourselves, for nobody offered us
either tea, coffee, tobacco, or liquor. There seemed to be a general
disposition among the people to obey, at least, that counsel, although
they had not heard much preaching upon it until we went down and
talked things over together. We enjoyed ourselves very much, and the
people expressed themselves as being very highly gratified. They met
us as you met us here—with their bands of music, schools, escorts, and
so forth, and they made us welcome wherever we went, and we found that
it was indeed a very different thing to preach the gospel among the
Saints from what it is to preach it in the world. Instead of receiving
opposition, contumely, and contempt, we were received with kindness,
good feelings, and a hearty welcome.

Vol. 12,  p.130
When I was at Conference at St. George I felt that I was among a very
good people, and that there was a great deal of the Spirit of the Lord
there; but when I came to reflect on the circumstance I was not
surprised that there should be a good people there, because where
there is a people that have been called upon to undertake what they
consider to be a painful or unpleasant task or mission, and they go
and perform that mission without flinching, they feel that they are
engaged in the work of God, and that His work and His commands and the
authority of the Holy Priesthood are more to them than anything else;
and they have the blessing of God resting upon them, which produces
pence and joy in the Holy Ghost. That is the reason why there is so
good a feeling and so large a flow of the spirit of the living God
through that district of country. But where there is a backwardness
and a shrinking from duties assigned us, there is a drying up of that
spirit, and a lack of the light, life, power, and energy which the
Holy Ghost imparts to those who fulfil the dictates of Jehovah. When I
reflect upon these things I take this lesson to myself—that is a good
and pleasant thing to obey the dictates of the Lord, that it is
praiseworthy and honourable to be found walking in the commands of
Jehovah, and that it is a blessing to all men to fulfil all missions
and to discharge all responsibilities and duties that the Lord lays
upon them. When selecting brethren to go down there, I remember the
Bishops asked me "what kind of men I wanted?"[p.131] I told them I
wanted "men of God, men of faith, who would go and sit on a barren
rook and stay there until told to leave it." If we get a number of men
of that kind to go, there is faith, union, power, light, truth, the
revelations of Jesus Christ, and everything that is calculated to
elevate, exalt, and ennoble the human mind and to happily the Saints
of God. These are my views in relation to the order of the Kingdom of
God.

Vol. 12,  p.131
The Lord has established His kingdom on the earth, and He has given us
His servants to guide and direct us. We, as a people, profess
emphatically to be governed by revelation. We do not believe in this
simply as theory, as something that would be beneficial to somebody
else, but as something that will be a blessing to ourselves. We
believe that God has spoken, that angels have appeared, that the
everlasting gospel in its purity has been restored; we believe that
God has organised His Church and kingdom on the earth and that,
through channels which He has appointed and ordained, He manifests His
will first to the Saints and then to the world, and we believe that
the more we adhere to the teachings of the servants of God the more we
shall prosper both temporally and spiritually, the more we shall enjoy
the favour of the Almighty, and the more likely we shall be to obtain
for ourselves an everlasting inheritance in the celestial kingdom of
our God. We believe that the intelligence and wisdom of man cannot
guide us, and that we, therefore, need the guidance of the Almighty;
and, being under His guidance and direction, it is our duty to submit
to His law, to be governed by His authority, do His will, keep His
commandments, and observe His statutes, that we may ultimately be
saved in His celestial kingdom.

Vol. 12,  p.131
May God help us to be faithful, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Daniel H. Wells, August 18, 1867

Eternal Life—Hows To Find Out The Truth—
The Sacrament—Exhortation to The Young

REMARKS by President D. H. Wells, delivered in the 
Bowery, Great Salt Lake City, August 18th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.131
I feel it a privilege to mingle my voice with my brethren in
testifying to the truth of the work of the last days, although, if it
were left to my own choice, I suppose I should very seldom speak to
the congregation of the people, and I expect that if the Lord were to
call upon me as He did upon Moses, I should do as Moses did—plead with
him for a mouthpiece. Nevertheless, if I can say anything to comfort
or encourage the Saints, or to strengthen their faith, it is my duty
to do so, for I conceive that none have the right to contend in their
own bosoms the light and [p.132] truth with which the Lord has blessed
them, but that it is the duty of the Latter-day Saints, and of all
people on the earth, to make known the good they possess that all may
be benefitted and blessed thereby.

Vol. 12,  p.132
Jesus said, "Enter ye in at the strait gate, for wide is the gate and
broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which
go in thereat; because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." He also said, "And
this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God,
and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."

Vol. 12,  p.132
Eternal life is what we are all anxious to obtain. All the children of
men on the face of the whole earth are anxious to secure to themselves
an eternal existence in the great hereafter. Even those who have but a
limited idea of the principles of the gospel look and hope for a
beatitude or heaven hereafter, where they may dwell eternally in peace
and happiness, free from the power of Satan, sin, and death. All the
people of Christendom, and perhaps all the generations of men, have at
some time in their lives felt the spirit of the living God convicting
them of sin, and they have felt a desire to learn how they might
secure to themselves eternal lives in the presence of God.

Vol. 12,  p.132
We read that God created man upright, but that he has sought out many
inventions. This is especially true in regard to religious matters.
Instead of walking according to the precepts and commandments of God
as taught by His servants holding the Holy Priesthood, they have done
as the Prophet foretold—taught for the commandments of God the
precepts of men. More particularly is this the case in our day and
generation, when the Lord has again revealed Himself and has opened up
the dispensation of the fullness of times. We find a great many
religious views, notions, and opinions upon the face of the earth at
the present time; but in the absence of truth there is little
difference among them, for they are all wrong. But when the truth is
revealed it is necessary that mankind should pause, listen, and
investigate, that they may learn whether that which is proclaimed as
truth be so or not, and if it be, embrace it, and walk continually
according to its precepts, that they may obtain that exaltation in the
presence of the Father and Son which all so earnestly desire. What
does it matter to me how eloquent the preacher may be, how beautiful
the theory, or how nice the principles that are laid before me, if
they are not true? Why should I attach any importance to, or
circumscribe my faith and feelings by that which is not true, because
it is beautiful or plausible, or because my fathers for hundreds of
years before me have considered it sacred? When the word of God, the
truth from high Heaven, has come, why not repudiate that which is
false although contravening my early prejudices and the traditions of
my fathers before me? I know of no reason why we should cling to the
traditions of the fathers, more especially when we are told by the
oracles of God that we have inherited lies from them. We find this to
be true when we investigate, even with regard to the scriptures; for
by the aid of the principles now made manifest through the revelations
of the Lord Jesus, we can understand them as we never understood them
before. Why? Because we have the light of truth, and we see from the
stand point possessed by the prophets and Jesus and his apostles;
hence the scriptures open up to our minds a new and entirely different
field to that [p.133] we possessed while under the guidance of
teachers who have not come from God, neither hold the power of the
Holy Priesthood.

Vol. 12,  p.133
This is a great wonder to some. They cannot understand the difference
between the Latter-day Saints and the Christian world. Say they:
"There are a great many sectarian churches in the world, and you
Mormons are only one added to the list." But this is not so; the
principles of truth are not sectarian in their character. Are not the
Mormons a sect? No. They are the church of the living God—the church
of the First born; they are they who have come out from the world, as
Jesus and his followers did in their generation. This people have been
touched with the light of truth; they have received the testimony of
Jesus, and know for themselves the truth of the holy gospel they have
embraced. Having been made participants in the knowledge of God,
through the power and gift of the Holy Ghost, they speak with
assurance of these things, and not as they speak who only believe and
hope.

Vol. 12,  p.133
"But," say they who have not embraced the truth, "we do not know
whether that which you say is true or not." Suppose you do not, that
does not make the truth false, and I can tell you how you may find it
out. Repent of your sins, go forth into the waters of baptism, eschew
evil, learn to do well, seek after the Lord your God with full purpose
of heart, and you can obtain a testimony as we have done—you may learn
to know God and Jesus Christ, whom to know is life eternal. This is
the only principle upon which you can obtain that knowledge which you
so much desire. Many a person will say—"If I only knew these things
were so, I would be with you heart and hand." I have told you how you
can find out. You cannot be healed of your leprosy of sin unless you
comply with the requirements of the gospel. When Naaman came to the
prophet Elisha to learn what he should do to be healed of his leprosy,
he went away in a rage because he was simply told to wash himself in
the river Jordan. But his servants came near and said unto him—"My
father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldst thou
not have done it? How much rather, then, when he saith to thee, wash
and be clean?" Then the Syrian went and did as he was commanded, and
he was made whole. So it is with us all, we must comply with the
requirements of heaven before we can receive its blessings. We need
not expect to be cleansed from sin and made meet receptacles for the
indwelling of the Holy Ghost, unless we yield obedience to the gospel,
because this is the way appointed of God, our heavenly Father, for
bringing us to a knowledge of the truth. Be honest, then, before God,
and when you are pricked to the heart, and feel that what is called
"Mormonism" may be true, follow up that feeling until you come to
understanding, and then obey the gospel, and receive the Holy Ghost,
which will give you a full knowledge of those things necessary for
your salvation and exaltation hereafter. If the Lord had commanded you
to do some great thing—to go to the ends of the earth or some other
different undertaking—would you not have done it? How much more
willing should you be to comply with these small things when they are
for your own good? Eschew evil, repent of your sins, and walk in the
ways of truth and righteousness, for they are the ways of peace and
wisdom.

Vol. 12,  p.133
It is wisdom in us to pursue a course in this, our earthly probation,
that will secure to us eternal life in [p.134] the world to come. It
is our privilege to do so; we are here for this express purpose.  The
God who reigns in heaven is the father of our spirits and the God and
Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; and we may become heirs of
Him and joint heirs with Jesus Christ by complying with the
requirements of the gospel that He has revealed. How plain and simple
is the way of life if we will but open our ears to hear, our eyes to
see, and our hearts to understand. God has revealed it; He has opened
up the dispensation of the fulness of times, which will embrace within
its purview all other dispensations since the world began. In this
dispensation will be revealed the keys of the resurrection, which will
enable men to go forth clothed with power to raise and bring forth the
dead. The Lord has commenced this great work; we are engaged in it;
and it will go forth until it covers the whole earth. The foundation
of that kingdom which shall endure for ever and ever is laid. The
principles of the kingdom have gone forth, and have touched the hearts
of many of the children of men—one of a city and two of a family—and
they have been brought together from the nations of the earth to the
valleys of the mountains, as was foretold by the prophets thousands of
years ago.

Vol. 12,  p.134
Jesus told the Jews that Abraham saw his day and rejoiced in it. They
queried with Him as to how he—not fifty years old—could know anything
about Abraham, who had been dead so long. Jesus said—"Before Abraham
was I am." This seemed to puzzle the Jews; they did not understand the
principle of pre-existence and that Jesus, who was then clothed with
flesh, had possessed an existence in the spirit world, that he was the
first born of many sons, and had been born before Abraham in the
spirit. Jesus understood it, and once in a while, as in that case, he
spoke upon the principle.  the Jews prided themselves on serving the
God of their father Abraham, but Jesus told them that the God of
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was not the God of the dead but of the
living, thus teaching them plainly the principles of the resurrection.

Vol. 12,  p.134
I will now say a few words with regard to partaking of the sacrament.
This ordinance was instituted by our Savior, and his followers were
commanded to partake of it in remembrance of Him. But how many of us
partake of it regardless of Him in commemoration of whose death it is
administered! I have seen some of the Saints take the cup very
irreverently,—blessed and consecrated as it is—and drink to quench
their thirst. I do not suppose that such persons think any more about
our Lord and Savior than they do when drinking on ordinary occasions.
To say the least of such conduct, it is highly improper and
irreverent. I have seen brethren and sisters partake of the sacrament
with their gloves on, and in a very careless attitude, stretching out
the left hand. You should always put forth the right, hand when taking
either the bread or the cup; and you should take off your hats if you
have them on, and partake of the consecrated emblems with reverence,
and remember that you do it in commemoration of the death, sufferings,
and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who will yet
rule and reign on this earth, King of kings and Lord of lords. Would I
partake of the sacrament with my hat or gloves on? No; I would take
them off, and let my soul ascend in prayer and thanksgiving to my
heavenly Father that I had been permitted to partake [p.135] of the
ordinance of the House of God.

Vol. 12,  p.135
I am happy in believing that I am associated with a people in the
majority of whose minds such feelings and desires predominate, and to
whom the few hints I have dropped will be sufficient in regard to the
carelessness to which I have referred. We have the principles of
eternal life in our midst, and we practise them in our lives, and when
the world witness the good actions of this people, it should be a
testimony that they are of God. I say it is a testimony to the world
of the truths of High Heaven revealed through this people, and it will
bring this generation to judgment unless they listen to and obey the
principles we teach. Do I know that? I do. The world may seoul at it,
and say things that are calculated to hurt our feelings, but that will
not after the truth. We offer the words of eternal life to the people,
and if they will receive them they are welcome, but if they will not
our testimony will prove unto them a savor of death unto death,
instead of life unto life.

Vol. 12,  p.135
That which is good tends to exalt us and to increase in us knowledge,
power, understanding, and everything worth possessing, while that
which is evil tends to destruction, and if its practice be persisted
in it will lead to dissolution and even the loss of our own identity.
This is the reward of the wicked; as the prophet; has said, "The
wicked will come to a full stop," but the blessing of the righteous is
the same as that pronounced upon Abraham—to their increase there will
be no end. This is the blessing conferred upon the Saints in their
ordinations and endowments under the authority of the Holy Priesthood
of the Son of God—the Melchisedec Priesthood, which is without
beginning of years or end of days, without father, without mother,
without descent, eternal, in the Heavens. That authority and
priesthood have been again restored to the earth, and men are once
more empowered to administer in the ordinances of the holy gospel.
There is no authority of the kind upon the face of the earth except
through that channel. None of the sects and denominations of the world
possess that authority. It has not existed upon the earth for many
hundreds of years. Do I know that this is true? I do, and you may
obtain that knowledge upon the same principle that I obtained it—by
working righteousness and obeying the ordinances of the gospel as
appointed by Jehovah. Has not the Lord a right to prescribe the method
by which we may approach Him; and, when He has done it, shall we seoul
at the idea and say some other way will do as well? Verily, no other
way will answer as well. Let us, therefore, take heed how we prescribe
a path for the Lord to walk in, or subvert the ways of truth which the
Lord has revealed for the guidance of the children of men. We have no
right to do it. It is for us who have received this knowledge to walk
therein with fearfulness and trembling, and yet with joyful hearts,
seeking to the Lord to guide and direct our steps, that we may always
have His spirit to be with us to enable us to endure to the end, that
we may make sure of our salvation in the world to come, and inherit
thrones, dominions, and exaltations in the presence of the Father and
the Son.

Vol. 12,  p.135
How few there are of all who have been on the face of the earth that
will find eternal lives?—for strait is the gate and narrow the way
that leads thereto. It is the privilege of the children of men to
attain to this if they will be obedient to the requirements [p.136] of
the gospel. But in this they can exercise their volition. They have
been clothed upon with a tabernacle taken from the dust of the earth,
and have become subject to the power of sin and death. They have come
to pass through an earthly probation in order to be tempted and to
prove whether they would be carried away by the wiles of Satan, and
enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, or whether, faithful to their
trust, their integrity, and their God, they would endure the trials of
this life, and come forth in the resurrection clothed upon with
immortality and eternal lives.

Vol. 12,  p.136
The world say we are exclusive because we do not hold communion or
fellowship with the Sectarians. How can we do so when they scorn us
and say we are a poor, ignorant, deluded set of people, without
knowledge or intelligence? How can we, when we know that they and
their leaders are blind, and that they will all fall into the ditch
unless they repent of their evil deeds? We send forth our Elders to
the nations of the earth to proclaim the principles of the gospel to
the people, and to plead with them to turn from their evil ways, that
they may be redeemed from the sin and iniquity which, like a flood,
are overwhelming the nations. Yet, they call us uncharitable because
we will not fellowship them. Far from being uncharitable, we exercise
more charity than all the Christian world put together, for whilst
they consign to perdition all who have not obeyed the gospel as they
preach it, we believe that the great majority of all people who have
ever lived on the face of the earth will be saved, and will enjoy a
far greater glory than they ever anticipated. In this we are sustained
by the testimony of the Scriptures, for the Apostle tells us that
Jesus went to preach to the spirits in prison who were disobedient in
the days of Noah, that they might live according to God in the spirit
and be judged according to men in the flesh. If they who died
disobedient to the gospel, having heard and rejected its principles,
could be administered to by the Savior of the world, how much more
reasonable is it to suppose that they who have lived according to the
light they possessed, but yet died without a knowledge of the gospel,
can enjoy the same privilege? How much more consistent it is to
suppose this; and the dispensation of the fullness of times has opened
up these great principles to the understandings of the Latter-day
Saints. Do not say, then, that we are uncharitable. We believe not
only that they who have died without the gospel may be saved, but we
believe that they who rejected the gospel, who were disobedient in the
days of Noah may be saved also.

Vol. 12,  p.136
We have become the happy recipients of this knowledge, the knowledge
that leads to life and exaltation in the presence of our Father,
through yielding obedience to the gospel He has revealed in our day.
Herein we differ with the Sectarian world. We differ also in our
Church organization. In the Sectarian churches they place bishops at
the head. 1 do not know that it matters, when they are altogether
wrong; but I mention this to show that it is not the order of God. In
His Church there is—firstly, Apostles, and afterwards helps of various
kinds, the Bishops being those who administer in temporal things, and
belonging to the lesser Priesthood. The Sectarians, however, do not
understand the two orders of Priesthood—the Melchisedec and Aaronic.
They substitute one thing for another—such, for instance, as
sprinkling and pouring for baptism. They have perverted the principles
[p.137] of truth, and changed the ordinances of the gospel, and if the
Lord does not hold them in derision now He will by and by, for He is
not the author of such confusion. He has established His kingdom and
has set His house in order, and has conferred His authority upon His
servants, and told them to go forth and administer in the ordinances
of salvation for the edification of the true and living Church. Then
let us have respect to these things and live our religion, shun all
associations with the wicked and ungodly, and walk faithfully before
the Lord our God all our days, that we may be entitled to dwell in
that holy city whose streets will be paved with gold and whose maker
and founder is God.

Vol. 12,  p.137
This is especially applicable to our young people, for Satan uses the
wicked and ungodly to allure them into forbidden paths, and to
captivate their hearts by fine dresses, nice deportment, smooth
speeches, lively manners, and so on. I would say to my young sisters,
that one of these boys or Elders, who is ready to stand forth for the
defence of Israel, to go and preach to the nations, work in the
kanyon, or do anything he may be required to do, though he may be
dressed in homespun and appear rather uncouth, is worth more than a
thousand smooth-tongued, hypocritical deceivers, who seek your society
only to lead you astray. Be careful, my young sisters, of the
associations you form, and do not let your minds be captivated by the
giddy and worthless, or the first thing you know you will wake up in
darkness, having made shipwreck of your faith through forsaking the
ordinances of the House of God. How can you who have received these
ordinances go and fellowship such persons and their practices? If you
associate with the wicked and ungodly you will cut yourselves off from
eternal lives and exaltation in the presence of our Father, for the
wicked can never lead you there—no, never. As far as they lead you it
will be in the ways of misery, death, and destruction. Parents should
be careful to preserve their children in the ways of truth and
righteousness, and in the purity of our most holy faith, that they may
be faithful in their day and generation.

Vol. 12,  p.137
If I were in the place of a great many of our young men, I would not
go out on the road to different places, as many of them do, just for
the sake of earning a little money. They too often fall into vile
company, and learn to profane the name of the Deity. There is too much
of it here in the midst of the Saints. I am sorry to say that some who
profess to be Latter-day Saints so far forget themselves as to use the
name of the Lord in vain, thus breaking the commandment, which says,
"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain." Instead of the
brethren being so heedless, thoughtless, and reckless as to profane
the name of the Lord, they should hold it in. the highest reverence. I
would say to all, never speak irreverently of baptism or of any of the
ordinances of the House of God. I have heard people, if they happened
to fall into the water, say that they were baptized, and they would
laugh over it and speak very irreverently. All such things tend to
evil. Do not indulge in such levity. I remember once, before I was in
the Church, being at a party given by one of my neighbors. One of the
guests was a Latter-day Saint Elder. He said he was anxious to dance
off some of his superstition and sectarianism. It chanced that they
had a very poor fiddler and a very poor fiddle, and the strings kept
breaking. This Elder, thinking, I suppose, to [p.138] tickle our ears,
who were not in the Church, proposed that we should lay hands on the
fiddle. How do you suppose it struck upon my mind? Said I to
myself—"You are a poor, miserable hypocrite; you do not believe your
religion, and you blaspheme against God by professing to do so." That
man's name was William Smith, and although a brother of the Prophet
Joseph, and one of the Twelve Apostles, he has gone into darkness. Yet
I have heard him speak when he had the spirit of the Lord with him,
and I have been much pleased with his remarks. But by persisting in
such an irreverent course a man's mind is gradually darkened, and, if
not forsaken, it will finally lead to his overthrow and destruction.

Vol. 12,  p.138
I speak these things by way of exhortation to my young brethren and
sisters that they may not depart nor go astray from light and
knowlege, but seek after that which is good continually, and so order
their course as to be blameless before the Lord their God. I would not
wish to make men offenders for a word. God is merciful, and we can
forgive our brethren and sisters as long as they manifest a desire to
do good. Let us try to be a pattern worthy the imitation of all,
through our lives, be more perfect in our intercourse one with
another, and do nothing offensive in the sight of God, but live so
that we may ever have the guidance of His holy Spirit, which is my
prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

George A. Smith, October 9, 1867

Education—Phonetics—Storing up Grain—Home Manufactures

REMARKS by Elder George A. Smith, delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, October 9th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.138
We are composed of persons from various nationalities. We speak a
number of languages.  the languages and dialects of the British
empire, the Scandinavian, the French, Dutch, German, Swiss, and
Italian are all represented here. It appears that God in His divine
wisdom revealed the gospel in the English language, which is the
native tongue of the majority of the Saints, probably more than half
of them having acquired it, in America, and a large portion of the
remainder in the old world. It is very desirable that all of our
brethren who are not acquainted with the English language should learn
it. We do not wish to blot out the original languages that they may
have spoken, but we want them all—men and woman, old and young—to
learn the English language so perfectly that they will be able to
thoroughly understand for themselves the teachings and instructions
and the published works of the Church, as well as the laws of the
country. And while we preach to all classes—all the boys and girls
under ninety—to go to school and educate themselves in the various
useful branches, we do not want our brethren [p.139] who do not speak
the English language to think that they are neglected or without the
pale of this call. We hope the bishops and teachers will make every
reasonable exertion to stir up the minds of the brethren and sisters
who do not thoroughly understand English to the importance of this
particular item of counsel. We of course, wish them to stir up
everybody on the subject of education, and to encourage, in every
possible manner, our day and Sunday schools, for the cause of
education should be popular in Israel now, as it was in the days of
Joseph; and old and young should go to school together. I recollect a
school that I attended in Kirtland under the direction of the prophet
Joseph; the oldest scholar in my class was sixty-three years old. We
shall have long winter evenings directly, and a good deal of time to
spend in self-improvement, and it is our duty to become a cultivated
people in all the useful branches of education known among mankind.
There is a spirit among some of our young men in different settlements
to appear rough and reckless; they indulge in rowdyism and cultivate
the savage side of human nature. We ought to use all the influence and
power we possess to suppress this, and to stir up in the minds of our
young and old the necessity of cultivating simple, plain, innocent,
and genteel manners. There is an idea out that a man who has to go to
the kanyon cannot do it without swearing, or that when he gets to the
mouth of the kanyon he must throw off his religion and swear all the
way up and back again. Any man who entertains such a sentiment should
dispense with it at once, for he needs his religion more there than
anywhere else. The roads are rough, and there is danger of him being
tipped over and breaking his neck, or mashing up his wagon or his
team, and he needs the influence of his religion as much under such
circumstances as under any others. The Elders of Israel should avoid
indulging in rough language under all circumstances.  Most men, if
they thought there was a probability of them dying by some sudden
accident, would begin to think about praying. When a man is more
exposed to danger than at any other time I am sure he needs his
religion, for if he should have a log roll over him, and be sent into
eternity with a big oath in his mouth, he might not be recognised as a
Saint on the other side of the vail. Hence I would like our brethren,
and would recommend them to dispense with the idea, that on some
occasions they can lay their religion to one side. It is said that an
old Quaker, I on a certain occasion when his family were grossly
insulted and abused, felt very much like chastising the offender, but
his religion forbade him fighting. He bore it tolerably well for a
time, but at last his patience was exhausted, and, pulling off his
broad-brimmed hat and his broad-tailed coat, said he—"Lie there
religion until I lick this man." He might just as well have kept his
religion on while doing the flogging. He might have felt as an uncle
of Joseph Smith—Rev. Mr. Mack—did on a certain occasion. He was a
Baptist minister, and was celebrated for his great physical strength.
A professional pugilist went to see him once, and told him that
hearing he was one of the strongest men in the state he had come to
test his strength. The old man was too pious to wrestle or scuffle.
The stranger said he would fight him, but Mr. Mack was too religious
to fight. The stranger told him he had no ill will towards him, but
said he—"I must and will know which is the strongest." Mr. Mack
[p.140] did his best to put him off, telling him that he was a
minister and so forth, but the stranger would not be disappointed,
and, as Mr. Mack turned round, he kicked him. The reverend gentleman's
religion could not stand this, and he set to and gave the stranger a
good thrashing. He went before his congregation and made a confession,
which was something like unto this—"I bore all this patiently,
notwithstanding my own nature was to try the man's strength, but after
he kicked me I took off my coat and flogged him most properly." I
think that kind of a rule might work under some circumstances; but at
the same time a man should never lay down his religion, and should
never believe that it is necessary to swear, not even in the kanyon. I
tell you that every vile word we utter and every vile sentiment we
entertain is a wrong for which we, some day, will have to atone. When
I hear men—young or old—talking intemperately or improperly, I realize
that they have that folly to overcome and repent of.

Vol. 12,  p.140
In speaking of the education of our children, I wish to draw the
attention of the Saints particularly to the system of phonetics, or
the Deseret alphabet, which has been referred to by President Young
and some of the brethren. This is calculated to considerably abridge
the labor of our foreign brethren in learning to read English. I think
that in all our schools phonetics should form one branch of study, and
as fast as works of phonotopy can be obtained they should be
introduced, for there is no doubt that a general reformation will be
effected in our English orthography. It is said that the Lord will
restore to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon Him
with one consent. While we urge our brethren to acquire the English
language, and to make themselves proficient in the useful branches of
education, we wish them to remember that the orthography which the
English nation has adopted is by no means perfect, for our present
mode of spelling might be materially improved. According to the
present system, it is a very long and difficult job for a man to learn
to spell. I commenced as soon as I was old enough to put three letters
together, and I have been at it ever since, and I hardly dare write a
letter now without consulting the dictionary to see how some word or
other should be spelled. The spelling of the English language is very
arbitrary. For several generations it has been undergoing improvements
and modifications, and it will, no doubt, go on until English
orthography will become so perfect that every letter will have but a
single sound, instead of having, as now, in some cases, four or five
sounds to the same letter. Now, when a child learns to spell, he
learns first to give to the vowel a its long sound, as heard in the
word male, supposing that to be its only sound. In another position he
gives It the Italian or grave sound—as in the word father, and so on,
until he finds it has four or five distinct sounds, and then he has to
continually exercise his judgment, or has to depend upon the judgment
of some other man, to know which of these sounds to use.

Vol. 12,  p.140
I wish our brethren to give this subject their serious and candid
consideration, and do their best to introduce into our schools a
system that will greatly abridge the time required to gain the various
branches of a good education. No greater or more blessed mission can
be given to an Elder in Israel than to teach the true principles of
education to the rising generation of this Territory. I would [p.141]
advise our brethren, aside from the ordinary schools, to get up
evening reading classes in all our settlements for the instruction of
those who cannot attend at other times. The instruction of our wives
and daughters is of the utmost importance. The disposition of some to
neglect the education of girls is the extreme of folly. If we take
pains to have the English language taught correctly to our wives and
daughters, they will teach it to their children, and this will lay the
foundation for the permanent improvement of the language of the state,
of which we form the nucleus. Some of the ablest men in the Territory
received the most of their education from their mothers, and it is
said that the President of the United States was educated by his wife.
I wish to call the attention of the Conference to the text of
President Young in relation to storing our wheat. This is a question
of vast importance. A few years ago President Young gave counsel to
the people of the Territory—most of whom agreed to it—to lay by seven
years provisions. We were to have commenced three years ago, and were
to have laid up one year's bread over and above the year's supply. The
following year we were to add another year's supply, and so have
continued until we had our seven years' supply laid up. How faithful
the people have been in keeping this counsel I am not prepared to say,
but I am afraid that few men in Israel, even among those who have
raised breadstuffs and have had the power to control considerable
quantities of it, had three years' bread laid aside when the
grasshoppers made their descent this season and swept off half the
grains, vegetables, and fruit raised in the Territory, and were
prepared, if the whole had been swept off, to live for the next three
years without laying in more bread. I am aware that some of our
brethren thought this counsel extravagant; they considered that it
could not be necessary to lay up such a quantity of bread; and some of
them, instead of getting out lumber and making good substantial bins
for the preservation of their wheat, turned out their means for teams,
and freighted their bread to the north, to the east, and to the west;
and not only so, but in many instances they gave it away, if they
could only get half price for hauling it. Hundreds and thousands of
sacks of flour have been hauled away, when it should have been stored
up here against a day of want. I feel just as keenly on this matter
now as when this counsel was given, and a little more so, for the army
of the Lord—the grasshoppers—may have awakened my mind to the
importance of the subject.

Vol. 12,  p.141
All nations have to take more or less precaution for their general
preservation, and, as they are occasionally visited with years of
scarcity, if they failed to do so the consequences might be
disastrous. We are situated in the heart of a great desert, surrounded
a portion of the year by impassable mountains. We have no railroads,
no seaports, no great navigable rivers and canals by which we can
bring provisions from abroad; and if there had been ten grasshoppers
this year where there was but one every particle of food raised in the
Territory would have been consumed; then where would our bread have
been? Where could we have gained our subsistence?

Vol. 12,  p.141
In the empire of China provision is made for the general preservation,
and one-fifth of the produce of the country is stored in the public
granaries against a day of famine. A famine occurred not long since in
one of the provinces of China containing [p.142] thirty-three millions
of people—a little more than the whole population of the United
States—and they lost their entire crop. China, however, is favored
with large navigable rivers, some capable of navigation for over two
thousand miles. There are also many canals and seaport towns that are
used in the coasting trade; the result is that when this famine came
on this province the storehouses were opened, and the grain or rice
was carried to its inhabitants, and they were kept from starvation. We
are differently situated. We have no public storehouses, neither can
we bring sufficient provisions from abroad without it costing more
than we are able to pay. A good many of us claim our descent from
Joseph, who was sold into Egypt. He was the instrument of the Almighty
in saving the Egyptians, through the interpretation of the King's
dream of the seven fat and the seven lean kine, and the seven full and
the seven blighted ears of corn. He prescribed the means by which the
storehouses of Egypt were filled with corn, and when the seven years
of famine came the whole people were actually saved from death through
the wisdom of Joseph in laying up bread. We expect to be saviors on
Mount Zion in the last days. We all exercise faith that, God may give
to our President wisdom and understanding to foresee the evils with
which we may be threatened, and to take measures to avert them.
Suppose that he comes forward and tells us how to prepare, and we
neglect his counsel, then the watchman is clear, and we are liable to
the dangers and difficulties resulting from disobedience. If the King
of Egypt, had not observed the counsels of Joseph almost the whole
people would have been destroyed. As it was, those who did not obey
Joseph's counsel were under the necessity of selling all their
property, and ultimately themselves, for slaves to the king, in order
to obtain that bread which they could bare laid up during the seven
years of plenty, if they had obeyed Joseph's counsel.

Vol. 12,  p.142
Now, brethren, let us not treat this subject lightly. If we have been
neglectful in times past, let us remember that we live in a high
altitude, in a country subject to frost and to extreme drouth, that we
have several times lost our crops, and that we have twice been reduced
to famine or half rations through the crickets or grasshoppers. Let us
heed the counsel given about storing up provisions, and, instead of
freighting our food away to feed strangers, let us go to work and
build good substantial granaries, and fill them with breadstuff, until
every man and woman has enough on hand to last for seven years.
Terrible destruction awaits the wicked. They will come to us by
thousands by-and-by, saying—"Can you not feed us? Can you not do
something for us?" It is said by the prophets they shall come bending,
and shall say you are the priests of the Lord. What priest could
administer greater earthly blessings than food to the hungry, who have
fled from a country where the sword, famine, and pestilence were
sweeping away their thousands? I look upon the subject of storing
grain and other kinds of food as a very religious matter. How could a
man who was half starved enjoy his religion? How on the face of the
earth could a man enjoy his religion when he had been told by the Lord
how to prepare for a day of famine, when, instead of doing so, he had
fooled away that which would have sustained him and his family. I wish
our brethren to lay this matter to heart, and riot rest until they
have obeyed this particular item of counsel.[p.143] 

Vol. 12,  p.143
I also advise them to live within their means, and avoid getting into
debt. I suppose our nation at the present time owes about three
thousand millions of dollars, and the several states owe one thousand
five hundred million dollars more, and that the countries, cities,
towns, and village owe as much more, making a total of about six
thousand million dollars. All this is the result of folly, corruption,
and wickedness of men in authority. I do advise my brethren to avoid
getting into debt. "Well," say you, "how are we going to do it?" A few
years ago, during the war, while money was plentiful and almost
everybody had greenbacks, the President devised a plan. Said he—"You
bishops, go to work and sow rye, and set our sisters and their
children to work to make straw hats and bonnets and ornaments for the
whole Territory." What does a nice straw cost now? I have bought so
few of such things that I am not very well posted as to the prices,
but I suppose five or six dollars. What would have been the result if
this counsel had been faithfully kept for the last few years?  The
result would have been a saving of two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars that have been paid out of the Territory for straw hats and
bonnets and trimmings. "But," say some, "if we had not bought these
tilings we should not have been in the fashion." Why bless you,
sisters, in my young days, in northern New York, I wore hats made in
the neighbourhood of lambs' wool. Why not produce them here? Why not,
manufacture and wear the beaver and other furs collected in our
mountains rather than send them to the States to be manufactured, and
brought back to be sold to us at exorbitant profits. If ninety-nine
out of every hundred of you present were wearing these home made
articles at this Conference, she who was not wearing one would have
been the only one out of the fashion. Why she would be as odd as
Dick's hat band, which was said to go half way round and tuck under.
And if the brethren had all worn home made hats, the man wearing any
other kind would have been an oddfellow among us.  Why not make our
own fashions, and keep the money in our pockets to do good with? It is
a very simple matter to do, and the hats we can manufacture here are
just as pretty and just as comfortable as the imported articles, most
of which are made abroad out of materials that can be raised in
abundance here! When any of the brethren start in the hat business
here we cannot wear them, they are too heavy; we must buy hats that
will not last more than a month. Why not go to work and manufacture
our own, and have them suitable for either winter or summer? Why not
plant the mulberry? President Young imported the seed, and he has on
hand a half million of trees for sale. the silkworms are here, and our
sisters and children have nimble fingers to handle them, and this is
naturally as good a silk producing country as Italy or France. There
is nothing on the face of the earth to hinder us, as a people, from
making our own ribbons, silk handkerchiefs, and dresses; and it is
believed, by those who are acquainted with the business, that we can
actually produce silk here at a lower figure than other material for
clothing, taking into account the time it will last.

Vol. 12,  p.143
I advise all the brethren to cultivate the mulberry, and raise silk,
as well as flax and wool, and let us extend our efforts to the cotton
region. There is no mission more important to the welfare and
development of Israel than a mission to the cotton [p.144] region. We
have entered into the Church to build up the kingdom of God, and to
labor where the master builder says we can labor to the best
advantage. In that region we have a climate and a little land suitable
for the production of cotton. What could we have done without what has
been already raised there? When cotton rose to a dollar and a half a
pound in the States, and it would actually pay to raise it in Santa
Clara and send it to San Francisco and St. Louis for sale, what could
we have done here but for our home grown article? Look at the
thousands of pounds that have been grown and manufactured in this
Territory. Where could we have got our clothing without the efforts
that have been made in this direction by our brethren in Dixie? God
bless them for their exertions. Every man who has done what has been
required of him on the southern mission is entitled to the eternal
gratitude of the Saints and will have the blessing of the Almighty.

Vol. 12,  p.144
In relation to the Word of Wisdom, I wish to impress upon the minds of
the brethren the fact referred to by President Young yesterday—that it
is perpetual.

Vol. 12,  p.144
When I was in the States I had a conversation with a professor of some
pretensions to learning, who declared that, if we carried out the
institutions we had commenced here in the mountains, including the
Word of Wisdom and our system of marriage, in about seventy years we
should produce a race of men who would be able to walk the rest of the
human race under foot. This is just what we expect. Do not let us be
negligent or careless on these subjects, but, pay strict attention and
be diligent. And let us inaugurate a system of fashions of our own. I
do not care about the shape of our hats and bonnets so long as they
are of our own manufacture. I would just as soon a man should wear a
bellows hat or a stove pipe as anything else, if it please him; but I
say, encourage home manufactures instead of paying ten dollars for a
hat made in Paris, or in the United States, with the word "Paris" put
in the inside. I do not care whether the ladies wear a bunch of
flowers, a cabbage leaf, a squash, or a scoop, or a saucer on their
heads, if it pleases them; but let it be made at home. I would
recommend the brethren and sisters to establish societies for the
promotion of home manufactures. With the money that has been spent and
sent off for hats, bonnets, and trimmings since the President
counselled the Bishops to raise rye to manufacture them, we could have
built woollen and cotten factories in nearly every country in the
Territory, with which we could have manufactured our own clothing,
besides establishing other branches of business. These things are a
great part of our holy religion. I tell you that the judgments of the
Almighty are coming upon the earth, and the Saints will barely escape.
God has gathered us here to these mountains to prepare for the storm.
We were told in a revelation, given more than thirty years ago, to let
the beauty of our garments be the workmanship of our own hands, and a
great many have tried to carry it out. The old fashioned spinning
wheel, hand loom, and cards have been brought into requisition; but
the majority prefer to buy everything that is imported. Our young men
are afraid to get married because they cannot afford to buy all these
trimmings. Say they—:"We cannot do it, it is impossible with our
limited means." Young men, when you get married take wives who will be
a help to you. You do not want [p.145] women who can only waste your
means. Choose women who can spin, card, and make a mattress or
comforter, if necessary, and, if she cannot do it, let her be willing
to learn, and be zealous to make herself useful, for the woman who is
really ornamental in society is the one who is useful as well. You go
to New England, that is where a great many of us came from, regular
old down east Yankeedom, and you will find many of the farms occupied
by our grandfathers owned by Irishmen, and the girls who descended
from that old Puritanic stock are above work now-a-days, and Irish
girls are hired to do it. While the American ladies are living on the
proceeds of their fathers' estates, and making a great display in
following the fashions—they deem it not fashionable to work or even to
have children—the boys are marrying Irish girls. If asked why they do
this, they will say they are compelled to do it, for they cannot
afford to marry a woman and hire another to wait upon her. Our girls
ought to adopt a different policy. Every man and woman in the world
ought to be useful. No man is too rich to labor. All men and women,
according to their health, strength, and ability, ought to labor to
sustain themselves, and for the welfare of the community. "The idler
shall not eat the bread of the laborer." This is the law of Heaven. In
connection with labor we should also take into consideration our
manner of living. It is really probable that in many houses in this
Territory fall one-third of the provisions brought in for the support
of the family is wasted, and what is cooked is not as palatable and
healthful as it might be. Every female should study and become
acquainted with the best modes of cooking, and introduce it into their
families and wards. A great many of our sisters have come from
districts of country in Europe where they have had to work in
factories, and to follow other branches of business, and consequently
have had but little opportunity to learn cookery and other household
work; but I have known many of them, after arriving here, become very
proficient housekeepers, and all may if they will try.

Vol. 12,  p.145
I feel to impress these sentiments on your minds that we may become a
practical people, and learn to provide within ourselves the
necessaries of life, that in all things we may be pleasing to the
Lord. Let us live in accordance with the laws of life, avoiding
excess, all vulgarity and unnecessary levity, and endeavor to conduct
ourselves wisely, properly, and genteely, and use our influence to
promote that class of manners that will command respect everywhere. We
shall thus lay the foundation of a great, polished, and highly
civilized people, setting an example worthy of imitation in all things
to all nations.

Vol. 12,  p.146
May God bless us, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.[p.146] 

Lorenzo Snow, October 9, 1867

Necessity of Performing the Duties Required of Us 
and not Those Required of Others—All Should 
Become More Spiritually Minded

REMARKS by Elder Lorenzo Snow, delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, October 9th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.146
Knowing our religion to be true, we ought to be the most devoted
people on the face of the earth to the cause we have embraced. Knowing
as we do, or should know, that the gospel we have received promises
all our hearts can wish or desire, if we are faithful, we ought to be
very faithful, devoted, energetic, and ambitious in carrying out the
designs and wishes of the Lord, as He reveals them from time to time
through His servants. We ought not to be lukewarm or negligent in
attending to our duties, but with all our might, strength and souls we
should try to understand the spirit of our calling and nature of the
work in which we are engaged. When Jesus was upon the earth he
commanded his disciples to go forth and preach the gospel without
purse or scrip, taking no thought beforehand as to what they should
eat or drink, or wherewithal they should be clothed, but simply go
forth and to testify of those things which had been revealed to them.
In doing this they secured to themselves the blessings of the
Almighty, and success attended all their exertions. They were bound to
succeed; no power could cross their path and prevent them reaping the
most sanguine success, because they went forth in the strength of the
Almighty to perform His will, and it was His business to sustain and
support them and to furnish them all the means of success. Through
obedience to the commands of the Lord they secured to themselves the
blessings of life with the privilege of coming forth in the morning of
the first resurrection, and they had the assurance that in their
labors no power on earth could successfully oppose them.  These were
the kind of prospects I should have liked had I been in their
position, or in any other position, for to the thoughtful mind the
idea of ultimate success in any pursuit is very pleasing. Now, had the
Apostles, instead of doing as they were commanded, imagined that by
doing something else they could have answered the same purpose, they
would not have succeeded so well in their operations, neither would
they have possessed that assurance of success which, under all the
trials and persecutions to which they were exposed, was, doubtless, to
them a source of constant pleasure and satisfaction.

Vol. 12,  p.146
Quite a number of young men have been called to go to the southern
portion of our Territory for the purpose of developing the resources
thereof and building up Zion. Now, should they imagine that they could
be as successful by taking upon themselves a mission similar to that
given by Jesus to his disciples, they would find themselves very much
mistaken. Had the Apostles or Seventies in the days of Jesus imagined
that they could have fulfilled the missions [p.147] given them by
building an ark as Noah did, or building granaries and storing grain
as Joseph did, they would have been grandly mistaken.

Vol. 12,  p.147
Joseph, in the land of Egypt, was called upon to perform a certain
class of duties, which were made incumbent upon him. He was not called
to preach the gospel without purse or scrip, but to build granaries,
and to use all his influence with the king, nobles, and people of
Egypt to store their grain against a day of famine. I have often
thought, in reflecting upon this subject, how little proof they had of
the importance of doing what Joseph required of them, when compared
with the abundance of proof we possess in relation to the importance
of the duties required of us. There was Pharoah—a Gentile, making no
profession of religion—had a dream which none could interpret save
Joseph, a stranger in the land, whom no one knew, who had been bought
for money, and who was taken from prison into the presence of the
king. No doubt the nobles and the people who heard of the
interpretation of the dream believed that Joseph made that for his own
benefit, glory, and exaltation, and that the king might think well of
him; and when they saw him riding round in pomp and splendor, trying
to establish granaries all through the country, they, no doubt,
thought he was an imposter, and placed no credence in his predictions.
In fact, I think I could hardly have believed it myself had I lived in
those days. Many of the people placed such little faith in his words
that, failing to lay up their food, when the famine overtook them, to
save themselves from starvation they had to sell themselves for slaves
to the King. Now, supposing that Joseph had gone to work and built an
ark, he would not have been accepted of the Lord, neither could he
have saved the people of Egypt nor his father's house. When Noah was
commanded to build an ark, supposing he had established granaries, he
and his house could not have been saved. So in regard to ourselves,
when duties are required at our hands, whether it is to go to the
southern part of our Territory, to Europe, to contribute to the
Perpetual Emigration Fund, or to build temples, or whatever we may be
required to do within the pale of the kingdom of the Almighty, we have
to walk in the spirit of these requiremens, and perform them, if we
would gain power and influence with our God.

Vol. 12,  p.147
I am pleased, indeed, to see the prosperity of Zion. I feel a spirit
of solemnity upon me while standing here gazing upon this multitude of
Saints. Seeing the difficulties through which we have passed, our
present prosperity is astonishing to ourselves and equally so to the
world. I feel to thank God for the prosperity of Zion as it presents
itself at this time. And when we contemplate our individual position,
and see the blessings God has conferred upon us in gathering us from
the nations of the earth to the valleys of the mountains, where we are
under the guidance of the Priesthood, we should be a contented,
joyous, and happy people.

Vol. 12,  p.147
I feel to say a word or two in reference to education. There are very
few people who have arrived at the age of fifty and upwards who feel
like studying mathematics; they do not feel like attending school and
applying their minds to the acquisition of the sciences, but there is
a kind of education worthy the best attention of all, and in which all
ought to engage—that is the education of the Spirit. As we advance in
life we one and all ought to be less passionate, more spiritually
minded. The men [p.148] ought to be more fatherly at home, possessing
finer feelings in reference to their wives and children, neighbors and
friends, more kindly and godlike. When I go into a family I do admire
to see the head of that family administering to it as a man of God,
kind and gentle, filled with the Holy Ghost and with the wisdom and
understanding of Heaven. Men and women can increase their spiritual
knowledge; they can grow better as years multiply upon them. It was
so, in a measure, with the old prophets. When they stood on the verge
of the grave, ready to give up the ghost and to pass from this life to
another, they were full of the power of the Almighty, and could lay
their hands on the heads of their children and tell them what would
befall them down to the latest ages. The High Priests and Elders of
Israel should cultivate this spirit, and live continually that they
can have the revelations of the Almighty to guide them, that they may
grow wiser and better as age advances.

Vol. 12,  p.148
Nothing can be more foolish than the idea of a man laying off his
religion like a cloak or garment. There is no such thing as a man
laying off his religion unless he lays off himself. Our religion
should be incorporated within ourselves, a part of our being that
cannot be laid off. If there can be such a thing as a man laying off
his religion, the moment he does so he gets on to ground he knows
nothing about, he gives himself over to the powers of darkness; he is
not on his own ground; he has no business there. The idea of Elders in
Israel swearing, lying, and giving way to intoxication is far beneath
them; they ought to be above such things. Let us put from as every
evil, and live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Let
us lay hold of every duty assigned to us with ambition and energy,
that we may have the spirit of our God, the light of truth, and the
revelations of Jesus Christ within us continually. God bless the
Latter-day Saints. God bless the President, the Priesthood, and all
Israel, and may we be successful m winning our way onward in the path
of eternal truth and glory; and that, as we advance in life, we may
not only have the privilege of gazing upon this beautiful scenery
within these walls, but of meeting together in a temple built by the
power of the Almighty and the united efforts of His Saints; of
building the Center Stake of Zion; and above all, when we have
finished our course on the earth, that we may have the privilege of
coming forth in the morning of the first resurrection with our bodies
glorified and singng the new song. Amen.[p.149] 

George A. Smith, December 29, 1867

Proneness of Mankind to go Astray

REMARKS by Elder George A. Smith, delivered in the Old 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, December 29th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans] 

Vol. 12,  p.149
In the dealings of God with the children of men, in almost every age
of which we have any account, we find that a certain weakness of the
human heart has ever manifested it-self—that is, its proneness to
stray from the Lord. On almost every occasion when the children of
Israel began to get prosperous and wealthy, they forgot their duty and
strayed kern the Lord. After Joshua had led them across the Jordan,
subdued their enemies, and placed them in possession of Canaan, he
called the people together en masse, and exacted of them a covenant
that they would serve the Lord, who bad brought them out of Egypt and
had wrought so many miracles in their favor; and it is recorded of
that generation that they served the Lord all the days of Joshua and
all the days of the Elders who outlived Joshua. This is about us long
a time as Israel ever did abide by the law of the Lord. In reading the
Book of Mormon this same trait of character is very noticeable in the
history of the Nephites and Jaredites. When the Elders were stirred up
to preach and prophecy to the people, or when, through the scourging
of the Almighty, they were brought to repentance and to the knowledge
of their fathers, it would be but an incredibly short time—a few years
of peace and industry with their attendant blessings—before they would
again go astray from God, follow new doctrines and forms of worship
designed by men, and wickedness would soon again overspread the land.
This was repeated time and again by the Nephites from the time they
separated from the Lamanites until their final destruction. It is
remarkable, however, in the history given in the Book of Mormon, that
after the mission of the Savior to this continent, and the reception
of the gospel by the whole of the Lamanites and Nephites. that for
several generations they remained faithful to its precepts and
principles, and walked before the the Lord with such a degree of
humility and thanksgiving that they were prospered and blessed in all
things. This is the longest period of peace, and the most like a
millennium that we have any account of in any of our records where
time is given to us. It is true that Enoch and his followers were more
faithful than this, for it is said that he walked with God three
hundred and sixty-five years; but, as we have no detailed account of
the transactions in his cities, or of the regulations in Zion under
his direction, we are not prepared to use the short. account we have
of him and his people by way of comparison.

Vol. 12,  p.149
All these lessons taught in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and by our
own experience are to warn us of the danger of going astray, and to
show us how prone we are to lust after the leeks and onions of Egypt
[p.150] or to sacrifice principle to gain some temporary advantage or
to answer some mercenary purpose; and they should be so firmly fixed
upon our minds, and so applied in our lives, that nothing could induce
us to do so, for however great the seeming advantage resulting from
such a course, it would in the end prove a serious disadvantage, for
in following it we sacrifice our integrity, violate our faith, weaken
our confidence in God and our power with him, and lay ourselves liable
to fall into snares from which it is impossible for us to extricate
ourselves.

Vol. 12,  p.150
As I have already said, when I first read the Book of Mormon, this
trait of character astonished me, and I have been equally astonished
at seeing it manifested by this people during the thirty-seven years I
have been conversant with their history. In relation to the Word of
Wisdom, see what a variety of opinions and feelings have arisen
amongst us. It is now about thirty-six years since that was given by
the Lord to His people, not by commandment or constraint, but a
principle with promise, and yet to-day many of us find it difficult to
leave off our tea or to do without our tobacco. Had we, as a people,
pursued an even, straightforward course in obedience to the counsels
of the Almighty, many of us who to-day are in bondage to these and
other pernicious practices would never have indulged in them.

Vol. 12,  p.150
I moved into Kirtland with five families. the question immediately
arose—"Where shall we settle?" Why, right here in Kirtland; the Lord
designs to make this a stronghold for a few years, and here we are to
settle, which was the counsel of the Prophet.

Vol. 12,  p.150
The very first thing that occurred after this advice was that two out
of the five came to the conclusion that they had better go to the
neighbouring town, because they thought they could gain some temporary
advantage. To Chagrin they went, in opposition to the advice of the
Prophet, and in a few weeks they were in darkness, and not long after
they were numbered with the enemies of Zion, and were soon using all
their power for the destruction of the Saints. He that gathereth not
with us scattereth abroad. Joseph, the Prophet, told us to go to work
and build up the cities of Zion, and not to build up strange cities.
Kirtland, of course, contained but few Saints, and they were poor, and
many of the brethren who were mechanics would go to Cleveland,
Painsville, and other places, while the residue were willing to take
the advice of the Prophet and stay in Kirtland and get what work they
could among the brethren, and make improvements, and at the end of the
year it invariably turned out that those who had obeyed counsel had
made the most means, and what was more, they had the best spirit, and,
as a general thing, they are still in the midst of the Saints; while
those who went abroad, contrary to the counsels and instructions of
the servants of the Lord, became darkened in their minds, and
eventually apostatized. The fact is, in relation to this, that we are
to seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness, and to use all
our efforts to sustain His Kingdom and each other, and to sustain and
uphold those who uphold the Kingdom of God, and when we neglect to do
this, and suffer temporary interests to drag us to the right or to the
tell, we lay a foundation for darkness and destruction. However many
objections we may feel to abiding the counsels and instructions which
are given to the Saints, we will find, under all circumstances, that
they are invariably for [p.151] the best, and that, when they have not
been observed, the result was unfavorable. It seems to me that most of
us can look back the last four or five years and see the course that
has been pursued by some in their eagerness and determination to
disobey counsel. By these lessons and examples in the school of
experience we ought to make ourselves acquainted with the principles
of progress, and profit by them. If we will do so God will strengthen
our hands and enlighten our minds, and enable us to pull unitedly
together; and, when we are united as a solid mass, all the powers of
earth cannot prevail against us.

Vol. 12,  p.151
Our weakness consists in division among ourselves, in not living up to
our calling, in not abiding by the counsels which the Lord inspires
His servants to impart unto us, and not abiding by the covenants which
we make when we lift up our hands to Heaven and vote to sustain our
President, or Prophet, as a seer and revelator unto us. This failure
on our part weakens both his hands and ours. Brother Woolley said this
morning—"We are progressing," and there is no doubt we are, but it is
slowly.

Vol. 12,  p.151
May the Lord bless us, unite our hearts, and quicken our progress, is
my prayer, in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Brigham Young, January 12, 1868

Liberty of the Saints—Why They Are Gathered—
Object of the "Word of Wisdom"

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, delivered in the Old 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, January 12th, 1868.

[Reported By G. D. Watt]

Vol. 12,  p.151
I feel happy for the privilege of again speaking to the Latter-day
Saints in this city; and I am also happy for the privilege of being a
member of this Church. In this I am exceedingly blessed, and I can say
of a truth, that ms soul drinketh of that "river, the streams whereof
shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of
the Most High." I am full of peace by day and by night—in the morning,
at noon, and in the evening, and from the evening until the morning. I
am extremely happy for the privilege of living with those who are
seeking to do the will of God. We are gathered together in the tops of
these mountains for the express purpose of building up Zion, the Zion
of the last days, the glory of which was seen by the prophets of the
Almighty from the days of old. "And they' shall nail thee," says
Isaiah, "the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel."
"The Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy
glory." We are removed fag away from those who bore rule over us and
oppressed us,[p.152] and who deprived the Saints of their
constitutional rights. The Lord has led His people to a land where
they can enjoy as much liberty as they are disposed to live for. There
is no oppression here; there is no people on earth who have as few
encumbrances upon their spiritual and temporal rights as the
Latter-day Saints in these mountains. We have all liberty, yet we are
not at liberty to do wrong in this community, and have it sanctioned,
although many do wrong, which wrongs are in many cases overlooked and
forgiven.

Vol. 12,  p.152
The law of liberty is the law of right in every particular—that is, if
we understand it to mean the privilege of doing anything and
everything to promote the peace, happiness, and well-belng of mankind,
whether in a national, State, Territorial, county, city, neighborhood,
or family capacity, with a view to prepare them for the coming of the
Son of Man, and to have a place in the presence of their Father and
God. Shall we say that we enjoy this law of liberty to the fullest
extent? We do, in fact, and no power can deprive us of it. We have a
good and wholesome government, when it is administered in
righteousness and equity, and its laws scrupulously obeyed; and it
guarentees to all their political, religious, and social rights. We
have the privilege of worshipping God according to the dictates of our
own consciences, and according to the revelations of the Lord Jesus
Christ. It is true our consciences are formed more or less by
circumstances and by the effects of early teachings, until we enter
upon the stage of action for ourselves. Parental influences upon the
growing organization of the unborn infant have much to to in giving
character in conscience, But we always have the privilege of answering
a good conscience. We have the privilege of praying as many times a
day as we please; we have the privilege of praying from morning until
evening and from evening until morning without anyone to molest us. We
have the privilege to meet in a congregational capacity in our great
public meeting-houses, or in our ward meeting-houses, to attend to our
sacraments and fasts, and there to tarry, when we are thus assembled,
as long as we please without any restrictions whatever.

Vol. 12,  p.152
There are circumstances in which it would be right to restrict a
person even in prayer and worship. For instance, if a man should hire
another to work for him so many hours a day, for which he agrees to
pay him so much, the employed is thereby bound by the conditions of
the agreement to work the number of hours stipulated, that he may
justly collect his pay, for be is not paid for praying, nor for
holding religious meetings and religious conversations with his
fellow-workmen. If this may be called a restriction upon the free
exercise of religion, it is a just one, for the restriction itself
becomes a religious duty in order that mistaken notions of religious
freedom may be corrected. In such a case we would not say that a
person is in the least degree abridged in the free exercise of his
religious privileges, but rather, by keeping him to a faithtful
observance of his agreement, he is made to exemplify one of the
foremost principles of true religion—namely, honesty. If a man has
sufficient to supply his wants, and the wants of those who depend upon
him, and can, without infringing upon the rights of others, afford to
pray all the day long and then all the night long, he is free to do
so.

Vol. 12,  p.153
A great many instances might here be introduced to illustrate wherein
[p.153] men should not be permitted to do as they please in all
things; for there are rules regulating all good societies and the
business intercourse of men with each other, which are just and
righteous in themselves, the violation of which cannot be countenanced
either by civil or religious usages. It is not the privilege of any
man to waste the time of his employer under any pretence whatever, and
the cause of religion, good government, and humanity is not in the
least degree advanced by the practice, but the contrary is really the
case. Men should be abridged in doing wrong; they should not be free
to sin against God or against man without suffering such penalties as
their sins deserve.

Vol. 12,  p.153
I have looked upon the community of the Latter-day Saints in vision
and beheld them organized as one great family of heaven, each person
performing his several duties in his line of industry, working for the
good of the whole more than for individual aggrandizement; and in this
I have beheld the most beautiful order that the mind of man can
contemplate, and the grandest results for the upbuilding of the
kingdom of God and the spread of righteousness upon the earth. Will
this people ever come to this order of things? Are they now prepared
to live according to that patriarchal order that will be organized
among the true and faithful before God receives His own? We all
concede the point that when this mortality falls off; and with it its
cares, anxieties, love of self, love of wealth, and love of power, and
all the conflicting interests which pertain to this flesh, that then,
when our spirits have returned to God who gave them, we will be
subject to every requirement that lie may make of us, that we shall
then live together as one great family; our interest will be a
general, a comment interest. Why can we not so live in this world?
This people have been gathered together for a further purpose than to
prepare them to be one in the faith of the doctrine of Christ, to be
one in the proclamation of the Gospel in all the world; to be one in
our obedience to the ordinances of the house of God. All this we could
have done in the different countries from whence we have been gathered
out. We could have lived and died there, as many have, in faithfulness
to the spiritual requirements of our religion, if the Lord had not had
in view a great spiritual and temporal purpose in gathering His people
from the four winds. The order of God among men is not complete
without a gathering. Hence Jesus says—"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou
that killest the prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee,
how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen
gathereth her chickens. under her wings, and ye would not." And
because they would not be gathered and avail themselves of the great
blessings consequent upon it, their house was left unto them desolate,
etc.

Vol. 12,  p.153
We are gathered together expressly to build up the kingdom of God. We
are not gathered together to build up the kingdom of this world. The
voice of God has not called us together from the uttermost parts of
the earth to build up and enrich those who are diametrically opposed
to His kingdom and its interests. No, but we are gathered together
expressly to become of one heart and of one hind in all our operations
and endeavors to establish Christ's spiritual and temporal kingdom
upon the earth, to prepare for the coming of he Son of Man in power
and great glory.

Vol. 12,  p.154
When the everlasting gospel is preached by the power of the Holy
[p.154] Ghost, the minds of those who are honest and worthy of the
truth are opened, and they see the beauty of Zion and the excellence
of the knowledge of God which is poured out upon the faithful. Such
men and women have seen in the revelations of the Spirit that God
would gather His people even before the gathering was taught to them
by the servants of God; and they understood the great object of the
gathering, they saw that the people of the Lord could not be
sanctified while they remained scattered abroad among the nations of
the Gentiles. When the people first receive the Spirit you may ask
what you will of them, and they will yield it in a moment; their
submission to God and the counsels of His servants is almost complete.
They are ready to give their substance, their houses and lands, they
are ready to leave all and follow Christ; they are ready to leave
their good, comfortable, happy homes, their fathers and their mothers,
and their friends; and some have left their companions and their
children for the gospel's sake, and all this because of the vision of
eternity which has been opened to their minds so that they beheld the
beauty of Zion, and they sacrifice all to gather to the home of the
Saints.

Vol. 12,  p.154
We have been assembled together from among all nations to be corrected
in our lives and manners, and for purification before the Lord. We
have come up to these mountains through trials and tribulations and
perplexities, and what do we see when we come here? The fatigues of
the journey have proved and tried the souls of many, so that they have
faltered in their faith; the light of the Spirit within them has
become darkened and the understanding benighted. They look for
perfection in their brethren and sisters, forgetting that in the
vision of the Spirit they saw Zion in her perfection and beauty, and
that this state must be obtained by passing through a strict school of
experience. When they arrive here they find the people like
themselves, subject to many weaknesses of the flesh, and some giving
way to them every day. The great majority of the people are apt to
lose the Spirit they at first possessed through the cares of the world
and the many afflictions they pass through in gathering together from
the distant nations of the Gentiles, and through looking for
perfections in others which they do not find and which they themselves
do not possess. Notwithstanding this there exists no other community
so dissimilar in their education and training, and yet so agreed in
theological and civil polity as we are.

Vol. 12,  p.154
What does the Lord want of us up here in the tops of these mountains?
He wishes us to build up Zion. What are the people doing? They are
merchandizing, trafficing and trading. I wish to view them as they are
and where they are. Here is a merchant—"How much have you made this
year, 1867?" "I have made sixty thousand dollars." "Where did you get
it? Did the merchants in the east or the west give it to you?" "No."
"Who did give it to you?" I answer that this poor people, the
Latter-day Saints, who have gathered together in their penury, have
put this means into the hands of the merchant. He has got it from a
people, a great number of whom have been helped here by the means of
others; and when they get a dime, a dollar, ten dollars, they carry it
at once to the merchant for ribbons, artificials, etc., making him
immensely rich. We all have our pursuits, our different ways of
supplying ourselves with the common necessaries of life and also its
luxuries. [p.155] This is right, and the possession of earthly wealth
is right, if we follow our varied pursuits, and amass the wealth of
this life for the purpose of advancing righteousness and building up
the kingdom of God on earth. But how easy it is to wander from the
path of righteousness. We toil days and months to attain a certain
degree of perfection, a certain victory over a failing or weakness,
and in an unguarded moment, slide back again to our former state. How
quickly. we become darkened in our minds when we neglect our duties to
God and each other, and forget the great objects of our lives.

Vol. 12,  p.155
The purpose of the Lord is to get the Saints together, and then preach
to them the doctrines of the kingdom of God by the voices of His
servants, and it is the duty and the privilege of all His people to
conform to them in their lives, in all their daily pursuits, until
they became one in all things, in every day's operations in life, for
the obtaining of our bread and meat and clothing of every description,
being one in the exercise of our ability in gathering together the
various comforts of life around us, sustaining ourselves and the
household of faith, and still being kind to the stranger. The Lord has
not called us here to make our enemies rich by giving to them our
substance for considerable less than it has cost us to produce it,
from the elements They would use that means for our destruction. This
course is against the mind of the Holy Spirit, against the mind of the
angels who watch over us, against the commandments of the Almighty,
against the mind of every faithful and true Latter-day Saint, and
against the cause of God and truth. As Elder Orson Hyde has said, I
would that all the inhabitants of the earth would repent of their evil
ways and become righteous, and then work the works of righteousness
all their days.

Vol. 12,  p.155
As Latter-day Saints it is our business, morning, noon, and night, all
the day long, all the week long, all the month long, all the year
long, and all our life long, to sustain those who sustain the kingdom
of God. Does not the religion which we have embraced incorporate
everything which is in heaven and earth and under the earth? Yes, if
there is a truth among the ungodly and wicked it belongs to us, and if
there is a truth in hell it is ours. Everything that will produce deed
to the people is within our religion. With our religion we have
embraced all good, but we have not engaged to sustain the powers of
Satan and the kingdoms of this world. We have left them and engaged to
sustain the good—the wine and the oil—until we become one, and act as
with one voice in maintaining every temporal and spiritual interest of
the political kingdom of our God on earth, whose officers shall be
peace and whose exacters shall be righteousness. Our judges will be of
our own selection, who will deal out justice and right. ousness to the
people. We are looking forward to this state of things. We expect to
see the day when there will be none in our midst but those who are for
God and truth and who are valiant for His kingdom on earth. As the
Prophet has said—"Thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall
inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my
hands, that I may be glorified." We are longing for this state of
things, then why not begin to work for it to-day? Why not commence the
work to day by ceasing to do evil, by ceasing to give strength to the
hand which would pierce us through with many sorrows? Why not begin
to-day by sustaining those [p.156] who will sustain the kingdom of
God? This is my text for the Latter-day Saints, and I wish it to be
constantly held before them until they exemplify it in their lives, by
becoming of one heart and of one mind in all things in righteousness
and holiness before the Lord.

Vol. 12,  p.156
To observe the Word of Wisdom is nothing more than we ought to have
done over thirty years ago. Touching this matter, I tell the people
the will of God concerning them, and then they are left to do as they
please in obeying it or not. It is a piece of good counsel which the
Lord desires His people to observe, that they may live on the earth
until the measure of their creation is full· This is the object the
Lord had in view in giving that Word of Wisdom· To those who observe
it He will give great wisdom and understanding, increasing their
health, giving strength and endurance to the faculties of their bodies
and minds until they shall be fell of years upon the earth. This will
be their blessing if they will observe His word with a good and
willing heart and in faithfulness before the Lord.

Vol. 12,  p.156
I am talking to the bishops continually almost, giving them
instruction and advice, but it is hard for them to get the people to
be graded by them. Now, for example, we will take the least ward in
the city, and suppose the people all consent to be guided and
controlled by the word el the Lord in all tilings, to be faithful in
their labor and in the discharge of every duty, being economical,
prudent, and industrious in all their labors, taking care of
everything, abstaining from the use of spirituous liquor, tea, coffee,
and tobacco, etc., also to let doctors alone, and faithfully abide the
word of the Lord relating to the sick, manufacturing what they need to
wear, and raising what they need for food; saving their dollars as
they happen to get them by the sale of some of their products,
sustaining themselves in all things, wanting only what they can
produce in the country from the elements and the labor of their
hands—suppose, I say, they were to take this course, three years would
not pass away before the people of that ward would be able to produce
everything they need in life. Thus, by a union of purpose and a
concentration of action, that little ward would soon be able to buy
out their nelghboring wards, who would persist in pursuing the
opposite course; and perhaps fifteen years would not pass away before
this prudent ward would be able to buy out and own this whole city, if
they continued to do as they were desired to do, and the rest of the
wards pursued their own way. I pray my brethren the Bishops, the
Elders, the Seventies, the Apostles, yea, every man and woman and
child who has named the name of Christ to be of one heart and of one
mind, for if we do not become of one heart and mind we shall surely
perish by the way.

Vol. 12,  p.156
Before I close my remarks I will again remind my brethren and sisters
that we have a duty to perform in sending for our brethren and sisters
who are in foreign lands. We wish to gather them together. As to
whether they will stick to the faith after they are gathered I know
not, neither do I care. It is better to feed nine unworthy persons
than to omit feeding one who is unworthy among the ten. So it is with
clothing the needy and sending for the poor. They must have the same
opportunities for salvation that we have, for the neglect of which
they will be held accountable in the day of judgment as we will also
be. Let us send for the poor. We are doing considerable,[p.157]
though we are not doing as much as we should do. If I could only have
power sufficient with God I think I should accomplish the desire of my
heart in this matter and that of my brethren and sisters· We do desire
to have our friends relieved from their bondage, and brought to these
valleys of the mountains to share with us the blessings we enjoy. It
would he a blessing to the poor if we could only exercise the faith
that Elijah had in the case of the widow's meal and cruse of oil, that
the little we do get for the emigration of the poor may accomplish,
under the blessing of God, much more than is natural for us to expect
from it. If we can only obtain faith to multiply the means we do get,
we may make a little reach out so far as to accomplish the desires of
our hearts.

Vol. 12,  p.157
May God bless you. Amen.

Brigham Young, February 8, 1868

School of The Prophets—Improvement of Provo City—
Litigation—Injudicious Trading

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, delivered 
at Provo, Saturday, February 8th, 1868.

[Reported By G. D. Watt]

Vol. 12,  p.157
I am happy in the privilege of meeting with you. We have come here to
lay before you matters pertaining to the building up of the kingdom of
God upon the earth. The remarks which you have just heard from Brother
George A. Smith are to the point. As far as I am acquainted with the
inhabitants of Provo I think they are as good a people as those who
dwell in Salt Lake City or in any other settlement in Utah Territory.
I think much of Provo; it is a very favored locality. We have
established a school of the prophets in Salt Lake City. It is written
in a revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith, August, 1833—"Be
hold, I say unto you, concerning the school in Zion, I, the Lord, am
well pleased that there should be a school in Zion." And when speaking
of the President of that school, it is written—"And I will bless him
with a multitude of blessings, in expounding all scriptures and
mysteries to the edification of the school and of the Church in Zion."

Vol. 12,  p.157
When the school of the prophets was inaugurated one of the first
revelations given by the Lord to His servant Joseph was the Word of
Wisdom. The members of that school were but a few at first, and the
prophet commenced to teach them in doctrine to prepare them to go out
into the world to preach the gospel unto all people, and gather the
elect from the four quarters of the earth, as the prophets anciently
have spoken. While this instruction prepared the Elders to administer
in word and doctrine, it did not supply the teachings necessary to
govern their private or temporal lives; it did not say whether they
should be merchants, [p.158] farmers, mechanics, or money changers.
The prophet began to instruct them how to live that they might be the
better prepared to perform the great work they were called to
accomplish. I think I am as well acquainted with the circumstances
which led to the giving of the Word of Wisdom as any man in the
Church, although I was not present at the time to witness them. The
first school of the prophets was held in a small room situated over
the Prophet Joseph's kitchen, in a house which belonged to Bishop
Whitney, and which was attached to his store, which store probably
might be about fifteen feet square. In the rear of this building was a
kitchen, probably ten by fourteen feet, containing rooms and pantries.
Over this kitchen was situated the room in which the Prophet received
revelations and in which he instructed his brethren. The brethren came
to that place for hundreds of miles to attend school in a little room
probably no larger than eleven by fourteen. When they assembled
together in this room after breakfast, the first they did was to light
their pipes, and, while smoking, talk about the great things of the
kingdom, and spit all over the room, and as soon as the pipe was out
of their mouths a large chew of tobacco would then be taken. Often
when the Prophet entered the room to give the school instructions he
would find himself in a cloud of tobacco smoke. This, and the
complaints of his wife at having to clean so filthy a floor, made the
Prophet think upon the matter, and he inquired of the Lord relating to
the conduct of the Elders in using tobacco, and the revelation known
as the Word of Wisdom was the result of his inquiry. You know what it
is, and can read it at your leisure.

Vol. 12,  p.158
So we see that almost the very first teachings the first Elders of
this Church received were as to what to eat, what to drink, and how to
order their natural lives, that they might be united temporally as
well as spiritually. This is the great purpose which God has in view
in sending to the world, by His servants, the gospel of life and
salvation. It will teach us how to deal, how to act in all things, and
how to live with each other to become one in the Lord. There is no
question but that the waste places of Zion will be built up, that
temples of God will be reared, and the Elders of Israel will enter
into them and perform ordinances for the redemption of their dead
friends back to Adam; but do you know the method of operation by which
this will be brought about? Do you understand the workings of this
great machinery Of salvation to accomplish the great end for which we
are looking? With all of our experience we have but a very scanty or
partial knowledge of this great work. We say that we will enter into
this business or that business to suit our own tastes and notions,
without thinking whether our proceedings will advance the kingdom of
God or not, and when strangers come into our midst we are too apt to
strengthen their hands, to destroy the very Zion which we are trying
to build up. It may be that those who do this are not aware, of the
evil which they commit in taking this course; for while we encourage
and strengthen those who are not of us, at the same time we firmly
believe that scripture of the revelator respecting the separation of
the Saints from the wicked—:"And I heard another voice from heaven,
saying: Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her
sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."

Vol. 12,  p.159
We have met in these valleys of [p.159] the mountains with an eye to
the perfection of the Latter-day Saints as individuals or as a
community, that instead of every man turning to his own way, all
should be willing to be controlled by the God of heaven. We have
established a school in Salt Lake City for the instruction of the
Elders of Israel in the doctrines which are contained in the Bible,
Book of Mormon, and Book of Doctrine and Covenants, etc., and that is
also the place where questions may be asked, and instructions given
touching all doctrines and principles that may be entertained by them.
That is also the place where correction may be given and explanations
be made upon all matters which pertain to the temporal and spiritual
lives of the Saints. It is about two months since that school was
established.

Vol. 12,  p.159
There have been petitions presented to the Legislature and much said
concerning the division of this county. While cogitating upon this
matter in our class, it came to me very forcibly to make a proposition
for a few men to go to Provo and comfort the hearts of the brethren
here, to show them the necessity of becoming one, of laying aside all
individual bickerings, of overlooking and forgiving the weakness of
one another, and of uniting our faith together to make this one of the
most beautiful and lovely cities of Zion. Why not do this, brethren? I
believe I made the motion myself before the class for President B.
Young and President H. C. Kimball to go to Provo and make homes there,
and live there a portion of the time; others were also named to do the
same. If the brethren of the city of Provo are willing for us to
dictate and guide them, and make our homes with them, we will try to
do them good, and teach them the ways of life and salvation, and show
them how to overcome the darkness so natural to the human mind, and
give them extended ideas on the building up of the kingdom of God on
the earth.

Vol. 12,  p.159
I have been informed by your presiding Bishop that this day was set
apart for the people to make nominations for their municipal election.
At the meeting for this purpose the people will have an opportunity of
expressing their views and of making their nominations. If we would
live according to the laws of God, be contented to live according to
the rules and regulations of the Holy Priesthood, we should have but
little use for probate courts, district courts, or supreme courts in
our Territory; their existence here would only be in a name and form,
for the people would live above the laws of man. We should have very
little use for anything else in the shape of Government but the
Priesthood, which is after the order of the Son of God. The Jews and
Gentiles have of late brought some of their difficulties before the
High Council in Salt Lake City for adjudication, in preference to
going before the District Court; and the High Council, I believe, has
invariably given satisfaction when such cases have been brought before
it. This is a step in the right direction—to settle all matters
without having recourse to law, which would do away with the necessity
of employing and paying lawyers, court fees, etc. If we could ever see
the time when we will live according to the laws of the Lord as given
to us, and never suffer ourselves to transgress the wholesome, just,
and righteous principles and rules which they inculcate for our
guidance, we could live within ourselves, sustain ourselves, and make
ourselves rich—rich in the knowledge of God and in the possession of
this [p.160] life. If we could learn to sustain one another and the
interests of the kingdom of God, we would advance in the wealth of
this world much faster than to sustain those who have no interest
whatever with us. I would delight much to see a people who would
actually live the principles of the Holy Gospel in every respect. But
we are careless and thoughtless; we are not ignorant of the fact that
we are continually making ourselves poorer by our unwise proceedings.
This is grievous to behold. If every man in this Church would consent
to be guided by the dictations of the Holy Priesthood in all their
business transactions, dealing honestly with one another, giving to
every man his due, instead of making a few rich and a great many poor,
we would all become rich together, and have every convenience and
appliance which is calculated to give comfort and happiness to man. We
have got now about ten thousand dollars for the gathering of the poor,
and a number of cattle of various kinds and ages, which we shall sell
as soon as possible for money. If we had the money which the people
have squandered by their injudicious trading, and by wrongly applied
labor, we should have means sufficient to gather every poor Saint in
the old world.

Vol. 12,  p.160
I can see the foolishness of the Elders of Israel in wandering here
and there with their produce to make gain, and trying to undersell
each other; they have always lost by this proceeding, whereas if they
had stayed at home they would have made money. Every man who has
property and means should live so as to obtain wisdom to know how to
use them in the best possible way to produce the greatest amount of
good for himself, for his family, and for the kingdom of God; but
instead of taking this course it does appear that the great majority
of the Elders of Israel are crazy to run here and there to get rid of
what they possess at any price. What for? Do they do this to build up
the Kingdom of God? "Have you built, a good house?" "No." "What have
you got?" "Folly, folly, weakness, and poverty." When we can get the
people to stay at home, and observe the law of God, we have the things
of God for them, and the things of the world too as soon as they are
prepared to receive them and make a good use of them. It grieves me to
see the people take such special pains to make themselves foolish and
miserable. I am speaking of the community, and it is the one man, the
one woman, and the one child multiplied that makes the great nation or
people. Let us learn wisdom and govern ourselves accordingly.

Vol. 12,  p.160
We shall hold meeting among you today and to-morrow, and I hope the
people of Provo will be benefited by our Visit, and I pray that they
will apply their hearts to understand, receive, and treasure up, and
bring forth truth to the glory of God. Amen.[p.161] 

Brigham Young, February 16, 1868

Object of The Gathering—Necessity of a Temple—Trials 
of The Saints—Sealing—Visit to Provo

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, delivered in the Old 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, February 16th, 1868.

Reported By G. D. Watt

Vol. 12,  p.161
I am thankful that I have the privilege of meeting with you; I am
thankful for the blessings of this day, and that I live in this age of
the world. The beginning of this dispensation of the fullness of times
may well be compared to the commencement of a temple, the material of
which it is to be built being still scattered, unshaped and
unpolished, in a state of nature. I am thankful that the way is being
prepared, and that we have the privilege of erecting a spiritual and
moral superstructure—a temple of God. I am happy to be a member of
this community; it is my joy, my delight to perform the little
services which God has given me ability to do for the temporal and
spiritual welfare of the children of men, for the establishment of the
kingdom of God upon the earth, and for the bringing forth of His laws.

Vol. 12,  p.161
We have been gathered to the valleys of these mountains for the
express purpose of purifying ourselves, that we may become polished
stones in the temple of God, for it is written, "Him that overcometh
will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more
out." Christ is represented as a living store, chosen of God and
precious, and the Apostle represents the Saints "as lively stones, are
built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual
sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." We "are no more
strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the Saints and of
the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of Apostles
and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone, in
whom all the building fitly framed together groweth into an holy
temple in the Lord." Then my brethren, "what agreement hath the temple
of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God
hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their
God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them,
and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing;
and I will receive you, and be a father unto you, and ye shall be my
sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." We are here for the
purpose of establishing the kingdom of God on the earth. To be
prepared for this work it has been necessary to gather us out from the
nations and countries of the world, for if we had remained in those
lands we could not have received the ordinances of the Holy Priesthood
of the Son of God, which are necessary for the perfection of the
Saints preparatory to His coming.

Vol. 12,  p.161
The great work of the gathering in the last days was plainly seen by
the ancient Prophets and Apostles, and the glory of Zion was portrayed
to them by the Spirit; but the sufferings and labors and toils and
[p.162] travels of the Saints to bring about the grand results which
they saw they have not particularly described, for very likely the
minutiae were not revealed to them; still they plainly saw by the
spirit of revelation that the Saints would be gathered in the last
days to be perfected and sanctified to become the bride, the Lamb's
wife. I suppose that the visions of the Lord and the revelation of His
Spirit given to His faithful people in former times, relating to the
Zion of the the last days, were much the same as they are when given
to His people in our days. When we first receive the Spirit of the
Gospel we receive great joy therein, great peace, and great
satisfaction to our minds; and we are carried away in the Spirit to
behold the beauties of Zion, and to contemplate the mysteries of the
kingdom of God. Our brethren and sisters far away among the nations,
when they received the gospel, and the spirit of revelation came upon
them, delighted to contemplate the gathering of the Saints, it was a
matter of joy to them to dream about it and think about it when they
would awake from their slumbers. They would reflect upon it through
the day, and talk about it in their prayer meetings, and in their
prayer circles at home, the subject of gathering to Zion was
constantly before them if they lived so as to enjoy the spirit of
their religion. This spirit caused their hearts constantly to rejoice;
it was not the journey across the sea and across the plains that gave
them joy, but it was the contemplation of Zion in its beauty and
glory, for they could not see the troubles and disappointments,
perplexities and vexations they would have to pass through in
gathering to Zion, nor did they think of the hardships they would have
to endure after they were gathered. So the ancients viewed the glory
of Zion in the last days.

