Journal of Discourses Volume 14

BY PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG, 

HIS TWO COUNSELLORS, 
AND THE TWELVE APOSTLES.

REPORTED BY D. W. EVANS, 
J. Q. CANNON AND MISS JULIA YOUNG,

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

VOL. XIV

LIVERPOOL: 

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY 
ALBERT CARRINGTON, 42, ISLINGTON.

LONDON: 

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

1872.[p.iii] 

Preface

Vol. 14,  p.iii
IN times such as the present, the discourses of the leaders of Israel
cannot be else than of the highest interest to every soul who has
embraced the Gospel for the love of the truth. With this knowledge we
present the Fourteenth Volume of the to the
Saints, realizing that any words of commendation on our part would not
only be entirely out of place, but worse than superfluous.

GEORGE REYNOLDS[p.1] 

Wilford Woodruff, January 1, 1871

Eventful Times

Remarks By Elder W. Woodruff, Delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, January 1, 1871.

(Reported by DAvid W. Evans)

Vol. 14,  p.1
I wish you all a happy new year, and I hope that we may live to see a
good many, and that we may keep the commandments of God, obey his
laws, and have his approbation and blessing upon us as a people. We
have assembled here on this, the first day of the week, and the first
day of the year 1871; and this leads my mind to reflect upon the age
and generation in which we live, and the great events of the latter
days—events which involve the interests and destiny of all the
inhabitants of the earth—both Zion and Babylon, Jew and Gentile,
Jerusalem, America, and the whole world. All nations are interested in
the events which are approaching us, and which await this generation;
for, whether the world believe it or not, they are of vast interest to
them all. There have been certain times looked forward to in the
world's history, in which it was believed that something remarkable
would occur, and there have been several of these periods during the
last fifty years. I do not know that anything was predicted at an
early day with regard to 1830; but I recollect, when a boy at school,
of reading a certain verse about a great eclipse of the sun—

Vol. 14,  p.1
In eighteen hundred and thirty-one
Will be a great eclipse upon the sun.

Vol. 14,  p.1
I heard about this fifteen years before it took place, it having been
foretold by the astronomers, by the principles and laws of the science
of astronomy. On that day I was passing through a forest of pinewood,
at Farmington, Connecticut, going to see my father, whom I had not
seen for some time. It was nearly as dark as night, and when I got
through, into the open fields, there was what is termed a poor house,
the only house erected within several miles in that region of country.
A poor man had died there and they were drawing his body on an ox sled
and were going to bury him. I noticed this as I passed along, and
thought of what I had read; but nothing of any particular interest
occurred that year except the eclipse [p.2] of the sun. But in 1830
something occurred of great interest to all the inhabitants of the
earth: that was the establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints.

Vol. 14,  p.2
Many persons have looked forward to the year 1830 with great interest
and this has been the case with many of the Latter-day Saints. What
took place in that year? The dissolution of the American Union; for in
that year the South took a stand against the North, and the North
against the South, in fulfilment of a certain revelation given by
Joseph Smith thirty years before it took place. Joseph Smith predicted
that there would be a great rebellion in the United States—the South
and the North warring against each other and that this rebellion would
commence in South Carolina, and would end in the death and misery of
many souls; and that in process of time—after many days, the slaves
would rise against their masters, and that one nation would call for
aid upon another, for war would be poured upon the whole earth. I
wrote this revelation twenty-five years before the rebellion took
place; others also wrote it, and it was published to the world before
there was any prospect of the fearful events it predicted coming to
pass.

Vol. 14,  p.2
Joseph Smith once said in a speech at Nauvoo, to a company, that
whosoever lived to see the two sixes come together in '66 would see
the American continent deluged in blood. That was many years before
there was any prospect of a rebellion. The history of '60 and of '66
is before the world, and I do not wish to spend time in referring to
it.

Vol. 14,  p.2
We have got by '30, '60, '66, and '70, and we are now living at a
period when every year is big with events of interest to the
inhabitants of the earth; and they will continue from this time until
the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Many men have set times for the
coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, among whom, living in our own day, we
may mention Mr. Miller. He set times and days for the appearing of the
Messiah, and has said that he would surely come on such a day. Now if
Mr. Miller had been acquainted with the prophecies contained in the
Bible, and with the Spirit by which the Scriptures were written, he
would have known very clearly that Christ would not come until certain
events had taken place. He would have been aware that the Messiah
would not make his appearance until an angel of God had delivered the
everlasting Gospel from the heavens to be preached to the nations of
the earth; until the honest and meek of the earth are gathered out
from every sect, party and denomination under the whole heavens; until
the Zion of God had gone up into the mountains of Israel and there
established Zion, and lifted up a standard to the people. Mr. Miller
and all who have believed like him, had they understood the Scriptures
and possessed the Spirit of truth, would have known that Christ would
not come until the Jews had returned to their own land and had rebuilt
the City of Jerusalem and the temple there; they would have known that
all these and many other prophecies must have been fulfilled as a
preparatory work for the coming of the Messiah.

Vol. 14,  p.2
These things are before us; we are here in these valleys of the
mountains, as the Church of Jeans Christ of Latter-day Saints,
established by the hand of God—by revelation from heaven. This Church
has been established by raising up prophets, unto whom have been given
the keys of the kingdom of God—the keys of the holy Priesthood and
Apostleship of the Son of God, with power to [p.3] organise the Church
and kingdom of God on the earth, with all its gifts, graces,
ordinances, and orders, as proclaimed by all the Apostles and prophets
who have lived since the world began. It is because of this that we
are here to-day. In fulfilment of prophecy and revelation we have
established a kingdom, as it were, a state, a nation, a people here in
the deserts of North America. We have planted six hundred miles of
cities, towns, villages, gardens, orchards, tabernacles and temples by
the command of God, for the hand of God is in all these things, and
they are in fulfilment of revelations given in the Bible, Book of
Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants, in our day and in ancient days.
This is the work of the Lord, and all the Scriptures, from the
beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelations point to this day as
one of great interest to all the human family; although as one said of
old, "As it was in the days of Noah and of Lot, so shall it be in the
days of the coming of the Son of Man." In those days they were
marrying and giving in marriage, and when Noah went into the Ark, and
when Lot fled out of Sodom, the inhabitants of the earth through their
unbelief were ignorant of the destruction awaiting them.

Vol. 14,  p.3
At the present day darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the
minds of the people; nevertheless they are living in an age of the
world more fraught with interest to the human family than any
preceding age or generation since the creation. There is no hundred
years, no thousand years, no two thousand years since God made this
world and placed Adam in the Garden of Eden when there was as, much
prophecy, revelation, vision, and word of the Lord and promises of God
to he fulfilled as there is in the generation in which you and I live.
This is the great dispensation of all dispensations. This is the time
to which all the prophets of God have pointed, and in which they have
declared the great latter-day work of God should be established. And I
will here say that, many times, while a boy, when reading the
testimony of John, given on the isle of Patmos, whither he had been
banished for the testimony of Jesus Christ and for the word of God;
while reading the account he gives of the pouring out of plagues and
judgments on the inhabitants of the earth, I have marvelled that the
Lord should do such a work. But I do not wonder at it to-day: the
scenes have changed. When I was a boy, fifty years ago, the kingdom of
God had not been established among men; the angels of God had not
visited the earth; the Lord Almighty had not clothed his servants with
the Priesthood and commanded them to go and warn the nations of the
earth of the judgments which awaited them. There was not the
wickedness then that there is to-day. The wickedness committed to-day
in the Christian world in twenty-four hours is greater than would have
been committed in a hundred years at the ratio of fifty years ago. And
the spirit of wickedness is increasing, so that I no longer wonder
that God Almighty will turn rivers into blood; I do not wonder that he
will open the seals and Pour out the plagues and sink great Babylon,
as the angel saw, like a millstone cast into the sea, to rise no more
for ever. I can see that it requires just such plagues and judgments
to cleanse the earth, that it may cease to groan under the wickedness
and abomination in which the Christian world welters to-day. I can see
the necessity for the Lord stretching forth his hand, establishing his
kingdom, warning the nations,[p.4] and gathering out the honest and
meek of the earth from among all nations, kindreds, tongues and
people, sects and parties under the whole heaven, and preparing them
to stand as the bride, the Lamb's wife, as the Church of Jesus Christ,
as the kingdom of God, adorned with goodly apparel, adorned with the
light of Zion, with the principles of eternal life, with the Gospel of
Jesus Christ, preserving within themselves the virtues and attributes
which have made God what he is, established him on his throne, and
given him the power which he now possesses. I can say this—the Lord
will never come to visit an earth like this; he will never come to
visit a generation of the inhabitants of the earth until they are
prepared for his coming and are willing to receive him.