Vol. 12,  p.162
We cannot now administer the further ordinances of God in the fullest
sense of the word legally unto the people, neither shall we be able to
do so until we have a temple built for that purpose. Some may consider
that I am notifying our common foe in saying this, but it is true,
notwithstanding, and our common foe knows it. We must be situated in
local circumstances wherein we can efficiently administer in those
ordinances of the house of God that cannot be administered to a people
while they are scattered abroad among the nations of the wicked. The
Apostle John no doubt saw in vision, by the spirit of revelation, Zion
in her beauty and perfection, and that Zion would have to be built up
by the gathering of God's people out of Babylon. Under the influence
of the same spirit the Psalmist exclaims—"Out of Zion, the perfection
of beauty, God hath shined." "He shall call to the heavens from above,
and to the earth, that He may judge His people. Gather my Saints
together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by
sacrifice." The High Priest Caiaphas, under the influence of the same
spirit of prophecy, foretold that Jesus should die for the flatten;
"and," as John says, "not for that nation only, but that also he
should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered
abroad." The gathering previously foretold is now being accomplished,
and wherever the children of men are, if there are individuals among
them who would delight to be disciples of the Lord Jesus, forsake sin
and sinful company and practices, they are called upon to gather out
from the wicked and assemble themselves together at some place
designated by the finger of the [p.163] Almighty. This work the Lord
commenced over thirty years ago, and it is still progressing; the call
is still to His people among the nations of the earth—Gather out of
her my people, be not partakers of her sins lest ye receive of her
plagues. When the righteous are thus gathered they will then be
prepared for the coming of the Messiah.

Vol. 12,  p.163
It was remarked by Elder Woodruff that he did not think it would be a
hundred years before the Savior will come. It is no matter about when
he will come; I do not think the Father has yet been pleased to reveal
it to any man upon the earth, and I do not known that He has revealed
it to the angels. He had not done so in the days of the Savior, and I
do not think that He has yet revealed it. Whether He comes to-day,
tomorrow, this week, next week, this year, or next year, it matters
not; we should be prepared for His coming, and this should satisfy us.
It is our duty to make a close application of the requirements of
heaven to our lives, and qualify ourselves to accomplish the work
which the Lord has committed into our hands. How can we perform this
work? Can we do it by every man turning to his own way, and by
following the vain imaginations of his own heart? No, we will all
decide at once that we never can perform this labor without being
guided and directed by the Lord himself, through, the means which it
pleases Him to use to bring about the perfecting of His people, to
prepare them for the glory which is to follow. I would not question
the truth of the statement that the people ordered their lives before
the Lord and their neighbors while they were scattered among the
nations more perfectly than they do here in many instances, for there
they had nothing to try them only the common enemy, and the finger of
scorn pointed at them by unbelievers, which made them cling closer to
their God; they had not the trials to undergo which the Saints have
here. If it is necessary for us to be tried in all things, then weep
not, mourn not because we are tried, neither let us object to the Lord
directing our course in that path wherein the trials necessary for our
perfection lie. If it is in sailing across the sea in ships, in being
sick and east down, in witnessing the sorrow of our clear friends, in
receiving temptations and trials to which we have before been
strangers; if it is in crossing flee country from the United States to
this place, by railroad or by ox team, no matter how, the Lord leads
His people in this way expressly to give them trials which they have
not passed through before, and which it is necessary they should have.
While it is necessary that we should be tempted and tried, it is not
necessary that we should give way to temptation.

Vol. 12,  p.163
The Latter-day Saints are often drawn into circumstances that are most
peculiar, and sometimes very trying, yet there exists no other people
on the earth who enjoy the privileges and the freedom that we do. Our
laws are often tramples upon with impunity, and the offender goes
free. The members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
often commit sins that if they were to commit in the world would cut
them off from the church antichrist, yet we retain them as members of
the Church of Christ in mercy, and in consideration of the weaknesses
of poor human nature, and they pass along unscathed, receiving the
fellowship of their faithful brethren and sisters with the hope that
they will reform and learn to live their religion more faithfully.

Vol. 12,  p.164
It is absolutely necessary that the [p.164] Saints should receive the
further ordinances of the house of God before this short existence
shall come to a close, that they may be prepared and fully able to
pass all the sentinels leading into the celestial kingdom and into the
presence of God. Our brethren and sisters who are scattered abroad
must be gathered to be tried, and then to be blessed with a
preparation for a glorious reward. This people will be tried more or
less while they remain in the flesh; they may even be called as
Abraham of old was to offer up that which is the most dear to them of
all earthly objects for the Gospel's. sake. Some have already forsaken
all and followed Christ; they have left their children their husbands,
their wives, their brothers and sisters and dear friends some hoping
again to see them, and many never expecting to see them again in this
life. We shall be tried in all things, and the Lord is now disposed to
try us by calling upon us to be of one heart and of one mind, to
submit to be guided and dictated, governed and controlled by Him
through the constituted authorities of His kingdom. We should not
consider this a trial above what we can bear.

Vol. 12,  p.164
Is the wife tried because her husband wishes to dictate her and give
her good and wholesome advice? Is somebody tried because his bishop
wishes to control him for his good? Your bishop is very likely doing
the best he can to advise the members of his ward for their best good.
Does he advise you to do wrong? All the members of that ward who are
frill of faith and the power of God will be of one heart and mind with
their bishop, and will go with him in all things, and while union
continues in the Lord He will cause every move they make to culminate
for the greatest good to that people and the cause of truth. If a
bishop counsels the people of his ward to swear shall they swear? No.
If he counsels them to steal shall they steal? No. If he counsels them
to lie and bear false witness shall they do these wrongs? No. If he
teaches them to break the Sabbath shall they break the Sabbath? No. If
a bishop or any other officer in this Church shall counsel the people
to violate any of the laws of God, and to sustain and build up the
kingdoms of this world, I will justify them, and the Lord will justify
them in refusing to obey that counsel. But if they counsel you to do
right, which they do, take their counsel. Instead of supporting
antichrist we have agreed to give our time, our talent, our substance,
our all, for the building up of the kingdom of God.

Vol. 12,  p.164
Do right, and you will be tried all you wish to bear, and if you
overcome, being made perfect through suffering, your reward will be
eternal life in the kingdom of God. Do wrong, and continue in doing
wrong, and you will have trials more than you can bear, and be damned
at last. When we receive chastisement let us not be discouraged, but
be more faithful, enduring temptation, hardship, and perplexity,
trusting in God, and walking in the light of His countenance day by
day and hour by hour. By pursuing this course our life will be a
cheerful and happy one even in the midst of severe trials. We have now
some little trial to endure, but not much. We are part of a great
nation; it has been one of the happiest and best nations that has ever
existed with regard to liberty, the greatness of its institutions, and
the land which it occupies. The Lord says—Let my servants and
handmaidens be sealed, and let their children be sealed. This great
and happy government under which we [p.165] have lived so long says we
shall not perform the ordinance of sealing. This may be a small trial
to us for the moment. We shall see who will conquer—whether God will
have His way in making manifest His purposes and having them
fulfilled, or whether the wicked will have their way. They have had
it, and have succeeded many times in overcoming the Saints and
destroying them to that degree, causing them to apostatize, and
putting them to death, that the Priesthood was taken from the children
of men; but this is the last dispensation, and we shall see whether
they succeed in this kind of proceeding now as they have formerly
done.

Vol. 12,  p.165
The Lord has revealed His will for His servants to take more wives
than one. Our government says that a man shall not have but one wife,
though he may have as many mistresses as he pleases; he may ruin and
destroy as many of the daughters of Eve as he pleases; but he is
forbidden to acknowledge but one as his wife. The government says you
shall only have one wife; the Lord says take unto yourselves wives;
and Saints obey the Lord, and we shall see who will come off
victorious. The ordinance of sealing must be performed here man to
man, and woman to man, and children to parents, etc., until the chain
of generation is made perfect in the sealing ordinances back to father
Adam; hence, we have been commanded to gather ourselves together, to
come out from Babylon, and sanctify ourselves, and build up the Zion
of our God, by building cities and temples, redeeming countries from
the solitude of nature, until the earth is sanctified and prepared for
the residence of God and angels.

Vol. 12,  p.165
Our enemies say we shall not do this, and here will be a trial, as it
has been for a long time past. One of the first objections that was
urged against Joseph Smith was that he was a money digger; and now the
digging of gold is considered an honorable and praiseworthy
employment. They are hunting for gold all over the country, doing the
very thing which they condemned in him. the next fault they found with
Joseph and the Saints was that they were stirring up the slaves to
rebellion against their masters; and this was published abroad. Have
they not done, and are they not now doing, the very thing for which
they falsely blamed the Saints? The next accusation was that the
Saints took more wives than one. Whether they will make one grand
sweep of it in the future, and all conclude to take more wives, I
cannot say. I wish they might; I do not, however, wish this for any
private benefit it will be to me or to God's people, but that they may
make women honorable wives whom they now destroy, and conduct
themselves more like human beings who bear the image of God than they
now do before Him. It is for their own sakes that I wish this, and for
the sake of the unfortunate females whom they outrage. I would like
you to behold your little darling sisters and daughters here throwing
themselves in the way of the Gentiles. Any Mormon brother or father
who can suffer this to go on without, reproof or advice must be
ignorant of the cousequences. The Lord says to the sons Israel, take
the daughters of Israel to wife, and make them honorable, and let them
multiply and replenish the earth, and fill up the measure of their
creation, that their names may be bad in honorable remembrance to the
latest generation on earth and in eternity. Supposing that the
Latter-day Saints had possessed the city of New York for the last
twenty years, as they have these valleys of Utah, and the young
[p.166] women of that city from sixteen years of age to twenty-one had
been in the hands of Mormon Elders as wives, how many would have now
been living and honorable mothers of a bright, intelligent, and
vigorous race of men and women, that have met an untimely grave,
husbandless, childless, friendless, disgraced, and forgotten? Under
such circumstances there would have been now living in honor,
according to moderate calculation, from two to four hundred thousand
females, whose filthy and corrupted remains are now mingling with the
dust of that sinful city.

Vol. 12,  p.166
This is a waste of life. Who will he answerable to God in the day of
judgment for such acts? The voice of the Lord is gather out from her,
my people, that ye partake not of her sins nor of her plagues, and
build temples to My name, and seal up My sons and daughters to eternal
life, to prepare them for My coming, for "the hour is not yet, but is
nigh at hand, when peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil
shall have power over his own dominion; and also the Lord shall have
power over His Saints, and shall reign in their midst, and shall come
down in judgment upon Idumea, or the world." For, behold, the days are
coming in which they shall say—"Blessed are the barren, and the wombs
that never bore, and the paps that never gave suck. Then shall they
begin to say to the mountains, fall on us, and to the hills, cover us.
For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the
dry?" Devouring flames have already taken hold of the dry tree, and
the hand of God in judgment is beginning to be felt by this nation,
and soon will be upon all nations under heaven. Who will acknowledge
the hand of God in the sufferings, travails, and deliverance of this
people from the hands of their persecutors, and His handiwork in
sustaining them in the wilderness, through sorrow, affliction,
poverty, and wretchedness? All the faithful Saints will do it; but how
few outsiders, as we call them, will stop to pray to God in the name
of Jesus to know if this work is true; they pass it by as a thing of
nought, as unworthy of their attention; they are so absorbed in the
affairs of this world that the preparation for the next scarcely
enters into their thoughts, and many of this class are honorable men.

Vol. 12,  p.166
I rejoice when I contemplate the work of the last days, and survey the
Saints in their possessions in Utah. I have but one text which I
desire to keep before them—it is to forsake their sins and become
united as one man in the purpose of all their temporal acts, that
their labors may all centre in the building up and sustaining of God's
kingdom instead of building up the kingdoms of this world.

Vol. 12,  p.166
For their consolation I will say to my brethren and sisters that we
have had a very happy time on cur short visit in the south, and I
think I never experienced greater peace, sweeter peace, than I have
done on our short visit to Provo a week ago. We left the city a week
ago last Friday, and returned again to this city on the Tuesday
following. We had a most excellent meeting at American Fork, and
everybody and everything seemed to cry peace on earth and good will to
men. When we returned home we found rumors that there had been
difficulty in Provo, and some of the brethren had been killed. Br.
Heber C. Kimball, in conversing upon this subject in the School of the
Prophets, remarked that the brethren voted that we should go to Provo
and that the angels of the Lord should [p.167] accompany us, but he
did not expect that they would all go with us and leave you without
any. There are good Saints in Provo, and they want to be better
Saints; they may have committed errors, but when you arrive at the
truth of the matter, they wish to be Saints. We are all called to be
Saints, to be filled with the purity of God, and with the power of the
Holy Spirit of the Lord Jesus—the spirit of revelation—we are called
from darkness into light, from error to truth, from the power of Satan
to the living God, we are called from the kingdoms of darkness to the
kingdom of God and light, and, by and bye, we shall be chosen because
we are worthy, and it will be said to us: "You have lived the life of
a Saint, now you are chosen to be an heir of the celestial kingdom of
our Father and God." Let us not forget, my brethren and sisters, the
gathering of the Saints for sanctification and preparation to inherit
all things. Let us live closer to our duty, that we may be sanctified
and be prepared to dwell together in the celestial kingdom, which may
God grant. Amen.

Brigham Young, March 29, 1868

How to Prepare for the Coming of the Son of Man—Saints 
Delight to Do the Will of God—Proper Direction 
of Labor and Talent—Children of the 
Saints Heirs to the Priesthood

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, March 29th, 1868.

[Reported By G. D. Watt]

Vol. 12,  p.167
I am thankful for the privilege of again meeting with the Saints in
this city, for the privilege of speaking to them, and of hearing
others speak; and, in fact, I am happy in this life, which is a very
excellent one, answering the purpose for which it has been ordained—a
state of existence wherein to prepare for a better kingdom and a
better life. We are now in a day of trial to prove ourselves worthy or
unworthy of the life which is to come. We have reason to be thankful
that the Lord has given unto us this opportunity and privilege to
receiving truth and acting upon it for our own good, the privilege of
increasing in knowledge and in wisdom, in understanding and in all
things pertaining to this life and to that which is to come. I often
think that we are dull scholars, slow to comprehend things as they
are, slow to believe, and slow to act in the right. We often act
without wisdom, and often speak without consideration, causing grief
and sorrow to our hearts. But we are here in this life to learn; we
are in a great school, and if we are diligent and faithful, and
fervent in our studies, then we have hope of being prepared to enter
into an existence wherein we shall receive more than we can receive in
this state,—where we can adopt in our lives principles of exaltation
and progression [p.168] faster than we can here. Let us apply our
minds to wisdom in this life.

Vol. 12,  p.168
The Latter-day Saints who dwell in these valleys have left their all
to gather with the Saints, and for the express purpose of preparing
for the coming of the Son of Man. When we consider this, and then
consider how we spend our time—the precious time allotted to us in
this life—to me it is a matter of astonishment. Men and women for
slight causes make spipwreck of faith, lose the spirit of the Gospel,
losing the object for which they left their homes and their friends.
We are all searching for happiness; we hope for it, we think we live
for it, it is our aim in this life. But do we live so as to enjoy the
happiness we so much desire? There is only one way for Latter-day
Saints to be happy, which is simply to live their religion, or in
other words believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ in every part, obeying
the gospel of liberty with full purpose of heart, which sets us free
indeed. If we will, as a community, obey the law of God, and comply
with the ordinances of salvation, then we may expect to find the
happiness we so much desire, but if we do not pursue this course we
cannot enjoy the unalloyed happiness which is to be found in the
Gospel. To profess to be a Saint, and not enjoy the spirit of it,
tries every fibre of the heart, and is one of the most painful
experiences that man can suffer. Let not the Latter-day Saints deceive
themselves, let them not pursue a course that will bring sorrow to
their hearts instead of joy and peace. Let them not flatter themselves
that they will receive salvation in the kingdom of God while living in
the neglect of their duties. Unless we live our religion and sanctify
ourselves by the law of God, we flatter ourselves in vain that we
shall be made instrumental in the hands of God in preparing the way
for the coming of the Son of Man, for the redemption of Zion according
to the words of the prophets, for the redemption of the earth, for the
gathering of the children of Israel to the lands of their forefathers,
for the ushering in of the fullness of the Gentiles and the reign of
universal peace. These are serious matters with me, and should be
looked upon as such by all the people.

Vol. 12,  p.168
It is true that we are weak, feeble, frail, and prone to wander from
the paths of righteousness. We are made subject to vanity, still it is
our duty to bring into subjection to the law of Christ all the powers
of our natures. If we thus subdue the wicked man that is within us,
sanctifying the Lord God in our hearts, we may then begin to enjoy the
glorious hope of joining the throng that will be gathered with the
sanctified, and of being prepared for the coming of the Son of Man,
when it will be said—"Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet
him." Now, will we deceive ourselves and be found among the foolish
virgins, with no oil in our vessels; and when the wheat and the tares
are separated, shall I be found a tare or a wheat? Let us ask
ourselves the question, am I a wheat or a tare? The proof as to
whether we are tares or wheat may be seen in our lives, as it is
written—"For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in
heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother?" Again, "not
every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord; shall enter into the kingdom
of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in
heaven." This is the proof—keep the commandments, observe the
ordinances, and preserve the institutions of Christ's Church
inviolate, doing all things that are required of us, as unto [p.169]
the Lord, sanctifying ourselves before Him, and, "By this shall all
men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." By
pursuing this course no person who is a true follower of Christ will
be left without a witness, for "if any man will do His will, he shall
know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of
myself." I am satisfied that no man can live faithfully according to
the requirements of heaven without having the testimony of the Spirit
that they are born of God; but if they do not live so they have no
such assurance, for the Lord is under no obligations to give theta the
witness of the Spirit, but if they live as He requires them He will
fulfill unto them His promise. He is held to this according to His own
word to His children that He would send unto them the spirit of
promise, even the Holy Ghost, which will show them things to come.

Vol. 12,  p.169
When I speak to the Saints I include myself. I profess to be a Saint
with the rest of my brethren and sisters, and my public and private
life is the proof whether I am truly a Saint or not. This is not all,
but the spirit which I possess and communicate to the people is
another proof, and the spirit which you possess and communicate to
your neighbours is the proof by which you are known, as it is with
myself. If we walk in obedience to the covenants which we have made
with God and one another, we have the assurance that we shall walk no
more in darkness, but in the light of life—in the light of the
countenance of our heavenly Father. Then we can bear witness that we
are born of God, and testify of Jesus as being the Son of God, the
only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth; and we then can
strengthen our brethren, and are prepared to speak the truth to a
wicked world and call upon them to repent, mad forsake their sins,
return unto the Lord, seek salvation, and make their peace with God
before it is too late.

Vol. 12,  p.169
A great many good people, who possess much of the spirit of the Lord,
are naturally given to doubting, having so little self-reliance that
they sometimes doubt whether they are Saints in truth or not. These
often doubt when they should not. So long as they are walking humbly
before God, keeping His commandments, and observing His ordinances,
feeling willing to give all for Christ, and do everything that will
promote His kingdom, they need never doubt, for the Spirit will
testify to them whether they are of God or not. There are some who are
always fearful, trembling, doubting, wavering, and at the same time
doing everything they can for the promotion of righteousness. Yet they
are in doubts whether they are doing the best, possible good, and they
fear and fail here and there, and will doubt their own experience and
the witness of the Spirit to them.

Vol. 12,  p.169
As We are now partaking of the emblems of the body and blood of the
Savior, I will refer to this ordinance of the house of God, and ask
the Latter-day Saints to call to mind their own feelings on this
subject, as a testimony regarding their faith and assurance. Do you
delight to partake of the sacrment of the Lord's supper? Would you
assemble yourselves together here, Sabbath after Sabbath, for the
express purpose of partaking of the broken bread, and of this water
that has been prepared, as a witness to God, our Father, that we have
received the Gospel of His Son, that we do delight in His words, and
in keeping His commandments and requirements, thus testifying to our
Heavenly Father, and to His Son Jesus Christ, that we are the
disciples [p.170] of Jesus? Would you leave your homes in the distant
parts of the city to bear this witness and attend a meeting to observe
this ordinance? The great majority of this people would do this
Sabbath after Sabbath, month after month, and year year, if they were
left entirely to their own choice, without the interference of bishops
and teachers, while a few would consider it not convenient to attend
meeting, because the witness of the Spirit is not in them. Again, do
we delight to call upon the Father in the name of Jesus—it is our joy
and happiness to do so? Do we believe that He will bear our prayers,
and that we shall receive benefit from our petitions to Him in the
name of Jesus? Do we rely upon Him, and are we acquainted with His
character in the least degree? Have we any knowledge of Him? Let us
answer these questions in our own minds, that we may ascertain whether
we do delight to bow down before Him to ask for the things which we
need, and seek unto Him for His Spirit to guide us, and preserve us
from all danger, that we may not wander into by and forbidden paths
and fall out by the way, but be kept constantly in the narrow path
which leads to life everlasting. Is it our pleasure to do good to our
fellow-creatures, by travelling far away from our homes and friends to
preach the gospel to a perishing world? This applies to the Elders of
Israel, and also to the mothers and daughters and sons of those
Elders. Do they delight to part with their husbands that they may go
and call upon the nations to repent of their sins? Is it a joy to them
to bear the burdens of a family in the absence of their husbands,
preserving everything they have left? Is it a pleasure for the Elders
to travel among the nations without purse or scrip, travelling from
people to people, and from neighborhood to neighborhood, submitting to
the finger of scorn and the abuse of the wicked and ungodly?

Vol. 12,  p.170
I will here say, however, that I have been treated kindly when
travelling among strangers to preach this gospel. I do not know that I
ever asked for a meal of victuals without obtaining it. Still, I have
seen enough from the experience of others to know the real feelings,
and to understand the desires of the ungodly concerning the Elders of
Israel. They do rot desire them any good.

Vol. 12,  p.170
If you can answer these questions in the affirmative, it is a
testimony to you that you delight in the things of God, that you
delight in building up His kingdom, that you delight in the Zion of
the Lord as established in latter days. The answer of every faithful
heart to these questions is—Yes, I delight in these things, and these
are so many evidences that they are of God. Do we delight to feed the
poor and clothe the naked? We do. I am happy in my reflections, it is
a source of gratification to contemplate facts as they are, and I can
say of a truth that I have done more, probably a hundred times over,
for my enemies in feeding, clothing, and lodging them, and doing them
good than they all ever did for me. Has a minister of religion ever
passed through this country and been refused the privilege of speaking
in any of our places of worship? No. Can the vilest of the vile enter
into a house belonging to a Latter-day Saint and complain of suffering
for food, and be turned away unsupplied? It is no matter whether they
are Christian, Pagan, or Jew, they can tarry over night and be made as
comfortable as the family can make them, and they can depart in peace
and safety. Can the Elders of Israel say this of the world? They
cannot.[p.171] 

Vol. 12,  p.171
Whether it is a credit to me or not, that is with the Lord, but He has
given me the ability that whenever I have wished to receive favors
from those who knew me not I have obtained them. I know it is the
custom of many Elders to say, "I am a 'Mormon' Elder; will you keep me
over night?" and he is at once spurned from the doors of the stranger.
Whether it is a credit to me or not, I never told them I was a
"Mormon" Elder until I got what I wanted. I have have thus stopped at
many a house, and had the privilege of introducing the principles of
our religion, and they have exclaimed, "Well, if this is Mormonism, my
house shall be your home as long as you stay in this neighbourhood,"
when, perhaps, if I had said, "I am a 'Mormon' Elder" at the first
they would have refused me their hospitality. I can say to the world
they used me pretty well, and I have no fault to find with them in
this respect. I have been abused sometimes by priests, but on such
occasions I have ever been ready to defend the cause of righteousness
and preach the gospel to all. The Elders of Israel have received more
kindness from the infidel portions of mankind where they have
travelled, than from those who profess Christianity.

Vol. 12,  p.171
Thousands of the Elders of Israel who are now occupying these valleys
are now willing, if called upon, to leave their families and homes to
go and preach the Gospel in all the world, and be abused, and cast out
and suffer poverty and want for the Gospel's sake. Is not this a
witness that you are right before God? It is. You are willing to feed
and clothe the needy, and send means out of your scanty supplies to
foreign lands to gather the poor Saints from those old countries; and
it is marvellous in my eyes what the people have done within a few
months back. About the 5th of February last we found that we could
only raise about from eight to nine thousand dollars to send to Europe
for the poor. Elders Hiram B. Clawson and Wm. C. Staines started for
New York on the 17th of the month. Last Conference I had faith that
the Lord would favor us and multiply means. When we came to send away
the means we had, we were able to send 25,000 dols. with the brethren.
This means was contributed in small amounts; but it is marvellous how
it came in. We have exercised faith in this matter, and now we are
able to send 25,000 dols. more, and we have not touched a bushel of
wheat era hundred of flour nor an animal that has been turned in, and
the means keep coming in, and it comes more and more, and they will
continue to give until the emigration is over. This is a witness to
the people that they are right before high Heaven in these things,
that the Elders are right in going to preach, that their wives and
mothers and daughters are right in preserving their means and property
from wasting in the absence of their natural guardians. They are right
if they delight in coming to meeting to partake of the sacrament, and
to bow down before the Lord and worship Him. They are right in feeding
the poor and in paying their tithing.

Vol. 12,  p.171
I will here say to the Latter-day Saints, if you will feed the poor
with a willing heart and ready hand neither you nor your children will
ever be found begging bread. In these things the people are right;
they are right in establishing Female Relief Societies, that the
hearts of the widow and the orphan may be made glad by the blessings
which are so abundantly and so freely poured out upon them. And,
inasmuch as we [p.172] have embraced the fullness of the Gospel with
honest hearts, the Lord has sworn by Himself that He will save us if
we will continue to be obedient to His will. It is our privilege to
seek unto Him and obtain His Spirit to witness unto us continually
regarding our labors and works, that we may always know whether we are
in the line of our duty or not.

Vol. 12,  p.172
This is the gospel; this is the plan of salvation; this is the Kingdom
of of God; this is the Zion that has been spoken and written of by all
the Prophets since the world began. This is the work of Zion which the
Lord has promised to bring forth. We are right when we pray for our
neighbors, for our brethren and friends, and for our enemies. We are
right when we are striving to become of one heart and of one mind. We
are right when we are humble before the Lord, when we are as willing
to forgive as we are to be forgiven. We are right in educating our
children, and while we strive to be educated in every useful branch of
an English education, let us also be learned in every moral and
physical attainment; let us learn how to take care of and preserve our
ourselves and friends, how to plant, how to gather, how to build up,
and how to beautify.

Vol. 12,  p.172
The Saints in these mountains are a stalwart, athletic people. They
have a great capital of bone, muscle, and sinew on hand. When this is
not employed in the establishment and maintenance of various
industries, in prudent, economical labor, the employed doing justice
to the employer, working to do good for their own benefit and the
benefit of the Kingdom of God, gathering around them in abundance the
comforts of life, the great capital which God has given to us as
individuals and as a people is wasted. This reminds me of what I said
to the people of Provo. They naturally might have expected that they
were going to be made more prosperous as a city by the money which we
should take there. I told them that we brought nothing but knowledge
to direct them in their labors and to teach them how to employ their
time. This is the greatest wealth we possess—to know how to rightly
direct our labors, spending every hour advantageously for the benefit
of our wives and children and neighbors. This is right and
commendable; it is required by Him whom we say we serve, and it is the
only true way to fill honestly the mission we have here upon earth. We
should not only learn the principles of education known to mankind,
but we should reach out further than this, learning to live so that
our minds will gather in information from the heavens and the earth
until we can incorporate in our faith and understanding all knowledge
which is useful and practicable in our present condition and that will
lead to life eternal.

Vol. 12,  p.172
Ye wise men of the world, ye men who profess to know how to guide the
destinies of great nations, ye kings and potentates, ye emperors and
rulers, who of you could take a people as poor and as ignorant in the
affairs of this world as the Latter-day Saints were when they were
scattered abroad among the nations, and gather them together, organize
them politically and religiously, and show them how to become healthy,
wealthy, and wise like this people? Statesmen and rulers can lay waste
and destroy, but who of them can build up, enrich, and save the
nation? They are not to be found. they give no evidence of possessing
the capacity, for the proof of the ability of men to rule and manage
is their [p.173] works. I told them at Provo I would teach them how to
get rich, in wasting no time, and wisely disposing of all ability
which God has given them to do good.

Vol. 12,  p.173
I have nots spoken of the wrong, and I wish never to haw an occasion
to do so, that I may never have occasion to find fault with Israel
again. It is the good I delight to dwell upon and promote and
encourage. I delight to see the inhabitants of Zion increase in good
works, in faith and faithfulness, and let sin pass behind, while they
go on valiant and strong in the service of God. If we will hearken to
counsel we shall be the best people in the world; we shall be as a
bright light set upon a hill that cannot be hid, or like a candle upon
a candlestick. We declare it to all the inhabitants of the earth from
the valleys in the tops of these mountains that we are the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—not a church but the church—and we
have the doctrine of life and salvation for all the honest-in-heart in
all the world. Who else has got it? Is it to be found in the creeds of
Christendom? It is not. We have the living oracles of the Lord
Almighty to lead us day by day. In consideration of these things we
should be exemplary in all our actions. We may do great works for the
good of the poor, we may give all our goods to feed them, and our
bodies to be burned for the work of God, yet if we trifle with the
sacred name of the Lord, and with our own salvation, it will profit us
nothing, and we shall be found wanting, with no oil in our vessels in
the great day of the Lord.

Vol. 12,  p.173
High Councillors, do you have any trials before you? "Yes." Have the
brethren complained of each other? "Yes." Are their feelings alienated
one from the other? Is there a party spirit manifested in the Council?
"Sometimes." Do the brethren go off satisfied with the decisions of
the Council? Bishops, do you have any trials? Are the feelings of the
brethren in your Wards alienated? "Yes." What should they do in such
cases? They should follow the rules laid down, and be reconciled to
their brethren forthwith. I think that it can be shown that the great
majority of difficulties between brethren, arises from
misunderstandings rather than from malice and a wicked heart, and
instead of talking the matter over with each other in a saint-like
spirit, they will contend with each other until a real fault is
created, and they have brought a sin upon themselves. "Therefore, if
thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy
brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the
altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then
come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, while
thou art in the way with him, lest at any time the adversary deliver
thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou
be cast into prison. Verily, I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means
come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing." When we
have done good ninety-nine times and then do an evil, how common it
is, my brethren and sisters, to look at that one evil all the day long
and never think of the good. Before we judge each other we should look
at the design of the heart, and if it is evil, then chasten that
individual, and take a course to bring him hack again to
righteousness.

Vol. 12,  p.173
I want you to learn all you possibly can, and teach your neighbors,
giving them all the information you can. When I see a brother or a
sister refuse to impart knowledge, I know there is something wrong in
[p.174] the heart of that person. I am here to do good, and to teach
my brethren and sisters to sanctify themselves, to get their food, to
build cities and make farms, to teach them to accumulate knowledge,
and then dispense it to all.

Vol. 12,  p.174
I hope to see the time when we shall have a reformation in the
orthography of the English language, among this people, for it is
greatly needed. Such a reformation would be a great benefit, and would
make the acquirement of an education much easier than at present. I
say to fathers and mothers, never say a word that you would not be
willing your son and daughter should say, or commit an act you would
not sanction in your son or daughter, and so walk before your children
that they may be prepared by your example to walk in the ways of life
everlasting, and they will not depart from them; and if they,
notwithstanding your example, should become froward in their feelings,
and unruly, they will soon ace the folly of their ways and turn to
their parents and acknowledge their faults and again wish to be
feasted at their father's table. Parents should never drive their
children, but lead them along, giving them knowledge as their minds
are prepared to receive it. Solomon has written, "He that spareth his
rod hateth his son, but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes." I
do not think that these words of Solomon will justify the ruling of
children with an iron hand. Chastening may be necessary betimes, but
parents should govern their children by faith rather than by the rod,
leading them kindly by good example into all truth and holiness.

Vol. 12,  p.174
Our children who are born in the Priesthood are legal heirs, and
entitled to the revelations of the Lord, and as the Lord lives, his
angels have charge over them, though they may be left to themselves
occasionally. We should learn our own nature, and live worthy of our
being. When Jesus Christ was left to himself, in His darkest hour, he
faltered not, but overcame. He was ordained to this work. If we should
ever be left to ourselves, and the Spirit withdrawn from us, it will
be to try the strength of our integrity and faithfulness, to see
whether we will walk in His ways even in a dark and cloudy hour. At
times our children may not be in possession of a good spirit, but if
the parent continues to possess the good spirit, the children will
have the bad spirit but a short time. Parents who are Latter-day
Saints are the ruling power; they are the kings and queenss Rule in
righteousness, and in the fear and love of God, and your children will
follow you. May God bless you. Amen.[p.175] 

George A. Smith, October 7, 1867

Condition of The Saints in Great Britain

REMARKS by Elder George A. Smith, delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City October 7th, 1867. 

[Reported By David W. Evans] 

Vol. 12,  p.175
There are, at the present time, in Great Britain ten or twelve
thousand Saints, some of whom have been members of the Church for
twenty or twenty-five years. They have contributed of their scanty
means to feed the Elders and to help to emigrate their brethren and
sisters, and in many cases many of them have gone without their meals
and beds to make the Elders comfortable, and now they are without the
means to gather with the Saints here in the mountains.

Vol. 12,  p.175
There are a great many brethren, probably some are here to-day, who,
in years past, have been assisted to this country by the Perpetual
Emigration Fond, to which fund there is now due from individuals
assisted about nine hundred thousand dollars. I wish to call the
attention of this class of individuals to the condition of the poor
Saints abroad. There are many Saints here who, before gathering home,
have said to their brethren and sisters in the old world—"When we get
to Zion, if God blesses us, we will remember you and do the best we
can to aid you to emigrate." A great many persons have failed to keep
their promise, and their friends back feel that they are forgotten and
neglected. In many instances, no doubt, Elders while on missions have
promised to assist those who have treated them with kindness and
divided their morsel with them. I want to bring these things to the
consideration of all our brethren. They should remember that our
brethren and sisters in the old countries labor under the disadvantage
of the prejudice against Mormonism. Employers and business men, who
are under the influence of the priests of the day, are unwilling to
extend the same kindness and facilities for labor to the Latter-day
Saints that they do to other persons. Besides these disadvantages,
many of our brethren there have to work for a shilling, eighteen
pence, or two shillings a day, as the case may be, and out of this
have to pay house rent, buy fuel, clothing, and every necessary of
life for their families, and in some cases, perhaps, they have a sick
father or mother to sustain out of their mere pittance, which is
barely enough to keep life in their bodies. Our brethren, who have had
the benefit of the emigration fund, should remember that their first
duty, to God and themselves, is to liquidate these liabilities with
the very first, means they acquire after their arrival here; and that
if they go on accumulating cattle, horses, houses, and lands, and
these debts remain unpaid, they are robbing the poor and the needy.
This is a matter about which the brethren should not feel neglectful
or careless. Those who will come forward and honorably discharge their
liabilities to the Perpetual [p.176] Emigration Fund will be blessed
in their substance and in their efforts. And you must remember that
while you are doing this you are acquiring experience and gaining
information that will make you more successful hereafter.

Vol. 12,  p.176
My desire is that, when the Elders go from this Conference, that they
should light a fire in the breast of every person who has liabilities
of this kind. Let every man in Israel, whom God has blessed, be alive
and awake to this matter, and respond to the call the President has
made for contributions to the Perpetual Emigration Fund.

Vol. 12,  p.176
I understand that over there, there are hundreds. of sisters who are
determined to remain single until they reach Zion, and there are men
in our midst, and some of them in debt to the Perpetual Emigration
Fund, who are able to send for a dozen or two of these sisters; they
ought to bring them to this country and place them where they can
marry according to their wishes. May the blessings of heaven be upon
us that we may be able to gather all our brethren and sisters from the
old world.

Vol. 12,  p.176
I appeal to the sons and daughters of Zion to be awake to this
subject. Amen.

Erastus Snow, October 8, 1867

Life and Health—Matrimony—Education—Home Productions

REMARKS by Elder Erastus Snow, delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, October 8th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.176
I am persuaded that the subject last referred to by President
Young—the prolongation of life and the preservation of health cannot
be over-rated. This is one of the subjects relating to our temporal
welfare that received the early attention of the Prophet Joseph, and
the revelation commonly called the Word of Wisdom has been before the
people for over thirty years. I feel assured that award on this
subject kindly spoken by our President is a prompting from on high,
and I believe that every true Elder in Israel will bear witness that
this is the word of the Lord to us at this time. I exhort every Bishop
and presiding Elder in this city as well as throughout the country to
lay this matter to heart as one subject requiring their special
attention. Not to make it a hobby to the exclusion of everything else,
so as to disgust the people, but in the true spirit of the Gospel seek
to bring this matter home to the hearts and understandings of the
people of their respective wards and settlements. Feel after those who
may be stupid and ignorant, who do not come to meeting, and do not
receive the spirit of this Conference. Let the Bishops and others in
authority endeavor through their teachers and otherwise to search out
such individuals, and dig round about them, and prune them that they
may perchance bring forth fruit.[p.177] 

Erastus Snow, October 8, 1867

Life and Health—Matrimony—Education—Home Productions

REMARKS by Elder Erastus Snow, delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, October 8th, 1867.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.177
In relation to matrimony—one of the texts before the
Conference—perhaps there is not so much a lack of disposition on the
part of the ladies as there is on the part of the gentlemen. The
latter sometimes feel themselves unworthy or unprepared, and in many
instances, perhaps, they are so. And if you ask why they are
unprepared to assume these responsibilities as husbands and heads of
families, it is mostly because they have neglected the word of the
Lord which they have heard from this stand. They have not given their
hearts to prayer sufficiently; they have not read the scriptures and
educated their spirits; they have not drunk in the spirit of the
Gospel. Every young man who has been taught by his parents to pray in
secret, to mingle with the family in devotion, to attend meeting and
receive the counsels of the servants of Lord, has grown in the spirit
of the Gospel, and this has given them a disposition which has
impelled them, as soon as they arrive at a suitable age, to move
forward in the duties and responsibilities that they have been called
upon, during this Conference, to assume. And they will meet with alike
response everywhere from the opposite sex who are living their
religion. If there is any lack of disposition on the part of the
ladies it is because they are not living their religion, for the
neglect of one duty leads to the neglect of another, and if our young
men and women fail to make themselves acquainted with the law of God
they are liable to be led away. Young men or women seeking the society
of the wicked are soon befogged and led to destruction. If the young
men of Israel are not alive to their duties, the young ladies may be
left to wander in the society of the ungodly. This happens many times
through the neglect of parents to impress on the minds of their
daughters the value of the kingdom of heaven and the value and
importance of salvation, exaltation and glory. Through the neglect of
parents in properly educating their children many of them are now,
perhaps, unable to discern between saint and sinner, and they would as
soon associate with the wicked and unbelieving as with the righteous.
It is a grievous sight to those who have laboured twenty-five or
thirty years travelling over the world to preach the gospel and to
gather the people to see the rising generation without that culture
they so much need to develop Within them a love of righteouness,
truth, and every holy principle. There is a great a field for
missionary labor in Utah, as in any part of the world. There is as
great a necessity for preaching here at home in our settlements, even
in some parts of Great Salt Lake City, at there is in any part of the
world. There are those here who neglect the upportunities offered them
and [p.178] they need to be felt after personally.

Vol. 12,  p.178
The subject of education is another of the texts given by our
President for the elders of Israel to preach upon. I have already
touched on it in a few words. I will say that our school teachers
should not only be men qualified to teach the various branches of
education, but they should be men possessing the spirit of the gospel,
and who, in every look and word, and in all their discipline and
intercourse with their pupils are influenced by that spirit. They
should govern and control, not by brute force, but by superior
intellect, sound judgement and the wisdom that the Gospel teaches that
they may win the hearts of their pupils, and so be able to impress
their minds with those principles they present before them.

Vol. 12,  p.178
I can not speak too highly in favor of those good books that have been
recommended to our schools—the Bible, Book of Mormon, Book of Doctrine
and Covenants, and all other good books; but epecially those that
contain the history of the dealings of God with his people from the
beginning of the world to the present time, as well as the teachings
of the prophets and apostles; for the foundation of all true education
is the wisdom and knowledge of God. In the absence of these, though we
obtain a knowledge of every art and science and acquire what is termed
by the world a first class education, we but obtain the froth and lack
the foundation on which to rear a proper education.

Vol. 12,  p.178
In relation to the missionaries south, I will say that I have heard
some say when referring to this subject, "what is the use of the
southern mission? what good can result from our going or sending
there?" I will say to all such querying, grumbling, fault-finding,
growling spirits, just wait a few years, and we will show you the good
of the southern mission. I do not know but time would fail me to bring
argument in favor of it, but I will say just wait and by the help of
God we will show you.

Vol. 12,  p.178
The subject of home production and becoming a self-sustaining people
is another text, and this will probably guide me right back to
"Dixie." I will ask the question, How are we going to become
self-sustaining unless we avail ourselves of the elements around us
and provide ourselves and families with what we need to eat, drink and
wear, and our implements of husbandry and other thing of like nature?
We need iron ware and machine shops. Our sons need teaching the
various mechanical arts. Instead of raising them all to be farmers or
mule drivers, we want a goodly portion of machinists, painters,
artists, smiths, school teachers, and all other useful professions. We
shall also need lawyers. I do not mean dishonest contemptible
petti-foggers; but statesmen-lawyers in the true sense of the word who
understand the principles of justice and equity, and who make
themselves acquainted with those general principles of jurisprudence,
that wise statesmen have recognised throughout the civilised world,
that they may not only be competent judges in the land, but be able to
thwart the wicked efforts of this ungodly set of pettifoggers. The
southern country affords us facilities for rising many things that can
not be successfully raised in the north. We have had one four years of
internecine war that has almost entirely prevented the raising of
cotton—perhaps the most essential of all productions for articles of
clothing. Will we as a [p.179] people be blind to this fact, and now,
that the first woe is past, lull ourselves to sleep and forget that
there is another coming. Saint George, though the centre of our
present operation in cotton raising is only on the borders of the
cotton district. From three hundred to five hundred acres is the most
that we can water from one dam and canal in that district of country,
while lower down, the same labor would encircle a field of six or
eight thousand acres of better land; but a little handful of people
cannot graple with so great a labor. We have commenced some small
settlements on the Muddy. The settlers there were mostly
substitutes,—Bro. Henry Miller calls them destitutes. Most of them got
discouraged and came back, the rest stick and hang like a dog to a
root—but they scarcely know what to do. The question is shall we allow
this little handful to be worn out, or shall we strengthen their
hands, and so keep moving and progressing, and hold what we have and
get more.

Vol. 12,  p.179
I like the idea of sending young men down there. It struck me as a
decided hit when I heard the names read out yesterday. We can do with
a number of young men who have small families or who are about to get
them, and I say God bless them, and speed them and their wives on
their way and by the help of God we will help them.

Funeral of Heber C. Kimball, June 24, 1868

The Death of President Heber C. Kimball,

DISCOURSE delivered in the New Tabernacle, 
Salt Lake City June 24th, 1868.

ELDER JOHN TAYLOR

Vol. 12,  p.179
Were I to give way for my feelings at the present time I should not be
able to address this congregation. I feel as, I suppose, most of you
feel—sympathy with the deceased who now lies before us. When I speak
of this as being my feeling, I am aware that I express the feeling of
the generality of this people. In this bereavement that has afflicted
us, we all participate. A wave of sorrow has rolled throughout the
Territory, and feelings of symphthy and sorrow gush up from the
fountains of every heart. We have met at this time to pay the last
tribute of respect to no ordinary personage, but to a good man who was
called and chosen, and faithful; who has spent a lifetime in the cause
of God, in the establishment of the principles of truth and in trying
to upbuild the Church and Kingdom of God on the earth; who has
endeared himself by his acts of kindness, affection, integrity,
truthfulness and probity to the hearts of thousands of Latter-day
Saints, who feel to mourn at this time with no ordinary sorrow.

Vol. 12,  p.179
That he is esteemed and venerated by this people as a friend, a
counselor and a father, this immense congregation, who have met on
this inauspicious occasion, is abundant testimony and proof if any is
wanting. But his life, his acts, his services,[p.180] his
self-abnegation, his devotion to the cause of truth, his perseverance
in the ways of righteousness for so many years have left a testimony
in the minds, feelings and hearts of all who now feel to mourn his
departure from our midst. But we meet not at the present time
particularly to eulogize the acts of bro. Kimball, who is one of the
First Presidency, and who stands, or who has stood as one of the three
prominent men that live on the face of the earth at the present time.

Vol. 12,  p.180
We do not mourn over him as over an individual in a private capacity;
neither, when we reflect on the circumstances with which we are
surrounded, and the gospel we believe in, do we mourn that he lies
there as he is. For although to us he is absent and lifeless and
inanimate, yet his spirit soars above clothed upon with immortality
and eternal life. And as he as been in possession of the principles of
eternal truth, by and bye, when the time shall roll around, that
gospel and the principles of truth that he has so valiantly proclaimed
for so many years, will resurrect that inanimate clay, and He who, on
the earth proclaimed "I am the resurrection and the life," will cause
him again to be resuscitated, reanimated, revivifted and glorified,
and he will rejoice among the Saints of God worlds without end.

Vol. 12,  p.180
It is not then an ordinary occasion upon which we have met at the
present time. It is not to talk particularly about our individual
feeling and bereavement, although they are keen, poignant and
afflictive; but we meet at the present time to perform a ceremony and
to pay our last respects to the departed great one who lies before us.
We do not mourn as those who have no hope; we do not sympathise with
any foolish sympathy. We believe in those principles, that he, for so
many years, has so stenously advocated, and believing in them, we know
that he has simply passed from one state of existence to another. It
is customary for men to say "how have the great fallen!" But he has
not fallen. It is true that he has gone to sleep for a little while.
He sleeps in peace. He is resting from his labors and is no more beset
with those afflictions with which human nature always has to contend:
he has passed from this stage of action, he has got through with the
toils, perplexities, cares and anxieties in regard to himself, his
family, and in regard to the Church with which he was associated; and
in regard to all sublunary things, and while mortals mourn "a man is
dead," angels proclaim "a child is born."

Vol. 12,  p.180
We believe in another state of existence besides this; and it is not
only a belief, but it is a fixed fact, and hence for a man of God to
bid adieu to the things of this world is a matter of comparatively
very small importance. When a man has fought the good fight; when he
has finished his course; when he has been faithful, lived his religion
and died as a man of God, what is there to mourn for? Why should we
indeed be sorrowful? There is a church here on earth? there is a
church also in heaven. He has migrated from one, and has passed into
the other.

Vol. 12,  p.180
We have had leave us before Joseph, Hyrum, David Patten, Willard,
Jedediah, and a mighty host of good, virtuous, pure, holy and
honorable men. Some have died, as it were, naturally; others have been
violently put to death. But no mattes, they are each of them moving in
his own sphere. Bro. Kimball has left us for a short time that he may
unite with them. And whilst [p.181] we are engaged carrying on the
work of God, and advancing and maintaining those principles which he
so diligently propagated and maintained while he was on the earth, he
is gone to officiate in the heavens with Jesus, with Joseph and others
for us. We are seeking to carry out his will, the will of our
President and the will of our heavenly Father, that we may be found
fit to associate with the just who are made perfect, and be prepared
to join with the Church Triumphant in the heavens. It is this that our
religion points us to all the time.

Vol. 12,  p.181
We embraced the gospel of Jesus Christ, and he who now lies before us
was one of the first to proclaim it to thousands that are here. And
what did that teach us? To repent of our sins, and, having faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ, to be baptized for the remission of our sins,
to have hands laid upon us for the reception of the Holy Ghost and to
gather together to Zion that we might be instructed in the ways of
life; that we might know how to save ourselves—how to save the living,
and how to redeem the dead; that we might not only possess a hope that
blooms with immortality and eternal life; but that we might have a
certainty, and evidence, a confidence that was beyond doubt or
peradventure that we were preparing ourselves for a celestial
inheritance in the kingdom of our God. And when a man goes to sleep as
bro. Kimball has done, no matter how, he lays aside the cares of this
world; the weary wheels of life stand still, the pulse ceases to beat,
the body becomes cold, lifeless and inanimate; yet at the same time
the spirit still exist, has gone to join those who have lived before;
who now live and will live for evermore. He has trod the path that we
have all to follow, for it is appointed to man once to die, and after
that, we are told, the judgement. We have all to pass through the dark
valley of the shadow of death, and as I said before, it matters little
which way this occurs; but it does matter a great deal to us whether
we are prepared to meet it or not; whether we have lived the life of
the righteous; whether we have honored our profession; whether we have
been faithful to our trust; whether we are prepared to associate with
the spirits of the just made perfect, and whether when He, who has
said "I am the resurrection and the life" shall sound the trump we
shall be prepared to come forth in the morning of the first
resurrection.

Vol. 12,  p.181
Joseph Smith stands at the head of this dispensation. His brother
Hyrum Smith was associated with him. They were both assassinated. No
matter; they are gone. Brother Heber is now gone, and whilst we mourn
the loss they rejoice at meeting one with whom they were associated
before; for he was the friend of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, and he was
the friend of God, and God is his friend and they are his friends. And
as they associated together in time so they will in eternity. It
behoves us then not to think so much about dying, but about our
living, and to live in such a way that when we shall fall asleep, no
matter when or how it may transpire, that our hearts may be pure
before God. When I look upon a man like bro. Kimball, I fell like
saying let my last end be like his. Let my life be as spotless, as
holy and as pure that I may stand accepted before God and the holy
angels. Our ambition ought to be to live our religion, to keep the
commandments of God, to obey the counsel that those lips, now silent
[p.182] and cold, have so often given to us; to honor our calling and
profession, that we may be prepared to inherit eternal lives in the
celestial kingdom of our God. May God help us to do so in the name of
Jesus: Amen.

ELDER GEORGE A. SMITH

Vol. 12,  p.182
The occasion which has called us together is truly one of mourning;
but our mourning is not as the mourning of those who have no hope. Our
father, our brother, our President has fallen asleep. He has fallen
asleep according to the promise that those who die unto the Lord
should not die, but should fall asleep. Still, the cicumstances with
which we are surrounded cause us to feel keenly, deeply this
bereavement of his company, of his counsel, of his support, of his
society, and the benefit of that wisdom which ever flowed from his
lips. Short is the journey fromm the cradle to the grave, and all of
us are marching rapidly in that direction; and the present occasion is
certainly calculated to inspire in our minds a desire that in all our
lives and actions we may be prepared for that coming event, that we
may be prepared to rest in peace, and in the morning of the first
resurrection to inherit eternal life and celestial exaltation: The
association which we have had with President Kimball has been of long
standing. He entered the church early after its organization. In 1832,
with President Brigham Young, he visited Kirtland, and made himself
personally acquainted with the Prophet Joseph, whose bosom friend he
was from the time of their first acquaintance until the day of his
death. President Kimball was a man that seemed embarrassed when called
upon to speak in public in the early part of his ministry. My first
acquaintance with him was in 1833, when in company with President
Young he moved his family to Kirtland. The Saints were then building
the Kirtland Temple. He had but little means but he subscribed two
hundred dollars and paid over the money. Efforts were being made to
build another house, for school and other purposes, and he subscribed
one hundred dollars for that also to buy the nails and glass. That was
the first public meeting at which I ever saw Heber C. Kimball. When he
was chosen one of the Twelve Apostles, and they were called into the
stand to bear their first testimony as Apostles to the Saints, there
was an embarassment and a timidity about his appearance that was truly
humble. And when he went abroad to preach, many felt almost afraid to
have bro. Kimball preach because he had not as great a flow of
language as some others. But it turned out, I am sorrow to say, that
some of those who were the most eloquent seemed to be those who fell
off by the way side. It was a dark hour around the Prophet in
Kirkland, many having apostatized, and some of them prominent Elders,
when bro. Kimball and some others were called upon to take a mission
to England. He went abroad when some of the first Elders were covered
with darkness, and apostacy ran rampant through the Church. He started
almost penniless, made the trip across the ocean, introduced the
gospel to England, and laid the foundation for the great work that has
since been accomplished there, accompanied by Orson Hyde, Willard
Richards and Joseph Fielding. Bro. Kimball and Hyde remained in
England about one year, and in that time 1,500 were baptized there. It
was strange the power and [p.183] influence which he had over persons
whom he had never before seen. On one occasion he went out five days
to some towns which he had never visited before, and among people whom
he had never seen and who had never see him, yet in those five days he
baptized 83 persons. It seemed that there were a power and influence
with him beyond that which almost and other elder possessed. He
returned home just in time to find the Saints in their troubles in
Missouri. He had hardly got home until the clouds of mobocrasy
intensified by apostacy again gathered around the Prophet. In a short
time after Joseph was in prison and his counselors were in prison and
all were closely guarded. During this time President Kimball visited
the prison, the Judges and the Governor, and exerted himself to
relieve the prisoners; and he had a peculiar influence with him, so
that he could pass among our enemies unharmed when others were in
danger. When the Saints were driven from Missouri, as soon as their
feet were planted in Nauvoo, he built with his own hands a log cabin
for his family, and started again to renew his mission to Great
Britain, with President Young and others of his Quorum. It is not my
intention to trace his history, but I have culled out these few
circumstances to show you his integrity, his faithfulness, and his
untiring labors to benefit mankind.

Vol. 12,  p.183
We are called now to mourn; but we do not mourn as those who have no
hope. Brother Kimball was a man who was the son of nature. The
literature he loved was the word of God. He was not a man to read
novels. He studied the revelations of Jesus. His heart was field with
benevolence. His soul was field with love; and he was always ready to
give counsel to the weakest child that came in his way. Thousands and
thousands will remember him with pleasure.

Vol. 12,  p.183
As we follow him to his last resting place, we must recollect that
those men who stood side by side Joseph Smith the Prophet, who bore
with him his burdens, and shared his troubles; who stood shoulder to
shoulder with President Young while he faced the storm of apostacy,
mob power and organized priestcraft, are rapidly passing away. Brother
Kimball was foremost among them. Joseph loved him, and truly it may be
said that bro. Kimball was a Herald of Grace. May we all so live that
with our brother we may inherit the blessings of celestial grace, is
my prayer in the name of Jesus: Amen.

ELDER GEORGE Q. CANNON

Vol. 12,  p.183
The scene in which we are participating this day reminds us more
strongly than any language can do how frail is mortal existence, and
how slight a tenure we all have upon this life. Two weeks ago to-day,
he, whose lifeless remains we now surround, was moving among us in
this tabernacle; if not in the enjoyment of perfect health, yet in the
enjoyment of such a degree of health as not to inspire us with any
apprehensions as to his life. If we had been asked How long is bro.
Heber Kimball likely to live? the probable answer would have been, he
is as likely to live ten or twenty years as any other period. But
since then, two weeks, two brief, short weeks, have gone, and we have
assembled ourselves together to pay our last respects to his memory.
It seemed to me when I entered the building, and sat down and looked
upon the congregation, that the greatest eloquence I could indulge in
would be silence. Yet it is due to him that our voices [p.184] should
be heard in instruction to those who remain, and in testimony of his
great worth; and if possible to spread before them, the great and
glorious example which he has set for us, and which if we will but
emulate and follow, will result in the attainment of the most glorious
blessings of which mortal heart can conceive.

Vol. 12,  p.184
I have known bro. Heber from my childhood. To me he has been a father.
I never was with him but what he had good counsel to give me. And when
I speak this I speak what every one who was acquianted with him might
say. He was full of counsel, full of instruction, and he was always
pointed in conveying his counsel in plainness to those to whom he
imparted it.

Vol. 12,  p.184
Have we any cause, in reality, to mourn to-day? Have we any cause for
grief and sorrow? When I stood by his bedside and saw his spirit take
its departure, there was no death there; there was no gloom. I had
seen but two persons die before, and they died by violence; but when I
watched brother Heber I asked myself, Is this death? Is this that
which men represent as a monster, and from which they shrink with
affright? It seemed to me that bro. Heber was not dead, but that he
had merely gone to sleep. He passed away as quietly and as gently as
an infant falling asleep on its mother's lap; not a movement of a
limb; not a contortion of his countenance; and scarcely a sigh. The
words of Jesus, through Joseph, were forcible brought to my
mind,—"they that die in me, their death shall be sweet unto them." It
was sweet with him. There was nothing repulsive, nothing dreadful or
terrible in it, but on the contrary it was calm, peaceful and sweet.
There were heavenly influences there, as though angels were there, and
no doubt they were, prepared to escort him hence to the society of
those whom he loved and who loved him dearly. I thought of the joy
there would be in the spirit land, when Joseph, and Hyrum, and David,
and Willard, and Jededia, and Parley would welcome him to their midst,
and the thousands of others who have gone before, and like them have
been faithful. What a welcome to their midst will brother Heber
receive! to labor and toil with them in the spirit world in the great
work in which we are engaged.

Vol. 12,  p.184
It is now twenty-four years lacking three days, since Joseph and Hyrum
were taken away from us. Twenty-four years so fruitful in labor, so
abundant in toil, so rich in experience! During that period bro. Heber
has never wavered, never trembled. It may be said of him with as much
truthfulness to-day, as was said by bro. Brigham on one occasion in
Nauvoo, "his knees never trembled, his hands never shook." He has been
faithful to God; he has been true to his brethren; he has kept his
covenants; he has died in the triumphs of the faith; and as the Savior
has said, "that which is governed by law is preserved by law and
perfected and sanctified by the same," so will it be with him. He has
gone to the paradise of God, there to await the time when this
corruption shall put on incorruption, when this mortality shall put on
immortality.

Vol. 12,  p.184
My brethren and sisters, here is an incentive to us to be faithful.
Contrast the death of this man with the death of the apostate—the
traitor. Contrast the future—as it is revealed to us in the
revelations of Jesus Christ—of this man, with the future of the
renegade from the truth, [p.185] and the wicked and those who love not
God and who keep not his commandments. Are there any incentives
presented to us this day to be faithful? They are too numerous for me
to dwell upon or mention. There is every reason why we should be
faithful. It is easier to keep the commandments of God than it is to
break them. It is easier to walk in the path of righteousness than it
is to deviate from it. It is easier and more pleasant to love God than
it is to break his commandments.

Vol. 12,  p.185
Then let us be true to God. Let us walk each day so that we may be
worthy, when our life is ended, to associate with him whose spirit
inhabited this tabernacle that lies here, and with others who have
gone before, and with those who remain, that we may dwell together
with them eternally in the heavens; which may God grant, for Christ's
sake, Amen.

PRESIDENT  D. H. WELLS

Vol. 12,  p.185
It is a great calamity to humanity when a great and good man falls.
Earth needs their services. Good men are too scarce. The loss is not
so much to them as it is to us who remain—as it is to humanity who are
still left to wield an influence against the wickedness which is on
the earth, and to sustain holy and righteous principles which the Lord
has revealed from the heavens for the guidance of man. Herein is the
loss which we feel when such men as bro. Kimball are taken away, He
has made his mark. He has earned imperishable fame, and he will live
in the hearts of the good, the true and the faithful—in the hearts of
the just; and he will be remembered by the wicked, for he has often
invaded the realms of darkness and sustained holy and righteous
principles with all his might, power and influence, all the days of
his life. It is true, for him we need not mourn, because he has passed
to that home where Satan has no power. He has secured to himself a
crown of eternal glory and righteousness in the celestial kingdom of
our God. Not that he will come immediately unto this exaltation. The
Savior of the world, himself, did not enter into his glory on the
dissolution of his spirit and body; he went first to minister to the
spirits in prison, being clothed with the holy priesthood. So with our
brother and beloved friend, for he is still our friend, and, as has
been well remarked, he was the friend of God and all good men. He is
not lost He has only gone to perform another portion of the mission
which he has been engaged in all his life, to labor in another sphere
for the good of mankind, for the welfare of the souls of men. But he
has laid for himself a foundation that is imperishable, on which a
superstructure of glory and exaltation will grow and increase
throughout all eternity.

Vol. 12,  p.185
I do not stand here to eulogize our friend and brother to-day, but to
satisfy my own feelings and pay a tribute of respect to his memory,
for I loved him and he loved me, and he loved this people. He has
friends also where he is gone. Who can answer the question whether
they are more numerous than those who have assembled together to-day
and those throughout this Territory? Who can say that they are not
more numerous on yonder shore? Yet it matters not. Those who are
faithful will yet be gathered with him and others, and come with him
to a celestial glory, and with him dwell where there is no sorrow nor
affliction. He rests from his labor, from [p.186] the toil which
surrounded him on the earth. This is, to-day, a source of consolation
to his family and friends, to those who were intimately connected with
him. They may be assured that he rests in peace. Let his example be
followed; let his teachings be remembered; let us all live so that we
may have a reasonable hope of meeting with him and being associated
with him in a never ending future.

Vol. 12,  p.186
May God help us to be faithful unto the end, as he has been; to fight
the good fight and keep the faith, that at last, with him and those
who have gone before, we may be found worthy to walk the golden
streets of that eternal city, whose builder and maker is God: Amen.

PRESIDENT B. YOUNG

Vol. 12,  p.186
I wish the people to be as still as possible, and not to whisper. I do
not know that I can speak so that you can hear me; but if I can I have
a few reflections to lay before you. We are called here on this very
important occasion, and we can say truly that the day of this man's
death was far better to him than the day of his birth. I will relate
to you my feelings concerning the departure of bro. Kimball. He was a
man of as much integrity I presume as any man who ever lived on the
earth. I have been personally acquainted with him forty-three years
and I can testify that he has been a man of truth, a man of
benevolence, a man that was to be trusted. Now he has gone and left
us. I will say to his wives and his children that I have not felt one
particle of death in his house nor about it, and through this scene we
are now passing I have not felt one particle of the spirit of death.
He has fallen asleep for a certain purpose,—to be prepared for a
glorious resurrection; and the same Heber C. Kimball, every component
particle of his body, from the crown of his head to the soles of his
feet, will be resurrected, and he, in the flesh, will see God and
converse with Him; and see his brethren and associate with them and
they will enjoy a happy eternity together.

Vol. 12,  p.186
Bro. Kimball has had the privilege of living and dying in his own
house in peace; and has not been followed up by mobs and massacred. I
consider this a great consolation to his family and friends; and it is
a great comfort to me to think that bro. Heber C. Kimball had the
privilege of dying in peace. It is not a matter of regret; it is
nothing that we should mourn for. It is a great cause of joy and
rejoicing and comfort to his friends to know that a person has passed
away in peace from this life, and has secured to himself a glorious
resurrection. The earth and the fullness of the earth and all that
pertains to this earth in an earthly capacity is no comparison with
the glory, joy and peace and happiness of the soul that departs in
peace. You may think I have reason to mourn. Bro. Heber C. Kimball has
been my first counselor for almost twenty-four years. I am happy to
state, it is a matter of great joy to me; this is the third counselor
that has fallen asleep since I have stood to counsel this people—and
they have died in the faith, full of hope; their lives were filled up
with good works, full of faith, comfort, peace and joy to their
brethren. I have looked over this matter. In the fourteen years that
bro. Joseph presided over the Church, three of the prominent conselors
he had apostatised. This was a matter of regret. Sidney Rigdon, F. G.
Williams and William Law, whom many of this congregation [p.187] knew
in Nauvoo, apostatized and left bro. Joseph. I have not been under the
necessity of mourning and lamenting over the apostacy of any one of my
counselors, and I hope I shall never have this to regret. I had rather
bury them by the score than see one of them apostatize.

Vol. 12,  p.187
A great deal could be said concerning bro. Kimball, whose remains are
here. He is not dead. His earthly tabernacle has fallen asleep to be
prepared for this glorious resurrection that you and I live for. What
can we say to one another? Live as he has lived; be as faithful as he
has been; be as full of good works as his life has manifested to us.
If we do so, our end will be peace and joy, and we will fall asleep as
peacefully. I held my watch with one hand and fanned him with the
other while he breathed his last.

Vol. 12,  p.187
For this family to mourn is perhaps natural; but they have not really
the first cause to do so. How would you feel if you had a husband or a
father that would lead you from the truth? I would to God that we
would all follow him in his example in our faithfulnes, and be as
faithful as he was in his life. To his wives, his children, his
friends, his brethren and sisters, to this family whom God has
selected from the human family to be his sons and daughters, I say let
us follow his example. He has gone to rest. We can say of him all that
can be said of any good man. The Lord selected him and he has been
faithful and this has made him a great man; just as you and I can
become if we will live faithful to our God and our religion. There is
no man but what can do good if he chooses; and if he be disposed to
choose the good and refuse the evil. If any man choose the evil he
will dwindle, especially if he has been called to the holy priesthood
of the Son of God. Such a man will dwindle and falter, stumble and
fall; and instead of becoming great and good, he will be lost in
forgetfulness.

Vol. 12,  p.187
We pay our last respects unto bro. Kimball. I can say to the
congregation we thank you for your attention. We are happy to see you
here. It would be a pleasure to us if it would be prudent, and we had
time, for you to see the corpse; but it would not be prudent and we
have not the time. This, perhaps, will be a matter of regret to many
of you; but you must put up with it. I want to say to every one who
wishes to see brother Heber again, live so that you will secure to
yourselves a part in the first resurrection, and I promise you that
you will meet him and shake hands with him. But if you do not live so,
I can give you no such promise.

Vol. 12,  p.187
Now, my friends, I feel to bless you; and the family, the wives and
children of bro. Heber C. Kimball. I bless you in the name of Jesus
Christ. Will you receive the blessings which a father and husband has
placed upon your heads? If you live for them you will enjoy them. I
think he has never cursed one of his family; but his heart was full of
blessings for them. He has blessed his brethren and sisters and
neighbors and friends. His heart was full of blessings; but he was a
scourge to the wicked and they feared him. Now, my friends, I cannot
talk to you; my sore throat will not let me. But I feel to thank you
for your kind attention here to-day, in paying our respects to the
remains of bro. Kimball, and may God bless you: Amen.[p.188] 

Heber C. Kimball, April 12, 1868

Forbearance to Each Other—Necessity of Reading the 
Bible and Book of Mormon—Counsel to the Young Brethren

REMARKS by President H. C. Kimball, made in the 
Tabernacle, Bontiful, Sunday, April 12, 1868.

[Reported By Elder Wm. Thurbood]

Vol. 12,  p.188
I have not the least disposition to talk to you if you do not wish me
to, and if you say you do not want me, I will say good morning and go
home. It is no pleasure to talk to a people who will not receive what
you say. You know me, and then again you do not know me. You do not
know who Heber C. Kimball is, or you would do better. You do not know
yourselves, do you? Then how can you expect to know me? A man came to
me this morning desiring to have some talk with me. I asked him if he
was an honest, upright, truthful man? He replied that he thought he
had no right to answer that question; but finally, he said he was an
honest man. After he said that, it was revealed to me what sort of a
man he was, but not before. I wish the people here to-day to behave
themselves, as this is the Sabbath. Do you know what is the gospel?
The gospel is the power of God unto all that obey, not unto all that
believe, for the devils believe. Suppose now, for instance, I had here
three rules, one a twelve inch, one a six inch and one a three inch?
Would the three inch rule measure as far as the twelve inch? No; nor
can the three inch or the six inch man measure as far as the twelve
inch man, yet both may be good men and just as good as the man that
can circumscribe thirteen inches. Therfore, if a man in this respect
should be a little behind, we should not whip him up as we would a
horse, but we should be lenient towards him.

Vol. 12,  p.188
What brother Stevenson has said this morning is all good, and you
would know it if you read the Bible and the Book of Mormon. There is
not one quarter of you that read those books as much as I do; if you
did, you would know they concide the one with the other. This book,
the Book of Mormon, is a pure record, and I know it, although it
treats of wars and contentions. I have lived nearly all my life where
it came forth and I understand all about it.

Vol. 12,  p.188
I have been to the altar where Adam offered sacrifices and blessed his
son and then left them and went to heaven. Now I want you to read the
Bible and the Book of Mormon, for we have to build a city, we who are
righteous and keep the celestial law, we have to build a city that
will compare with the one that has gone to heaven. Consider these
things and then see how you are progressing.

Vol. 12,  p.189
You sit in judgement on your neighbors, when you are guilty of [p.189]
more tricks than they are, and when there is more evil in you than in
them. Jesus said, "thou shalt not speak evil of thy neighbor," and the
commandments say, "thou shalt not bear false witness against thy
neighbor," and the commandments are binding upon us. Jesus said also,
"thou shalt not commit adultery." Now some persons look upon adultery
as an awful thing, which it is; but they pay no attention to the other
command, which is equally binding, forbidding them to speak evil of
their neighbor. It is said thou shalt not speak against the anointed;
yet you do speak against them, and justify yourselves in doing evil.
It is difficult for many here even to hold my name sacred; and when I
have heard of what some men here would do, I have asked myself what
manner of men they were. In doing the things that I have been speaking
of you commit sin and violate your covenants. Do you doubt that I am
one of the Lord's anointed? Do you not know that I am? This then will
affect you unless you make restitution. Shall I tell you how? I wish I
could refer you to the revelation. I have had men lie to me, and I
have known this by the spirit of revelation, yet I could not prove it.
Now these are not men of God. Some of you would like me to present the
truth clothed in a fine dress and with hoops rather than that I should
present it stark naked; but I speak this for your good, and why then
do you wish to run away from Or injure your friends?

Vol. 12,  p.189
The Twelve Apostles, when first anointed, went into almost every part
of the States, from Ohio to Nova Scotia, and organized Conferences and
called on the whole Church to make donation of their means to purchase
that land that God said had to be purchased either with money or with
blood; and the whole Church, save the leaders, came under condemnation
because they did not comply with the revelation. The revelation that
gave us the authority and which says, "Let my servants, go, &c.," is
in this Book of Covenants. At another time Zion's Camp was called,
before I became an Apostle, and Joseph gathered up the Lord's
warriors, His young men, the male members of the Church, and if took
nearly every male member from Nova Scotia to Missouri to reinstate the
Lord's people in the land of Zion. Those young men did their duty, and
the Lord accepted their offering. They were the actors then, and are
the leading men of the School of the Prophets to-day. Will this School
of the Prophets stop? No, it was commenced in the days of Joseph, and
it will not stop. Unless, however, there is a reformation right here,
there is not one in twenty that will go and possess that land. Are you
practical spinners? Can you adorn yourselves with the work of your own
hands? Can you beautify and adorn the earth? I fell you that in
general you are not going there unless a reformation takes place. Some
of you will not be honest, some of you will not pray unless you are
where some one can see you; and if some of you were going to my mill
here, and should fine a chain, you would look around to see if any
person saw you, and if not, you would hide the chain at once; and such
men call themselves Saints. I am telling you the truth, and I tell you
that if you will put on Christ and live in Him you will see a great
deal better than I can with my glasses. You cannot lead a person
astray unless that person is willing to be led astray; a man could not
be persuaded [p.190] to lie unless he was inclined to lie; and if we
tell a lie to deceive, we have to pay that debt before that sin is
atoned for. It is said "Thine own words will condemn thee;" and it
will be so when we go to judgement, and we cannot help it. I am an
apostle, and Brigham Young is an apostle, and the voice of the Spirit
called Brigham Young and myself in Kirtland, and Joseph Smith was told
to place the priesthood upon us, and have we ever flinched? No. Now,
when you are brought to judgement and you know that Jesus is there,
that Joseph is there, that Brigham is there, that Willard and myself
are there, and you are asked what have you been guilty of, you will
have to give in your own testimony, and you can not get around it. The
axe is laid at the root of the tree, and the acts of men and women
will condemn them. There are hundreds and thousands of men in this
Church today who have a plurality of wives which will be taken from
them and they cannot help themselves, because they do not keep the
celestial law.

Vol. 12,  p.190
The office of an apostle is to tell the truth, to tell what he knows.
Has the Lord spoken to me? He has. I have heard His voice and so have
you; and when you hear my voice, and it is dictated by the Holy Ghost,
you hear the voice of God through me, but you do not believe it. Great
is the condemnation that will come because of lying. Now, let me say
to you, be honest, and you, sisters, stop you slanders, and if you
wish your characters exalted, exalt that of your neighbor. It is time
for us to arise and wake up. I am telling you these things for your
good, but you do not know it. There are many here to-day who, unless
they repent, will never see my face again after my eyes are closed in
death. I tell you that the man who justifices another in the shedding
of blood is a murderer, and the man who justifices another in
tantalizing his fellow-creature or in speaking against another is as
bad as the man who does these things. I have not one word of
reflection to make against you, yet you are living at a poor dying
rate. Do you doubt it? I want you to be faithful, and I do not want a
man or a woman of you to be lost.

Vol. 12,  p.190
I wish now to talk to the little boys, my young brethren, and I want
them all to hear me. What I have been saying to-day, my little boys,
will apply to you as much as it will to your fathers. I wish you to be
obedient to your fathers and to you mothers; but if your mothers tell
you not to do that which your fathers tell you to do, you go right
away and do as your father has told you, for he is the head. And,
brethren, come to meeting instead of running about on the Sabbath day,
and cease to tell lies. Let us, brethren, try and bind up everything
and take hold together. I feel as the Savior did, I do not wish to
leave you alone, I wish you to improve. I think as much of the people
in this ward as I do of the people in any other ward in the Territory.
I prayed last night and this morning that your minds might be prepared
to receive my words. What would you give for a plow that had no point
to it, or for a pair of glasses that you couId not see through? and
again, what account would you be if no dependance could be placed in
you.

Vol. 12,  p.190
I will now refer you to a little of my history. I was born in Vermont,
and brought up very poor, and when nine years old I laid in my bed and
in a vision saw those things that I have since passed through. Soon
after I was baptized, brother [p.191] Orson Pratt came to my house. I
was standing in the door yard when he came, and at the time I felt
much of the holy Spirit upon me. I was then a potter at my wheel.
While brother Pratt was talking with me a voice spake to him and said
"Orson, my son, that man will one day become one of my apostles." I
did not know this till afterwards. A voice also speak to me and told
me my lineage, and I told my wife Vilate that she was of the same
lineage, and she believed it. I told her also that we would never be
separated. I could tell you a thousand things that happened in that
early day. I have been, as I have already told you, to where Adam
offered sacrifices and blessed his sons, and I felt as though there
were hundreds of angels there, and there were angels there like unto
the three Nephites. I have also been over the hill Cumorah, and I
understand all about it. I remember the tinge when I was baptized into
the church, and how after I was baptized, Alpheus Gifford said he felt
impressed to ordain me an elder. I was on my knees and jumped up and
told him to hold on that I was not a learned man, and I thought that
my ordination would injure the work. But presently the Holy Ghost came
upon me till I thought that I should be burnt up. I could speak in
tongues and prophecy, and I understood the scriptures. And now let me
tell you that I was never made to die, that is spiritually; but that I
am an inhabitant of this earth and will never destroy my right to it.
It is my Father's and I know it, and His angels administer to men.
This you can read in the Book of Mormon. Cleave now to the truth, and
remember that a limb separated from a tree is not much, and so we are
not much when separated from the truth. Therfore honor God and honor
those you know; for if you do not honor those you know you will not
honor God. If my children will not subject themselves to me they will
not subject themselves to God; and so with our wives, they cannot
honor God unless they honor us.

Vol. 12,  p.191
Jesus said, "suffer little children to come unto me, for of such is
the Kingdom of Heaven." They are heirs to the kingdom of heaven, and
when they die they go to heaven. They are with Jesus. Our children are
heirs to our rights and privileges, and when an earths is organized
for us we will take our children there as God our Father brought His
children here when He came.

Vol. 12,  p.191
Let us be faithful and humble and keep the commandments; and if we
will eat meat, let us eat that which is mild. I am inclined to think
that pig meat is not good, and that fine flour is not good, and the
finer the flour we eat the shorter will be our lives. It would be
better for us to eat coarse bread, such as the Graham bread. I now
feel to say peace be with you, peace rest upon you and I say my peace
shall rest upon you. Amen.[p.192] 

Brigham Young, April 6, 1868

Necessity of Obeying Counsel—Reformation 
in Eating and Drinking—Improvements—
Female Relief Societies—Chastily

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, in the 
New Tabernacle, April 6, 1868.

[Reported By G. D. Watt]

Vol. 12,  p.192
The items of instruction which have been laid before us by Elders
George A Smith and George Q. Cannon are very important to us, they are
subjects which we have dwelt upon for years. It is generally known
among us that we commenced some years ago to raise cotton in the
southern portion of our Territory, and it is also known that machinery
to manufacture it has been introduced into this country. All this has
been done to encourage the people to become self-sustaining. I am
ready to acknowledge that the Latter-day Saints are the best people,
and the most willing people to do right that I know anything about.
But when we take into particular and close consideration their acts,
and compare them with the teaching they are constantly receiving, we
think and say they are very far from taking all the counsel given them
of the Lord through His servants. But were they to be counseled, for
instance, to go to the gold mines, many of them would obey with
alacrity. If they were to be counseled to chew or smoke tobacco, many
would lift up both hands for this, and shout for joy? If the sisters
many of them, were counseled to continue the use of tea and coffee
they would sit up all night to bless you. When we are counseled to do
that which pleases us then are we willing to obey counsel. Yet when I
consider the pit from whence we have been taken, and the rock from
whence we have been hewn, I can say, praise to the Latter-day Saints.
Again, when we consider the immensity of knowledge and wisdom and
understanding pertaining to the things of this life, pertaining to the
learning of this world, pertaining to that which is within our reach,
and ready for the use and profit of the people, and particularly with
regard to taking care of ourselves, and then consider our
shortcomings, and slothfulness, we may look upon ourselves with
shame-facedness because of the smallness of our attainments in the
midst of so many great advantages.

Vol. 12,  p.192
A thorough reformation is needed in regard to our eating and drinking,
and on this point I will freely express myself, and shall be glad if
the people will hear, believe and obey. If the people were willing to
receive the true knowledge from heaven in regard to their diet they
would cease eating swine's flesh. I know this as well as Moses knew
it, and without putting it in a code of commandments. When I tell you
that it is the will of the Lord to cease eating swine's flesh, very
likely some one will tell you that it is the will of the Lord to stop
eating beef and mutton, and another that it is the will [p.193] of the
Lord to stop eating fowl and fish until the minds of the people become
bewildered, so that they know not how to decide between right and
wrong, truth and error. The beef fed upon our mountain grasses is as
healthy food as we need at present. Beef, so fattened, is as good as
wild meat, and is quite different in its nature from stall-fed meat.
But we can eat fish; and I ask the people of this community, Who
hinders you from raising fowls for their eggs? Who hinders you from
cultivating fruit of every variety that will flourish in the different
parts of this Territory? There has not been a day through the whole
winter that I have not had fresh peaches, and plenty of apples and
strawberries. Who hinders any person in this community from having
these different kinds of food in their families? Fish is as healthy a
food as we can eat, if we except vegetables and fruit, and with them
will become a very wholesome click. What hinders us from surrounding
ourselves with an abundance of those various articles of food which
will promote health and produce longevity? If it is anything, it is
our own neglect; or, in other words, which will answer my purpose
better, the want of knowing how.

Vol. 12,  p.193
We cannot say there are loafers off our streets; still, there are
persons in our community who seem to have no other aim in existence,
than to pass away their time to no purpose or use to themselves or the
community. They have nothing to do, and think that they cannot apply
themselves to anything that will benefit themselves and their
families, when they might with great propriety be engaged in laying
out a garden, fencing and planting it, and laying a foundation to make
themselves and their families comfortable. It is true we have taken a
great share of this people from manufacturing districts, where the
great masses of the people know nothing about cultivating the earth;
but they can learn it soon, if they will, after they get here. Let
your minds be at home, and let your attention be directed to that
which the Lord has given you for honor and glory to yourself, instead
of being, like the fool which Solomon wrote about, whose eyes are in
the ends of the earth. Consider that you are at home, and strive to
make your homes happy, comfortable and delightful; let the spirit
which you enjoy yourself abound therein.

Vol. 12,  p.193
What is the reason that our brethren do not progress faster in their
improvements? In a great measure it is for the want of leaders. But
this is not altogether so. Generally it is for lack of judgment and
wisdom, tact and talent, taste, industry and prudence in our Bishops.
As it has been said, as with the priest so with the people. This is
the case in a great measure; and we can say, as is the Bishop so are
the members of his ward. It is the duty of the Bishops to take a
course to make their lives, characters, doings and sayings fit
examples in all things to the people of their wards. Some of our
Bishops have made no improvements for eighteen years. I have asked the
Bishops to sow a little rye, to make straw for hats and bonnets. A few
have done so. I have asked them to do the same thing this spring, that
the sisters of their wards may have straw to manufacture. If the
Bishops have not time to do this, or have not the ground, get some of
the brethren to do it who have time and ground, and let there be an
acre of rye sown to each ward, and then ask the sisters to gather it
in the proper season. Some say that wheat straw is as good as rye, if
properly prepared. Gather the straw, and make your [p.194] bonnets and
hats, and wear them when you come to this tabernacle; and make hats
for your husbands and sons to wear, and for your brothers and your
sisters, your daughters and your mothers, and let us see all the
sisters and all our brethren and all our children wearing hats and
bonnets of material produced and manufactured by ourselves. I have
been pleading for this for years and years.

Vol. 12,  p.194
This is leap year; let the ladies take the lead in this and every
other species of home industry at which they can be employed. We have
asked the sisters to organize themselves into Relief Societies; I
again ask the sisters in every ward of the Territory to do so, and get
women of good understanding to be your leaders, and then get counsel
from men of understanding; and let your fashions proceed from
yourselves, and become acquainted. with those noble traits of
character which belong to your sex. Ever since I knew that my mother
was a woman I have loved the sex, and delight in their chastity. The
man who abuses, or tries to bring dishonor upon the female sex is a
feel, and does not know that his mother and his sisters were women.
Women are more ready to do and love the right that men are; and if
they could have a little guidance, and were encouraged to carry out
the instincts of their nature, they would effect a revolution for good
in any community a great deal quicker than men can accomplish it. Men
have been placed on the earth to bear rule and to lead in every good
work, and if they would do their duty to-day in our own government,
and then throughout the world, they would stop whining about the
"Mormons" marrying so many wives, and the ladies would have somebody
to protect them and they would not need to flee to the "Mormon" Elders
for protection. But outside of this community they are destroying the
sex, ruining all they can, and then they boast of their villainy.
Shall I say that the women are short-sighted? I will say they are
weak; I will say that it is in their nature to confide in and look to
the sterner sex for guidance, and thus they are the more liable to be
led astray and ruined. It is the decree of the Almighty upon them to
lean upon man as their superior, and he has abused his privilege as
their natural protector and covered them with abuse and dishonor.

Vol. 12,  p.194
I wish the whole people of the United States could hear me now, I
would say to them, let every man in the land over eighteen years of
age take a wife, and then go to work with your hands and cultivate the
earth, or labor at some mechanical business, or some honest trade to
provide an honest living for yourselves and those who depend upon you
for their subsistence; observing temperance, and loving truth and
virtue; then would the women be cared for, be nourished, honored and
blest, becoming honorable mothers of a race of men and women farther
advanced in physical and mental perfection than their fathers. This
would create a revolution in our country, and would produce results
that would be of incalculable good. If they would do this, the Elders
of this Church would not be under the necessity of taking so many
wives. Will they do this? No, they will not; and there are many who
will continue to ruin every virtuous woman they can, buying the virtue
of woman with money and deception, and thus, the lords of creation
proceed from one conquest to another, boasting of their victories,
leaving ruin, tears and death in their pathway; and what have they
conquered? A poor, weak, confiding, loving woman. [p.195] And what
have they broken and crushed and destroyed? One of the fairest gems of
all God's creation. O man! for shame. If the men of the city of New
York alone had done for the last twenty years as the men of this
community have done, from two to four hundred thousand females from
sixteen yeats of age and upwards, whose dishonor and ruin are
mercifully covered in the grave, would now be in life and health,
moving in the circles of happy homes, prayed for, respected, loved and
honored.

Vol. 12,  p.195
Now, ladies, go to and organize yourselves into industrial societies,
and get your husbands to produce you some straw, and commence bonnet
and hat making. If every ward would commence and continue this and
other industrial pursuits, it would not be long before the females of
the wards of our Territory would have stores in their wards, and means
sufficient to send and get the articles which they need, that cannot
yet be manufactured here and which they may want to distribute.

Vol. 12,  p.195
It is an old saying that a woman can throw out of the window with a
spoon as fast as a man can throw into the door wish a shovel; but a
good house-keeper will be saving and economical, and teach her
children to be good housekeepers, and how to take care of everything
that is put in their charge. I do not wish to go into detail here; I
see too much; I know too much of the waste and neglect of our females
to feel satisfied with them. Is this any more so with the female
portion of our community than among the males? No, not at all; but the
neglect, the idleness, the waste, and the extravagance of men in our
community are ridiculous. They are constantly taught better; they know
better; yet, in many instances, the same reckless waste is indulged in
by the whole family. If we will learn to be wise and careful, we shall
devote all our time in that way that will be of the greatest advantage
to us and to our common cause, continually bettering our condition,
and become more and more competent to do good.

Vol. 12,  p.195
I have tried continually to get this people to pursue a course that
will make them self-sustaining, taking care of their poor—the lame,
the halt and the blind, lifting the ignorant from where they have no
opportunity of observing the ways of the world, and of understanding
the common knowledge possessed among the children of men, bringing
them together from the four quarters of the world, and making of them
an intelligent, thrifty and self-sustaining people. This is a work
that is worthy the attention of the Saints. We have gathered thousands
from many nations; By the aid of the Almighty we have raised them out
of penury and miserable dependence, and have taught them how to become
wealthy in possessions, useful to themselves and their neighbors, good
citizens, and, I trust, faithful Saints. We are still continuing our
labors in gathering the poor from foreign lands, and the people are
doing marvels in contributing their means for this purpose; and it is
still coming, and we hope to be able to still enlarge our operations
for the deliverance of the poor and downtrodden Saints of all nations.
We can continue to receive and send means until July.

Vol. 12,  p.195
Now, sisters, will you commence to pay attention to the raising of
silk? There are numbers of sisters in our community who could pay
attention to this industry, and teach the children to gather the
mulberry leaves and to feed the worms. I wish all those sisters whose
hands are not tied with large families to enter into this business
with heart and hand in [p.196] their different wards. Plant the
mulberry tree, and raise silk every year, also silk worm eggs. By
pursuing this business faithfully, year by year, it will bring a
yearly revenue to each ward of thousands of dollars, making the people
more and more able to perform works of benevolence and mercy, and to
make themselves more and more comfortable in their living.

Vol. 12,  p.196
The Kingdom of God is upward and onward, and will so continue until
its power and influence extend to the relief of the honest of all
nations. It is for us to look to the welfare of the Kingdom of God;
for it alone will sustain us, build us up and save us now and
hereafter, and prepare us to enjoy a blessed eternity. May God bless
you. Amen.

George A. Smith, April 6, 1868

Importance of Observing the Sabbath Day—Emigration 
of the Poor—Fish Culture—Producing Silk

DISCOURSE by Elder George A. Smith, delivered in the New 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, April 6th, 1868.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.196
We have been in the habit of looking contemptuously on the sectarian
world, so far as their habits appear to us to be indications of
hypocrisy. Among them men take great pains to seem to be religious.
They will put on a. long face, a sad countenance, and on the Sabbath
day they will endeavor to seem to be very holy. But as soon as the
Sabbath has gone by, a great many men will not scruple to commit the
most outrageous acts of dishonesty and corruption, thinking, perhaps,
by being so very good on the Sabbath day, that the wickedness and
corruption of the remaining six days will be sanctified and justified.

Vol. 12,  p.196
Well, we have looked contemptuosly upon a spirit of this kind, and in
so doing some of us may have failed to appreciate, as we ought, the
importance of observing the Sabbath day. We may have felt that it was
a tradition that we and our fathers had inherited from the sectarian
world. There are many instances of our brethren failing to observe the
Sabbath day. Some going to the kanyon on a Saturday for wood or
lumber, knowing that they could not return with their loads until
Sunday; or going out to hunt cattle when they knew they could not
accomplish what they desired without breaking the Sabbath. I feel a
desire to call the attention of the Conference to the consideration of
this subject, because it not only involves a commandment given in the
law of Moses, and endorsed by the New Testament, but it has been also
enjoined upon us by revelation, through Joseph Smith in the present
generation; and if we neglect it we have no right to expect the
blessings of God to that extent that its observance would ensure. We
find on the 149th page of the [p.197] Doctrine and Covenants something
on this subject, to which I wish to call the attention of the brethren
and sisters. It reads as follows:

Vol. 12,  p.197
"Wherefore I give unto them a commandment, saying thus: Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind and
strength, and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve him. Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Thou shalt not steal; neither
commit adultery, nor kill, nor do anything like unto it. Thou shalt
thank the Lord thy God in all things. Thou shalt offer a sacrifice
unto the Lord thy God in righteousness, even that of a broken heart
and a contrite spirit. And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself
unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and
offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day; for verily this is a day
appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions
unto the Most High; nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in
righteousness on all days, and at all times; but remember that on this
the Lord's day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments
unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before
the Lord.

Vol. 12,  p.197
"And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be
prepared with singleness, of heart that thy fasting may be perfect;
or, in other words, that thy joy may be full. Verily this is fasting
and prayer; or, in other words, rejoicing and prayer."

Vol. 12,  p.197
I read this simply to call your attention to the law as it has been
given to us through Joseph Smith, our Prophet, and to impress upon the
minds of the Elders the necessity of observing it.

Vol. 12,  p.197
We find it also enjoined upon us in a portion of section 4, of a
revelation on page 160, of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, which
reads as follows:

Vol. 12,  p.197
"And the inhabitants of Zion shall also observe the Sabbath day to
keep it holy."

Vol. 12,  p.197
I have felt that it was necessary to call the attention of the
Saints—the brethren especially, to this subject, because I believe it
affects us in various ways. We should come together on the Sabbath day
and partake of the Sacrament, and we should do no work, but what is
necessary to prepare food for ourselves, or to feed our animals. We
should observe the Sabbath as a day of rest, and if we do it
faithfully we shall live longer; for my impression is, saying nothing
about the commandment of the Lord, that nature requires one-seventh of
our time for rest, and that when a man has worked fifty-two Sundays in
a year, he is at least fifty-two days older than he needs to be, and
has not done as much work during the year as if he had worked only six
days a week and had rested the seventh. I hope our brethren will
hereafter make their calculations to observe the Sabbath and thus act
in accordance with the law of God. The evidence is plain on the face
of the Book of Mormon, that when men commence to live in accordance
with the laws of the gospel, as the people of Nephi did for about two
hundred years after the Savior visited the land Bountiful, they shall
begin to be stronger and to live longer. Amos, the son of Nephi, kept
the records on the plates of Nephi eighty-four years, and his son Amos
kept them one hundred and eleven years: Book of Mormon, pages 494-6,
sections 8 and 11. Previous to this period the Book of Mormon shows
that the Nephites were a short-lived race. The observance of the
Sabbath, as well as the observance of every other commandment of God,
has a tendency to prolong [p.198] human life. There is nothing to
prevent us commencing, by observing the Word of Wisdom, to lengthen
our days, in accordance with the words of the prophecies of Isaiah,
which says, "for as the days of a tree are the days of my people."

Vol. 12,  p.198
There are several subjects I wish to refer to in addressing my
brethren in Conference. One of them is the emigration of the poor from
Europe, which was agitated last Fall Conference. Some of the brethren
have contributed liberally, and sufficient means has been collected to
aid a considerable number; but nothing like what was desired. Yet with
what has been raised here, with that which may be possessed by some
who are partly able to help themselves, we expect to bring five
thousand adults to the railway terminus. We also expect to raise the
wagons, mules and oxen necessary to fit up teams, and the necessary
provisions and teamsters, guards and arms, to go from here to the
terminus of the railroad, and bring home the brethren and sisters and
their children who may gather to that point. We else want to make
plans and calculations, and every man and woman throughout the
Territory should feel that it is a part of their duty to contribute
his or her share to accomplish this; and then to lay a foundation for
setting all these people to work at something that will enable them to
live and acquire a competence as well as return the means expended in
bringing them here. Those indebted to the Perpetual Emigration Fund
should feel the importance of paying their indebtedness; and those who
are not indebted should feel alive and awake to the accomplisment of
this object. It is a great and glorious work which we have undertaken,
and it will never do for us to be discouraged and leave it half done.

Vol. 12,  p.198
There is another subject under consideration, which weights very
heavily upon the minds of the Saints. The Word of Wisdom recommends us
to use the flesh of animals sparingly. The law of Moses prohibited to
Israel the use of swine's flesh; but in the Gentile world at the
present day it is considered superior, as food, to almost every other
kind of flesh. And even among us, with the education and training that
we have received, there is a great deal of it used. It seems to be a
pretty general idea among the people that swine's flesh can be more
easily raised than any other; but there is no doubt that, with proper
care and attention, other kinds of meat might be produced with equal
facility. For some reason God, by Special law, prohibited its use to
the children of Israel; and it certainly seems desirable that we
should also discontinue its use, as within the past few years in some
countries where a great amount of pork has been consumed the people
have been afflicted with a kind of pestilence—a disease which is
considered incurable. It is therefore wise and prudent for us to adopt
plans to procure supplies from other sources. In some countries the
culture of fish has recently been introduced. It was commenced, in the
first place, by sportsmen for the purpose of increasing the amusement
of anglers; but the French government, under the reign of the present
Emperor, have commenced to stock the rivers of France with fish for
the purpose of increasing the supply of healthful food to the people.
This is being done successfully in New England, where rivers were
formerly well stocked with salmon and other varieties of fish, though
for many years they have become extinct. Laws have been passed in New
Hampshire, Maine and other Eastern [p.199] States, requiring the
owners of mills to construct fishways over their dams, so that fish
can pass freely up and down the streams, the dams having heretofore
effectually prevented this.

Vol. 12,  p.199
Persons have also been employed to re-stock the rivers, and in this
way many choice varieties of fish have been again successfully
introduced. The real fact is, they are as easily raised as hogs, if
the proper attention is paid to them. Our beautiful lakes—such as Utah
Lake and. Bear Lake,—our rivers, and even our springs can, with a very
little trouble and expense, be made to yield an immense quantity of
this healthful food. I wish to call the attention of the Bishops and
Elders, at home and abroad, to the propriety of studying this
question; and if they lack information on the subject just let them
drop a note to the Hon. W. H. Hooper, our Delegate at Washington, and
ask him to furnish information on the culture of fish. He has it in
his reach through the Bureau of Agriculture, and can send it under his
own frank, and that will put you in possession of the information you
require. You can feed fish as well as hogs, and they will eat a great
many things you are little aware of, and with a little trouble you can
procure that which will furnish an agreeable and healthy change in our
diet.

Vol. 12,  p.199
I also wish to advise our brethren,—the Bishops especially, to
consider the propriety of taking proper measures for the production of
poultry. Their flesh is agreeable and much more healthful as food than
using great quantities of pork, as we are compelled to do in many
instances.

Vol. 12,  p.199
I will also call the attention of the congregation to the subject of
raising silk. We are anxious to dress in broadcloth, and to wear fine
clothing; but there is a difficulty in the way of our sending abroad
for them, for we have scarcely anything that we can send to purchase
the necessary material; hence the necessity of taking measures to
raise it here. The revelation given to the Church years ago to let the
beauty of our garments be the workmanship of our own hands, although
it has not remained a dead letter, has never been fully complied with;
and it is time that we, as a people, should be thinking of some new
industry by which the kinds of clothing we desire may be produced, and
also have a production or staple of some kind that we can send abroad
that will bring us wealth in return, instead of sending away all our
money, and bringing nothing back.

Vol. 12,  p.199
It has been proven by a few years' experience that the mulberry tree
grows in this country; the climate agrees with it, and it grows
rapidly and thrives well. It has also been proven that the silkworm is
healthy in this climate, and experiments have proven the fact that
silk of a fine quality can be produced here in abundance. Now, silk
has commanded gold in all ages. It once would pay for transportation
overland on the backs of animals from the frontiers of China to the
west of Europe; and silk garments have been considered so delightful
that they were worth their weight in gold. And in consequence of the
high esteem in which it has ever been and is yet held, the trade in
silk is still very remunerative. We would like to see our wives and
daugthers clad in the most delightful silk, but we cannot get it; and
yet it can be cultivated and produced by their own nimble fingers, in
this climate, just as easily as flax or wool, and at very little more
expense. Several years ago in the States there was quite an excitement
on this subject; but it proved a failure. The reason was that in many
of the States where the experiment was [p.200] tried the climate was
too severe for the culture of the proper varieties of the mulberry;
they would kill with the winter frosts, and then the summers were too
damp or rainy for the healthy production of the worm. Our climate is
peculiarly fitted in these respects. Our dry summers and mild winters
are both suitable, and there is not a doubt but as fine silk may be
produced here as anywhere in the world. President Young has taken
pains to introduce the mulberry. He sent to Europe and obtained the
proper kind of seed. It can be grown from the seed and multiplied to
any extent from the cuttings. Our brethren in every ward should take
this matter in hand and plant out these cuttings, and send for the
silkworms, and set in operation a new branch of industry, which will
employ us some six weeks or two months in the summer time in feeding
and taking care of the worms; the residue of the labor—winding and
manufacturing the raw material into silk can be conducted through the
year. Millions of dollars worth of silk might thus be annually
produced in this Territory, from labor that now counts very little.

Vol. 12,  p.200
The feeble, the aged, the lame, and almost any person, no matter how
weakly, might be employed at this business; and silk always fetches
such a price that it would pay us for sending it abroad, in addition
to the amount we might use.

Vol. 12,  p.200
It is just as easy for us to clothe ourselves with silk, the
workmanship of our own hands, as to go ragged. Then, I feel it,
concientiously, to be a duty we owe to ourselves as a people, and the
obedience we owe to the revelations of the Lord that we should add
this industry to the branches we have already commenced.

Vol. 12,  p.200
We should also take care of our sheep, and continue to erect woolen
manufactories, and never relax our efforts in the cultivation of flax,
hemp and cotton, for all these articles in their time and season are
indispensable; and with the whole of them put together—the silk, wool,
flax, hemp and cotton, we need ask no odds of mankind for clothes to
wear, how ever beautiful we may choose to make them.

Brigham Young, April 8, 1868

Domestic Economy—Training Children—Cultivation 
of Silk—Application of Labor—Longevity

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, in the 
New Tabernacle, afternoon, April 8, 1868.

[Reported By G. D. Watt] 

Vol. 12,  p.200
President Heber C. Kimball has exhorted the bishops to gather around
them the young men and teach them the privileges which they enjoy, and
try to lead them in the right way. Bishops, I wish you to hearken to
this piece of good advice. I will give each of the young men in
Israel, who have arrived at an age to marry, a mission to go
straightway and get married to a good sister, fence a city lot, lay
out a garden and orchard and [p.201] make a home, and especially do
not forget to plant a proper proportion of mulberry trees. This is the
mission that I give to all the young men in Israel. And I say to you,
sisters, if you do not know how to milk a cow, you can soon learn. If
you do not know how to feed the fows, you can learn. If you do not
know how to feed the chickens, get them and learn how, and if your
husband takes you to live in ever so small and humble a cottage, make
it neat and nice and clean, and set out flowers around the doors, and
let the husband plant fruit trees and shade trees, and let wives help
their husbands that they may be encouraged to take hold of more
important business that will create an income sufficient to sustain
their wives, and by economy and care become wealthy in a short time,
and have your carriage to ride in. What a satisfaction it will be to
you to know that what you possess is the result of your industry and
economy. "It was not given to us by grandfather, or by father, or by
mother, or any relation; but we have got these comforts by our
industry, saving, and the blessings of the Lord." By this means our
young men and maidens will gain for themselves credit, respect, and a
name in Israel worthy of the admiration of all good persons. How much
better is this course than the opposite, to spend precious time to no
profit, always being in a state of dependence. Were the Lord to speak
of such conduct, he would use terms to show that He is not well
pleased with it.

Vol. 12,  p.201
I have a short sermon for my sisters. I wish you, under the direction
of your bishops and wise men, to establish your relief societies, and
organize yourselves under the direction of the brethren, and establish
yourselves for doing business, gathering up your little amounts of
means that would otherwise go to waste, and put them to usury, and
make more of them, and thus keep gathering in. Let this be commenced
forthwith. Ask your husbands to furnish you some straw for hats and
bonnets, and when you get it put more than three straws over your
head, and make a hat that will shade you from the scorching sun. I
have a great desire to live and see the prosperity of this people, and
one thing among the rest, I would like to see the time when our
sisters will take more pains to beautify their children. When your
children arise in the morning instead of sending them out of doors to
wash in cold, hard water, with a little soft soap, and wiping them as
though you would tear the skin off them, creating roughness and
darkness of skin, take a piece of soft flannel, and wipe the faces of
your children smooth and nice, dry them with a soft cloth; and instead
of giving them pork for their breakfast, give them good wholesome
bread and sweet milk, baked potatoes, and also buttermilk if they like
it, and a little fruit, and I would have no objections to their eating
a little rice. Rice is an excellent food for children, and I wish some
of the brethren would cultivate it in these valleys. Upland rice will
flourish in this country. Train up your children to be beautiful and
fair, instead of neglecting them until they are sunburned and become
like the natives of our mountains. Let the sisters take care of
themselves, and make themselves beautiful, and if any of you are so
superstitious and ignorant as to say that this is pride, I can say
that you are not informed as to the pride which is sinful before the
Lord, you are also ignorant as to the excellency of the heavens, and
of the beauty which dwells in the society of the Gods. Were you to see
an angel, you would see a beautiful and lovely [p.202] creature. Make
yourselves like angels in goodness and beauty. Let the mothers in
Israel make their sons and daughters healthy and beautiful, by
cleanliness and a proper diet. Whether you have much or little
clothing for your children, it can be kept clean and healthy, and be
made to fit their persons neatly. Make your children lovely and fair
that you may delight in them. Cease to send out your children to herd
sheep with their skins exposed to the hot sun, until their hands and
faces appear as though they lived in an ash heap. I call upon my
sisters to lead out in these things; and create your own fashions, and
make your clothing to please yourselves, independent of outside
influences; and make your hats and bonnets to shade you. I wish you,
sisters, to listen to these counsels, and place yourselves in a
condition to administer to the poor. Get your husbands to provide you
with a little of this and a little of that of which you can make
something by adding your own labor. I do not mean that you shall apply
to them for five dollars and ten dollars to spend for that, which is
of no profit, but manufacture something that will be useful, as well
as beautiful and comely.

Vol. 12,  p.202
You ought to enter into the cultivation of silk. Our bench lands are
well adapted to the growth of the mulberry tree, the leaves of which
produce the natural food for the silk worm. There is no better land
nor climate in the world than we have for this branch of business. We
can make ourselves independently rich at this business alone, if it is
properly pursued. There ought to be a plot of land in each ward
devoted to the cultivation of silk, and a cocoonery built in the
centre of it, and in the season thereof let the children of the wards
who have nothing to do, and aged people, gather the leaves and feed
the worms. The work is light and interesting, while the sales of wound
silk, for which there is always a market to be found, will do much
towards feeding and clothing poor persons that would otherwise be
entirely dependent. If the worms are well taken Care of, the season of
feeding only lasts froth thirty-five to forty days. If I cannot
succeed in getting the sisters with their children to attend to this
business, I shall be under the necessity of sending to China for
Chinamen to come here and raise silk for us, which I do not wish to
do. To pay people the wages they want here would prevent us from
raising silk profitably. We look forward to the period when the price
of labor here will be brought to a reasonable and judicious standard.

Vol. 12,  p.202
Now, sisters, go to forthwith and get you an acre of land, and get,
the Bishops and the brethren to fence it, and prepare it for the
reception of the trees, and go and help them; but, be sure to wear a
wide brimmed hat while doing it, so as not to get tanned with the sun
and the wind. Go to and raise silk. You can do it, and those who
cannot set themselves to work we will set them to work gathering
straw, and making straw hats and straw bonnets; we will set others to
gathering willows, and others to making baskets; we will set others to
gathering flags and rushes, and to making mats, and bottoming chairs,
and making carpets. I pray you in Christ's stead to let gold hunting
alone, and pray the Lord to cover it up in our region of country that
it cannot be found. Those among us who are anxious to find rich gold
deposits, are equally anxious to destroy themselves, and are no wiser
than our little children are in handling sharp-edged tools. They would
not only destroy themselves, but all [p.203] around them if they had
the power to do it. Instead of hunting gold, let every man go to work
at raising wheat, oats, barley, corn, and vegetables; and fruit in
abundance, that there may be plenty in the land. Raise sheep, and
produce the finest quality of wool in large quantities. By the
migratory system of feeding sheep in this country they will be
healthy, and produce large clips of wool. I hope, by the blessings of
the Lord, to demonstrate this the present season. In these pursuits
are the true sources of wealth, and we have as much capital in these,
mountains to begin with as any people in the world, according to the
number of our community. Real capital consists in knowledge and
physical strength. If we know how to apply our labor, it will produce
for us everything we can ask for; it will bring to us the food and the
clothing we want, and every facility we need for comfort, for
refinement, for excellence, for beauty, and for adornment. It will
bring to us the wealth of the world, the gold and the silver, although
gold and silver are not real wealth. They are useful as a medium of
exchange, as foundation upon which to base a currency, and to use as
ornaments and household vessels; and so gold should be regarded until
there is enough of it to pave our streets. O, ye Elders of Israel who
are greedy for gold, instead of wasting your time in search of it,
gather around you the comforts of life, with which the elements are
loaded, and make yearselves rich in all the elegancies and
conveniences by means of economy and industry. I wish the sisters to
lead out in the fashions. It is very little difference what fashion
you produce. I would just as soon see you wear hats with wide brims as
not, if you have that fashion that will give comfort and convenience
and produce health and longevity. We wish to promote the longevity of
the people. Tell your husbands to get you a heifer calf or two and
some chickens, and you will feed them, and take care of them, instead
of feeding pigs, and if your husbands have springs on their land, get
them to clean them out and dam them up a little, and introduce the
spawn of the best fish we herein these mountains, and collect all the
information that has been printed, and which comes within your reach
on the subject of raising fish. And raise your potatoes and parsnips
and carrots for feeding them with, adding a little corn meal, or a
little oat meal. We can raise fish here, and the cost will be one
fourth less per pound than other meats. You may think that fowls are
injurious to the garden; but they are not. They will pick up grubs and
cut worms and other destructive insects, and the good they do in this
respect. Will far overbalance any trifling injury they may do to young
plants. They will keep your gardens clean of these pests, and fatten,
giving you plenty of eggs to eat. Take care of them, and get a little
patch of lucerne planted to give to your young heifer, and rear her
until she gives you her increase. This is for you young women who want
to get husbands. Tell the young men that you will sustain yourselves,
and teach them how to sustain themselves if they do not know how, if
they will only come and marry you. Now, girls, court up the boys, it
is leap year. Give them to understand in some way that it is all
right. You are ready, and you want to help them to make a good home,
to form a nucleus around which to gather the blessings and comforts of
life, a place to rally to. While you are on the move and unsettled you
can get nothing that [p.204] is permanent. Tell the boys what to do,
and you sisters of experience, ye mothers in Israel, go to and get up
your societies, and teach these girls what to do, and how to get the
boys to come and marry them. The neglect and lazy habits which our
boys are falling into are a disgrace to us, to say nothing about the
sin of such conduct. They produce nothing, and consider themselves
unable to take care of a family, and they will not marry. This conduct
of theirs leaves our young women without partners; they want somebody
to look to, and something that they can do to advantage and bless
themselves, and have a home to go to. Young men, fit you up a little
log cabin, if it is not more than ten feet square, and then get you a
bird to put in your little cage. You can then work all day with
satisfaction to yourself, considering that you have a home to go to,
and a loving heart to welcome you. You will then have something to
encourage you to labor and gather around you the comforts of life, and
a place to gather them to. Strive to make your little home attractive.
Use lime freely, and let your houses nestle beneath the cool shades of
trees, and be made fragrant with perfumes of flowers.

Vol. 12,  p.204
These are practical teachings; they are things which this people must
be taught, for if we do not learn to take care of ourselves and save
ourselves who will do it for us? Will the Gentiles help us, and care
for us? Will they do us good? No. And I tell you further, Elders of
Israel, that you do not know the day of your visitation, neither do
you understand the signs of the times, for if you did you would be
awake to these things. Every organization of our government, the best
government in the world, is crumbling to pieces. Those who have it in
their hands are the ones who are destroying it. How long will it be
before the words of the prophet Joseph will be fulfilled? He said if
the Constitution of the United States were saved at all it must be
done by this people. It will not be many years before these words come
to pass. How long will it be before they will be coming here for
bread, for the bread of life, and for the bread which sustains the
body? Do you know this? You do not. This community live as it were
from hand to mouth. They must learn to lay up food. Notwithstanding
all that has been said to the people on this subject, not one man to
thirty has bread sufficient to last him one year. As our mechanics are
paid, they might have laid up their hundreds if not their thousands a
year. Brethren, learn. You have learned a good deal it is true; but
learn more; learn to Sustain yourselves; lay up grain and flour, and
save it against a day of scarcity. Sisters, do not ask your husbands
to sell the last bushel of grain you have to buy something for you out
of the stores, but aid your husbands in storing it up against a day of
want, and always have a year or two's provision on hand. A great
abundance of fruit can be dried, There are but few families in this
city who do not have the privilege of drying and laying up fruit. Yet
the majority of families in this community, instead of using fruit
that was dried last fall but one, are using fruit dried last, year
when the grasshoppers were here. A year's supply should be kept ahead,
so that families would not be compelled to eat fruit that had been
injured by grasshoppers and other insects. We should accumulate all
kinds of nutritive substances, and preserve them from worms, which can
easily be done. If we do not take care of ourselves, we shall have a
very poor chance to be taken care of.[p.205] If we will hearken to the
counsel that is given to us we shall know how to sustain ourselves in
every particular. Mothers in Israel, sisters, ask your husbands to
take care of the sheep they have got, and not wilfully waste them; but
multiply them and bring our wool to the factories to be manufactured,
or trade it for yarn and cloth. The woolen mills which we now have in
the country will work up a great deal of wool if they can get it. Who
is there in our community that raises flax? Is there any attention
paid to this culture? I think not, but it is, "Husband, sell your
wheat, sell your oats to buy me the linen I want." We shall in the
future have flax machines here to make the finest of linen; and we can
make the cotton and silk in abundance. I would urge the brethren of
the southern Country to plant cotton sufficient to supply the wants of
the factories that are now in the country, and let us continue our
labors until we can manufacture everything we want. All this is
embraced in our religion, every good word and work, all things
temporal, and all things spiritual, things in heaven, things on earth,
and things that are under the earth are circumscribed by our religion.
We are in the fastnesses of the mountains, and if we do these things,
and delight in doing right, our feet will be made fast and immovable
like the bases of these everlasting hills. We ought not to desire
anything only on righteous principles, and if we want right, let us
then deal it out to others, being kind and full of love and charity to
all. My brethren and sisters, I have occupied considerable time; but I
have not spoken one tenth of what I wish to say to you. By the
authority that the Lord has granted to me, I bless you in the name of
Jesus Christ. Amen.

Brigham Young, May 10, 1868

The True Church of Christ—the Living 
Testimony—Word of Wisdom

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, May 10th, 1868.

[Reported By G. D. Watt]

Vol. 12,  p.205
The gospel which we preach is the gospel of life and salvation. The
Church which we represent is the Church and Kingdom of God, and
possesses the only faith by which the children of men can be brought
back into the presence of our Father and God. The Lord has set his
hands to restore all things as in the beginning, and by the
administration of His Holy Priesthood, save all who can be saved,
cleanse from the world the consequenses of the fall and give it to the
hands of His Saints. I am a witness of these things. How far short we
may come of being what we should be, or of improving as fast as we
should, matters not; this is the Kingdom of God, this is the way of
life and salvation, and all who hearken to and receive it in their
faith, and live it in their lives, will have [p.206] the privilege of
returning to their Father and their God; and none else will come into
His presence. it is true that the spirits of all people will return to
God who gave them, both Saint and sinner, but as to their staying
there and becoming permanent settlers in His immediate presence is
another question.

Vol. 12,  p.206
The practical part of the lives of the Saints in our day, and in
former days on this earth or on other earths, is another part of the
great subject of salvation. The faith of the people as a general thing
is correct; but the lives of many of the Latter-day Saints are far
from being what they should be. To be Latter-day Saints men and women
must be strictly honest; they must observe that code of moral religion
which is taught in the world and which is as good as can be taught.
There are numbers of the human family who profess the religions of men
who live the moral code acknowledged among them as strictly as men and
women can do.

Vol. 12,  p.206
When we talk of the true Church of Christ we speak of a system of
theology, the principles of which will bear upon every motive and act
of mankind. If there is a fault in the people, it will make it
manifest; if there is a weakness, it will be made apparent, for the
Lord takes this course that His children may exhibit what is in them.
In the latter days He will reveal the secrets of the hearts of the
children of men. He is now doing this by breaking up the people here
and there. He is leading them through circumstances to try them to the
uttermost. If we are not tried in all things already, there is plenty
of time yet for us to be so tried, even as Abraham was. Be patient, my
brethren and sisters, for we shall all have the privilege of being
tried to the uttermost if we are worthy. How many trials Abraham had,
and how severe they were we have not been fully informed. A portion of
his life has been committed to paper, and handed down to us, which we
can read at our leisure. Whether he was tried as we are tried, and in
as many ways as the Latter-day Saints are tried, I do no know. There
is no question but that he was tried sufficiently to prove before his
Father and God that he was worthy of the blessings he obtained—that he
was worthy of the priesthood and the keys thereof—that he was worthy
to receive the articles of truth, to dispense salvation to his
father's house and to his friends and neighbors, and to all who would
hearken to his counsels.

Vol. 12,  p.206
The Latter-day Saints are a very peculiar people, and they are led in
a peculiar way. We are brought into circumstances so as to be a
stumbling block to the nations, through the failings and weaknesses of
the Latter-day Saints. Jesus was a stumbling block to the nation of
the Jews, and to the generation in which he lived, and, to all that
knew him, and how singular it is that Jesus Christ, at this late day,
and at such a distance from the theatre of his operations, should have
attained such celebrity and fame; even his disciples are not only
canonized, but almost deified, and looked upon as though they were
gods come down to dwell with men. Every circumstance connected with
the Savior's life is looked upon as being divine. Christendom now
acknowledge that Jesus was the Son of God; they look upon him as God
manifested in the flesh according to the New Testament; yet the
generation in which He lived did not see these tokens of divinity
which this generation recognize. To them he was "a root out of dry
ground"—"a stumbling block," "a rock of offence." So with the [p.207]
Latter-day Saints. They are a stumbling block to this generation. The
world see all their weaknesses and faults, and see no divinity in the
work in which they are engaged. Yet this is not to be wondered at,
inasmuch as the world could not see it in Jesus when he dwelt in
mortality. We are looked upon as a low, degraded, ignorant set of
fanatics. This is the opinion of the great majority of the learned and
refined world. Others say that our people are the dupes of a few. We
do not claim to be very wise, but we do know that that portion of
mankind called Christians in our day, who profess to be followers of
the meek and lowly Jesus, are grossly ignorant of His character, and
of the means and way of Salvation which He offers to the world. The
Latter-day Saints, as a people, may not be so far advanced in the
knowledge of many of the sciences, as their neighbors; but they are
learning how to take care of themselves, which is one of the greatest
arts known to man. When the most learned and scientific among men
scrutinize their own lives and experience, they are under the
necessity of acknowledging that they are faulty, weak, ignorant; they
are "strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and
without God in the world."

Vol. 12,  p.207
Instead of considering that there is nothing known and understood,
only as we know and understand tilings naturally, I take the other
side of the question, and believe positively that there is nothing
known except by the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, whether in
theology, science, or art. The world receive information and light on
great principles of science and knowledge in the arts, to subserve the
hidden purposes of the Almighty, but they are ignorant of the source
from whence it comes to them. They seek not to know God, whom to know
is life everlasting. They seek not to know the source of their own
existence, and of all light and truth. They are not willing to
acknowledge His hand in anything; and for this the God of Heaven is
displeased with them, and His anger is kindled against them. They have
every evidence that can be asked that Joseph Smith was a prophet sent
from God, yet they cannot acknowledge it; while at the same time, with
the scriptures in their hands, they can but acknowledge the supremacy
of the doctrine we preach over the dogmas of the age, and in the
growth of this community in the time of a constant stream of abuse and
persecution, gathering the poor from all nations, they must
acknowledge the superior wisdom and power displayed, that cannot be
attributed to man. The wisdom which God has given them teaches them
better. It teaches them that a secret something, an invisible agency
is evidently at work behind the curtain. What mortal has the power to
call people from the ends of the earth? While Jesus Christ was in the
flesh He did not manifest his power. How much power did He manifest
over the people of the world in His day? Did He send His disciples to
the nations and call His followers together from the ends of the earth
by thousands? He did not. There is no doubt but that He had the power
to call the people together; but he did not manifest it. The people
saw no exhibition of this power when he was among them. But He is
doing it now, and if it had been the time to do it in His day it could
have been done by the power of the heavens through Him, as it is now
done by the same power through Joseph Smith and his brethren. God is
now displaying His power in a marvelous [p.208] degree, whispering to
the inmost souls of the children of men in foreign lands with a still,
small voice, "flee to the mountains, for the day of the Lord is upon
the wicked nations of Babylon;" and the cry: "come out other, my
people" has gone throughout the world. Do we improve as fast as we
should? We do not improve as fast as we might; but I am happy to know
that we improve, and we can improve more if we please. Compare the
progress of the Saints in the days of the Savior and His disciples,
with the progress of the Saints in these days.

Vol. 12,  p.208
When a "Mormon" Elder offers evidence of this great work to
unbelievers, they tell him that he is a party concerned, and his
evidence cannot be taken with regard to Joseph Smith's mission. I ask
the Christian world where are your witnesses that Jesus is the Christ?
Who are those who testified of His mission, and how many are there?
Eight persons testified of Him, and their testimony is recorded, and
they were his disciples and parties concerned; yet at this day all the
Christian world is ready to receive their testimony. I testify that
this work of God in which we are engaged has been commenced to gather
the house of Israel and establish Zion in the last days, and has more
outward and weighty evidence to prove that it is of God than there was
in the days of Jesus to prove that he was the Christ. When the Book of
Mormon came forth it was testified to by twelve witnesses, and who can
dispute their testimony? No living person on the earth can do it; and
besides the testimony of these twelve witnesses, hundreds and
thousands have received a witness to themselves from the Heavens, and
who can dispute their testimony? No living person on the earth can do
it. This infidel world inquires, "where do you get your testimony?" We
answer, we get it from the Heavens. Were we to ask them where they get
the knowledge they possess, they reply, "We do not know; it came to
us; we know not its source." We have testimony that the Bible is true,
that the prophecies contained in it are true, that Jesus is the son of
God, and came to redeem the world. Have the so-called Christian world
this kind of testimony? They have not. All the testimony they can
boast of is the testimony of eight men who lived nearly two thousand
years ago. The infidel world cannot receive their testimony, because
they were parties concerned.

Vol. 12,  p.208
We are asked if signs follow the believer in our day as in days of
old. We answer, they do. The blind see, the lame leap, the deaf hear,
the gift of prophecy is manifest, also the gift of healing, the gift
of revelation, the gift of tongues and the interpretation of tongues.
Jesus said that these signs should follow them that believe. His
Church and Kingdom always have these signs which follow the believer
in all ages when the true Church is in existence. Do they follow any
but believers? They do not. The gift and power of the Holy Ghost, as
enjoyed by the ancient saints, and its various manifestations, are not
received in the faith of modern Christian sects. They say that the
gift and power of the Holy Ghost have ceased; that the canon of
Scripture is full; that there is no more new revelation, no more
prophecy, no more inspired visions, no more administrations of angels
as in days of old, no more voice of God from the heavens, no more
inspired prophets and apostles, who seal on earth and it is sealed in
heaven; from whence then have they testimony that Jesus is the Christ,
and that God [p.209] lives? The very book which they believe to be
inspired, and which they oiler to the heathen and the infidel as the
strongest evidence they possess for the divinity of their religion
declares positively that signs shall follow the believer, and this
very important declaration and promise they discard altogether. We say
that signs do in our day follow the believer, and here is the witness
and testimony that Jesus is the Christ.

Vol. 12,  p.209
If we speak of ourselves our testimony is nothing, but if we speak by
the power of God that is within us, the same Spirit bears witness that
we are the true followers of the Lord Jesus, and convinceth the world
of sin and of a judgment to come. The Spirit of the Almighty is abroad
among the people, and all, who will listen to the truth will be
convinced by the spirit of truth, and they will flow together from
distant lands, and as the salt of the earth is gathered out the
nations will break to pieces; and are they not at this time breaking
to pieces? The honest in heart are gathering out, by thousands and
tens of thousands from the nations of Babylon. They are leaving their
fathers, and mothers, and husbands, and wives, and children, and
friends, and associations, at the call of the gospel preached by the
Elders of this Church. What power, but the power of God, could stir up
the world and enlighten the soul and better the condition of
multitudes, teaching them to make the wilderness blossom as the rose
and the desert places to be inhabited?

Vol. 12,  p.209
After the Latter-day Saints are gathered together, I repeat, that we
do not improve as fast as we should. This Word of wisdom which has
been supposed to have become stale, and not in force, is like all the
counsels of God, in force as much to-day as it ever was. There is
life, everlasting life in it—the life which now is and the life which
is to come. We have had this Word of Wisdom thirty-five years last
February, and the whole people have not yet learned to observe it
after the true spirit and meaning of it. There is within a few years
past a great improvement in this, so much so that I very much doubt
whether a tobacco spittle could be found upon the floor of this
tabernacle after this congregation is dismissed. Tobacco is not good
to receive into the human system; hot drinks are not good. We will use
cold drinks to allay thirst and warm drinks for medicine. Flesh should
be used sparingly, in famine and in cold. The people are beginning to
listen to these things. The Spirit of the Lord is urging the people to
cease from everything that is evil, and to reform in their lives; for
unless the spirit urged the people to do right, we might as well talk
to the sides of this house. We are urged by the spirit to refrain from
articles which tend to death, to preserve this life, which is the most
precious life given to mortal beings preparatory to an immortal life.
It is our business to prepare to live here to do good. Instead of
crying to the people prepare to die, our cry is prepare to live
forevermore. These mortal houses will drop off sometime, and when they
are cleansed and purified, sanctified and glorified, we shall inherit
them again forever and ever. Let all the Saints pursue a course to
live. Let those who fight against God's Kingdom fall asleep; and let
those who build it up live and prosper until their work in the flesh
is done. We say to worldly-wise men, acknowledge the hand of God in
your greatness and wisdom and in all the blessings which you receive,
for you receive them all from him.

Vol. 12,  p.210
Are we improving as a people?[p.210] We are. I have said, and say
to-day, that according to the age of the people we have improved as
fast as the church of Enoch. I trust we improve faster, for we have
not as much time as they had. In some of the first revelations which
were given to this Church the order of Enoch was given for a pattern
to this people; and Enoch patterned after the heavens. The object of
the School of the Prophets is to train ourselves until we can receive
the order of Enoch in all its fullness. In the commencement of this
Church the Latter-day Saints could not receive it, and they were
driven from city to city, as the Lord said they should be through the
mouth of His servant Joseph, until they should be willing to receive
this order.

Vol. 12,  p.210
There is no evil in doing good, no wrong in doing right. It is the
evil that people do which renders them obnoxious to the heavens,
hateful to each other, and unworthy of their being upon the earth. Let
the people be righteous, full of love, faith and good works, loving
and serving God with all their hearts, and they are happy, and they
strive to make everybody around them happy. From henceforth the wicked
will become more wicked, and their wickedness will be made more
manifest, and the corruptions which now lurk in darkness will stalk
abroad, and confidence and safety will vanish from among men, until
the good-meaning people among all nations will be willing to flee to
any place to fine peace and safety. Let us be obedient to the Man we
serve. We believe in a one Man power, and that Man is God our Father,
who lives in the Heavens. In being united with Him we can see the
beauty of the order of heaven.

Vol. 12,  p.210
The written word which we have, namely, the Old and New Testament, the
Book of Mormon and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants all agree in
testifying that Jesus is the Christ, but no man can know this without
the testimony of Jesus, which is the spirit of prophecy. Flesh and
blood did not reveal that fact to Peter, but the Father who is in
heaven. By this power do we known that Christ lives and is the Savior
of the world, and has commenced His work in the last days, to gather
His people, redeem and build up Zion, gather the remnants of Israel,
bring the Gentiles into His covenant who will receive the gospel,
restore the Jews to their land, and establish the New and Everlasting
covenant, which He established with the fathers and ratified to the
children. We are in this work; and we are called to be faithful and to
sanctify ourselves as a people and prepare for the, coming of the Son
of Man. May God help us to do so. Amen.[p.211] 

Erastus Snow, April 8, 1868

The Gathering—Practical Duties—Emigration 
of the Poor—Mission to St. Joseph

DISCOURSE by Elder Erastus Snow, delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, April 8th, 1868.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.211
Thirty-eight years ago the Prophet Joseph Smith, in a little upper
room in Father Whitmer's house, Fayette, Seneca County, New York
State, gathered six men together by commandment of God, and proceeded
to organize the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Perhaps
this was the smallest number with which a church was ever organized.
But the Savior compared the Kingdom of Heaven to a mustard seed,
which, He said, is the least of all seeds, but which, when grown,
becomes greater than all herbs, so that the fowls of the air can lodge
in its branches. From this small beginning the Latter-day Saints have
become a great people. That which has brought this about, specially,
has been the fulfilling of the commandments of God, given through
Joseph and the ancient prophets, in reference to the gathering of His
people from Babylon in the latter days. One reason assigned by the
Lord for the gathering of His people is set forth in the revelations
of St. John, where He says, "Come out of her O, my people that ye be
not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."
This, in a few words, explains the chief reason for the Lord requiring
His people to gather together. But the prophets Isaiah and Micah
assign another good reason—they predict that the mountain of the
Lord's house in the last days shall be established in the tops of the
mountains, and the nations shall flow unto it, saying. "Let us go up
to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob, for
He will teach us of His ways, that we may learn to walk in his paths."

Vol. 12,  p.211
These two scriptures show unto us that the Lord has required His
people to gather in the last days, that they might escape the sins of
the wicked, and the plagues which shall be poured out upon them, and
that they might be taught in His paths, taught to govern themselves,
to correct their foolish habits and customs, and to train themselves
and their offspring that they may be able to build up Zion according
to the law and order of Heaven.

Vol. 12,  p.211
We have already made a commendable advance in this direction. I
rejoice in moving to and fro among this people to see the spirit of
improvement manifested by them in both temporal and spiritual things,
and the increase of unity in their midst. Yet there is still room for
further improvement in all these matters. There is one principle which
fathers and mothers, and the Elders of Israel generally, should
understand and teach to their children, that is, what trials and
tribulations this people have passed through to establish themselves
in this, their mountain home; and that these things have been borne
for the Kingdom of Heaven's [p.212] sake and not for filthy lucre's
sake. Had it been gold or silver or worldly comfort we had followed
after, we should not have gathered together; but should have been
scattered through this wicked world. We left these worldly
considerations when we embraced the gospel and emigrated to this
country. Yet our common foe is on the alert to neutralize our efforts
and to draw away our young men, and many of the middle aged who have
forgotten the testimony of Jesus and have ceased to realize that this
is the work of God, and when they hear reports of the discovery of
gold or silver, or think they see a chance to make money by digging
for gold or by freighting, they launch forth and strike hands with
unbelievers, engage in their enterprises, and neglect the good work of
God. This ought not to be. Our young men are heirs to the priesthood
and of all the blessings of the new and everlasting covenant, and they
ought not to employ themselves in building up the kingdom of darkness
or spending their strength with unbelievers. But I suppose it is all
right to have these temptations spread before us, in order that the
people may be proven more effectually. It is important that our young
men, and all Israel who do not thoroughly understand these principles,
should be taught, so that the love of the gospel may be uppermost in
their hearts.

Vol. 12,  p.212
I am persuaded that the Lord is perfectly willing that His people
should possess every good thing the earth will afford, orchards,
gardens, vineyards, houses, carriages and every other good thing, to
be enjoyed with thanksgiving and used with prudence and judgment. I am
aware that the hosts of hell have sought to control the wealth of the
world, and Lucifer has ever sought to allure the righteous, as he did
the Savior when he offered Him the kingdoms and wealth of the world if
He would only fell down and worship him. It becomes the Elders of
Israel, young, middle-aged or old, to imitate the example of the
Savior, in saying, "Get thee behind me Satan." As to the riches of the
world they belong to the Lord, and He gives them to whom He will. If
we are determined to devote our lives to the kingdom of Heaven, and
not to this world, we shall in due time inherit all that is good for
us to inherit; and unless we realize the objects of our existence, and
learn to govern and control our spirits so as to devote ourselves and
our energies and all the means given to us to build up Zion, then the
good things of this life would be wasted upon us comparatively.

Vol. 12,  p.212
During the progress of this Conference there have been various means
of industry and enterprise spoken of and presented for the
consideration of the people, such as the producing of wool, flax,
hemp, cotton and silk, and the introduction of machinery for the
manufacture of the raw material into the various fabrics necessary for
the use of the people in cold and warm weather. The subject of
developing the mineral resources of our Territory is one of great
importance. Iron, copper, coal, lead zinc and tin abound in our
mountain home, and the development of these minerals is of far more
importance to the welfare and prosperity of a nation, than the
development of mines containing the precious metals; for the latter
are limited in their use, while the grosset metals are those that, in
their uses, enter into all the ramifications of life. The discovering
and opening of gold and silver mines tempt the cupidity of the blind
worshippers of mammon, and spread corruption among the people. The
prayers of every good man and woman should [p.213] ascend to God, that
in Zion these precious metals may be covered up and concealed until it
is His good pleasure for His Saints to possess the kingdom, so that
they may be governed and controled by the righteous instead of the
wicked.

Vol. 12,  p.213
There is much neglect in some of the distant settlements on the part
of our foreign brethren, with regard to taking out their
naturalization papers. The word "white" is stricken from the
Constitution of Deseret, and when the citizens of African descent are
admitted to the polls, the adopted sons of America who have come here
to obtain homes for themselves and their posterity, should not be
indifferent respecting the rights of citizenship and neglect to take
the steps necessary to secure to themselves the full privileges
pertaining thereto.

Vol. 12,  p.213
The emigration of the poor has commended itself to the hearts and
feelings of the people, and I am sure that their liberal response to
the calls made upon them last October will do much to commend them to
the favor of Heaven, and to secure the blessing of the Lord upon the
labor of their hands. Let us continue in this great work, and let
every bishop and elder exert himself in his sphere, to encourage the
people to send in their available means of every kind, that our
President and those whom he calls to assist him may be able to carry
out the glorious programme that he has adopted for the gathering of
the poor. Let the people in every ward be awake and alive to this
subject, that neither provisions nor teams for the outfit may be
lacking when the time comes to send for the poor. If the people find
that their plans for freighting and other business are thwarted to
some extent in doing this, they will in the end find themselves
richer, for the Lord has given us abundant evidence in times past that
He controls the avenues of wealth and prosperity to this people. And
who need fear the locusts and grasshoppers? Have we not been tried in
these things before? and if it is essential that we should be again,
all right. I can say with David of old, "I have not seen the righteous
forsaken nor his seed begging bread." The Lord has said, "it is my
business to provide for my Saints," and if He does not do it we
certainly can not. We may plow, sow, and irrigate, but we cannot give
the increase. And if the blade grows, it may wither or the locusts
devour it; and if they do God directs them, for there is not a sparrow
which is not fed by our Father in Heaven, neither does a hair of our
heads fall to the ground without being numbered; neither is there a
locust that is not cared for by Him who rules all things, and He can
dispose of them as seems to Him good He can move them east, west,
north or south, and can destroy or multiply them at pleasure. And He
can preserve our crops; but He certainly will not do it unless we
adopt the measures He has ordained. We must plow and sow and plan and
leave the event with Him. He will not forsake His people, and He will
provide for the multitude that we may gather up.

Vol. 12,  p.213
We may exert ourselves to the utmost to gather the poor and send forth
our teams to bring them to our homes and He will provide abundance for
us to feed them and ourselves and the locusts that He sends among us.
And when the locusts have eaten enough, He will bid them leave,
providing we are not over anxious to transport our substance to feed
the wicked and build up hell in our midst. If the Lord thinks that the
locusts will be less offensive and do less harm than herders of the
ungodly in our borders, I am contended [p.214] to feed them, provided
our people will cease feeding their enemies. I do not mean that we
shall cease feeding the hungry, no matter whether he is Saint or
sinner; but cease to feed and build up the wicked who will not labor
with us to develop the resources of the country and help to build up
Zion. God has called us to turn away from the folly of sustaining and
building up Babylon—the worshippers of mammon—those who have no
interest in common with us in establishing Zion and building up the
Kingdom of our God upon the earth.

Vol. 12,  p.214
With regard to the aborigines of this continent, there are several
prophecies in the Book of Mormon to the effect that they will one day
become a pure people; but that will not take place until the fulness
of the Gentiles has come. Then, according to the promise, the Spirit
of the Lord will be poured out upon them and they will inherit the
blessings promised. Until that time we expect they will be a scourge
upon the people of Zion, as the Lamanites were a scourge to the
Nephites of old. That which the Lord is pleased to use as a scourge
to-day, He may use in days to come as a means of support and of
strength. It becomes the Latter-day Saints as a people to cherish the
principles of love and good will to all men, and especially the
household of faith; and also to the natives, who are blind and
ignorant pertaining to the principles of the gospel, and not to thirst
for their blood, nor be very revengeful for every wrong that they, in
their blindness, may commit; but to exercise generous forbearance. God
will enable us to inflict such summary chastisement upon them as
circumstances may require, when it is His good pleasure that they
should be chastened. Or else He will take it in hand Himself, for He
can easily destroy, by various diseases, those who are shedding the
blood of the Saints. And this will be far more acceptable to Him than
if it were done by us.

Vol. 12,  p.214
It certainly ought not to be specially gratifying to any one to shed
the blood of his fellows, whether red, black or white. I have seen
that the Lord has taken care of the Lamanites as well as of the
Latter-day Saints, and He requires that we should exercise our
reasoning powers, and not throw ourselves heedlessly into positions
where we are exposed to the wrath of the savages. Inexperienced men
who are unacquainted with Indian habits and customs, and their mode of
warfare, should never be trusted beyond the confines of our
settlements with their wives and families, to commence operation on
their own account. They thereby tempt the cupidity of the savages. Men
of experience, energy, watchfulness—men with kind hearts and generous
impulses, who can forgive an injury—are the men who should be selected
on all occasions to lead out in the formation of new settlements on
our frontiers; and they should be sustained by obedient and
experienced men, who will help to control and take care of the people
and keep them out of danger.

Vol. 12,  p.214
I have thought many a time that the Lord has suffered the natives in
various places to drive in our outpost; just as a wise vine dresser
will clip off the end of his vines that they may produce more fruit
and make less wood. We are sometimes in the habit of scattering too
far. Being over anxious to spread, we lay on more warp than we have
filling for.

Vol. 12,  p.214
I would say a word in relation to the missionaries who went South last
fall to the Muddy. Brother Joseph W. Young and myself left here on the
second of March and visited the [p.215] settlements between this place
and St. Thomas on the Muddy. The bad condition of the roads and the
limited amount of time at our command, having to return here to
Conference, prevented us devoting that amount of time to the
settlements that we wished to. But we found them generally in a
prosperous condition; though in some placcs we were reminded of what
we saw last winter in Salt Lake City, and of Israel of old when Moses
went up into the mountain and they got Aaron to make them a calf.
Still as a general thing we found the people prosperous.

Vol. 12,  p.215
I will say for the benefit of those who have sons and daughters and
friends there, who have been reared in and about Salt Lake City and
the older settlements, that it must not be expected that everything
will run smooth with them, or that they will realize all their
expectations. There are many here who assisted in establishing
settlements in Salt Lake Valley, and who know the difficulties we had
to encounter for the first two or three years; and there are others
who have gone out and buffetted the difficulties of establishing
settlements upon our borders north and south. The country on the Muddy
affords facilities for extensive and prosperous settlements, but there
is a lack of timber. They have done very well for fuel, as within
about thirty miles of St. Thomas there are large groves of cedar and
pinion pine, which will supply them with fuel for many years, and a
good natural road to it, and springs of water in the grove. There is
also considerable sawing timber in the mountains twenty miles east of
St. Thomas; and a much larger body of excellent saw timber in the
mountains west of St. Thomas about fifty or sixty miles. But in both
these places portable steam mills are necessary, as there are springs
of water in the timber, but no creeks sufficient for water mills. And
until they are able to get mills to saw their lumber, they cannot make
very much advance towards building. As to fencing, the only fences in
that region of country are two stone corrals, one in each settlement
for coralling the stock at night which is herded in the day. And I am
fully satisfied that it is very much cheaper; and that they will make
far greater progress in developing the country by adopting this system
of herding their stock, than they would by attempting to fence their
land. And I will say that in my visit to that country I have not, to
the best of my recollection, seen one single animal preying on the
crops in that section of country. I wish I could say as much for the
best fenced sections of country in the other portions of our
Territory.

Vol. 12,  p.215
Those who went down to St. Thomas last Fall seem comfortable, pleasant
and happy. Everything around them exhibits an air of thrift and
comfort. I cannot say quite as much for those located at St. Joseph.
For many of those who went to that settlements heard of a country
higher up stream, and they felt anxious to visit it; and instead of
settling down at once and beginning to improve and make themselves a
home, they waited in hope of finding a better country. By and by in
the course of the Winter a man, who was responsible and ought to have
taken a different course, led them out to the Upper Muddy, and when
they were called back again to St. Joseph, they came feeling
disappointed. The result was, there feelings were unsettled, and six
weeks or two months of their labor may be said to have been thrown
away; and yet not thrown away, for I trust the experience they have
received, and the instruction which [p.216] followed, have sealed
lessons on their minds that they will not forget, and that will prove
more valuable to them than any amount of means they would have earned
by that two month's labor. And I trust God will overrule it for their
good.

Vol. 12,  p.216
They were much pleased and rejoiced to see us among them, and to hear
our word; and were ready and willing to be told what to do, and to go
with their might and do it; and I believe that since our visit among
them they have settled down in their feelings and have gone to work in
good earnest to make themselves homes. They have not Salt Lake market
to go to, and they cannot procure all the little luxuries of life; and
their food and manner of living will necesarily be somewhat crude and
primitive, but wholesome and healthy. I scarcely know of a single
instance of sickness among them. There were a few who, when they were
migrating south last year during the months of November and December,
and were exposed to severe storms, took cold and fever, but since
their arrival in that country they have been healthy.

Vol. 12,  p.216
It is very natural for them, like children, to feel after home and
father and mother, and the scenes of their youth. And it is very
natural, too, for the sympathies of parents to be with their children.
But let not this mistaken sympathy lead parents to give wrong counsel
to their children to their hurt. It requires stout hearts to develop a
new country like that; but perseverance, time and patience will
accomplish it. There is plenty of bread—the staff of life—in the
country, and no necessity for actual want among any of them. It is not
now as it has been in St. George and on the Muddy, where there was no
bread in the country and we had to come to Sanpete or to Salt Lake
City to fetch it.

Vol. 12,  p.216
I would say to all who have been called and have not gone,—for judging
from the best information I have, not above half of those called are
in the southern country,—for the sake of your own future welfare and
prosperity, respond to the calls that have been made upon you and
strive to fill that mission with confidence, boldness and energy. Or
if there are good and sufficient reasons why you should riot do so, go
to the President and make known your circumstances, that you may be
released, that your consciences may not condemn you and that your God
may not condemn you, and that your future usefulness may not be
curtailed. Let no one flatter himself that he can pass along in
obscurity, unnoticed, and neither magnify his calling, nor yet be
discharged from it. It will linger around you, it will haunt you and
will be like a canker worm gnawing at the root of your felicity. Take
steps to be exonerated one way or the other, and God will bless you:
Amen.[p.217] 

Brigham Young, May 17, 1868

Evidences that the Saints Love and Serve God—How 
to Build Up Zion—Taking Care of Grain

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, 
at Bountiful, May 17th, 1868.

[Reported By Edward L. Sloan]

Vol. 12,  p.217
I have been looking back over my own experience a little, with regard
to the religion that we have embraced. I have been asking myself what
proof have the Latter-day Saints that they are actually in the path
that leads to everlasting life? Have the Saints any evidence that they
love and serve God? I will tell you my experience in a few words.
Before the gospel came to me, the world was dark and thorny; and I
studied for myself to do business as a man of the world. I soon became
disgusted with the world as it was, for I found that I could scarcely
trust any one. When the gospel came I found what I wanted. It filled
every wish, desire and hope pertaining to this life or that which is
to come. I received it and the spirit and life of it, and I have asked
myself, while sitting here, what proof have I that I love God, that I
delight to serve Him and build up His kingdom? It is natural to love
somebody, or something or other. If you find a person who does not
wish to love some object, you would call that man or woman an
unnatural person. If I am asked what I love, I would answer, "I love
this gospel which I have received." "Do you love the wicked?" No. "Do
you not like to converse with them?" No. I have no delight in the
wicked, in their conversation or society, only to do them good. This
proves to me that if I do not love God I do not love any being. If I
do not love His gospel which He has revealed in the day in which we
live, I do not love any principles upon the earth. If I do not love
the people who are gathered out from the nations, who compose the
Church and Kingdom of God on the earth, I do not love any body. If I
do not love to talk about our religion and to teach it to others, have
it in my house and with me all the time, I do not love anything. If I
spend a minute that is not in some way devoted to building up the
Kingdom of God and promoting righteousness, I regret that minute, and
wish it had been otherwise spent. This proves to me that the Spirit of
the Lord is with me.

Vol. 12,  p.217
Our teaching to the brethren and sisters is for them to purify
themselves. I shall not ask them to love the Lord our God with all
their hearts, it is a requirement of Heaven, and you know it as well
as I do. But will ask some things. Will our brethren cease using
language which they should not use? This is one of the rules in the
School of the Prophets. Will the Elders of Israel pray in their
families? Will they pay their tithing? We can ask this, for it is an
outward labor. If they do not love the Lord with all their hearts,
they can pay their tithing, and pay it as an old gentleman in the east
said he could do when he [p.218] was paying a poor man some grain. He
said the devil stepped up to him and whispered "scoop but a little,"
He stood and listened, and something said to him again, "scoop out a
little," tempting him. Said he, "Mr Devil, leave my barn; if you
don't, I'll heap every half bushel for this poor man."

Vol. 12,  p.218
They can heap up the half bushel, and send in the butter and eggs for
the Public Works, and to feed the poor a great many of whom are
supported from tithing; they can perform required labor, if they do
not love the Lord with all their hearts; and they can cease to take
the name of the Lord in vain. If you say you get tempted to use
language you should not use, I will tell you what to do. If you are in
the kanyon and your cattle are likely to fill you with wrath, fill
your mouth with India-rubber and keep it close that the words cannot
get out. Do not say a word to grieve the Spirit of God.

Vol. 12,  p.218
Cease contending with each other. Keep the Word of Wisdom. There are
but few of the Elders now who use tobacco, and our sisters can do
without their tea and coffee. They can keep the Word of Wisdom, for
many of them do keep it. I only saw one cup of coffee last summer
during my trip south, and it was for an old lady eighty years of age.
She asked me if she might not take her cups of coffee; and I told her
to take it, and blessed her and her coffee. We can stop the use of
liquor. We can be wise in our work and not labor beyond our strength.
We can cease running in debt and purchasing things that we could do
without.

Vol. 12,  p.218
If the Latter-day Saints could look at things as they are, they would
see that there is a grevious sin upon this people for neglecting their
stock and letting them perish; turning their sheep on to the range for
a few hours, and bringing them up and penning them twenty hours out of
the twenty-four, until they become diseased and sickly. If the people
could see as an angel sees, they would behold a great sin in
neglecting the stock which the Lord has given them, for it is the Lord
who gives us the increase of cattle and sheep, yet many of the people
treat them as a thing of naught. I heard a man say, in 1853, that it
was a curse to the people to have so much wheat. He said he could not
get anything but wheat for his work. I told him if he did not see
cause in this life, to repent his saying, he would yet repent it.
These are all the gifts of God; and when we treat lightly His gifts,
it is a sign we desire that which we should not possess.

Vol. 12,  p.218
These are things concerning which the people need to be instructed. We
should take a course to preserve our lives and the lives of the
animals committed to our care. We should refrain from using swine's
flesh. We should breathe the pure mountain air in our bedrooms. We
should have lofty rooms, high above the ground, for though this earth
is pure, compared with miasmatic places, the air that is above the
ground is preferable to that close to it. We should have plenty of
pure, fresh air. If children are kept in close bedrooms, they become
puny and weakly. Let them sleep where they can have abundance of pure
air, in well ventilated rooms, or out of doors, in the summer time, in
a safe place; it will be most beneficial for their health.

Vol. 12,  p.218
In building up the Zion of God on this land we must become very
different from what we are now, in many respects and particularly in
financial matters. I look at myself and ask myself what have I done to
become wealthy? Nothing; only to preach the gospel. Yet I have [p.219]
nothing but what is the Lord's. He has only made me steward over it,
to see what I will do with it. I have never walked across the streets
to make a trade. I do not care anything about such things; I desire to
preach the gospel and build up the Kingdom of God. True, I have
considerable wealth, but it has not been my wisdom that has put it in
my posession. There are many men who are so anxious for wealth, that
if they cannot make a fortune in a few months, they feel they are not
succeeding according to their desires, and they turn to something
else. I do not do this; nor am I anxious to spend a dollar as fast as
I make it. Some people feel as if a dollar would burn a hole in their
pockets; and you will see a great many almost crazy to spend whatever
they have. When they see wheat selling for a price far below its
value, instead of putting it in a bin and keeping it, they dispose of
it—throw it away, comparatively speaking. I keep it, and by this means
I am now able to feed the public hands.

Vol. 12,  p.219
Years ago, Brother Kimball counseled the people to lay up two year's
provisions, and then enough for four, for six and for seven years· I
have it now, and I am dealing it out. Some people have so much faith
that although the grasshoppers are around in such vast numbers, they
are confident of an abundant harvest, because of the movements made to
gather the poor this season. They say the Lord would not inspire His
servants. to bring the poor from the nations that they might starve.
And so believing, they will go and sell the last bushel of wheat for
comparatively nothing, trusting in God to provide for their wants. My
faith is not of this kind; it is reasonable. If the Lord gives good
crops this season, and tells us to lay up from that abundance, I do
not think He will increase His blessings upon us if we foolishly
squander those He has already given us. I belive He will bless the
earth for His people's sake; and I will till it and try to get a crop
from it; but if I neglect to take advantage of the goodness of the
Lord, or misuse or treat lightly His mercies, I need not expect that
they will be continued upon me to the same extent. Have not my sisters
here, gleaned in the fields around for years past? And when they have
had their gleanings thrashed out, have they not taken the grain to the
stores and sold it to our enemies, instead of laying it by? And yet
they will expect to be blessed continually with plenty! I have not so
much faith as this. I have a reasonable faith, a sustaining faith, one
that I can build my hopes upon; and I think I will not be
disappointed. I labor and toil, but I do not waste my labor.

Vol. 12,  p.219
Now, you who wish to hire out with the wicked and mingle with the
ungodly, does it suit you to hear the name and character of the Deity
profaned, and every principle of propriety violated? If you go to the
gold mines, or wherever the wicked are, you will hear the name of that
Being whom you recognize and acknowledge as your Savior, blasphemed
and taken in vain, and the name and character of the Almighty vilified
and abused. Can you bear this? Does it suit you to have your ears
saluted with such language and your spirits contaminated with such
society? I would hot associate with those who blaspheme the name of
God, nor would I let my family associate with them. By this you may
know whether you are in the path that leads to life and salvation. If
you can hear the name of the Diety lightly spoken of and blasphemed,
and not be shocked at it you may know that you are not in that [p.220]
path. Some of the young men who had been with the surveying party last
year, wanted to come into my house as friends and visit my daugthers,
when they came home. They asked me if I had any objections. I told
them I had. They asked me the reason. My reply was, I believe you have
been wicked, while you have been gone. Have you not been in the habit
of taking the name of the Deity in vain? They admitted they had
occasionally; and I told them that was my objections to their being in
my house. I do not wish my daughters to be entangled with any who do
not serve God. I would rather see every one of them sealed to Father
Perkins here, who is 85 years of age, than that any of them should be
sealed to a wicked man.

Vol. 12,  p.220
Can you mingle with the wicked and feel contended in their company? If
you can you are on the road to destruction; you are not on the road to
perfection. If you can deal, and trade, and visit, and ride, and be
with the ungodly, and cannot see the difference between them and the
righteous, if you are ever saved in any decent kingdom, it will be
because you are totally ignorant. But if you can truthfully say, I
love prayer, not swearing; I love truth, not lying; I love honesty,
not dishonesty; I love God and His laws, you may be assured you are on
the road to exaltation and eternal life. Let us sustain the kingdom of
God; and if we do, we will sustain ourselves in truth and
righteousness.

Vol. 12,  p.220
From my remarks, some may gather the idea that if a poor, miserable,
corrupt, wicked person was to be found among us, who was suffering for
lack of food, he should be turned out of doors. No, no; feed him, and
let him go his own way; but do not let him have any influence in your
families. Be kind to all as our Father in heaven is kind. He sends His
rain upon the just and the unjust; and gives the sun to shine upon the
evil and the good. So let our goodness extend to all the works of His
hands, where we can; but do not yield to the spirit and influence of
evil. Do not encourage wickedness in our midst. Do not encourage the
wicked to come and live with us, to lead our brethren astray. Do not
follow after vain and foolish fashions. If our ladies see a new
fashion brought in by some poor, miserable, corrupt person, they adopt
it; and every one wants to pattern after the fashions that are brought
here no matter how ridiculous they may be nor how wicked the person
who introduces them. Many of the fashions are unbecoming and
inconvenient. They do not become Saints. And the daughters of Israel
should understand what fashions they should have, without borrowing
from the impure and unrighteous. They should hearken to the counsels
of those whom God has appointed to lead His people. We have the words
of life; we are the head; and we should lead in fashions and in
everything that is right and proper; and not be led by the world. We
have salvation to offer to the people; and if they will not accept it,
the result will be with themselves.

Vol. 12,  p.220
The Latter-day Saints should wake up and begin to think of these
things. We must mark out a path for ourselves and walk in it. Just as
sure as we are the Church and Kingdom of God, just so sure have we to
give laws and fashions to the world, sooner or later. When we walk
humbly before the Lord and observe His precepts, we can say to the
world, follow us and our fashions. Then they may offer us fashions—new
ones—from New York, from London, from Paris, but we will not have
[p.221] them. We will tell them we are capable of making our own
fashions, and our own clothing, without following after any one.

Vol. 12,  p.221
Brethren and sisters, I can say with all my heart, God bless you. I
desired to come here to see you, to talk with you, to see how you
felt. By coming into this house I can tell something of your spirit.
You are improving. The people are improving as well as their leaders;
and if they will look at their own experience, they will say
concerning the subjects I have been treating on, "That is what I have
been looking for and what I want." We desire to get closer to the
mark, to have closer communion with God, to be prepared for the day
that is approaching, when we will have to go and build up the centre
stake of Zion, where the order of Enoch, as is recorded in the Book of
Doctrine and Covenants, will be established.

Vol. 12,  p.221
May the Lord bless you. Amen.

George Q. Cannon, April 7, 1868

Word of Wisdom—Fish Culture—Dietetics

DISCOURSE by Elder George Q. Cannon, delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, April 7th, 1868.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.221
The subjects which have been touched upon by brother George A. Smith
ought to be of paramount importance to us as a people under our
present circumstances. The gospel of life and salvation, which we have
received, would be of comparatively little avail to us unless we can
prolong our lives and the lives of our children and posterity on the
earth. The greatest boon that God has given us, and that upon which
every other hinges, is life. With life we need health, the power to
carry out designs of cur being upon the earth. Without these blessings
every one must perceive that other blessings which we value very
highly would be of little or no account. God has moved upon His
servant Brigham in a very powerful manner of late to stir up the
peoples minds to the consideration of a great variety of subjects
connected with our temporal well-being; and the more these subjects
are reflected upon the more important do they appear, and the more we
hear about them, the more we are impressed with the necessity of
paying attention to them.

Vol. 12,  p.221
We have heard considerable of late, especially since twelve months
to-day, on the subject of the Word of Wisdom. Almost every elder who
has spoken from this stand has felt the necessity and importance of
calling the attention of the people to this subject. We are told, and
very plainly too, that hot drinks—tea, coffee, chocolate, cocoa and
all drinks of this kind are not good for man. We are also told that
alcoholic drinks are not, good, and that tobacco when either smoked or
chewed is an evil. We are told that swine's flesh is not good, and
that we should dispense with it; and we are told that flesh of any
kind is not suitable to man [p.222] the summer time, and ought to be
eaten sparingly in the winter. The question arises in the minds of a
great many people, "What then are we to eat if we drop swine's flesh
and eat very little beef or mutton, and cannot drink tea or coffee,
why, dear me, we shall starve to death." In conversation with one of
the brethren the other day, he remarked "the diet of the poor is
principally bread and meat, and if they dispense with meat, they will
be reduced to very hard fare." I reasoned with him on the subject, and
before we had got through, I believe I convinced him that other
articles of food could be raised more cheaply and in greater variety
than the flesh of animals. But just at the present time we are
destitute, to some extent, of this needed variety; and, hence, the
very apparent necessity that we as a people should turn our attention
to the multiplication of varieties of food in our midst. We should not
confine ourselves to a few articles of diet and be content therewith;
but the people who have the opportunity of so doing should cultivate a
variety of food for the benefit of themselves and families.

Vol. 12,  p.222
It is a fact, which the experience of ages has confirmed. that man of
all creatures, requires the greatest variety of food. His stomach is
fitted to digest a greater variety of food than the stomach of any
other animal. God has created him lord of creation, and all that is
created around us is created for man's use and benefit. It would
therefore be very unwise for intelligent man, inasmuch as God has
given to him the vegetable creation, and has made him lord of the
animal creation and placed him as monarch of the finny tribes, to be
content to sit down and eat as our degraded Indians do.

Vol. 12,  p.222
It is to remedy this that we hear the teachings that are given at the
present time by the servants of God. Man requires food to build up his
body. He requires food that is adapted to the development of bone,
muscle and sinew; but this is not all. He requires food that is
suitable to feed his brain and to supply the waste sustained in
consequence of the use of his mental faculties. There is a necessity,
therefore, for us to take these things into consideration. My opinion
is that it will be most difficult for fathers of families to induce
their wives and children to refrain from the use of tea and coffee, if
they do not supply their tables with other articles in their place,
and unless food, suitable to the requirements of the human system, is
provided, our wives and children will be exposed to constant
temptation to transgress the counsels that are given in regard to our
diet. It is an exeedingly difficult thing for most people to break off
and discontinue cherished and long standing habits. A man who has
never drunk tea, coffee or spirit, or one who has never chewed or
smoked tobacco, is not at all affected by the counsel to discontinue
their use; but they who have been accustomed to them miss them when
they are deprived of them, and they want something to supply their
place. I speak, now, not from my own experience, but from what I have
heard others say on these things. There is a craving felt by parties
when they discontinue the use of these stimulants, and they need
variety. This variety must be supplied, and we must take steps to
supply it.

Vol. 12,  p.222
The culture of fish has been alluded to. Physiologists say that fish
contains more of the elements necessary to strengthen and build up the
brain than almost any other known substance. It would supply a great
want if we had it in abundance. But our supply of this article of food
is [p.223] very limited, and hence we are taught at the present time
to take measures for its increase. I see no reason why we should not
raise our own fish as we do our eggs or chickens. This Territory is
better adapted to the raising of fish, in consequence of our system of
irrigation, than any on the Continent we know anything of, and I
believe that the time is not far distant when our farmers will raise
fish for their own tables as they now raise beef, mutton, pork, fruit
or any other article of diet now in use. It can be done easily by
bestowing a little attention, thought and care on the subject.

Vol. 12,  p.223
We must also cultivate fruit more extensively than we now do; and we
must multiply every variety of diet, and if it is possible discover
new varieties. It is only a few hundred years since the potatoe was
discovered, and what a blessings it has proven to man. There are other
vegetables, probably, as good and as healthful as it is if we could
only bring them into use. But vegetables are not grown among us as
they should be; there is not that attention paid to them that, it
seems to me, they should receive. My theory is, that if we wish to
raise a healthy, noble looking, intellectual and perfect race of men
and women we must feed our children properly. We must prevent the use
by them of every article that is hurtful or noxious in its nature. We
must not permit them to drink liquor or hot drinks, or hot soups or to
use tobacco or other articles that are injurious. I do not believe
that you could ever make as great and noble race of men, if you feed
them on one article of food alone, as if you gave them a variety of
diet. We have illustrations of this in India, where the chief diet is
rice—of itself a very good article of food. We have other
illustrations in the case of other races. A people who, for instance,
are fed on potatoes alone do not have the stamina that they would have
if they had a greater variety of food. Such a people could, I believe,
be kept subjected more easily to thraldon than a nation which is
better fed. The millions of India are kept in subjection by as many
thousands of Europeans. There are doubtless many causes for this,
among the chief of which is their diet.

Vol. 12,  p.223
God has given to us a land that is bounteous; every variety of food
can be produced here in the greatest profusion. It only requires the
exercise of the powers with which we are endowed, with proper
industry, to bring forth food in the greatest abundance and supply
every want of man and beast. But whilst I speak in this strain about a
variety of food, I am opposed in my own feelings, to a great variety
of food at one meal. I believe that we enslave our women; we crash out
their lives by following the pernicious habits of our forefathers in
this respect. We sit down to table and, especially if we have friends,
our tables are covered with every delicacy and variety that we can
think of. I believe in variety at different meals, but not at one reek
I do not believe in mixing up our food. This is hurtful. It destroys
the stomach by overtaxing the digestive powers; and in addition to
that it almost wears out the lives of our females by keeping them so
closely confined over cooking stoves. A variety of food is not
incompatible with simplicity of cooking; they can go hand in hand. We
can have a variety in diet, and yet have simplicity. We can have a
diet that will be easily prepared, and yet have it healthful. We can
have a diet; that will be tasteful, nutritious and delightful to us,
and easy to digest;[p.224] and yet not wear out the lives of our
mothers, wives, daughters and sisters in its preparation.