Vol. 14,  p.4
This is the foundation of Mormonism; this is the foundation of the
Church and kingdom of God, which was laid in 1830. The Church was
established on the 6th of April in that year. Its history and the
history of this people are before the world. We ourselves have learned
it by shoe-leather. Many of the Elders of Israel have travelled a
hundred thousand miles to preach the Gospel during the last forty
years without purse or scrip; we have labored day and night, and
travelled as no other generation of men since the world was made have
travelled. Our garments are clear of the blood of this generation, at
least many of us, and I hope many more will be. We have been true and
faithful in our testimony to the inhabitants of the earth; and as the
world generally has rejected our testimony the Lord has withdrawn his
spirit from the people in a great measure, and the religion they once
enjoyed is as nothing to many of them. Infidelity prevails throughout
the world; very few, either priests dr people, believe in a literal
fulfilment of the Bible. They have a theory, but as to believing in a
real fulfilment of prophecy, or that the Lord meant what he said and
said what he meant, that is out of the question—very few believe it.

Vol. 14,  p.4
I want to ask a question—Will the unbelief of this generation make the
truth of God without effect in our day any more than it has in any
other age of the world? I tell you nay, and think not, as Paul says,
that I am your enemy because I tell you the truth. These things are
true before God; this is the Zion of God, and these are the people of
God; and we, as Latter-day Saints, should live our religion better
than we do; and as we are now entering on another year I hope we shall
try to live our religion through this year, and do our duty and keep
the commandments of God and walk uprightly before him, that we may
become united as the heart of one man.

Vol. 14,  p.4
There are great events, as I have already said, before us. The fact
is, the Lord has laid down a great many promises concerning the latter
days, and they are going to be fulfilled; for though the heavens and
the earth pass away not one jot or tittle of the word of the Lord will
fall unfulfilled; and when our nation and the nations of the earth
have filled their cup and are ripened in iniquity the Lord will cut
them off. The greater the battle the sooner it will end; the greater
the warfare the greater the victory, if the Saints do their duty.
These things are before my mind, in the vision of it, and the Lord
will not fail in anything he has promised concerning the work of the
latter days. Whatever opposition this Church and kingdom may have, it
is the work of God. The Lord has planted and sustained it. Jesus
compares the kingdom of heaven to a mustard seed, [p.5] the least of
all seeds, but by and by when it grows it becomes a large tree, so the
fowls of the air can lodge in, its branches. So it has been with the
kingdom of God; but we are told that the little one will become a
thousand, and the small one a strong nation, and the Lord will hasten
it in his own time. The Lord says," I will break every weapon formed
against Zion; and every nation, kindred, tongue and people that will
not serve Zion shall be utterly wasted away."

Vol. 14,  p.5
When I see the world making warfare against the Zion and people of God
because they have borne record and testimony of his work on, the earth
I can tell pretty well what the end will be; I can see it. We are
living in a time when the work of God is going to increase in interest
every day until it is wound up. No man knows the day or the hour when
Christ will come, yet the generation has been pointed out by Jesus
himself. He told his disciples when they passed by the temple as they
walked out of Jerusalem that that generation should not pass away
before not one stone of that magnificent temple should be left
standing upon another and the Jews should be scattered among the
nations; and history tells how remarkably that prediction was
fulfilled. Moses and the prophets also prophecied of this as well as
Jesus. The Savior, when speaking to his disciples of his second coming
and the establishment of his kingdom on the earth, said the Jews
should be scattered and trodden under foot until the times of the
Gentiles were fulfilled. But, said he, when you see light breaking
forth among the Gentiles referring to the preaching of his Gospel
amongst them; when you see salvation offered to the Gentiles, and the
Jews—the seed of Israel—passed by, the last first and the first last;
when you, see this you may know that the time of my second coming is
at hand as surely as you know that summer is nigh when the fig tree
puts forth its leaves; and when these things commence that generation
shall not pass away until all are fulfilled.

Vol. 14,  p.5
We are living in the dispensation and generation to which Jesus
referred—the time appointed by God for the last six thousand years,
through the mouths of all the prophets and inspired men who have lived
and left their sayings on record, in which his Zion should be built up
and continue upon the earth. Those prophecies will have their
fulfilment before the world; and all who will not repent will be
engulphed in the destructions which are in store for the wicked. If
men do not cease from their murders, whoredoms, and all the wickedness
and abominations which fill the black catalogue of the crimes of the
world, judgment will overtake them; and whether we are believed or
not, these sayings are true, and I bear my testimony as a servant of
God and as an Elder in Israel to the truth of the events which are
going to follow very fast on each other.

Vol. 14,  p.5
The Lord is going to make a short work in the earth; he is going to
cut it short in righteousness, or no flesh would be saved. What
Brother Rich has said to-day is true. These principles will sustain us
Virtuous and godly principles—the principles of the Gospel will, in
the end, come off triumphant; and they will sustain and preserve any
people who practice them, whether they are popular or not in the
estimation of the world. All who embrace the principles of the Gospel
of Christ will be saved by them. He that abides a law will be
preserved by it. Any man who abides the law of the Gospel will be
saved and receive exaltation and glory by it. Let us remember these
things,[p.6] for all that has been spoken concerning this Zion of God
in the mountains will come to pass. It is the work of God, and his
eyes are over it; the heavens behold it. Every prophet and Apostle who
ever bore testimony to this work is watching us with the deepest
interest; they watch our labors and faithfulness, and are anxious
about the course we pursue. Many of them desired to live in our day,
but had not the privilege. We have been permitted to see and live in
this great and eventful age of the world. The God of heaven has put
into our hands the Gospel, the Priesthood, the keys of his kingdom,
and the power to redeem the earth from the dominion of sin and
wickedness under which it has groaned for centuries, and under which
it groans to-day. Let us lay these things to heart, and try to live
our religion; so that when we get through we may look back on our
lives, and feel that we have done what was required of us,
individually and collectively. The Lord requires much at our
hands—more than he has ever required of any generation that has
preceded us; for no generation that has ever lived on the earth was
called upon to establish the kingdom of God on the earth, knowing that
it should be thrown down no more for ever. Daniel saw this; the
Prophet Isaiah had spoken of it; in fact three-fourths of all his
predictions relate to the establishment of the kingdom of God in the
latter days; to our persecutions, to our travels to these valleys of
the mountains, to the lifting up of the standard to the people on the
mountains of Israel; to the casting up of the great highway—this
national railroad, which the ransomed of the Lord should walk over,
and on which the Gentiles should come to the light of Zion, and kings
to the brightness of her rising.

Vol. 14,  p.6
These things are to come to pass in our day, and the beginning has
commenced, and the end will come by the power of God and in fulfilment
of his promises; and it is at our hands the work is required.
Therefore I feel to bear my testimony to-day that this is the work of
God, that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and that Brigham Young is
a prophet of God, and is inspired, led, dictated and directed of the
Lord, and has been very profitable to the Latter-day Saints, and is
doing all he can for the salvation of the world. So did Joseph Smith,
while he lived. He came in fulfilment of prophecy, accomplished what
was required of him, laid the foundation of the work, received the
keys of the Priesthood and Apostleship, and every gift and grace in
the organization of the Church necessary to carry it on. We are called
to build on the foundation he laid, until Zion shall arise and put on
her beautiful garments and the people of God become united as the
heart of one man; until the little stone, cut out of the mountain
without hands, becomes a mountain and fills the whole earth, and
accomplishes all God has spoken concerning it.

Vol. 14,  p.6
Brethren and sisters, let us unite together and be faithful, and live
our religion every day, and do our duty in 1871 as in any of the years
that are past and gone since we have been acquainted with the Gospel
of Christ. If we do this we shall come off triumphant. The God of
heaven is our friend, and blessed is that people whose God is the
Lord. Blessed is that people who do not turn to any other God but the
living and true God.

Vol. 14,  p.6
May God bless you, bless this assembly, bless us as a people, and the
honest and meek of the earth everywhere, and prepare us for the great
events which await this generation, for Jesus' sake. Amen.[p.7] 

Orson Pratt, February 19, 1871

The Blessings of Joseph—the American Indians

Discourse By Elder Orson Pratt, Delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Feb. 19, 1871.

(Reported by John Q. Cannon)

Vol. 14,  p.7
I will call the attention of the congregation to a portion of the word
of the Lord contained in the 3rd chapter of Deuteronomy, commencing at
the 13th verse. What I am about to read is the word of the Lord
through Moses. "And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the Lord be his
land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep
that coucheth beneath, and for the precious fruits brought forth by
the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon, and for
the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things
of the everlasting hills, and for the precious things of the earth and
the fullness thereof and for the good will of him that dwelt in the
bush; let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top
of the head of him that was separated from his brethren. His glory is
like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of
unicorns; with them he shall push the people together to the ends of
the earth; and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the
thousands of Manasseh."