Vol. 12,  p.224
These are topics, my brethren and sisters, that should claim the
attention of the Latter-day Saints, because they pertain to our
every-day existence here on the earth; and if we follow the course
marked out, and seek to follow the counsels given, the result will be
that, here in these valleys, we shall raise a race of men who will be
the joy of the earth, whose complexions will be like the complexions
of angels—fall of health, purity, innocence and vitality; men who will
live until the wheels of life will stand still in consequence of the
gradual decay of the body; not afflicted and brought to the grave
prematurely by disease engendered by improper feeding and other
unhealthy habits. We can do what no other people ever could do, at
least no other people living in the present generation. We are here a
new people, forming our habits and laying the foundation of a great
work, and of course are in a state of transition. We can therefore, if
we so please, accommodate ourselves to new habits—habits recommended
and taught to us by the servants of God. One of the great advantages
that would result from our having a more simple diet would be that we
should be less apt to overload our stomachs through the tempting
character of the food we eat. How often is it the case, after we have
eaten enough, somebody will say, "Here is something I would like you
to eat a little of; do taste it." Well, you taste, and before you are
aware of it, you have eaten more than you should; your stomach rebels,
and you feel that you have done a wrong, and if your stomachs are
weak, you have to pay the penalty of your imprudence.

Vol. 12,  p.224
We are expecting a heavy emigration this season. We hope too see them
come by thousands. How are these brethren and sisters to be employed?
Already we are under tribute. The great majority of the articles of
clothing that we wear is imported, and there is nothing more apparent,
to those who reflect on this subject, than that we as a people must
turn our attention to the creation of new industries. Our President
has led out in this direction. He has set an example to the
capitalists of this Territory, worthy of all imitation by introducing
machinery and urging upon the people the cultivation of certain
articles—such, for instance, as cotton and wool. It is a matter of
necessity for us to turn our attention to these branches. We must use
the facilities God has given us in the best possible manner for
increasing the means of employing those who come into our midst. It
should be our aim as individuals, as families and as a community to
dispense with everything that we cannot manufacture. I am told that
thousands of dollars a year are expended in supplying our tables with
mustard imported from the East. I have no means of knowing the truth
of this, but it seems incredible, that we, with the facilities we have
for its production, should depend upon importation for the supply of a
common article like mustard.

Vol. 12,  p.224
But this is only one article. When we sit down to our tables, and take
a survey, we find many articles that are thus imported. It may be, and
frequently is said by a certain class of persons that articles can be
imported much cheaper than they can be manufactured here. This is
urged by them as a reason for importing; but it is a delusion and a
snare, and the man who utters such a sentiment is an ignoramus. He
knows nothing about the true principles of building [p.225] up a
people and kingdom. That which is manufactured here, though it cost
ten times the amount it would cost in the east, is the cheaper, for
that is the commencement of independence. The man or the family who
carries on home manufacture is laying the foundation for true and
lasting independence. They are helping to emancipate the people here
from the thraldom under which we have groaned, sweat, toiled and bled
for years. This Territory has been bled of its money and life by this
erroneous idea. We must stop this drain or we will sink into slavery
more abject than that felt by any other people on the continent. The
cause of God requires us to take a different course, and if we pursue
that marked, out for us, means and facilities will increase on every
hand. We would like to see it fashionable in the Territory to dispense
with all articles that are imported. But now, when one family procures
an imported article, their neighbors feel that they are not in the
fashion unless they have the same. One lady and gentleman must have a
fashionable bonnet and hat, and their neighbors must have the same.
You can see the result—these fashions make us slaves. Our young ladies
are ashamed to go into company unless they can dress like their
companions; our young men feel the same. And it is not confined to one
class; we all partake of it to a certain extent. We must reform; there
is nothing more apparent than that. We must change our habits, and
make it fashionable to have articles of our own manufacture, and
dispense with all articles that are not so, unless they are absolutely
necessary for our comfort and well-being.

Vol. 12,  p.225
The Lord has multiplied around us every facility for making us a great
and mighty people. We have been able, in an astonishing manner, to
create comfortable homes; the land has been touched by the power of
God, and it yields to us of its strength in abundance. Nowhere on the
face of the earth can food be raised of a better quality than here.
Our cereals, fruit and vegetables are unsurpassed in the world. We can
also produce the finest of hemp, flax, wool and silk. All these
articles can be produced in abundance here, if we will bestow the
attention and care necessary for their culture.

Vol. 12,  p.225
When we reflect upon our position twenty years ago—then this Territory
was a desert and we were cut off by almost illimitable stretches of
barren waste from the rest of the world—we can realize to some extent
what God has done for us. Now we and our children and the stranger can
dwell here in peace, comfort and security. This should stimulate us to
press forward. There is no work too great, under the blessing of God,
for us to accomplish if we will only exercise the ability and power
that He has bestowed upon us. I look forward to the day, and I trust
it is not far distant, when we will have everything in our midst
necessary to make us a great and mighty people; when our young people
will be the best educated, trained to the best manners, dressed in the
best clothing, and appear to better advantage than any people on the
continent or in the world. I look forward to this; and it seems to me
that it is in the near future. Great and wonderful changes will be
affected in Zion. Our young people will be educated in true
principles; they will be healthy and beautiful, filled with the Holy
Spirit, and attractive to God and man. Our habitations will be
delightful to visit; our orchards and gardens and all our surroundings
will be the most beautiful that can be imagined. Is there [p.226]
anything to prevent it? Nothing but our own unfaithfulness. God, who
has blessed us as we are blessed today, is willing to bless us more
abundantly. Heaven is full of blessings to be poured out upon us, if
we will only prepare ourselves to receive them. The faith that the
Saints are now manifesting in sending for the poor will bring down the
blessings of God upon them, and will increase our faith to accomplish
those labors that we have yet to perform. Send for five thousand
people! Yes, and the Latter-day Saints can do it and perform their
other labors too. What effect does this have upon us? It fills us with
faith and confidence that there is no labor that can he assigned to us
that we can not perform. And this is the training that God is giving
to us. It is upon the principle that gymnasts perform their feats of
almost super human strength—by continued practice. It is so with us.
God in the beginning gave us small works to accomplish. We performed
them, and as a consequence, had faith to attempt greater, and thus we
have gone on until to-day. And the work we are now doing is
preparatory to some greater work that He has yet in store for us to
accomplish.

Vol. 12,  p.226
May God bless us, my brethren and sisters and His wisdom be given unto
us. May His Holy Spirit rest mightily on all the Latter-day Saints
that their minds may he filled with it, that when the prophet and
servants of God speak unto us, our hearts may be prepared to receive
their counsels, treasure up our words and carry them out in our lives,
that when Jesus comes we may be prepared to meet Him, which may God
grant for Christ's sake. Amen.

Brigham Young, May 17, 1868

The Object of Gathering—Practical Religion—the 
Love of God—Our Covenants

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, 
at Bountiful, May 17th, 1868.

[Reported By Edward L. Sloan]

Vol. 12,  p.226
There is a large congregation of people before me who profess to be
Latter-day Saints, though they are few in number when compared with
the people at large. But those who are here, are here because of our
religion. It is very seldom that you find a person in our midst, who
is one of our citizens, who has come here with any other object than
to serve God, be numbered with His Saints, help to build up Zion and
establish peace and righteousness upon the earth. We look upon each
other as though we ought to be Saints indeed; but while we are looking
at our brethren and sisters we are very apt to behold their faults
instead of their virtues. We are all liable to err; we are subject to
weaknesses and liable to go astray; to do that which we should not do,
and leave undone that we should do. This seems to be interwoven with
the nature of all mankind through the fall. Still, we are here as
Latter-day Saints; we have assembled ourselves together to become one;
to become the people of [p.227] God, the children of Zion, the
children of light. We are here for the express purpose of separating
ourselves from the world and establishing that order of government
that we read of in the Holy Scriptures; and we desire to see the glory
of Zion upon the earth that has been spoken of by the Prophets of God.

Vol. 12,  p.227
The mass of the people in Christendom are taught to believe in the
Bible, and they are taught to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Redeemer and Savior of the world. This is the tradition of our
fathers. This has been taught to us. And the Christian world have
sought to understand enough with regard to the plan of salvation to
prepare them to enjoy the happiness and bliss of a world where
righteousness reigns triumphant. A portion of the Christian world say
they are preparing for the Millennium and the Second Advent of the
Savior; but their lives and conduct do not agree with their
professions. They are taught to believe the sayings of Jesus and the
Apostles and Prophets, sufficient to die by, and that they may be
prepared to enjoy heaven hereafter; but they have no idea of making a
heaven here on earth, of building up the Kingdom of God, that Jesus
can come and receive his own. Our traditions have been to try and get
through this world having religion enough and belief enough in Christ
so that we could leave it and go where we could enjoy heavenly bliss
forever. The Christian world have very limited ideas with regard to
the Kingdom of Heaven on the earth. We as Latter-day Saints have
confessed before Heaven, before the heavenly hosts, and before the
inhabitants of the earth, that we really believe the Scriptures as
they are given to us, according to the best understanding and
knowledge that we have of the translation, and the spirit and meaning
of the Old and New Testaments.

Vol. 12,  p.227
We have confessed before angels and men, and have acknowledged by our
acts that we believe most assuredly that Jesus has called upon us as
his disciples—those who will receive the truth, obey His commandments,
observe His precepts and honor His laws, to come out from among the
wicked, to separate ourselves from sinners and from sin. If we have
not confessed this by our acts as well as by our faith, then we are
mistaken concerning the gathering of ourselves together. But we have
confessed it, and we do believe it, and it is for us to live according
to that which we acknowledge. We acknowledge the covenant under which
we live; we believe it, and are honest in our believe; and we will
honor that covenant by obedience to the laws of God. If we do not, our
words and our actions contradict each other. By our acts, by our
coming together, by our leaving our homes, our friends and our
birthplaces that were dear to us according to the customs and belief
of the world, we have declared our desire to serve the Lord. We have
left the graves of our fathers—as our natives here would say, who lay
great stress on birthplaces as well as many civilized nations; many
have left fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters; and some have
left husbands and some have left wives and children: what for? Because
they believed in the words of Jesus and His Apostles, as well as in
the Prophets and in the testimony of the Prophet Joseph and the Elders
who have been sent unto them. This people have confessed this, and
have shown to the world that they are honest in their belief; and that
they are willing to carry out in their lives the spirit and meaning of
this faith. Is not this [p.228]  the situation of the Latter-day
Saints? It is. This is our profession before the Heavens and all the
inhabitants of the earth. Yet when we examine the feelings, views,
wishes, desires and aspirations of this people, we see them wandering
after almost everything but that which they should possess. With all
these professions, and our willingness to forsake fathers, mothers,
sisters, brothers, wives and children, houses and homes, and the
comforts of life for the gospel's sake, we are yet far from aspiring
to the holiness and the purity and perfection of Latter-day Saints.
That people should forsake everything on the earth that would
naturally be dear to them, of a worldly nature, for righteousness'
sake, and then fall into a deeper vortex of folly and sin than they
were in before, is astonishing.

Vol. 12,  p.228
My mission to the people is to teach them with regard to their
every-day lives. I presume there are many here who have heard me say,
years and years ago, that I cared very little about what will take
place after the millennium. Elders may preach long discourses
concerning what took place in the days of Adam, what occurred before
the creation, and what will take place thousands of years from now,
talking of things which have occurred or that will occur yet, of which
they are ignorant, feeding the people on wind; but that is not my
method of teaching. My desire is to teach the people what they should
do now, and let the millennium take care of itself. To teach them to
serve God and to build up His Kingdom is my mission. I have taught
faith, repentance, baptism for the remission of sins, and the laying
on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost. These principles you
were taught in foreign lands. You are teaching them to your children.
There is scarcely a child in Israel but is looking forward with
anxiety to the time when he or she will be baptized. These things we
understand alike. We have been baptized and have had hands laid upon
us for the reception of the Holy Ghost. We have been taught to
exercise faith, and to enjoy the gifts of the gospel. What has to be
taught now? How to live. Have they to be taught to send for the Elders
when they are sick, and that the prayer of faith will heal them? They
understand these things. We are to be taught with regard to our every
day life in a temporal point of view.

Vol. 12,  p.228
Some may think they have the privilege of going to the gold mines or
doing as they please, without being instructed concerning their
temporal duties; that no person has a right to interfere with their
temporal matters. Yet we have been performing labors year after year
from the beginning, of various kinds, that the people have not seemed
to think have had anything to do with temporal matters. I commenced
such labors in the beginning of my career in the ministry. When the
people believed and received the gospel, I commenced my temporal
labors. They were baptized, which is a temporal work. By the laying on
of hands—another temporal labor—they received the Holy Ghost. When
they received that Spirit they saw they were to be gathered out from
among the wicked. They saw the judgments of God were to be poured out
upon the ungodly. This they saw in the vision of their minds. They saw
the Saints were to be gathered out, understanding this by the Spirit
which they had received. What had to be taught to them then? To gather
up their little substance; if they had a farm or possessions, to sell
them; and gather up with their families and friends and substance, to
the land of Zion. And [p.229] where is the land of Zion? It is
wherever the finger of the Lord has pointed out for His people to
gather to. That is the place to go to. I recollect a lady asking me in
Canada, in 1832 or '33, how large Jackson County was; and when I said
30 miles square, said she, "Suppose the whole world would embrace your
doctrine, how would they get into Jackson County?" My reply was that,
"Jackson County, in that case, would cover the whole world. Zion will
expand as far as the necessity of the case requires it. You need not
fear but there will be room for you, if you believe and gather with
the Saints."

Vol. 12,  p.229
We commenced teaching the people the doctrine of Jesus, and then we
commenced to build up the Kingdom of Heaven on the earth. We commenced
this years ago. Have we been successful? In part, we have. A few have
been gathered together, but our work is not accomplished. The Lord
never could teach His people while they were among the wicked how to
live by themselves, how to unite their efforts and their whole power
for the establishment of His Kingdom. This kingdom is not of the
world, says Jesus. It is different front any other kingdom that is now
upon the earth; and while the people of it are mixed with the people
of other nations and kingdoms, the Lord could never teach them how to
establish His Kingdom. He must get them away front the wicked; gather
them out; bring them into a place He has reserved for them to gather
together, where He can teach them of His laws.

Vol. 12,  p.229
As I said once to my brethren in the school of the Prophets,—I have
not asked you, I dare not ask you to fulfil almost the first
requirement of the Kingdom of Heaven, almost the simplest principle,
and one of the first things that should be observed. I have not asked
the people yet to perform this great labor, I will say it is a great
labor, and if I were to refer it to you, you would say the same. You
may ask what it is? It is to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
with all thy mind and with all thy strength, and thy neighbor as
thyself. Now, is this not almost one of the first requirements that
God has made of His people? and I have not yet required it of the
people. Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and then speak evil
of thy neighbor? No, no! Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and
speak that which is not true? No, oh, no! Love the Lord thy God with
all thy heart, and take that which is not thy own? No, no, no! Love
the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and seek after the riches of the
world and forsake your religion? No! Love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart and take His name in vain, curse and swear? No, never! If
the love of God was really in the hearts of all who call themselves
Latter-day Saints, there would be no more swearing, no more lying, no
more deceiving, no more speaking evil of one another, no more running
after the ungodly nor dealing with the enemies of Zion, no more
running after the gold mines; nothing would be sought after only to
build up the Kingdom of God. This we have not yet asked. But we do ask
some things. Let us forsake those sins that are so grievous, and let
us try to do right before the Heavens and with each other. Look at the
Elders of Israel to-day; how many of them are gone to hunt gold.
Hundreds of them are running off to Cheyenne to get work on the
railroad. Where are their crops, their flocks and their familles? All
left, that they may get a little wealth.

Vol. 12,  p.230
We have been crying to the people [p.230] for years and years to cease
their trading and trying to speculate with the enemies of this people.
We have said to them, "Store up those things that the Lord gives to
us, these are years of plenty, these are the days when the abundance
of the blessings of Heaven are upon the soil we occupy; treasure up
your wheat or our traders will take our flour and carry it to our
enemies." But our elders will go and borrow money of strangers for the
sake of speculating. Is this a fact? I do not know how it is here in
Bountiful, but it is so in other places. Bountiful is a good and
suggestive name; is it an appropriate one? Have you here an abundance
of flour? If so, I will call upon you for some for the Public Works.
There is nothing, nor has there been for a long time, to supply the
public hands, only what I furnish out of my private store-house. If
you have an abundance of beeves and flour and butter and eggs, and
other things, will you furnish something for the Public Works? But if
you are as they are in many other places, many of you have not got
breadstuffs to last you one week. If one-half have breadstuffs to last
them till harvest, it is more than they have in other places. Yet we
have asked the people to save their wheat against such a year as last
year or this year. Here are the devouring insects ready to take
everything that we have. These are things the people have got to be
taught to observe. There are certain rules in life and certain
principles to be observed by this people. They must cease trading with
those who would destroy us. To be called out from the wicked, and then
take a course to call the wicked to us, how inconsistent it is! If the
Lord were to say, "I will let the wicked drive you again, and I will
call you to another place, where there is no one to disturb you;" how
long would it be until the course taken by many would call the wicked
in among us again, to seek to destroy us? The Latter-day Saints must
stop this course, or they will bring evil upon themselves, and we will
have to leave. These are the things We have to learn. We have the
privilege of choosing now. It is in our hands, it is within our power,
whether we will stay in these mountains and build up the Zion of our
God, or make the wicked and ungodly fat by our labor and give them our
posessions. This many are doing, by running in debt to our enemies,
and pursuing a course that is wrong. If they do not cease it they will
have cause to weep and mourn.

Vol. 12,  p.230
All Latter-day Saints enter the new and everlasting covenant when they
enter this Church. They covenant to cease sustaining, upholding and
cherishing the kingdom of the devil and the kingdoms of this world.
They enter into the new and everlasting covenant to sustain the
Kingdom of God and no other kingdom. They take a vow of the most
solemn kind, before the heavens and earth, and that, too, upon the
validity of their own salvation, that they will sustain truth and
righteousness instead of wickedness and falsehood, and build up the
Kingdom of God, instead of the kingdoms of this world. When we came
here to these valleys, who were here to trouble us? Nobody; but we
have fed those who would destroy us, opened our houses and farms to
them, to speculate and trade and traffic and get gain, and what do we
make by it?

Vol. 12,  p.230
Now, some of my brethren may ask, "Brother Brigham, do you expect to
dictate me where I shall sow my wheat, and when I shall sow it, and in
similar matters?" I have said and will say again, if Brother Brigham
had time to be in every house [p.231] he would teach them how to keep
house. How many sisters set up their stockings by guess work, and do
not know the number of the yarn and the number of' the needles to use?
In this matter I would instruct many of the sisters, if they would not
take umbrage at me for doing so. The sisters ought to know about
housekeeping and the brethren who farm about farming, but they need to
be taught. Learn to be neat and cleanly in all that you do. Do you ask
me if I am going to dictate you in such matters? If I am not to
dictate you, you are not to be saved in the kingdom I calculate to be
saved in. If I know something that you do not understand it is my duty
to teach you; and if you know something that I do not know, it is your
duty to communicate your knowledge to me, till we become perfect by
increasing in knowledge. Brethren, we have many things yet to learn.
Many of the brethren south are ruined by running in debt; men of
handsome property, which will go for comparatively nothing because of
their vain imaginations.

Vol. 12,  p.231
Ye Latter-day Saints, learn to sustain yourselves, produce everything
you need to eat, drink or wear; and if you cannot obtain all you wish
for to-day, learn to do without that which you cannot purchase and pay
for; and bring your minds into subjection that you must and will live
within your means. When we, as a people, can come to understand that
we can live by ourselves, then we can live of ourselves, without any
outside world. We did live so when we first came here. Were there any
stores to go to? Were there places to go to where money could be
hired? Did we live? Yes. Were we healthy? Yes. Much healthier, as a
people, than we are now. Did we grow and increase? Yes; and as soon as
we had time to till the earth and reap a crop, we produced wheat and
corn and potatoes. We turned our cattle on to the range to make our
beef. We had plenty of wheat. We began to make our clothing here. We
drove in sheep and we took care of the wool, and made it into cloth. I
brought a carding machine with me. It was the only one in the
Territory for years, and it carded up a great deal of wool. We made up
this wool into cloth and wore it. When the gold came, then merchants
came and the spirit of speculation came. Then men ran to the gold
mines to get money; and then was the rush to the stores. Says the
husband "I must have a suit of broadcloth and a fine pair of boots;"
while the wife and daughters said they must have nice bonnets and
dresses; and this has been continued until we have involved ourselves.

Vol. 12,  p.231
Are you going to be dictated in these matters? Yes, or you will sooner
or later leave the Kingdom of God and go somewhere else. Is it hard to
say this to the people? Is it in, fringing upon their rights? They
have the privilege to choose the good or to choose the evil. It is as
manly and as praiseworthy for an individual to make the choice to do
good, work righteousness and love and serve God—it is more noble, than
to choose the downward road. One or the other will be the choice of
every individual. Do not trifle with evil, or you will be overcome by
it before you know. Our business is to build up the Zion of God on the
earth. Do you think you will do it and go hand in hand with the
wicked? No, never. I know you may say, and say truly, according to the
parable spoken by Jesus to his disciples, when the bridegroom was
coming, the cry was, "Go ye out to meet him," but while he tarried,
they all slumbered and slept. And when they awoke [p.232] with the
cry, "the bridegroom is here," there were foolish virgins among them
who had no oil in their lamps. He did not say that they would be among
the ungodly. It is among those who are the bride, the Lamb's wife,
that the foolish are to be found. But he never has instructed us to
call on the ungodly, and those who would mob us, to make foolish
virgins. Some may quote the parable of the wheat and the tares and say
they must grow together. Let me tell you, the tares will be in the
field, and many will think they are wheat, until harvest comes; but at
no time has the Lord said, bring the wicked and ungodly among my
people to scourge them; for they are capable of bringing upon
themselves all the evil necessaey to perfect the good. The Lord bless
you: Amen.

Daniel H. Wells, March 22, 1868

Necessity of Living Near to the Lord—Neglected 
Duties—Cultivation of the Soil—Sustaining the Poor

REMARKS by President D H. Wells, delivered in the Old 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, 22d March, 1868.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.232
We learn, as we progress in our experience in the Church and Kingdom
of God, the necessity of living near to the Lord in order to enjoy His
Holy Spirit and to reach the standard to which it is our privilege to
attain. We can all remember when we received the gospel, how elated we
were, and how glorious everything looked to our vision. We saw no
difficulties but what we were willing to attempt to surmount. There
appeared nothing in our way but what we thought we could overcome, and
we felt, that, so far as in our power lay, we would remain faithful so
long as we lived on the earth; that we could not stumble at anything
that might come before us, and that we were competent to encounter the
evils of life and every difficulty and affliction, counting it more
honorable to be a doorkeeper in the House of the Lord than to feast
with the rich and ungodly.

Vol. 12,  p.232
This is the experience, I might say, of all who have received the
gospel in sincerity. I suppose that the Apostles and disciples of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ also felt elated with the idea that they
were associated with the Savior of the world—the Son of God; but we
find that they shortly afterwards deserted him. And even in the days
of the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, they doubtless were elated
with the mission of Moses, and went forth nothing doubting; but we see
in a short time that their minds again reverted to the things of the
world, and the place they had left, and they transgressed so deeply
that the Lord would not permit them to enter the promised land; yet,
not to be frustrated or thwarted in His purposes, He declared that
their children should inherit it. So it is with the Latter-day Saints.
A good many feel, I think, as though their religion has become an old
story. They received [p.233] the word gladly in the first place, and
were perhaps a good deal elated with the idea of being members of the
Kingdom of God on the earth; but when they begin to live in that
Kingdom and find that those ideas are not realized as fast as they
imagined they would be, they get dull, and fancy the work does not
progress. Perhaps they neglect their prayers; they think it is of
little use to pray; they become cold, slothful and dull, and, their
minds become darkened Instead of living so as to enjoy a full measure
and flow of the Spirit of God, they become discentended and
dissatisfied with the Kingdom of God and the principles of our holy
religion.

Vol. 12,  p.233
If we only reflect, when we enlisted in this cause it was for a
lifetime—for eternity; not for a few days, or a year or two, and then
to fall away and return again to the beggarly elements of the world.
We did not receive these principles with any such idea; but we
enlisted for time and for all eternity under King Emanuel's banner. We
covenanted that we would keep the law of God, walk humbly before Him,
and do all in our power to build up Zion, and hold on to those
principles made known in His kingdom, that we might attain to the
blessings which were in the future. They who get weary and
discontended think, perhaps, that they are not called and chosen. Why,
we are called or chosen to be righteous, holy beings; and let us
remember that the time for being chosen because we have been righteous
will come after a while, and happy will be that individual who has so
lived up to his privileges as to be among the chosen ones. If we wish
to attain to this great blessing we must live for it, and not be
neglectful in regard to the things of God. We must apply our religion
to our daily lives. We can meet and sing and pray and soar away in the
spirit, for we have as much in our spiritual exercises as any people
on the earth to raise our drooping spirits and fill our souls with
joy; but, on the other hand, our religion does not consist of that
alone; it is practical.

Vol. 12,  p.233
We read that when the Kingdom of God shall be set up, the kingdoms of
this world shall be broken in pieces; and that the power shall pass
into the hands of the righteous and the just preparatory to that day
when Jesus shall reign "King of nations as he now reigns King of
Saints." We are engaged in this preparatory work—the dispensation of
the fullness of times in which this great temporal kingdom, which
shall stand for ever, is being established, and you and I, brethren
and sisters, if we are united and earnest in our efforts for the
promotion of the principles of truth may become happy instruments in
the hands of the Lord in assisting in this great work. This is the
dispensation of the fullness of times, and it comprises the keys,
powers and authorities of all the dispensations since the world began;
and we should live so as to enjoy a full flow of the Spirit of God so
that we may progress and commune with Jehovah and holy beings, for the
heavens are ready to drop with fatness if we will make good use of the
blessings already conferred upon us. When we do this with clean hands
and a pure heart before the Lord, blessings will flow to Israel in
greater abundance than ever before. Look where you will upon the face
of the earth and you can find no people blessed as we are even now.
Why is it? Because we have a better country, and have better
opportunities for bringing forth the blessings of the earth in a
temporal point of view? No; we labor under many disadvantages that are
unknown [p.234] in most other places; and yet we are more comfortable
and happy than any other people. It is because the blessings of the
Almighty are with us, and we shall have them in greater abundance
inasmuch as we will cleave to the Lord and prove to Him our integrity.

Vol. 12,  p.234
But I fear there is a great neglect of prayer in the midst of this
people. It is our privilege, nay, more, it is our duty to seek to the
Lord frequently, that we may enjoy the full measure of His Spirit.
Peradventure there may be something between us and our brother or
sister—we may have spoken evil of them, or they may have spoken evil
of us. We may have neglected our secret prayers, or to pray in our
families; and if so we shall decrease in that good spirit which ought
to pervade every breast, and we are more liable to yield to the evil
influences that are around us and to become more captious in our
remarks with our brethren, and less courteous, civil and circumspect
in our intercourse one with another, and more apt to say things that
are calculated to injure the feelings of our brethren. Perhaps we
neglect our fences and let our stock trespass on our neighbors'
fields, gardens or orchards, and give them occasion to say hard things
about us; and then we go and retaliate and speak hasty words. To carry
this idea a little further, perhaps we take that which is not our own,
or borrow and do not return, or perhaps we go and take down our
neighbor's fence on purpose to let our stock go and get his hay or
grain. Or, perhaps, some amongst us go hunting stock on Sunday, or to
the kanyons with our teams when we should be keeping the Sabbath day
holy. It may be possible that a great many of this people practice
some of these things and thus prevent a free flow of the Spirit of God
unto themselves, and get darkened in the counsels of their minds. This
should not be. If any of us find ourselves in this dilemma let us seek
at once to remove the obstacles from our path, just as we would raise
the gate if necessary to let down the stream to irrigate our gardens.
Many a soul may be drooping for the want of spiritual moisture, and
they do not know what the difficulty is. There are obstacles in the
way that need removing, that our minds may be enlightened by the light
of the Spirit of the living God.

Vol. 12,  p.234
It is moreover necessary that we should take this course that we may
be united, that when the word shall come from our bishop, or a call is
made upon us by any in authority who has a right to dictate, we may be
ready to respond and be glad of the opportunity of so doing. A man
should never fail of improving the opportunities that are given him
for doing good, or he wilt be the loser if he dies. A man may perhaps
feel a little elated if he escape the call of a bishop or get excused,
thinking that it militated a little in his favor; but who is there who
has ever felt so, but what he has had seasons of regret for not going
forth manfully and freely performing the duty required of him? How
much better such persons would feel if they had done so. On the other
hand how well they feel who have always responded to every call made
upon them! I do not think there is a person that lives who feels
different. If he does, he feels very different to what I do. How often
have I witnessed the pride and joy the brethren have felt in relation
to this in their re-unions at the parties of the "Mormon Batallion,"
the "Pioneers" and "Zion's Camp!" and other associations. How many
have said to me, "I was with you at such a place, and such a place;
and I was [p.235] with the Saints in their troubles in Illinois and
Missouri." And they speak of it as though they were proud to have been
there. And even in the times of trouble we had in our early settlement
here, when clothing and provisions were scarce, the same feeling is
manifested. "I was here," says one, "and I," says another, and they
feel glad that they were counted worthy to endure these trials and
stand firm. It is a matter of satisfaction to every one who has proven
himself worthy thus far; and when we shall have passed a little
further along, and have got through this state of mortal existence,
will we not, in that great reunion beyond the grave, feel still more
to congratulate ourselves and each other that we have passed safely
through, and that we have had virtue, strength and integrity
sufficient for our day? and we shall be glad and rejoice that the
difficulties we encountered were thrown in our way, and that we had
the opportunity of proving ourselves before the Heavens.

Vol. 12,  p.235
Do not let us be discouraged at difficulties and trials, for we are
sent to this state of existence for the express purpose of descending
below all things, that we may pass the ordeals and trials of this life
and thereby prove our integrity and be prepared to rise above all
things. And after all, we have not been called upon to endure to that
extent that the Savior of the world was. But he was not subjected to
the afflictions he had to endure without hope, neither are we; but we
are called to pass through them that we may prove whether we have
power and strength to stand in that day when all things shall be
shaken, and nothing doubting, cleave to the Lord our God with full
purpose of heart, no matter how much things are against us,
apparently. If we can pass these tests and trials we shall prove to
God and angels that we are worthy to receive the welcome plaudit,
"well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of
the Lord."

Vol. 12,  p.235
These great principles are known to the Latter-day Saints, and they
know also that there again exists communication between the heavens
and the earth, and that the way has been opened through the ordinances
of the House of God, for the full flow of His Spirit; and yet some of
them begin to falter in their feelings and slacken in their duties and
to go into darkness. Let it not be said in Israel, or in all the
borders and coasts thereof, but let the Saints, as with the heart and
voice of one person, continually strive to promote those principles
and that unity which are necessary to wield an influence with the
Heavens for the Kingdom of God on the earth. It was once said
facetiously by one of the founders of American Independence, that it
was necessary for them to hang together, because if they did not they
would most likely hang separately; meaning that if they did not
succeed in gaining their Independence they would be convicted of
treason, and put to death. It is so comparatively with the Latter-day
Saints; unless we act unitedly and in concert in temporal as well as
in spiritual things, we shall suffer loss. A Latter-day Saint in the
world may live his religion as circumspectly as we do in the valleys
of the mountains, but what power or influence can he wield for the
kingdom, standing alone? All the surroundings of the world are against
him. But if we are united in this great work, we shall in the due time
of the Lord, become a great and mighty people on the earth, that can
never be uprooted nor overcome by the floods of sin and corruption,
that have so long deluged the world. The [p.236] Latter-day Saints
have no rights that the world consider themselves bound to respect,
and if we expect them to do so we shall be deceived, especially if we
live near to God. I have seen this tested over and over again in my
own experience. What rights had the Latter-day Saints in the State of
Missouri? Why, every right that man could ask for. Were they respected
by the people or the authorities of the State? No, but the rights of
this people were trampled under foot and they were expelled from the
State. It was the same in Illinois, and in every place where they
gathered together. In view of this it was a great blessing conferred
upon us when the Lord brought us out here where the wicked could not
have such control over us as they formerly had. Since that time we
have become a great and mighty people in comparison to what we were
then, and we are exerting an influence in the earth.

Vol. 12,  p.236
Shall we, who have enjoyed the Spirit of the Lord, and, I might say,
have a knowledge of the powers of the world to come, suffer bickering,
strife and division to enter into our midst? Let it not be said in the
midst of Israel, but let us be more careful hereafter in our
intercourse one with another than we have been in times past. Let us
not trespass upon what is our neighbors', either in feelings, property
or possessions. Let us be courteous, and, instead of engendering
strife and destroying each other as they do in the world, let us build
each other up. We have to prepare to co-operate with the Lord in the
establishment of His Kingdom, and it, should be our special business
to first perform the duties devolving upon us, and let our individual
matters, if we have any, he secondary. This kingdom is made up of
individuals as much as any other kingdom, and is prospered and built
up by our individual efforts, but if we can have our labors wisely
directed, then he who acts as he is counselled, is not only attending
to and securing his own interests, but he is working for the good of
the kingdom generally. For instance, the farmer, who is engaged in
raising the various kinds of grain, and is industrious, frugal and
economical, is a good citizen and is doing as much for the kingdom as
he who is preaching the gospel; but if he be counseled to direct his
energies especially to the raising of flax, hemp, or the mulberry, it
is his duty to heed that counsel, and so work unitedly with the Saints
of God under the direction of those who are appointed to direct the
labor of this people and thus bring about the greatest good to the
whole. So with the mechanic, and in fact with every individual in
Israel.

Vol. 12,  p.236
There is one thing I particularly wish to speak upon, There is much
knowledge which we need that would benefit us if we would take the
trouble to search for it in useful books and apply it. Who amongst us
knows how to analyse the soil, and so be able to tell what kind of
produce it is best adapted for? This knowledge we can acquire from
books, and by experiments in agricultural chemistry. We do not raise
sufficient grain and other produce in this Territory to make ourselves
comfortable. Why is this? Some of us have a very poor way of farming.
I remember when I was south last year—though I need not go out of this
county to find such farming—of seeing land that had not been barrowed
above once in three or four years, and neither plowed nor sowed in
that time, and watered only once or twice in a season; still they
reaped a crop every year, and the people complained that they had not
seed [p.237] enough for their land, and they were, I think, the
poorest people I have yet found in this Territory. I told them they
were criminally poor, that there was no reason for their being so, but
that it was the result of their indolence and bad management. I said
to them, "Suppose you rented this land, and the owner should come and
see you, and find what a condition his land was in,—overrun with
cockle and black seed and the weeds so numerous that they choke out
the grain, would he not upbraid you and take a portion of that land
from you and let it to others who would cultivate it properly?" Said
I, "you complain of poverty, but you have more land than you can
handle properly, and that is the great cause of your poverty. Then,
again, you had more cattle than you could take care of, and the
Indians got them, Now if you had had fewer cattle, and had taken
better care of them, the Indians would not have taken them and you
would have been better off. I told them they had better dispose of a
portion of their land, and keep no more than they could cultivate
properly, and they would get twice the amount of grain they ever got
before and with less labor. This was for the want of intelligent
farming. How many of us here do not reap half such crops as we might
reap for the same reason? It has been said by somebody that "he who
makes two spears of grass grow where but one grew before is a
benefactor to his race;" but how much more so is he who, by his
superior intelligence, helps to increase the necessaries and comforts
of life! Let us learn to analyse the soil and know its component
parts, then we will understand whether it is best adapted to the
growth of vegetables, or wheat or other kinds of grain; and know where
to put trees, strawberries, and other things, that they may have the
kind of soil best adapted to their growth.

Vol. 12,  p.237
The recuperation of the soil, too, is a matter of great importance.
Some people think if they put manure on the land, that is all it
requires. There is some land that would be better with sand mixed with
the soil; some would be benefitted by having clay mixed with it. If we
would pursue this course we might cultivate less land and receive a
greater reward for our labor.

Vol. 12,  p.237
We might also cultivate lucerne, carrots, beets and cabbages to keep a
cow. Now the custom is in most cases to send them to the range, making
them travel from eight to twelve miles daily. This causes their feet
to become tender, and they have to be sent to the blacksmith's to be
shod; and when they get to the range there is little but bitter weeds
for them to eat. This is no way to keep a cow. If we wish them to be
of any service they should be well fed with lucerne or other suitable
food, and kept up in the city and attended to properly; then a cow
would do some good, give good milk and butter, which go a great way
towards making a family comfortable. Then, again, almost anybody can
keep a few chickens, and, with them and a cow properly attended to,
very little additional expense is necessary to make a family
comfortable. In this country a great many neglect these things and
complain about poor living, just for the want of a little attention.
They have girls and boys too, who could attend to these matters.

Vol. 12,  p.237
I wish to speak in relation to imparting the necessaries of life to
the poor and the needy. We do not furnish labor enough in the winter
season to those who depend upon it for their daily bread, It seems to
me that the men who have the means do not make the improvements they
[p.238] might make in the winter, and so employ those who are
destitute. In the summer there is plenty of labor for every body, all
through the Territory; and it frequently happens that hands are scarce
and wages high; but as soon as the storms begin to come in the Fall,
laborers are thrown out of employment and have nothing to do through
the long winter. I think the Bishops should turn their attention to
this matter and contrive more useful and profitable employment for the
winter season. The first Thursday in every month, let us remember, is
a day set apart for fasting, prayer and donations to the poor. It.
will soon come around again. Notwithstanding there may be a little
scarcity felt in the midst of the people, do not let us neglect those
things. Do not forget them, and let us live up to those things
necessary in the midst of the Saints of the Most High God, so as to
keep a full flow of the Spirit in each and every one of us, and seek
to make a better use of the blessings with which the Lord has
surrounded us. The elements are rich and laden with everything that is
good for man, and it is for us to exercise our discrimination and
understanding to draw our support therefrom, that we may become a
great, free and independent people, able to bear off His kingdom
against every opposing obstacle.

Vol. 12,  p.238
May God help us to do so, and to be faithful, is my prayer in the name
of Jesus: Amen.

Brigham Young, July 25, 1868

Education—Recreation—Necessity of Obeying Counsel

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, made in Mill Creek 
Ward meeting house, Sunday, July 25th, 1868.

[Reported By Edeward L. Sloan]

Vol. 12,  p.238
From my earliest labors in the ministry I have taken truth as my text;
but I will refer this morning to the words on one of the banners here,
"Education is our motto." This will be my text. We are here that we
may learn to improve. My inquiry is, How can I do the most good to my
fellow beings? What can I say to them; what can I do; how shall I walk
before them; how shall I commune with them to do the greatest possible
good to the human family? I am so weak that when I give instructions
to my brethren and sisters it seems but avery feeble effort, when the
mind is open to behold the great things of God, the riches of
eternity; to behold that which is understood by angels and by those
made perfect.

Vol. 12,  p.238
My first remarks will be concerning such exercises as we have seen
here this morning. The Latter-day Saints have many pastimes, and they
enjoy themselves in social society with one another. Yet I think, in
my reflections, that we should have an increase—and we are having
partially an increase—of recreation for our youth. We have very few
holy. days. When the 4th of July comes, we have our amusements and
exercises. When the 24th of July comes, we hail it as the anniversary
of a day [p.239] deliverance; a day of peace and joy to the Latter-day
Saints, in finding the peaceful valleys of these mountains, where we
can rest and gather the people together, and enjoy the privilege of
serving God without any to molest or make us afraid. These two days
with Christmas and New Year's, are about all the holidays we have,
that we notice at all. On reflection, I have come to the conclusion
that it would be better if we would pay more attention to these public
exercises, and direct the minds of our children by observing them,
taking a course to have them avoid getting into the habit of drinking
and every kind of rowdyism, and other things that are unbecoming; and
in all of our amusements have objects of improvement that are worthy
of pursuit. I think we are improving a little in this respect; but
more of us should take an increased interest in it. We should have
more of the children attend Sunday School, and the teachers should
continually place objects before them that will lead them to study to
improve in their manners, in their words, in their looks and in their
behavior; and that will guide their minds aright. You will find we can
place before them objects that will do them much good in their
thoughts and reflections, that will improve their young and tender
minds, and have an influence upon their future lives for good; and we
can thus bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord by
taking a course to lead their minds.

Vol. 12,  p.239
The brethren here have caught us as they generally do. I had no
thought of any person coming to meet us, nor of seeing the schools
lining the road. I thank them for their good feelings to the elders of
Israel. But is there any good in it? Yes. It attracts the attention of
the young people—that is, I mean all under a hundred years
old—elevates their feelings, and is calculated to induce reflections
and thoughts of a life that is useful; and they will think, when are
we going to have another meeting? when is brother Brigham coming too
see us again; with brother Wells and brother Cannon, and others?—we
cannot say brother Kimball, for be has gone to reap the reward of his
labors. It will have the effect of drawing them to good, and they will
follow after good continually. Is there any harm in Sunday School
parties? No! it is one of the most harmless kinds of enjoyment when
conducted aright. If they wish to dance, let them dance; let them talk
and play; but not do any wrong. They must not get angry with each
other; and if any do wrong instruct them to do right. If our children
are thus taught, they will be patterns of piety and their conduct will
be worthy of imitation.

Vol. 12,  p.239
I would be very pleased to learn that your Bishop, brother Miller, was
preparing a place for parties; with a little pond to float boats on,
and other means of enjoyment, where the people could assemble to have
their exercises. Get the young minds to follow after you in these
things, and they will follow after you in every precept that is good.
And I would like to hear of other Bishops taking steps to prepare
suitable places for the same purpose.

Vol. 12,  p.239
We are gathered here from various nations of the earth; and many of us
have been in conditions of society where we have been wanting in many
privileges which others enjoy. The people come here and their feelings
are united directly, which is a positive proof that there is something
in our belief more than there is in the beliefs that are recognized in
the world. They come here and try to be one immediately, and to
amalgamate [p.240] their feelings. We see this, and it is encouraging;
and we see our prominent men leading out and directing the minds of
those from the eastern and those from the western world, and teaching
them never to do a wrong, never to do evil; and, by example, to
beautify themselves and their places, and everything around them. This
is good, for in it we do no wrong; we do not do anything by it to
injure our feelings or the feelings of others, nor to grieve our
spirits; but we do that which will increase beauty and excellence
among the people. In this the Lord is well pleased. For the sake of
our children, for the sake of the youth of our land, I am pleased,
every time I travel, to see this manifestation of respect for the
elders of Israel.

Vol. 12,  p.240
We wish to improve. I will ask a question with regard to knowledge and
wisdom and understanding and all the blessings of Heaven bestowed upon
the people, and it is this: Who are deserving of honor and glory, who
are deserving of a good name? The man and the woman who seek to know
and understand the mind and will of God and to carry it out in their
lives, or those who are slothful and who seek to live by what they
call faith alone? I think we would decide that those who manifest by
their works that they seek to do the will of the Lord are more
acceptable before Him than those who live by faith alone. I believe
the Latter-day Saints are the best people on the earth of whom we have
any knowledge. Still, I believe that we are, in many things, very
negligent, slothful and slow to obey the words of the Lord. Many seem
to act upon the faith that God will sustain us instead of our trying
to sustain ourselves. We are frightened at seeing the grasshoppers
coming and destroying our crops. We pray to the Lord and try to
exercise faith that He may remove these devouring in. sects. We got
along very well in the first part of the season, and our crops looked
beautiful. But how has it been for the last few days? I can understand
your feelings by my own. A week ago yesterday I went through here on
my way to Provo, and everything looked promising. Yesterday when I
returned, fields were stripped, young orchards were stripped of the
leaves, and the evidences of destruction were to be seen around. Some
try to exercise faith and ask the Lord to remove this destructive
power. I remember saying in the School of the Prophets, that I would
rather the people would exercise a little more sense and save means to
provide for themselves, instead of squandering it away and asking the
Lord to feed them. In my reflections I have carried this matter a
considerable length. I have paid attention to the counsel that has
been given me. For years past it has been sounded in my ears, year
after year, to lay up grain, so that we might have an abundance in the
day of want. Perhaps the Lord would bring a partial famine on us;
perhaps a famine would come upon our neighbors. I have been told that
He might bring just such a time as we are now having. But suppose I
had taken no heed to this counsel, and had not regarded the coming
time, what would have been my condition to-day.

Vol. 12,  p.240
View the actions of the Latter-day Saints on this matter, and their
neglect of the counsel given; and suppose the Lord would allow these
insects to destroy our crops this season and the next, what would be
the result? I can see death, misery and want on the faces of this
people. But some may say, "I have faith the Lord will turn them away."
What ground have we to hope this? Have I any [p.241] good reason to
say to my Father in heaven, "Fight my battles," when He has given me
the sword to wield, the arm and the brain that I can fight for myself?
Can I ask Him to fight my battles and sit quietly down waiting for Him
to do so? I cannot. I can pray the people to hearken to wisdom, to
listen to counsel; but to ask God to do for me that which I can do for
myself is preposterous to my mind. Look at the Latter-day Saints. We
have had our fields laden with grain for years; and if we had been so
disposed, our bins might have been filled to overflowing, and with
seven years' provisions on hand we might have disregarded the ravages
of these insects, and have gone to the kanyon and got our lumber,
procured the materials, and built up and beautified our places,
instead of devoting our time to fighting and endeavoring to replace
that which has been lost through their destructiveness. We might have
made our fences, improved our buildings, beautified Zion, let our
ground rest, and prepared for the time when these insects would have
gone. But now the people are running distracted here and there. I do
not wish to condemn them. I wish all the justification that can be
brought to them. But I look at them as they are. They are in want and
in trouble, and they are perplexed. They do not know what to do. They
have, been told what to do, but they did not hearken to this counsel.

Vol. 12,  p.241
I have never promised a famine to the Latter-day Saints, if we will do
half right. You have never heard it drop from my lips that a famine
would come upon this people. There never will, if we will only do half
right, and we expect to do better than that. There is not another
people on the earth whose faith and works are directed for the
accomplishment of good like the Latter-day Saints. But we do not obey
counsel as we should. Yet when we look at them and at others on the
face of the earth, we have reason to say we are proud of the
Latter-day Saints. But are we all we should be? No. We must learn to
listen to the whispering of the Holy Spirit, and the counsels of the
servants of God, until we come to the unity of the faith. If we had
obeyed counsel we would have had granaries to-day, and they would have
been full of grain; and we would have had wheat and oats and barley
for ourselves and for our animals, to last us for years. The people
have also been counseled to take their straw and stack it up, making
nice beautiful ricks of it. You may see the day your cattle will want
it or perish. If you keep your straw you will be able to have your
cattle to work with when you want them. Is the hay kept? No: it, must
be sold. A train will come in from Utah County, from Davis County,
from Tooele, loaded with hay, and it must be sold, even if there is
nothing—comparatively speaking—got for it. Save your hay; save your
chaff; save your straw; save your wheat; save your oats; save your
barley, and everything that can be saved and preserved against a day
of want. We have taken our flour north, and sold it for a song, and
now we see the day when our brethren are paying twelve dollars a
hundred for it on the railroad, brought from the States. If we had
been prudent we might have had enough to supply them, and we could
have sold hundreds and thousands and tens of thousands of dollars'
worth this season. I was inquired of this spring what I would sell
flour for, to be taken down with the teams that went to the terminus,
and I had to say we have none to spare. But we have sent it to
Montana, [p.242] and we have sold it for next to nothing, and now our
bins are empty. Who is deserving of honor or glory from God? Those who
have preserved their substance, or those who have wasted it? Those who
have preserved it; for they know how to preserve those things which
the Lord places in their hands. But some have had so much faith in the
providences of God to feed them that they would sell their grain even
if they got a mere nothing for it. I remember a time when some people
almost cursed wheat, it was so plenty. Would the common laborers and
mechanics take wheat for their pay? No. Would they save it? No. The
Lord had given us large crops; would they build bins and store the
grain away? No. But it was taken to the city and sold for anything it
would bring. There was a time when my heart was pained at hearing
wheat spoken of as it was; and I was afraid at seeing the
manifestations of ill feeling which were exhibited by some of the
brethren, principally among the mechanics, concerning grain.

Vol. 12,  p.242
We have seen one grasshopper war before this. Then we had two years of
it. We are having two years now. Suppose we have good crops next year,
the people will think less of this visitation than they do now; and
still less the next year; until in four or five years it will be
almost gone from their minds. We are capable of being perfectly
independent of these insects. If we had thousands on thousands of
bushels of wheat, rye, and barley, and corn we might have said to
them, "you may go, we are not going to plant for you." Then we could
have plowed up the ground, put in the manure, and let the land rest,
and the grasshoppers would not have destroyed the fruits of our labors
which could have been directed to the beautifying of Zion and making
our habitations places of loveliness.

Vol. 12,  p.242
Just as sure as the Lord lives we are going to see times when our
neighbors around us will be in want. But some may say, here have ten
years, twenty years, thirty years gone, and the sayings of Joseph and
the Apostles have not all come to pass. If they have not all been
fulfilled, they all will be fulfilled. When we saw the flaming sword
unsheathed in the terrible war between the north and the south, we
could see in it the fulfillment in part of the prophecies of Joseph.
But when peace comes for a short time we forget all about it, like a
person who comes into the Church because of seeing a miracle. If he
has professed an obedience to the gospel and a belief in its
principles because he saw a miracle performed, be would need another
in a day or two to continue him in his belief; and he wants a
repetition of miracles to keep him in the Church. Let peace continue
for a few years, add the prediction of Joseph spoken of would be
forgotten by all but a few. So it is with us, comparatively. Let
crickets, or grasshoppers, or frosts, or anything else come and
destroy our crops, and we feel it then; but just as soon as prosperity
comes we forget what has happened.

Vol. 12,  p.242
Take the people and I am proud of them; but there is a feeling with
them that they must not be counseled in their temporal matters. I call
this a sectarian notion, for we will find yet that God is Dictator in
everything. Take the case of the Children of Israel and the miracles
that were wrought in their deliverance from the land of Egypt. The
question arises, was it through their faith, Or because of the
promises which God had made to their fathers? The Lord sent Moses to
Pharaoh, who wrought many miracles before him; and Pharaoh sent for
his wise men, his astrologers, [p.243] soothsayers and magicians, and
they wrought their miracles before Moses and Aaron. Finally, the Lord
said, the Children of Israel must be brought out of Egypt; but was it
because of their faith, or because of the promises made to Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob? It was because of the promises of the Lord, and not
because of the righteousness of that people, that He brought them out.
They came to a place where they were hemmed in, with the Red Sea
before them and the armies of the Egyptian monarch behind them, and
the mountains on either side of them, and they cried out that they
would be destroyed. But the Lord divided the water, and took them over
in safety; and it was because of the promises He had made to their
fathers. They passed through the Red Sea in safety and the Egyptians
were drowned. Was it because the Egyptians were so much more wicked? I
suppose not; but it was because the Lord had said, "Let the Children
of Israel go free," and they would not; and He punished the Egyptians
for not letting them go; and He punished the Children of Israel by not
letting them go into the promised land, for their wickedness in the
wilderness. They cried against Moses because he had led them away from
the fleshpots and leeks of Egypt, and the Lord said he would feed
them. But was it because of their righteousness that he sent them down
Manna for food? I have no evidence to believe that it was because of
their righteousness. Do you think they were so very righteous that the
Lord would not let their clothing grow old? It was not because of the
righteousness of the Children of Israel, but because of the promises
of the Lord to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, for He must fulfill the
promises made to His servants. He wanted at one time to destroy the
whole people, and told Moses to let Him alone that He might destroy
them because of their wickedness and rebellion, and He would make of
him (Moses) a great nation; but Moses pleaded in their behalf, and
called upon the Lord to remember His promises, and they were
preserved. When Moses was on the mount they went to Aaron and inquired
where Moses was, and demanded gods to go before them. And Aaron told
them to bring him their ear rings and their jewelry, and they did so,
and he made of them a golden calf; and the people ran around it, and
said these be the gods which brought us out of the land of Egypt. How
much credit was due to them? Just as much as to us, for not saving our
grain when we had an abundance, and, when the grasshoppers come,
crying, "Lord turn them away and save us." It is just as consistent as
for a man on board a steamboat on the wide ocean to say, I will show
you what faith I have, and then to jump overboard, crying, "Lord save
me!" It may not seem so daring; but is it any more inconsistent than
to throw away and waste the substance the Lord has given us, and when
we come to want, crying to Him for what we have wasted and squandered?
The Lord has been blessing us all the time, and He asks us why we have
not been blessing ourselves.

Vol. 12,  p.243
Will this be instructive to you, my brethren, hereafter? A great many
have taken this counsel, and they are prepared. I had my seven years'
breadstuffs on hand last year; but I have to deal it out, and I will
deal it out to the last bushel, and try my faith with my brethren. But
are we deserving of praise from God or man? Who are deserving of
praise? The persons who take care of themselves, or the ones who
always trust in the great mercies of the Lord to take [p.244] care of
them? It is just as consistent to expect that the Lord with supply us
with fruit when we do not plant the trees; or that, when we do not
plow and sow and are saved the labor of harvesting, we should cry to
the Lord to save us from want, as to ask Him to save us from the
consequences of our own folly, disobedience and waste. It is said, by
some, that the Lord is not going to tell His servants to gather His
people here to starve. That is true; but the Lord has said, "Gather
the poor from the nations ;" and to the people here, "Gather and save
the produce I put within your reach, and prepare against a day of
want." Suppose a hundred thousand or a million of starving people were
coming here, and we had only grain to last for a couple of years, with
famine around; they would offer their gold and their silver and their
plate and their precious things for bread to eat, and you would hand
it out until all was gone. Then you could sit down and look at the
riches you had got, until all would perish together with hunger. This
would be so, unless the people act more wisely than they do now.

Vol. 12,  p.244
We have had peace in these mountains. since we came here; and the
protection of the Lord over this people has been as visible to me as
when Moses caused darkness to come upon all the land of Egypt except
the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel dwelt. But what
credit is due to us before the Heavens and the earth, even supposing
we had such faith as to get the Lord to fight our battles and do for
us what we could do for ourselves? Not a particle, He requires
obedience at our hands. One of the prophets has said, "To obey is
better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams;" and it is
written, and I have never heard it contradicted—it was said in the
days of Jesus and His Apostles, and it has been said in this our
day—that we shall be judged according to our works and not according
to our faith. One of the Apostles has said, "Show me thy faith without
thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works." If a man heals
a person who is sick, it does not prove that he keeps all the
commandments of God. One man went to Jesus and said, I know you have
power; my servant is sick, and if you come and touch him he will be
healed. And Jesus said he had not seen such faith in Israel. And he
said, "Your servant is made whole." Was it the faith of this man who
came to Jesus, or the charity and mercy of the Savior, by which the
sick person was healed? Jesus saw the man's faith, and he said I will
bestow a blessing here; and in this is manifested the mercy of God. In
many things are the mercies of God made manifest; and for the people
to turn around and claim that it is because of their righteousness, is
foolish and wrong. If these grasshoppers were all moved away it would
not be because of the righteousness Of the people, but through the
mercies of God. It is for us to live so that we can claim the
blessings of God. You recollect reading of the brother of Jared,
Mahonri Moriancumer, who saw the Lord. If he had not kept the
commandments of God he would not have had power to see the finger of
the Lord. But he was faithful in all things, and this gave Mahonri
such exceeding great faith that he had a right to the blessings he
asked. If we were to keep the commandments of God, as he did, we would
have the right to claim the blessings even as Mahonri had. But if we
will not be obedient in all things we cannot claim them. If we are
obedient in all things He will bestow upon us every blessing we
desire; if we are obedient [p.245] in some things and disobedient in
others, He will do as He pleases.

Vol. 12,  p.245
Twelve years from now will tell whether we have been instructed today
or not. If the grasshoppers come again we can then find who has grain
in their bins. With regard to faith and repentance, and baptism for
the remission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the reception of
the Holy Ghost, and the ordinances of the Gospel, the people are
united; but when we come to the providences of God to us, then is the
place for scepticism to come in and the people to differ. We are bound
by our covenants to accept the word of the Lord. There is a difference
of opinion as to getting the word of the Lord; but if you will read
and cultivate the Spirit of God, you will understand how it is
obtained. The Lord is not everywhere in person; but He has His agents,
speaking and acting for Him. His angels, his messengers, His Apostles
and servants are appointed and authorized to act in His name. And His
servants are authorized to counsel and dictate in the greatest and
what might be deemed the most trifling matters, to instruct direct and
guide His Saints. The people have done well for the past year or two,
in leaving off their tobacco, their whisky, their coffee and their
tea; and if they will keep on doing this, and increasing in
righteousness, we are as surely on the high road to excellence, glory
and eternal lives, as we are here to-day.

Vol. 12,  p.245
I pray the Lord that we may have His spirit to guide us to help build
up the Kingdom of God. Amen.

Orson Pratt, June 14, 1868

The Lord'S Supper—Antiquity of the 
Gospel—the Apostacy—the Restoration

DISCOURSE by Elder Orson Pratt, sen., delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, June 14th, 1868.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.245
We have assembled ourselves together this afternoon, according to our
usual custom, to worship the Lord our God and to partake of the Lord's
supper, in commemoration of the death and suffering of our Great
Redeemer. In this manner we show forth his death until he comes. By
attending to this ordinance, and all other ordinances and institutions
of the Kingdom of God, we witness before God, before angels and before
one another, that we are His disciples.

Vol. 12,  p.245
Jesus is the only name given under Heaven by whom salvation can come.
There is no other being or name, no other person appointed, no
individual that has received authority to open up the way of salvation
to the human family, only our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is He
in whom the Latter-day Saints believe; it is He whom we worship. We
also worship the Father in His name. It is the gospel which He has
revealed which we have received. It is the Holy Ghost which the Father
bestows [p.246] upon the children of men, through His name, by which
we are sanctified and made pure in heart.

Vol. 12,  p.246
The gospel of the Son of God is not a doctrine of late invention; but
it is an old doctrine—a doctrine that was made manifest in the
beginning. It has been taught in every dispensation; and all that were
saved in the days of Adam, Enoch, Abraham, Moses, or the prophets, as
well as in the days of Christ, and since His day, were saved through
belief in the Son of God, and in His gospel. This great plan was
revealed to mankind in the early ages of the world as well as in the
meridian of time.

Vol. 12,  p.246
The same gospel that was preached by the Apostles, was also preached
by the ancient patriarchs and antediluvians. The same gospel that was
preached in the days of the apostles, is also preached now to the
Latter-day Saints. There has been a variety of dispensations of this
gospel, made manifest to the human family. We have had in addition to
the law of the gospel, many ordinances and institutions given to the
children of men, suited to their particular circumstances, and to the
conditions in which they were placed.

Vol. 12,  p.246
In the days of Moses, for instance, certain laws and ordinances were
revealed from Heaven, suited to the condition of that people. But they
had the gospel preached to them before the law of carnal commandments
was revealed. Hence Paul says, in his epistle to the Hebrews, the
gospel was preached to them as well as unto us, that is, to those who
were in the wilderness with Moses. They had the gospel; but it did not
profit them, says Paul, not being mixed with faith in them that heard
it. Hence they had to be dealt with and chastised for their unbelief
and rebellion. The Lord had to afflict them, cutting many of them off
and swearing in His wrath that they should not enter into His rest.

Vol. 12,  p.246
The gospel was also preached to Abraham. The same gospel by which the
heathens were saved in the days of the apostles was known and preached
in the days of Abraham. The same gospel that, according to the
testimony of the New Testament, brought life and immortality to light
was preached before the days of Abraham to Enoch, and through
understanding the principles of that gospel his faith in the
principles of immortality and eternal life became so strong that he
was translated and taken to Heaven without seeing death.

Vol. 12,  p.246
In these latter times the Lord our God has condescended to send a
dispensation of His gospel to the human family. You may enquire, what
is the purpose the Lord has in view in sending the gospel in this age?
Have we not here the books that contain the gospel of the Son of God,
as it was preached in ancient times? Have we not here the word of the
living God by which the people were saved before and after Christ
came? And if they could be saved in those different dispensations in
the early ages of the world and in the meridian of time, why should
the Lord reveal another dispensation of this same gospel to the human
family? I know that these enquiries arise, more or less, in the minds
of individuals. I have often heard them in travelling among the
various nations of the earth. When the gospel as revealed in the Book
of Mormon, has been presented to the people, and they have been told
that God has commenced another dispensation of the same gospel, they
would immediately enquire "What is the use of it? We have the gospel
by which the ancients were saved, revealed in the New Testament, and
why do you bring us another dispensation of it?" Let me [p.247] reply
to this, and say a few words in relation to the object and purposes
that our Father in Heaven has had in view in revealing the gospel
afresh to the children of men.

Vol. 12,  p.247
If it had not been for the great apostacy after the apostles had
preached the gospel, during which the last vestige of the Church of
Jesus Christ was rooted out of the earth by the wickedness of the
children of men; if it had not been that the priesthood was taken from
the earth and the power to preach the everlasting gospel in its
fullness had ceased among the nations, I do not know that there would
have been any necessity whatever for another revelation of the gospel,
and its gifts, blessings and powers, and the priesthood and
apostleship in the latter days. But I think it can be proved beyond
the power of controversy or reasonable contradiction that the gospel
of the Son of God, as it was preached in the days of the apostles, has
been entirely rooted out from among men. I do not mean the letter of
it; we have that in part; but I mean the power to preach it and to
administer its ordinances; the power to build up the church and
kingdom of God; the power to speak in the name of the Lord; the power
which characterized the ancient servants of the living God; the power
which rested on the inspired apostles by which they could call upon
God and receive revelation from heaven. That power has been rooted out
from the earth. A form has been left it is true,—in fact a great many
forms; but what is the form without the power? What, for instance, is
the use of preaching baptism for the remission of sins to the human
family, if there is no person authorized and ordained from God to
administer baptism to those who believe and repent? None at all.
People might go forth and preach baptism from age to age and from
generation to generation, but who could he baptized, or what would be
the use of it, unless there were authority to administer the
ordinance?

Vol. 12,  p.247
What use would be the Lord's Supper, of which we are now partaking, if
we should go and preach it all the days. of our lives, provided there
were no persons authorized to administer the ordinance? None at all.
They could not partake of the ordinance acceptably before God. We
could not receive the ordinance of baptism for the remission of sins,
unless there were some person sent by new revelation to administer
this ordinance to us.

Vol. 12,  p.247
Again, what use would be the ordinance of the laying on of hands in
confirmation, as it was performed in the days of the ancient apostles?
This is a part of the gospel, as well as faith and repentance. What
use is it unless there is a man called of God to lay on hands and
confirm the gift of the Holy Ghost upon the heads of baptized
believers, as was done anciently?

Vol. 12,  p.247
Here is the great question between the Latter-day Saints, and the
whole Christian world. It is one of the great fundamental principles
at issue between us and the whole world. And it is something of the
greatest importance. It is not one of the non-essentials; but it is
something that concerns the whole human family, no matter whether they
are religious people or irreligious; whether believers in the Bible or
unbelievers, or whether they are of this, that or the other sect. This
is not the question; but the great question is, has God authority
among the nations to preach, to baptize, to administer the sacrament,
to confirm by the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost,
to lay hands on the sick and command them in the name of Jesus [p.248]
Christ to be healed as they did in ancient days, or has He not? If He
has not we may preach until doom's day, and our preaching will not
save us in the fullness of the glory of the heavenly worlds. We may
baptize, and our baptisms will not be recorded in the heavens. We may
administer the sacrament, but God will never receive the authority by
which it is administered, and it will not be recorded in the behalf of
the individuals who received it from unauthorized hands.

Vol. 12,  p.248
What testimony have we that there has been no authority for many
generations, or from the days of the ancient apostles until the
present century? Have we any evidence in relation to this matter? We
are sorry say that we have so much that we are obliged to believe that
darkness has truly reigned over the inhabitants of the earth, and
gross darkness has filled their minds. We will present a little
testimony before this assembly, this afternoon, on this subject; but
as it is a subject with which you are well acquainted we need not
dwell upon it long.

Vol. 12,  p.248
One of the greatest evidences that can be offered that authority to
preach the gospel and administer in its ordinances has ceased from the
days of the apostles down to the present time, is that which is
acknowledged by the whole Christian world, Catholic and Protestant,
namely that the days of revelation have ceased, that the canon of
Scripture is closed and full.

Vol. 12,  p.248
Now supposing we admit this, for the sake of reasoning a little while
on the subject. Admit that after the apostles fell asleep there was no
further revelation, that the canon of scripture was closed up at the
end of the first century of the Christian era. If we admit this you
see the dilemma into which the whole world is plunged. No man can
receive the priesthood and authority to administer either in word, in
doctrine or in ordinances without new revelation from Heaven. Shall I
prove it? Let me refer you to the testimony of Paul in the epistle to
the Hebrews, wherein he says that no man taketh this honor to himself,
except he be called of God as was Aaron. Turn over to the Book of
Exodus, if you wish to learn how Aaron was called. God, in the first
place, by His own voice, and by the ministration of an angel, called
His servant Moses, raised him up as a great and mighty prophet, gave
him authority from the heavens to administer in the name of the Lord;
and then gave him revelation and commandment to call his brother
Aaron. God spoke to Moses, on that occasion, and told him that his
brother Aaron should be a minister and that he should set apart Aaron
unto the Priesthood, and that he should have power to go in and out
before the Children of Israel; and that he should wear the
breastplate, containing the Urim and Thummim, so that he could enquire
in behalf of the Children of Israel, and judge between man and man.

Vol. 12,  p.248
Was Aaron called in any other way but by new revelation through the
prophet Moses? He was not. Can any man receive the priesthood only by
revelation? Can he receive his calling in any way wherein God does not
communicate himself by new revelation from Heaven? I answer no, no. No
man Call assume the priesthood, and the power thereof, and officiate
therein, unless he be called as this man of God was called in the days
of Moses.

Vol. 12,  p.248
Admit then that the canon of scripture was closed When John the
Revelator received his gospel, after he returned from the Isle of
Patmos, and that when the apostles passed [p.249] from the earth
communication between earth and Heaven was closed, who could be their
successors? No individual could hold the office or receive it unless
God sent new revelation from Heaven, pointing out by name the
individual upon whom the authority and calling to preach and
administer in His name should rest.

Vol. 12,  p.249
If revelations were given in the second, third, fourth, fifth or any
of the following centuries, where are those revelations? They are not
in the Bible. Can we find them among the records of the Roman
Catholics? No. What do we find there? According to the testimony of
their bishops, archbishops and most learned men, they believe in no
new revelation; but they take for their guide the traditions and
revelations that have been handed down to them. We judge them out of
their own months. If there have been no revelations given to the
Catholic church, as they themselves testify in their writtings, then
there has been no Pope called to sit in the chair of St. Peter; no
bishops nor archbishops to act in the places of the ancient apostles;
and they are all impostors. Perhaps I ought to qualify that saying a
little. There may have been some of them who were very sincere in
following the traditions of their fathers, and who received the
priesthood among the Catholics with all the sincerity that
characterized some of the heathen priests, in receiving their
priesthood from their fathers. But sincerity does not prove authority;
and we have their own testimony that all authority was cut oft from
them, and that there was no man designated by name through revelation
to occupy the position of St. Peter in Rome.

Vol. 12,  p.249
Again, come down to about three centuries ago, when the first
Reformers came out and began to testify and protest against the Mother
Church, and what do they exhibit? We are hunting for authority. They
have invented articles of faith, and these alone are the basis of
their authority. As a sample we may take the Church of England in the
days of King Henry the Eighth. We may also take the Reformers on the
Continent of Europe under Martin Luther, Calvin, and various other
great Reformers. Men, no doubt, who were sincere and who did much good
among the people. But let us hear their testimony. They declare also
that the canon of scripture is full. In this respect, they follow in
the tracks of the old "Mother." They exclaim, "No revelation, no voice
of God; no inspired prophet or apostle; no communications with the
heavens, no ministration of angels."

Vol. 12,  p.249
Well, then, what have you got? Oh, we have the scriptures of the Old
and New Testament. But the scriptures do not call you to administer in
the ordinances of the gospel. The scriptures did not name you, Martin
Luther, nor you John Calvin, nor any of you Reformers, as the
individuals to go forth to baptize the people and establish the
kingdom of God. "Oh, but," says one, "the scriptures tell us to go
into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." They do
not tell you any such thing. That commission was given to men who
lived 1800 years ago. It did not mean Paul, Timothy, Titus or
Barnabas, but it meant the eleven men, and them only.

Vol. 12,  p.249
"But," says one, "did they not have others to assist them?" Yes, but
they did not act by virtue of that commission which Jesus gave to his
apostles, just before he ascended to the presence of his Father. That
applied to the individuals to whom he spoke, and to no others. Paul
could have had no authority to preach or [p.250] baptize, until the
day of his death if God had not given a new revelation to that effect.
Timothy never could have acted and baptized, until the day of his
death, without being ordained by the spirit of prophecy and by the
laying on of hands, as we are informed in the New Testament. Barnabas
never could have gone forth among the people as an apostle,—for he was
an apostle, though riot one of the Twelve—and acted in connection with
the apostle Paul, unless the Holy Ghost had said "separate to me
Barnabas and Saul for the work of the ministry unto which I have
called them." It required new revelation. And if no man could act even
in the days of the apostles on the old commission given to the eleven,
how much less can people act upon it who live 1500 or 1800 years after
who undertake to pick it up, and say we are authorized to preach under
this commission because those eleven men were authorized.

Vol. 12,  p.250
What would you think, Americans,—citizens of this great Republic, if
some man in Great Britain should take it into his head to come over
here, to this country of ours to represent the inhabitants of Great
Britain; and when you ask him for his authority, "Oh," says he, "I
have received no new commission. My government did not commission me
to come to America to act as Minister Plenipotentiary." We again ask
him, by what authority then do you present yourself before this great
Republic? You must, of course, pretend to some authority? "Oh, yes,"
says he, "but I have no new commission; I have an old one given to one
of my predecessors,—one given to a man dead and gone. I happened to
have access to his writings and papers, and finding his commission I
put it into my pocket and came here to act as Minister." Now would you
not think he had left his country because he was insane? Would you
acknowledge his authority? No. Would God acknowledge the authority of
a man who assumed to act under an old commission given to people who
have laid in their graves some eighteen centuries? No. If we act in
the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in administering the great
and sacred ordinance of baptism, we must be commissioned by the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost to do this work, or else it would
be blasphemy and wickedness in the extreme, not only in those who
administer, but in those who suffer themselves to be deceived and
receive the ordinance from their hands.

Vol. 12,  p.250
It is a testimony then to us when both the Catholics, and the
Protestants in all the various sects, rise up and tell us that the
canon of scripture is fall and closed, and when they present us with
their articles of faith, and say here are sixty-six books in the Old
and New Testaments, and you must not receive revelation from God only
as it is contained in these sixty-six books. There has been no new
revelation since, no new commission, no new authority, no voice of
angels, no voice of God, no inspiration, no calling by new revelation;
but we act only upon the old commission. When they tell us this, if we
are reflecting people, we find ourselves totally unprepared to receive
the gospel at their hands.

Vol. 12,  p.250
As to the gospel being in the world, the letter of it is here, to be
sure; but where is the authority to administer? Where is there a man,
among the Catholics or Protestants, among Christians, or Pagans, or
Mahommedans, or elsewhere, who could have ministered the gospel to any
of our forefathers who lived before the present century? Nowhere could
you or I have received the gospel, forty years [p.251] ago, if we had
then lived? We could have read the letter of it; we could have read
what God did when He had authority upon the earth. But reading a thing
is entirely different from receiving it. Reading about new revelation,
prophecies and ministrations of angels is one thing, but the actually
receiving them is entirely another thing. You can read these things
and never enter the Kingdom of God; but if you receive them, and
continue faithful, you have a testimony, a witness within yourselves
that you are accepted of the Lord our God. All other hopes are vain.
It is in vain for us to look for all the blessings of the gospel, when
there is no priesthood or authority among the children of men.
Moreover, what were the blessings that followed the administration of
the Holy Spirit? That is a part of the gospel just as much as faith
and repentance. The servants of God were entrusted not only with the
ministration of the word and the outward ordinances, but Paul says
"God has made us able ministers of His spirit." There was something
that had power in it, when the authority was on the earth. It gave
power to administer the letter and the outward ordinances; and it also
gave power to administer the Spirit according to the promise that God
had made. Hence we find, that when the people at Samaria were
baptized, through the preaching of Philip, they did not then receive
the Holy Ghost. But when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that the
Samaritans had received the letter of the word, through Philip, they
sent Peter and John; and when they came down and prayed for them, and
laid their hands upon them, they received the Holy Ghost.

Vol. 12,  p.251
Here then is an instance of the ministration of the Spirit as well as
of the water. Here was a power that attended the ancient apostles.
They had authority given to them, from on High to administer in this
higher ordinance wherein the Spirit of God was shed forth abundantly
in the hearts of the children of men.

Vol. 12,  p.251
But we do not wish to dwell on the subject of this great apostacy and
the loss of authority of which we have been speaking. We desire to
dwell upon a more pleasing subject, namely, the restoration of
authority and power to minister the word, and the ordinances, and the
Spirit of the gospel, to the children of men.

Vol. 12,  p.251
"Has such authority been restored" inquires one? Yes; if it has not,
neither you nor I can ever obey the gospel. We may hear it preached,
but we never can obey its ordinances, without such restoration. The
great question is, "How was it restored?" The Latter-day Saints are
ready to answer this question.

Vol. 12,  p.251
As God, from time to time, since the beginning, gave His authority to
men, in different dispensations, so He has again, in the last
dispensation, sent His angel from Heaven. Does this stumble you, that
God has sent a messenger from the courts of glory, down to our earth?
It is something contrary to the traditions of the Christian world. It
is something that does not agree with the notions of our forefathers
for many generations. It does not stumble this congregation; they
would not be sitting on these seats to-day if they had not believed
this with all their hearts. An angel has been sent. What for? In the
first place to reveal the Book of Mormon, containing the testimony of
the fullness of the gospel in all its plainness, as it was revealed
here on this continent. By whom? By our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
When? Soon after His resurrection from the dead. Soon after He had
finished His ministry in the land of Jerusalem, He [p.252] appeared on
this great Western Hemisphere, peopled by numerous nations—the
remnants of the House of Israel, of whom our American Indians are the
descendants. They saw Jesus as well as the Jews at Jerusalem. They
beheld the wounds in His hands, in His feet, and in His side. They saw
Him descend clothed in a white robe; they saw Him come down into the
midst of their assemblies, in the northern portion of what we call
South America. They heard Him open His mouth and teach the multitude
assembled on that occasion. They gathered themselves together day
after day as far as they could to hear Him teach.

Vol. 12,  p.252
They felt His power as well as the people on the Eastern Continent.
The glorious principles of the gospel were taught to them as well as
to the Jews at Jerusalem. They had the privilege of being immersed in
water for the remission of their sins, and having hands laid upon them
for the outpouring of the Holy Ghost as well as their brethren in the
distant land of Jerusalem. They heard His voice proclaiming the gospel
which he had introduced for the salvation of the children of men, and
also explaining the scriptures and prophecies and unfolding all things
that should happen even down to the end of time. They wrote His
teachings as did Mark, Matthew, Luke and John. The teachings and
writings of the disciples and apostles that were called on this
American continent were recorded, as well as his sayings on the land
of Asia. They had the privilege therefore of knowing about the plan of
salvation as well as the people of what we term the Old World. That
testimony has been brought to us. How? By the ministration of an holy
angel of God.

Vol. 12,  p.252
But even then, we could not obey this gospel. The revealing and
translating of this book by inspiration did not give authority to
Joseph Smith to baptize, to lay on hands for the gift of the Holy
Ghost, or to administer the Lord's Supper. No, he only did the work
given him to do—reveal the record of the gospel as taught among the
Israelites of the American continent. Could the Church arise or
anybody be baptized from that? No; it required still further
authority. Authority to translate is one thing, authority to baptize
is another. Authority to reveal the Book of Mormon is one thing;
authority to build up the Church and Kingdom of God is another. But
God did afterwards give the authority to baptize and build up His
Church. How? By sending angels from Heaven who, themselves, had the
power to ordain persons to be Apostles. An individual who does this
must hold the Apostleship himself; no other being would have
authority. Whom did the Lord send to restore the Apostleship again to
earth, and to confer it on Joseph Smith? No less personages than
Peter, James and John, who were with Jesus when he was transfigured in
the mount, who then heard the voice of the Father. These persons who
held the keys of the Kingdom of God, and had power to administer its
ordinances, laid their hands on this great modern Prophet that he
might be filled with the Holy Ghost.

Vol. 12,  p.252
Again, did this Church arise according to the wisdom, power and
understanding of men? No; God gave commandment in relation to it, and
pointed out the day on which it was to be organized. And according to
this commandment and revelation it was organized with six members on
the 6th of April, 1830.

Vol. 12,  p.252
Here is the great difference between us and the religious world. And,
how immense is the difference! If [p.253] what we have been speaking
of, this afternoon, be true, you behold the condition of the whole
human family in regard to the ordinances of the gospel. You see that
without authority they cannot embrace the gospel. If it be not true
then all these Latter-day Saints are deceived, and we, like all the
rest of the world, are without authority and power. But if it be true,
not only you and I and the people of this Territory are concerned, but
every man and woman in the world are equally so. If God has, indeed,
sent His holy angel and conferred the Apostleship, and power and
authority to administer among the inhabitants of the earth, first to
the Gentiles, and afterwards to the scattered remnants of Israel, who
can be saved without obeying these institutions of Heaven?

Vol. 12,  p.253
Was any one, either Jew or Gentile, saved anciently who rejected the
preaching of the Apostles? Not one. It mattered not how righteous they
might have been, even if they had received the ministrations of
angels, like good old Cornelius, they could not be saved without
obeying the gospel. You know Cornelius was so righteous, and had given
so many alms to the poor, that they had ascended to God as a memorial
in his favor. Yet with all this the Lord had to send an angel to tell
him that he was not yet in the right way. This angel came to Cornelius
and told him to send for Simon whose surname was Peter, and he should
tell him how to be saved. Cornelius might have reasoned thus: "Am I
not righteous enough to be saved without sending for Peter? have not
my alms come up before the Lord as a memorial? and has He not sent to
me an holy angel from Heaven to tell me that my prayers have ascended
up to Heaven before Him? and is there ally necessity for me to send
for a man to tell me whereby I may be saved?" "Yes," said the angel,
"he shall tell you." As much as to say, you cannot be saved with all
your prayers and alms, unless you have a properly authorized servant
of God, to tell you how to be saved, and to administer the ordinances
of salvation to you.

Vol. 12,  p.253
When Jesus gave the commission to his apostles in ancient days he told
them to preach the gospel to all the world,—to every person under the
whole heaven, and said, "he that believeth and is baptized shall be
saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned." But is not this
very severe? Is there any charity in this expression? Must all be
condemned who do not bow to this order? Are there not good sects among
the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians, and good people of all sects
and parties, just men whose prayers continually ascend before God? How
is it that none of them can be saved without obeying this gospel which
these eleven men were commissioned to teach? That was the decree. It
mattered not how much righteousness they had, they all had to bow to
that one system, that one ordinance, that one church, and be united
heart, and hand in the building up of that kingdom, and outside of
that there was no salvation.

Vol. 12,  p.253
Now, if it be true, as I said, in the first place, that God has sent
His angels and that He has conferred the apostleship, and given
authority to administer in His name; if this be true is there a man or
woman, Jew or Gentile, Mahommedan or Pagan, rich or poor, among the
priests or people that can be saved without receiving the Book of
Mormon and the authority that God has established? No, not one, if
they have had the opportunity of hearing and receiving it. If it be
not true, all mankind should reject it. Do you not see the importance
[p.254] of it? It is a message that goes forth, like the ancient
one,—with authority and power. The same declaration is given in these
days, as was given then. A new revelation has been given to us, with
new authority, similar to what was given to the apostles in days of
old.