Vol. 14,  p.7
These words occurred to me after rising to my feet, as the blessing of
Moses upon one of the tribes of Israel. The Latter-day Saints are
aware that in ancient times men of God were led by the spirit of
inspiration to bless with prophetic blessings. Such was the case in
the days of Noah, such was the case in the days of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, and such was the case in the days of Moses. Being prophets, the
Lord inspired them to know and understand the future, to know What he
intended to perform and accomplish on the earth. They understood by
the spirit of prophecy the blessings that would come upon the
righteous and the curses that would come upon the wicked. They
understood that the Lord would bestow blessings bountifully upon those
who would serve him and keep his commandments. Hence they predicted
blessings upon them, not only of a spiritual nature but of a temporal
nature, among which farms were given to them, kingdoms, thrones, and a
great variety of blessings of a temporal nature were oftentimes
conferred by the spirit of prophecy upon the descendants of those whom
the Lord delighted in. Many prophecies are recorded in the Book of
Deuteronomy, pertaining to the twelve tribes, among which were certain
cursings if they did not keep the commandments of the Lord, and
certain blessings inasmuch as they would keep his commandments.
Indeed, six of the tribes of Israel, or men out of six tribes,
representing six of the tribes, were commanded to go upon a certain
mountain, and representatives out of the other six tribes were
commanded to get upon another mountain. The representatives on one of
these mountains were to pronounce blessings on conditions, while [p.8]
the others were to pronounce curses also on conditions. Israel were to
be blessed in their basket and in their store; in their goings out and
in their comings in; blessed with all the blessings of the earth in
the land of Palestine; blessed with the comforts and consolations of
the Spirit; with revelations, with prophets, with all the blessings
that had been enjoyed by their forefathers in the days of their
righteousness; but if they would not do this, the others upon the
other hill were to curse them; they were to be cursed in their basket
and in their store; in the increase of their fields and in their
flocks; cursed with all the plagues of Egypt. Their enemies, though
few in number, should come against them, and they, though many, should
flee before them. They should be dispersed until the latter days. In
the latter days the Lord would again stretch forth his hand and would
bring them from all the nations of the earth, where they have been
scattered, to their own land of Canaan.

Vol. 14,  p.8
Almost the last thing that Moses did among the children of Israel was
to pronounce separate blessings upon each tribe, commencing with the
first-born, Reuben, taking them according to their ages, pronouncing a
variety of blessings, spiritual and temporal, upon the twelve tribes,
until he comes down to Joseph. The words which I have read were the
blessings upon that tribe: "Blessed of the Lord be his land." It was a
temporal blessing then; it did not particularly have reference to
those spiritual blessings that pertain to eternity, but it was a
temporal blessing. "Blessed of the Lord be his lurid, for the precious
things of the earth, the precious things of heaven, for the dew and
for the deep that coucheth beneath. For the precious fruits brought
forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon;
and the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious
things of the everlasting hills, and for the precious things of the
earth and the fullness thereof, and for the good will of him that
dwelt in the bush; let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph and
upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren."
You perceive, then, that this blessing was of a temporal nature.

Vol. 14,  p.8
Now when Joseph entered the land of Palestine he received an
inheritance with the rest of the tribes. Both Ephraim and Manasseh
received their inheritances; one of them received an inheritance on
the east side of Jordan; the other, Ephraim, received an inheritance
on the west of Jordan in connection with the rest of the tribes.
"Blessed of the Lord be his land;" and among the precious things that
were to be given were the precious things of the earth and the
fullness thereof. What are we to understand by the fullness of the
earth? I Understand it to mean the products of all climates. Palestine
is in the temperate zone, and therefore produces fruits that are
adapted to a temperate climate. Let me refer you to the blessing of
Jacob, the father of Joseph, upon Ephraim and Manasseh. In the 48th
chapter of Genesis we read that Joseph brought up his two sons to
Jacob to receive his last blessing. Jacob was blind, and when Ephraim
and Manasseh were brought before him, Manasseh being the oldest was
brought before the old Patriarch in such a way that the old man would
place his right hand upon the first-born, and his left hand upon the
younger, that the first-born might receive the prophetic blessing.
Being guided by the spirit of inspiration, the old Patriarch crossed
his hands and laid his right hand upon the head of the younger and his
left hand upon [p.9] the head of Manasseh and pronounced his blessing.
He said that these two sons of Joseph should become a great people and
a multitude of nations in the midst of the earth. Now it would he very
difficult for us to find the descendants of Joseph—a multitude of
nations—anywhere on the eastern continent. If we go among the nations
of Asia, the Chinese, the Hindoos, &c., we can trace back their
history to early ages, and there is no evidence that they are the
descendants of Joseph. If we go into the northern portions of Europe,
to Russia and other countries, we find no evidence that they are his
descendants. If we go among the various eastern nations, we have no
evidence that they are the descendants of him. I don't know any
portion of the eastern continent, in Europe, Asia, Africa, or
Australia, where we can find a multitude of nations. When we come to
America, we have a large country, with every variety of climate,
temperate, torrid and arctic, and every variety of temperature. Jacob
not only predicted that his tribe should become a great people—a
multitude of nations—but that they should be blest in a variety of
ways.

Vol. 14,  p.9
The great Prophet Jacob also pronounced these remarkable words uttered
by inspiration: "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by
a well, for his branches shall run over the wall." What a great
prediction about the tribe of Joseph!

Vol. 14,  p.9
There are, several things to be understood in the prophecy. First, he
should become a multitude of nations. We understand what this means.
In the second place, his branches should run over the wall. Now what
does this mean? The Lord in ancient times had a meaning for
everything. It means that his tribe should become so numerous that
they would take up more room than one small inheritance in Canaan,
that they would spread out and go to some land at a great distance.
You recollect that the Lord told Abraham to get upon a hill and look
forth to the east and then to the west, then to the north and to the
south. For, saith the Lord, "All the land thou seest I will give to
thee and thy seed for an inheritance, for an everlasting possession."
That was the blessing conferred upon one of Jacob's progenitors. Isaac
had also the same blessing. Here Jacob wrestled with God or the angel
near to the brook Jabbok. It will be recollected how Jacob sent his
wives over the brook and stayed behind to wrestle with the angel, and
they wrestled all night just as two men would wrestle. The angel not
being able to overpower him by physical strength alone, but by
miracle, touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh and it was withered, and
in this way he was able to overpower him. The Lord pronounced great
blessings upon his head, greater than those of his progenitors. This
is the time that some say that Jacob received his conversion; but he
did not repent of having more wives than one. What! was he a holy man
of God and had more wives than one? Yes; and instead of turning them
off, he arranged them to go and meet his brother Esau; the first wife
and her children, then the second with hers, and so on, and when Esau
saw them, he inquired who they were? Jacob replied, "These are they
whom God hath graciously given to thy servant." We have deviated a
little from our subject, but we will return to it.

Vol. 14,  p.9
Joseph's peculiar blessing, which I have just read to you, was that he
should enjoy possessions above Jacob's progenitors to the utmost
bounds of the everlasting hills. This would seem to indicate a very
distant land, from Palestine. The old patriarch [p.10] said, "I bestow
this blessing upon the head of him that was separated froth his
brethren." Of course such a land must be large to contain a multitude
of nations. It was to be adapted to the fruits, vegetables and grains
of all climates; the precious things of the earth and the fullness
thereof. We may learn then, from these facts, that the land was at a
great distance from the land of Palestine. Where can we find a people
who fulfil the terms of this prophecy as well as the American Indians?
Here are a great number of nations. Go into the arctic regions and you
find nations; in British America you find them scattered over a vast
area of country; in the United States there is a multitude of nations,
being driven west by the white men. Go farther south into the
provinces of Mexico; go through the isthmus into South America and you
will find still numerous nations of Indians. They have different
languages, but the roots of each language indicate that they have all
sprung from the same origin. How do you know that they have sprung
from one race of people, or are of the same origin? Because learned
men have studied into the antiquities of our country. Societies have
been formed, among which is the Antiquarian Society, afterwards called
the Etymological Society, which discovered that the roots of all the
different languages have a very close resemblance to the Hebrew. But
there is another thing that will prove still further their origin.
When our fathers first settled the New England States and penetrated
into the Country they discovered that the Indians had certain rites
and ceremonies which they observed, such as the new moon sacrifices,
&c. From these proofs we conclude that they must have been descendants
of the Israelitish nation. Lord Kingsbury, a man who was once very
wealthy, expended about £80,000 sterling in getting up nine large
volumes giving accounts of these antiquities. He had agents searching
in all the large libraries of Europe. Imagine the immense amount of
manuscript writing, so voluminous as to fill nine large volumes! In
these volumes he brought forth all the testimony in his power to prove
that the American Indians were Israelites. But there was one thing
that he could not understand; he found that the ancient Indians
understood something about the Lord Jesus Christ. If he had consulted
the Book of Mormon, he would have known why they knew about Jesus.

Vol. 14,  p.10
Let me here observe that the Book of Mormon, which has been published
for forty-one years, gives an account of the first settlement of this
country by these inhabitants, showing that they are not the ten
tribes, but they are the descendants of one tribe, and they came to
this country about six hundred years before Christ. The people when
they first landed consisted of only two or three families; and instead
of landing on the northwest coast of North America, they landed on the
south-west coast of South America. A history of the escape of these
few families from Jerusalem is contained in the Book of Mormon. How
they traveled on the eastern borders of the Red Sea, and how they
built a vessel or ship to cross the Indian and Pacific oceans; they
were instructed how to build this vessel, and when they had embarked
on it, they were brought by the special direction of the Lord to this
land. He guided their vessel, or instructed them how to guide it,
until they landed on the west coast of South America. One portion had
become wicked and had apostatized from the religion of their fathers
and [p.11] sought the destruction of the righteous portion. The
righteous portion of these families left the first settlement and
traveled several hundred miles to the north, and formed settlements,
and became a powerful nation. The others—the wicked portion—became a
powerful nation. About fifty years before Christ the Nephites, as the
righteous portion was called, sent forth numerous colonies into North
America. Among these colonies there was one that came and settled on
the southern borders of our great lakes. Both nations became very
wicked, notwithstanding their prophets foretold great destruction if
they would not repent. They predicted that at the time of the
crucifixion darkness, earthquakes and great destruction of cities
should transpire. While they were standing near their temple,
conversing about this sign which had been given them of the
crucifixion, they heard a voice in the heavens, and they looked up and
beheld their, Messiah descending. He came down and stood in their
midst, and showed them the scars in his hands and feet, and in his
side; and after visiting them for several days successively, he told
them that he was going to the ten tribes of Israel. He also chose
twelve disciples to administer his Gospel on this land and for the
ministration of the Holy Ghost. The twelve disciples went forth and
preached the Gospel, commencing in South America, and then went into
North America, until all the people both in North and South America
were converted, receiving the principles of the Gospel—namely,
baptism, and the laying on of hands, and all the other principles as
preached in our day. About two centuries after this, the Nephites fell
into wickedness: the Lamanites, who dwelt in the southern portion of
South America, also apostatized; and they began to wage war with the
Nephites, who were their enemies; and being exceedingly strong they
drove all the Nephites out of South America and followed them with
their armies up into the north country, and finally overpowered them.
They were gathered together south of the great rakes in the country
which we term New York. The Lord ordered that the plates on which the
records were kept should be hid, and one of the prophets knowing that
it was the last struggle of his nation, hid them in the hill Cumorah,
in Ontario county, in the State of New York, with the exception of
those which his son Moroni, who was also a prophet, had. The last
account that we have is furnished to us by Moroni, who states that,
after keeping himself hid for several years, and being commanded of
the Lord, he hid away the records, about 420 years after Christ. Thus,
I have given you a very brief history of the settlement of our
country.

Vol. 14,  p.11
In the year 1827 Joseph Smith, then a young man, took these records
from their place of concealment, and, by the aid of the Urim and
Thummim, translated them. In the presence of three witnesses, the
angel took the plates and turned them over, leaf after leaf, showing
them the characters thereon, and told them that they had been
translated correctly. They were also seen by eight other men, making
twelve men in all, including himself. Joseph Smith being inspired from
on high, was commanded to organize a Church, which he did on the 6th
day of April, 1830. It was composed at first of six members. Witnesses
and preachers went forth into the States of this Union to preach the
Gospel, and many were led to join the Church. It has steadily
progressed since the time of its first organization until the present.
The [p.12] Saints were driven from State to State until they finally
crossed the Missouri river and came to these valleys. Thus I have
endeavored to give you a very brief sketch of the organization of this
Church, and it has been very brief indeed.

Vol. 14,  p.12
I see the time is up; much more might be said from the holy Bible in
relation to this great Latter-day work, but time will not permit.
Amen.

Geroge A. Smith, May 6, 1870

Home Manufactures—Union in Business Matters

Remarks By President George A. Smith, Delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, May 6, 1870. 

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 14,  p.12
In February, 1831, just after the organization of the Church, we
received a revelation through Joseph Smith, commanding the members of
the Church to let the beauty of their garments be the workmanship of
their own hands. It reads as follows: "And again, thou shalt not be
proud in thy heart; let all thy garments be plain, and their beauty
the beauty of the work of thine own hands; and let all things be done
in cleanliness before me. Thou shalt not be idle; for he that is idle
shall not eat the bread nor wear the garments of the laborer." This
revelation was given almost forty years ago, but slowly, very slowly,
have we advanced in fulfilling it; and it really seems that some of
the first commandments given to the Church are amongst the last
obeyed. I realize the reason of this, when reflecting upon the great
work to be done in moulding the children of God, gathered from the
various nations and denominations, with all their prejudices,
traditions, and varied habits of living. They come here filled with
ideas averse to those of God and differing from each other; and under
these circumstances it is difficult for them to arrive at a oneness in
their associations—to use an expression common amongst us at the
present—it is difficult for them to co-operate to build up Zion in the
last days. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, was three hundred and
sixty-five years preparing the people, before the saying went forth:
"Zion has fled." "Enoch was 25 years old when he was ordained under
the hand of Adam, and he was 65 and Adam blessed him, and he saw the
Lord, and he walked with him, and was before his face continually; and
he walked with God 365 years, making him 430 years old when he was
translated." Doc. and Cov., sec. 3, par. 24. Three hundred and
sixty-five years teaching and instructing the people, and setting
examples before them, and forming a city that should be a model city
of Zion. It was in an age when men lived longer, and when,
peradventure, they had [p.13] not become so full of tradition as at
the present day; yet when we consider the time that it took Enoch to
accomplish this work, we have every reason to rejoice at the progress
of Zion at the present time. Most of the efforts we have made to
advance the cause of Zion we have been able to carry through
successfully. For instance, when in the temple of the Lord at Nauvoo,
we entered into a covenant that we would, to the extent of our
influence and property, do all in our power to help our poor brethren
and sisters in emancipating themselves from tyranny and oppression,
that they might come to the mountains, where they could enjoy
religious liberty. Just as soon as food was raised in this Valley this
work continued, and every effort and energy was used to fulfil this
covenant. It required unity of effort, but it has been a success.
Roads had to be constructed, bridges built, ways bought out,
mountains, as it were, torn down, deserts turned into fruitful fields,
and savages more wild than the mountain gorges they inhabit
conciliated and controlled, and all this to effect a purpose. But it
has been done by unity of effort, and hundreds and thousands of
Latter-day Saints rejoice in the fact.

Vol. 14,  p.13
We extended our work of gathering the Saints across the mighty deep,
and aided the poor brethren in Europe, continuing our donations in
money, and, in addition to this, we went with our hundred, two
hundred, three hundred or five hundred teams annually across the great
desert plains, to bring home to Zion those who desired to be gathered.
This was done by co-operation, by unity and a determined purpose.

Vol. 14,  p.13
It appears that we have gathered many to Zion who do not fully
appreciate the great work of these Says—namely, to place the people of
God in a condition that they can sustain themselves, against the time
that Babylon the Great shall fall. Some will say that it is ridiculous
to suppose that Babylon, the "Mother of Harlots," is going to fall.
Ridiculous as it may seem, the time will come when no man will buy her
merchandise, and when the Latter-day Saints will be under the
necessity of providing for themselves, or going without. "This may be
a wild idea," bat it is no more wild or wonderful than what has
already transpired, and that before our eyes When we are counseled to
"provide for your wants within yourselves, we are only told to prepare
for that day. When we are told, "Unite your interests and establish
every variety of business that may be necessary to supply your wants,"
we are only told to lay a plan to enjoy liberty, peace and plenty.

Vol. 14,  p.13
Many years ago efforts were made on the part of the Presidency to
extend the settlements into the warm valleys south of the rim of the
Basin. The country was very forbidding and sterile. Many were invited
and called upon to go and settle there. Numbers went, but many of them
returned disheartened; but the mass of those who went, confident that
the blessings of God would be upon their labors, pushed forth their
exertions and built up towns, cities and villages; they established
cotton fields and erected factories, and supplied many wants which
could not be supplied within the rim of the Basin.

Vol. 14,  p.13
It has been my lot to visit these regions recently, and I have felt to
rejoice to see the kind spirit, genial dispositions and warm hearts
that were manifested in all those settlements, where men and women had
taken hold with all their hearts to obey the commandments of God, and
to lay a foundation for Zion to become self-sustaining. I feel that
those who [p.14] have turned away from that country and swerved from
the mission assigned them there have lost a great and glorious
blessing, which it will be exceedingly difficult for them ever to
regain. I am exceedingly gratified at the progress which has been made
in that country, and I realize that our brethren, from year to year,
are becoming more and more united.

Vol. 14,  p.14
Some tell us that we want capital, and that we should send abroad and
get men to come here with money to build factories. This is not what
we need. If the cotton lord and the millionaire come here and hire you
to build factories and pay you their money for their work, when the
factory is erected they own it, and they set their price upon your
labor and your wool or cotton—they have dominion over you. But if, by
your own efforts and exertions, you cooperate together and build a
factory it is your own. You are the lords of the land, and if fortunes
are made the means is yours and it is used to oppress no one. The
profits are divided among those whose labor produced it, and will be
used to build up the country. Hence it is not capital, that is, it is
not so much money that is needed. It is unity of effort on the part of
the bone, sinew, skill and ingenuity which we have in our midst, and
which, in whatever enterprise has been attempted hitherto, under the
direction of the servants of the Lord, with whole-souled unity on the
part of the people, has proved successful. Let us be diligent in these
things. Why send abroad for our cloth when we have the necessary means
and skill to manufacture it for ourselves? Why not let these mountains
produce the fine wool? and why not let the low valleys produce the
silk, flax, and all other articles that are necessary which it is
possible to produce within the range of our climate, and thus secure
to ourselves independence? I am very well aware that this has looked,
and to many still looks, a wild undertaking; but that which has been
accomplished gives abundant evidence of what may be. If we continue to
import our hats, bonnets, boots, shoes and clothing, and send away all
the gold, silver and currency that we can command to pay for them, we
shall ever remain dependent upon the labor of others for many of the
actual necessaries of life. If, on the other band, we devise means to
produce them from the elements by our own labor we keep our money at
home, and it can be used for other and more noble purposes, and we
become independent.