Vol. 12,  p.254
I will read a little in relation to this authority, in a revelation
given in the early rise of this church to the apostles, and the
authorities of this church who had been called by revelation from the
Lord Jesus Christ. "Therefore, go ye into all the world, and
whatsoever place ye cannot go into ye shall send, that the testimony
may go from you into all the world unto every creature. And as I said
unto mine apostles, even so I say unto you, for you are mine apostles,
even God's high priests. ire are they whom my Father hath given me; ye
are my friends; therefore as I said unto mine apostles I say unto you
again, that every soul who believeth on your words and is baptized by
water for the remission of sins shall receive the Holy Ghost, and
these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name they Shall do
many wonderful works; in my name they shall cast out devils; in my
name they shall heal the sick; in my name they shall open the eyes of
the blind, and unstop the ears of the deaf; and the tongue of the dumb
shall speak; and if any man shall administer poison unto them it shall
not hurt them; and the poison of a serpent shall not have power to
harm them." Again he says, and notice how it agrees with the ancient
commission, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, they who believe not on
your words and are not baptized in water in my name, for the remission
of their sins, that they may receive the Holy Ghost, shall be damned
and shall not come into my Father's kingdom where my Father and I are,
and this revelation unto you and commandment is in force from this
very hour upon all the world, and the gospel is unto all who have not
received it."

Vol. 12,  p.254
I have read this, in order that the similarity of the two commissions
might be apparent to you. We have a commission to preach the gospel to
all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people; to call upon Gentiles and
Jews, ministers and religious people, and professors of all
denominations, as well as unbelievers, to believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ, to repent of their sins, to be baptized, by those holding
authority, for the remission of their sins, that they may be filled
with the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. To contend earnestly
for the faith once delivered to the Saints, that they may have power
with God, as promised to every soul that believes. "And," says the
Book of Mormon, "if there be one soul among you that doeth good he
shall work by the gifts and powers of God, and woe be to them that
deny these gifts and powers, for they shall die in their sins, and
they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God." Amen.[p.255] 

Brigham Young, August 9, 1868

The Gospel a Perfect System—Evidence that the Latter-Day 
Saints Have Received the Holy Spirit—Plural Marriage

DISCOURSE by President Brigham Young, delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Aug. 9th, 1868.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.255
I will endeavor to speak to the people so that they can hear me. We
very frequently hear complaints about the people being unable to hear.
That is very annoying to me; there is no satisfaction in talking to
people if they cannot hear. I talk a great deal in public and in
private. I have labored for many years in preaching the gospel of the
Son of God; and when I first commenced, it seemed as though I was
under the necessity of speaking very loud. I could not satisfy my own
feelings without talking with a loud voice. I have acquired this
habit, and to talk loud and long for many years wears on a person's
constitution.

Vol. 12,  p.255
This gospel that we have embraced is worthy the attention of the high
and the low, the rich and the poor, the wise and the ignorant, the
noble and the ignoble. It commends itself to the feelings,
understanding and conscience of every creature beneath the heavens
that is endowed with intelligence. There is no system that is perfect
except the gospel of the Son of God. Every art and science is
incorporated in the gospel of salvation delivered to the children of
men. If the inhabitants of the earth possess ingenuity, knowledge,
wisdom or understanding they receive it within the purview or pale of
this gospel that comes from heaven. I have said, and I still feel it,
that outside the gospel of the Son of God—the plan of salvation—there
is nothing but death, hell and the grave; everything else is within
our religion. But when we talk about comprehending our religion, why,
we might as well undertake to comprehend eternity. We have a little of
it. The Lord has made manifest to the children of men a portion of it,
enough to enable them to continue on, to grow, increase, expand, to
add wisdom to wisdom and knowledge to knowledge, for light cleaves to
light and truth to truth. The power to increase in knowledge is in our
possesion if we will improve the golden moments as they pass by.

Vol. 12,  p.255
We talk a great deal to the Latter-day Saints. What for? To bring them
to a knowledge of the truth; to place them in a position in which they
may be prepared to inherit that glory which they anticipate. And to
obtain that perfection which we desire more will be required of us
than merely a spiritual exercise of the mind; our outward works
pertaining to our natural life, and in fact our whole souls must he
devoted to God, and the upbuilding of His Kingdom. We talk to the
people to bring them to the knowledge of the truth, and to bring
ourselves, for we are with you, so that we may understand what we
should do, how we should labor, how direct our lives here, in order
that we may be perfected and prepared to enjoy life everlasting in the
presence of the Father and the Son. I still feel to urge upon the
[p.256] Latter-day Saints the necessity of a close application of the
principles of the gospel in our lives, conduct and words and all that
we do; and it requires the whole man, the whole life to be devoted to
improvement in order to come to knowledge of the truth as it is in
Jesus Christ. Herein is the fullness of perfection. It was couched in
the character of our Savior; although but a scanty portion of it was
made manifest to the people, in consequence of their not being able to
receive it. All they were prepared to receive lie gave them. All we
are prepared to receive the Lord gives us; all that the nations of the
earth are prepared to receive He imparts unto them.

Vol. 12,  p.256
The inhabitants of the earth do not acknowledge the Lord as they
should. There are very few but who believe in a Supreme Being; but do
they honor God? No, they take His name in vain. Do they believe Him to
be what He is? No, they so far mystify the character of Deity that it
is impossible for the people to understand it. Do they reverence His
name? No. If they believe in a God, He is so far off that they never
can get near Him; they know nothing about the conduct of this Being;
and He is so far off in their imaginations that He knows nothing about
the children of men; at least such is the feeling amongst them, and
yet many of the so-called Christians say His centre is everywhere and
His circumference nowhere They have mystified the affairs of salvation
to that degree that the whole world of mankind have lost that
reverence that is due to the Supreme Being.

Vol. 12,  p.256
The Latter-day Saints have received the Spirit of the Lord; the proof
is here in the gathering and the oneness of the people. Have the
Elders of Israel been to any other country but this? Yes. To preach
the Gospel? Yes. Have they been to England and preached the gospel
there? Yes. Have the people believed? Yes. Where is your proof? The
proof is that they have left all, if they had anything, and have come
up to the gathering-place where the Saints are assembled. The Elders
have also preached through the different nations of Europe so far as
they were allowed to do so. In some countries the law would not permit
them; but the Lord will yet revolutionize those nations until the door
will be opened and the gospel will be preached to all. Have the people
believed? A few of them. But we gather the poorest of the people, the
unlearned, and a few of the learned; but generally, we gather those
who are poor, who wish to be redeemed; who feel the oppression the
high and the proud have made them endure; they have felt a wish to be
delivered, and consequently their ears were open to receive the truth.
Take those who are in the enjoyment of all the luxuries of this life,
and their ears are stopped up; they cannot hear; but go to the poor,
to those who are in poverty and want, and they are looking every way
for deliverance, and when they hear the Eiders preach their eats are
open to hear and their hearts are touched with the Spirit of the Lord,
and many of them have believed. These are they that we gather
together.

Vol. 12,  p.256
Now, when we look around upon the Latter-day Saints, in a temporal
point of view, we are proud of them. I have been in countries where
the men, women and children had to labor—wearying their lives out of
them to get the bread necessary to keep their lives in them. I have
gone to bed many a time, and when I have turned down the bed I would
find the sheet patched from end to end, so that I would wonder which
was the original sheet. I have also known young ladies—I do not know
that I ought [p.257] to say this, but I do not say it to their
disgrace, but to their praise—come home from their work on a Saturday
evening, and retiring to a room, throw a blanket over their shoulders,
and wash every particle of their clothing, that they might be able to
go out on Sunday to attend meeting. These are they that we have
baptized. Why? Because their ears were open, and the Spirit of the
Lord found a way to their hearts, and they saw there was deliverance
in the gospel. The rich and noble, as a general thing, have turned a
deaf ear to the voice of the Elders of Israel. Now, the gospel that we
have embraced comprises every glory, honor, excellency and truth there
is in the heavens, on the earth or beneath the earth. Is it worthy of
the attention of the poor? Yes, it is. According to the reading of
this book—the Old and New Testament as well as the Book of Mormon and
the Book of Doctrine and Covenants—which we regard as the foundation
of our work, the Lord has chosen the poor of this world,—rich in
faith—and the time will come when He will give the earth to His poor
for an everlasting inheritance. I speak this for the comfort of my
brethren and sisters who have been poor. They have come here, and what
do we see? The youth, the middle-aged and the old improving in
letters, in mechanism and in the arts and sciences. We bring them here
to improve them, and if the Lord will bless us sufficiently, and the
people will bless themselves, we will have a nation that understands
all things pertaining to the earth that it is possible for man to
grasp. Will this people be praiseworthy? Yes, and honored and
honorable. Will they be looked to as examples? Yes; and it is the duty
of the Latter-day Saints to live their religion so that all the world
can say there is a pattern for us, not only in our business and
worship, but in our knowledge of things that are, things that have
been and of things that are yet to come, until the knowledge of Zion
shall reach the uttermost parts of the earth, and the kings and great
men shall say, "Let us go up to Zion and learn wisdom". Will they come
here to learn how to govern? Yes. One of the simplest things in the
world is to control a people. Is there any particular art in making
this people obedient? There is just one. If you Elders of Israel can
get the art of preaching the Holy Ghost into the hearts of the people,
you will have an obedient people. This is the only art required. Teach
the people truth, teach them correct principle; show them what is for
their greatest good and don't you think they will follow in that path?
They will, just as far as it is consistent with their weaknesses and
the power of darkness that is over the inhabitants of the earth—with
us as with others. We have merged partially into the light, and we
should be very thankful and obedient to the requirements of Heaven,
that we may receive more and more.

Vol. 12,  p.257
Every art and science known and studied by the children of men is
comprised within the Gospel. Where did the knowledge come from which
has enabled man to accomplish such great achievements in science and
mechanism within the last few years? We know that knowledge is from
God, but why do they not acknowledge him? Because they are blind to
their own interests, they do not see and understand things as they
are. Who taught men to chain the lightning? Did man unaided and of
himself discover that? No, he received the knowledge from the Supreme
Being. From Him, too, has every art and science proceeded, although
[p.258] the credit is given to this individual, and that individual.
But where did they get the knowledge from, have they it in and of
themselves? No, they must acknowledge that, if they cannot make one
spear of grass grow, nor one hair white or black without artificial
aid, they are dependent upon the Supreme Being just the same as the
poor and the ignorant. Where have we received the knowledge to
construct the labor-saving machinery for which the present age is
remarkable? From Heaven. Where have we received our knowledge of
astronomy, or the power to make glasses to penetrate the immensity of
space? We received it from the same Being that Moses, and those who
were before him, received their knowledge from; the same Being who
told Noah that the world should be drowned and its people destroyed.
From Him has every astronomer, artist and mechanician that ever lived
on the earth obtained his knowledge. By Him, too, has the power to
receive from one another, been bestowed, and to search into the deep
things pertaining to this earth and every principle connected with it.

Vol. 12,  p.258
We can receive all this in our education here; but to acquire a
knowledge of these principles, time and study are required. Let a
child go to school, and he commences with a, b, c, and goes on to a-b
ab, and then to words of two or three syllables until he is prepared
for a higher course of studies. No child can learn algebra or common
arithmetic at first, but he has to go on day by day, just as you and I
have to do. We have learned many things concerning the Kingdom of God
upon the earth, and we can learn still more. But with all we have
learned, are we prepared, Latter-day Saints, to put our trust in God
implicitly? No, we are not. How do we know? By the acts of the people
and by our own experience. This is in consequence of the evil and the
power of satan that is in the world through the fall. He has beguiled
the inhabitants of the earth, and has thrown a mist before their eyes
so that they can not see the providences of God. Who is it can see the
power by which the leaves of yonder trees grow? Can you see and
understand it? No; why? Because there is a vail dropped over the eyes
and minds of the children of men, so that they can not behold the
providences of God nor His handiwork in all nature. We are deprived of
this knowledge; but we can begin to see and understand through
receiving the Gospel. But we have still a great deal to learn.

Vol. 12,  p.258
It is sam that "obedience is better than sacrifice." It is far better.
When I look at the Latter-day Saints—and when I say you, I reckon
myself—(I, Brigham, am with you,) where are we? what do we understand?
how far have we advanced? What do we expect to receive? How are we
looking at things pertaining to this world? We have received the first
principles of the Gospel; and we have received the spirit of the
Gospel; but do we live so as to increase in this day by day? That is
the question. Do we live our religion so that we improve on all the
knowledge that God has given us? Do we live up to the light that the
Lord has revealed? You may answer this question. The Latter-day
Saints, as a people, are a very good people, they are excellent; they
have come to a oneness that is most remarkable—astonishing to
ourselves, and also to others. But are we one yet? No, not exactly; we
have a great deal to learn before we come to a unity of the faith and
see eye to eye as the people of God have to do in the Latter-days. We
see some [p.259] things, but we do no, see all that is for our best
interest; if we did we would live our religion.

Vol. 12,  p.259
Now, my brethren and sisters, from the high and from the lower circles
of life, find if you can on the face of the earth a gentleman or lady,
that is, one who is a true gentleman or a true lady, (we have many
that are called gentlemen and ladies); but you find one in the strict
sense of the word, that is, as I would interpret the word, and you
will and a man or woman that would border very closely on an angel.
Every word that they speak will be seasoned with grace: every act of
their lives would be as nigh as mortals can come to angels; nothing
pertaining to them low, degrading or disgraceful. You find a gentleman
and you will find a man who possesses a heart full of charity, faith
and love, full of good works, whose hand is always open to do good to
every creature. You find a lady, and she is one who is ready to impart
wisdom, knowledge, truth, and every virtuous and holy principle to her
sisters and her fellow beings. These are the true lady and gentleman;
but they are of a higher order than those we now call ladies and
gentlemen. You may say my definition is incorrect. Be it so, it
matters not to me. I have my own views with regard to these things. I
look upon the Latter-day Saints as being a very good people, but very
far from what they should be. "Well, we must have time to grow," says
one. Very true, we can not learn even the "First Reader" in a day.
When we commenced going to school we learned a little to-day, and a
little more tomorrow, and a little more the next day, and so added
knowledge to knowledge; and by and by you and I have to come to a
unity of the faith. This is the Gospel—the plan of salvation—that we
believe in. This is the doctrine we preach to the people—to purify
ourselves as He is pure; to sanctify the Lord God in our hearts, that
we may be counted worthy to receive His blessings and be sustained by
Him.

Vol. 12,  p.259
We know very well that the name "Mormon" is rudely applied to the
Latter-day Saints, and we know very well what the world thinks of us;
but what matters it to us? Nothing. Suppose that we had the power to
take the poor and the ignorant, the low and the degraded who are
trodden under foot by the great and the powerful among earth's
inhabitants, and bring them together and purify them and fill them
with knowledge and understanding and make a nation of them worthy of
admiration, what would you say to this? O, ye inhabitants of the
earth, can you do it? The Lord can. Well it is such a people that I am
looking upon; this is the people I expect to be saved with. I am proud
of them. Not, proud of their ignorance or meanness; not proud of their
wickedness by any means. Bat I am proud to think that we have received
the gospel and are enabled to sanctify ourselves if we are disposed
to. I delight in the Latter-day Saints, because of their obedience to
these principles, and not because of their rough, uncouth course of
life.

Vol. 12,  p.259
Now, it is for us to perfect ourselves by these principles. We have
received the gospel and have been baptized for the remission of our
sins. Is there anything wrong in this? No, the Christian world profess
to believe the Old and New Testaments; the Jews say they believe the
Old Testament. We believe both, and that is not all, we believe in the
Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants given by the Lord to
Joseph Smith and by him to the Church. We also believe if we were
destitute of the Spirit of the Lord, and our eyes were dosed so that
we [p.260] could not see and understand things as they are by the
spirit of revelation, we might say farewell to all these books, no
matter how numerous. If we had all the revelation given since the days
of Adam and were without the spirit of revelation to be and abide in
the midst of the people, it would be impossible for us to be saved in
the celestial Kingdom of God. The world look upon us a set of fanatics
for believing this; but that does not matter at all to us. We have our
course before us; the path for us to tread in is marked out. What is
it? It is march on, march on, ye Latter-day Saints, to the higher
orders of life m this world. March on, ye Latter-day Saints, until you
are prepared to receive life everlasting in the presence of the Father
and the Son. What matters it what the world say? That makes no
difference to us, not in the least. But I will tell you what concerns
us, to order our lives in accordance with the principles of the gospel
that we have embraced. Let a Christian live his religion and he is
honored and thought much of by his brethren and friends and
acquaintances. And even the wicked contemplate a man or woman who
lives his or her religion with a feeling of reverence, and they
involuntarily honor that being who honors his God. The vilest wretch
that lives on fine face of the earth looks with reverence on a person
who is a true follower of Jesus, and cannot help it. If we respect
ourselves we will shape our lives accordingly. If we do so, we shall
become pure and holy. Is there anything wrong in this? No; neither is
there the least wrong in the world in acknowledging the hand of God in
all things. If I had the skill given me to-day to construct a machine
by which we could pass from nation to nation in the atmosphere as they
now do on terra firma on the railway, would there be any harm in
acknowledging God in this? I should receive the knowledge from Him; it
is not independent and of myself. I am dependent upon Him for every
breath I draw and for every blessing I receive. If you, ye nations or
wise men of the earth, are not dependent upon Him, we would like to
see you act independently. Let a man who thinks he has power
independent of God—if there be such a man—take a grain of wheat, rye,
barley, or a kernel of corn from the element God has ordained and
organized for its development, and see if be can make it grow. All
acknowledge that it can not be done. Well, then, there would be no
harm in acknowledging God in all things. But, here I pause a moment; I
do not mean that we should acknowledge the hand of God in a man or
woman doing wrong; but I will acknowledge the hand of God in
sustaining the individual while be does it. No matter what wrong a
human being may commit he or she is sustained by the Almighty while
doing it. But the act is of the creature and not the Creator. We
should acknowledge the hand of God in all things. And if we do this we
will live our religion a little better than we have.

Vol. 12,  p.260
O, ye my sisters, will not you improve a little? Shall I come to our
own capacity here to-day? Yes; then let us look a little and see what
is for our advantage. How many of my brethren and sisters are there
who have a mint or a bank to go to with an inexhaustible fountain of
wealth? None; we are poor. We gathered poor. It is true that we are
decently clad; but why not go to the fields and take the straw and
make your hats and bonnets, and save that means to send for the poor
Saints? Would ten thousand dollars pay for the hats and bonnets worn
by this congregration [p.261] to-day? By no means. But suppose that we
say five thousand, that amount had better be used in sending for the
poor than in spending it in articles the material for which can be
gathered and manufactured right here. I see a very few straw hats in
this congregation to-day with straw trimmings, made by the hands of
the wearers perhaps, and can you beat them for beauty with imported
articles? No, you can not. Well, these are lessons we try to teach the
people all the time. We teach men who have been in the factory all
their lives how to prepare the ground, to plant potatoes, corn,
squash, cucumbers, onions, and cabbage, that they may have something
to eat when the dreary storms of winter overtake them. And thus we
teach the people how to live. This is our business. If you do not
learn to live here, how can you live hereafter? If you do not
understand the things of this life, how can you understand the things
pertaining to the life to come? Just as the apostle says with regard
to loving one another—"If you say you love God and hate your brother
you deny your own words, for how can you hate him whom you have seen
and love Him whom you have not seen?" You can not do it. We make the
application here, how can we understand things a thousand years ahead
if we do not understand what is here to-day? We take children, and
teach the little girl to spin, weave, and knit her stockings; and the
boys to drive team, plow, to go to the field to hoe and prepare the
ground, and to sow the seed so that; they may have food to eat. What
next? Why, say your prayers always before going to work. Never forget
that. A father—the head of the family—should never miss calling his
family together and dedicating himself and them to the Lord of Hosts,
asking the guidance and direction of His holy spirit to lead them
through the day—that very day. Lead us this day, guide us this day,
preserve us this day, save us from sinning against Thee or any being
in heaven or on earth this day! If we do this every day, the last day
we live we will be prepared to enjoy a higher glory.

Vol. 12,  p.261
There is a little matter I want to speak upon to you, my sisters. It
is a subject that is very obnoxious to outsiders. They have given us
the credit for industry and prudence; but we have one doctrine in our
faith that to their view is erroneous, and very bad; it is painful to
think of. Shall I tell you what it is sisters? "Oh," says one, "I know
what you mean, my husband has two, four, or half a dozen wives." Well,
I want to tell the sisters how to free themselves from this odium as
many of them consider it. This doctrine so hateful and annoying to the
feelings of many, was revealed from heaven to Joseph Smith, and
obedience is required to it by the Latter-day Saints,—this very
principle will work out the moral salvation of the world. Do you
believe it? It makes no difference whether you do or not, it is true.
It is said that women rule among all nations; and if the women, not
only in this congregation, Territory and government, but the world,
would rise up in the spirit and might of the holy gospel and make good
men of those who are bad, and show them that they will be under the
necessity of marrying a wife or else not have a woman at all, they
would soon come to the mark. Yes, this odious doctrine will work out
the moral reformation and salvation of this generation. People
generally do not, see it; my sisters do not see it; and I do not know
that all the elders of Israel see it. But if this course be pursued,
and we make this the [p.262] rule of practice, it will force all men
to take a wife. Then we will be satisfied with one wife. I should have
been in the beginning; the one wife system would not have disagreed
with me at all. If the prophet had said to me, "Brother Brigham, you
can never have but one wife at a time." I should have said, "glory,
hallelujah, that is just what I like." But he said, "you will have to
take more than one wife, and this order has to spread and increase
until the inhabitants of the earth repent of their evils and men will
do what is right towards the females. In this also I say glory,
hallelujah. Do men do that which is right now? No. You see
travelers—young, middle-aged, or old—roaming over the world, and ask
them where their families are, and the answer will generally be, "I
have none." You go to the city of New York, and among the merchants
there I doubt whether there is one man in three who has a wife. Go to
the doctor and ask him, "where is your wife and family?" and, "thank
God I have none," will be his reply. It is the same with the lawyer.
Ask him about his wife, and his reply will be, "O bless me, I havn't
any, I say it to my praise, I am not troubled with a family." You go
to the parson, and were it not for his profession, the cloak of
religion that is around him, not one in a thousand of them would have
wife or children.

Vol. 12,  p.262
Do not be startled, my sisters; do not be at all afraid; just get
influence enough among the daughters of Eve in the midst of this
generation until you have power enough over the males to bring them to
their senses so that they will act according to the rule of right, and
you will see that we will be free at once, and the elders of Israel
will not be under the necessity of taking so many women. But we shall
continue to do it until God tells us to stop, or until We pass into
sin and iniquity, which will never be.

Vol. 12,  p.262
Do you see anything very bad in this? Just ask yourselves, historians,
when was monogamy introduced on to the face of the earth? When those
buccaneers, who settled on the peninsula where Rome now stands, could
not steal women enough to have two or three apiece, they passed a law
that a man should have but one woman. And this started monogamy and
the downfall of the plurality system. In the days of Jesus, Rome,
having dominion over Jerusalem, they carried out the doctrine more or
less. This was the rise, start and foundation of the doctrine of
monogamy; and never till then was there a law passed, that we have any
knowledge of, that a man should have but one wife.

Vol. 12,  p.262
Now, sisters, I want you to see to this. I advise you to have faith
and good works; be fervent in spirit and virtue, and try to live so as
to bring the men to the standard of right, then we shall have no
trouble at all. I believe that in Massachusetts they have only 27,000
more women than men; but that is not many. There is a cause, perhaps,
for this. A good many young men go into the army, or go here or there.
What is done with the daughters of Eve? In many countries they stick
them in the factories, into the fields, the coal mines, and into the
streets—as I have seen hundreds of them—gathering manure, &c., working
all day and getting a penny at night to buy a loaf of bread with. They
stick some of them down into the iron works, under the ground to pack
the ore, or into the building to lag off the iron. But the young men
are sent to the wars. When England and the rest of the nations learn
war no more, instead of passing a law in this or any other nation
[p.263] against a man having more than one wife, they will pass a law
In make men do as they should in honoring the daughters of Eve and
making wives of and providing for them. Will not this be a happy time?
Yes, very fine. If you will produce this to-day, I'll tell you what I
would be willing to do, I would be willing to give up half or
two-thirds of my wives, or to let the whole of them go, if it was
necessary, if those who should take them would lead them to eternal
salvation. And then you may have my daughters, if you will only lead
them in the way they should go that they may obtain eternal life; if
you will leach them the gospel, how to live, how to honor their being,
honor their God and live their religion. Do this and you are welcome
to them. Would I get more wives? If I had a mind to; but if I had none
at all it would be all right. If I have one it is all right, and if I
should have a score it would be allright.

Vol. 12,  p.263
I mean to teach, pray and plead with the people to save themselves by
hearkening to the commandments of God, and to live their religion so
that we may get through a world of sin, darkness, ignorance and
unbelief. Man is prone to wander as the sparks are to fly upwards. The
spirit is warring with the flesh continually, and the flesh against
the spirit. Which will come off victorious? This will decide the
destiny of all the inhabitants of the earth. If the spirit reigns
triumphant; and overcomes the body and its passions, that character
will receive glory; but if the passions and sin, within the flesh,
overcome the spirit and subdue it, that character will be lost. That
is all there is of it. The Lord has done all on His part. His grace is
sufficient; He has laid the plan of salvation for us to follow. Work
on the square and all will be right. God bless you. Amen.

George A. Smith, June 21, 1868

Necessity of An Inspired Leader in the Church—
Christianity and Paganism—Authority

DISCOURSE by President George A. Smith, delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, June 21, 1868.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.263
The visit of the Savior of the world, his crucifixion and resurrection
from the dead, the proclamation of the gospel through the nations by
his disciples and apostles brought the subject to the attention of a
great portion of the world. The Savior, himself, is represented as
going to his own—to his own nation, to His own people, and they
received Him not. He came to them with the words of life, light and
salvation, but they could not appreciate them. They conspired against
Him and put Him to death. He says in relation to this that it must
needs be that offences come, but woe to him through whom they come, it
were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and be
cast into the depths [p.264] of the sea. The offences did come. His
servants went forth and preached, and, according to the histories that
have come down to us, they were all martyred with but one exception,
that is John, who is represented to have been cast into a cauldron of
oil. We find, however, in the New Testament, that the writings of John
are the last that are handed down to us by King James' translators as
inspired writings. His three epistles, written almost a hundred years
after the birth of the Savior, are the last books that King James'
translators would give to us as inspired writings. Perhaps you have
reflected upon this matter. King James' translators were learned men
selected by the King to translate the Scriptures. They translated the
writings of the various apostles and prophets, and then took a vote
among themselves to decide which were inspired and which were not. You
will remember that not one among this body of learned divines even
processed to have the inspiration of God upon him. They were learned
in the languages, sciences and the opinions of men, and their vote was
the only test by which they decided which of these books were given by
revelation and which were not. And it was perhaps only a single vote
that saved the books of James, and perhaps only a single vote that
cast out the books of the Apocrypha.

Vol. 12,  p.264
Now, this is calculated to make men reflect upon the position of a
church without an inspired leader, without a man at its head who can
ask the Lord for guidance and obtain an answer. The Church of England
made no pretensions to inspiration. It had protested against the
Church of Rome as being the "beast," the "false prophet," the "mother
of harlots and abominations of the earth," and everything that was
corrupt, and had inaugurated a reformation, and established the
Protestant Church of England, with the King for its head; but it had
no inspiration. And this body of learned men passed their votes on
these sacred books without any pretense whatever to inspiration from
the Almighty. Yet "no man knoweth the things of God but by the Spirit
of God."

Vol. 12,  p.264
Soon after the death office apostles, divisions occurred in the
Christian churches on a variety of topics. They had commenced to
engraft into the religion of Jesus idolatrous ideas, after the
similitude of an idolatrous worship. These ideas gradually crept in
for some three or four hundred years, the Christian religion being
held in a subordinate position by the State; and several tithes the
whole power of the Roman Empire was exerted to exterminate it from the
earth. This course of things finally terminated in a political change,
during which the first Christian Emperor arose and stopped the
persecution of the Christians. This was Constantine the Great. He was,
by no means, the most pious of Christian Sovereigns, but he was the
first Christian Emperor, and by means of the cross for his banner be
had been able to wade through the blood of his competitions and set
himself on the throne or the Roman world. In the year 306 he
established the Christian religion as the religion of the State, and
suppressed the time-honored rites of Pagan temples and heathen modes
of worship.

Vol. 12,  p.264
This change produced a tremendous influence, not only upon the Pagan,
but also upon the Christian portion of the Empire. Up to that period
the Christians had been oppressed and trampled down, and had even been
under the necessity or buying their dead in secret. Many portions of
the city of Rome are honey-combed [p.265] with subterraneous catacombs
excavated in the rock where thousands of Christians were secretly
entombed during the time that to bury after the Christian manner was a
violation of the laws of the Roman Empire; and when to adhere to this
mode of burial or to acknowledge themselves Christians was liable to
cost them their lives, the confiscation of their property, or liberty.

Vol. 12,  p.265
This change, however, was not wrought at once. Unfortunately for the
progress of Christianity and the peace of mankind, the Emperor Julien,
the Apostate, in 361 attempted to re-establish the Pagan religion in
the empire. This brought on a bloody struggle, which resulted in an
amalgamation of Chistianity and Paganism. Idol worship had always
existed in Rome. The gods of the Greeks and Romans, and the gods and
goddesses that were manufactured for the occasion had temples built to
them, and their worship not only directed but enforced by the laws of
the Empire. But when Christianity became the religion of the State,
these rites were banished and a vast amount of Pagan property was
confiscated.

Vol. 12,  p.265
The rites and ordinances of the Christian religion were few and
simple, when compared with the ostentatious display observed in the
worship of Pagan idols. It might not be amiss in enquire what the
religious ceremonies of the early Christians really were. They
believed in the divine mission of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
and endeavored to follow his precepts. The Savior said, "Let him who
will be my disciple take up his cross and follow me." When the Savior
commenced His mission He went to the waters of the Jordan and was
baptized by immersion, thereby setting an example to all in follow
Him. His disciples preached faith, repentance, and baptism foe the
remission of sins, and the ordinance or laying on of hands for the
reception of the Holy Ghost, and the administration of what is termed
the sacrament. In these were comprised the principal portion of the
outward ordinances and ceremonies that were observed by the early
Christians. They met on the Sabbath day to woship, receive instruction
and to call upon the name of the Lord and to partake of the emblems of
the death and sufferings of our Lord and Savior, and to witness unto
him thereby that they were determined to keep His commandments unto
the end.

Vol. 12,  p.265
Their places of worship were generally private houses, or such retired
places as they could obtain so as to be tree from the interruption of
their enemies. And in connection with the ordinances to which I have
referred, their religion consisted in the observance of a strict moral
code. When a man entered the church by the door, that is by faith,
repentance, baptism for the remission of sins and the laying on or
hands, he was required to live in strict obedience to the principles
laid down in the teachings of our Savior, to sustain and uphold the
truth and to lead a pure and upright life, and "to do to others as he
would that others should do unto him." These, in short, were the
prominent religions observances that existed at the time of the
Apostles of our Lord and Savior, who bad established branches of the
church in nearly all parts or the known world. But these simple
principles were soon trespassed upon by philosophers. Paul, in warning
the members of the church of this, says: "beware lest any man spoil
you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men,
after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ.[p.266] 

Vol. 12,  p.266
The religion of the Pagan world was made up in a great measure of
ostentatious display. Offerings and sacrifices of various kinds were
made in temples of great magnificence, some of which were kept
constantly open for this purpose. A great number of persons devoted
their lives to the service of these gods. They worshipped the images
of almost every creature that could be imagined, and the planets,
which were generally represented by collossal statues of exquisite
workmanship. The influence of these deities over the people was
universal. Nations dare not go to war without consulting these
oracles. Some of their temples were dedicated especially to war. There
was one in Rome which was kept constantly open in time of war and shut
in time of peace. And there was one period in which war was so
prolonged, that this temple, dedicated to the god of war, was kept
continually open for a hundred years. And everything that a zealous
love of the marvellous and the wonderful could do to sustain the
tottering empire of Paganism was done, and to enforce the observance
of pagan rights. And to ensure respect to their ancient mythology,
thousands of the disciples of the meek and lowly Jesus were put to
death.

Vol. 12,  p.266
This is but a glance at the difference of the two systems. But at the
time of Constantine the religion of Jesus had varied very materially
from what it was two hundred years before.

Vol. 12,  p.266
Some writers dispute in relation to Constantine's conversion. Some say
that he was baptized by immersion in the old church of St. John
Lateran, at Rome, which was originally a heathen temple, dedicated to
the goddess Faustina, one of the Roman Empresses, who, by some
historians is asserted to have been one of the most lewd women that
ever lived in Rome; but who was regarded as a paragon of purity by her
Imperial husband, who caused her to be proclaimed a goddess; and the
virgins of Rome, especially those of patrician blood, were required to
go into the presence of her statue to offer their vows previous to
marriage. Saint John Lateran also contained, it is said, the font in
which Constantine was baptized. But some assert, and I think Eusebius
is among the number, that Constantine was a little careless in regard
to the matter of baptism, and deferred it, as many persons do the
making of their wills—until after their death.

Vol. 12,  p.266
This, however, matters not so much as the effect produced by this
grand political change, which not only had a tendency to suppress
Paganism, but it also degenerated Christianity. Thousands and
thousands of Pagans—men dedicated to the Pagan service, now found it
to their interest to seek employment under the new religion; and in
order to make it permanent and to give it the appearance of
consequence it was deemed necessary to incorporate into it some of the
Pagan rites and ostentatious display. Degeneracy, almost universal
degeneracy was the result. In a few centuries the religious power had
grown almost equal to the former civil power of Rome.

Vol. 12,  p.266
A division occurred between the patriarchs of Constantinople and those
of Rome, as to the right of supremacy. The patriarchs of
Constantinople would not acknowledge those of Rome as superior in
authority. The result was the establishment of the Greek Church—an
organization which exists at the present day, at the head of which is
the Emperor of Russia. the rest of Europe, with the exception of the
Eastern Empire of the Romans, what was [p.267] called the Greek
empire, adopted the western faith—the Latin Church. This Latin faith
became almost, the law of the land throughout western Europe, and was
also planted in America, especially in South and Central America and
Mexico, and in Canada. It was planted in America by means of the
sword. There were in Europe a great many conscientious men who could
see most terrible corruption in this Latin Church, and they were not
satisfied. In 1160 Peter of Waldam, a town of France, obtained the
translation of the four gospels into French, and with his followers he
commenced vigorously preaching against the corruptions of the Roman
church, denying the supremacy of the Pontiff. One of the Reformers
painted on one side of a large room Christ riding to Jerusalem on an
ass; and on the other side the Pope making a triumphal entry into Rome
to receive his consecration, and this called attention to the marked
contrast.

Vol. 12,  p.267
A great many Christians wanted to visit the Holy Sepulchre, which was
in the hands of the Mahommedans. One, Peter the Hermit, made this
pilgrimage, and was treated roughly by the Mussulmen. He returned
home, and commenced to preach the redemption of the Holy Sepulchre. He
aroused nearly all the western nations of Europe into a furor to
redeem the Holy Sepulchre. In 1095, 30,000 men started the first
crusade led by this fanatic Peter. On their way they inflicted great
cruelty on the Jews wherever they passed them. The expedition failed,
however, and most of these who composed it perished. But the spirit to
redeem the Holy Sepulchre was thoroughly awakened among the western
nations of Europe, and a number of princes, warriors and men of wealth
and great renown espoused the holy cause. They led magnificent armies;
and hundreds of thousands bled and died on the plains of Palestine
around Jerusalem. In 1099 Godfrey de Bouillion, succeeded in taking
the city of Jerusalem, and the Mosque of Omar was dedicated as a
Christian Church. The Crusaders kept possession for about ninety
years, when it was wrested from their hands by Saladin, Caliph of
Egypt, who is said to have washed the Mosque of Omar with rose water
and re-dedicated it to the worship of Mahomet.

Vol. 12,  p.267
This made the nations a great deal acquainted with each other. The
knights of England, France, Spain, Germany and Italy were side by side
in those campaigns, which were repeated about 150 years—costing the
lives of two millions of men. They fought in the common cause, and it
had a tendency to make them acquainted with each other, and probably
perpetuated, to some extent, that universality of sentiment which
existed for so many years in regard to the Catholic faith. However,
divisions arose, and the northern nations of Europe became Protestant
under Calvin and Luther. Scotland became Protestant under the lead of
certain very devout divines. England became Protestant under Henry
VIII, who first wrote a work in defence of the Catholic faith, which
caused the Pope to confer upon him the title of "defender of the
faith." He put many to death for not strictly observing the Catholic
religion. He then renounced the Catholic faith through a personal
quarrel between him and the Pope, and assumed to be the head of the
church, and put men to death for not believing in his spiritual
supremacy, so that he killed men on both sides of the question. This
continued during his lifetime, and during the short reign of [p.268]
his son, Edward. Then she who is called "Bloody Mary" came to the
throne. She endeavored to re-establish the Catholic faith, and men
were put to death because they would not desert Protestantism. We all
remember when we were children seeing a Picture of John Rogers, a
minister of the Gospel, who was the first martyr in Mary's reign. He
was burnt at the stake in Smithfield.

Vol. 12,  p.268
When I visited London, I went to the same place to preach, but the
police would not let me. They said that the Lord Mayor, by the advice
of the Bishop of London, had, the evening before, issued orders to
prohibit street preaching. Preaching within the limits of the city had
always been allowed before, but we were not allowed to do so. I
believed that this prohibition was in consequence of the publication
of our in tention to visit London for the purpose of establishing the
gospel. I do not know that it was so, but it was the first time that
any Protestant had been deprived of the right to preach in Smithfield
Market and in the streets on Sunday.

Vol. 12,  p.268
As soon as Queen Mary died England became Protestant, again. Mooney in
his history of Ireland asserts that "When Elizabeth undertook to
establish the Protestant religion in Ireland, the Irish people could
not understand what it was; they said the religion of England had been
changed four times in thirty years."

Vol. 12,  p.268
Now we are told by the Protestant world that they have authority which
has descended to them from the Savior and His apostles. But when the
division took place between the Protestants and the Church of Rome the
Pope excommunicated them. He issued what, were called "bulls of
excommunication," and consigned these Protestants to the lowest hell,
and deprived them of every particle of authority, if they ever had
any. Now, if the Catholic Church had any authority, those who
dissented from them were thus deprived of every vestige of it; and if
the Catholics had no authority, then those who went out from them had
none. The result was that in either case the Protestants had none; and
the Protestants all tell us that the Catholics had none, that they had
degenerated and apostatized, and had become corrupt and wicked and had
lost their power, and it was necessary to make a general reform. A
stream cannot rise higher than its fountain, and the result is there
was no authority among any of them. Not our of these Reformers even
professed to have inspiration from the Lord, and that is the condition
of the religious world to-day.

Vol. 12,  p.268
Are the Latter-day Saints any better off? Let us refer to the origin
of this work. God called His servant Joseph Smith and conferred upon
hint the authority and power of the priesthood, that the work of God
might be re-established on the earth. This was neeessary, because the
Lord, in answer to his prayers, told him that all the sects were
wrong, and that it was consequently necessary that the Lord should
reveal Himself anew to the children of men. The Lord accordingly
conferred the priesthood and apostleship upon Joseph, by which he
could preach faith, repentance and baptism for remission of sins, and
lay his hands on those who believed and obeyed, that, they might
receive the Holy Ghost; and also ordain men to go forth and preach the
gospel to others. Joseph Smith was an obscure individual, a young man
who had limited opportunities for education. But he was sent of God to
preach the simple principles of the gospel of Jesus, as they were
taught by His disciples. And the principal [p.269] argument with which
he was met, was ridicule, tar and feathers, tearing down houses,
driving women and children from their homes, and robbing them of their
inheritances, and murdering the Elders, and depriving the Latter-day
Saints of every right, human and divine. These were the arguments used
against the testimony and mission of Joseph Smith and his fellow
laborers. They were effective to a certain extent in destroying the
mortal lives of apostles and prophets, and in bringing sorrow, grief
and mourning to the bosoms of many. And when Joseph Smith fell by the
hands of wicked men, the authority he held rested on the head of
Brigham Young. And by the inspiration of God he was enabled to lead
Israel from the midst of their trials into the heart of this great
mountain desert where God has blessed, prospered and preserved them.
And from the day that God first communicated His will to man until the
present, the power, wisdom and inspiration of the eternal God have
never been more manifest than through President Young in the discharge
of these great duties. The mantle of Joseph fell upon him, and
thousands of persons were witnesses that this spirit came upon him,
and that he was inspired of the Almighty to lead, guide, and bear off
the kingdom.

Brigham Young, August 16, 1868

The Value of Attending Meetings—Gentile of 
Gentilism—Isolation—Preaching—Zion

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Aug. 16th, 1868.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.269
I wish to make a few remarks to the Elders of Israel, who are the ones
who are called to preach the gospel at home and abroad, and tie
administer in the ordinances of the House of God. My remarks will
apply to the sisters, if they wish to receive them. I wish to say
that, when I see Elders in Israel who are careless and unconcerned,
who trifle away their time, and neglect to attend High Council and
other Meetings where there are opportunities to learn, my experience
for the best part of forty years teaches me that they never
progress—they are as they were, and as they no doubt will be. I notice
that the seals of the Elders here in fids Tabernacle are frequently
vacant. I also notice in the High Council, where intricate matters are
often tried, in which the principles of government and law are
involved, the consideration of which would be profitable and
instructive, that whenever an Elder can make an excuse his place is
vacant. In my experience I never did let an opportunity pass of
getting with the Prophet Joseph and of hearing him speak in public or
in private, so that I might, draw understanding from the fountain from
which he spoke, that I might have it and being it forth when it was
needed. My own experience tells me that the great success with which
the Lord has crowned my [p.270] labors is owing to the fact of
applying my heart to wisdom. I notice that even my own natural
brothers when they come into my office, which is very seldom, if there
are important matters on hand—when I am teaching the brethren the
principles of government, and how to apply them to families,
neighborhoods and nations, will leave the office as though it was a
thing of no account. And this is the case with too many of the Elders
in the Church. This is mortifying to me. In the days of the Prophet
Joseph, such moments were more precious to me than all the wealth of
the world. No matter how great my poverty—if I had to borrow meal to
feed my wife and children, I never let an opportunity pass of learning
what the Prophet had to impart. This is the secret of the success of
your humble servant. I make this application to the Elders of Israel.

Vol. 12,  p.270
Brother Carrington has been speaking of his mission, and of his long
stay at home. I do not know that I can altogether excuse him, but I
think that my remarks are partially applicable to him, although we
have called him to fill as important a station as there is in the
Church. If Brother Albert Carrington, who is on the eve of departure
for a foreign mission, is not prepared now to teach the nations of the
earth, and to lead them home to Zion, it is his own fault. He has been
in the midst of counsel ever since he has been in the Church; and
others have been here with us all the day long, and if they are not
filled with wisdom and the power of God it is their own fault.

Vol. 12,  p.270
I want, now, to say a few words with regard to a term that is
frequently used in our midst. I refer to the term "Gentile." I have
explained this a great many times to the Elders both in public and in
private, and I was surprised at the use made of the term this
afternoon. "Gentile," or "gentilism," applies only to those who reject
the gospel, and will not submit to and receive the plan of salvation.
Will you remember this? It does not apply to any only those who are
opposed to God and His Kingdom. When the Jews, as a nation, were in
their glory, they called the nations around them Gentiles. Why?
Because they were opposed to the laws and precepts that the Lord,
through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses, had revealed for the guidance
of Israel But it does not apply to this or any other nation, simply
because they are not of our faith; and in fact, in these days, on
account of their conduct, the term could be more properly applied to
the Jews than to any other people; but it does not apply to them for
they are of the chosen seed. Among the nations of the earth there is a
great mixture, but there are many millions that we shall yet gather
into this Church.

Vol. 12,  p.270
Remember this, O, ye Elders of Israel, and do not apply the term
"Gentile" to a man because he is not baptized. There are some of pure
gentile blood will come into this Church. There are a few already, but
very few. When a person of real gentile blood, through honesty of
heart, submits to the gospel and is baptized and receives the laying
on of hands from a man duly authorized, you might naturally suppose,
from the contortions of the muscles, that such a person had a fit, for
the power of the Holy Ghost falls upon and renovates that rebellious
blood and stirs it up, and perhaps the person thus administered to
falls prostrate on the floor. I have seen this, and it is in
consequence of the power of the Holy Ghost operating upon the power of
the enemy within the individual. Whoever has been in our [p.271]
Councils would never make the application of "Gentile" to a man or
woman, simply because he or she was not baptized, for that has nothing
to do with it either one way or the other. I want the brethren to
learn this, and everything that is useful.

Vol. 12,  p.271
A few words now with reference to the isolation that Bro. Carrington
has been talking about. We have come out from the world that we might
bid farewell to sin; and we are not only the salt of the earth, but we
are the light of the world. Do you suppose that if a man wanted a
light that he would light a candle and put it under a bushel, or where
it could not be seen? No. And do you think that our Father, who has
revealed the way of line and salvation, the path in which every person
should walk in order to gain eternal life, would put that light under
a bushel? No, He has put it in on a candlestick and set it in a place
where it can he seen by the whole world. Are we isolated? No, I do not
think we are. We are right, in the great highway from sea to sea. And
instead of the railroad being any detriment to us, all I have to
regret is that they tried to get it on the north side of the Lake; we
want it in this city where it belongs. And that is not all, the
attempt to cary it in that direction is an insult to the people of
this city, for in so doing they have tried to shun us. They would not
have had a telegraph or railroad across the continent, and coaches
would not have run as they do now for one generation yet, if it not
had been for the Latter-day Saints; and for them to try to take it
away from us I look upon as an insult. We do not care about it; we are
in the habit of being insulted and imposed upon. Far from, wishing not
to have a railroad, it ought to have been built years ago. When we
came to this valley we never traveled a day without marking the path
for the road to this place. We anticipated it, and if they had done as
they should have done, instead of going to war and killing each other,
we should have had a railroad long ago.

Vol. 12,  p.271
These are my feelings with regard to the railroad; and whether it
comes through this city or not, it is all right, because God rules,
and He will have things as He pleases. We can act, but He will
over-rule. Man proposes, but God disposes. He does it all the time,
and it is all right, just as right as it is for the grasshoppers to
come and teach us what the Lord can do when he opens the windows of
his judgments from His secret chambers. He can chasten or consume a
nation with grasshoppers at His pleasure. If we do not understand it
now, we shall see the time when we shall have to come to the mark, and
shall he able to see and understand the providences of God. He is
teaching as to lay up our breadstuffs. How many of our sisters are
there here who have gone into the field and gleaned wheat, and after
getting it cleaned, instead of laying it up, have taken it to the
stores and sold it for a trifle to buy a tassel, artificial for their
bonnets, a waist ribbon, or some frivolous thing that was of no
earthly use to them? The Lord is going to teach us, and we may as well
begin to understand His providences. The Lord knows what he is doing,
and it is all right.

Vol. 12,  p.271
A few words now, with regard to preaching. The greatest and loudest
sermon that, can be preached, or that ever was preached on the face of
the earth, is practice. No other is equal to it. Can we preach to the
world by practice? Yes, we are preaching to them by setting out these
shade trees. When they come here from north, south, east, or west,
they say, "Your city is a perfect paradise, with its [p.272] streams
of water and beautiful shade trees down every street." Every little
cot, no matter how humble, is encircled with beautiful shade trees;
and they want, to know who these people are who take such pride in
beautifying and adorning their city. Why they are the poor "Mormons"
who have been driven into the mountains. I have been driven from a
good, handsome property five times. Many of my brethren have been
served in the same manner. But here we are again, and we are teaching
the people to be industrious, and how to raise their own bread, make
their own clothing and gather aronnd them the fruits of the earth,
that there may be no suffering through our whole community. Is not
this praiseworthy? Yes, it is, and the statesmen of this nation—those
of them who have brains—are looking at the industry of this people;
they admire it. Is this preaching? Yes, and there are many amongst
them that we shall gather in yet. They would come now by thousands and
thousands, if the Latter-day Saints were only popular. "What, these
honorable men?" Yes, they would say, "I want to be baptized. I admire
your industry, and your skill in governing. You have a system of
governing that is not to be found anywhere else. You know how to
govern cities, territories, or a world, and I would like to join you."
But take care, if you join this people without the love of God in your
soul it will do you no good. If they were to do this, they would bring
in their sophistry, and introduce that which would poison the innocent
and honest and lead them astray. I look at this, and I am satisfied
that it will not do for the Lord to make this people popular. Why?
Because all hell would want to be in the church. The people must be
kept where the finger of scorn can be pointed at them. Although it is
admitted that we are honest, industrious, truthful, virtuous,
self-denying, and, as a community, possess every moral excellence, yet
we must be looked upon as ignorant and unworthy, and as the
offscouring of society, and be hated by the world. What is the reason
of this? Christ and Baal can not become friends. When I see this
people grow and spread and prosper, I feel that there is more danger
than when they are in poverty. Being driven from city to city or into
the mountains is nothing compared to the danger of our becoming rich
and being hailed by outsiders as a first-class community. I am afraid
of only one thing. What is that? That we will not live our religion,
and that we will partially slide a little from the path of rectitude,
and go part of the way to meet our friends. They say now that if we
will only give up the doctrine of plurality of wives, they will admit
us as a state, and hail us as "a pet state," give us the preference to
all the states, for our industry and prudence.

Vol. 12,  p.272
But hold on, were we driven into the mountains here for polygamy? Were
we drives from York State to Ohio and persecuted and hated for
polygamy? No. Was Joseph Smith persecuted and driven from Pennsylvania
to York State, and from York State to Pennsylvania, with writ after
writ, for polygamy? No; no such thing was ever thought of. When we
were driven from Jackson into Clay, Caldwell and Davis and other
counties, and from there out of the State by the mob, was it for
polygamy? By no means. When we were driven froth Nauvoo, after having
made it like the Garden of Eden, was it because polygamy was offensive
to the people? No; they knew nothing of it. Why was it that we were
thus compelled to leave State after State, [p.273] and ultimately the
United States? "Because you are Mormons, and we hate you." We know the
root and foundation of this hatred. It comes from the pulpit, from
corrupt priests. Say they, "These people possess a union and a power
that we do not possess, and if we let them alone, they will come and
take away our place and nation, and we shall lose our fat livings."
There is where it originated—with priests and deacons, with hounds
professing to be Christians, but who are no better than the devils in
hell. From the pulpit it has spread into political society, and they
all hate us. Why? Because the priesthood of the Son of God is among
this people, and they know that if we are let alone we shall convert
the world and bring it into subjection to the law of Christ. The devil
says, "I have had power over the earth for six thousand years, and do
you think I am going to loose my grasp upon it? No, I will hold it,
and before ever the Latter-day Saints obtain one foot of inheritance
upon it they will have to contest it inch by inch." But we will
contend with him until we gain power and influence sufficient to
convert the world.

Vol. 12,  p.273
I, and every faithful elder in Israel want the whole of this people to
be Saints in deed, word and feeling; Saints when they are asleep,
Saints when they are awake, when they rise up and when they lie down,
when they go out and when they come in. We want every individual to
live his religion; and if we do this we shall gain influence and the
devil cannot help it; and just as sure as we live our religion will
our influence increase. And in our intercourse with outsiders—do not
call them gentiles —let our example be such as is worthy of imitation;
then every one among them who is honest will say, "I guess you are
right, I think I will come and stay with you." Thousands of them are
looking right here to the Latter-day Saints. What says the man who has
a daughter that he wants taken care of? Says he, "I will take her to
the Mormons and leave her there, because I know that she will be safe
among them, for the Mormon elders will protect her to the death, yet
they have more wives than one." And if we had not a wife at all we
would protect them to the death, and preserve them inviolate, or we
are not Saints. This cannot be said of other communities. Says the man
who wants to go on a journey and leave his family behind, "I will take
them to the Mormons and leave them there, because I know that they
will be safe." I will just refer you to one gentleman who used to be
here. He said, "Let me be in New York and I want double bolts, and
fire-proof safes, and I want a safe in a safe, and even then I do not
feel safe to have my money there; but when I get into the streets of
Salt Lake City I feel safe?" The Latter-day Saints should live so that
this confidence may increase.

Vol. 12,  p.273
I want every man and woman to live in such a way that outsiders who
wish their children taught truth and righteousness will be anxious to
get them into a "Mormon" family. If we will live our religion we will
be honest, truthful and upright in all things, dealing with others as
we wish them to do by us under the same circumstances. If we do this
we will be honored. The devils cannot help but honor us. They may look
from hell and say, "there is a people whom we cannot influence to do
wrong, and we will give up the chase." I want this city to he
sanctified. Let the people live as they should live, devoting
themselves to God and His cause, and this ground [p.274] is hallowed,
sacred and will be preserved for His Saints, and the power of the
enemy never can get foothold here just as sure as we do it. Can we
extend this? Yes, to other towns, counties, through the Territory, to
other Territories, through the mountains and plains until the earth is
redeemed and sanctified and the people enjoy the rights and privileges
God has designed for them.

Vol. 12,  p.274
Let me say a few words with regard to Zion. We profess to be Zion. If
we are the pure in heart we are so, for Zion is the pure in heart."
Now when Zion is built up and reigns, the question may arise with
some, will all be Latter-day Saints? No. Will there be this variety of
classes and faiths that we now behold? I do not know whether there
will be as many, or whether there will be more. There may be more
societies than 666 for aught I know. But be that as it may, Jesus has
gone to prepare mansions for every creature. Who will go down as "sons
of perdition" and receive the reward of the damned? None but those who
have sinned against the Holy Ghost. All others will be gathered into
kingdoms where there will be a certain amount of peace and glory. Will
the Methodists have their heaven? I will venture to say that John
Wesley, if he never hears the gospel preached in the world of spirits,
will enjoy all the happiness and glory that he ever thought of. And so
it will be with others; I mention him merely because he is a noted
character. In all those kingdoms the people will be as varied as they
are here. In the millennium men will have the privilege of being
Presbyterians, Methodists or Infidels, but they will not have the
privilege of treating the name and character of Deity as they have
done heretofore. No, but every knee shall how and every tongue confess
to the glory of God the Father that Jesus is the Christ. This is a
strange doctrine to outsiders. But what do they know about the Bible,
heaven, angels or God? Nothing; they have not the least conception
about their true character, although they feel an influence that is
divine, that comes from heaven, which leads them to worship that which
is pure, but they know nothing of Him from whom all good comes.

Vol. 12,  p.274
I have talked long enough for the present. I do hope and pray that the
Latter-day Saints will be Saints indeed. I do not ask God to make you
Saints, for He has done everything that can be done for a fallen
world. I pray you, Latter-day Saints, to live your religion, and may
God help you to do so. Amen.[p.275] 

Wilford Woodruff, July 19, 1868

The Gospel of Jesus Christ—Essential to Abide Its Laws

REMARKS by Elder W. Woodruff, delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, July 19th, 1868.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.275
I am requested to occupy a little time this afternoon in speaking to
the people. It is a great satisfaction to me, and I presume it is to
all Latter-day Saints who enjoy their religion, to contemplate and
realize that God is our friend, and that we have the Gospel of Jesus
Christ Religion is very popular in the world, and has been for many
generations; and the religions of the world are as various as the
temporal governments of the world. But for a person or community to
know and understand for themselves the true gospel, the gospel of
Jesus Christ, must be a source of great consolation.

Vol. 12,  p.275
I have taken a great deal of satisfaction in the gospel of Christ; in
fact it has been my life. I have traveled and preached this gospel for
the last thirty-five years, more or less, either to the world or to
the Saints of God. And in my contemplations and meditations, when I
have had sufficient of the spirit of God upon me, I have realized the
gifts and graces and blessings pertaining to the salvation of men in
the gospel of Christ.

Vol. 12,  p.275
The governments of the world are varied. We have despotic, monarchical
and republican governments, and in order to become a citizen of any
one of them we have to obey the laws of that government. A great deal
has been said about the form of government, and the constitution under
which we live. They have been the praise of all Americans, and perhaps
of people living in other portions of the earth. We consider that we
have been blessed as a nation in possessing the freedom and privileges
guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. They have been a
rich legacy from our fathers. We consider our form of government
superior to any other on the earth. It guarantees to us "life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness." And while the inhabitants of many other
governments have been tyranically bound up, and their minds controlled
in certain channels, and they have been deprived of the right of
liberty of speech and of many other rights valued by freemen, ours has
guaranteed unto us all the liberty that can he enjoyed by man. Still,
I have many times thought that we, as American Citizens, have not
prized the gifts and blessings guaranteed to us by the Constitution of
our country. For the last few years, especially, the Constitution at
times, has been looked upon as a matter of the smallest consequence.
In some respects, however, it has been a blessing to us as a people,
and it is to the whole nation, as far as it is carried out. But in
order to fully receive its blessings we have to honor its precepts.

Vol. 12,  p.275
Now it is just so with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who believe
it and obey it in sincerity enjoy far greater blessings than are
enjoyed by others. But we have to abide by the laws of the gospel in
order to enjoy its blessings and privileges.[p.276] 

Vol. 12,  p.276
From my childhood up, I have prized the gospel. Before I heard it
proclaimed, I felt when perusing the account of the blessings and
privileges enjoyed by the ancient Saints and servants of God that I
would have been glad to have lived in those days when the priesthood
had the keys of the kingdom of God, when they had power to unlock the
heavens and to command the elements and they would obey; when they had
power to heal the sick, cast out devils, cause the lame to walk, and
the blind to see; when they could receive communication from God, and
commune with holy angels. I could see a power, glory and exaltation in
those principles for which I looked in vain among men in my day; and I
desired to live to see a people by whom such blessings would be again
enjoyed. I have lived to see that day. The first time I ever heard
this gospel preached, I felt that it was the first gospel sermon I had
ever heard; and I went forth and was baptized and received the
testimony that it was true, and I have rejoiced in this gospel from
that day to this, because I know it is true. And I have wondered many
times that there are not more of the inhabitants of the earth who will
open their ears and hearts to hear and receive it that they may enjoy
its blessings both in time and eternity.

Vol. 12,  p.276
This Gospel makes us free. Was there ever a more free people than the
Latter-day Saints are? No, there never was in any age of the world.
There is not anything that will give a man joy or consolation, or any
blessing temporal or spiritual, but what is within our reach as far as
man in a mortal state has a right to receive.

Vol. 12,  p.276
When we contemplate the gifts and blessings the Gospel of Christ has
given to us, we of all men should be the most cheerful, thankful and
faithful, and should honor our calling, and acknowledge the hand of
our God in the mercies which we enjoy.

Vol. 12,  p.276
All men who have obeyed this Gospel for the love of the truth, and
whose minds have been inspired by the Spirit and power of God, have
felt to rejoice and take consolation in it, and they have felt a great
desire to spread the knowledge of its principles among their fellow
men. When first embraced by them it has seemed to them as though they
could convince the world; and they have been anxious to lay these
principles before their father's household, their uncles, aunts,
cousins, neighbors and friends, believing that they would receive it.
I felt so myself. But I, with many others, have found myself mistaken
in a great measure. I have traveled hundreds and thousands of miles to
preach this Gospel. In my travels I have warned many thousands of my
fellow men; but have been the instrument, in the hand of God, in
gathering very few when compared with the many I have preached to.
This has been the experience of all the Elders. We have found, when we
came to lay these principles before the world, that they were not
ready to receive them. There would be one of a family aunt two of a
city who would open their cars and hearts and would receive the truth,
and gather home to Zion. That is the way the Kingdom of God has been
built up in this and every other age of the world. There have been but
a few here and there that have been qualified or prepared to receive
and abide the law of God. The minds of the majority have been prone to
evil as the sparks to fly upward; and it has been a hard matter to get
the inhabitants of the earth to listen to our message, and then make
it a subject of prayer and receive and obey [p.277] it, and abide in
its laws and ordinances in faithfulness and truth unto death.

Vol. 12,  p.277
When Father Smith gave me my patriarchial blessing he told me I should
bring my father's house into the Church and Kingdom of God. I had
never seen any member of my father's house from the time I obeyed the
gospel until I received my patriarchial blessing, and I rested a good
deal on this blessing. Now, all men who were acquainted with Father
Joseph Smith know that when he laid his hands upon a man's head it
seemed as if the heavens and the hearts of men were open to him, and
he could see their past, present and future. And that is the way all
men in the holy priesthood should feel; and whether patriarchs,
prophets, apostles or elders they should live so as to enjoy the
spirit and power of their office and calling. This is our privilege,
but we do not always live so; but this was the way with Father Smith.
After I had been with Zion's Camp up to Missouri I returned east, and
on my way I visited my father's household in Connecticut and preached
the gospel to them, and baptized my father and all who were in his
house. In this I was blessed. I also baptized some of my uncles, aunts
and cousins; but I left a numerous host that did not receive my
message; they were not ready to receive my testimony; a few of them
did, and some of them have gathered to Zion. I have rejoiced in this
and also in preaching the gospel to the world, because I have known
that the gospel and the message which I had were from God. I knew then
that they were true, and I know it to-day; and I know they will have
their effect on the nations of the earth.

Vol. 12,  p.277
The gospel which we preach is the power of God unto salvation to every
one who believes, both high and low, rich and poor, Jew and Gentile.
There is no man who will receive salvation without it; no man can
receive exaltation and be crowned with the fullness of salvation in
the presence of God without receiving the fullness of the everlasting
gospel of the Son of God.

Vol. 12,  p.277
All men who have received a glorious salvation and resurrection and
have gone to receive their reward in the presence of God, have had to
go there by keeping the laws that He gave them. They have had to obey
the gospel of Christ on the earth; they have had to receive the law
and abide that law in the flesh that they might receive a fullness in
the resurrection. It will take just as much to save the Latter-day
Saints and the inhabitants of the earth in this generation as it did
to save Adam, Enoch, Seth, Moses, Elijah, Elias or Jesus and the
apostles. There is no change nor variableness with the gospel of
Christ; its ordinances are the same to-day, yesterday and forever. As
the Apostle Paul said "If we or an angel from heaven preach any other
gospel than that we have preached let him be accursed."

Vol. 12,  p.277
This gospel has been revealed to us. We have received the light of it
and rejoice in it. By it and its Author we have been sustained from
the commencement until to-day. The gospel of Christ has never
disappointed any man of woman that ever dwelt in the flesh. The God of
heaven—the Author of this gospel—has never disappointed any body who
ever proved faithful to its precepts. And if the inhabitants of the
earth expect salvation through any other medium they will be
disappointed. Whatever salvation they may get, they will not be saved
in the celestial kingdom of God. If they have another glory it will be
[p.278] the glory of the law they keep in the flesh. If a man cannot
abide a celestial law, he cannot receive a celestial glory, if a man
cannot abide a terrestrial law he cannot receive a terrestrial glory;
and if he cannot abide a telestial law he cannot receive a telestial
glory, but will have to dwell in a kingdom which is not a kingdom of
glory. This is according to the revelations of God to us.

Vol. 12,  p.278
Here is where we differ from the world of Christendom. Because we have
received the Gospel in its fullness and plainness, with its
ordinances, its organization, with the priesthood, with its keys,
powers and blessings, its revelations and its light, truth and
inspiration and its Holy Ghost. Everything which belongs to it in one
age of the world belongs to it in another. In this the Gentile world
lie in darkness; they have followed the same example of unbelief as
ancient Israel, by rejecting the Gospel and persecuting the Saints,
and putting them to death, and shedding the blood of the prophets and
apostles and those who held the Gospel of the Kingdom of God in their
day; and they have gone into the wilderness of darkness and unbelief,
and remained so, until God restored the Gospel in this day.

Vol. 12,  p.278
Well, we as a people should rejoice in this Gospel, for in possessing
it we are blessed above our fellow men. No matter what the feelings of
the world may be, they do not make the truth of God without effect,
not a bit of it. God has set His hand in these last days to restore
Israel, and to call upon the inhabitants of the earth for the last
time. Anciently the Jews were called first. Jesus came to them—his
brethren—first; the Gospel of the Kingdom was established, and the
Church organized among them first; they rejected Him and put to death
their Shiloh, their King who had come to deliver them. He did not come
as they expected; they looked for a King, a monarch, a leader, a
warrior coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory to
lead them to battle and to set up an earthly kingdom and rule and
reign over them; they did not look for him to come as the Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world. They had not the light, and
consequently rejected Him and His message and put Him to death, and
the Kingdom was given to the Gentiles—first to the Jews, then to the
Gentiles. In these last days it came to the Gentiles first; and when
they have proven themselves unworthy, it will be given to the Jews. It
is to the Gentiles that we have been called to preach the Gospel.

Vol. 12,  p.278
For the last thirty-eight years, since its establishment, have the
Elders of this church been laboring and traveling for the spread of
the principles of this Gospel. You may track history from the days of
the ancient patriarchs to the days of Joseph Smith, and you cannot
find any account of men who have traveled as the Elders of Israel
have. Jesus told His disciples to go into all the world and preach the
Gospel to every living creature. and he that believed and was baptized
should be saved, and he that believed not should be damned. But we can
trace almost every mile of the travels of the ancient Apostles, and
with the exception of Paul, their travels were confined to Asia, and
chiefly to Jerusalem and Judea. But the Elders of this church have
traveled in every gentile nation under heaven that would receive the
message. And as a general thing the Elders have been faithful in this
work among the nations; and we have not yet ceased to send them to the
gentiles, and we shall continue to do so until they entirely reject
the [p.279] Gospel of Christ. How long that will be, it is not for me
to say. The Lord is going to make a short work in these last days, He
will cut short His work in righteousness. By and by the gospel will be
taken from the gentiles and will be sent to every branch of Israel,
and all will hear the sound of the Gospel.

Vol. 12,  p.279
We are called to build up Zion, and to establish righteousness and
truth; called to build up the kingdom of God, and to warn the nations,
that they may be left without excuse in the day of God's judgment and
calamity. Now, the eyes of the Latter-day Saints, of those at least,
who live their religion, are open. They understand the signs of the
times. They are not walking in darkness; they should not be, at any
rate. They should have the light, and understand the signs of the
times, and know the signs of the coming of the Son of Man. The world
does not understand these things; they did not in the days of Christ.
They did not understand that Jesus was the Son of God, come to
establish His kingdom and to deliver Israel, and they do not know it
to-day; and that makes the difference between them and the Latter-day
Saints. The reason of this is that they have not received the Gospel
and the Holy Ghost. They have not the inspiration of the Almighty.
They have a spirit within them; but the inspiration of the Almighty
would give them understanding if they would embrace the Gospel. But
being without the Gospel their understandings are not enlightened.
They do not understand the scriptures, nor the signs of the times.
They do not understand those principles which God reveals to those who
keep His laws. This is the difference between us and the world. We
have an anxiety for their salvation, so has our Father in heaven; but
they must abide the law. The God of heaven abides a law, all the hosts
of heaven abide laws; they are exalted and glorified by law. All the
creations of God are governed by law. The earth abides the law for
which it was created. I have many times said, and I think so still,
that all the creations of God, except man, abide the law. The beasts
of the field, the fowls of the air and the fish of the sea all abide
the law by which they were created. I do not know of any thing that
breaks the laws of God but man, who was made after the image of God.
And we as well as all the other creations of God must abide the law of
our croatian in order to receive a fullness of glory and blessing.
This is the position we occupy as Latter-day Saints. We have the
Gospel, we profess to abide the law of the Gospel; and we should, as a
people, be awake to the fact that our Father in heaven has clone all
He could for the salvation of the human family. He has made known the
laws necessary for the exaltation and glory of man, and has done all
that can be done by law. We read that in Adam all died, and that in
Christ all were made alive. Jesus has died to redeem all men; but in
order that they may be benefitted by His death, and that His blood may
cleanse them from all actual sin committed in the flesh, they must
abide the law of the Gospel. The sins done through Adam we have been
redeemed from by the blood of Christ; and in order to obtain salvation
we must be obedient and faithful to the precepts of the Gospel. I feel
as though we as a people ought to rejoice; and we should prize these
gifts and blesssings God has put into our hands, and we should seek to
magnify our callings, and as a people fulfill the expectation of our
Father in heaven, and the expectation [p.280] of those who have gone
before us.

Vol. 12,  p.280
The ancients are not perfect without us, neither are we perfect
without them. The old prophets and apostles had their day to labor in
warning the world. Noah preached to the inhabitants of the world, and
showed his works by his faith, though he did not save a great many.
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses, Elias and the prophets, Jesus and the
Apostles all had their day. Their work is finished. They sleep in
peace. This is our day, and we should labor while the day lasts;
by-and-by night will come when no man can work. We shall not have 365
years as Enoch had to prepare Zion for translation.

Vol. 12,  p.280
As I before remarked the Lord is going to make short His work, or no
flesh can be saved. There are great events at our doors, and the
Saints of God should be on their watchtower. We should have our eyes,
ears and hearts open to see, hear, understand and receive the counsels
and reproof revealed through the mouth of the servants of God in our
day. The Gospel of Christ is one of the greatest blessings that can be
bestowed upon man. Eternal life, the Lord says, is the greatest gift
of God. We can obtain that, only through obedience to this Gospel.
This, brethren and sisters, is our blessing. We possess it, and have
been gathered here by it. Had it not been for the Gospel we should
still have been in England, the United States and abroad among the
nations of the earth, and Utah would have been a desert sage plain,
inhabited only by crickets and Indians, as it was when we came here.
The Elders of Israel might have preached until they were as old as
Methuselah, and we should never have gathered had it not been for the
inspiration of the Almighty. You and I, and all who have received the
testimony of Jesus Christ know that these things are true. All the
Saints of God among the nations, who have been faithful, have been
inspired by the same spirit to gather home to Zion. Why have we
gathered to Zion? To fulfill the revelations of God. Isaiah and
Jeremiah and nearly all the prophets since the world began have
foretold the gathering of the people in the last days to establish
Zion, from which the law of the Lord should go forth to rule the
nations of the earth, while the word of the Lord should go forth from
Jerusalem. We are here to do these things, and to receive teachings
and instructions that we may be prepared for the coming of the Son of
Man. We are here to be shut up a little while in these chambers of the
mountains, while the indignation of the Almighty passes over the
nations. For this the Lord through his ancient servant said, "Come out
of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye
receive not of her plagues."

Vol. 12,  p.280
The question is often asked by sectarian ministers, "Why could you not
live in New York, Liverpool, or London, as well as going to Zion?
Because we should be in the midst of sin and wickedness and
abomination, and it would be very difficult, while so situated, to
keep from being polluted by the evils which reign upon the face of the
earth at the present time. And to overcome these evils we have been
gathered together, that we may be taught in the principles of truth,
virtue and holiness, and be prepared to dwell in the presence of God.

Vol. 12,  p.280
When we embraced the Gospel we had only just begun our work. Being
baptized into this Church is only like learning the alphabet of our
[p.281] mother tongue—it is the very first step. But having received
the first principles of the Gospel of Christ, let us go on to
perfection.

Vol. 12,  p.281
Brethren and sisters, let us lay these things to heart and try to
realize that the eyes of God; of angels, of those who have gone before
us ate waiting and watching for the completion of our labors. We have
everything to stimulate us to action to do the will of God and
overcome evil and be humble, obedient, diligent and faithful. Let us
labor faithfully while we dwell in the flesh, that we may be satisfied
with our labors when we get through. We have everything to encourage
us here in the valleys of the mountains. We have the blessings of God
visible over us day by day in our preservation, and in the
preservation of the crops and the fruits of the soil. The hand of the
Lord has been over the land. Who would have been believed twenty years
ago, if he had said that this barren, desolate waste would have become
like the garden of Eden? It never could have been done except through
the mercies and blessings of God. His promises have been fulfilled to
us, and we can just as well acknowledge His hand in these temporal
blessings as in anything else, for the hand of God is in it all.

Vol. 12,  p.281
I pray that God will bless us with His spirit, and give us power to
maintain our integrity, magnify our callings sod to be faithful to our
covenants, to our God and to each other, that we may overcome the
world, the flesh end the devil and be prepared to inherit eternal
life, for Jesus' sake: Amen.

Brigham Young, October 8, 1868

Salvation Temporal and Spiritual—
Self-Sustaining—Civilization

DISCOURSE by President Brigham Young, delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Oct. 8th, 1868.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.281
I wish to say a few words to the congregation, but if they are not
perfectly still it will be very difficult for them to hear, as usual.
I wish to speak to the people on salvation, and to teach them, as my
brethren have been doing, how to preserve themselves. The object of
the teachings at this Conference, and I may say for years past, has
been to teach the people how to save themselves daily, in a temporal
point of view, and also spiritually, that when the morrow comes they
may be saved that day, and the next day, and so continue in a stale of
salvation every day that they live. According to the traditions of our
fathers the salvation of the body and the salvation of the soul have
no connection the one with the other. This is not in accordance with
the doctrine which has been revealed to us in this our day. The
kingdom that the Lord is about to establish and has commenced on the
earth will, in every part and portion [p.282] be a literal kingdom, a
temporal kingdom and a spiritual kingdom; but while we are in a
temporal state, and possess our temporalities, our abilities must
correspond with the spiritual kingdom that we believe in. Consequently
we have a kingdom that is actually spiritual, and to the natural eye
it looks like a temporal kingdom. Still it is the kingdom where God
dwells, even in these earthly tabernacles, consequently these
tabernacles must be preserved in the truth, in righteousness, purity
and holiness, or the Lord will not dwell therein.

Vol. 12,  p.282
We are called upon as individuals, each of us who form this community,
to come out from the wicked world, from Babylon. All those who believe
the history given by John, the "beloved disciple," know that the time
would come when the Lord would call upon all people, who believe in
Him, delight to do His will, and seek to understand the requirements
of heaven, to gather out from the midst of Babylon. John wrote plainly
in reference to this gathering, and we have believed it. We are called
upon to come out from among the wicked, as it is written, "Come out of
her, O my people," that is, come out of Babylon. What is Babylon? Why,
it is the confused world: come out of her, then, and cease to partake
other sins, for if you do not you will be partakers of her plagues.

Vol. 12,  p.282
This people, whether they wished to Separate themselves or not from
the rest of mankind, have been forced to do it. Ask the Latter-day
Saints, if after embracing the Gospel, they had the privilege of
associating with former friends and neighbors on the same terms as
they did previous to receiving the Gospel, and their answers will be,
that the thread of affection that formerly existed seemed to be
severed, that former friends forsook them, they passed them by and
turned their eyes another way, and would hardly speak even when they
met in company. Is not this the fact? It is as far as my experience
has gone, and I have had a tolerable opportunity of testing the
matter. We have been forced to separate ourselves, been under the
necessity of leaving the society of those who did not believe as we
did. We have been driven from our homes time and time again without
the privilege of disposing of our property, and have taken joyfully
the spoiling of our goods repeatedly, until we were under the
necessity of fleeing to some land where there were none whom we could
annoy.

Vol. 12,  p.282
If we have annoyed our neighbors so seriously, the question naturally
arises, From what did this annoyance proceed? Was it from drinking and
carousing, or hallooing in the streets by night? Was it from revelling
by day or night? Was it from intruding on the rights of our neighbors?
No, not kern any of these causes by any means. What was it, then? This
people believe in revelation. This people did believe, and do believe
that the Lord has spoken from the heavens. They did believe and do
believe that God has sent angels to proclaim the everlasting Gospel,
according to the testimony of John. It was this that gave rise to the
malice, hatred and vindictive feelings that have been so often made
manifest against them. Some may say it was the political world. It was
not so, although they had a share in it. It may be said that it was
the moral world, but why should they entertain these feelings towards
us? Are the Latter-day Saints immoral? O, no, their faith teaches men,
women and children to be as moral as people can be. This cannot be the
reason then. It was neither the political nor moral world; then whence
[p.283] did this hatred proceed? From the fanatically religious world.
There was the rise and foundation of that hatred and malice that
ultimately forced us to separate from the rest of mankind.

Vol. 12,  p.283
What are the teachings of the Christian world? Many of you have had an
experience among them, and can answer this question very well. I have
had an experience in their midst, though I never bowed down to their
creeds. I never could submit to their doctrines, for they taught that
which was not in the Bible, and denied that which was found in the
Bible, consequently I could not be a convert to their fanaticism. I am
not to-day. When I can hear a man, on his knees before a congregation,
pray for God to come down into their midst and be one with
them,—"Come, O Lord, and dwell with us, open the heavens to us, give
unto us the Holy Ghost, send Thine angels and administer to us," and
then get up and preach to the people that there is no such thing as
revelations no gift of the Holy Ghost, no such thing as the Lord
speaking from the heavens, or men knowing anything about Heaven, I
cannot receive nor bow in obedience to such absurdities. I have asked
of the Christian world, "Where is heaven, where does the Lord dwell?
What kind of Being is He, and is He a Being of tabernacle?" To all of
which their reply would be "We do not know;" and they have mystified
the character of the Deity—our Father and our God—to that degree that
every person is left in the dark, feeling his way to the grave through
a dark, cold unfriendly and benighted world as best he may. Is this
the state of Christendom? Yes, verily it is. They have mystified
everything concerning God, heaven and eternity, until there is no man
on earth, when you turn from the Latter-day Saints, who is capable of
teaching the people the way of life and salvation. This is the grand
difficulty, this is what stirs up the people. The priests are at the
root of the matter. In the whole history of this people you cannot
find on instance of a mob ever being led on except by a priest; and
then the political world would take the advantage of it and come in
for their share of the spoil.

Vol. 12,  p.283
Now, although it is so popular to cry delusion when referring to this
Latter-day Gospel, I frequently ask myself, if it does not
circumscribe all that is good and true, possessed by either the
infidel or the Christian world, by our Mother Church, or any of her
daughters? If the world were to embrace the Gospel we teach, would
they believe all that is true in the faith of the Catholic? Yes, every
iota. Would they believe all that is true in the faith of the
Episcopalian, or in the faiths of the whole Christian world? Yes,
every particle, every excellency, every good word and work they
possess is circumscribed by and contained in the Gospel as taught by
the Latter-day Saints. Then go to the scientific or philosophical
world, and this Latter-day work circumscribes all the truth they
possess. Well, then, we ask, why are we worse than other people? Do we
teach our people to swear or to take God's name in vain? Oh, no, to
the reverse; we forbid it. The Lord says, "Thou shalt not take the
name of the Lord thy God in vain." Is this good in and of itself? It
is. Are we worse hun other Christians? if so, wherein? Do they pray?
So do we. Do he Christian world believe in being strictly honest? So
do the Latter-day Saints. Do the Christian word believe in intruding
upon the rights of heir neighbors? No; neither do the Latter-day
Saints, Do the Christian [p.284] world profess to believe in charity?
Yes; and the Latter-day Saints more abundantly. Do they believe in God
the Father and in God the Son? Yes, so do the Latter-day Saints. Do
they believe in the Holy Ghost? They say they do; so do the Latter-day
Saints. Then wherein do we differ? Why, the Latter-day Saints believe
that God has spoken from the heavens. The Christian world do not
believe this. They do not believe that the Lord has called upon His
people to come out from amongst the wicked world; but the Latter-day
Saints do believe so. Is there any harm in their believing so? I
frequently ask myself if there is any harm in a man having his own
family around him, or in associating with his friends and neighbors?
No, there is no harm in this; the Christian, world believe that it is
a man's privilege to do this. Is there any harm in the Latter-day
Saints doing the same thing? Not the least. There is no law against it
in heaven or on earth that we know of. Then wherein are we worse than
our Christian friends, that is, the so-called Christian world? Are
they Christ-like, or are they not? This is a matter we Can test by
reading the Bible, if we choose to do so. Do they lack wisdom?
Apparently they do. If they, as individuals, do not acknowledge it,
their neighbors acknowledge it. Do they ask of God? If they do, they
do not receive. Where is there a Christian sect, now on the earth,
except the Latter-day Saints, who preach the Gospel that Jesus
tanght—faith, repentance, baptism for the remission of sins, the
laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, the gift of
tongues, the gift of healing and the discerning of spirits? Who, in
all the Christian world believes such a doctrine? None that we know
of, except the Latter-day Saints. It is this which separates us and
draws the division line. Well, is there any harm in our gathering out
and living according to the revelations that have been given to us?
Not the least. Do we injure any person in so doing? No, we do not.

Vol. 12,  p.284
This people have got to be self-sustaining, if they believe in the
revelations given to them. You will find by and by that this same
Babylon, which the Saints of God are required to leave, will fall.
Will there be any-body left on the face of the earth? Yes, probably
millions. Who will they be? Why the servants and handmaidens of the
Almighty, those who love and serve Him. Now, I will ask the question,
suppose this is true concerning the gathering out of the Saints, and
that Babylon, or a confused and wicked world, will cease its
operations as they are now going on, and the time spoken of shall have
come, when the merchants will mourn and weep because there is no one
to buy their merchandise, will the inhabitants of Zion go down to buy
their silks and satins and keep up his trade? No. By and by there will
be a gulf between the righteous and the wicked so that they can not
trade with each other, and national intercourse will cease. It is not
so now, they can pass from one to the other with ease. But if this is
the Kingdom of God and if we are the Saints of God—I leave you all to
judge for yourselves about this—are we not required to sustain
ourselves and to manufacture that which we consume, to cease our
bartering, trading, mingling, drinking, smoking, chewing and joining
with all the filth of Babylon? You may judge for yourselves in
relation to this. But I can say that we have been striving for
twenty-one years in these valleys, and before we came here, to bring
this people to this point. When we look [p.285] at ladies and
gentlemen we can see that their wants are many, but their real
necessities are very few. Now let the Latter-day Saints see that their
necessities are supplied, and omit their wants for the present, and
until we can manufacture what we want. We want yea henceforth to be a
self-sustaining people. Hear it, O Israel! hear it neighbors, friends
and enemies, this is what the Lord requires of this people.

Vol. 12,  p.285
We have been driven from our homes time and time again. I have been
driven from a good handsome property and home five times without
having the privilege of selling it, or making fifty cents from it, and
what for? Because I was a thief? No. Because my brethren were thieves?
No. Because they were liars? No. Because they were swearers? No.
Because they were swindlers? No. Because they were adulterers or
fornicators? No. Because they loved and made lies? No; but because
they believed that God had spoken from the heavens and had bestowed
upon His servant Joseph the keys of the holy priesthood of His Son.
The Latter-day Saints believed this, and because they did so the
Christian world said, "Up, get ye out of this place, we want your
houses and possessions." And they took them; but I will swear to them
that they will never take them again. (The congregations said, Amen.)

Vol. 12,  p.285
When Colonel Kane was here I and others said to him, "Colonel, you
will find this the entering wedge for the division of our government."
Said we, "If the Government of the United States consent to rout this
people again, and take it into their own hands to break us in pieces,
they will go to pieces." Did they? Did they have war? Answer the
question yourselves. Have they made peace yet? Answer for yourselves.
Is there any such thing today as the thirty-four United States that
once composed the Federal Union, or is there not? Answer this question
for yourselves, and then I will answer it, by saying there never will
be again, unless they are brought together and cemented by the power
of God.

Vol. 12,  p.285
Well, again I ask, what worse are the Latter-day Saints than other
people? Have we the privilege of planting and eating the fruits
thereof like others? Yes, politically, morally, religiously and
financially. Have we the privilege of building and inhabiting our
houses? Yes, we have, and there if no law against it. But this is not
the question at all. I will say to my brethren who have talked to the
congregation, the question is not whether we have the right to be
self-sustaining or not, but will we be sell sustaining? This is the
question, and we say we will be. What do you say brethren and sisters?
All of you who say that we will be a self-sustaining people signify it
by the show of your right hands.

Vol. 12,  p.285
[The motion was put and unanimously carried.]

Vol. 12,  p.285
This is what terrifies the Christian world, not the moral nor
political portion of it; but it is the fanatics, the priests who are
afraid, and they continually seek to stir up strife and mischief. They
are not all so; but our past experience, has given us good reason to
come to this conclusion.

Vol. 12,  p.285
Bro. George A. related something in the historical discourse delivered
by him yesterday and to-day, about he brethren going to solicit
donations. In reference to this I will say that when we found we were
obliged to leave Nauvoo, to deprive this nation of all excuse, and to
clear our skirts of their blood, we wrote to all the governors of the
States and Territories and also to the President soliciting [p.286]
aid and redress. We did this to deprive them of the chance of saying
at the day of judgement, "you could have had an asylum with us if you
had applied for it." The result of our appeal you have already heard;
redress or sympathy there was none, but "you, Mormons, may seek a home
on Mexican or some other soil."

Vol. 12,  p.286
As for the donations, here are Bro's Benson and Little, who went with
Colonel, now General Thomas L. Kane, to Philadelphia, Boston, New York
and other places, and solicited aid of the mayors and city councils of
the various places they visited, for this people who had been robbed,
plundered and driven, and who, in answer to a requisition from the
Government, had sent 503 men, the flower of their strength, to the
Mexican war, leaving their fathers, mothers, wives and children
destitute, sick and dying on the naked prairie. The result of the
appeal for donations was the raising of a trifling sum. I will venture
to say that we have given hundreds of dollars to them where they have
given us one, consequently we are not in their debt, neither are we in
debt to our merchants, not in the least. We did not ask them to come
here; we do not not ask them to stay, neither do we ask them to go
away. We do not ask them to give us their goods, neither do we ask
them to take them away. They are at perfect liberty to open their
stores and exhibit their goods for sale, and we have the privilege of
letting them alone; and that is not all, I mean that we shall do so.

Vol. 12,  p.286
Are we going to cut off all communication and deal with outsiders? No.
If they want a house built, we will build it for them, if they will
pay us the money. If they want our grain, they are welcome to it, if
they will pay us the money for it. And we will take that money, and
make the percentage they have made. We have as good a right to it as
they have. We will furnish this little corps of United States men,
here on the hill, all the hay, flour, oats and barley, and everything
that they want; but we must have their money in return for it. We do
not want them to stick their trade into the hands of our enemies, and
thus furnish them money to use against us, while they pay us for our
produce in rags at an extravagant advance above cost. This we do not
want, and we will not have it. Why, how tight are you going to draw
the reins? I want to tell my brethren, my grinds and my enemies, that
we are going to draw the reins so tight as not to let a Latter-day
Saint trade with an outsider. We will trade with you, if you will give
us your money; we are entitled to it. We made and broke the road from
Nauvoo to this place. Some of the time we followed Indian trails; some
of the time we ran by the compass; when we left the Missouri river we
followed the Platte. And we killed rattlesnakes by the cord in some
places; and made roads and built bridges till our backs ached. Where
we could not build bridges across rivers we ferried our people across,
until we arrived here, where we found a few naked Indians, a few
wolves and rabbits, and any amount of crickets; but as for a green
tree or a fruit tree, or any green fields, we found nothing of the
kind, with the exception of a few cottonwoods and willows on the edge
of City Creek. For some 1200 or 1300 miles we carried every particle
of provision we had when we arrived here. When we left our homes we
picked up what the mob did not steal of our horses, oxen and calves,
and some women drove their own teams here. Instead [p.287] of 365
pounds of breadstuff when they started from the Missouri river, there
was not half of them had half of it. We had to bring our seed grain,
our farming utensils, bureaus, secretaries, sideboards, sofas, pianos,
large looking glasses, fine chairs, carpets, nice shovels and tongs,
and other fine furniture, with all the parlor, cook stoves, &c.; and
we had to bring these things piled together with the women and
children, helter skelter, topsy turvy, with broken down horses,
ring-boned, spavined, pole evil, fistula and hipped; oxen with three
legs, and cows with one tit. This was our only means of
transportation, and if we had not brought our goods in this manner we
should not have had them, for there was nothing here. You may say this
is a burlesque. Well, I mean it as such, for we, comparatively
speaking, really came here naked and barefoot.

Vol. 12,  p.287
Instead of crying over our sufferings, as some seem inclined to do, I
would rather tell a good story, and leave the crying to others. I do
not know that I have ever suffered; I do not realize it. Have I not
gone without eating and not half clad? Yes, but that was not
suffering. I was used to that in my youth. I used to work in the woods
logging and driving team, summer and winter, not half clad, and with
insufficient food until my stomach would ache, so that I am used to
all this, and have had no suffering. As I said to the brethren the
other night, the only suffering I ever realized in this Church was to
preserve my temper towards my enemies. But I have even got pretty much
over this. Do what you please, and we will not be angry; it is not
becoming in Saints to be so. Let us do right ourselves, and we will
find honor. Let the Latter-day Saints live their religion, and they
will be the most honored of any people in the world by saint and
sinner. Will we associate with outsiders? Yes, we will invite them to
our houses, and go to theirs, if we have a mind to. We will treat
gentlemen as gentlemen, friends as friends, speculators as
speculators, and we will treat our enemies as enemies, by letting them
alone.

Vol. 12,  p.287
Now, some of the people, I expect, will think they are never going to
have the privilege of trading or doing anything again with outsiders.
I will tell you how I feel with regard to such persons—they are the
very ones we want to apostatize. All men and women that long after sin
and sinners, iniquity and corruption we want to apostatize immediately
and go their own way, go with those who are corrupt.

Vol. 12,  p.287
Our outside friends say they want to civilize us here. What do they
mean by civilization? Why they mean by that, to establish gambling
holes—they are called gambling hells—grog shops and houses of ill fame
on every corner of every block in the city; also swearing, drinking,
shooting and debauchtug each other. Then they would send their
missionaries, here with faces as long as jackasses' ears, who would go
crying and groaning through the streets "Oh, what a poor, miserable,
sinful world!" That is what is meant by civilization. That is what
priests and deacons want to introduce here; tradesmen want it, lawyers
and doctors want it, and all hell wants it. But the Saints do not want
it, and we will not have it. (Congregation said, AMEN.) Why, with all
the boasted attainments of the world in art and science they are as
far from being really civilized as our Indians here, and farther in
reality. A true system of civilization will not encourage the
existence of every abomination and crime in a community [p.288] but
will lead them to observe the laws Heaven has laid down for the
regulation of the life of man. There is no other civilization. A truly
civilized person is one who is a real gentleman or lady; in language
and manners he is truly refined, and gives way to no practice that is
unhallowed or uncomely. This is what we are after, and trying to
attain to.

Vol. 12,  p.288
We have been driven here to these mountains and have been followed up.
We want to be followed up by gentlemen; we want gentlemen to associate
with. We want to associate, with men who aspire after pure knowledge,
wisdom and advancement, and who are for introducing every improvement
in the midst of the people, like the company who are building this
railroad. We thank them and the government for it. Every time I think
of it I fed God bless them, hallelujah! Do they want to skin us? I
hope not. Do they want to destroy us? I think not. They want to meet
us as friends, and we want to meet them as friends, and to share
equally with them in the business of the country. Do we believe in
trade and commerce? Yes. And by and by we will send our products to
the east and to the west. And how long will it be before they will be
sending for our dried peaches and apples? How is it now for growing
fruit in the country in which Joseph obtained the plates from which
the Book of Mormon was translated? I remember when it was the cream of
the world in this respect. But can they raise an apple or peach there
now that is sound and good? No, they can not. And where we used to
reap and cradle sixty bushels I of wheat to the acre they don't get
more than from five to ten now. The land is barren, waste and
desolate; the curse of God is upon it, and it will be so wherever the
Latter-day Saints have to leave. Talk about these rich valleys, why
there is not another people on the earth that could have come here and
lived. We prayed over the land, and dedicated it and the water, air
and everything pertaining to them unto the Lord, and the smiles of
Heaven rested on the land and it became productive, and to-day yields
us the best of grain, fruit and vegetables. But if the Latter-day
Saints were compelled to leave here it would not be five years until
the sail would cease to yield to sustain a community as it does now.
Do you believe this, outsiders? No, you do not. No matter, I say it,
and we know it, and if we know it that is satisfactory to us, without
being any interruption to the faith or views of any person in the
world.

Vol. 12,  p.288
There is an idea abroad that the "Mormons" are going to give way; but
there is no fear that the kingdom of God—"Mormonism"—will ever give
way. The only thing for you and me to fear, is whether we will build
up the kingdom, whether our souls are in the kingdom or not. Here is
the fear; it is not with regard to the kingdom, it will stand for ever
and ever; but you and I may not. The kingdom is pure; you and I are
not pure. The doctrine we preach is pure and holy, and if we will
abide it, it will make us pure and holy. Are we as good now as the
rest of the Christian world? They say we are fools to believe in
revelation. But I ask, What harm does such believe cause? It leads men
and women to truth and righteousness, and leads every individual by
whom it is entertained to purity and holiness of character on the
earth. It also teaches us to deal justly, love mercy, feed the hungry,
clothe the naked, visit the widow and the fatherless, the poor and the
homeless, and to deal kindly [p.289] with all the inhabitants of the
earth. To take the young and tender mind and teach it all that it can
grasp, until it can comprehend all the science and philosophy of the
day, and then the revelations of the Lord. Jesus resting upon it teach
that which cannot be learned by the wisdom of man. What harm is there
in a faith like this? If Universalism is true, and the Lord is going
to save all, He would certainly save those who believe thus as soon as
He would a murderer or an infidel. You ask the outside world, an
infidel or a Universalian, and they will say we are as well off as
they are. Then I ask what harm is there in a man or woman being a
Christian? Is there any harm in it? If there is will you not point it
out to us? We say to the priest and the people, if you have anything
better than we have; hand it over, it is ours. If we have errors by
the thousand, and you have truth, we will give you all our errors for
one truth. Is there any harm in being Saints, or in our producing what
we need? No. I look upon the people, and I can say our wants are many,
but our real necessities are very few. Let us govern our wants by our
necessities, and we shall find that we are not compelled to spend our
money for nought. Let us save our money to enter and pay for our land,
to buy flocks of sheep and improve them, and to buy machinery and
start more woolen factories. We have a good many now, and the people
will sustain them. You may call this tyranny, and say it is abridging
the privileges of the Latter-day Saints. No, it is not; God requires
it, angels require it; the ancient apostles and prophets required it,
and why should not we require it? It does not infringe upon me in the
least, why should it upon you? We will make up our wool and our flax,
and manufacture our silk, we will do this here. There is no harm in
it, no law against it, and we have the indisputable right to do it.

Vol. 12,  p.289
I will tell you how I feel, God bless every good man. God bless the
works of nature, God bless His own work, overthrow the wicked and
ungodly and them that would destroy their fellowbeings, that war and
contentions may cease on the earth O Lord, remove these from office
and place good men at the head of the nations, that they may learn war
no more, but go to, like rational and civilized beings, sustain peace
on the earth and do good to each other. May the Lord help us. Amen.

George Q. Cannon, October 7, 1868

Self-Sustaining—Persecutions—Outside Influence

DISCOURSE by George. Q. Cannon, delivered in 
the New Tabernacle, Salt City, Oct, 7th, 1868.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.289
There have been some exeedingly important questions presented before
us for our consideration at this Conference. I look upon them as of
momentous importance, because upon their correct solution depends, to
a [p.290] very great extent, the perpetuity of our homes, and of the
institution which God has given us. God has entrusted to this people
His Gospel. He has placed in His church the oracles of the holy
priesthood. He has given unto us the labor of up-building His Zion on
the earth, and it is for us, if we expect to receive the reward that.
He has promised, to fulfill that trust faithfully, let the
consequences be what they may.

Vol. 12,  p.290
Already the establishment of this work has cost the best blood of this
generation. Already a prophet, a patriarch, apostles and numerous
Saints have laid down their lives to establish the work with which we
are connected. It is for us to decide during this Conference whether
that blood has been shed in vain; whether the sufferings, trials,
difficulties and hardships, our exodus from the lands which we
formerly occupied and inhabited, our pilgrimage to this country, our
sufferings since we came here, the labors we have expended in rearing
this city and in extending civilization throughout this Territory—I
say it is for us to decide to-day and during this Conference whether
or not all this has been in vain; and whether we will build up His
kingdom according to His divine commandment, or divide our strength
and energy, and the talents with which He has endowed us in building
up a system or systems that are opposed to this work. It is for us to
decide whether we will submit to the jurisdiction of the holy
priesthood, or whether we will renounce that jurisdiction and our
allegiance to God. These are the questions which present themselves
before us to-day. They are important questions, and should he decided
carefully and understandingly.

Vol. 12,  p.290
I look upon the position which we occupy to-day as, in some respects,
a critical one. Not that I anticipate any danger, or have any fears
that we are going to be overthrown, if the people will only be true to
themselves and their God. I know, as I know that I live and am
speaking to you to-day, that this is the work of God. I know that He
has promised that it shall stand for ever, and that it, shall break in
pieces everything that is opposed to it. But I also know that in order
for it to accomplish this great work, and for us to share in all its
benefit and blessings, we individually must be faithful to it, for the
blessings which are promised to us are meade conditionally. If we
prove recreant to the trust that God has given to us, others will be
raised in our places to take the great work in their hands, and carry
it forward to its full consummation.

Vol. 12,  p.290
I look upon the present time, as I have said, as a critical one. I
feel that if we do not listen to the counsels that are given to us,
God has a scourge in store for the Latter-day Saints. I feel in every
fibre of my body, in every nerve of my system that this is a turning
point with the Latter-day Saints, and that there is required of us
to-day, a decision upon this subject. We have now, for a long period,
done as we pleased. We have gone here or there, and done to a certain
extent to suit ourselves, regardless of God, the counsels of His
servants or the interests of His kingdom, and regardless of every
thing save our own general interests. The consequence is that there is
growing up in our midst a power that menaces us with utter destruction
and overthrow. We are told—openly and without disguise, that when the
railroad is completed there will be such a flood of so-called
"civilization" brought in here that every vestige of us, our church
and institutions shall be completely obliterated. When [p.291] we are
told thus plainly and undisguisedly, would it not be folly, nay
insanity, for us to sit still, fold our arms supinely and await the
crash without making a single effort to ward it off? A people who
would be thus besotted would be unworthy the blessings which God has
bestowed upon us.

Vol. 12,  p.291
I know there is a feeling of great confidence in the minds of our
brethren and sisters. They have, as President Young has often said, a
great amount of faith; they have so great trust in God as to go and
sell their grain, expecting that God will feed them whether the grain
is in the bin or not. Some such confidence as this seems to pervade
their minds respecting that which is in the future, and they manifest
to a certain extent, carelessness and indifference in regard to
carrying out the counsels that are given them, thinking that God, who
has so signally preserved them in times past, will still continue to
protect them. It is an excellent thing for us to have faith, but we
should not have faith alone. Our faith should be associated with
works, and the latter should correspond with the former. When our
faith and works are united we can call upon God for help to enable us
to accomplish that which he requires at our hands.

Vol. 12,  p.291
When I reflect, my brethren and sisters, on past scenes, as I have
been doing while listening to the remarks of the brethren during this
Conference; when I reflect on the condition we were in when driven
from Nauvoo, and on our journey from the Mississippi to this
valley—the sufferings of the women and children, and of the aged among
us; when I reflect upon the hundreds we buried in Winter-Quarters, and
the privations the people endured while there; on the hardships the
people were compelled to endure after their arrival here, and remember
that all this was caused by the red hand of persecution, by mobocracy
and the violence of wicked men, who envied us the possession of our
Heaven-given rights; when I reflect upon all this, and also upon our
circumstances now, I feel thankful for what God has done for us, and
my prayer, oft repeated, has been "O God, never let this people again
become a prey to mobocrats, never let us fall again into the hands of
our enemies, but if we do wrong, do Thou chasten us and save us from
the hands of those Who have persecuted us." This has been my feeling.
But when I look at our circumstances now, I feel as though the people
had, forgotten that which they have passed through, and were not
averse to having a repetition of those scenes.

Vol. 12,  p.291
For years after we came into these valleys we felt as though we never
wanted to see the lace of an enemy again, and if we could only have
bread and water and peace we could be content. We felt, as Bro. Pratt
expressed himself yesterday, that if we had only wolf and deer skins
to clothe ourselves with we would be satisfied, if we could only have
peace. It was peace we came here to enjoy. It was for peace that we
fled from our former homes and made the long and wearisome journey to
these valleys.

Vol. 12,  p.291
But, how is it to-day? What are the circumstances which surround us
now? Why, here in the head city of Zion, in the Centre city, where the
foundations of the temple are laid and where the House of the Lord.
has been reared in which endowments and sacred ordinances are given,
what do we find? We find a power growing up in our midst that
threatens us, in the most plain and undisguised manner, with utter
destruction. [p.292] Is this so? It is, and has been so for years; and
this power has been fostered by us as a people. It has grown,
flourished and fattened upon us and the means we have produced. Is it
not necessary, then, that something should be done? To my mind it is
clear that some effort, such as has been proposed, should be made to
concentrate the Saints and to set before them the principles of
salvation in such a manner that they will understand the course they
ought to take.

Vol. 12,  p.292
While the brethren were talking yesterday, and while we were South, I
often had brought to my mind a circumstance that occurred in Nauvoo.
It was on the 10th of June, 1844, I had occasion to go to the City
Council of Nauvoo, with some proof sheets to the editor of the "Nauvoo
Neighbor,"—Elder John Taylor. I was a boy at the time, the printer's
"devil," as it is technically called. While there, the subject under
discussion, was the declaring of the "Nauvoo Expositor" a nuisance.
Doubtless many of you recollect that paper, one number of which was
issued by the Laws and other apostates. You who do not recollect the
paper may recollect reading about it. There was some excitement at the
time in the Council. They had passed an ordinance declaring it a
nuisance, and empowering the city marshal, John P. Green, to abate it.
Joseph and Hyrum ware in conversation at one of the windows of the
room. Hyrum remarked to Joseph: "Before I will consent to have that
paper continued to defame our wives, sisters and daughters, as it has
done, I will lay my body on the walls of the building." The sentiment
as he uttered it, ran through me. I felt as he did. Yet we, for years,
have had in our city a paper which publishes, if possible, more
abominable lies about us and our people than were published by the
"Nauvoo Expositor," for the abatement of which Hyrum Smith said he was
willing to die. We have not noticed it; we have suffered it to go on
undisturbed. But the time has come for us to take this matter into
consideration. Brother Pratt said yesterday, that our papers scarcely
ever alluded to it. We have never alluded to it; we have deemed it
unworthy of allusion, it is so utterly contemptible; but I now lay it
before you. What we are doing on the present occasion is to fully
bring it home to our minds, that we may see and understand the nature
of the power that is growing in our midst, which we foster and
sustain.

Vol. 12,  p.292
I glanced over a few of these papers that are now being published
here, and there are two from which I will read you a few extracts so
that you may see the spirit which animates our opponents.

Vol. 12,  p.292
In an editorial of the 11th of August we find the following, written
in regard to an extract taken from one of our papers:

Vol. 12,  p.292
"The hankering for seclusion and exclusion, and the foul spirit of the
assassinstor to secure them, stick out in every word of the above
extract. It is as full of the fell spirit that has always actuated the
crew, whose spokesman this Editor is in this instance, as the sting of
the adder is of venom. But it is the vain and weak boast of a
throttled bully. the day has gone by when hired bands of cut throats,
"destroying angels," can ply their heinous avocation, and drive from
the Territory, or murder all whom Brigham Young and his crew do not
want in it. This fellow, who at the bidding of his master, Brigham, to
whom he servilely and profanely bows as his god, insults the citizens
of the United States by telling them that no one but those who [p.293]
bow as servilely as himself to Brigham, shall have leave to stay in
this Territory, ignores the fact that the Salt Lake basin is a rich
oasis in which nature has lavishly congregated all that is needed at
the Halfway Point on the great National highway, the Pacfic Railroad,
and that it all belongs to the citizens of the United States, and not
to Brigham and his crew. We speak advisedly when we say Brigham and
his crew, for by reference to the doings of the Latter-day Saints'
Legislature it will be seen that they have attempted to give Brigham
and his set very great quantities of the richest part of this valley,
including mill privileges, &c.

Vol. 12,  p.293
Hitherto this Territory has only been of interest to the people of the
United States because of the infamous establishment sought to be set
up in it in the sacred name of religion, and the motor of the warfare
against the gross outrage has been alone the moral sense of the
country, but now for the reason just named, a commercial interest is
added, and the two together will as surely as truth is truth, and
right is right, crush out the vile thing and rid the country of the
foul blot, peaceably if possible, but with a bosom of destruction if
that is inevitable." [Mark these words! How much they sound like the
language of the manifesto of the mob in Jackson County, Missouri!]

Vol. 12,  p.293
"This Editor, in his shallow boasting, forgets, or purposely keeps out
of sight, the truth that this Mormonism, which is sacrilegiously
called a religion, is a heathenish heterodoxy, and that therefore the
orthodox churches of the land, whose members number millions, will
throw themselves against the spurious monster of Utah with all their
force. This force only awaits the opportunity that the railroad will
give it. In that day it will do you no good to buy a pitiful
Congressman, and he must be a pitiful one indeed who would sell
himself to Brigham."

Vol. 12,  p.293
In another article which appeared on, the 8th of September, we find
the following:

Vol. 12,  p.293
"There are numbers of foreigners in this Territory, who have never
abjured their allegiance to the foreign ruler from whose dominions
they emigrated; and who have year after year voted for local officers
and a delegate to Congress. There are others who, deceived by the
representations of the Probate Judges, either wilfully or ignorantly
made, that they had power to naturalize, have taken out their papers
from the Probate Courts, in many instances paying a larger fee
therefor than the clerk of the District Court would be entitled to
charge. These foreigners all occupy and hold more or less land in this
Territory, and expect to avail themselves of the pre-emption law to
the exclusion of actual citizens who are ready and desirous of
occupying the land which the laws of the United States gives them
aright to do. Many of these foreigners, either holding no papers at
all or those spurious ones issued by Probate Courts, have since the
passage of the act of 1862, prohibiting polygamy in the Territories of
the United States, openly and persistently violated its provisions;
and have been loud in the expressions of disloyalty towards the
government of the United States."

Vol. 12,  p.293
If we were living in the days of Nauvoo, and I had heard these
extracts read, I should have thought they were from the "Warsaw
Signal." But these execrable sentiments were not published in Warsaw,
they were not published at the Sweetwater, at Austin, or Virginia in
Montana, but they were published at Salt Lake City, in the centre
stake of Zion, as at present organized. They [p.294] are circulated
through our streets, and placed in the hands of our children. They are
disseminated throughout the Territory, so far as they can be; they are
sent to the east and to the west, to the north and to the south, and
everywhere as far as the influence of our enemies extends. In these
infamous sheets the public are informed that the Latter-day Saints are
assassins and everything that is vile, low and degraded. And no
attempts are spared to excite against us in the minds of the officers
of the parent government feelings of hatred, and to make them believe
that a crusade ought to be inaugurated against us. When a paper of
this kind is published in our midst and goes forth to the world
unchallenged, it is a difficult thing for men and women outside of
this Territory to realize that everything in its pages concerning us
is false. If there were any greater evidence needed of our patience
and forbearance and of our lawabiding tendencies than we have already
given, they are to be found in the fact that the editor of this paper
is not hung. (Hear, hear.) In any other community he would have been
strung up to a telegraph pole; but here, in Utah Territory, in Salt
Lake City, under the nose and in the eyes of the people and their
leaders, this man who proclaims these infamous falsehoods travels our
streets unnoticed and unchallenged. Let it be known throughout the
world what we have submitted to in this respect, and there is not a
man from Texas to Maine, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, who would
not, say we are the most patient and forbearing people on the
Continent, or we would not submit to it. In any other Territory that
office would be "gutted" within five days.

Vol. 12,  p.294
I allude to this matter because this paper is sustained in our midst,
and those whom we sustain, sustain it; our money pays for its
subscriptions. Our money pays its editor, buys its ink, paper and
type, and pays its compositors and pressmen.

Vol. 12,  p.294
I will refer to another instance of the growth of this antagonistic
power in our midst. A short time ago a circular, got up secretly by
certain reverend gentlemen dwelling in this City, and probably printed
and mailed by night, was sent broadcast throughout the East, in which
every vile epithet that so called religious men could consistently
use, was applied to us as a people. In these circular, those so-called
Christian divines appealed as they said, from a strange land and from
the midst of a strange people, to their brethren in the East, invoking
them, if they wished to save this land from barbarism and to
civilization, to raise $15,000 to buy a lot, on which a rectory might
be established and a school built. And the purpose for which that
school was designed was to inoculate the children of the Latter-day
Saints with their damnable and pernicious doctrines. Who sustains this
institution and who sustains and has sustained this paper? You can
answer these questions. Will we patiently submit to these things?
Shall we bow ourselves as willing slaves to the yoke they would fasten
upon us? (Cries of "No, No.") Well, then, if you will not bow to it,
stop your trading with men of this class and sustain your friends;
sustain those who want to build up the kingdom of God, who are one
with us. If this fight must come and we have to cut off all from the
church who will not reform in this respect, I would rather have it
done now than wait until, environed by enemies, we are thrust out of
our possessions at the point of the bayonet and compelled to flee to
the mountains [p.295] for safety. (Congregation said "Amen.")

Vol. 12,  p.295
As an individual, I have no fellowship with those who sustain the
enemies of the kingdom of God. I never did have. From my childhood my
heart has been in this kingdom; every pulsation of it has been for
Zion.

Vol. 12,  p.295
For years we have submitted to this treatment at the hands of
outsiders in our midst. The present paper has been, if anything,
better than its predecessor, for that had no editor's name to it.
Fostered on the hill here, its contributors were men who wore the
uniform of our respected "Uncle." Its printers were men who were paid
as soldiers. There was no name published at the head of its columns,
and it was more base even than the present publication, because no one
was responsible for its contents. I have not made any quotations from
that. It, too, was sustained and contributed to by merchants in this
City who seek the support of this people. I am informed, however, that
the one at present published here is now issued without an editor's
name to it.

Vol. 12,  p.295
It may be said, and is said by a great many, that this outside element
has brought us trade. We have heard it stated time and time again that
until the advent of Colonel Johnson and his army we were distitute of
a circulating medium, but that since that period we have increased in
wealth, money is more plentiful, and we have grown and spread abroad.
And they take the glory to themselves and say it is their presence
here that has produced this change. If this be so, the withdrawal of
our support will make no difference to them. They cannot complain if
we withdraw our support from them, because, if their statements be
true, we are likely to be the greatest sufferers from this withdrawal.
But let them test the truth of this themselves practically as we
intend to do.

Vol. 12,  p.295
It is very plain to be seen, from the extracts which I have read to
you, what the intention is, we have seen it carried out before at
other places where we have dwelt. As soon as we began to increase in
wealth, to build comfortable houses, and to open farms, the cupidity
of our enemies was excited against us. When we came here we were poor
and poverty stricken. We possessed nothing to excite anybody's
cupidity. It was hoped that we would perish in the wilderness; but
when it was found that we had money, there was a class, who, like
vultures scenting the carrion from afar, came here, and to hear them
talk one would have thought that the "Mormons" had thousands of
friends. Why, they always sympathised with and pitied us! they always
felt kindly towards us and thought, we were a very much abused people!
Unfortunately, we never heard that they were thus sympathetic or had
any feelings of kindness towards us—we had never seen their
publications appealing in our behalf, or heard their voices imploring
the authorities or the parent government to shield us from the attacks
of our enemies. We had never heard anything of this kind, and should
never have known anything about it had they not come and communicated
this pleasing intelligence. But unfortunately the knowledge came too
late for us to avail ourselves of it.

Vol. 12,  p.295
Allusion was made here, yesterday, to the fact that not one of those
who have fattened at our expense ever lifted up his tongue or voice,
or used his pen in defence of us in times of difficulty or danger; and
should there be danger to-day, and we be menaced from without in the
most unjustifiable [p.296] manner, you would find that these
fair-weather friends would soon take their flight and leave us to our
fate, just as their predecessors did when the army came here from the
east, as I met a whole company of them going to California by the
southern route. It may be said "these are exceptions." I do not doubt
but there are men among our merchants who are very fine men. I would
as soon deal with them in the eastern States as with anybody else; but
it is because they are in Salt Lake City that I am opposed to them.
"Ah, that is exclusive," it may be said. I confess it is exclusive. I
do not want a power to be brought into our midst as the wooden horse
was into Troy. I do not want a power in our midst inimical to us, and
that, as President Young has said, poisons everything around it. If
such a power flourishes here, I wish it to flourish without our aid,
and subsist without our contributing to its subsistence. If it can
sustain itself after we have withdrawn our support, well and good. If
there is government patronage and travel enough to sustain a class of
this kind in our midst, all right, I have no objections. But the point
at issue is for us to withdraw our support from this power, leave it
to itself and sustain ourselves, and trade with those who are one with
us in building up the kingdom of God. If outsiders want a paper,
Sunday Schools and preachers, all right, if they sustain them
themselves. Then they are in the hands of God. But while we sustain
them or contribute of our strength to do so, we have no claim on the
providence and deliverance of God our Heavenly Father. We can not ask
Him to deliver us from a power that we ourselves have fostered, and
which we are sustaining. As I have said, if they were in the East we
would have no objections to do it. Some can not see any difference
between sustaining them here or elsewhere. Why, when they are there
they have no interest in exciting a crusade against us. If they have
no contracts to get, it is no object for them to have thousands of
soldiers here. But while they are here it is an object for them to try
and create a feeling against us in the East. It is an object with them
while here to try and have men of their choice elected for city and
Territorial officers, and to get the whole machinery of the
Territorial government into their own hands. Why? Because they are
here, and consequently their interests are here; but if they were in
New York, Chicago, London or San Francisco they would have no interest
in any of these things. They would look at our money and be as glad to
take it as anybody else's money.

Vol. 12,  p.296
I expect some of our friends will say this is a confession of weakness
on our part, and that we are alarmed for the perpetuity of the power
of the Priesthood. Let it be granted; I am willing they should put
this construction upon it. I care not what construction they put on
our words or our addresses during this Conference. The fact is we want
to warn the people, and to stir them up to the necessity of taking the
course we are urging upon them. That is our duty, and it makes no
difference what others may think about it. Time will prove whether the
Priesthood will be perpetuated or not, or whether the majority of this
people will give heed to those who are not of us or not; and whether
they will apostatize because they can get goods cheaper from an
outsider than they can somewhere else; even if such is the case,
which, however, is not true. Time is the great rectifier of all these
things. We may labor for a time under misconstruction; [p.297] but we
can afford to wait. We shall outlive all erroneous ideas.

Vol. 12,  p.297
There are a great many points connected with this question which might
be dwelt upon. It is an important matter, and one that should claim
our earnest attention and calm consideration. The question is, Will we
sustain the Kingdom of God or will we not? Will we sustain the
priesthood of God or will we not? This power of which I have been
speaking, or more properly, this antagonistic class in our midst,
flatter themselves with the idea that when it comes to the test this
people will desert their leaders and cleave to something else. This is
an illusory hope. The Latter-day Saints know too well the source of
their blessings. We have obtained a knowledge from God respecting this
work; we know that it is of more value to us than all the earth
besides. As I have said, we have forsaken former homes for it. The
great majority of the first settlers came without shoes to their feet,
and passed the first two or three winters in mocassins, and ate but a
very scanty allowance of food. What was this for? Because we had
obtained a knowledge of the blessings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
It is no less dear to us now that twenty-one or twenty-two years have
elapsed. God has proven to us that He is still willing to bless and
sustain us and to give us the victory over all our enemies. He has
endowed His servant with superhuman wisdom to guide this people. We
have seen this and we rejoice in it. Amen.

Brigham Young, October 8, 1868

Southern Missions—Deseret Alphabet—Relief 
Societies—Home Manufactures

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Oct. 8th, 1868.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.297
I wish to say to those who are called to go on the Southern mission,
that I expect some of them can not conveniently go; if so, they can be
excused just as others have been. I think we called about one hundred
and seventy-five one year ago to go on the Southern mission. Of those
who responded to that call and went south, twelve or fifteen stayed;
the rest have returned, I do not know whether to see their mothers or
not. We hope a few will go out of this company, and a few of those
will return who were called last year. We have our reasons for
requesting the brethren to go into those new settlements; if they do
not know the reasons now, let them wait until they do. We calculate to
spread abroad, and when we have settled one valley we calculate to
settle another. We are settling north, south, east and west, and we
mean to keep it up. There are some who will be excused. One of the
brethren has excused himself [p.298] on the ground that he is building
himself a barn. Now, this is so reasonable that I think we will excuse
him, at any rate until he gets it finished. Perhaps we will find some
who have married wives, others who have bought a yoke of oxen, and
because of this they cannot go.

Vol. 12,  p.298
There is no necessity for the brethren hurrying away. They can go down
this Fall, tarry through the Winter, and be prepared for the Spring.
We shall excuse those who ought to be excused, and especially if they
are building barns. As for those who have been there and have left, we
expect to see the time that they will wish they had stayed there; and
that those who have been called and have not gone will wish they had
done so.

Vol. 12,  p.298
There are a few items I wish to lay before the Conference before we
dismiss, which I think we shall do when we get through our meeting
this afternoon. One of these items is to present to the congregation
the Deseret Alphabet. We have now many thousands of small books,
called the first and second readers, adapted to school purposes, on
the way to this city. As soon as they arrive we shall distribute them
throughout the Territory. We wish to introduce this alphabet into our
schools, consequently we give this public notice. We have been
contemplating this for years. The advantages of this alphabet will
soon be realized, especially by foreigners. Brethren who come here
knowing nothing of the English language will find its acquisition
greatly facilitated by means of this alphabet, by which all the sounds
of the language can be represented and expressed with the greatest
ease. As this is the grand difficulty foreigners experience in
learning the English language, they will find a knowledge of this
alphabet will greatly facilitate their efforts in acquiring at least a
partial English education. It will also be very advantageous to our
children. It will be the means of introducing uniformity in our
orthography, and the years that are now required to learn to read and
spell can be devoted to other studies.

Vol. 12,  p.298
I wish to call the attention of our sisters to our Relief Societies.
We are happy to say that many of them have done a great deal. We wish
them to continue and progress. During this Conference, many of the
ladies have, worn very nice straw hats of home manufacture. This is
commendable, and this course should be presevered in, until our hats
and dresses are the workmanship of our own hands. To my view no
trimming for a hat looks more beautiful than a nice straw rosette, bow
or button; it looks better than a feather or artificial flower. In our
Relief Societies we wish to introduce many improvements. We wish our
sisters of experience to teach the young girls not to be so anxious
for the gratification of their imaginary wants, but to confine
themselves more to their real necessities. Fancy has no bounds, and I
often think it is without form and comeliness. We are too apt to give
way to the imagination of our hearts, but if we will be guided by
wisdom, our judgment will be corrected, and we will find that we can
improve very much. We can improve the language we use. I want my
children to use better language than I sometimes use. Still, I have
thought as the prophet Joseph has said, when you speak to a people or
person you must use language to represent your ideas, so that they
will be remembered. When you wish the people to feel what you say, you
have got to use language that they will remember, or else the ideas
are lost to them. Consequently, in many instances [p.299] we use
language that we would rather not use. When talking to a refined
people we should use refined language. When we become perfectly
civilized we will leave off every harsh expression. We should correct
our children in these matters, and teach them good language. I would
like to rage upon my brethren and sisters the necessity of doing this.
We should instill into the minds of our children good ideas and
principles. If we teach them that there are prophets and apostles now
on the earth, we shall teach them the truth. If we teach them that the
Bible is true, it will be very wholesome for them to believe; but
instead of teaching them that it requires a spiritual explanation, by
men not endowed with the Spirit of God, teach them that such a notion
is incorrect, and that if the word of God does not mean what it says,
no man or woman can explain it without a direct revelation from
Heaven.

Vol. 12,  p.299
We wish to introduce into this community manufactures and
manufacturing so thoroughly that the people will consider themselves
under obligation to feed and clothe themselves. Many of us are in the
habit of doing only just what we like to do or of sitting with our
arms folded, trusting to others to feed and clothe us. It is the duty
of the husband to provide for the wife or wives and children, and it
is the duty of the wife or wives and children to assist the husband
and father all they can. If it is required of the father or husband to
furnish his wives and children with flour, it is equally required of
the wives, sisters and daughters to be careful in the use of that
flour and see that it is not wasted. If it is the duty of the husband
or father to furnish his family with cloth to dress themselves, it is
their duty to see that that cloth is cut and made prudently and not
wasted. It is a disgrace to a community to drag their cloth in the
dirt. How many women are there here to-day who walked to this
Tabernacle without throwing dirt every step they took, not only on
themselves but upon those who walked near them? I shun them; when I
see them coming I try to make my way in some other direction in order
to avoid their dust. I can get enough of it without receiving it from
them. If there is a nuisance in the path, they are sure to wipe up a
portion of it with their dress, and then trail it on to their carpet
or into the bedrooms and distribute it through the house. This is a
disgrace to them. It is not the duty of my brethren to buy cloth to be
dragged through these streets, and the wife or daughter who will not
cease dragging her dress through them, ought to have it cut shorter. I
have borne it and so have my brethren until duty demands that we put a
step to it. I have politely expostulated with my wives and daughters
on this subject. I have asked them if they think it looks nice, and
have been told that it did, their reason for thinking so being that
somebody else wore it so. That is all the argument that can be brought
in its favor. There is no reason in the world why a dress looks well
trailing through the streets.

Vol. 12,  p.299
On the other hand I will say, ladies, if we ask you to make your
dresses a little shorter, do not be extravagant and cut them so short
that we can see the tops of your stockings. Bring them down to the top
of your shoes, and have them so that you can walk and clear the dust,
and do not expose your persons. Have your dresses neat and comely, and
conduct yourselves, in the strictest sense of the word, in chastity.
If you do this yea set a good example before [p.300] the rising
generation. Use good language, wear comely clothing and act in all
things so that you can respect yourselves and respect each other. We
wish you to remember and carry out these counsels.

Vol. 12,  p.300
Can you, ladies, manufacture bonnets for yourselves and daughters, and
hats for your husbands, sons and brothers? Yes, you can, and save us
scores of thousands of dollars.

Vol. 12,  p.300
I wonder if there is any person in our community who understands the
manufacture of silk. We have some raw silk on hand that could be
manufactured if we can find persons who understand the business. I am
now building a house that will be sufficient to contain a million
worms another year, it is a hundred feet long in the clear, and twenty
broad. I calculate to fill it with worms next season, and make silk. I
am going to invite some of the brethren to make up this silk into
thread, and to color it and weave it. We can make our own thread and
twist as easily as we can buy it I have never seen better sewing silk
than I once bought of a sister here, of her own manufacture. I would
like to find somebody who knows how to manage the worms, and to
double, twist, reel and weave the silk.

Vol. 12,  p.300
By ceasing the foolish practice of which we have so long been
guilty—namely, trading off our produce at the stores for every little
thing we have thought we needed—we shall drive ourselves to the
necessity of sustaining ourselves. If we take this course and live our
religion, do you think we will be respected? Yes. We are frequently
told that the world is increasing in wickedness. We want the Saints to
increase in goodness, until our mechanics, for instance, are so honest
and reliable that this Railroad Company will say, "Give us a Mormon
elder for an engineer, then none need have the least fear to ride, for
if he knows there is danger he will take every measure necessary to
preserve the lives of those entrusted to his care." I want to see our
elders so full of integrity that they will be preferred by this
Company for their engine builders, watchmen, engineers, clerks and
business managers. If we live our religion and are worthy the name of
Latter-day Saints, we are just the men that all such business can be
entrusted to with perfect safety; if it can not it will prove that we
do not live our religion.

Vol. 12,  p.300
A few words with regard to our Emigration Fund. We are going to
continue our donations to this fund. We started our new subscriptions
here on Tuesday night, and what do you think they amounted to? To two
thousand dollars. That was a pretty good beginning. How many names do
you think it took for that sum? Just two—a thousand dollars each. Now,
sisters, do as you did last year—save the money you usually spend in
tea and coffee and ribbons, and let us have it to send for the poor.
We did remarkably well last year, though our prospects were not very
flattering at the start. On the 1st of February, the time we thought
of sending our agents East, we had nine thousand dollars, but on the
17th of the same month when brothers Clawson and Staines started we
had a little over twenty-nine thousand. When the brethren said, "How
dare you think of sending for the poor, we are getting no means?" I
replied, "We will send for them and trust in God for the means." And
the means came in fast. The brethren and sisters brought in their five
dollars, their tens, fifties, hundreds, and their thousands, and the
poor were gathered. The Walker Brothers gave a thousand dollars, and
they will be blest for it, if we do [p.301] not wish to trade with
them. Others of our merchants also contributed liberally. The poor are
deserving of it. Why? Because from them they got their means. The
merchants of this city have got hundreds of thousands of dollars from
the poor, and if they give a little back to them it is no more than
their due.

Vol. 12,  p.301
How our friends, the outside merchants will complain because we are
going to stop trading with them! We can not help it. It is not our
duty to do it. Our policy in this respect, hitherto, has been one of
the most foolish in the world. Henceforth it must be to let this trade
alone, and save our means for other purposes than to enrich outsiders.
We must use it to spread the Gospel, to gather the poor, build
temples, sustain our poor, build houses for ourselves, and convert
this means to a better use than to give it to those who will use it
against us.

Vol. 12,  p.301
We have talked to the brethren and sisters a great deal with regard to
sustaining ourselves and ceasing this outside trade. Now what say you,
are you for it as well as we? Are we of one heart and one mind on this
subject? We can get what we wish by sending to New York for it
ourselves, as well as letting others send for us. We have skill and
ability to trade for all we need; and if we have to send abroad we can
send our agents to buy and bring home what we need. My feelings are
that every man and woman who will not obey this counsel shall be
severed from the Church, and let all who feel as I do lift up the
right hand. [The vote was unanimous.] That is a pretty good vote. You
who feel otherwise have the privilege of lifting up your hand to
signify the same. I guess it was pretty nigh right. Joseph used to
say, "When you get the Latter-day Saints to agree on any point, you
may know it is the voice of God." I knew this before, but now it is
proven to the whole people.

Vol. 12,  p.301
Will the nation find fault with us for this? No. Will the commercial
world find fault? No; they will say, "This is the first trait in the
'Mormon' character we ever saw worthy of notice; it is praiseworthy,
and they will be blessed." That is what they will say. Why there is
scarcely a decent man comes here but what says "Why don't you
'Mormons' do your own trading? Why do you sustain outsiders? It is the
most impolitic thing you can do."

Vol. 12,  p.301
I wish to say to the Conference that for one I feel well satisfied
with our labors. We have labored diligently to sanctify ourselves and
the people. If we succeed in doing this we shall be prepared to
inherit life everlasting in the presence of our Father. I will say to
all people, to those in the church and to those out, I want it
distinctly understood that if we, that is myself, my counselors and my
brethren the Twelve Apostles, and all who are heart and hand with us,
can succeed in getting this people to come together in their feelings
to sustain themselves and let other people alone, it will be one of
the proudest days of our lives. We spread this to the world. Would to
God that we had influence enough to induce all the inhabitants of the
earth to listen to and obey the voice of God through his servants, to
repent of their sins, be baptized for their remission and live to the
glory of God that they might receive eternal life. I pray that this
may be our lot, and I ask it in the name of Jesus.

Vol. 12,  p.302
This Conference is now adjourned until the 6th of next April.[p.302] 

Orson Pratt, October 6, 1868

The Opposition of Wickedness to Righteousness—
Persecutions of The Saints—Miss-Representations

DISCOURSE by Elder Orson Pratt, delivered in the New 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Oct. 6th, 1868.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.302
Through the mercies of our God we have assembled here in the capacity
of a Conference to receive instruction and impart the same.

Vol. 12,  p.302
There are a great many points connected with the Zion of our God, now
being established on the earth, which are necessary for us as a people
to understand. God has not gathered us out from among the nations of
the earth into these valleys without, having a great purpose in view.
Whatever portion of His purposes I understand I desire to abide by
with all my heart, and I presume that every honest, upright Latter-day
Saint desires the same.

Vol. 12,  p.302
We came to this formerly isolated place, and separated ourselves as
far as we possibly could from what was termed civilization, not
because we really desired to do so, or because of the fertility of the
soil in this region, or the advantages we would enjoy in temporal
things; but because we were in a measure obliged to do so. It is true
that the Lord foretold to us, through the mouths of His servants, that
the day would come when we should have to flee from our enemies, and
that we would settle west of the Rocky Mountains. When we were
dwelling in the State of Illinois, and had had a few years of
comparative peace, the Spirit of the Lord rested upon His servant
Joseph and made manifest to him that the wicked had it in their hearts
to uproot His people who were established in Nauvoo, the same as they
had done in our former settlements. The testimony of the Spirit to the
servant of God was, that however peaceable the people around us might
seem, yet, if they would not receive the Gospel and acknowledge the
authority which God had restored from Heaven, they would fight against
His people. Our Savior said, "he that is not for us is against us."
The truth of this saying we, as a people, have proven since the day
that Joseph took the plates of the Book of Mormon from the hill
Cumorah, in the town of Manchester, Ontario county, State of New York;
and even before he succeeded in getting the plates, some seven years
before the Lord entrasted them to his care, the prophet Joseph proved
the truth of this saying. The Lord revealed himself. to this youth
when he was between fourteen and fifteen years of age, and as soon as
he related this vision, although at that young and tender age, the
wrath and indignation of the people were stirred up against him.

Vol. 12,  p.302
From that time, until he was between twenty-one and twenty-two years
of age the opposition was continued. It did not matter how righteous,
humble or meek he was; it did not matter how straightforward his
course of conduct was, all that the world wanted to know was, Does he
profess something different from our religious notions? Does he
believe that the heavens can be opened to [p.303] men in our day? If
so, the order of the day was, "persecute him." Let every religious
minister speak against him from the pulpit, let all pious hypocrites
of all sects and parties unite with the drunkard, swearer and
blasphemer and persecute the poor boy.

Vol. 12,  p.303
This is the enmity that exists between that which is of God and
advanced of the Almighty, and that which is ordained of man and by the
power of the Devil; they are at swords' points against each other.
They always have been from the period man first accepted this earth,
down to the present time. There has been no union between them; it is
impossible for them to fellowship one another.

Vol. 12,  p.303
Wickedness and righteousness are in direct opposition. The Devil is
opposed to God, and God is opposed to the Devil. All the heavenly
hosts are opposed to wickedness, and all persons who are wicked are
opposed to the heavenly hosts. This will be so as long as there are
wicked people in existence. It does not matter how smooth they may be
in their outward appearance, or how sociable they may be in their
conversation. They, with their tongues, may make you think they are
the most gentle, polite, civilized and moral people on the face of the
earth, while within their hearts lurks a poison which would destroy
the Saints of the living God.

Vol. 12,  p.303
As this has been the case in every former age and dispensation, so it
is now; hence the Latter-day Saints in every part of the globe are
commanded to gather out from the midst of wickedness, corruption and
priestcraft, and every abomination that exists, and assemble
themselves in one place. For what purpose? That we may be separated
from the world and its corruptions, which would otherwise work our
temporal and spiritual destruction. We have come here, then, in
obedience to this command, and we have labored and toiled with all our
might to redeem this barren country and to render it capable of
sustaining as. What other people on the face of the whole earth have
had to toil as the Latter-day Saints have? In some of the poverty
stricken districts of Europe, where all the capital is in the hands of
the rich and where the poor are made slaves, it may be that some of
the latter have to work as hard as we have to work here. But without
being placed in such circumstances we have been compelled to undergo
this toil. When we came here we were more than a thousand miles from
any place where we could obtain the comforts and necessaries to
preserve life. We could not live if we could not labor. We were
obliged to go for miles into the rugged cañons and there labor and
toil month after month to open up roads to obtain timber for fuel, for
building, and for fences for our farms. In addition to this severe
toil we had to open water ditches from the cañons in order to obtain
water to spread over the face of this barren soil, that the desert
might be reclaimed and made to yield us a subsistence. This is the
labor which the first settlers who came here had to perform, and this
was the way they made this country. And were it not for the poor
Latter-day Saints who were driven by their enemies from city to city
and from State to State, and who ultimately were driven, twenty-one
years ago, to the great interior of these mountains where they
established a colony, where would have been the railroad now? Would
there have been any railroad across these mountains? I doubt whether
there would have been pioneers among the wicked sufficiently [p.304]
brave to have launched forth into this wild country and have settled
in the midst of the Rocky Mountains, unless they had repented of their
sins and had become one with the Latter-day Saints. The wicked never
would have done it, or another century, at least, would have passed
away before settlements to any very great extent would have been found
in the midst of these mountains.

Vol. 12,  p.304
If it had not been for the "Mormons" where would have been the gold
mines of California? They might not have been opened up for fifty
years yet if it not had been for the Mormon battalion, which went
forth to fight the battles of the nation in her war with Mexico. Had
it not been for this the world might still have been in ignorance of
their existence unless God, for the accomplishment of His own wise
purposes, had revealed them in some other way. The settlement, in the
heart of the American continent, of the Latter-day Saints established
a great highway across the continent, so that the people, in their
journeyings from the Atlantic to the Pacific have found a place where
they could rest their weary heads as they passed through. The
settlement of this Territory has materially facilitated the opening up
of the adjoining Territories. If it had not been for the Latter-day
Saints settling this Territory, when would Idaho, Montana, Colorado,
Arizona or Nevada have been settled?

Vol. 12,  p.304
In 1831, when we went into Jackson county, Missouri—then a
comparatively new country, and commenced to lay the foundation of new
settlements, the great complaint against us was that we were not the
old settlers. Their cry was, "You Mormons are not the old settlers,
and you have neither civil nor religious rights here." "What is the
reason?" we would enquire; "Are we not American citizens?" "Oh, yes,"
said the people in Jackson county, "you are American citizens, but we
are the old settlers, and consequently you must leave this part of the
country."

Vol. 12,  p.304
After we had been driven out of Jackson county into Clay county, and
had been there a few years, the people rose en masse and said to us
again, "You Mormons have no right in Clay county." And when we
enquired why, the reply again was, "because you are not the old
settlers." After dwelling there two or three years, an edict was
issued by a mass meeting of the people assembled at Liberty, that we
must seek a new location. We then fled to Caldwell county, in the
State of Missouri. But, alas, after having bought a great many
thousand acres of land and given signs of prosperity far beyond that
of the old settlers who lived in surrounding counties, they,
emboldened by the example of the people of Clay county, got up the old
cry, and after having destroyed our farms and property they, in the
midst of a severe winter, drove us into Illinois.

Vol. 12,  p.304
There we again gathered up our people, and not yet discouraged, we
purchased a large tract of country on both sides of the Mississippi
and founded a city called Nauvoo, to which a charter was given by the
Legislature of Illinois. In a short time, the people of the regions
round about were excited to jealousy, because the Latter-day Saints,
through their industrious habits, were flourishing and were
beautifying and extending their city; they could not bear to see us
outstripping them. They saw that the people of Missouri had never been
brought to account for murdering our people and robbing them of
millions of dollars' worth of property, so they, in Illinois, made up
their [p.305] minds to take a similar course. Said they, "You
Latter-day Saints are new settlers, and if we suffer you to remain you
will soon be able to out-vote us for all the officers of the county.
But you have no civil nor religious rights here, and you must leave
your fine farms, houses, cities, towns and villages, and you must go
out of the United States. We will make a treaty with you as if you
were a foreign nation, and you must undertake that you will not settle
again within the hounds of the United Stales, and your only salvation
is to go west beyond the Rocky Mountains, nearly 1,500 miles from your
present abode." We felt that this was the only course we could adopt,
so we left in the month of February, 1846. After ferrying some of our
teams across the Mississippi the river froze over so hard that the
remainder crossed on the ice. In this cold weather we camped out on
the prairie, and took up our march for this place, our enemies
expecting that they had seen the last of us, that we should most
certainly be killed by Indians or die by famine. We reached this
portion of the Rocky Mountains, then under Mexican rule, and settled
here. By and by, after the war between the United States and Mexico, a
treaty was made between them, and this land, which we occupied and to
which we had been driven by our enemies, was ceded to the United
States.

Vol. 12,  p.305
I have already told you what we have done here, the toils we have
undergone, and the hardships we have suffered; and that we are
gathering in our people from among the nations that we may enjoy civil
and religious liberty, which are guaranteed by the Constitution of our
country. We do not ask the United States for anything more. We do not
want liberty that is not thus guaranteed; but we demand that liberty
to which, as American citizens, we are entitled as a sacred right. And
in having this liberty we shall have the liberty of dealing with whom
we please, providing we infringe no law. That is the right of all
American citizens. It does not matter whether they are Methodists,
Baptists, Presbyterians, Democrat, Whigs, or whatever they maybe, all
have the undoubted right guaranteed to them, by the laws of our
country, to deal just as they please and with whom the please if they
do not infringe upon the laws nor injure their neighbors.

Vol. 12,  p.305
Ever since the settlement of this Territory I have felt how much
better it would be if this people would unite together and appoint
their merchants to go and buy their goods and bring them here and sell
them at a reasonable profit to the rest of the community, and never
trade here to the amount of one dime with those who are outside of us.
But while this has been my feeling it has not been the feeling of all,
for we have supported scores of merchants who have not been members of
our Church. Have we done this because they were our friends? I will
tell you the only thing that proves the existence of friendly feelings
on the part of outsiders to this people:—when they repent of their
sins, and receive the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God has
said, in the revelations which He has given in these days, "There is
no people on the face of the whole earth who do good save it be those
who are ready and willing to receive the fullness of my Gospel."

Vol. 12,  p.305
We have proven this from the beginning of this work. There never has
been yet, with all the apparent friendliness and politeness of
outsiders, a proof of good will rendered to [p.306] the Latter-day
Saints, except it has been a willingness to receive the Gospel. Yet,
notwithstanding that the word of the Lord and our experience have
proven the truth of this, we have fostered these individuals in our
midst for nearly twenty years. We have given them our grain, and have
impoverished the Territory by paying millions and millions of our
money into their hands. What have they done with it? Why, some who
have been changed from poor men into heavy capitalists by the hundreds
of thousands they have drained from this people, have gone away and
used all the influence they could to destroy us. Did they appear to be
friendly when in our midst? O, yes, you would have thought they were
the most friendly and polite people imaginable. Why the Latter-day
Saints never saw such manifestations of politeness, gentility and
friendliness as were made by some of those we have nourished in our
midst. What was the cause of this apparent friendliness? The dimes and
dollars, the wheat, flour, produce, cattle and means that you had in
your possession. It was the hope of gain which made them friendly, for
that was the god they worshipped. But when they have made fortunes out
of the Latter-day Saints and gulled them all they could they have gone
and tried to destroy them.

Vol. 12,  p.306
As an individual I do pot care how much a person in this place,
outside of the Church, professes; if he will not repent of his sins
and receive the message God has sent, I will not give him my dimes nor
dollars if I know it. This ought to be the feeling of this whole
people, otherwise we have got Babylon right in our midst. We have
prayed a long time for God to deliver us from Babylon, and we have
been gathered out, as we supposed, from Babylon; but we can soon
establish a kind of young Babylon—one of the daughters of Babylon, if
you will—and we can have it in our midst to our hearts' content. But
what would be their feelings if they had the power? Judging from the
experience of the past, their feelings would be that the Latter-day
Saints should have no civil rights, no religious rights here in this
land of Utah which they have sought for their own. It is true that our
enemies here cannot plead like the people of Jackson, Clay and other
places, that we are not the old settlers. They have not this for a
plea, for the "Mormons" are the old settlers; but they have such
enmity towards us that they would uproot us here, as they have five or
six times before, if they had the power. "How do you know," says one,
"that these are the feelings entertained by the wicked towards this
people? They profess to be very friendly, then how do you know their
feelings are as you describe them?" From the fact that when this
people elected one of their own number as Delegate to Congress by
15,000 votes, the man whom they voted for—giving him 105 votes, sixty
of which wore cast in a town where there were only twenty
voters—contested his seat, and fought him month after month in the
Hails of Congress, being sustained while so doing, by those who
profess such friendship towards us. And what was the object of this
would-be delegate? It was to deprive the "Mormons" of citizenship and
of the privilege of taking up the land, by influencing the government
to pass a law to that effect. This was his object, and to do all the
injury in his power to this people. Who supported him? These men whom
you support, Latter-day Saints, and to whom you pay your money.
Merchants and others in this city gave their votes to that [p.307] man
after you had paid your thousands into their hands. They gave their
votes for an individual who would deprive you of the rights guaranteed
by the Constitution of our country. Will you still continue to support
such men? Will you go down here and trade with them year after year?
If you do I know what the result will be; it is plainly visible. They
will get a foothold here, and if they can only get numbers sufficient,
you Latter-day Saints will have no civil rights here in this
Territory. If a jury is to be empannelled it will be composed of our
bitter enemies. If a Latter-day Saint has to be tried before the
courts, it will be before those who are ready to eat him up. If there
is a delegate to be elected to Congress they will seek very diligently
to get the greatest enemy to this people they can find, so that, if
possible, he may succeed in getting a large army sent up here to use
us up. Why should they do this? To make money; that is their object.
They feel, "If we can only stir up the government and get them to send
an army to Utah it will be money in our pocket. Bless you, we don't
care how much suffering it produces, or how many Latter-day Saints may
be deprived of their rights; we would sell the whole of them for a
dollar a-head, if we could only become rich. We care nothing about
them, or their rights as American citizens." These are their feelings.

Vol. 12,  p.307
Moreover, has there not been published here year after year a
scandalons paper, every number of which has teemed with lies of the
blackest dye concerning us? Yet we have scarcely noticed that such a
paper is in existence. Who have supported this paper? The merchants
here, those whom you have been feeding and paying your money to. They
are the ones who have sustained this paper. Do you suppose that a
paper which is continually belching forth falsehoods of the blackest
dye against you, your religion, and against the man who led you forth
and planted you here, could be sustained here if the people outside of
this church did not support it? If they support it, what is it for?
That it may arouse the feelings of the enemies of the Saints
throughout the States, and may, peradventure, result in the sending of
an army here that they may make morley out of it. That is what they
hope to effect.

Vol. 12,  p.307
Now, Latter-day Saints, I have spoken plainly. I take the
responsibility of what I have said on my own shoulders. If I have
spoken too harshly I am willing to be corrected. I have spoken my
feelings plainly, without trying to hide them or gloss them over. I
say I would rather go and kill wolves in the forests and mountains,
and skin them and tan their skins and wear wolfskin pantaloons, and
wolfskin coats and vests, and have everything I wear the skin of
beasts, than spend one dime with one outsider in the Territory of
Utah. (The congregation said "amen.") I do not know what are the
feelings of my brethren on this subject, but I do know, unless there
is a change among this people in regard to this matter, farewell to
our homes again, farewell to our fine buildings, to our farms, and to
the country which we now occupy as the old settlers; farewell to many
of our friends who will fall victims to our enemies; yes, farewell to
home and the comforts which now surround us, and we shall have to seek
an asylum somewhere else, in these mountains or in some other part of
this continent, through being driven again, if we, through our own
foolishness, will nourish vipers in our midst. Amen.[p.308] 

Brigham Young, November 29, 1868

Preaching the Gospel—Disobedience and Persecution—
Exclusiveness—the Search After Happiness

DISCOURSE by President Brigham Young, delivered in the 
Old Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Nov. 29th, 1868.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.308
To the Latter-day Saints the Gospel of life and salvation is worthy of
particular attention. In my reflections upon the great work that the
Lord has commenced, its operations appear marvelous to me. I look upon
those who have separated themselves from sin with a great deal of
pleasure and delight; they are a very peculiar people. When the elders
go and preach the Gospel, all who have the privilege of hearing, with
a very few exceptions, are convinced of its truth in a greater or
smaller degree. Perhaps there may be a few who have received
traditions to that degree that the truth cannot find the way to their
hearts; but such persons are very rare. When a man preaches the Gospel
by the power of God sent down from heaven, it is hard for me to
believe that they who hear him are not convinced of its truth. Then,
when I look upon the few of the blood of Ephraim scattered among the
people who have the courage, fortitude and self-will to acknowledge
the truth of the Gospel and to yield obedience to it, I think they are
very peculiarly organized.

Vol. 12,  p.308
This Gospel is adapted to the capacity of the whole human family. Why
are the principles of truth and the people whom embrace them so
ridiculed? I can attribute it to nothing but sin, or a determination
to do that which is wrong. Go to these portions of the world where the
Elders have labored their lives almost our to preach to the people the
words of eternal life and to put them in possession of that which
would save them here and hereafter, and it has been the fact that
hardly a word of truth has been told about us. This is astonishing.
And this work, according to the words of the prophet, is "a marvelous
work and a wonder." It appears to me that if the human family had the
least conception of the principles of life and salvation, they would
not do as they do, or they must believe that they would be chastened,
like disobedient children, who many times, seemingly, are disobedient
expressly to be corrected. There is no need of this, especially among
the Latter-day Saints. What few words I have to say to them is upon
this wise,—be perfect, wise, pure, holy, and fear and revere the word
of the Lord. His commandments and requirements.

Vol. 12,  p.308
When we look at the Latter-day Saints we ask, is there any necessity
of their being persecuted? Yes, if they are disobedient. Is there any
necessity of chastening a son or a daughter? Yes, if they are
disobedient. But suppose they are perfectly obedient to every
requirement of their parents, is there any necessity of chastening
them then? If there is, I do not understand the principle of it. I
have not yet been able to see the necessity of chastening an obedient
[p.309] child, neither have I been able to see the necessity of
chastisement from the Lord upon a people who are perfectly obedient.
Have this people been chastened? Yes, they have.

Vol. 12,  p.309
Although we preach the Gospel of life and salvation to the inhabitants
i of the earth, and tell them that this Gospel is calculated to save
every son and daughter of Adam and Eve who will hearken to it, whether
it be those who have lived, those who are now living, or those who may
hereafter live, will the present generation have this Gospel? No, they
will not. Why? Because they have so much religion already that they do
not know what to do with it. I have often said to them, "If you will
not believe the Gospel, because you say you have religion already,
will you not please repent of your religion?" Is there any need for
them to repent of their religion? Yes. Why? Because it is not correct.
The whole world of mankind is full of religion, and if they do not
worship one object they worship another. It is just as natural for the
children of men to worship and revere something as it is to breathe,
hence the Christian world is full of religion, and it is the same with
the heathen world. We too, have our religion, and it is adapted to the
capacity of the whole human family. It does not send a portion of the
people to howl in torment for ever and ever, but it reaches after the
last son and daughter of Adam and Eve, and will pluck them from the
prison, unlock the doors, and burst the bonds and bring forth every
soul who will receive salvation.

Vol. 12,  p.309
I ask the nations of the earth what objection is there to this? "Oh,"
say they, "you are different from us." How different? "Why you have
many doctrines we do not believe in." We cannot help it. We have taken
this book, called the Old and the New Testament for our standard. We
believe this book and receive it as the word of the Lord. Not but
there are many words in this book that are not the words of the Lord,
but that which came from the heavens, and which the Lord has delivered
to us, we receive, and especially the sayings of the Savior. We
receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and we believe in Him as
our Savior. There are many persons in this city who ridicule the idea
that Jesus was the Christ; but take those very individuals, both male
and femme, and let them square their course through life in all
respects according to the words of the Savior, and would they not be
better men and women than they now are? Yes, they would. Then where is
the harm or evil of believing in a character whose doctrine from
beginning to end is perfectly pure and holy? Although the children of
Judah, universally, and many others ridicule the idea that Jesus is
the Christ, yet take the doctrines that He taught His disciples and
which they preached to the people, and endeavored to practice, and let
any people live in accordance with theta, and you will find a pure,
holy and perfect community. There would be no wars; bloodshed nor
contention among them as nations, communities, neighborhoods and
families.

Vol. 12,  p.309
It has been said here that there are some whose feelings can not
accede to all that is taught by the Latter-day Saints. But let me say
there never was a doctrine taught by Jesus Christ and His apostles, by
the prophets before them, or by Joseph Smith and this people, but
what, if followed out, brings peace to every family and individual who
observes it. Do we enjoy peace? A great many do not. What is the
reason?[p.310] Because they do not faithfully carry out those
doctrines.

Vol. 12,  p.310
I am going to ask a question—Is there any necessity, my brethren and
sisters, that you and I should suffer persecution to perfect us? Are
we willing to be obedient, and to sanctify ourselves and to sanctify
the Lord God in our hearts without the rod of chastisement? If we are,
we shall bring in the doctrine that has been taught to the people on
temporal matters. We say, and profess, that we are one, and in a great
measure we are. In our religious and political sentiments we are one;
but in the pursuit of lite and happiness, as individuals and families,
we are not one. Now, if we will believe the Gospel, which can do no
harm to anyone—I say this for all ears—it does not contain a single
doctrine but what is true. You may ask the question: Has no one Elder
in Israel ever taught false doctrine? Yes, but no man has who has been
authorized to teach, guide and direct the Saints. Did Jesus, Peter,
James, John or Joseph Smith ever teach a false or incorrect doctrine?
Not that you or I know of; we cannot fid it. Now, if we have got
correct doctrines, and will fashion our lives by them we may sanctify
ourselves without being chastened.

Vol. 12,  p.310
We look forward to the day when this people will be pure, holy and
sanctified, and when we will be prepared to build up Zion. Are we
prepared now? No, we are not. We are only professedly Latter-day
Saints; practically, we are only so in part. To be a Saint is to be as
Jesus was; to be assimilated to the spirit. and character which He
exhibited while here on earth. Now, I exhort the Latter-day Saints to
live so that each and everyone may enjoy the spirit of the Lord Jesus
day by day, that we may be one in all things, in temporal matters as
well as spiritual.

Vol. 12,  p.310
As I have but a few minutes that I want to speak, I shall now come to
temporal matters. You and I wish to live, and to have the privilege of
pursuing, unmolested, the path that leads to happiness. Now, I can not
say it of you all, but I can of a few here, that they have been trying
to serve the Lord for nearly forty years. During that period we have
passed through scenes we do not wish to behold again. Five times many
of us here have been broken up, and have left our houses, gardens,
farms, orchards, vineyards and all we had, and have had to run for our
lives. What for? Because we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ—and
tried to practice the doctrine He taught. For anything else? No. Were
all perfect? No. Did some sin? O, yes, we were all sinners. Why were
we obliged to leave our homes? Did we disturb our neighbors, or pilfer
and purloin their substance? No. What did we do? We taught the Gospel
of life and salvation. Not that all were righteous, but our sins—of
worldly-mindedness, covetousness and selfishness—were between
ourselves and our God, and for this the Lord suffered us to be
chastened. The faith that we profess is the best and the only doctrine
calculated to save the children of men.

Vol. 12,  p.310
I say, five times some of this people have been broken up, and the
last time, when we left the State of Illinois, we cut our road through
the timber, we hunted our path over the prairies, and dug our roads
through the cañons, for fourteen hundred miles to this place, because
we were obliged to go somewhere.

Vol. 12,  p.310
Our prophet, before us, told us that if we could get out of the way of
Christianity, so called, and civilization, we could serve God and
build [p.311] up His kingdom, and we could be happy. We came here to
these isolated and lonely valleys. Who led us here? Did our nation
hold out a fostering hand to us? No: to this day they never gave us a
dollar; but now we expect they will give us our homesteads here. Have
the wicked become more righteous? No. Has the world become more
enlightened in the things of God? No, it has not; and the enmity that
did exist, exists still, and has grown, increased and strengthened,
and this warfare between the power of the devil and the power of Jesus
Christ will continue until Jesus obtains possession of the kingdom.
These words are meant for the ears of all, both Saints and sinners.

Vol. 12,  p.311
Did we ask any of the outside merchants in this City to come here?
They are called "gentiles," but we do not know whether they are
"gentiles" or not, for a gentile is one who has none of the blood of
Israel within him. There may be some of this class among the
Israelites. But what do these outsiders follow us up for? They say "we
know you Latter-day Saints are a very nice people, very kind, very
free, generous and benevolent; we know you believe in helping the
stranger, and that is not all, we know you believe in giving all your
substance to your enemies." Is this proved? Yes, right here before our
eyes. Now, I would say to every man and woman on the earth if I could
speak to them, it is no matter what men say, but it is how they say
it, I will tell you what we want—and we know what you want—we want the
privilege of building up the kingdom of God on the earth, and of
living in peace one with another. We want our streets so that we can
traverse them in safety by day or by night, and so that if a midwife
is called up at midnight, or one o'clock in the morning to go to a
neighbor's house she can go there without being plundered or destroyed
before she gets to the place of her destination. And if our daughters
are out visiting until nine, ten, eleven or twelve o'clock at night,
that they can pass along these streets without molestation. We want a
community that does not take the name of God in vain; that does not
lie, or purloin that which is not their own, and that will live day by
day, week by week and year by year in perfect peace. This is not
according to the feelings of a great many, they would rather see
quarrelling and strife. I have learned of so many facts that exist in
the world in relation to contentions, speaking of them in a family
capacity, that to my certain knowledge there is more there with but
one wife than here where there are ten, where this obnoxious doctrine
our brother has just referred to is practiced. So don't worry about
contentions any of you, for they exist all over the world. Look at the
kings and queens, and then at the lower classes; and from them to the
House of Representatives, the lords, dukes, knights and every grand
character you can mention or think of, and how do they live? We know
how they live, they live in jeopardy, in fear, and jealousy, which is
the mother of torment. And the inhabitants of the earth are jealous of
one another, and they have reason to be. Have we any facts in the
case? Yes, thousands of them, all over the world. Take the king upon
his throne, he must pay a doctor more than anybody else, or he will be
poisoned to death. It is so with the queens, if they have not power to
buy everybody around them there is no knowing what day poison will be
put into their coffee or their tea or some of their food. If the
husband steps out of doors, she don't know where [p.312] he is; and if
the lady is left alone in the house or rides out, the husband does not
know where she is. But you come to the Saints and you know about them.
If we send an Elder to preach the Gospel and he travels the earth
over, when he returns we know where he has been and what he has been
doing, and if he has been guilty of that crime to which the world is
so much addicted he can not keep it; he must confess it; then he is
not a fit character to be a member of the Church or an Elder in
Israel, and we deprive him of his standing and licence. But you take
an Elder in Israel who honors his calling, and though he may travel
the world over, his wife, at home says: "I am perfectly satisfied with
regard to my husband, he would suffer his head to be taken from his
shoulders before he would violate his covenants with me, they are
sacred before God." It is so with our women as well as our men; it is
so with Israel in the latter days. Here I pause, and say, not with all
Israel.

Vol. 12,  p.312
Our sisters need not be worried about any doctrine. Brother Penrose
said it would, be better for them if they believed in the doctrine of
polygamy. But they do believe it; they know it is true, and that is
their torment. It perplexes and annoys many of them. because they are
not sanctified by the spirit of it; if they were there would be no
trouble. I want to say this much—the sisters do believe it. Where is
the proof? You take a woman in this Church who does not believe in the
doctrine of celestial marriage or plurality of wives, and she does not
believe anything at all about the Gospel, and she will soon manifest
this by her unwise course, and by and by she drops off and away she
goes. But our sisters believe and know that this doctrine is true, and
consequently they feel bound to abide it.

Vol. 12,  p.312
Now, I will return to my remarks about our present condition. We do
not wish to be broken up and compelled to leave our homes again. What
do you want, outsiders? You want all the money the "Mormons" can make.
I do not blame you for it, I never did. It is reasonable and right,
and you are as much entitled to it as to any other money you can get.
But we are not going to let you have it. Is there any harm in this?
"Exclusive," are we? We are not half exclusive enough. There is no
other way to save this people from being broken up again than by
trading with ourselves. I know this as well as I know the sun shines.
I have passed through it, and know all about it. Now, I do not wish to
see this people, of whom I am proud, and in whom I delight, pack up
their goods and go off again. Where should we go? When we were in
Missouri we had a place we could go to; when we were in Illinois we
had a place we could go to, but now, that we have come here to the
middle of this continent, where can we go? Is there another place we
can go to?

Vol. 12,  p.312
If I were to say to the financial world, we have taken it into our
heads to do our own internal business, and not foster those in our
midst who are not of us, what would they say? They would say this is
the first step the Latter-day Saints ever took that manifested wisdom.
How exclusive do we want to be? Just enough so to sustain and preserve
ourselves, to build our own houses, make our gardens and orchards, our
carriages and our own places of amusement, like our theatre. I built
that theatre to attract the young of our, community and to provide
amusement for the boys and girls, [p.313] rather than have them
running all over creation for recreation. Long before that was built I
said. to the bishops, "Get up your parties and pleasure grounds to
amuse the people." This brings my former experience and that of my
friends right to me. Whenever we get into the kingdom of Heaven, where
God and Christ dwell, we shall find something more to do than to "sit
and sing ourselves away to everlasting bliss." The mind of man is
active, and we must have exercise and amusement for the mind as well
as the body.

Vol. 12,  p.313
You go into that theatre, and what is there behind the curtain that
would disgrace the most perfect lady on the face of the earth? Not the
least in the world. I have to watch some who come here as actors and
actresses, and if they do not manifest the marks and traits of a lady
and gentleman, I say, "Stop a moment. I want to tell you something.
Your course will lead you wrong, and if you persist in it you cannot
present yourself before the public". So much for that.

Vol. 12,  p.313
We say to the bishops and to everybody, exercise yourselves, provide
innocent amusement for the youth, attract the minds of the children,
and get the tipper hand of them and he on the lead. I see mothers
right among us whose course is very imprudent with their children. You
ought always to take the lead of your children in their minds and
affections. Instead of being behind with the whip, always be in
advance, then you can say, "Come along," and you will have no use for
the rod. They will delight to follow you, and will like your words and
ways, because you are always comforting them and giving them pleasure
and enjoyment. If they get a little naughty, stop them when they have
gone far enough. We say to the brethren, humor your wives and children
as far as you can, but when they transgress, and transcend certain
bounds we want them to stop. If you are in the lead they will stop,
they cannot run over you; but if you are behind they will run away
from you. Husbands, always be in advance of your wives, and then if
they undertake to do something that is very displeasing to you they
will run right against you, and then stop and sit down because they
can't go any further. Do you know how to do this? "No," says one, "I
don't know that I do." Well, then, learn by searching after truth,
according to the revelations given in this book. Search after truth in
all good books, and learn the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of
God, and put them together and you will be able to benefit yourselves.

Vol. 12,  p.313
I will now say to my friends,—and I call you all, and all mankind,
friends, until you have preyed yourselves enemies,—you who do not
belong to this Church, that we have got the Gospel of life and
salvation. I do not say that we have a Gospel, but I say that we have
the definite and only Gospel that ever was or ever will be that will
save the children of men. Hearken to this every one of you, and all
the inhabitants of the earth, and do not say, "you are Mormons, and we
do not want to hear anything about you." Wait until you have searched
and researched and have obtained wisdom to understand what we preach,
or to prove it to be untrue. If you cannot prove it untrue and are not
disposed to receive it, let it alone. If it is the work of God, it
will stand. What do you say, outsiders? What do you say, Christian
world and heathen world? If we have the truth to present to you, which
will do you good here and hereafter, which will save [p.314] you
to-day and to-morrow and every day, until it saves you in the kingdom
of God and brings you to a perfect state of felicity and happiness in
the presence of the Father, will you have it?

Vol. 12,  p.314
I want to say again to the brethren and sisters—and this is the great
secret we are teaching in the School of the Prophets—be exclusive
enough to sustain the kingdom of God. We want our means ourselves, and
if we trade with outsiders at all we want it to be yonder at a
distance, and not here. What do you say to this, friends? Is it
wisdom? Try it, and see what you would do under the same
circumstances. Have you been driven from your homes? Yes, there may be
a few from the Southern States Who have been driven from their homes
and suffered the loss of all they had on earth; but it was not for
their religion. We suffered at the hands of Missourians and
Southerners for our religion; they have suffered for their wickedness.
We have never suffered as they have. But we do not want to suffer
again; we do not want to be driven from our homes again. We like this
country, and we do not want to support any persons in our midst who
will lay a foundation to overslaugh this people so that they will have
to pull Up stakes and leave. "A burnt child dreads the fire." Do you
know it? Put your hand in the fire until it has burned you severely,
and it will cause you pain enough to remember it for years, and until
you have forgotten that pain you will not want to put your hand in the
fire again. But we did not put it there, somebody else did.