Vol. 14,  p.14
Some may say, "We are willing that you should preach faith and
repentance, and baptism for the remission of sins, but we do not want
you to have anything to say about business matters." No idea could be
more delusive; this oversight in temporal matters being indispensably
necessary; for the Latter-day Saints have been gathered from the old
settled nations of the earth and are unacquainted with the manner of
life in new and sparsely settled countries. An intelligent citizen of
Provo, on his arrival in this country, came to my garden to work; he
undertook to set out some vegetables—onions, carrots, and parsnips,
and he set every one of them wrongside up. My wife went out, and,
seeing what he was doing, she said, "You are foolish." "Why so?" said
he, "I thought I was pretty smart." "Why you have planted these things
all wrong end up." "Have I, I did not know any better. I never saw
such things planted before." That man became a wealthy farmer. But he
had to learn; he had never seen a carrot planted to produce seed in
his life,[p.15] and did not realize which end up to put it in the
ground. We have tens of thousands of men, women and children who have
had to learn how to get a living in this country, who perhaps had
spent their days in painting a tea cup, turning a bowl, weaving a
ribbon or spinning a thread, and knew nothing else. Here they have had
to work at several kinds of work at once, and had to learn how, and it
required all the power, energy and influence of the Elders of israel
to instruct them and tell them holy to live. I have been astonished at
the patience, perseverance, determination and incessant labor of
President Young in giving these instructions—telling men how to build
mills and houses, so that they would not fall over their own heads;
telling them how to yoke cattle, barness horses, how to make fences,
and, in fact, how to do almost every kind of business.

Vol. 14,  p.15
There are very few in our midst now Who know how to make good bread. I
advise the ladies' relief societies to teach all the sisters to make
first-class bread. Many of them do not know how; and let every sister
in Israel be thankful for instruction in relation to cooking or any
other useful information that can be imparted unto her. Do not let
pride and independence make you feel that you know how to do
everything. There are a great many things that the smartest among us
do not know how to do; then we should be anxious and willing to be
taught, and go to work and learn.

Vol. 14,  p.15
Much of the sickness which is amongst our children is the result of
improperly prepared food. We raise choice wheat; our millers make good
flour, yet in many instances bread is so prepared that it is heavy and
unpalatable, causing disease of the stomach and bowels, with which
many of our little ones are afflicted, and find rest in premature
graves. Give the children good light bread that they may be healthy.

Vol. 14,  p.15
Brethren and sisters, may the blessings of Israel's God be upon you
and may you continue to improve in everything useful and good. Seek
after the Lord with all your hearts. Co-operate in building factories,
importing merchandise and machinery, taking care of your cattle, and
in every kind of business. Remember that, "United we stand, divided we
fall."

Vol. 14,  p.15
May God bless you for ever. Amen.

Brigham Young, May 6, 1870

The Fashions of the World—Making Our 
Own Clothing & Fashions

Remarks By President Brigham Young, Delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, May 6, 1870. 

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 14,  p.15
If I can have the ears and attention of the people, I want to preach
to them a short sermon on our present condition and on some
particulars with regard to our customs. We, the Latter-day Saints, as
a people,[p.16] received a command many years ago to gather out from
the wicked world and to gather ourselves together to stand in holy
places, preparatory to the coming of the Son of Man. We have been
gathered together promiscuously from the nations of the earth, and in
many respects we are like the rest of the world. But I wish to make a
few remarks on some points wherein we differ. We differ from the
infidel world in our belief, and from the vulgar world in regard to
the language we use. It is not common for the Latter-day Saints to
take the name of the Deity in vain, while it is common and quite
fashionable to do so in Christendom. Herein we disagree with the
outside world, or we may call it the vulgar world, for no matter how
high or how low their position may be, or how poor or how wealthy,
when people use language which is unbecoming they descend to a very
low level, and in this respect I am happy to say that the Latter-day
Saints differ from the wicked or vulgar world. I will also put in the
political world. It is a very common practice throughout the
fashionable, political world to gamble; we differ also in this
respect, for the Latter-day Saints are not in the habit of gambling at
any game whatever; neither are they in the habit of drinking
intoxicating liquors, which, throughout the world at large, and
especially the Christian world, is such a prolific source of
wretchedness and misery. In a great degree, I may also say that, as a
people, we are not in the habit of lying and deceiving; but there is
one thing that we are too much guilty of, and that is, evil speaking
of our neighbors—bearing false witness against them. As a people we
are too lavish in our conversation in this respect, our words come too
easy and cheap, and we use them too freely in many instances. This is
one thing in which we do not differ so much from the world as I should
wish. There is another point on which the same remark is true, and
that is fashion in dress. Look over this congregation and we see this
demonstrated before us, and on this particular item I wish to lay my
views before the minds of the people.

Vol. 14,  p.16
To me a desire to follow the ever-varying fashions of the world
manifests a great weakness of mind in either gentleman or lady. We are
too apt to to low the foolish fashions of the world; and if means were
plentiful, I do not think that there are many families among the
Latter-day Saints but what would be up to the highest and latest
fashions of the day. Perhaps there are a great many that would not
follow these fashions had they ever so much means. But too many of
this people follow after the foolish, giddy, vain fashions of the
world. It any persons want proof of this they need only look over this
congregation, and view the bonnets, hats or headdresses of our
fashionable ladies. Do they wear bonnets that will screen their faces
from the sun, or shelter their heads from the rain? Oh, no, it is not
fashionable. Well what do they wear? Just such as the wicked would
wear.

Vol. 14,  p.16
My discourse will have to be brief, and I am going to ask my sisters
in particular to stop following these foolish fashions, and to
introduce fashions of their own. This is the place, and this the time
to make known the word of the Lord to the people.

Vol. 14,  p.16
It is vain and foolish, it does not evince godliness, and is
inconsistent with the spirit of a saint to follow after the fashions
of the world. I wish to impress these remarks especially on the minds
of my young Sisters—the daughters of the Elders of Israel. Not but
what our wives [p.17] as well as daughters follow many fashions that
are uncomely, foolish and vain. What do you say? "Snail we introduce a
fashion of our own, and what shall it be?" Do you want us to answer
and tell you how to make your bonnets? Let me say to you that, in the
works of God, you see an eternal variety, consequently we do not ask
the people to become Quakers, and all the men wear wide-brimmed hats,
and the ladies wear drab or cream-colored silk bonnets projecting in
the front, perhaps six or seven inches, rounded on the corners, with a
cape behind. This is Quakerism, that is, so far as headdresses are
concerned for ladies and gentlemen. But while we do not ask this, we
do ask the sisters to make their bonnets so as to shelter themselves
from the storm and from the rays of the sun. I have heard a saying
that three straws and a ribbon would make a headdress for a
fashionable lady. This was a year or two ago; and the same varying,
fantastic, foolish notions prevail with regard to other portions of a
lady's habiliments as much as with her headdress. A few years ago it
took about sixteen yards of common-width cloth to make a dress for a
lady, for she wanted two or three yards to drag in the streets, to be
smeared by every nuisance she walked over. Now I suppose they make
their dresses out of five yards and a half, and then have abundance
left for an apron. They put me now strongly in mind of the ladies I
used to see in Canada some years ago, who made their dresses out of
two breadths of tow and linen, and when they were in meeting they were
all the time busy pulling them down, for they would draw up. The young
ladies look now as if they needed somebody to walk after them to keep
pulling down their dresses.

Vol. 14,  p.17
How foolish and unwise this is, and how contrary to the spirit of the
Gospel that we have embraced! This Gospel is full of good sense,
judgment, discretion and intelligence Does this look intelligent?
Suppose the ladies continue the fashion of shortening their dresses
how long will it be before three-quarters of a yard will be enough for
them? You may say that such extravagant comparisons are ridiculous. I
say, no more than your dresses and many of your habits and fashions
now, only they may be a little exaggerated, that is all. Anything is
ridiculous, more or less, that is not comely. I do beseech my sisters
to stop their foolishness and to go to work and make their own
headdresses. If they will they will be blessed. Do you say, "How shall
we be blessed?" I will tell you—by introducing a spirit of industry
into your families, and a spirit of contentment into your hearts,
which will give you an interest in your domestic cares and affairs
that you have not hitherto enjoyed. Doctor Young says that "Life's
cares are comforts," and they who take an interest in and try to
promote their individual welfare, that of their neighbors or of the
human family, will find a pleasure such as is derived from few other
sources. They derive delight and pleasure from it, and are filled with
peace. But when, the eyes of people are like the fool's eyes—wandering
to the ends of the earth, continually wishing, longing for and
desiring that which they have not got, they are never happy. If we
will take the course I have indicated, we shall be benefited in our
spirits, and shall have more of the Spirit of the Lord.

Vol. 14,  p.17
I wish to say to you, and you may read it in the Bible if you wish,
that he who has the love of the world within him hath not the love of
the Father. They who love the things [p.18] of this world are
destitute of the love of the Gospel of the Son of God. This is my
Scripture: They who long and lust after the fashions of the world are
destitute of the Spirit of God. Every person of experience will
testify that this is the truth. Now, my sisters, let me urge you to
make your own headdresses. You have the material here, and if you wish
to make your hat with a brim six, twelve, twenty, or three inches
wide, we will not quarrel with you; but make your own headdresses, and
do not hunt after the fashions of the wicked world. If you wish to
make a cottage, or a corn-fan bonnet, or a hat, make it to suit
yourselves, but do not run after the fashions of the world. I expect,
by and by, if this taste for fashion, be not checked, to see this
house alive, more or less, with what are termed "shoo fly" hats,
bonnets and headdresses; and what else you'll get I do not know. But
no matter what the name nor what the fashion if we do not lust lifter
the wicked world. And when you buy yourselves dresses do not purchase
one for six or eight dollars, and then want about twenty more for
trimmings. What is the use of of it? I asked some of my wives the
other evening, "What is the use of all this velvet ribbon—perhaps ten,
fifteen, twenty, or thirty yards, on a linsey dress?" Said I, "What is
the use of it? Does it do any good?" I was asked, very spiritedly and
promptly, in return, "What good do those buttons do on the back of
your coat?" Said I, "How many have I set?" and turning round I showed
that there were none there.

Vol. 14,  p.18
This reform in fashion and extravagance in dress is needed. God has a
purpose in it, and so have his servants. What is it? If the Lord has
given me means and I spend it needlessly, in rings for my fingers, and
jewelry for adornment, I deprive the Priesthood of that which they
ought to have to gather the poor, to preach the Gospel, to build
temples and to feed the hungry in our midst. I deprive a people, who
will by and by inherit the earth, of so many blessings. Every yard of
ribbon that I buy that is needless, every flounce, and every gewgaw
that is purchased for my family needlessly, robs the Church of God of
just so much. But it seems as though the people do not think of these
things; they do not lay them to heart. Our wives and daughters seem to
forget that they have responsibilities resting upon them in these
respects. The conduct of a great many of them indicates a care for
nothing but, "How much can I get? Can I get everything I want? I wish
I could see something new, I want to pattern after it!" This manifests
the spirit of the world, and a foolish, vain disposition. Not but that
I am guilty myself, perhaps, of using means for my individual person
that is not necessary; but if I do, will some of you kindly tell me? I
recollect once, when preaching in England, that I passed through
Smithfield Market, in Manchester, and I saw some very fine grapes just
arrived from France. I spent a penny for some of them, but I had not
taken half a dozen steps from the stand where I purchased them, before
I saw an old lady passing along who, I could tell by her appearance,
was starving to death. Said I, "I have done wrong in spending that
penny, I should have given it to that old lady." I made it a practice,
before leaving my office, of going to a drawer, taking out a handful
of pence, in order to give to the numerous beggars which everywhere
meet the eye in walking the streets in the large towns in that
country, and in this instance I felt guilty at having spent a penny in
[p.19] grapes, and I thought of it many times after. What else did I
spend needlessly? Not much. "Well," but say some, "Brother Brigham do
not you have good horses?" Yes, I do. Do you know where I got them?
But some of them were given to me, and I thank God and those who
bestowed them, and I use them prudently. But I would as lief my poor
brethren and sisters would ride in my carriage as to ride in it
myself. Yet in many things I may be to blame, and do wrong, but in
many things I know that we as a people do wrong.

Vol. 14,  p.19
"Well, Brother Brigham, what shall we do?" I say make your own
headdresses; here is abundance of material to do it with, and it is
not right for me to pay out hundreds and perhaps thousands of dollars
annually for needless articles of dress for my family. The same is
true of my brethren. If that means were to go to gather the poor this
season, it would bring many from the old countries. About this,
however, I will say that it is rather discouraging to bring people
here and to put them in situations to live and accumulate, and then
they, as soon as they make a little means, lift their heel against God
and his anointed. Nevertheless it is Our duty to feed nine persons who
are unworthy rather than to turn away the tenth, if he be worthy. It
is better to bring ninety-nine persons here who are unworthy than to
leave one that is worthy to perish there, consequently we say we will
do all we can. They, whom we bring here, are agents for themselves
before God, and they act for themselves.

Vol. 14,  p.19
But now, brethren and sisters, let us stop and again consider and
think. Can we not sustain ourselves more than we do? I do not ask my
sisters to make themselves sunbonnets and wear them and nothing else.
I do not say, all of you adopt some particular fashion and stick to
that alone. This is not the question; the question is, will we stop
wearing that that is so useless and needless? If we will, we can have
scores of thousands annually to bestow upon the poor, to rear temples,
to build tabernacles and schoolhouses, to endow schools, to educate
our children, and to aid every charitable institution and every other
purpose that will advance the kingdom of God on the earth.

Vol. 14,  p.19
This would be wisdom in us. What do we think about it? What do you
say, young ladies—I mean all of you this side of a hundred years
old—will you step following the foolish fashions of the world, and
begin to act like people possessing moral courage and good natural
sense? If this is your mind, brethren and sisters, I ask you, young
and old, to make it manifest, as I do, by raising your right hand. (A
sea of hands was immediately raised.) Some, no doubt, feel ready to
say, "Why, Brother Brigham, do not you know that your family is the
most fashionable in the city?" No, I do not; but I am sure that my
wives and children, in their fashions and gewgaws, cannot beat some of
my neighbors. I will tell you what I have said to my wives and
children; shall I? Shall I expose what I say to them on these points?
Yes, I will. I have said to my wives, "If you will not stop these
foolish fashions and customs I will give you a bill if you want it."
That is what I have said, and that is what I think. "Well, but you
would not part with your wives?" Yes, indeed I would. I am not bound
to wife or child, to house or farm, or anything else on the face of
the earth, but the Gospel of the Son of God. I have enlisted all in
this cause, and in it is my heart, and here is my treasure. Some may
say, "Why, really, Brother Brigham,[p.20] you almost worship your
family; you think a great deal of your wives." Yes, I do, but, from my
youth up, I never had but one object in taking a wife, and that was to
do her good. The first one I had was the poorest girl I could find in
the town; and my object with the second, and third, and so on to the
last one was to save them. You say," Do I humor them?" Yes I do, and
perhaps too much.

Vol. 14,  p.20
Now, my brethren and sisters, a few words more. We have been striving
for some time to get the people to observe the Word of Wisdom. But why
do they not observe it? Why will they cling to those habits that are
inimical to life and health? "Well," says a sister, "I cannot leave
off my tea, I must have a cup of tea every morning, I feel so sick." I
say then, go to bed, and there lie until you are better. "Oh, but it
will kill me if I quit it." Then die, and die in the faith, instead of
living and breaking the requests of Heaven. That is my mind about the
sisters dying for the want of tea. With regard to drinking liquor, I
am happy to say that we are improving. But there are some of our
Elders who still drink a little liquor occasionally, I think, and use
a little tobacco. They feel as though they would die without it, but I
say they will die with it, and they will die transgressing the
revelations and commands of Heaven, and the wishes of our heavenly
Father, who has said hot drinks are not good.

Vol. 14,  p.20
Now let us observe the Word of Wisdom. Shall I take a vote on it?
Everybody would vote, but who would observe it? A good many, but not
all. I can say that a good many do observe their covenants in this
thing. But who is it that understands Wisdom before God? In some
respects we have to define it for ourselves—each for himself—according
to our own views, judgment and faith, and the observance of the Word
of Wisdom, or the interpretation of God's requirements on this
subject, must be left, partially, with the people. We cannot make laws
like the Medes and Persians. We cannot say you shall never drink a cup
of tea, or you shall never taste of this, or you shall never taste of
that; but we can say that Wisdom is justified of her children.
Brethren and sisters, hearken to these things. I do not know that we
shall have much time to talk about them; but take the little counsel
given, and observe it. This is the place to give counsel to the
people. Go home, Bishops and Elders, when the Conference is over, and
observe what has been told you here. If we commence making our own
bonnets, we shall find that we shall increase in other directions
besides making leather for our boots and shoes, and cloth for coats
and pantaloons.

Vol. 14,  p.20
It is very pleasant in passing through the Territory to have brethren
in the various settlements say, "Bro. Brigham, Brother Geo. A., or
Brother Daniel, come and see our store, or our shop; here are boots
and shoes made from leather of our own manufacture;" and some are as
fine looking as you can see anywhere. They are doings good deal in
this city, and also in other places Some are making straw hats and
bonnets, and others are endeavoring to promote other branches of home
manufacture. This is very pleasant, but we want to see it more general
in this great community. If it were so this season in the one branch
of straw hat and bonnet manufacture we should not see the scores and
hundreds of five-dollar hats brought here and sold, that are good for
nothing in the world. They have no strength about them. The
manufacturers of these hats pick up old cloth that is rotten and good
for [p.21] nothing, and make hats of it, and the result is that the
hats brought here have very little wear in them. They may look decent
to begin with, but after being worn a few times they are shapeless and
worthless. Let us go to work and make them for ourselves and save this
expense. If we do this, we are wise; if we do it not, we are foolish.