Vol. 12,  p.314
Have we not the right to our own money? We are not digging for gold
and silver; we are not bringing a society here among whom you can hear
shooting all night long through our streets, or cursing and swearing
or fiddling and dancing. Do you want this "civilization," outsiders?
There may be a few who do not. I will tell you what the priests want.
They want to see a groggery at the corner of every street, and houses
of accommodation between and behind them, and they want to hear
cursing and swearing, and they want to see drinking and carousing and
the drunkard falling in the street and rolling in the mire, then they
could come along with their long faces, crying, "Oh, what a sinful
people!" We do not want any such thing. We want to see every
countenance full of cheerfulness, and every eye bright with the hope
of future happiness.

Vol. 12,  p.314
Do you suppose you can find a person on this earth who is not seeking
for happiness? There may be a few who, if they are not seeking for
happiness, are seeking to get rid of their misery. This makes me to
think of one I heard of who committed suicide in New York, in one of
those fine houses, which you would suppose was a palace, where ladies
and gentlemen live in a perfect paradise, but which are in reality
gambling houses. This individual that I heard of had played there all
night, and in the morning, when his last dollar was gone, he leaned
back on his seat and said, "I am played out," and drawing a pistol
from his pocket he shot himself and fell dead on the floor. This man
sought to get rid of his misery.

Vol. 12,  p.314
The whole world are after happiness. It is not in gold and silver, but
it is in peace and love. Did I say love? Yes. You watch your own
feelings when you hear delightful sounds, for instance, or when you
see anything beautiful. Are those feelings productive of misery? No,
they produce happiness, peace and joy. Well, then, pursue and walk in
that path that leads to that, and [p.315] walk in it day by day. And
you, sisters, cease trading with any man or being in this city or
country who does not belong to the church. If you do not, we are going
to cut you off from the church, for we are determined not to be driven
or broken up again, and we are determined to deal with love and
sustain our nation, our community. We mean to live here. We came 1,400
miles to get away from that power which is trying to get into our
midst to break us up again. We have subdued the country and made it
fruitful, and have fed hundreds of thousands passing on their way east
and west, and we calculate to stay here if you will do as I tell you,
and cease trading with those who are not of us. Do you suppose that
Jesus did not understand the spirit and the feelings of the world when
He Said, "He who is not. for us is against us." Every man and woman of
intelligence that ever was or ever will be upon the earth is either
for God or against Him.

Vol. 12,  p.315
When I see the Latter-day Saints I see a motley mass of dispositions,
a perfect curiosity. I was in a store not long since, and they asked
my opinion with regard to the amount of trade that would be done this
season providing we had plenty of goods. Said I, "you must find out
how much money the Latter-day Saints have, and then how much credit
they have, and you will find out pretty nearly how much business will
be done." If we were like other people and would only hearken to
wisdom, these men sitting each side of me to-day, instead of spending
their money would save it and buy the land that will shortly be in the
market. The government has at last condescended to take into
consideration the propriety of selling their land to the Latter-day
Saints. A few have tried year after year to get up an act to prevent
us from owning a foot of land in America. but they are out of the way.
Now we have the privilege of purchasing our lands, and if our brethren
had any wisdom they would purchase them. "O," but says one, "why we
can get a homestead." I would rather pay my $200 and buy their lands,
and tell them we made the country and now we are willing to purchase
it. We are willing to pay our taxes, and we have proven that we are
willing to fight their battles, and to do anything to promote peace
and happiness in the country. But we say, hands off.

Vol. 12,  p.315
Now, if you don't want to quarrel, take measures to prevent it. That
is what we are after. We are trying to get the people to hearken to
counsel that will prevent a quarrel, and a serious one. If you can
prevent a quarrel in a family you do a good thing. "Blessed are the
peacemakers." We are peacemakers. We are preserving the peace. Is it
our right? You take the Catholics in London, and they would go by a
thousand doors to find one of their own faith to spend three
halfpence. Do not the Jews do it? Yes, they do it all over the world.
They say we are obliged to trade with them, but we are not. We would
just as soon trade with them as anybody else outside the Church. But
do they build up the kingdom of God? No, they hold the very name of
Jesus in derision, and yet they are as full of religion as any sect
there is. You may take the Mother Church, and the whole family of
Protestants, and the House of Judah is as full of religion as any of
them. But are they correct? No, they are not. We offer life and
salvation to the whole human family in the Gospel of the Son of God,
and if they are not disposed to receive it they will suffer the
consequence. [p.316] It is for the Latter-day Saints to live their
religion.

Vol. 12,  p.316
Now, brethren and sisters, do you think it is necessary for us to be
chastened? Can we not sanctify ourselves without the chastening hand
of the Almighty upon us? We can, if we will do as we are told. By
whom? By the Old and New Testaments, and all the revelations given in
them and the Book of Mormon, and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants.
They all centre on one point in this respect.—You, Saints, gather
yourselves together, sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, live by
yourselves and build up the kingdom of God. We might just as well stay
in Scotland as to be here in the midst of the wicked and ungodly; just
as well stay in Scandinavia as come here, if we have to dwell amid
drunkenness and debauchery. You have gathered out to sanctify
yourselves. Then live your religion, sustain the kingdom of God and
those who sustain it, and let everybody else alone. May the Lord help
us to do it. Amen.

Orson Pratt, November 1, 1868

The Joy and Happiness Imparted By the Gospel—
Sectarian and Revealed Religion—Oneness the Order of God

DISCOURSE by Elder Orson Pratt, delivered in the New 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Nov. 1st, 1868.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.316
Having been called upon to address the Saints this afternoon, I do so
with the greatest of cheerfulness, feeling to rejoice before the Lord
at having the privilege. I esteem the blessings that have been
bestowed upon this people far above all the riches, wealth and honors
that could possibly be bestowed upon them by men. There is something
connected with the dispensation of the Gospel which has been revealed
to us, that is calculated in its very nature to inspire the heart of
the true Saint with joy. There is no other religion extant among men,
calculated to impart the same joy and happiness as that which we have
embraced.

Vol. 12,  p.316
To believe in a God who once freely conversed with His children and
took them into close communion with Himself, and revealed to them many
great and precious things and filled them with the Holy Ghost, but
who, in later times, to another class of His children refused the same
blessings, is a horror to my feelings; it would impart no
satisfaction, happiness, true joy, or peace of mind to me, or any
other person. Yet we have been educated, before embracing the fullness
of the Gospel, in a variety of religions wherein we were taught that
God was once a God of power, and that in former dispensations He made
bare His arm among the people; but we are told by the various
religious sects of the day that for the last 1700 years these great
manifestations of His power and goodness have been withheld from the
children of men.[p.317] 

Vol. 12,  p.317
What satisfaction is this to me or to any real true-hearted Saint of
God? If I were very hungry, having fasted a long time, and my appetite
craved food very much, what would be the use of me reading of people
having enjoyed themselves with a great variety of palateable and
healthful food 1800 years ago? How much would this satisfy the
cravings and wants of my nature? Suppose I should find a very hungry
people, or many congregations of them, who had fasted until they were
almost ready to perish for the want of food, and I should say to them,
"Cheer up, brethren, let your hearts be glad and rejoice exceedingly,
for the Lord fed five thousand in ancient days on a few loaves and
fishes, but you need not expect that Ire will do any such thing for
you." Do you think such a people would feel like clapping their hands
or shouting for joy at such an announcement? I look upon all the
sectarian religions of the world, in which our fathers have believed,
in this light. Give me a religion that will feed the soul in my day;
give me a religion that will privilege its believers to hold converse
with God in their own day; that will inspire their hearts with the
revelations. of Heaven, and manifest those things which are great and
heavenly and reveal to them their duties while they live. If I can't
have a religion of this description, I say good bye to all religions.
Nothing short of that will satisfy me as an individual.

Vol. 12,  p.317
A great many good and wholesome truths are taught, notwithstanding, by
almost every religious society, perhaps we may say all, not excepting
the heathen nations, who worship idols. They have a great many good
and wholesome principles among them, as well as a great many that are
evil, and which are calculated to darken the mind, corrupt the heart,
and lead them astray from the true God. If the religions of the day
were full of evil from beginning to end; if there were no principles
of morality included within them, they would not be calculated in
their nature to bring so many into bondage and subjection to them. But
because they have some good, wholesome, moral principles mixed with
their foolish, vain traditions, and powerless forms, millions are
dragged into their snares.

Vol. 12,  p.317
I have oftentimes felt to ask the children of men, how they would look
upon a man at the head of a family of children, say a dozen of sons,
who condescended to be very familiar and sociable with six of them,
the elder ones, and taught and instructed them, developed their minds
and led them along, unfolding principle after principle to them; and
by and by, when the other six came along, believing him to be an
impartal being, and learning of the great blessings bestowed upon
their brethren, they ask for similar blessings, but not one solitary
soul of the six could get a syllable of information from him. Would
you not think that such a father had changed very materially, or that
the children had incurred his displeasure to that extent that he would
not have anything to do with them? Now this is the light in which God
is held up by all the sectarian religions of the day.

Vol. 12,  p.317
We Latter-day Saints have come out from all these vain and foolish
doctrines; we have renounced them. When the glorious Gospel of the Son
of God was sounded in our ears we received it with joy. We saw, in a
great measure, the foolishness of the religions we had been taught all
our days; we saw how powerless they were. We saw that they had no
voice of angels and that God inspired none of them with the spirit of
prophecy; [p.318] we saw that none of them had revelation, or the
visions of heaven opened to their minds; and we also saw the doctrines
they taught were foolish, vain and false, got up by the children of
men without authority from God, and seeing this we renounced the whole
of them.

Vol. 12,  p.318
We oftentimes, in our Tabernacle and meeting houses, have the
privilege of seeing the contrast to this. There are some of our
children, born here in this Territory, who, perhaps, have never formed
much of an idea respecting the false doctrines with which our
forefathers have been bound down for generations. It is true we
occasionally tell them, but they cannot realize it as if they had
experienced it for themselves.

Vol. 12,  p.318
I consider that the most of what we heard delivered from this stand
this forenoon was very good; and according to my views, the principles
advanced were wholesome as far as they went. But sound these doctrines
to the bottom, and we shall find that they who advocate them believe
that King James translation of the Bible contains the last revelation
God ever did give, or that He intends to give to the human family.
That is what they themselves tell us. Now, what particular use is it
to preach up morality and many other good things, and then connect it
with a doctrine of that kind? You may think I am hard, but I could not
help, while listening this forenoon, contrasting this people with all
the light and knowledge that God has poured down from the heavens upon
them, with the formal, powerless systems of the children of men in
which we were so long traditionated.

Vol. 12,  p.318
When we hear salvation preached we know it is true; when we hear that
Jesus is the Author of salvation to all those who obey Him, we know
that is true. But when we ascend still further in these great and
sublime principles we find that, besides believing that Jesus is the
Author of salvation, we must know what He requires of the children of
men, and then obey it. We must find out and understand that He is the
same Author of salvation that He was in ancient days; that if He did
converse with His children in former days, being the same Author of
salvation and unchangeable in His nature and attributes, He is willing
to speak to His children in these times. Could you get the religious
world to believe in or preach such a doctrinal? No. Why? Because it
contradicts their creeds. They have surrounded themselves as it were
with a peck measure and have said to their proselytes, "So far shell
you go in this belief and no farther." You may believe just what the
ancients have written, but you a must not believe anything further.
You may believe that God spoke to Moses and delivered the children of
Israel by His power; but you must he; believe that He will ever raise
up a Moses in our day. You may believe that God gave the keys of His
Kingdom to the Apostle Peter, and gave him the power to unfold the
principles of eternal life in his day, but you must not believe in any
man holding the keys in these days. These are their creeds, and they
will cut you off from their church if you profess to believe in new
revelations, or in anything not contained in the Bible.

Vol. 12,  p.318
I did not think, when I arose, of saying anything about this subject,
but it came into my mind. There are so many great and glorious
principles which God has revealed to this people that it seems as
though we can hardly get time to speak about the false doctrines of
the children of men. We wish to talk about things more glorious;
things which are calculated [p.319] to revive the hearts of the
Saints, to fill them with joy, peace and happiness, and to inspire
them with the hope of blessings to come. 

Vol. 12,  p.319
We Latter-day Saints have not only embraced the first principles of
the Gospel, but we have assembled ourselves from many nations and come
here to these isolated vales with the understanding that we were to be
taught more perfectly in the ways of the Lord. If we have gathered
with any other feelings or views in our hearts we have made a mistake.
The Lord our God could not teach, and build us up in the ordinances of
His Kingdom, without making us one people. We are expecting to obtain
salvation; that, is our great object. If that had not been our object
but very few people would have come so many thousand miles into this
comparatively desert region. This proves the sincerity of those who
have gathered; it proves that they have been willing to do almost
anything if they could but obtain that salvation which they longed
for, and which they desired with all their hearts. You therefore
expect, if you are true Saints, as I have already observed, that when
you come here you will be taught more perfectly in relation to your
duties. Perhaps some may have formed erroneous ideas in regard to
these teachings, thinking in their own heaters that when they arrived
in Zion—the great place of, gathering, they would be taught more
perfectly in spiritual duties, and be continually fed with spiritual
things. Perhaps some may have imbibed the idea that God would not
inspire His servants to say much in regard to temporal matters. This
is one of the things we have learned in the world. 'We not only learn
that God does not speak in our day, and that He has no prophets nor
inspired men, but we also learn that every man must be for himself,
and, so far as property is concerned, the devil for us all. We have
been thoroughly taught this lesson, it has been instilled into our
very constitutions; and to think that God has nothing to do with
temporal matters, and that He can prepare His people to enter the
celestial Kingdom and be made one and equal, as it were, in the
enjoyment of heavenly things, and yet be as divided as the east is
from the west in regard to temporal things, has become a second nature
to us. Even the Latter-day Saints, with all their information and
knowledge and the blessings they have received, can hardly conceive
that the Lord has any business to teach them how to proceed in regard
to their temporal business.

Vol. 12,  p.319
The Lord says, "Unto me all things are spiritual." Did God make this
earth? Yes. Well, it was a spiritual work. He spake, His word went
forth out of His mouth, the elements were brought together and
organized, and the earth was made very good. It was a spiritual work.
We may call it temporal; but, God, in all things pertaining to His
works, is spiritual, and all things to Him, as He says in one of the
revelations, are spiritual. But unto you, ye Latter-day Saint, because
of your traditions, He has made a little distinction, and called same
things temporal and some spiritual. In the great day of the fullness
of the redemption that is promised to the Saints, for which we all
hope, do we expect to be admitted into the presence of a Being who has
no materiality about Him? Do we expect to be admitted into a heaven
that consists of spiritual things according to our ideas? Do we expect
when we get there that we will find beings in whose image we are, and
yet they be intangible and without substance? If we are material, so
will [p.320] they be. If we have flesh and bones after the
resurrection, so will they have flesh and bones. If we are male and
female after the resurrection, so will they be in heavenly society. If
we have thrones of a material nature, so will they have, and their
thrones will be just as material in their nature as the thrones of
this world. It is true that those personages, their thrones and the
elements by which they are surrounded will all be pure. They will be
uncontaminated by sin, being so purified and sanctified that sin will
have no dominion there. But because everything there is pure, it does
not make it altogether immaterial in its nature, it is still an
enduring substance. And when we receive our inheritance there, we
shall receive a tangible inheritance, a spiritual inheritance, and a
material inheritance. Will it consist of land? Yes, just' as much as
the land on which we walk; but the land will be purified and
sanctified. It will neither be contaminated nor unclean, and none but
the clean, pure and sanctified will possesss inheritances there. Do we
have material books here in this world from which we gain information?
Yes. Will they not be. material also in that world? Will there not be
books and records there in abundance? Will not the acts and doings of
the children of men be recorded in books in that world? Will not your
sealings and blessings, and the powers and keys that have been
bestowed upon you be recorded there in books, as well as in books in
this world? Well, then, it is all spiritual and it is all material in
its nature. Are we to possess these spiritual and eternal riches m
that world? We are told in numerOus laws which God, has given that all
of this people are to be made one as it were. No division there; no
quarreling about property; no such thing as one person sitting away
down in rags and another lifted up with immense riches. What do we
read in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, in a revelation given to
Joseph in the early rise of this church, speaking of the property that
was placed in the hands of certain individuals who had entered into
covenant and an everlasting order? The Lord says, "You are merely
stewards; these properties are mine, or else your faith is vain."
"And," says the Lord, "except you are made equal in the bands of
earthly things, (that is in property) you can not be made equal in the
enjoyment of holy and eternal riches."

Vol. 12,  p.320
Well, if there is to be an equality in the eternal worlds throughout
all the celestial hosts in the enjoyment of eternal riches, is it not
necessary for the Latter-day Saints to begin to be one, in some
measure at least, in regard to their possessions here in this world?

Vol. 12,  p.320
How thankful I have been in looking at the great movements that are
taking place, this Fall, in our midst. What a great revolution is
taking place, pointing to this union! Not in its perfection, for the
people are not prepared for it. A perfect order cannot be introduced
yet; that will exist when you go back to Jackson County. We have not
yet learned the lesson that we are but stewards over what the Lord
places in our hands. We have not yet learned the law which should
govern and regulate these matters. Ever since we entered these valleys
every man has been for himself more or less. The merchant to trade and
traffic and gain all he could possibly rake and scrape together. The
mechanic, the farmer and the manufacturer have done the same; and each
one, in all the various branches of businesst hat have been carried on
in our Territory, has been [p.321] constantly grabbing here and
grabbing there, each trying to get rich the soonest and to become a
millionaire without any great exertion.

Vol. 12,  p.321
Now supposing that one man could possess his tens of millions, what
satisfaction is there in that? If a man is engaged in the mercantile
profession and is able to lay up gold like the dust of the earth so
that he could buy the people of the whole Territory, what happiness or
satisfaction would that give him? The satisfaction such a man would
enjoy is as I heard a certain merchant relate not long since,—"that he
had to put wet cloths over his head in order to keep his brain from
being turned inside out," through the care, perplexity and difficulty
he encountered in trying to manage in this why, and that way and the
other way. What for? Why to grasp and gain more and to heap up
property. There is not much happiness, when a man gets into a
condition that his whole soul is drawn out alter property, and his
whole mind, as it were, is carried away with it. How much greater
satisfaction it should give to that man to see all the people get rich
alike, so far as they can under the present imperfect order of things.
It is true all have not the same intellect or capacity; all do not
understand mercantile affairs, neither do all understand the various
branches of business carried on by the people of this Territory. All
may not be able to gather together and heap up wealth alike; but still
a poor man may be an honest man; a poor man may be a good man. A poor
man who has not the faculty for heaping up riches, may, at the same
time, be sincere and honest in his heart, and be striving to de just
as much good as the man who is constantly racking his brain trying to
obtain property. And how much more satifactory it would be to the real
true-hearted merchant Saint to see all his brethren getting rich and
wealthy than it would be to see his millions multiplying around him,
and thousands of his brethren sunk into the lowest depths of poverty,
many of them scarcely knowing where to get the next meal of victuals.

Vol. 12,  p.321
This inordinate desire for riches is a gentile tradition that we were
taught before we came, into this Church. We brought these feelings
into the church; and when we embraced the Gospel we verily thought it
was all spiritual, and had nothing to do with temporal matters. We
came to this valley, filled with these notions and traditions. But it
is time now that we began to awake up and listen to the counsel of him
who is our leader, our Prophet and President. He has been telling us
all the day long that we must become more united, that me must seek
with all our hearts to be one, not only in regard to baptism and the
laying on of hands, and doctrine generally; but united in our
interests as a people, in order that we may build up the kingdom of
God and extend its borders, that when the time shall come for that
great central city to be built up on the consecrated spot this people
may have wealth in their possession to perform the work of God.
Instead of that now poverty reigns, and I have sometimes thought it
would reign until the order of things is changed. Thank God there
seems to be now a beginning, a pointing forward to the time when this
union shall be brought about. I believe the people now are better
prepared to bring about this revolution than they have ever been. Why?
Because they have had a long experience. They have had both sides of
the question laid before them. By their own acts in this Territory
during the last twenty-one years they [p.322] have seen the results of
every man grasping for himself. These results which have been
manifested before them for years, and which are waxing stronger and
stronger, are building up a power in the midst of this Territory that
will cause the Latter-day Saints sorrow in time to come if they do not
wake up. But the wealthy men, the merchants, those who have their
hundreds of thousands are beginning to wake up, and they are taking
hold with a feeling of interest to build up the Kingdom of God
according to the counsels which God has imparted to them by the month
of His servants. If this counsel can only be carried out, not only in
our mercantile arrangements, but in every other branch of business
necessary for the well being of the people of this Territory, you will
find that they will multiply their riches a hundredfold quicker than
they will if they act individually.

Vol. 12,  p.322
Has God said anything about temporal riches? Yes. He told this Church,
before it was one year old that we should become the richest of all
people. His words will be fulfilled. The Lord says we shall not only
have the riches of eternity, but we shall have the riches of the
earth. God does not care how much wealth His people have, provided
they obtain it according to the law he has instituted. Do you suppose
that the Lord wants His people to be always bound down with the
shackles of poverty, distress and suffering? No. He is willing that
you should have your hundreds of thousands. But He wants the riches of
His people to be, at all times, in s position to be used, not to
aggrandize themselves alone, but for the building up of His latter-day
Kingdom here on the earth. We have got that to do. The Lord has
decreed in this book that He will consecrate of the riches of the
gentiles that embrace His Gospel, unto the poor of His people who are
of the House of Israel. Now can we get away from that? No. Here are
hundreds of thousands of the poor of His people of the House of Israel
on these mountains and in North and South America. God has not
forgotten them, though they are degraded to the level, of the brute
beasts, though they are wandering because of the iniquities and
apostacy of their fathers. Although they are in this forlorn and
outcast condition, God has not forgotten the promises made to their
fathers. They are to be lifted up, and it is to do this work that we
are privileged to enjoy their land. We are not in possession of our
land of promise particularly, only as we obtain it by a renewed
promise; but we are inheriting a land that was given to the remnant of
Joseph, and God has said that we must be remembered with them in the
possession of this land.

Vol. 12,  p.322
If, then, the remnant of Joseph can furnish us a land of promise on
which to dwell, and on which to build our buildings and become strong,
ought we not in turn to take those riches which we earn by our own
industry, and use them for the redemption of that people? We have got
to do it. It is the work on our hands. And if we do it we must rid
ourselves of this covetuous principle that prompts us to take all that
we can grasp, and say, "this shall be for me and my family, that I may
aggrandize myself, and have things around me far superior to my
neighbors."

Vol. 12,  p.322
This principle must be eradicated from our natures; and I think, so
far as my poor weak judgment goes, a foundation has been laid, and a
plan devised that will affect every branch of business from the
mercantile establishment down to the farmer and mechanic. Everything
must be organized [p.323] according to the law of Heaven. This will
prepare us for the more perfect law that will come in force, when the
Lord shall command this people to go back to the place where the
central city shall be built. We have to build that city; we have to
furnish riches to do it. We must prepare ourselves for it; and when we
get there, there will be more perfect order established than that
which is now being instituted.

Vol. 12,  p.323
God has not permitted us yet to enter a perfect order. He told the
people when they were scattered from that land to let those laws which
He had given concerning the properties of His children be executed and
fulfilled after the redemption of Zion. Now, I doubt whether you can
execute them before that time; but you can get as near to them as you
can, so that you may not be wholly strangers to the order which God
will introduce when you go back to that land. For thus saith the Lord
God in one of the new revelations which He has given, recorded in the
history of Joseph the prophet, "Behold I will send one mighty and
strong, clothed with light as a garment, whose mouth shall utter
words—eternal words, and whose bowels shall be a fountain of truth,
who shall divide to the Saints their inheritances." He will send one
ordained to this purpose, and to fulfill this particular duty, that
the Saints may receive their inheritances alter they have consecrated
everything in their possession. Then we can build up a city that will
be a city of perfection, "the perfection of beauty." I want to see
that day, whether in the flesh or out of it, and rejoice in it, and
partake of its glories. May God bless you. Amen.

Brigham Young, January 10 1869

Reflections of the Gospel of Christ—Intelligence and Progress

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Jan. 10th, 1869.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.323
If the congregation can hear with me a few minutes I have a few
reflections to offer with regard to our religion. It is a matter that
should occupy the attention of the wise, the good and the noble. When
we converse, in public or private, on the religion we profess, we are
apt to regard it as something strange, new; something unheard of
before, and as being unworthy of the attention of the wise and to be
passed by by the great and noble. These reflections I have, and I
presume others have them. Why is it so? The question can be readily
answered by saying that the natural man is at enmity with God. That
fallen nature in every one is naturally opposed, inherently, through
the fall; to God and to His Kingdom, and wants nothing to do with
them. Is there anything connected with our religion that is derogatory
to the character of [p.324] the most refined? No, there is not. Though
there may be good morals taught in the world our religion strengthens
that which is good and adds to it, and is calculated to benefit every
one. It reaches after every condition of the human family from the
time that Adam came to the earth to the latest of his posterity, no
matter where they are. It calls upon those who are now here in the
flesh and commends itself to the good. Are the nations wise? Admit
that they are, what would the Gospel of the Son of God do for them?
Make them wiser. Are the people good? O yes, we say they are. What
would the Gospel do for them? Make them better. It will add virtue to
virtue, knowledge to knowledge, holiness to holiness, godliness to
godliness, brotherly kindness to brotherly kindness, charity to
charity and every qualification calculated to ennoble, benefit and
exalt the intelligence that is now upon the earth, even into the
presence of our Father. Now we possess intelligence as nations, as
individuals, as rulers and as ruled, as ministers, as speakers, as
preachers and as people. We belong to that family that is crowned with
intelligence, the highest there is in the eternities.

Vol. 12,  p.324
Is there anything in our religion that should startle the nations of
the earth? No, there is not, not the least thing in the world. And yet
we talk about it as though the people would be struck with wonder if
we should tell them what it is. Why it is nothing more than to receive
the things of God,—the knowledge that God possesses, and by which He
has been crowned with glory, immortality and eternal lives; the
knowledge that is possessed by the angels and by those who live in the
presence of the Father; to receive of that knowledge, to dispense it
to others, and through this to acquire every qualification necessary
to prepare us to enter again into His presence. Is there anything very
starting about this? No, there is not. Not alluding to anything that
has been said here, we always talk and feel as though there is
something or other about the Gospel of the Son of God that the people
cannot bear, What is it? Truth. "What caused the Latter-day Saints to
embrace the Gospel?" is a question that has been asked, your humble
servant many times. The answer is very obvious and clear,—because it
is true. The very reason why I embraced the Gospel is because it
contained all truth. Is there any, thing so startling about this to
men and women, intelligent beings, who are fashioned after the very
image, and who are the children of our Father and God, whom we worship
and who sits enthroned in yonder heavens and who rules, governs and
controls all things? I pause upon this; He controls all that lie can
control. He will not control you and myself in our own agency; but lie
will control and govern and bring forth the results of our acts, let
them be good or evil.

Vol. 12,  p.324
We are the offspring of that Being, each and every one of us, no
matter who we are. If we go to the West, East, North or South or to
the uttermost parts of the earth, and gather up the human family and
bring them here, they are the offspring of that Being we worship as
God. Is this very strange? Is this anything that should be very
startling to the minds of any people on the face of the earth? I ask
you, my brethren and sisters, is there anything so very strange in
this? And yet, perhaps, the most of us who are now here in this room
to-day, mingle with those who fear not God nor regard His word in the
least, and we would almost be [p.325] ashamed to acknowledge that we
are professors of religion, that we are Latter-day Saints, that we
believe in Jesus Christ, that we have been baptized for the remission
of our sins and that we believe in the ordinances of the House of God.
How is it with each and every one of you on this point?

Vol. 12,  p.325
We see the inhabitants of the earth are filled with intelligence. Look
at the progress made during the past few years in the sciences, and
perhaps we may say, in some particulars, in the arts; but especially
in the sciences. From whom has this knowledge been obtained? Has man,
of himself searched out the improvements by which the human race is
now so much benefitted and blessed? No, he has not. Where did he get
it? It came from Him who is the giver of every good and perfect gift,
no matter what it is, if it be to make any one of these my sisters
excel as a wise and discreet housekeeper even that knowledge comes
from Him. We nave received our lives and everything that tends to life
and salvation, to truth and holiness; everything pertaining to the
things of God, in the heavens, on the earth, all mechanism, every
improvement that is made has its source with God.

Vol. 12,  p.325
Now what is there about our religion that should be very startling? We
say we have progressed; so we have. We say the religion we have
embraced will increase and extend on the earth. This I believe myself,
but whether we shall be benefitted by it or not depends entirely upon
our faithfulness to it. Do you think the Lord Almighty will reveal the
great improvements in the arts and sciences which are being constantly
made known and will not revive a pure religion? If any man imagines
that with the mighty strides which the sciences have been making for a
few years past, there will be no improvement in religion that man is
vain in his imagination. God will improve the religion of the nations
of the earth in proportion to the improvement made in the sciences.
This is true whether you believe it or not. The Lord has commenced the
work, and it is a marvelous one.

Vol. 12,  p.325
Let me ask my brethren and sisters around me, Can you tell when the
first carding machine was brought to America? Do you remember, my aged
brethren and sisters, when you used to have to card your cotton and
wool and tow by hand? Yes, many of you, Americans, remember it; (it is
not so with our foreign brethren;) but some of the Americans here can
remember when there was no such thing on the continent of America as a
carding machine. Yet now look into the houses of the poorest sisters
we have and see the crockery, and fine linen with which they can
spread and adorn their tables! How was it seventy years ago? It is
only a little over a hundred years since they first made crockery in
England, and since I can remember the people used to eat off wooden
plates. But see the advancement and improvement the Lord has conferred
on the children of men, and then say if you think He is not going to
improve their morals and their religion. It is a mistaken idea to
suppose that He will not. He will improve us in every sense of the
word, in every trait of life, and bring us up to the wisdom He designs
to bestow upon His children here on the earth. If we reject this truth
and knowledge we shall go back to ignorance. Let the inhabitants of
the earth join hands now to obliterate this people called Latter-day
Saints and their religion from the earth, and they will go to
heathenism; but let them favor, foster, nourish and cherish them, and
the sciences will advance [p.326] with double strides from what they
have hitherto. These are a few of my reflections.

Vol. 12,  p.326
As to the morals of the world, I have said it a great many times and
still say that there are just as good men and women on the earth in
other societies and communities as we have here, as far as they
understand; and we are after such ones.

Vol. 12,  p.326
Now, my brethren and sisters, be encouraged, and if you meet with a
gentleman, do not say, "well, I think he does not profess religion,
and it will not do for me to say I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,"
but take a pride in acknowledging the Savior. Train and educate
yourselves until you will take a pride in acknowledging God the Author
of all. Take a pride in the religion that makes you pure and holy, and
that produces in the heart of every individual who embraces it a
feeling to be truthful in every word he speaks, to be honest in every
act he performs, in all his dealings with his neighbors. Take a pride
in this and fear not the wicked.

Vol. 12,  p.326
I have often said, and I can say it now in truth, there is not a
wicked man on the face of the earth but what reveres a pure servant of
God. They may not acknowledge it with their organs of speech, but in
their hearts, sentiments, and feelings they revere such a character.
When they see a pure and holy man or woman, say they, "I wish I was as
good as you are." Then let us take a pride in acknowledging our
religion and living it, by being virtuous, true and good in
everything, and then take pride in educating your minds until you can
conquer and control yourselves in everything. Educate your children in
all the knowledge the world can give them. God has given it to the
world, it is all His. Every true principle, every true science, every
art, and all the knowledge that men posses, or that they ever did or
ever will possess is from God. We should take pains and pride to
instill this knowledge into the minds of our neighbors, and our
brethren, and rear our children so that the learning and education of
the world may be theirs, and that virtue, truth and holiness may crown
their lives that they may be saved in the Kingdom of God.

Vol. 12,  p.326
May the Lord help us to do so. Amen.

Joseph F. Smith, November 25, 1868

The Testimony of the Latter-Day Saints—Their 
Duties—the Testimony of the Spirit of God

DISCOURSE by Joseph F. Smith, delivered in the New 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Nov. 25th, 1868.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.326
Somewhat unexpectedly I am called to stand before you, but I do so
with pleasure, as I have a testimony to bear to the work we are
engaged in; and it gives me pleasure when an opportunity is afforded
to give expression to my feelings in relation to that work. That we
have the Gospel and [p.327] have enjoyed its blessings, and that the
ordinances of the Gospel have been administered to us as Latter-day
Saints, there are thousands of witnesses in this Territory and in many
places in the world. The testimony of the truth of this work is not
confined to one or to a few; but there are thousands who can declare
that they know it is true, because it has been revealed to them.

Vol. 12,  p.327
We as a people are increasing in numbers, and the Lord Almighty is
increasing His blessings upon us, and the people are expanding in
their understandings and in the knowledge of the truth. I feel
grateful to my heavenly Father that I have been permitted to live in
this generation, and have been permitted to become acquainted,
somewhat, with the principles of the Gospel. I am thankful that I have
had the privilege of having a testimony of its truth, and that I am
permitted to stand here and elsewhere to bear my testimony to the
truth that the Gospel has been restored to man.

Vol. 12,  p.327
I have traveled somewhat among the nations preaching the Gospel and
have seen something of the condition of the world, and to a certain
extent have become acquainted with the feelings of men, and with the
religions of the world. I am aware that the Gospel, as revealed in the
Bible, can not be found in the world; the ordinances of that Gospel
are not administered in any church except the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints. If we make ourselves acquainted with the tenets
of the religious world we shall find that they have not the Gospel nor
its ordinances; they have a form of godliness, and I have no doubt,
are as sincere as we who have obeyed the Gospel as revealed from
heaven in these days. But they are devoid of the knowledge which we
possess, and it is from the fact that they deny the source by which
they might receive this knowledge,—namely, revelation from Jesus
Christ. In their minds they have closed up the heavens; they declare
that God has revealed all that is necessary, that the canon of
scripture is full, and that no more will be revealed. Believing thus,
they close up the avenue of light and intelligence from heaven; and
this will continue so long as they continue in their present course of
unbelief. They will not listen, as we have heard this afternoon, to
the testimony of men who tell them that the Lord lives, and that He is
able to reveal His will to man to-day as ever· They will not hoed this
testimony, consequently they close the door of light and revelation.
They cannot advance, nor learn the ways of God nor walk in His paths.

Vol. 12,  p.327
We testify that the barriers which separated man from God have been
overcome, that the Lord again communicates His will to man. "But,"
says one, "How shall we become acquainted with these things? How can
we know that you are not deceived?" To all such we say, repent of your
sins in all sincerity, then go forth and be baptized, and have hands
laid upon you for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and that spirit will
bear record to you of the truth of our testimony, and you will become
witnesses of it as we are, and will be able to stand forth boldly and
testify to the world as we do. This was the path pointed out by Peter
and the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, when the spirit of the Lord
Almighty rested, upon them with great power to the convincing of the
hearts of the people, who cried out, "Men and brethren what shall we
do?" And Peter said unto them, "Repent and be baptized every one of
you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye
shall [p.328] receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." This was the
counsel given them, and inasmuch as they obeyed it they were entitled
to the testimony of the Holy Spirit which would bring peace and
happiness and reveal to them their duties and enable them to
understand their relationship to God.

Vol. 12,  p.328
If we look at the condition of the World to-day we must come to the
conclusion that peace is not likely soon to be established on the
earth. There is nothing among the nations that tends to peace. Even
among the religious societies the tendency is not to peace and union.
They do not bring men to a knowledge of God; they do not possess that
"one God, one faith, one baptism, and one hope of their calling" that
are spoken of in the scriptures. Every man has gone according to his
own notions, independent of revelations, and hence confusion and
division exist, their churches are broken up, and they are quarreling
and contending with each other. And as it is in the religious, so it
is in the political world, they are all divided, and the more energy
they put forth to make proselytes, the greater are their contentions,
and the further they go from the mark. This is the condition they have
been in, and the course they have been pursuing for almost eighteen
hundred years, until, to-day, they have become so divided that I think
it would puzzle any one to tell how many religious denominations there
are in Christendom. There are thousands too, who, in consequence of
the strife and contention among the religious sects, have become
entirely sceptical respecting religion of every kind, and they have
concluded that there is no God, at any rate that there is no God among
"Christians"—that all religionists are fanatics and are deceived. The
sectarian systems of religion are calculated to lead men of reflection
and intelligence into scepticism, to cause them to deny all
interference of God with men and their affairs, and be deny even His
right to interfere.

Vol. 12,  p.328
The Lord Almighty is the Creator of the earth. He is the Father of all
our spirits. He has the right to dictate what we shall do, and it is
our duty to obey, and to walk according to His requirements. This is
natural, and perfectly easy to be comprehended. The Gospel has been
restored to the earth, and the priesthood again established, and both
are enjoyed by this people; but those unacquainted with the workings
of the Gospel and the priesthood look upon us with wonder, and are
astonished at the union that exists in our midst. We move as a man,
almost; we hearken to the voice of our leader; we are united in our
faith and in our works, whether politically or religiously. The world
cannot understand this, and they behold it with wonder.

Vol. 12,  p.328
Let me tell my brethren and friends that this is one of the effects of
the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have become united in our faith by one
baptism; we know that Jesus Christ lives, we know that He is our
Savior and Redeemer, we have a testimony of this independent of any
written books and we testify of these things to the world. This unison
in the midst of the people called Latter-day Saints, and their
prosperity are hard for a great many to understand. I have, however,
heard it said, that we have not made such rapid advancement in
material prosperity as we boast of, and that we are not so wealthy as
our neighbors. But when our circumstances, and the condition of the
country when we came here are considered, I think this statement can
not be sustained. When we came here we were penniless, and we have not
had the advantage of wealth or [p.329] commerce to help to enrich us,
but all we possess, is the result of our own physical labor and the
blessing of God. We have labored under great disadvantages in
freighting our goods and machinery over these vast plains, and besides
this we have had a barren soil and drouth to contend with, and when
all these things are considered I think we have been prospered more
than any other people. And as it has been in the past so will it be in
the future,—we will increase, and extend our borders, for this is the
work of God, we are His people, and He will continue to bless us as He
has done hitherto.

Vol. 12,  p.329
Our business is to learn our duties one towards the other and towards
our leaders. this is a lesson that we seem rather slow to learn. But
it should be with us, as Br. Miller said this morning, when our
leaders speak it is for us to obey; when they direct we should
go;'when they call we should follow. Not as beings who are enslaved or
in thraldom; we should not obey blindly, as instruments of tools. No
Latter-day Saint acts in this manner; no man or woman who has embraced
the Gospel has ever acted in this way; but on the contrary they have
felt to listen cheerfully to the counsels of the servants of God as
far as they were able to comprehend them. The difficulty is not in
getting the Latter-day Saints to do right, but in getting them to
comprehend what is right. We have obeyed the counsels of our leaders
because we have known they have been inspired by the Holy Spirit and
because we positively have known that they have been given for our
good. We do know and have always known that our leaders have been
fathers to us, and that they have been inspired with wisdom superior
to that which we possess. For this reason we take hold of everything
they present to us for the good of Zion.

Vol. 12,  p.329
We are engaged in the great latter-day work, of preaching the Gospel
to the nations, gathering the poor and building up Zion upon the
earth. We are working for the triumph of righteousness, for the
subjugation of sin and the errors of the age in which we live. It is a
great and glorious work. We believe it is right to love God with all
our hearts, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. We believe it is
wrong to lie, steal, commit adultery, or any act forbidden by the
Gospel of Christ. We believe in all the teachings of the Savior and in
everything that is good and moral, and calculated to exalt mankind or
to ameliorate their condition, to unite them in doing good. These are
among the principles of the Gospel, and these principles have been
taught to us from the commencement of our career as members of this
Church. These principles are carried out among us to an extent not to
be found among any other people. We do not believe in worshipping God
or being religious on the Sabbath day only; but we believe it is as
necessary to be religious on Monday, Tuesday and every day in the week
as it is on the Sabbath day; we believe that it is as necessary to do
to our neighbors as we would they should do unto us, during the week
as it is on the Sabbath. In short we believe it is necessary to live
our religion every day in the week, every hour in the day, and every
moment. Believing and acting thus we become strengthened in our faith,
the spirit of God increases within us, we advance in knowledge and we
are better able to defend the cause we are engaged in.

Vol. 12,  p.329
To be a true representative of this cause a man must live faithful to
the light that he has; he must be pure,[p.330] virtuous and upright.
If he comes short of this he is not a fair representative or this
work. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the perfect law of liberty. It is
calculated to lead man to the highest state of glory, and to exalt him
in the presence of our Heavenly Father, "with whom is no variableness
neither shadow of turning." If there is any folly to be seen in the
midst of this people, it, is the folly and weakness of man, and is not
because of any failing or lack in the plan of salvation. The Gospel is
perfect in its organization. It is for us to learn the Gospel and to
become acquainted with the principles of truth, to humble ourselves
before God that we may bring ourselves into subjection to His laws,
and be continually willing to listen to the counsels of those whom the
Lord has appointed to guide us.

Vol. 12,  p.330
We know that God has spoken; we testify of this. We stand as witnesses
to the world that this is true. We ask no odds of any man, community
or nation on the face of the earth in relation to these things. We
bear a fearless testimony that they are true. We also bear testimony
that Brigham Young is a prophet of the living God, and that he has the
revelations of Jesus Christ; that he has guided this people by the
power of revelation from the time he became their leader until the
present, and he has never failed in his duty or mission. He has been
faithful before God, and faithful to this people. We bear this
testimony to the world. We fear not, neither do we heed their scorn,
contempt or sneers. We are used to it. As Br. George A. has said, we
have seen it and heard it, and have become inured to it. We know in
whom we have believed. We know He, in whom we trust, is God, for it
has been revealed to us. We are not in the dark, neither have we
obtained our knowledge from any man, synod or collection of men, but
through the revelations of Jesus. If there be any who doubt us let
them repent of their sins. Is there any harm in your forsaking your
follies and evils, and in bowing in humility before God for His
spirit, and, in obedience to the words of the Savior, being baptized
for the remission of sins, and having hands laid upon you for the gift
of the Holy Ghost that you may have a witness for yourselves of the
truth of the words we speak to you? Do this humbly and honestly, and
as sure as the Lord lives I promise to you that you will receive the
testimony of this work for yourselves and will know it as all the
Latter-day Saints know it. This is the promise; it is sure and
steadfast. It is something tangible; it is in the power of every man
to prove for himself whether we speak the truth or whether we lie. We
do not come as deceivers or impostors before the world; we do not come
with the intention to deceive, but we come with the plain simple truth
and leave it to the world to test it and gets knowledge for
themselves. It is the right of every soul that lives—the high, low,
rich, poor, great and small to have this testimony for themselves
inasmuch as they will obey the Gospel.

Vol. 12,  p.330
Jesus in ancient times sent His disciples forth to preach the Gospel
to every creature, saying they that believed and were baptized should
be saved, but they that believed not should be damned. And said he,
"These signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they
cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up
serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them;
they shall lay bands on the sick and they shall recover." These are
the promises made [p.331] anciently; and there are thousands in this
Territory and in this congregration who can bear testimony that they
have realized the fulfillment of these promises in this day. The
healing of the sick among us has become so common that it is
apparently but little thought of. We have also seen the lame made to
walk and the blind to receive their sight, the deaf to hear and the
dumb to speak. These things we have seen done by the power of God and
not by the cunning or wisdom of men; we know that these signs do
fellow the preaching of the Gospel. Yet these testimonies of its truth
are but poor and weak when compared with the whisperings of the still
small voice of the spirit of God. The latter is a testimony that none
who enjoy it can deny; it cannot be overcome for it brings conviction
to the heart that cannot be reasoned away or disproved, whether it can
be accounted for on philosophical principles or not. This testimony
comes from God and convinces all to whom it is given in spite of
themselves, and is worth more to me than any sign or gift beside,
because it gives peace and happiness, contentment and quiet to my
soul. It assures me that God lives, and that if I am faithful I shall
obtain the blessings of the celestial kingdom.

Vol. 12,  p.331
Is this unscriptural or contrary to reason or to any revealed truth?
No, it is in consonance with and in corroboration of all revealed
truth known to man. The Lord Almighty lives, and He operates by the
power of His spirit over the hearts of the children of men and holds
the nations of the earth in His hands. He created the earth upon which
we dwell, and its treasures are His; and He will do with us according
as we merit. As we are faithful or unfaithful so will the Almighty
deal with us, for we are His children and we are heirs of God and
joint heirs with Jesus Christ.

Vol. 12,  p.331
we have a glorious destiny before us, we are engaged in a glorious
work. It is worth all our attention, it is worth our lives and
everything the Lord has put into our possession, and then ten thousand
times more. Indeed there is no comparison, it is all in all, it is
incomparable. It is all that is and all that ever will be. The Gospel
is salvation, and without it there is nothing worth having. We came
naked into the world and shall go hence the same. If we were to
accumulate half the world, it would avail us nothing so far as
prolonging life here, or securing eternal life hereafter. But the
Gospel teaches men to be humble, faithful, honest and righteous before
the Lord and with each other, and in proportion as its principles are
carried out so will peace and righteousness extend and be established
on the earth, and sin, contention, bloodshed and corruption of all
kinds cease to exist, and the earth become purified and be made a fit
abode for heavenly beings; and for the Lord our God to come and, dwell
upon, which He will do during the Millennium.

Vol. 12,  p.331
The principles of the Gospel which the Lord has revealed in these days
will lead us to eternal life. This is what we are after; what we were
created for, what the earth was created for. The reason that we are
here is that we may overcome every folly and prepare ourselves for
eternal life in the future. I do not think that a principle of
salvation is available only as it can be applied in our lives. For
instance, if there is a principle calculated in its nature to save me
from the penalty of any crime; it will avail me nothing unless I act
upon it this moment. If I do this and continue to do so I act upon the
princple of salvation, and I am secure [p.332] from the penalty of
that crime and will be forever so long as I abide by that principle or
law. It is just so with the principles of the Gospel—they are a
benefit or not, just as they are or are not applied in our lives.

Vol. 12,  p.332
Then let us be faithful and humble; let us live the religion of
Christ, put away our follies and sins and the weaknesses of the flesh,
and cleave to God and His truth with undivided hearts, and with full
determination to fight the good fight of faith and continue steadfast
to the end, which may God grant us power to do is my. prayer in the
name of Jesus: Amen.

George A. Smith, November 15, 1863

The Sacrament—the Church of Christ—Different 
Dogmas of Christianity—Book of Mormon—
the Testimony of Joseph Smith

DISCOURSE by President George A. Smith, delivered in the 
Old Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Nov. 15th, 1863.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.332
The occasion of administering the Sacrament, the emblems of the death
and sufferings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, is a suitable time
for every Latter-day Saint to make the inquiry, why are we Latter-day
Saints; and for making an examination of some of the reasons which
have moved upon us to receive the doctrines of this Latter-day
dispensation, thereby subjecting ourselves to the jeers, scoffs and
ridicule of our former friends and acquaintances.

Vol. 12,  p.332
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized on the
6th of April, 1830, with six members, who had received baptism through
the administration of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, the first
elders of the Church. The cause of that organization is something we
should consider when we inquire, why we are Latter-day Saints. At that
time, as at present, there existed in the world a great; variety of
religious denominations, which were divided under general heads, and
subdivided into smaller divisions. Those who worship idols comprise
probably more than one-half of the inhabitants of the earth; the
followers of Mahomet, a very large portion of the remainder, perhaps
one hundred and fifty millions of people. They receive the doctrines
of the Arabian prophet. They discard idols, and follow the rules,
precepts and ceremonies laid down in the Koran. They are sub-divided
into numerous sects. The portion of the world who acknowledge the
Christian religion probably embraces a population of two hundred and
fifty millions, the three main divisions of which are the Holy
Catholic Church, or Church of Rome, the Greek Church, and the
Protestant Churches. There are a great many sub-divisions of the
Protestant Churches, such as the Lutheran, Baptist, Episcopal,
Presbyterian, Methodist, and others. I will not undertake to enumerate
them. I have heard it said that the number corresponds with the number
of the [p.333] beast spoken of by John in Revelations, who declares
the number of the name of the beast to be 666.

Vol. 12,  p.333
In a debate, some years ago, between Alexander Campbell, the founder
of the Disciples or Reform Baptists, and Bishop Purcell, of
Cincinnati, on the Catholic religion, Mr. Campbell undertook to prove
that the numeral letters that composed the name of the beast would
answer to the name of the Catholic Church. Bishop Purcell made a very
faceitous reply, saying that he could find the same numeral letters in
the name of Alexander Campbell, and could find in these numerals, he
thought, the beast with a hump on his back.

Vol. 12,  p.333
Now, though all these sects professing Christianity differ on various
points, there is one peculiarity belonging to the whole of them,—they
all unite in declaring that God has ceased to give revelation and that
He has ceased to inspire men with the spirit of prophecy. While they
are all united on this point, they are divided on other points, such,
for instance, as the doctrine of Transubstantiation, or the belief
entertained by the Catholics, that the bread and wine consecrated for
the Sacrament become the actual body and blood of Christ. I suppose
that tens of thousands of men have died on the field of battle
endeavoring to settle this question by the sword. Another point of
difference is in relation to the form of baptism, some contending that
to dip the finger into a cup of water and sprinkle an infant will
answer as well as for an adult to go down into the water and be
immersed as the Savior was. Thousands of learned men have exhausted
their ingenuity trying to determine whether a certain Greek word, from
which the word baptism is derived, means to immerse, to sprinkle or to
pour.

Vol. 12,  p.333
In consequence of these differences of opinion societies and churches
have been organized, not one of them having knowledge enough to
inquire of the Lord and get a revelation to decide the matter. And if
any one tried to think of it and proposed such a thing he would
subject himself to the ridicule of the whole, for they say, "all these
things are done away with."

Vol. 12,  p.333
When Joseph Smith was about fourteen or fifteen years old, living in
the Western part of the State of New York, there was a revival of
religion, and the different sects in that portion of the
State—principally Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists—preached the
necessity of belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, and repentance in order
to be saved, declaring that unless men and women did this, and
obtained what they refined, "a hope for the future," they would be
cast into a lake of fire and brimstone, and there remain for ever. I
have heard men spend hours in endeavoring to explain how long this
hell would last. It was frequently illustrated in this manner,
"Suppose a bird could carry a drop of water from this planet to
another, and be gone a year on the journey, and continue this until
every drop of water, on the earth was carried away, and then should
take a particle of sand and go to another planet and be gone a
thousand years, and carry one article of sand at a time until every
particle of matter of which this globe is composed was carried away,
that then this eternal punishment would have just commenced, and that
the torture and pain there inflicted were So great that no mortal
could conceive anything about it." The general effort in their
preaching was to scare men into the road to heaven by such
descriptions of eternal punishment. When eloquent men deliver such
discourses they produce, especially upon ignorant people, more or less
agitation,[p.334] and when this is pretty general it is called a
revival of religion. But when the excitement subsides and the converts
have obtained what is termed "a hope," then the sects who may have
united in bringing about such results begin to scramble to secure the
converts. It was so at the time to which I have referred in western
New York. The Baptists wanted their share, and the Methodists and
Presbyterians theirs; and the scramble ended in a very unpleasant and
un-Christian state of feeling.

Vol. 12,  p.334
Joseph Smith had attended these meetings, and when this result was
reached he saw clearly that something was wrong. He had read the Bible
and had found that passage in James which says, "If any of you lack
wisdom let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and
upbraideth not," and taking this literally, he went humbly before the
Lord and inquired of Him, and the Lord answered his prayer, and
revealed to Joseph, by the ministration of angels, the true condition
of the religious world. When the holy angel appeared, Joseph inquired
which of all these denominations was right and which he should join,
and was told they were all wrong,—they had all gone astray,
transgressed the laws, changed the ordinances and broken the
everlasting covenant, and that the Lord was about to restore the
priesthood and establish His Church, which would be the only true and
living Church on the face of the whole earth.

Vol. 12,  p.334
Joseph, feeling that to make known such a vision would be to subject
himself to the ridicule of all around him, knew not what to do. But
the vision was repeated several times, and in these repetitions he was
instructed to communicate that which he had seen to his father. His
father was not a member of any church, but was a man of exemplary
life. His mother and bro. Hyrum were members of the Presbyterian
church. Joseph communicated what be had seen to his father, who
believed his testimony, and told him to observe the instructions that
had been given him.

Vol. 12,  p.334
These visits led, in a short time, to the bringing forth of the record
known as the Book of Mormon, which contained the fullness of the
Gospel as it had been preached by the Savior and his apostles to the
inhabitants of this land; also a history of the falling away of the
people who dwelt on this continent and the dealings of God with them.

Vol. 12,  p.334
A great many of us can recollect that when we read the Bible in our
young days it was like a sealed book; and we were taught, and the
sentiment had been impressed upon us, that its contents had a two or
threefold spiritual meaning, and that it required a man who had
studied divinity to explain these hidden meanings. Yet we found in the
New Testament that "no prophecy of the scripture is of any private
interpretation, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the
Holy Ghost." When we read the Book of Mormon it was a key to unlock
the scriptures to our understandings; while perusing its pages, light
burst upon our minds, and in this way the Book of Mormon revealed to
us the light of the Gospel which before had seemed obscure.

Vol. 12,  p.334
The Gospel has connected with it certain ordinances, such for instance
as the ordinance of baptism. Who has authority to administer this
ordinance?

Vol. 12,  p.334
If we make the inquiry among the sects, the Baptists will say, "We
have." Where did you get it? "One Peter Waldo, a merchant, translated
the four gospels and he established [p.335] a church." Where did he
get his authority? "Why, some say he hired a monk to translate the
gospels." Where did the monk get his priesthood and authority to
administer? I think it must have come down through the church of Rome,
if the church of Rome bad authority." When these reformers came out
from it they were cut, off and denounced as apostates, and if the
priesthood they received clime from the church of Rome, of course a
stream cannot rise higher than its fountain, hence if the Romish
church had the authority of the priesthood to give them she had the
power to take it away. The question therefore answeres itself. If
there were any authority at all it was in the Romish church, yet these
apostates from her united in denouncing her as the mother of harlots.
It is clear enough, therefore, that they were all in darkness, and
that none of them had revelations from God but were depending upon
forms of godliness without the power for the support of their several
religions, however holy they might call them. the result of this
universal darkness and apostacy was that God had to reveal the
priesthood anew, and through the administration of holy angels he gave
authority to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, to baptize each other
and to baptize, confirm and ordain others and to preach and administer
the Gospel to this generation. This authority was not derived from the
church of Rome or any other organization, but was given by special and
direct revelation from Heaven.

Vol. 12,  p.335
It was no sooner noised abroad that Joseph Smith was preaching the
Gospel in its purity and administering its ordinances than a howl went
up from all the world that he was an impostor, an ignorant fellow, a
man without education, and the Book of Mormon was denounced as
ungrammatical. An argument was raised that if it had been translated
by the gift and power of God it would have been strictly grammatical.
Now so far as grammer is concerned we have King James' Bible before us
which was translated two hundred and fifty years ago, by a large
number of the most learned men that could be found in Great Britain,
and it was put into the best language of that time; but since that day
the English language has undergone so many changes and improvements
that societies have been formed in various countries for the express
purpose of re-translating the Bible so as to make it in accordance
with the modern usages of our language. When the Lord reveals anything
to men He reveals it in language that accords with their own. If any
or you were to converse with an angel, and you used strictly
grammatical language he would do the same. But if you used two
negatives in a sentence the heavenly messenger would use language to
correspond with your understanding, and this very objection to the
Book of Mormon is an evidence in its favor.

Vol. 12,  p.335
It has been claimed that a Presbyterian minister, named Solomon
Spaulding, wrote the Book of Mormon; but the very language and style
of the book are abundant evidence that it never was written by a
learned man and that it never was written by a man who designed to
make a romance or novel. It is very well known to hundreds and
thousands that this statement in relation to Solomon Spaulding is
entirely false, and that no such man ever had any acquaintance with
Joseph Smith. It is also known to hundreds that the Book of Mormon was
written by Oliver Cowdery, word for word as dictated by Joseph Smith,
and that the original [p.336] copy of that work was in Cowdery's
handwriting.

Vol. 12,  p.336
When Joseph Smith commenced to bear testimony to the things of the
kingdom and to tell the people to repent of their sins and put away
their hypocrisy and corruption, and to be baptized for the remission
of their sins and receive the laying on of hands for the reception of
the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost fell on them who obeyed, and bore
testimony to them that they had received the truth. And thousands of
the Elders have testified throughout the earth that they knew this was
the work of God, for God had revealed it unto them; and they have
declared that all who would humble themselves before the Lord and obey
the principles of the Gospel, though they might subject themselves to
the jeers and scoffs of those around them, and suffer persecution at
the hands of mobs, would receive a testimony from God that this was
His work.

Vol. 12,  p.336
The Elders, in bearing this testimony, have received anything but
encouraging treatment. They have been mobbed, stoned, daubed with tar
and feathers, driven from place to place and persecuted in every way.
The pulpit and the press have teemed with abuse against them, and the
whole Christian world has appeared to be anxious to destroy the
"Mormons" as they are called. Elder Parley P. Pratt, before receiving
the Gospel, was a minister of the Reformed Baptist, or Campbellite,
Church in Ohio. This sect had a brick meeting house in Mentor, Geauga,
now Lake Co. The people who owned this house had prided themselves on
their great liberality, they would give everybody a chance to preach.
Bro. Pratt, wishing to preach to them went there but found the door
shut against him, and the congregation assembled outside. He preached
on the door step. Quite a number of his former Christian brethren had
gone to a neighboring grocery and qualified the inner man with
something stimulating, and having supplied themselves with eggs, and
procured a drum and fife they marched backwards and farwards in front
of the speaker, throwing their eggs at him until their supply,—five
dozen—was exhausted. Elder Pratt kept on preaching and bearing
testimony of the truth of the Gospel. Among those present who seemed
to enjoy the scene was a Campbellite, a grave looking deacon, to whom
a young man, a stranger, who happened to be present said, "Is this the
way you worship God in this country?" "Oh, no Sir? answered the
deacon, "that man is a 'Mormon.'" The stranger then remarked, "his
talk is very reasonable." "Yes," said the old gentleman, "but he is a
'Mormon,' and we do not intend that he shall preach here? "He appears
very cool," remarked the stranger. "Yes," said the deacon, "he is used
to it, he has been in such scrapes before."

Vol. 12,  p.336
This circumstance illustrates the manner in which the Elders were
received when they went forth to preach the Gospel, and it required
the testimony of the Holy Spirit, a strong sense of duty and
revelation from the Almighty to stir them up to go forth under such
circumstances. Not only did this persecution extend to those who
preached the Gospel, but to all believers, for, although the Saints
were industrious, peaceable and virtuous, every kind of falsehood was
told against them, their houses were torn down, their property
destroyed and every species of injustice and cruelty was heaped upon
them.

Vol. 12,  p.336
Our labors in these valleys will prove that we are an industrious
people. When we came here we had to make the roads into the country
[p.337] and to bring all our supplies for 1200 or 1400 miles. We
labored in this desert country, from which the Heavens withheld rain,
and yet we had to cultivate the earth. Now, visitors exclaim, "what an
industrious people you are!" We were always so. When we settled in the
state of Missouri we made the prairie blossom like the rose. But our
enemies lied about us and published scandal concerning us, although we
were law-abiding. There was not a solitary man in the county of
Jackson, who held office, who was a "Mormon," yet there was never a
lawsuit or complaint against the Latter-day Saints up to the time the
mobs in Jackson County broke loose upon us and drove us away and
robbed us of our homes; and when the mob published their manifesto, to
which the whole of them placed their names, they declared that the
civil law gave them no hold of "this people, who profess to heal their
sick with holy oil." The Apostle James says, "if any are sick, let
them send for the Elders, who shall anoint them with oil, and the
prayer of faith shall save the sick." The Latter-day Saints believed
and practiced this, and this was urged as a reason for driving us from
our homes, tearing down our houses, tarring and feathering the bishops
and leading men, whipping the Elders, destroying their property, and
sending them forth, outcasts, into the world. This puts me in mind of
the old Quaker, who was very particular about taking life. He was very
much annoyed at a dog that came into his store, but not wishing to
kill him, he said, "I'll not kill thee, but I'll give thee a bad
name," so he turned him out, at the same time crying, "bad dog, bad
dog!" Somebody hearing this, thought the Quaker said, "mad dog," and
shot him. After they had turned us out they gave us a bad name.

Vol. 12,  p.337
These circumstances have a tendency to impress deeply upon the minds
of the Latter-day Saints a determination to know why they are such.
The God of heaven has revealed to us that this is His work. He has
implanted in the hearts of the faithful a living, burning, eternal
testimony that this is the only way of salvation, and that all things
else are comparatively worthless.

Vol. 12,  p.337
Why have we penetrated these mountains? To establish ourselves here
that we might enjoy religious liberty. We have sacrificed more for
religious liberty than any set of men in this generation and we are
here for this purpose. And in every act of our lives we should do our
best to preserve unchanged, and unalloyed the pure faith of the
everlasting Gospel which God has revealed to us for our salvation.

Vol. 12,  p.337
I bear testimony that these things are true, and that God did inspire
His servant Joseph Smith and the Elders of Israel to lay the
foundation of the only true Church upon the face of the earth, and did
inspire His servant Brigham Young to lead forth the Saints to build up
Zion in the chambers of the mountains in these last days—and this is
the path to celestial glory. Oh, but, says one, "Are you going to send
everybody who does not believe in 'Mormonism' to that burning lake you
were talking about?" No, we are not, we expect that God will deal with
every man according to his works, whether good or evil; but we testify
that no man can ever attain to the fullness of the blessings of
celestial glory without obeying the ordinances which God has revealed
to the Latter-day Saints. But there is a glory of the sun, and of the
moon and of the stars, and one star differeth from another star in
glory; so it is in the eternal worlds; in the great diversity of
glories there is a place for all in accordance with [p.338] their
works, knowledge and understanding. But when we have come to a
knowledge of the truth, if we fall therefrom our position is worse
than if we had never obeyed it, hence the necessity of continued zeal
on our part to fulfil the great duties required of us that we may be
prepared for exaltation in the kingdom of God, which may God grant us
in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Orson Pratt, December 27, 1868

America a Choice Land—Its Aborigines

DISCOURSE by Elder Orson Pratt, delivered in the 
Old Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday, Dec. 27, 1868.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.338
In ancient times there were certain great decrees which the Lord of
all the earth made concerning this Continent and the inhabitants that
should, from time to time, possess the same. This Continent was first
settled, after the Flood, by a colony from the Tower of Babel, who
were a righteous people. They were a people with whom God conversed,
and to whom He made Himself manifest in a very wonderful and
marvellous manner. How many people lived here before the Flood is not
for me to say, as it is not revealed. We may, however, observe, that
so far as new revelation has given us information on this subject,
this Continent of ours may be ranked among the first lands occupied by
the human family. The very first man who had dominion on the face el
the earth, under the direction of the Heavens, once dwelt on this
Continent. His name was Adam. Whether his first residence was on this
land, whether the garden that was planted for his occupation was on
this Continent, or some other, is not revealed in any written or
printed revelation. But he certainly did, in the course of his
lifetime, either from this being his native land, or by emigration,
actually come in possession of this part of the globe; and a large
settlement was formed, and the righteous who lived before the flood
inherited it, and no doubt, left their blessing on the land. It was
here where Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch,
Methusaleh and Noah dwelt. It was on this land where Noah built his
ark, which was blown by the winds of Heaven away to the east, and
landed on Ararat. It was here where Enoch preached and published glad
tidings of great joy; it was on this land—the American Continent—where
he gathered the people from many nations, and built up a city and
called it Zion. It was here where the people of God flourished before
the flood, and were of one heart and one mind, having an experience of
some three hundred and [p.339] sixty-five years in order to bring
about a sufficient degree of righteousness and faith to be taken away
from here and translated to some other region. It was here where Enoch
was clothed upon with the power of God to that degree that he was
enabled to publish to the inhabitants of the earth things that were
before his day, even from before the foundation of the world, and also
to prophecy of things that should transpire from his day down to the
end of the world. It was here that he continued his preaching to the
inhabitants of the city of Zion until he made them so acquainted with
the law of God, and inspired them with such faith that the earth could
not contain them. It was by his faith and the faith of his people that
the very elements around him felt the power of God; and when he spake
the word of the Lord the earth upon which he stood trembled and shook
by the power of the Almighty, and the mountains fled from before his
presence, and the great rivers of this Continent were turned out of
their courses, and all things seemed to feel the power of the Lord.
Even a new land came up out of the great deep, and so fearful were the
enemies of the people of God, and so great was the terror of the Lord
upon them, that they left this country and went forth upon the face of
the waters and occupied the land that came up out of the deep. These
things are not revealed to us by the Bible, or by tradition, but by
the inspiration of the Almighty through that great modern prophet who
was raised up to commence this marvellous work of which you and I are
now partakers.

Vol. 12,  p.339
A few hundred years after all these things had transpired on this
Continent, and Noah and his family, the only survivors of the Flood,
had been wafted away to distant lands, and had peopled a portion of
Asia, the descendants of Noah undertook to build a great tower that
they might make themselves a great name, instead of fulfilling the
purposes of the Almighty, in spreading forth, and occupying and
subduing the earth. The Lord was very much displeased with them on
that occasion, because of the wickedness that existed in their midst,
which was calculated to be strengthened through their unity. Hence He
made a decree, according to the old Book—the Bible, that they should
not dwell thus, together. He confounded their language, and swore in
His wrath that they should be scattered. A portion of the people from
that tower came to this Continent.

Vol. 12,  p.339
There is something very remarkable in connection with the colonization
of our Continent by people from that tower. I said they were a
righteous people. Perhaps this may surprise some, especially if they
have drawn the conclusion that all the people who engaged in building
of that, tower were wicked. But there were some few families among
them who served the Lord their God, and when they learned the decree
of Jehovah, that their language was to be confounded, and the people
scattered to the four winds of heaven, they had considerable anxiety
on the subject. They were anxious that they might be favored of the
Lord and that He would lead them to a choice portion of the earth.
They made it a subject of earnest prayer, and God heard them, and the
language of the righteous portion of the people was not confounded.
And God gave them a commandment to go down from the tower to a valley
that was northward, called the valley of Nimrod, named after a mighty
hunter who existed in those days. After they had come down into this
valley [p.340] by the command of the Lord they collected seeds and
grain of every kind, and animals of almost every description, among
which, no doubt, were the elephant and the curelom and the cumom, very
huge animals that existed in those days, and after travelling and
crossing, we suppose, the sea that was east of where the Tower of
Babel stood, and travelling through the wilderness many days, with
their flocks and herds, their grain and substance, they eventually
came to the great Pacific ocean, on the eastern borders of China or
somewhere in that region. They were commanded of the Lord to build
vessels. They went to work and constructed eight barges. They did not
understand the art of Navigation as we do in these days. They had no
astronomical instruments by which they could ascertain the altitude of
the sun, or the altitude of the moon and stars, by which they could
determine their position on the great and mighty ocean. But the same
God who had led them from the Tower of Babel and had gone before them
in a bright cloud by day, and had hovered over their camp and had
directed them in their journey through the wilderness, was their
navigator in crossing the ocean. They entered these eight barges,
about the construction of which it may be well to say a few words. A
great many opposers of the Book of Mormon, in reading the account of
these vessels, have really supposed that there was an insurmountable
difficulty connected with the building of these barges because there
happened to be a hole in the top, and another hole constructed in the
bottom to enable the linings shut up in them to be watertight. These
vessels were built, not in the form of a tea saucer as has been
represented by some "anti-Mormons" in their discussions; but the Book
of Mormon informs us that they were peaked at the ends, and enlarged
as they came to the middle, and they were tight like a dish on the
water, and were very light, like to the lightness of a fowl. They were
exceedingly strong, and the length of a tree. This is a phrase very
similar to one used by Isaiah who says, "the age of His people shall
be as the age of a tree." Isaiah does not say what kind of a tree. It
was simply a way the ancients had of comparing a great many things.
Now these vessels were so constructed that when furious winds should
blow upon the face of the great deep, and the waves should roll
mountains high they could without imminent danger plunge beneath the
waves, and be brought up again to the surface of the water during
tremendous hurricanes and storms. Now to prepare them against these
contingencies, and that they might, have fresh air for the benefit of
the elephants, cureloms or mammoths and many other animals, that
perhaps were in them, as well as the human beings they contained, the
Lord told them how to construct them in order to receive air, that
when they were on the top of the water, whichever side up their
vessels happened to be, it mattered not; they were so constructed that
they could ride safely, though bottom upwards and they could open
their air holes that happened to be uppermost. Now all our ships at
the present day are constructed with holes in the bottom as well as in
the top. I have crossed the ocean twelve times, but I never saw a ship
yet that did not have a hole in the bottom for the convenience of
passengers, and it is one of the simplest things in the world to have
holes in the bottom of a ship if you only have tubes running up
sufficiently high above the general water [p.341] mark. These were so
constructed that when the waves were not running too high, air could
be admitted through unstopping the holes which happened to be
uppermost.

Vol. 12,  p.341
But the most wonderful thing concerning the first colonization of this
country after the flood was the way that they navigated the great
Pacific ocean. Only think for a few moments of the Lord our God taking
eight barges, launched on the eastern coast of China, and bringing
them a voyage of three hundred and forty-four days and landing them
all in the same neighborhood and vicinity and at the same time. This
was a miracle. This was not done by the aid of steam, or by the
navigator's art, but it was by the power of the Almighty God. He it
was who controlled these vessels; He it was who governed the winds of
heaven; He it was who brought them up out of the midst of the deep,
when they were swallowed up, and He it was who guided them safely to
this American shore.

Vol. 12,  p.341
They landed to the south of this, just below the Gulf of California,
on our western coast. They inhabited North America, and spread forth
on this Continent, and in the course of some sixteen hundred years'
residence here, they became a mighty and powerful nation. Although
they, became a great and mighty people, they were oftentimes very much
chastened because of their sins. Here let me observe that before they
arrived on this land the Lord said to them, "I design to lead you
forth to a land that is choice above all other lands on the face of
the whole earth; and this is my decree concerning the land which you
are to occupy, that whatever nation shall possess the land from this
time henceforth and forever shall serve me, the only true and living
God, or they shall be swept off from the face thereof, when they are
fully ripened in their iniquity." The Jaredites had this decree before
them, before they set foot on this Continent. It was before them
during the whole term of their existence here, that inasmuch as they
would serve God they Would be prospered, and inasmuch as they would
not serve Him great judgments were upon them. Hence they were
afflicted oftentimes because of their wickedness. On a certain
occasion there were a very few individuals, Omar and his family and
some few of his friends, that were righteous enough to be spared out
of a whole nation. The Lord warned them by a dream to depart from the
land of Moran, and led them forth in an easterly direction beyond the
hill Cumorah, down into the eastern countries upon the sea shore. By
this means a few families were saved, while all the balance,
consisting of millions of people, were overthrown because of their
wickedness. But after they were destroyed the Omerites, who dwelt in
the New England States, returned again and dwelt in the land of their
fathers on the western coast.

Vol. 12,  p.341
I merely mention these things to show how the Lord operated among the
first nations of the old inhabitants of this country, in order to
fulfill His decrees. They could not fall into wickedness, and still be
suffered to prosper on the face of this land. The decree had gone
forth, it must be fulfilled. Finally, some sixteen or seventeen
centuries after they landed here, they became so violently wicked, and
transgressed the command, ments of the Lord to that degree that they
were really swept off to a man. The whole nation perished. Their
greatest and last struggles were in the State of New York, near where
the plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated [p.342] were
found. There they fought day after day; there they struggled, one
party against the other until millions were swept off. Only one man
survived his nation for very short space of time to see the
fulfillment of a prophecy that was uttered by a great and mighty
prophet that lived in those days, who stated that he should be
permitted, after his nation was destroyed, to behold the colonization
of the land by another people. This man, whose name was Coriantumr,
King of a certain portion of the Jaredites, after the destruction of
his nation, wandered, solitary and alone, down towards the Isthmus of
Darien, and there he became acquainted with a colony of people brought
from the land of Jerusalem, called the people of Zarahemla. He dwelt
with them for the space of nine moons, and then he died.

Vol. 12,  p.342
After the destruction of the Jaredites, the Lord brought two other
colonies to people this land. One colony landed a few hundred miles
north of the Isthmus on the western coast; the other landed on the
coast of Chili, upwards of two thousand miles south of them. The
latter were called the Nephites and Lamanites. It was some four or
five centuries after these two colonies came from Jerusalem and
occupied the country before they amalgamated. A little over one
century before Christ the Nephites united with the Zarahemlaites in
the northern portions of South America, and were called Nephites and
became a powerful nation. The country was called the land Bountiful,
and included within the land of Zarahemla. But to go back to their
early history. Shortly after the Nephite colony was brought by the
power of God, and landed on the western coast of South America, in the
country we call Chili, there was a great divison among them. The
righteous were threatened by the wicked who sought to destroy them.
The Lord warned Nephi, their leader, to flee from among the Lamanites,
to depart for the safety of himself and his family and those that
believed in the revelations of God. Nephi and the righteous separated
themselves from the Lamanites and traveled about eighteen hundred
miles north until they came to the head waters of what we term the
Amazon river. There Nephi located his little colony in the country
supposed to be Ecuador, a very high region, many large and elevated
mountains being in that region.

Vol. 12,  p.342
Here the Nephites flourished for some length of time. The Lamanites
followed them up and they had many wars and contentions, and finally
the Lamanites succeeded in taking away their settlements, and the
Nephites fled again some twenty days' journey to the northward and
united themselves with the people of Zarahemla.

Vol. 12,  p.342
I mention these things in order to impress one particular item upon
the minds of the Latter-day Saints concerning the inheritance or
possession of this land. The Lord not only made decrees in the early
ages with the first colonists that came here, but He renewed these
decrees every time He brought a colony here, that the people should
serve Him, or they should be cut off from His presence, and you will
find that God, in every instance, has remembered these decrees. And
there is one thing remarkable in relation to the history of these
nations, and that is the rapidity with which they departed from the
faith and righteousness and the love of the true God. Sometimes they
would, after some great judgement, or scourge had fallen upon them,
causing the death of many of them, repent and become a righteous
people; [p.343] and God would bless them again, and they would begin
to rise up and prosper in the land. But perhaps in the course of three
or four years a people that were almost wholly righteous would turn
from their righteousness to folly, sin and wickedness, and bring down
another heavy judgment on their heads. And thus generation after
generation passed away among the former inhabitants of this land, and
they had their ups and downs. Every time the majority of the people
transgressed, a tremendous judgment would come upon them; and every
time they repented before the Lord with all their hearts, He would
turn away His wrath and begin to prosper them.

Vol. 12,  p.343
Now, these same decrees, which God made in relation to the former
nations that inhabited this country, extend to us. "Whatever nation,"
the Lord said, "shall possess this land, from this time henceforth and
forever, shall serve the only true and living God, or they shall be
swept off when the fullness of His wrath shall come upon them." Since
this ancient decree there are many nations who have come here. And
lastly Europeans have come from what is termed the old world across
the Atlantic. And lately the Chinese are beginning to come across the
Pacific, and this continent is becoming extensively peopled. Many
millions are already upon it. They have constructed many great and
populous cities and have become very powerful on the face of the land;
but they are nothing compared with the numerous hosts of the Jaredites
that once spread over all the face of North America. But yet they are
numerous, and are considered one of the most powerful nations on the
face of the whole earth; and their resources are very great, and the
prosperity which attended our forefathers in establishing settlements
on the face of this land, in establishing a free government, with
freedom of the press and religious worship, was very great.

Vol. 12,  p.343
They imagine to themselves that this prosperity is to continue for
ever, that there is to be no end to their great. ness. Now I can tell
them, as I have told them ever since I was a boy, their greatness will
not protect them; their present prosperity will not protect them.
There is only one one thing that will protect the nations that inhabit
North and South America, and that is to turn to the Lord their God
with all their hearts, minds and strength, and serve Him with full
purpose of heart, and cease from all their wickedness. That will
protect them. If they will do this they will spread forth and become
ten times stronger and more powerful than they have ever been, and the
Lord their God will bless them more abundantly than hitherto. But on
the other hand if they will not do these things the decree that was
made in ancient times is just as certain to be fulfilled as the sun
shines in yonder heavens.

Vol. 12,  p.343
We have seen, in a very small degree, the chastisement of the Almighty
upon the present powerful nation of which we form a part. Great has
been their chastisement in some respects; but in other respects they
hardly seem to feel it. But still look at the desolation that certain
portions of our fair country have had to endure by the depredations of
hostile armies one against another. Tens of thousands rolling in the
dust in their blood; whole towns and cities laid waste, and the
country for hundreds and hundreds of miles, as it were, in perfect
desolation. Railroads that cost millions torn up, cars and merchandise
destroyed, and the whole country involved in a debt [p.344] that
perhaps will require a lapse of many years before much more than the
interest on it is paid, and for which severe taxation must be imposed
on all the inhabitants of the land. And, when we include both the
North and the South, perhaps two or three millions of lives have been
lost; if not altogether lost by the weapons of war in battle, they
have perished in consequence of the difficulties and afflictions that
generally attend armies.

Vol. 12,  p.344
This great war is only a small degree of chastisement, just the
beginning; nothing compared to that which God has spoken concerning
this nation, if they will not repent. For the Lord has said in this
book, (the Book of Mormon) which has been published for thirty eight
years, that if they will not repent He will throw down all their
strongholds and cut off the cities of the land, and will execute
vengeance and fury on the nation, even as upon the heathen, such as
they have not heard. That He will send a desolating scourge on the
land; that He will leave their cities desolate, without inhabitants.
For instance the great, powerful and populous city of New York, that
may be considered one of the greatest cities of the world, will in a
few years become a mass of ruins. The people will wander while gazing
on the ruins that cost hundreds of millions to build, what has become
of its inhabitants, Their houses will be there, but they will be left
desolate. So saith the Lord God. That will be only a sample of
numerous other towns and cities on the face of this continent.

Vol. 12,  p.344
Now I am aware that it is almost impossible for even some of the
Latter-day Saints to get that confidence and that strong faith in the
events which God intends to accomplish on this land in the future to
believe in such a thing, to say nothing about outsiders, that do not
believe a word of it. Outsiders do not believe it any more than they
believed me when I was a boy and took that revelation which was given
in 1832, and carried it forth among many towns and cities and told
them there was to be a great and terrible war between the North and
the South, and read to them the revelation. Did they believe it? Would
they consider that there was any truth in it? Not in the least, "that
is a Mormon humbug" they would say. "What! this great and powerful
nation of ours to be divided one part against the other and many
hundreds of thousands of souls to be destroyed by civil wars!" Not a
word of it would they believe. They do not believe what is still in
the future. But there are some in this congregation who will live, to
behold the fulfillment of these other things, and will visit the ruins
of mighty towns and cities scattered over the face of this land
destitute and desolate of inhabitants. If inquiry shall then be made,
why such great destruction? the answer will be, wickedness has
destroyed them. Wickedness and corruption have brought about the
fulfillment of the ancient decrees of Heaven concerning this land.
Wickedness and corruption have brought desolation into their towns and
cities. The time will come when there will be no safety in carrying on
the peaceable pursuits of farming or agriculture. But these will be
neglected, and the people will think themselves well off if they can
flee from city to city, from town to town and escape with their lives.
Thus will the Lord visit the people, if they will not repent. Thus
will He pour out His wrath and indignation upon them [p.345] and make
manifest to the people that that which he has spoken must be
fulfilled.