Vol. 14,  p.21
We heard Brother Taylor's exposition of what is called Socialism this
morning. What can they do? Live on each other and beg. It is a poor,
unwise and very imbecile people who cannot take care of themselves.
Well, we, in the providences of God, are forced to do a great many
things that are very advantageous to us. Let us observe the Word of
Wisdom, and also begin and manufacture our clothing. We are doing a
good deal now, but let us do more. I have learned one fact that is
very gratifying: A few years ago when we commenced our little
factories here we could obtain no wool—the sheep were not taken care
of. A seen as we commenced to manufacture cloth and to distribute it
among the people, taking their wool in exchange, we found that the
wool increased; and this season, if we had had the factory, in course
of construction at Provo, finished, the supply of wool would have been
so great that the factory would have been overstocked. Some idea may
be formed of the great increase in the supply of wool when I state
that the Provo factory, when running, will be capable of making
perhaps ten or twelve hundred yards of cloth per day. This is
pleasing. Let us get factories built. I find they are building South,
and they are preparing to build North; and pretty soon you will see
the brethren, as a general thing, dressed in home-made.

Vol. 14,  p.21
Some here are thinking, probably: "Brigham, why don't you dress in
home-made?" I do. "Well, have you got it on to-day?" No, but I want to
wear out, if I can, what I have on hand. I give away a suit every
little while, and I would like to give some more away if I could find
anybody my clothes would fit. I travel in home-made and wear it at
home. As for fashion, it does not trouble me, my fashion is
convenience and comfort. The most comfortable coat that a man can wear
in my opinion is what the old Yankees and Eastern and Southern people
call a "warmus." Some of the people here know what I mean; it is
something between an overshirt and a blouse, buttons round the neck
and wrists. I have worked in one many a day. If I introduce the
fashion of wearing them here who will follow it? I expect a good many
would. I recollect that I wore one when Colonel Kane was here. Said
he, "I am gratified to see that you do not ask any odds about the
fashions, you have one of your own." My feelings then, as now, were,
whatever, in Brother Brigham's judgment, is comfortable and comely is
the fashion with him, and he cares nothing about the fashions of the
world. There is a style of pantaloons very generally worn, about which
I would say something if there were no ladies here. When I first saw
them I gave them a name. I never wore them; I consider them uncomely
and indecent. But why is it that they are worn so generally by others?
Because they are fashionable. If it were the fashion to go with them
unbuttoned I expect you would see plenty of our Elders wearing them
unbuttoned. This shows the power that fashion exerts over the majority
of minds. You may see it in the theatre; if you had attended ours
recently you might have seen that that was not comely; you might have
seen Mazeppa ride,[p.22] with but a very small amount of clothing on.
In New York I am told it is much worse. I heard a gentleman say that a
full dress for Mazeppa there was one Government stamp. I do not know
whether it is so or not. Fashion has great influence everywhere, Salt
Lake not excepted. No matter how ridiculous, the fashions must be
followed. If it be for the ladies to have their dresses to drag along
the streets, or so short that they show their garters, we see it here;
the same is true if they are sixteen or twenty-four feet round, or so
tight that they can hardly walk. A great many seem to regard and
follow fashion, with all its follies and vagaries, far more fervently
than duty. How foolish is such a course. I have talked long enough.
God bless you.

George Q. Cannon, January 8, 1871

Stirring Times—the Latter-Day Work

Discourse By Elder George Q. Cannon, Delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, January 8, 1871.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 14,  p.22
In rising to address you this afternoon, brethren and sisters, I crave
an interest in your faith and prayers, that I may be led to speak upon
those subjects and to advance those ideas that shall be instructive to
you and adapted to your circumstances and condition.

Vol. 14,  p.22
I have acted in the ministry since my boyhood, but whenever I am
called upon to speak I do so with great diffidence and fear. I do not
know that the feeling can ever be conquered entirely, in fact, I do
not know that I wish that it could; for if a man could arise and feel
perfectly capable, in and of himself, to speak to the edification of
the people, judging by my own experience in the matter, I imagine that
he would have but very little aid from the Lord. But if he rise
depending upon the Lord, and not upon his own strength, the Lord has
promised to render that aid unto his servants that is necessary to
enable them to testify to the truth, and to cleanse their garments of
the blood of this generation.

Vol. 14,  p.22
There is no lack of topics or subject matter in dwelling upon the work
we are engaged in; the range is an extensive one; but it needs the
Spirit of God to select, out of the variety of subjects which it
presents, those points, doctrines, and counsels that should be touched
upon to edify the people in the circumstances which surround them. The
older I grow, the more convinced I am that we as a people and as
individuals need practical instructions in what may be termed our
every-day duties. It is delightful to reflect and speak upon, and to
sit and have held up before our minds the course pursued by those who
were our predecessors in [p.23] the Gospel. It is also equally
delightful, when inspired by the Spirit of God, to contemplate the
future with its great events, which the prophets foresaw, and
concerning which they have written so much.

Vol. 14,  p.23
As a generation, we live in a busy, stirring time—a time that is fall
of important events, one treading upon the heels of another so rapidly
that we have scarcely time to contemplate the past—even the past of
our own history; and we have but little time to look forward to the
future, only as it is necessary to comfort and to cheer us. The work
of God is rushing forward with extraordinary speed, and the Lord is
operating in a most signal manner to bring to pass his great and
marvellous designs and purposes; and to no eyes are these things
clearer than to those of the Latter-day Saints, especially those whose
minds are enlightened by the Spirit of God, and who seek for the
inspiration thereof to guide them in their every-day affairs.

Vol. 14,  p.23
It has been frequently remarked that we as a people are entirely too
egotistical; that we imagine that God, in his operations and dealings
with the children of men, has selected us and made us the peculiar
recipients of his blessings to the exclusion of the rest of the human
family. I have heard it very frequently remarked, when conversing with
persons respecting our views and doctrines, that we confine our
attention entirely too much to ourselves and the little work with
which we are identified, forgetting that we are but a small handful of
the great human family. I have also heard it remarked that it was
entirely too much to expect that a people, so insignificant as we are
numerically, should anticipate the great results that we speak about
very frequently, and which, from the writings of ancient prophets and
of those who have lived contemporaneously with us, we are led to
anticipate will be fulfilled in our case. Men say, in speaking of us:
"Do you Latter-day Saints, who in Utah and the adjoining Territories
number probably one hundred and fifty or two hundred thousand, and it
may be a few hundred thousand elsewhere, recollect; or do you ever
consider, that the nation of which you form an integral part, numbers
forty millions, and that there are hundreds of millions of human
beings scattered over the face of the earth who are not of your creed?
Do you recollect that you are very contemptible in point of numbers,
influence and wealth and everything that constitutes greatness in the
earth?" If we were disposed to forget these things there are those
around us with whom we are brought into frequent contact, who take
great and especial pains to remind us of our insignificance, so that I
think there is no real danger of our entirely forgetting it. But
though we are few in numbers, we declare that the oracles of God are
with us, and that he has chosen the Latter-day Saints to he his
peculiar people and has placed upon them his name, or the name of his
Son Jesus Christ, and has called us to be ministers of life and
salvation, to be the thunders of a new order of things on the earth,
and to be the means in his hands, as we firmly believe and testify, of
effecting a wonderful revolution in affairs. Yet, while believing
this, the Latter-day Saints are not so uncharitable as to imagine that
they are the only ones with whom God is dealing, or that they are the
only people over and towards whom his providences are being exercised.
Such a thought has never entered into the hearts of those who are
intelligent and reflecting in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. It is [p.24] true that we believe and testify that we have
been called to proclaim the everlasting Gospel in its ancient purity
and simplicity, With the plenitude of its gifts and graces as enjoyed
in ancient days; and that we have been called to lay the foundation of
that work which is destined to grow, increase and spread until it
fills the whole earth from north to south, from east to west. Yet we
do not on this account arrogate to ourselves all the kindness, mercy,
care, and goodness which God dispenses to his creatures on the earth;
but we firmly believe that in every nation, and among every kindred,
tongue and people, and, in fact, in every creed on the face of the
wide earth of ours there are those over whom God watches with peculiar
care and to whom his blessings are extended; and we believe that his
providences are over all the works of his hands, and that none are so
remote, friendless and isolated that they are not the objects of his
care, mercy and kindness. This is our belief; and when we see the
events which are taking place at the present time in Europe, when we
hear of revolutions and wars, of nation rising against nation, of the
various judgments and calamities as well as the various kindnesses and
mercies that are bestowed upon and extended to the inhabitants of the
earth, and to the various nationalities into which they are divided,
we see in all these things the hand of our kind and beneficent
Creator; we see his providences, we behold his going forth, and we
acknowledge his goodness; and we also think that we can discern his
overruling care and providence for the bringing to pass the great
events of which he has spoken, which will eventually result in the
emancipation of our race from the thraldom of evil under which it
groans.

Vol. 14,  p.24
It is true, as I have already remarked, that God has called us out of
the nations to be his peculiar people; but we are not the only ones
who will be so called, The message which came to us and which we
received and were made glad thereby, is sent to every kindred, tongue
and people on the face of the whole earth. It has gathered us out to
be the pioneers in this great work; but the call is not ended nor the
period arrived when it shall no longer be proclaimed by our being
gathered together. It is still in force, and has to be carried
throughout earth's wide domain, until the reverberation thereof shall
be heard in every land, and men of every nationality, tongue and creed
shall have heard and had a chance to receive or reject the glad
tidings of salvation which have been committed unto us.