Vol. 12,  p.345
But what shall become of this people? Shall we be swept off in the
general ruin? Shall desolation come upon us? Shall we feel the
chastening hand of the Almighty like those who will not repent? That
will depend altogether upon our conduct. We have it within our power;
God has granted it to us, to save ourselves from the desolation and
calamities that will come upon the nation. How? By doing that which is
right; by living honest before God and all men; by seeking after that
righteousness that comes through the Gospel of the Son of God; by
following after the law of Heaven; by doing unto others as we would
have others do unto us; by putting away all the evils and abominations
that are practiced by the wicked. If we do this prosperity will be
upon the inhabitants of Utah; prosperity will be upon the towns and
cities erected by this people, the hand of the Lord will be over us to
sustain us, and we will spread forth. He will multiply us in the land;
He will make us a great people, and strengthen our borders, and send
forth the missionaries of this people to the four quarters of the
earth to publish peace and glad tidings of great joy, and proclaim
that there is still a place left in the heart of the American
continent where there are peace and safety and refuge from the storms,
desolations and tribulations coming upon the wicked. But on the other
hand, Latter-day Saints, how great are the responsibilities resting
upon us and upon our rising generations. If we will not keep the
commandments of God, and if our rising generations will not give heed
to the law of God and to the great light which has shone from Heaven
in these latter days, but turn their hearts from the Lord their God
and from the counsels of His priesthood, then we shall be visited like
the wicked, then we shall have the hand of the Lord upon us in
judgment; then that saying that the Lord has delivered in the Book of
Doctrines and Covenants will be fulfilled upon us, "that I will visit
Zion, if she does not do right, with sore afflictions, with
pestilence, with sword, with famine and with the flame of devouring
fire."

Vol. 12,  p.345
New here we have the choice. It is within our reach; we can put forth
our hand after prosperity, peace and the extension of our borders, and
have all these things multiplied upon us, and the power of God within
us; His arm to encircle round about to protect us from every harm and
evil. And on the other hand we can reach forth the hand and partake of
wickedness and bring desolation and destruction upon our borders.
Which shall we do? We are agents; we are left to our own choice. God
has said that He would plead with His people. I expect that He will.
"I will plead," saith the Lord, "with the strong ones of Zion until
she overcomes and is clear before me." There is some consolation in
reading this declaration of the Lord. Though we have to receive great
chastisement, though He has to plead with us by judgement,
tribulation, famine, by the sword and by the vengeance of devouring
fire, yet after all, when He has afflicted this people sufficiently,
there will be some few that will be spared and will become clean
before the Lord.

Vol. 12,  p.345
It is quite a consolation to read that the armies of Israel will
eventually become sanctified, and as clear as the sun, as fair as the
moon, and that their banners will become terrible to the nations of
the wicked. Yet we may have to pass through [p.346] by our own
wickedness, many calamities that may overtake us. I hope not; but I do
not know. I may say that my hopes are strengthened in regard to this
matter, for what do I behold here in this Territory? I behold a people
that have been willing to sacrifice all that they have for the sake of
the Gospel; that have been willing to forsake their native kingdoms
and countries and to journey by sea and by land to come here to serve
God. I see a people, the majority of whom are willing to give heed to
the counsels of the servants of God that are in their midst. Hence I
look for peace and prosperity, hence I look for the arm of the Lord to
be extended in behalf of this people so long as there is a majority of
them who desire to do right, so long as there is a majority who feel
to unite their hearts to carry out the great principles of eternal
truth and righteousness that have been revealed. So long will the
Heavens be propitious, and we shall find favor in the sight of the
Most High. But remember the inhabitants who once dwelt on the land;
remember their afflictions and their calamities; remember that
judgments were poured out upon them because they would not be
obedient. Let them be an everlasting lesson to us who live in these
latter times. Let us serve God and we shall be blest, we shall prosper
if we keep His commandments. Amen.

Joseph F. Smith, January 10, 1869

The Sacrament—a Saint of God—the Eternity of 
Our Religion—Matrimony

REMARKS by Joseph F. Smith, delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Jan. 10th, 1869.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.346
It is a great privilege to meet together as the Saints of the living
God. It is a great privilege, after a lapse of 1800 years; to
participate in the memorials of the shed blood and broken body of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And whilst we are doing this we look
forward to the time when Jesus will again come, and when we shall eat
bread with Him in the Kingdom of our God. These are thoughts that
naturally crowd upon the mind while partaking of the Sacrament of the
Lord's supper. The ordinance has a tendency to draw our minds from the
things of the world and to place them upon things that are spiritual,
divine, and heavenly; and that are in accordance with the nature,
desires, and attributes of man. It is a great privilege to have one
day in seven set apart for the worship of the living God. Men differ
in their opinions as to what day it ought to be. That is a matter,
however, of very little importance. We meet together as servants and
handmaidens of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we participate in the
emblems of his broken body and shed blood. We think, we reflect, speak
and cogitate upon things [p.347] that are calculated to elevate our
minds, to impart comfort to our spirits, and to bring peace, joy and
happiness, whether reflecting upon things of the past, present or
future.

Vol. 12,  p.347
To be a Saint of God is to occupy a high position before God, angels
and men. The light of truth, the revelations of Jehovah, and the holy
priesthood, which the Saints of God enjoy, are the greatest boons that
Heaven can bestow upon mortals. In this respect we stand alone in the
midst of the nations of the earth; and in this respect we approach
nearer to the object of our creation and the designs of our being than
any other people that exist, at the present day, on the face of the
whole earth. Notwithstanding our many weaknesses, imperfections and
follies the Lord still continues His mercy, manifests His grace and
imparts unto us His Holy Spirit, that our minds may be illuminated by
the light of revelation. lie is still leading us onward, very slowly,
it is true, in the paths of life, in the way that leads to
principalities, powers, thrones and dominions in the eternal worlds.

Vol. 12,  p.347
We stand, as I have already said, a distinct and peculiar people; for
whatever our weaknesses and imperfections may be, and they are many,
there are no people at the present day who enjoy the privileges we are
in possession of. Who is there that is acquainted with God? To whom
has He communicated His will? Where are the people who to-day rejoice
in the blessings of revelation? Where shall we find, to-day, an
organization of the holy priesthood? Where shall we find a people to
whom God communicates His will? Nowhere. There are no people who
profess this, or lay claims to associations of this nature, or to
blessings similar to those we enjoy. You may search in vain among the
nations of the earth for such a people. You may investigate the
various religious, social and political systems that exist upon the
face of the earth and it is nowhere to be found. We stand alone in
this particular among the nations of the earth—the blessed of God, the
adopted of the Lord, the chosen of the Great Jehovah, to whom He has
deigned to manifest His will, and reveal His perposes; and by whom he
designs to build up His Kingdom and to establish righteousness upon
the earth.

Vol. 12,  p.347
We occupy then, as I stated before, a very important position, and it
is well for us, Latter-day Saints, to consider well our pathway, to
reflect on our actions, and to seek to pursue that course whereby we
shall be able to magnify our callings, honor our God and our
priesthood, stand approved before God, angels and men, and acquit
ourselves in all respects as Saints of the Most High God: that we may
ask and receive the blessings of Heaven upon us, upon our wives and
children, upon our progenitors, and our posterity worlds without end.

Vol. 12,  p.347
Our religion is not a religion of a day, a month, a year or a life
time; but it reaches back into eternity, operates in time and
stretches forth again into eternity. It embraces every truth that ever
did exist, that exists now, or ever will exist. It is adapted to the
wants and capacious desires of immortal minds. It emanated from God
and leads back again to Him, and it is very properly said that in Him
we live and move and have our being. As immortal beings we are
interested in the light of that truth which lie has developed and in
the blessings of the everlasting Gospel of which He is the author. And
standing in this capacity it is well for us to consider the coarse we
pursue.[p.348] 

Vol. 12,  p.348
We are living in an age pregnant with greater events than any other
age the world has ever seen. There have been times when God has
specially manifested Himself to individuals and nations, and when the
revelations of His will have been made known, to a certain extent, to
His people, and when His people have been gathered together; but there
never was a time so important as the present. It is not merely the
word of the Lord to one man or to a few men, or a peculiar
dispensation to the Israelites or the Nephites; but it is the
dispensation of the fullness of times when God will gather together
all things in one, and when He will settle up the affairs of the
nations of the earth, and the people of the earth, whether they be
living or dead, whether they have slept thousands of years or have yet
to come into existence. It is the time in which He has organized His
church according to the pattern that exists in the Heavens, in which
all the various organizations and priesthood that ever existed are
concentrated. This is the age when the Saints are no longer to be
trodden down, or wickedness and iniquity triumph, but when the
righteous shall bear rule and the dominion of God be established. If
there ever was a time when covenants were entered into associated with
the people of God on the earth, it is now. If there ever was a time
when the dead were to be redeemed, it is now. If there ever was a time
when God's mercy was to be extended to His people, it is now.

Vol. 12,  p.348
The very introduction of this Gospel, as first proclaimed, was, "I saw
an angel flying through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting
Gospel to preach to every nation, kindred, tongue and people; crying
with a loud voice fear God an give glory to Him for the hour of His
judgment is come." The Gospel has been proclaimed among the nations of
the earth. These Elders have been as messengers to the nations,
clothed upon with the holy priesthood and the power of God, and have
borne their testimony thereunto. And we have done more than this, we
have been fulfilling the word of the Lord given anciently to His
servants by the spirit of prophecy,—gathering His "people together,
those who have made a covenant with Him by sacrifice." We have been
gathering the people together for years. What for? Why the Lord says,
I will take one of a city and two of a family, and bring them to Zion,
and I will give them pastors after my own heart who shall feed them
with knowledge and understanding. They have been fed heretofore with
the theories and dogmas of men, but I will pour out my spirit upon my
people and instruct them in the principles of righteousness, that I
may have a people who will listen to me and will pursue the course I
shall dictate.

Vol. 12,  p.348
We are here to-day, that we may be instructed in relation to all
things pertaining to our associations with each other, our intercourse
with the world, our political organization, in things pertaining to
our welfare—our blessings, anointings, endowments, sealings and
covenants, and the building up of the Kingdom of God upon the earth.
We have not gathered that we may accumulate riches, or possess the
honors of this world only; but that we may have the blessings of
eternity, and enjoy the spirit of truth; that we may be so led as to
secure to ourselves the favor and approbation of the Almighty. Hence
we are taught some of the smallest things that men can think of, and
also the greatest and most sublime principles that have [p.349] ever
entered into the heart of man. We are taught all principles that are
interwoven with the interest, peace and happiness of society here, and
that will prepare us for associations with God in the eternal worlds.

Vol. 12,  p.349
We have here our Schools of the Prophets, in which we are taught how
to manage our temporal affairs and how to avoid the snares that exist
in the world; whom to deal with and whom to let alone; how to raise
stock, how to cultivate our farms, and how to conduct all the affairs
incident to human existence. We are also taught about God and
eternity; about our associations before we carne here, our
relationship to God at the present time, the destiny of this and other
worlds and everything pertaining to this life and that which is to
come.

Vol. 12,  p.349
The fact is the Gospel of Christ embraces all truth. It found us, when
first revealed, ignorant, dark, benighted, besotted, depraved,
corrupted and degenerated, ignorant of God and of almost every true
principle. It is humiliating to reflect that, after all our boasted
intelligence and knowledge of collect principles, government, morals
and religion we should be found so weak, ignorant, degraded and
debased. It is humiliating in the highest degree to reflect, that,
after all the boasted intelligence of men, we can scarcely find one
true principle in existence. Men say, "we have been taught good
morals." To a certain extent good morals are taught, but even their
teachers did not know them correctly; they exist in most instances in
principle only, and not in practice. They think they have had some
tolerably good religion, but their religion is little better than that
of the ancient heathens who used to bow down to stocks and stones.
What knowledge do men possess of God? None whatever. The most
intelligent among the most enlightened nations of the earth, when you
come to scan their ideas, what are they? A God without body, parts and
passions. And this is the God they worship and adore, a being that
exists everywhere and yet is nowhere, no personal presence or
associations. I remember a Jew coming to me once to talk to me on this
subject. He was a very learned man. Among other things he was almost
afraid to mention the name of Deity; but he spoke of Him as being
everywhere, but as having no personal presence. He could not conceive
the idea of a being having an existence like a man, and having a body,
parts and passions, and yet at the same time being felt everywhere. I
said, "here is a candle, is there not?" "Yes." "Is that light
connected with that candle?" Yes." Has that a stationary and positive
existence there?" "Yes." "What is this light all around here, it
emanates from that candle, does it not?" "Yes." Then why can't God
exist on the same principle as that candle, or as the sun and other
things exist? But yet that is the acme of perfection, the sum total of
the intelligence of the nations of the earth in relation to the being
of a God. They have no ideas of Him. How can they have? They have been
without revelation. He has not communicated His will nor revealed
Himself to them; then how can they have any ideas of that of which
they have had no opportunity of obtaining knowledge? It is impossible.
Faith, we are told, comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
And how can they hear without a preacher, and how can he preach except
he be sent? And as they had nobody sent among them by God to
communicate His will, they were all ignorant together. We were part of
them; we were dug [p.350] from the same pit and hewn from the same
rock, and had no more knowledge than they; and if we have any
knowledge of God and correct principles now, it is because God has
revealed them to us through the medium of this Gospel which He has
made manifest in these last days through Joseph Smith. What knowledge
have we, of ourselves, of our relationship to eternity? None. Where is
the man on the face of the wide earth who has a claim to a wife in
eternity? There is not one outside of this church. They do not profess
it, they know nothing of such a principle. The extent of their
covenants is that they are married until death parts them, and that
ends the matter. Who is there who has any idea of associating with
their children in the eternal world? They think about it. There is
nature, or a kind of instinct that leads to reflections of this sort.
But they have not the privilege of entering into covenants of this
kind. There are a great many other principles connected with this
Gospel of which, as the scriptures say, they are as ignorant as brute
beasts that were made to be taken and destroyed.

Vol. 12,  p.350
Do they have any correct ideas at all in relation to matrimony? None
in the least. Their actions, feelings and propensities are corrupt,
depraved and brutalized. They are ignorant alike of religious, social
and political matters, and they know not how to manage anything
committed to their care. What do they know about governing the world?
Who knows how to regulate the affairs of the nations? The man cannot
be found; but anarchy, disorder and confusion prevail to a very great
extent throughout the nations of the earth, and the seeds of
dissolution are sown among the whole of them. The rulers of the earth
know not how to unite and cement their people or to regulate their
affairs, for it can only be done on the principle of revelation. What
are the armies and navies of the nations for? Why is it that England,
France, Portugal, Spain, the United States and the various nations of
the earth must have their armies and navies? Why is it that they need
millions of men and a vast amount of treasure for their protection?
Because the nations regard their neighbors as bands of robbers who
will commit acts of aggression upon them unless they have sufficient
force to repel them. And yet they wipe their mouths and say, "we are
very civilized, enlightened and intelligent."

Vol. 12,  p.350
This is the condition of things among the nations of the earth. They
watch one another with the greatest scrutiny. The various officers who
manage their national affairs want to know how many thousand soldiers
there are in the army of the nation contiguous, and whether it is safe
for them to reduce their armies or not, just the same as we do here
when we have hundreds of blacklegs in our midst, and have had to
increase the number of the police to guard ourselves against their
inroads and aggressions. They know it is the nature of men to aggress
upon and take advantage of their fellows, and to rob, plunder and
destroy, and that to preserve their nationality they must maintain a
force sufficient to repel the inroads of their neighbors. This is
their position, without saying anything about the debauchery, fraud,
corruption and wickedness that abound to so great an extent amongst
them. And this is civilization, this is Christianity; this is the
height of the glory and intelligence of the 19th century.

Vol. 12,  p.351
Now, something is needed to regulate these things. We read of a time
[p.351] when Jesus shall rule and when the Saints of the Most High
shall take the Kingdom and have the dominion, and when He shall rule
from the rivers to the ends of the earth. People are afraid when they
hear the Saints talk about rule and dominion that they too are going
to turn national robbers, and take the sword to slay and destroy and
lay waste whenever they have the opportunity. Such is not their
feeling or desire; that is God's province. He will make the wicked
slay the wicked, and will turn and overturn until He accomplishes His
purposes. He has introduced the wedge of truth. It begins to penetrate
among the people, and many begin to quail in consequence of it. It
will continue to spread, grow and increase until it will cover the
whole earth. He desires in the first place to impart to us some of the
leading or first principles of the Gospel of life, truth and
intelligence that we may be the honored instruments in His hands in
establishing truth, in rooting out iniquity and bringing to pass His
purposes upon the earth.

Vol. 12,  p.351
This is what we are aiming at. This is why we meet together, why we
are gathered together, why we preach. This is why we have our Schools
of the Prophets, why we administer in the ordinances of the House of
God. This is why we build our temples and endowment houses that we may
be taught and instructed, sanctified and set apart; that we may be
full of the Holy Ghost and the power of God, that we may stand forth
as the elect of God, as the chosen of Jehovah to bring to pass the
things spoken of by the prophets. This is the aim of all our
associations and operations in life and in everything pertaining to
the holy priesthood. If God placed formerly in His church apostles,
prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the
Saints, the work of the ministry and the edifying of the body of
Christ, He has placed in His church in these last days, presidents,
apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, bishops, high
councils and all the various organizations of His church for the
perfecting of His Saints, the establishing of righteousness, the
building up of His Kingdom, the triumph of peace, the overthrow and
destruction of wickedness and the powers of darkness, and for the
introduction of everything calculated to exalt and ennoble man in both
time and eternity.

Vol. 12,  p.352
May God help us to be faithful in the name of Jesus. Amen.[p.352] 

Orson Pratt, February 24, 1869

"Mormonism"

DISCOURSE by Elder Orson Pratt, delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Feb. 24th, 1869.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.352
"Mormonism," so-called, is a strange thing in the 19th century. It has
caused among the inhabitants of the earth a great deal of reflection
and conversation for the last forty years. It is a very marvelous and
wondrous thing to see a numerous people assembled together in these
interior wilds which, but a few years ago, were a solitary waste,
where the face of a white man had been seldom seen; the abode of
savages only, who wandered about nearly naked, living upon crickets,
rattlesnakes and lizards, sunk into the lowest depths of degradation.
To see so large a people, all of one faith, united together in their
energies, occupying a Territory, which, from north to south, is
several hundred miles in extent, building up towns, cities and
villages, establishing common schools, sending forth their
missionaries to the nations of the earth, bringing in their thousands
every season by emigration, render "Mormonism," as it is generally
called by the world, a wonder in our age.

Vol. 12,  p.352
We heard this morning a discourse, delivered by Elder Cannon, upon the
subject of the Gospel and the principles of our faith. We were told
some of the principles that have been received by this people, not
only in these mountains, but wherever the Latter-day Saints, as a
people exist. Our people are taught to believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ, as one of the principles of our faith; we are taught to repent
of all our sins and to refrain from everything that is forbidden by
the law of God. This is included in the doctrine of repentence as
taught by this people among the nations which we have visited. Having
taught faith in Christ, and repentance of all sins, we next require
penitent believers to be baptized in water for the remission of their
sins. Thus they become subjects of the Kingdom of God by being born of
water. Another principle taught by this people is the doctrine of the
laying on of hands for the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, as was
taught and practiced in ancient times. 

Vol. 12,  p.352
We heard this forenoon concerning the effects of the Holy Ghost when
bestowed upon individuals, and its diversified gifts throughout the
whole Church, according to the righteousness of the individuals who
receive these principles. We also heard it testified that God had sent
down from heaven authority to administer in these ordinances; that He
had sent His angel for this express purpose.

Vol. 12,  p.352
It is my intention, this afternoon, if the Lord will lead me by His
spirit, to dwell upon some subjects connected with the organization of
this Church, which has received the principle I have named. Strangers
who may be present have heard for many years past of a man called
Joseph Smith. Perhaps they have never heard much good respecting him.
But this people, called Latter-day [p.353] Saints, believe that man
was a holy prophet of God; the world consider that he was an imposter.
We consider that we have a sufficient amount of evidence to warrant us
in believing that he was a prophet. It was he who organized and
established this Church under the direction of Almighty God. According
to our faith, had it not been for that man, or some other raised up in
the same manner, this people called "Mormons" or Latter-day Saints,
now occupying this mountain territory, would have been dwelling among
the various nations of the earth, and this Territory, at this period
of time, would probably have been a barren waste, and such a thing as
the Pacific railroad would probably not have been started or thought
about for at least half a century to come. That man, called Joseph
Smith, in our estimation, was a very good man, and the Lord recognized
him as His servant and called him to perform a certain work here on
the earth.

Vol. 12,  p.353
When did the Lord first manifest Himself to this man? Read our history
if you wish to understand all the particulars; on this occasion I
shall barely refer you to the early history of this Church, in print.
The Lord revealed Himself to that person, not in his manhood, but in
his youth. We have heard much said, by those who know nothing of the
matter, about "old Joe Smith." How old was Joseph Smith when the Lord
first manifested Himself to him? He was about fourteen years and four
months old. Was that a very aged man? Look around here in this
assembly and hunt up children fourteen years of age, and you will
immediately admit that they do not look very aged.

Vol. 12,  p.353
What were the circumstances that enabled him to have manifestations
from Heaven at that early period of his life? He was very anxious, as
most of mankind are, to be saved; and he was also very anxious to
understand how to be saved. But on this point he was at a loss, he did
not understand the way to be saved. He was a farmer's boy; he was not
brought up and educated in high schools, academies or colleges; he was
merely a poor farmer's boy. He was not acquainted with those bad
habits that are usually practiced by the youth in the great and
populous cities of the United States. You know boys at the age of
fourteen in those cities are apt to become contaminated with the evils
with which they are surrounded; but Joseph Smith, having been reared
in a secluded part of the country and laboring hard on the farm with
his father, had not fallen into the pernicious habits practiced by
many boys. When he was about fourteen years old there was what is
called a religious revival or reformation in the neighborhood in which
he lived· It was not confined to any one particular sect. The
Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, and the various denominations in
that district or country were all engaged, more or less, in this
revival. Several of the relatives of this youth had taken part in this
revival, and had united themselves with the Presbyterian church. This
young man was also requested to unite himself with this church. First
one and then another of the different persuasions would come and
converse with him and try to influence him to joan his lot with them;
and seeing so much confusion, each sect claiming that they were the
true people of God, he became at loss what to do. He occasionally
devoted an hour, when his labors on the farm would permit, to reading
the Bible, and while doing so his eyes happened[p.354] to fall on a
certain passage of scripture, recorded in the epistle of James, which
says that if any man lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth
liberally to all men and npbraideth not. Now this youth, this "old Joe
Smith," that we have beard so much about, was just simple enough to
believe that that passage really meant what it said. He went out into
a little grove near his father's house, in the town of Manchester,
Ontario County, State of New York, and there he knelt down in all the
simplicity of a child and prayed to the Father in the name of Jesus
that He would show him which, among all the churches, was the true
one. Said he, "show me, Father, who are in possession of the truth,
let me know, O Lord, the right way, and I will walk therein."

Vol. 12,  p.354
He had now come to a Person who was able to teach him. All his
inquiries previously had been futile and vain, but he now applied to
the right, source. Did the Lord hear him? Yes. But he had to exercise
faith. This young man, while thus praying, was not discouraged because
he was tempted; but be continued praying until he overcame the powers
of darkness which tried to prevent him from calling upon God. The Lord
hearkened. Being the same God who lived in ancient times, He was able
to hear and answer prayers that were offered up in this sincere
manner, and He answered the prayers of this youth. The heavens, as it
were, were opened to him, or in other words, a glorious pillar of
light like the brightness of the sun appeared in the heavens above
him, and approached the spot where he was praying; his eyes were fixed
upon it and his heart was lifted up in prayer before the Most High. He
saw the light gradually approaching him until it rested upon the tops
of the trees. He beheld that the leaves of the trees were not consumed
by it, although its brightness, apparently, was sufficient, as he at
first thought, to consume everything before it. But the trees were not
consumed by it, and it continued to descend until it rested upon him
and enveloped him in its glorious rays. When he was thus encircled
about with this pillar of fire his mind was caught away from every
object that surrounded him, and he was filled with the visions of the
Almighty, and he saw, in the midst of this glorious pillar of fire,
two glorious personages, whose countenances shone with an exceeding
great lustre. One of them spoke to him, saying, while pointing to the
other, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye
him."

Vol. 12,  p.354
Now here was a certainty; here was something that he saw and heard;
here were personages capable of instructing him, and of telling him
which was the true religion. How different this from going to an
uninspired man professing to be a minister! One minute's instruction
from personages clothed with the glory of God coming down from the
eternal worlds is worth more than all the volumes that ever were
written by uninspired men.

Vol. 12,  p.354
Mr. Smith, this young man, in the simplicity of his heart, continued
saying to these personages, "which church shall I join, which is the
true church? He then and there was commanded, in the most strict
manner, to go not after them, for they had all gone out of the way; he
was told there was no Christian church on the face of the earth
according to the ancient pattern, as recorded in the New Testament;
but they had all strayed from the ancient faith and had lost the gifts
and power of the Holy Ghost; they had lost the [p.355] spirit of
revelation and prophecy, the power to heal the sick, and every other
gift and blessing possessed and enjoyed by the ancient Church. "Go not
after them," was the command given to this young man; and he was told
that if he would be faithful in serving the true and living God, it
should be made manifest to him, in a time to come, the true church
that God intended to establish.

Vol. 12,  p.355
Now we can see the wisdom of God in not revealing everything to him on
that occasion. He revealed as much as Joseph was capacitated to
receive. The Lord dealt with this young mall as you, parents, do when
you wish to instruct your children on any subject. You do not pour out
volumes of instruction on them all at once, but impart to them
according to their capacity. Just so the Lord acted towards this
youth. He imparted enough to let him know that the whole Christian
world was without authority, as we heard this forenoon.

Vol. 12,  p.355
About, or not quite four years from that time, when Mr. Smith was
between 17 and 18 years of age—and not yet old enough to be called
"Old Joe Smith,"—he retired to his chamber, reflecting upon his former
vision, and earnestly desiring the fulfillment of the promise made to
him, that he should be made acquainted with the fullness of the
Gospel, and have more of the things of God revealed to him. While
reflecting and praying, a light began to burst into his room, which
continued to grow brighter and brighter, until the whole room seemed
to be lighted up with a splendor which far exceeded the brightness of
the sun at noon-day. In the midst of this glorious light a personage
appeared. He was dressed in a white robe, and his countenance was
lighted up with the glory of God. He was not standing upon the floor
of the room, but his feet appeared to be a distance from it. While
looking at this personage the Spirit of God rested upon Joseph to that
degree that all fear was removed from his mind; and instead of feeling
alarm and terror, as would have been the case with a wicked person, he
felt as though he was in the presence of a friend. This personage, on
that occasion, gave him a great deal of instruction.

Vol. 12,  p.355
I shall not pretend to give you the fall detail of the instructions
then given, but shall merely lay before you a few of the principal
items. This personage announced himself as a holy angel sent from God
to communicate to him glad tidings of great joy. He was told that the
day had arrived in which the Lord God was about to commence a great
and marvelous work on the face of our globe, to bring about the
fulfillment, of the ancient prophecies in regard to the restoration to
their own land of the scattered remnants of the House of Israel. He
was also told that before this great work, of gathering the House of
Israel, should take place, the Church of God must be built up among
the Gentile nations; that the Gospel must be preached to the Gentiles
first, that the sound thereof must go to all people; nations and
tongues, first to the Gentiles, that their times might be fulfilled;
and then that the Gospel should go to the nations of the House of
Israel, and they should be gathered in.

Vol. 12,  p.355
This was something, of course, that a boy of this early age knew
nothing about; he knew only what, God communicated to him. He was,
furthermore, told that the indians, who were wandering over the face
of North and South America, were a branch of the house of Joseph, that
same Joseph who was sold into Egypt. He was informed that their
[p.356] fathers were brought from Jerusalem some 600 years before
Christ; that they lived here in righteousness for a long period, and
had many prophets, who kept records, and that these records were
handed down for the space of a thousand years amongst them, and that,
finally, the nation having fallen into wickedness, God commanded His
servant who kept these records to hide them up in the earth in order
to preserve them from being destroyed by the wicked and apostate
nation who had turned away from God; a certain promise, however, was
made, that in the latter days these records should be brought forth.
Joseph was told that these records were hid some three miles from his
father's house. At the same time the vision of his mind was opened so
that he saw the hill in which they were deposited, and he saw the
stone box which contained them; he saw the surrounding objects and
understood, by the vision that was unfolded to him in the presence of
the angel, concerning the place where they were deposited. He was told
that if he would be faithful he should be the chosen instrument in the
hands of God in bringing that sacred record of the ancient prophets to
light; and that it should come forth and be united with the Jewish
record, which we call the Bible, that through the united testimony of
these two branches of the House of Israel, all nations might have
sufficient evidence and testimony to convince them concerning the
Gospel of the Son of God, and the great work that was to be performed
in the latter days.

Vol. 12,  p.356
This was the first visit of the angel, and it occurred on the 21st of
September, 1823. After the angel withdrew, Mr. Smith continued
praying. He was not asleep; it was not a dream, it was not in slumber
that this remarkable vision had been given. He still continued
praying, and marvelling and wondering exceedingly at the great things
he had seen and the great things he had heard. While praying and
beseeching the Lord, the vision was renewed to him, and the angel came
again and instructed him still further concerning the greatness of the
work that was to be performed upon the earth in the latter days. Again
the angel withdrew and the vision was closed up. Mr. Smith still
continued praying and exercising faith, calling upon God; for having
once tasted the good things of God, and the powers of the world to
come having rested upon him, he felt a keener desire to know more
concerning God and the things of the future than he had before
experienced. Hence, he continued praying with much faith, and the
vision was renewed the third time. On the last occasion the Lord
unfolded great and marvelous things concerning the work of gathering
together His people in the latter days, concerning the progress of
this Church and Kingdom in the four quarters of the earth and the
great judgments that were to be poured out upon the wicked nations of
the earth.

Vol. 12,  p.356
Soon after the close of the third interview with the angel the light
of day began to break into his room; he had been wrapt in vision
through the whole night, without closing his eyes in sleep. He rose
early in the morning to go to work, as usual, in the field with his
father. But his father, perceiving that he looked pale and fatigued,
inquired of him concerning his health, and advised him to go to the
house if he did not feel well. Joseph felt, no doubt, something like
we read of Daniel, who, after being wrapt in the visions of the
Almighty, was sick for three days; it did not effect Mr. Smith [p.357]
however, to the same extent. He started to go to the house, in
compliance with the advice of his father, but had only got part of the
way there when the angel again appeared to him, in the air, and
commanded him to return and reveal his vision to his father. He did
so, and the old man burst into tears, saying it was of God. The angel
further commanded him, instead of going to work, to go to the hill
that was shown him in vision and see the plates. His father told him
to do as the angel had commanded him. He therefore started according
to the instructions of the angel. When he had travelled about three
miles in the direction indicated he came to the place and instantly
recognized it by seeing objects which had been shown him the night
previous in his vision. He uncovered the spot of ground, took off the
crowning stone on the stone box, and there beheld the sacred record of
the ancient inhabitants of this continent; by its side lay the Urim
and Thummim, an instrument for its translation. Mr. Smith, not knowing
but what it was his privilege to take the record, put forth his hand
to do so, when the angel, who had appeared to him the previous night,
stood before him and commanded him not to take it at that time, saying
that he needed more experience, and that it was necessary that he
should be more faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of
God. The angel also said, "if you will be faithful before the Lord,
come to this place one year from this time and I will meet you again."
In 1824, one year from that time, he saw the angel again at the same
place, but was not then permitted to take the plates. He was commanded
to visit the same place in the following year, and in the fall of 1825
he again had an interview with the angel. In 1826 he had another
interview, and on the night of the 21st of September, 1827, the angel
again appeared to him, and on that occasion permitted him to take the
plates from the place of their deposit. He was then lacking a few
months of being twenty-two years old, and ever then, after having
passed through all these experiences, he could not with the least
propriety be denominated "Old Joe Smith."

Vol. 12,  p.357
Having received the plates he occupied a portion of his time during
the next three years in farming, and a portion of it in translating
this record, for be it known he was not able to sustain himself
without labor; he was not a rich or wealthy man, and therefore had to
labor with his hands. The work of translation was done with the Urim
and Thummim, for Mr. Smith was not a learned man, and in fact was
scarcely in possession of an ordinary common school education. He
could write a little, but was by no means an expert penman, and, in
the work of translation, he had to employ first one and then another
to write the words of the records as the translated them with the Urim
and Thummim, consequently the manuscripts of the Book of Mormon were
written by different scribes. Not long before the time he obtained the
plates, Mr. Smith got married, and he employed his wife to write some
of it. Martin Harris also wrote some portion of it; but the greater
part was written by Oliver Cowdery—a still younger man than Joseph—and
that the manuscript is in his handwriting, anyone can satisfy himself
by appealing to the original. When about two and a half years had
passed away the record was translated, and the book was in print
before the spring of 1830.

Vol. 12,  p.358
Here let me give you a little further [p.358] external evidence of the
truth of this work beyond that which depends upon the testimony of
Joseph Smith alone. The Lord would not permit the Book of Mormon to go
forth to this generation without giving further evidence of its truth
than that of its translation. Consequently three other men, by the
names of Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer and Martin Harris had a
testimony concerning the divine authenticity of this work not by
seeing the plates, merely; that would not have been sufficient. What
was their testimony? They have left it on record, and it is printed
and bound with the Book of Mormon to be sent forth to all nations,
peoples and tongues under the whole heavens. These three men testify
in words of soberness that the angel came down from Heaven in their
presence, and spoke to them and took the plates and passed them before
their eyes, and turned over their leaves one after another and showed
them the engravings upon the plates; and while he was doing this they
testify that they heard a voice from Heaven saying unto them, "these
have been translated by the gift and power of God," and commanding
them to bear record of it to all nations, kindreds, tongues and people
to whom the work should go. That is the reason they have given their
testimony and prefixed it to the Book of Mormon.

Vol. 12,  p.358
Could they have been deceived when they saw the plates in the bands of
the angel, and saw him turn them over leaf after leaf? There was no
deception there; they actually did know, and have testified to that
which their eyes did see. Here then are four witness to the divine
authenticity of the Book of Mormon,—Joseph Smith, Martin Harris, David
Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery. Are there any living in our day and
generation who can bear testimony to the divine authenticity of the
Old and New Testaments? We have the testimony of persons who lived
anciently, whom none, living in this generation, ever saw or heard.
The "Mormons," we were told this forenoon, believe in the Old
Testament; but I will say that we not only believe in it, but we know,
by the gifts of the Spirit of God, by revelations sent down from
Heaven, by the visions of the Almighty and by the ministrations of
holy angels, that the Bible is true; we know it to be a record from
Heaven. Have you any such testimony? No, you have not. Then we present
the Book of Mormon to you with a testimony such as you can not bring
in relation to the Bible, unless you appeal to the Latter-day Saints
as witnesses.

Vol. 12,  p.358
I have already cited you to four witnesses to the divine authenticity
of the Book of Mormon; but are these all the witnesses the Lord raised
concerning this work, or were there any others who saw the plates?
Yes, there were eight others, making twelve in all, who have given
their testimony and names, to go whereever this book goes, that they
did actually handle these plates and that they did see the engravings
thereon. They send forth their testimony in words of soberness to all
people to this fact. Can any one in this generation come forth and
declare that he ever handled the tables of stone on which the law of
Moses was written? I never have heard of any such man. You have not
got the tables of stone, neither can you exhibit the original of any
one of the Books of either the Old or New Testament; hence when you
come to external evidence the Latter-day Saints can produce far more
in proof of the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon and of the
scriptures than it is possible [p.359] for the Christian world to
bring.

Vol. 12,  p.359
But we will not stop here. After the Book of Mormon was printed, in
the spring of 1830, of what use would it have been to this generation
if God had not sent down from heaven authority to administer in His
ordinances as taught within its pages and in the scriptures? None,
whatever. We could have read, it is true, a great many good
principles, and we might have understood the doctrine of Christ more
fully and plainly by reading the testimony of the prophets and
apostles who lived on the American continent 1800 years ago, and of
those who lived here before Christ; we might also have learned a great
many things, but what would all this have availed us without authority
sent from Heaven to administer in the ordinances of the Gospel? It
would have availed us nothing; it would have been like spreading a
good, substantial meal before a hungry man and depriving him of the
power to partake thereof; it would only have aggravated his appetite.
This would have been the position of the people in regard to the Book
of Mormon if it had been merely translated and left there. But the
Lord our God, who had determined in His eternal purposes, and had
revealed and foretold by the mouths of His ancient prophets that in
the latter days He would establish His Kingdom on the earth, did
condescend to send from heaven, angels to confer the authority to
administer in the ordinances of the Gospel of His Son.

Vol. 12,  p.359
Who were sent from heaven for this purpose? Peter, James and John,
some of the principal of Christ's ancient apostles; men who held the
apostleship themselves; men who were able to give the authority,
because they held it themselves; and by them this authority was again
restored and conferred upon men here on the earth. But I must mention
that the Lord had commenced by restoring the lesser authority or
priesthood. On the 15th day of May, 1829, nearly a year before the
organization of this Church, while Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery
were engaged in translating and writing the record contained on these
plates of which I have been speaking, they read that the people on the
American continent, anciently, were baptized by immersion, and how
important it was for every person who had come to years of
accountablility to be born of the water as well as of the spirit; and
having learned that no man in all the Christian churches was possessed
of authority to administer any ordinances of the Gospel of Christ,
they were at a loss, just as Joseph was, when fourteen years old,
about which church to join. Consequently, they stopped the work of
translation, (their anxiety to attend to the ordinance being so
great), and they went out into the wilderness and inquired of God what
they should do in relation to their baptism. When they had prayed a
while behold a messenger was sent from the heavens, and he came and
stood before them clothed in brightness and glory. What was his object
in coming? Was it to teach them the mode or order of baptism? No, but
it was to restore to the earth the authority to administer the
ordinance. This messenger laid his hands upon the heads of these two
individuals, and gave unto them the lesser or Levitical priesthood,
the priesthood of Aaron, the same that was held by John the Baptist—a
regular priest of the lineage of Aaron—when he baptized for the
remission of sins. Who was the angel that thus restored this
priesthood to the earth?[p.360] He said his name was John, the same
who came to prepare the way of our Savior at His first coming, and
that he was sent to confer this lesser priesthood upon His servants in
answer to their prayers in order that there might he authority on the
earth to baptize, saying to them further, while his hands were still
upon their heads, that "this authority which I now confer upon you
shall not be taken from the earth until the Lord shall come."

Vol. 12,  p.360
Let me here inquire if there is anything in the scriptures that will
warrant us in believing that the priesthood of Levi is again to be
restored to the earth. Hitherto I have given you a history of the rise
of this Church, without appealing to many passages of scripture; but
now let me for a few moments cite your minds to the nature of that
priesthood which John the Baptist held, and whether or not it is to be
on the earth in the latter times.

Vol. 12,  p.360
in the first place you may go to all the religious sects and societies
throughout all christendom and inquire if they have the Levitical
priesthood among them, and they will tell you they have not. The
Church of England, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists or any of all
these societies do not even pretend to any such priesthood; neither
does the Roman Catholic, or the Greek Church. You inquire,
furthermore, of all these Christian societies if the Jews, themselves,
have the Aaronic priesthood, and they will tell you that the Jews lost
that authority by their apostacy, and that the Kingdom of God was
taken from them and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits
thereof. Consequently, accordirg to the testimony of all christendom,
there is neither Jew nor Gentile now upon the face of the earth who
has the priesthood after the order of Levi, or the Levitical
priesthood. If that be the case, if it ever returns to the earth, it
must be restored. Now the question is will it return to the earth? Is
there a promise in the scriptures of the restoration of such a
priesthood to the children of men? If so it must come from Heaven, for
according to the testimony of all christendom neither they nor the
Jews possess it.

Vol. 12,  p.360
There is not time on the present occasion to turn particularly to the
passages referring to this subject, but I think I can direct your
minds to a few. In the testimony given in the 40th chapter of Exodus,
verse 15, we find that, this priesthood was to be confirmed upon the
heads of the children of Levi unto the end, throughout all their
generations. Again we find another testimony in the case of the
grandson of Aaron, Phinehas. In consequence of a certain work he did
in the midst of the congregation of Israel, an everlasting priesthood
was confirmed upon him and his seed throughout all their generations,
Numbers 25: 13; that is, they were entitled to it. They might lose it
through apostacy; but they were entitled to it throughout all their
generations. Again, when we refer to the last chapter of Isaiah we
find a prophecy that has not yet been fulfilled only in part, where
the Lord says, "I will set a sign among the people and I will gather
the children of Israel from all nations upon horses, upon mules, in
litters, upon swift beasts back to my holy mountain Jerusalem, and I
will take of them for priests and Levites saith the Lord." Indeed! Is
the Lord going to have priests and Levites after gathering Israel from
all nations? Yes. "I will take of them for priests and Levites saith
the Lord."

Vol. 12,  p.361
Here, then, is a restitution or restoration predicted in the last
chapter [p.361] of Isaiah that the Lord will gather the House of
Israel from all lands to His holy mountain Jerusalem, and that He will
then take of them for priests and Levites. Furthermore let us see what
the following passage says concerning the continuation of this lesser
Priesthood of Levi: "For as the new heavens and the new earth which I
shall make shall remain before me, so shall your seed and your name
remain;" or in other words your priesthood, the priesthood which I
have conferred upon the seed of Levi, shall remain just as eternal as
the new heavens and the new earth. If one comes to an end so shall the
other; and if one is to be eternal and never to pass away so will the
other. If then, such a priesthood is to be restored to the children of
men in the last days when God raises up a people to prepare for the
ingathering of the House of Israel, where will it come from? I have
already proven to you that according to the testimony of all
Christendom neither the Jews nor the Christians possess it. Then how
will it be restored? It will be restored by the Lord God, who first
established that authority on the earth. I have told you how He has
restored it. I have told you that an angel, whose name was John the
Baptist, on whom rested that priesthood and authority, came down from
Heaven and restored it. I have told you that he laid his hands upon
the heads of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and gave them authority
to baptize. "But," says one, "how about the laying on of hands? Can
they who hold that priesthood lay on hands?" No, they have not
authority to do that. John, who held that priesthood, said, I baptize
you with water, but there cometh one after me, mightier than I, and
he, holding a higher priesthood than I, will baptize you with the Holy
Ghost and with fire. That priesthood is called the Melchizedec
priesthood. It was that priesthood which Jesus possessed, and by the
authority of that priesthood He called his disciples. That priesthood
confers the power to administer in all the fullness of the ordinances
of the Son of God; in the spirit as well as in the outward ordinances.
Therefore this Church never could have arisen had the Lord stopped
with the mere translation of the Book of Mormon and the restoration of
this lesser priesthood. It is true that with the latter we could
baptize, but it does not impart the power to confer the Holy Ghost;
and that this Church might have the power to administer in every
ordinance of the Gospel, the apostleship was again restored, which
holds all all the keys, authorities and powers to administer, not only
in the outward ordinances, but also to confer the spirit of the living
God. That is the authority of the higher priesthood, and, like the
authority of the lesser priesthood, was sent down from Heaven and
restored to the earth in these last days; and of all the religious
denominations upon the face of the earth, it is possessed by the
Latter-day Saints only. None of the others mulch the least pretensions
to any such power.

Vol. 12,  p.361
When the Latter-day Saints go forth and find people who will repent of
their sins and believe in Jesus Christ, we command them, as the
disciples of Jesus did anciently, to be baptized for the remission of
their sins, and then we promise them with all boldness and confidence
before God, being authorized from the Heavens to do so, that they
shall receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands of the
Elders. We do not say you may receive it, or it is probable the Lord
will give it you; but [p.362] we make a sure and certain promise that
if they will faithfully comply with the conditions on which its
bestowal is based, they shall receive it. We make this promise because
we are commanded so to do; the Lord has sent us forth to do it, and
were we not to do so He would hurl us out of our places and raise up
others who would.

Vol. 12,  p.362
The apostleship has been restored by Peter, James and John—men who
held the priesthood of the Son of God, men who had power to seal on
earth and it was sealed in heaven. These men, commissioned and sent
forth as holy angels, laid their hands upon the heads of the first
Elders of this Church, and gave authority to them to ordain others to
the same priesthood and calling and send them forth among the nations.
It is because the people have obeyed the ordinances of the Gospel and
have received the blessings promised that they have gathere here to
these mountains. If it had not been for this these vales would still
be without inhabitants except the wild savages who formerly roamed
over their desert plains.

Vol. 12,  p.362
I have not time to enter into further particulars relative to the rise
of this Church, the authority that has been restored and the blessings
that are received. That God, who has sent His angel flying through the
midst of heaven, according to the testimony given in the revelations
of St. John, with the everlasting Gospel to be preached to every
nation, kindred, tongue and people, may give you all the blessings of
that everlasting Gospel sent from heaven by angels, and all the
blessings of that priesthood, with its power to seal upon the earth
and in the heavens, and that you may overcome and remain faithful to
the end, and obtain eternal life in His Kingdom, is my prayer in the
name of Jesus. Amen.

George Q. Cannon, January 31, 1869

Unity and Unchangeableness of the Gospel—New 
Revelation Needed—Spiritualism

DISCOURSE by Elder George Q. Cannon, delivered in the 
Old Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Jan. 31st, 1869.

[Reported By David W. Evans]

Vol. 12,  p.362
To those who are not familiar with the operations of the Gospel of
Christ the spectacle which is to be witnessed in this Territory of a
people congregating together from so many nations and united in their
faith and worship is something that is very strange and must, of
necessity, create considerable inquiry and remark. It is wonderful,
and is without a parallel on the earth at present; and yet when viewed
in the light of the Gospel which Jesus taught there ought to be
nothing particularly wonderful about it, for that which we see in
these valleys is what we might expect to see, from the teachings of
Jesus and His apostles. Jesus taught His disciples the plan of
salvation. He gave unto them the power and authority to go forth and
proclaim that plan to every [p.363] creature, commanding them to
baptize, and promised them that they who bowed in obedience to their
teachings should receive the Holy Ghost. One of the peculiarities of
the Holy Ghost, as we read of its effects in the scriptures, was to
unite the hearts of those who received it and to make them one.

Vol. 12,  p.363
We find no account in the history that is gives unto us of the labors
of the apostles, of there being any division of sentiment among them
or among their disciples. Although Paul had not been brought into
contact with Peter and the rest of the Twelve for some years, he
informs us that when he went to Jerusalem to meet with them, he found
that he taught the same principles and was conversant with the
doctrines of Jesus as they were; and so much was he impressed with the
importance of him and his brethren and those who received the
principles they taught, believing in one form of doctrine and one plan
of salvation, that he left on record, to one of the Churches which he
raised up, this sentiment,—"though we or an angel from heaven, preach
any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you;
let him be accursed." He endeavored to impress upon those with whom he
had communication, and over whom he had influence, that the form of
doctrine which he had delivered to them, and which, he says, he
received by the Holy Ghost, was the only form of doctrine that could
be preached to the inhabitants of the earth without the curse of
Almighty God resting upon them who preached and propagated it. Hence,
it is but reasonable to suppose that had the doctrine which Paul
taught, which he received from Jesus, and the doctrine which was
taught by Peter, James, John and Andrew, and the rest of the apostles,
been preached and adhered to, by the whole of the inhabitants of the
earth, we should see, to-day, through all the nations of the earth,
that which is witnessed in Utah—one form of worship and one faith, and
all the people, everywhere worshipping in the same temples and
tabernacles, and being governed by the same principles.

Vol. 12,  p.363
It cannot be expected by any person who has any faith or confidence in
the plan of salvation, or in the scriptures which contain an account
of that plan, that the Holy Ghost would reveal unto man two different
kinds of faith; that it would lead them to believe in different forms
of doctrine, or that it would teach one class of men that one portion
of the Gospel was necessary, and another portion unnecessary; or cause
any portion of the people to believe that a certain item of the Gospel
was essential to salvation, and cause another portion of the people to
believe that the same item of the Gospel was non-essential. Such a
view is irreconcilable with the teachings of Jesus and his apostles
and of all that is left on record concerning the gifts and power of
the Holy Ghost and its office among the children of men. On the
contrary, all that is recorded leads us to suppose that if the Holy
Ghost were to be bestowed upon an inhabitant of Europe, upon another
person in Asia, another in Africa, and upon a fourth, in America, and
again upon another on the islands of the sea, that these individuals
were they to come together and converse upon the plan of salvation
would entertain precisely similar views respecting that plan. To think
otherwise would be to make God, our Heavenly Father, the author of
strife and division.

Vol. 12,  p.364
If we will remember the prayer of Jesus, the last which He offered
up,[p.364] of which we have any account, before His arrest and
betrayal, we shall find that He prayed that His apostles might be one,
even as He and the Father were one. And said He, "Neither pray I for
these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their
word; that they all may be one, as Thou, Father, art in me, and I in
thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that
Thou has sent me." This prayer, it is presumeable, was recorded in
Heaven; and it is also presumeable that it was the design of God that
it should be answered upon the heads of those in whose behalf it was
offered. This oneness did characterise the Church in those days; and,
as I have already said, there is nothing left on record to prove to us
that there was anything but oneness, harmony and union in the midst of
the Church during the lives of the apostles. The prayer of Jesus was
heard and answered, the Spirit of God was poured out upon the
apostles, and not only upon them but upon those who believed in their
words; and the world in looking on their union had an evidence that
they could not controvert, that Jesus had been sent by the Father, and
that he was is, deed the very Christ. It may be supposed, therefore,
that, this being the condition of things during the lives of the
apostles, had the inhabitants of the earth continued to practice the
principles which they taught, the same results would have followed,
not only in the first century, of the Christian era, but through every
succeeeding century down to our day. For it is recorded in the
Scriptures, and none who believe in them can doubt the truth of the
saying, that God is the same yesterday, to-day and for ever.

Vol. 12,  p.364
He, Himself, says, "For I am the Lord, I change not, therefore ye sons
of Jacob are not consumed." This is the character of our Father and
our God. At all times and under all circumstances in every age and
generation, when men have bowed before Him and have sought Him in the
way He has appointed, He has heard their prayers and granted to them
the desires of their hearts, and has blessed them according to the
faith they have exercised in Him.

Vol. 12,  p.364
Everything that we have on record from those who have had any
acquaintance with His attributes or who have had familiar intercourse
with Him confirms this view of His character. When men sought after
Him in faith in the days of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses and the
prophets, and then again in the days of Jesus and His apostles, the
same results followed the exercise of their faith. All may not have
had direct and personal intercourse with Him, but all received the
blessings they sought, and the guidance of His unerring wisdom has
been granted unto them. This is proved from the first record made by
Moses, down to the last made by John the Revelator on the Isle of
Patmos. We have no account of a generation, or of an individual, even,
who served God and kept His commandments, that did not receive
peculiar manifestations and blessings from Him. No one was left in
doubt or darkness; no one had to be guided by tradition or by the
teachings of others alone; but every one, in every age and generation,
received peculiar manifestations and blessings down to the time that
John closed his record.

Vol. 12,  p.364
Seeing that this is the character of our Father in heaven and of the
Gospel of His Son Jesus Christ, how is it that, to-day, there is
opposition, strife and uncertainty among those who call themselves the
disciples of Jesus, if He is, as the Scriptures say, "the same
yesterday, to-day and forever?" [p.365] This is an inquiry that every
man, who professes any faith whatever, in Christ, should make, even if
he does not indorse the idea that has been taught and testified to by
the Latter-day Saints, viz, that God is a God of revelation, and that
He has revealed Himself again in the latter days as He did in former
days. For my part, with the view I now have respecting God, with the
light that has been thrown upon my mind by the teachings of the Elders
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I could not be
satisfied unless I had something more, than the world say it is
possible for men to obtain at the present time. I could not be
satisfied with the records that we have in our midst containing the
testimony of men who lived hundreds of years ago. I could not be
satisfied to base my faith, and my hopes of salvation and future glory
upon a testimony of what they realized any more than I could be
satisfied when hungry by reading an account of a good meal partaken of
by somebody else. I should want something more than this. I should
want to know for myself that God is what others have said He is. I
should want to know that He lives to-day, as He did 1800 or 2000 years
ago, or as He did in the morning of creation. And if it were possible
for men, by the exercise of faith, to obtain a knowledge for
themselves, I would contend for that knowledge until I obtained it.
But the Lord be praised, we are not in this condition. We know that
God is the same that He was yesterday or in the days of Jesus. We know
He is the same God that He was in the days of Noah, Moses, Abraham,
and other prophets who lived previous to the coming of Jesus Christ.
We know this because we have obeyed the form of doctrine taught
anciently, which has been revealed again in our days, and we have
received the same testimony that the people of God enjoyed anciently.
We have repented of our sins, have been baptized for the remission of
them by those having authority; have had hands laid upon us for the
reception of the Holy Ghost, according to the practice of the apostles
of Jesus in ancient times, and we have received the promised spirit
and its gifts, which bear witness unto us that we are born of God,
that He is pleased with our offering and has accepted us.

Vol. 12,  p.365
It is no wonder that we are united; it is no wonder that men from
various nations who have come to the Territory of Utah are united.
They have been alike in their obedience, and are alike in their faith
and testimony. It is no wonder that for five hundred miles—from the
extreme north to south of this Territory,—settlements have been
formed, whose inhabitants dwell together in unity and peace,
worshiping God in the same manner, submitting to the same requirements
and obeying the same ordinances. These are the results of obedience to
the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These are the results which followed
obedience to that Gospel anciently; and these results would have
continued to the present day had that Gospel and the authority to
preach it been preserved from the apostles downward.

Vol. 12,  p.365
There s no better evidence that new revelation is needed than is to be
found to-day throughout so-called Christendom. Visit the cities of
Christendom outside of this Territory, and what do you see? Confusion
and division; the churches and meeting houses of various denominations
with their spires pointing heavenward, and people passing and
repassing to fill these places of worship, all prefossing to worship
the same [p.366] God and to believe in Jesus Christ and the Bible,
upon which they profess their faith is founded; and yet when you
converse with them as to their form of doctrine, one will tell you
that to believe in Jesus Christ and to repent from sin is all that is
necessary to secure salvation; another will say that in addition to
this you must be baptized, and that if you are baptized, having faith
in Jesus Christ and repenting of your sins, you are sure of salvation
if you continue. One will tell you that sprinkling constitutes
baptism, and that a few drops of water sprinkled on your forehead is
all that is necessary; another will contend that this alone is not
sufficient, but that you must have water poured out upon you. Another
says neither of these methods is right, but that you must be immersed
in water; while still another will tell you it makes no difference
whether you are sprinkled, immersed or have the water poured upon you,
and that whether you obey any of these ordinances or not you are sure
of salvation if you only come to the foot of the cross and cast your
burden of sin there.

Vol. 12,  p.366
These are the kinds of faiths that exist in Christendom at the present
time, and they are all, professedly, based upon the Scriptures,
forgetting that, portion of Paul's epistle which I quoted to
you—"though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto
you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed;"
also forgetting that Paul says, "there is one Lord, one faith and one
baptism." Not two, half a dozen or a hundred faiths, nor two, three or
four forms of baptism; but Paul actually says, "one Lord, one faith
and one baptism." I say there is no better evidence to be found of the
necessity of new revelation from heaven than the condition of the
world at the present time in these respects.

Vol. 12,  p.366
It is gratifying to reflect that this condition of things is likely
soon to be ended, and that the same gifts, blessings and powers, as
formerly existed, with the same results, so far as union, harmony and
love are concerned, are restored, and are now in existence among the
inhabitants of the earth. It ought to be a cause of thanksgiving, not
only to the Latter-day Saints, but to every man who loves his fellow
men, to witness that which is now being produced in the midst of the
earth, the results of which we see in this Territory. I do not believe
that a man who has any love for his fellow men can contemplate this
condition of things without having his heart filled with joyous
feelings. It, is a source of wonder and gratitude to contemplate the
fact that, a few years ago, a few apparently insignificant and
illiterate men went forth bearing testimony that God had again spoken
from the heavens, and had revealed the everlasting Gospel in its
ancient purity and power, and that through this testimony thousands,
from the various nations of the earth and the islands of the sea, have
been gathered to these valleys, and are able to bear the same
testimony. When I contemplate these facts my mind is swallowed up with
admiration, and my heart is filled with gratitude and praise to our
heavenly Father for the great work which He has founded and carried on
successfully in the midst of the most determined opposition, and I
feel that we, of all people now living, should thank and praise our
Father and God that our lot has been cast upon the earth when these
great events are in progress.

Vol. 12,  p.367
I know that the cry of "delusion" and "false prophets" is raised on
[p.367] every hand, and that the people, generally say, and have been
saying for years, that "the Latter-day Saints are deceived, and that
their organization will speedily come to an end." Yet, despite these
sayings, the work of God still goes on and is rot king rapid strides
towards the fulfillment of that high destiny which its Author has
predicted concerning it. When you compare this work with the work that
Was done by Christ and His apostles you will find a great analogy
between the two. If we are every where spoken against and our names
cast out as evil, they were served the same way; if we are hated, so
were they; if we are despised and condemned, they were not considered
worthy the society of their cotemporaries, many of whom thought they
were doing God service by killing them. If we were the first whose
names have been cast out as evil, or if this generation were the first
that had hated the truth, our case would be pitiable indeed; but in
every age, from the days of Noah down to the, age of the apostles,
this has been invariably the case. Every man to whom the heavens have
been opened and who has received revelations from God has been hated,
by his fellows; his life has been sought, and he has had no peace on
the earth. No matter how numerous such persons have been they have
been hunted and driven. So true is this that Stephen the martyr, when
being stoned; to death, taunted the Jews with their unbelief and the
acts of their ancestors. Said he, "which of the prophets have not your
fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of
the coming of the Just One."

Vol. 12,  p.367
Most of the prophets that ever lived on the earth, of whom we have any
account, have suffered martyrdom. And not only has this been the case
with the prophets, but also with Jesus himself, that Being who came to
the earth clothed with the power and authority of the Godhead—although
His glory was hid from men. He who spake as never man spake, and
labored as never man labored in the midst of the children of men,
performing mighty miracles and doing wonderful works, but what kind of
treatment did tie receive? He was hated, spit upon, cast out from
among men, and finally killed; and His disciples and apostles after
Him shared the same fate.

Vol. 12,  p.367
We have a glorious array of predecessors; and it is a source of
consolation and encouragement that we do not stand alone in this
respect, and that in former times, men have been hated and despised as
we are hated and despised, to-day, and for no other cause than for
preaching the truth in its purity and standing Up in defence of holy
and pure principles revealed from heaven. In fact the persecutions and
hatred the Latter-day Saints have been called to pass through, instead
of being an evidence against, are an evidence in favor of the truth of
the work they are engaged in. Jesus Says, "woe unto you when all men
speak well of you." He warned His disciples of danger when, their
names here honored and when all men spoke well of them.

Vol. 12,  p.367
I have said that the Lord has blessed His servants in sending them
forth to preach the Gospel. The same results have followed their
preaching as followed the preaching of the Apostles of Jesus
anciently. Those who obeyed their teachings were united, so are the
Latter-day Saints. I have seen them, and so have you, coming from the
four quarters of the earth, mingling together, not knowing each
other's language, nor familiar with each [p.368] other—baptized by men
whom they had never before seen—men who had never gathered to Zion nor
associated with the heads of the Church; but who, like Paul, had
received it away from the centre stake or place where the authorities
resided; and yet they could all testify in their own languages, to one
another, that they had received the Gospel of Jesus, and the testimony
of the Holy Spirit in consequence of their obedience to the form of
doctrine taught unto them; and they are able to dwell together here in
this Territory in peace, love and union, although, as I have said,
brought up in different countries and trained in different creeds.
What more could the Gospel have done when preached by the apostles?
What more did it do when preached by Peter on the day of Pentecost?
The results which Jesus prayed for have been fully realized in the day
in which we live, and in the midst of the people to which we belong.
It may be asked why should not these results be realized by this
people? I have told you that God is the same yesterday, to-day and
forever; I have told you that the Spirit of God produces the same
results and the same testimony all the world over. And why should it
not? Is there anything strange about that? It would be strange if it
did not do so. If there be anything strange, wonderful or worthy of
remark it is that among those professing to be the followers of Christ
and claiming to be His ministers, there is not that love, union and
knowledge in these days which were possessed by those who believed in
Him anciently. It is strange that men professing to be followers of
Jesus to-day do not enjoy the same manifestations and blessings as
they did who believed in Him anciently.

Vol. 12,  p.368
There is one thing worthy of note in this connection, and that is,
that when Joseph Smith first proclaimed to the people that God had
spoken from the heavens and sent His holy angels to minister to him,
and bestowed upon him the knowledge and authority necessary to build
up the Church, he met with opposition and ridicule on every hand.
Scarcely a man whom he met would acknowledge that such a thing was
possible or at all consistent with God's mode of dealing with the
children of men in these days. It is true that he was successful in
convincing a few that he had the testimony of Jesus. They obeyed God's
doctrine taught to them and received the testimony; but for years
after he started out to make this proclamation he had this kind of
opposition to contend with. But he said the time would come when there
would be strong delusion and lying spirits permitted to come forth
among the people. He declared that God had restored the priesthood to
the earth, and the ordinances of the Gospel, and had established His
Church in its purity; and that those who did not believe the testimony
of the servants of God and obey it, would be given over to hardness of
heart and become subject to evil influences that were known nothing of
previous to the establishing of the Church and the restoration of the
priesthood.

Vol. 12,  p.368
Years elapsed before this prediction was fulfilled, but it was
eventually verified. I recollect very well the first time I got any
intimation of it. I was on the Sandwich Islands on a mission; I had
stepped into the house of a man who afterwards became a member of the
Church. I happened to pick up a book, upon examining which, I found a
good many things that struck me as being very strange. I thought, at
first that it must be a work written by the [p.369] Latter-day Saints;
but I soon found that it was not. The argument of the writer was in
favor of communication with the spirit world, through the ministering
of angels, being as possible in these days as at former times. He used
precisely similar arguments to those used by the Elders of this
Church; and quoted largely from the Bible to prove that it had been
quite common for men in ancient days to have such communications and
to possess the gift of prophecy and the spirit of revelation, and he
argued in favor of these modes of communication in these days. I was
very much surprised at seeing such principles advocated by this book;
but immediately, the recollection of Joseph's predictions flashed
across my mind. I was but young at the time he made the remark, but I
recollected it I have had opportunities of watching the growth and
developement of this movement from that day to the present time. I
have come in conact with many who profess to believe in spiritual
communication; and in traveling through the United States at the
present time you will find a great many individuals who entertain this
belief. What, has produced this change? Why, it is the very thing
which Paul said would come. The people in his day would not receive
the love of the truth, that they might be saved, "therefore" said he,
"for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should
believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believe not the
truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. They would not believe the
testimony of the servants of God, therefore they were given up to
hardness of heart and spiritual blindness. When these things overtake
them they are ready to fall in with any spirit or influence that will
manifest itself amongst them in an extraordinary manner.

Vol. 12,  p.369
For years after the truth was revealed men would continue to ask for a
sign. "If you are the men you profess to be," they would say, "give us
some miracle—cause the blind to see, the dumb to speak, the deaf to
hear, or the lame to walk, that we may know you are sent of God." How
many thousands of times have, the Elders been urged to give some
exhibition of power that men might know they were sent of God.
Thousands and thousands of times have professed ministers of the
Gospel made this request of them. They would not believe the words of
Jesus that "these signs shall follow them that believe;" but they
wanted the Elders to give signs to prove that Jesus told the truth.
You know what Jesus says respecting those who wanted signs—"It is a
wicked and adulterous generation that seek a sign, but no sign shall
be given them."

Vol. 12,  p.369
The Elders of this Church have proved the truth of the words of Jesus,
that it is a wicked and adulterous generation that seek for a sign.
You will generally find that they are wicked men who ask for this kind
of evidence. A wicked man is not satisfied with the truth or with the
testimony of the servants of God, nor with the calm, heavenly
influence of the spirit of God which rests down upon those who receive
the truth in honesty. No, such a man wants a sign; he wants to hear
somebody speak in tongues, or to see the eyes of the blind opened, or
the deaf made to hear, the dumb to speak, the lame to walk, or the
dead raised to life. Something of this kind he must have the testimony
of the truth, though borne with angel's power, has no effect on such a
heart. He wants [p.370] something to convince his outward senses.
Thousands of such have rejected the Gospel of life and salvation as
they did in the days of Jesus. They then rejected the testimony of the
servants of God, and they hardened their hearts against it. But as
soon as something came along that gratified them in the way they
wanted—something that could tip a table or give some other singular
manifestation of power, such as feeling invisible hands laid upon
them, or hearing music played by invisible performers, or something of
this character, they were convinced immediately that it was possible
for spiritual beings to communicate with mortals, and now the
Spiritualists number their converts by millions; they probably number
more than any other denomination, if they can be called a
denomination. They boast of their success.

Vol. 12,  p.370
In this manner the nations of the earth are being subjected to strong
delusions; and you will find that as the kingdom of God increases, and
as the work spreads abroad and the priesthood gains power and
influence in the earth, these systems will gain power and influence,
and that strong delusion will increase and spread among the
inhabitants of the earth. They did not make their appearance until
this Church was organized and the testimony of its truth had been
borne; but as soon as the genuine priesthood was restored the bogus or
counterfeit made its appearance; and as this work increases in
strength and potency in the earth, so will these delusions of which I
speak, until those who reject the truth will be bound up in a strong
delusion and delivered over to hardness of heart. It is written that
"the spirit of God will not always strive with man," and when the
truth is offered to men and they reject it, that spirit will be
withdrawn and another influence and spirit will take possession of
them, and they will be led captive by the Adversary.

Vol. 12,  p.370
But this is not the case with the work of God; the testimony of those
who have embraced the Gospel of Jesus Christ is different in this
respect. It is as it was of old—"line upon line, precept upon precept,
here a little, there a little." God has revealed to His people
according to their strength to receive. He has given to them knowledge
just as wise parents give it to their children. He has not bestowed
upon them something that would destroy them; but He has given to them
light upon light and knowledge upon knowledge in order to lead them
along and train them in the path of righteousness which will
ultimately lead them back into His presence. What joy, peace, love and
union have been bestowed upon those who have embraced the Gospel of
Jesus Christ! What light has been shed upon their minds in relation to
the Scriptures! No sooner have they they gone forth into the waters of
baptism for the remission of their sins and had hands laid upon them
for the Holy Ghost than it has seemed as though a heavenly peace has
taken possession of them. Who, that can recollect anything about the
time they entered the Church and their subsequent experience, cannot
say that they felt unspeakable gratitude to God for the blessings they
received? It has been "like the dew from heaven descending." It has
descended upon the people and filled them with peace, and has knit
their hearts together in love, and they have rejoiced in the power
which God has manifested in their behalf. But they have not had these
wonderful manifestations of which we read among the Spiritualists;
there has been no necessity for them.[p.371] 

Vol. 12,  p.371
There is something remarkable in the growth and development of
Spiritualism. When Joseph declared that angels had come from heaven
and had manifested themselves to him in bodily presence, and had laid
their hands upon him, his testimony was rejected, the people declaring
him to be an imposter, a false prophet, and not worthy to live; and
they were not satisfied until they had killed him. But how changed has
all become since then! What advancement the world has made in beliefs
of this kind! You may tell almost anything about spiritual
manifestations, and the people are ready to believe it—that is, if it
is outside of the priesthood and does not come from the Latter-day
Saints; their statements are received with as much incredulity and
scorn as ever.

Vol. 12,  p.371
Well, the difference between the two systems is apparent. The
Latter-day Saints are united, just as Jesus Christ prayed that His
followers might be. It is true that we are not yet one as the Father
and the Son are one; but we are approximating thereto. The principle
of oneness is in our midst and is continually growing. But how is it
with those who are the base imitators of the servants of God? Why a
thousand vagaries are indulged in by them. There is no form of belief
in which they unite; there is no union amongst them. They are divided
and separated into thousands of fragments, all having their own
peculiar ideas and views. Is the work of God rolled forth by them? Are
the inhabitants of the earth benefitted by them? Is the earth made
better, more beautiful or lovely by their labors, or by the
revelations they receive? No, there are no fruits of this kind to be
witnessed among them; but all is division, confusion and chaos. There
is nothing to cement them together or make them one. But the work God
has established is rolling forth with giant strides and accomplishing
great results. It is bringing thousands of the poor and ignorant from
the nations of the earth and emancipating them from the poverty,
thraldom and bondage under which they and their fathers before them
have groaned for generations; and it is revealing to them the Gospel
of peace, the plan of salvation and planting theta in a land of
freedom, and bestowing upon them every blessing which the heart of man
desires. In addition to this it is producing mental results of a
wonderful and elevating character. It bestows upon those who obey its
precepts heavenly knowledge, makes them wise in all things, causing
them to become an infinitely better people than they were before. Who
can not see, if he will open his eyes to the evidence that God has
caused to accomplish His work, which is God's work and which is the
Adversary's?

Vol. 12,  p.371
In speaking in this strain I am speaking of what I know. I am not
telling you what John, Peter or Paul said 1800 years ago, and what
Moses left on record. I stand here as a witness, corroborating what
they have written. I know for myself that God has spoken from the
heavens and restored the everlasting Gospel in its purity to the
earth; that He has ordained His servants and given them the power and
authority which were held and enjoyed in ancient days. I know that He
has restored to the earth the ordinances of the Gospel and the Holy
Ghost with its gifts and blessings. These things I have received and
have enjoyed them myself, hence I know they are true. I know God is
the same yesterday, to-day and for [p.372] over, and bestows His
blessings upon all who will humble themselves before Him, and seek
unto Him in the name of Jesus.

Vol. 12,  p.372
May God help us all to live so as to secure and preserve this
testimony is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Brigham Young, April 6, 1869

Co-Operation

REMARKS by President Brigham Young, delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, April 6, 1869.

[Reported By David W. Evans] 

Vol. 12,  p.372
I have it in my mind to say a few words upon co-operation. I will
quote a saying of one, whose partial history is given to us in the New
Testament. The saying is this, "my yoke is easy, my burden is light."
The knowledge I have gained in my private experience proves to me that
there is not a man or woman, community or family, but what, if they
will hearken to the council that God gives them, can do better in
everything, spiritual or temporal, than they can if they take their
own way.

Vol. 12,  p.372
Taking up the system of our cooperative method of merchandizing, it
gives to the people ease and mooney. They are not obliged to run a
mile or two through the mud to buy a yard of ribbon, they have it in
their own Ward, and they can purchase it twenty or thirty per cent
cheaper than they ever could before I know it is frequently said by
our Elders when any new system is introduced to the people, "put down
your names, hand over your money, and if you are required to pay two
dollars for that which is worth only one, do it and ask no questions."
I have never requested my brethren and sisters to act in any such way.
I want their eyes opened and their understandings enlightened; I wish
them to know and understand their business transactions and everything
they do just as perfectly as a woman knows how to wash dishes, sweep a
room, make a bed or bake a cake. I want it to be just as familiar to
the brethren as to make a pair of shoes, to sow and gather their grain
or any other portion of their ordinary labor. I do not ask any of you
to go blindfolded into any matters or any system of business whatever;
instead of that I prefer that you should know and understand all about
it. I wish to enlighten your minds a little with regard to the system
of merchandizing which has heretofore prevailed in this Territory.

Vol. 12,  p.372
There is quite a number of the community who were acquainted with the
first merchants who came here. It is true that a few of our own
brethren brought a few goods; but the first merchants who came here
were Livingston and Kinkead. They, to my certain knowledge, commenced
by selling the goods they brought at from two to five hundred per cent
above cost. There were a few articles, with the real value of which
everybody was acquainted, that they did not put quite so high; but
just [p.373] as quick as they came to a piece of goods, the value of
which everybody did not understand, the people might leak out for the
five hundred per cent. They continued their operations here until they
made hundreds of thousands of dollars. I do not think I ever heard a
person, professing to be a Latter-day Saint, complain of those
merchants. Others followed them. They came here, commenced their trade
and made money, in fact we poured it into their laps. I recollect once
going into the store of Livingston and Kinkead, and there being a
press of people in the store, I passed behind one of the counters. I
saw several brass kettles under it, full of gold pieces,—sovereigns,
eagles, half eagles, etc. One of the men shouted, "Bring another brass
kettle." They did so, and set it down, and the gold was thrown into
it, "chink," "chink," "chink," until, in a short time it was filled. I
saw this; the whole drift of the people was to get rid of their money.
I have heard more complaints the last few, weeks about the
co-operative movement than I ever heard before about merchandizing.

Vol. 12,  p.373
Now, I will tell you the facts about this movement. We started the
co-operative system here when we thought we would wait no longer; we
opened the Wholsale Co-operative Store, and since that, retail stores
have been established, although some of the latter were opened before
the Wholesale store was opened. I know this, that as soon as this
movement was commenced the price of goods came down from twenty to
thirty per cent. I recollect very well, after our vote last October
Conference, that it was soon buzzed around, "Why you can get calico
down street at eighteen, and seventeen cents a yard;" and it came down
to sixteen. But when it came down to sixteen cents, who had a chance
to buy any? Why nobody, unless it was just a few yards that were sold
to them as a favor. But when it came to the Wholesale Co-operative
Store the price was put at sixteen cents, and retail stores are
selling it to-day at seventeen and a half or eighteen cents a yard. I
will tell you that which I expect will hurt the feelings of many of
you: Among this people, called Latter-day Saints, when the devil has
got the crowns, sovereigns, guineas and the twenty dollar pieces, it
has been all right; but let the Lord get a sixpence and there is an
eternal grunt about it. 

Vol. 12,  p.373
I will relate a little circumstance in relation to co-operation at
Lehi. Five months after they had commenced their retail store on this
co-operative system there, they struck a dividend to see what they had
made; and they found that every man who bad paid in twenty-five
dollars—the price of a share, had a few cents over twenty-eight
dollars handed back or credited to him. Is not, this cruel? Is not
this a shame? It is ridiculous to think that they are making money so
fast. Did they sell their goods cheaper than the people of Lehi could
buy them before? Yes. Did they fetch the goods to them? O, yes, and
yet they made money. A few weeks ago I was in the Wholesale Store in
this city, and I was asking a brother from American Fork how
co-operation worked there; and I learned that three months after
commencing every man who had put in five dollars, or twenty-five
dollars had that amount handed back to him and still had this capital
stock in the Institution; and still they had sold their goods cheaper
than anybody else had ever sold them there.

Vol. 12,  p.374
The question may arise with some how can this be? I will tell you how
[p.374] it is: our own merchants make a calculation of charging you
just fifty per cent. on their staple goods, and from one hundred to
five hundred on their fancy goods. Now these Co-operative Stores sell
their goods for twenty per cent. less than they can be bought from the
merchants; and although they sell at a lower rate, the reason is they
recruit their stock of goods every week if necessary, while our
merchants, up till very recently, did it only about once a year. These
little stores at American Fork, Lehi, Provo, and other wards and
places around, can drive their teams here in a day and replenish their
stocks of goods, and that enables them to turn over their money
quickly; and if they put on six or eight per cent. instead of fifty,
by turning their money over every week, in about twelve weeks they
make a dollar double itself. That comes the nearest keeping the cake
and eating it of anything I know. I have heard people say you can not
do that, but those who are investing their little means in these
stores are actually doing it.

Vol. 12,  p.374
I know that many of our traders in this city are feeling very bad and
sore over this. They say, "you are taking the bread out of our
mouths." We wish to do it, for they have made themselves rich. Take my
community, three-eighths of whom are living on the labor of the
remaining five-eighths, and you will find the few are living on the
many. Take the whole world, and comparatively few of its inhabitants
are producers. If the members of this community wish to get rich and
to enjoy the fruits of the earth they must be producers as well as
consumers.

Vol. 12,  p.374
As to these little traders, we are going to shut them off. We feel a
little sorry for them. Some of them have but just commenced their
trading operations, and they want to keep them up. They have made,
perhaps, a few hundred dollars, and they would like to continue so as
to make a few thousands; and then they would want scores of thousands
and then hundreds of thousands. Instead of trading we want them to go
into some other branches of business. Do you say, what business? Why,
some of them may go to raising broom corn to supply the Territory with
brooms, instead of bringing them from the States. Others may go to
raising sugar cane, and thus supply the Territory with a good sweet;
we have to send to the States for our sugar now. We will get some more
of them to gathering up hides and making them into leather, and
manufacturing that leather into boots and shoes; this will be far more
profitable than letting hundreds and thousands of hides go to waste as
they have done. Others may go and make baskets; we do not care what
they go at, provided they produce that which will prove of general
benefit. Those who are able can erect woolen factories, get a few
spindles, raise sheep and manufacture the wool. Others may raise flax
and manufacture that into linen cloth, that we may not be under the
necessity of sending abroad for it. If we go on in this way, we shall
turn these little traders into producers, which will help to enrich
the entire people.

Vol. 12,  p.374
Another thing I will say with regard to our trading. Our Female Relief
Societies are doing immense good now, but they can take hold and do
all the trading for these wards just as well as to keep a big loafer
to do it. It is always disgusting to me to see a big, fat, lubberly
fellow handing out calicoes and measuring ribbon; I would rather see
the ladies do it. The ladies can [p.375] learn to keep books as well
as the men; we have some few, already, who are just as good
accountants as any of our brethren. Why not teach more to keep books
and sell goods, and let them do this business, and let the men go to
raising sheep, wheat, or cattle, or go and do something or other to
beautify the earth and help to make it like the Garden of Eden,
instead of spending their time in a lazy, loafing manner?

Vol. 12,  p.375
Now, if you think this is speculation, brethren and sisters, just
enter into it for it is the best speculation that has been got up for
a great while. I recolect the people used to say we were speculating
when we were preaching the Gospel. They accused "Joe Smith," as they
called him, of being a speculator and a money-digger" I acknowledged
then, and I acknowledge now, that I am engaged in the greatest
speculation a man can be engaged in. the best business to pursue that
was ever introduced on the face of the earth is to follow the path of
eternal life. Why, it gives us fathers, mothers, wives, friends,
houses and lands. Jesus said they who followed Him would have to
forsake these things. I reckon some of as have done it already; and
all who will live faithful, may have the privilege of so doing. Many
of this people have sacrificed all they possessed on this earth, over
and over again, for the truth's sake; and if Jesus gave us the truth
in relation to this, we shall be entitled to fathers, mothers, wives,
children, gold and silver, houses, lands and possessions a hundred
fold. But we do not want the spirit of the world with all this. What
is the advantage of following the path of life? It makes good
neighbors, and fills everybody with peace, joy and contentment. Is
there contention in a family that follows in the path of eternal life?
Not the least. Is there quarrelling among neighbors where this course
is followed? No. Any going to law one with another? Such a thing is
unknown. I say praise to the Latter-day Saints, as far as these things
are concerned.

Vol. 12,  p.375
What I have in my mind with regard to this co-operative business is
this:—There are very few people who cannot get twenty-five dollars to
put into one of these co-operative stores. There are hundreds and
thousands of women who, by prudence and industry, can obtain this sum.
And we say to you put your capital into one of these stores. What for?
To bring you interest for your money. Put your time and talents to
usury. We have the parable before us. If we have one, two, three or
five talents, of what advantage will they be if we wrap them in a
napkin and lay them away? None at all. Put them out to usury. These
co-operative stores are instituted to give the poor a little advantage
as well as the rich. I have said to my brethren, in starting these
stores in different places, "If you want help I will find means to put
in to give the tiling a start;" but I have only found two places in
the Territory in which they were willing to sell me stock—Provo, where
they wanted a wholesale store, and the wholesale store in tills city.
Go to this ward or the other and the answer is invariably, "we want,
no more means, we can get all we need." They did not think they could
before starting. I recollect the Tenth Ward in this city had but seven
hundred dollars to start with; in two or three weeks after they
commenced I asked some of the brethren how they were prospering, and
was told they had a thousand dollars' worth of goods on the shelves
and money in the drawer and owed nothing. This is considered [p.376]
one of the poorest wards in the city, but it is not so.

Vol. 12,  p.376
Now take upon you this yoke; it is a great deal easier than to pay so
much more for goods as you have been doing. I say the "yoke is easy
and the burden is light" and we can bear it. If we will work unitedly,
we can work ourselves into wealth, health, prosperity and power, and
this is required of us. It is the duty of a Saint of God to gain all
the influence he can on this earth, and to use every particle of that
influence to do good. If this is not his duty, I do not understand
what the duty of man is. I thank you for your attention, brethren and
sisters. God bless you. Amen.