Vol. 14,  p.24
The dealings of God with our own nation, the singular events which are
transpiring at the present time on the continent of Europe, the
revolutions that are taking place in Asia, and the wars and commotions
that seem to convulse most of the nations of the earth, have all for
their object, as we believe, the preparation of the way by which this
great message can be carried more freely, and its principles declared
more thoroughly to all the inhabitants of the earth. The Prophets
looked down to the days of the future and they saw in vision that God
would perform a great and mighty work in the midst of the inhabitants
of the earth. They wrote about it, and some of the finest writing in
the Bible contains glorious allusions to the last days, when God
should stretch forth his arm in mighty power in the midst of his
people and accomplish a great and marvellous work—a work that should
be a wonder in the eyes  of all people. The religious sects of
Christendom, for hundreds of years, have looked forward [p.25] to the
accomplishment of these predictions, and the hope of this has cheered
them in their operations, labors, expenditures, and in every effort
they have made for the redemption of the race and its enlightenment in
the principles of Christianity. To accomplish the fulfilment of the
predictions contained in the Bible they have used every means in their
power; but they have not met with the success which they desired.
Still, so firm has been their faith in these predictions, that they
have persevered, although the result of their labors, take it as a
rule, has not been of a cheering character. Tract societies, Bible
societies, missionary societies, and societies of almost every kind
and description have been organized with the best of motives, and with
vast expenditures of means, for the purpose of fulfilling the
predictions of the prophets concerning the inhabitants of the earth.
But there has been a power lacking, there has been an influence
wanting; there has not been that union, blessing of heaven and that
providential combination of circumstances necessary to bring to pass
the results desired. Man may toil, labor and expend his means and
forces, and may bring to his aid all the wisdom of which he is the
possessor to bring about divine results; but unless God give the
increase, as the Scriptures say, his labors will be fruitless. This
has been signally fulfilled in the results which we see around us at
the present time in Christendom, for their efforts have not been
crowned with success. Travel through the most Christian nations
to-day, and there is no disguising the fact that they are the most
deeply steeped in wretchedness and wickedness. It is true that men
live in the midst of these things until they become so accustomed to
them as to accept them as a necessary condition of affairs. They may
say it has been so from the beginning and will be so to the end, and
to attempt to change this and to introduce a state of society without
evil is utopian, it never can be effected. They accept the
wretchedness, degradation, poverty, prostitution, and all the numerous
evils that abound in the nations of which they are members, as
something that cannot be removed—as the necessary consequence of our
existence here on the earth. But the prophets have predicted that a
time shall come when our race shall be emancipated from these evils,
and when there shall be nothing to hurt or destroy in all the holy
mountain of the Lord; when swords shall be beaten into ploughshares
and spears into pruning hooks; when nation shall no longer rise
against nation, and war shall be learned no more. The prophets have
predicted that the time shall come when the knowledge of God shall
cover the earth as the waters cover the mighty deep; and when man need
no longer say to his neighbor, "Know ye the Lord," but when all shall
know him, from the least unto the greatest. There is no doubt that, if
anything in the Scriptures is true, these predictions are, and that
they will be verified to the letter. But man, in his efforts to bring
about this time, has labored without the concurrence of heaven,
without the divine blessing resting upon his labors. He has run before
he was sent; in his zeal he has undertaken measures for which he had
no warrant. What, then, shall cure or bring the means of cure to our
race? What shall ameliorate the condition of the human family,? What
scheme shall be adopted to bring to the earth the blessings which we
are told it is our privilege to enjoy, at some period or other? Shall
man seek to bring this about without [p.26] divine aid? Shall he
undertake to effect these great changes and bring to pass this great
deliverance without seeking the aid of the Supreme Being, who created
the earth and the inhabitants thereof? Or shall he in humility bow
himself in the dust, and await the dispensation of truth from heaven,
await the bestowal of the light and knowledge necessary to enable him
to accomplish these mighty works; and then, in faith, plant and water
and wait upon God to give the increase?

Vol. 14,  p.26
I think that the course that we as a people have taken, is the course
which all should take; I think it is the only proper and legitimate
course for any individual and people to take. Men may say that we are
deluded and that we deceive ourselves; they may say that our system is
one of imposture. Whether this be so or not matters but little to the
point in question; the course that we have taken, whether our system
be divine or not, is the course which all should take. What we have
done we have claimed to do under the inspiration and direct guidance
of heaven. Every move that we have taken since our Church was
organized, on the 6th of April, 1830, we claim has been by inspiration
and under the guidance of the Almighty. On the day I have named our
Church was organized by revelation. On that day the Church was
organized and ministers chosen; Elders were endowed with, or ordained
to, the Priesthood. They were sent forth by revelation, and commanded
to go to this place and the other place, to this and to that land by
revelation from the Lord. A message was given unto them, not from the
Bible, or Book of Mormon; not from any written record, not a copy or
transcript of some message carried by some previous generation of men;
but an original message, direct to them, to be conveyed by them to
their fellow creatures; a perfectly original message, so far as this
generation was concerned, delivered to them by the Almighty; and they
were sent forth to proclaim it to the inhabitants of the earth.

Vol. 14,  p.26
They were commanded by revelation to gather together. A place was
designated as a place of gathering. Circumstances favored the
procuring of that place; but they were not allowed to remain in it.
They were driven forth, and again they were guided by revelation to
another place, and again they were driven forth and compelled to
abandon their homes; and again another place was designated to which
they should go; again they were driven forth, and again they were
directed what to do, and they came to this land, guided by revelation,
inspired by the Almighty, not knowing where they were going. Thousands
started out on the plains without having the least idea where they
would stop; they launched forth on the trackless prairies without any
location ahead of which they knew anything; and when they reached here
they settled by revelation; and since then, in our movements, in our
settlements of various localities, in all our labors at home, going to
the nations of the earth or returning therefrom; in our migrations, in
sending out colonies, and in every variety of labor which we have
performed we claim to have been guided by the spirit of revelation;
and mark, my brethren and sisters, the wonderful results.

Vol. 14,  p.26
Have we had wealth? Have we had societies organized to aid us? Have we
had popularity with or popular support from the nation? No, we have
had nothing of the kind. We have stood alone, with none to aid,
sustain, or comfort but God. Instead of aid from our fellowcreatures
[p.27] we have had persecution; instead of comfort we have had
reviling; instead of words of encouragement, we have, as it were, had
deep damnation poured out upon our heads. We have had adverse
circumstances to contend with, but we have also had that which is
better than all the world can bestow—the aid of heaven, divine
concurrence; we have had a combination of circumstances to aid us in
accomplishing the objects for which we started out. The result is, we
are in these valleys to-day—a people of varied nationality, of varied
creeds and modes of education, and a people as utterly diverse in
their original traditions and habits as men and women of our color
could be. And yet, what do we see? Why, throughout all this range of
valleys a people homogeneous, dwelling together in peace, love and
union, and enjoying all the blessings promised to the people of God in
the last days. I say all the blessings, but not in their fullness. We
are but imperfect yet; we are not prepared for these blessings in
their fullness; but so far as we are progressed and are prepared, they
have been bestowed upon us; and to-day we present to the eyes of the
world one of the most remarkable spectacles that can be seen.

Vol. 14,  p.27
Men may say, "Pooh, pooh, you Latter-day Saints are nothing! you are
too contemptible for notice!" But our acts show that there is a power
and an influence with us that the inhabitants of the earth elsewhere
do not possess. We are looked upon as a social phenomenon in the
earth; we are diverse from every other people; and our community is
the object of attention and I may say of respect that its numbers do
not entitle it to. Men from afar cannot cross the continent without
coming to visit the Latter-day Saints. Why is this? It is because
there is a feeling throughout the earth that there is something
remarkable connected with us, that, we are not as other people are.
What is it that distinguishes us from our fellows? What is it that
distinguishes us from the average American, Englishman, Scandinavian,
German, Swiss, Italian, or Frenchman, or from the average Asiatic?
There is something; they feel it and we feel it; and that distinction
is, we believe in revelation, we profess to be guided by revelation.
We are peculiar when compared with the rest of the world, because all
our movements are under divine guidance. We claim this, and we act
upon it; we seek for it, and God bestows it upon us. It is our
testimony, at least, that he bestows it upon us, for we see the
results. We see what, is not witnessed anywhere else on the earth.

Vol. 14,  p.27
As I have already said, tract, Bible and missionary societies have
been formed, and the wealth of the nations has been poured into the
hands of religious people, and spent lavishly and without stint, for
the salvation of the human family; but where on the face of the earth
can you find the fruits to be witnessed before me to-day, and that can
be seen throughout the Territory of Utah. Why is this? Because, as I
have said, they have labored without the concurrence of heaven; they
have run before they were sent. But unto us, scattered, isolated
individuals, this message from God came, and there being a spark of
divinity within us, we received it and embraced it, and have
endeavoured to live up to it, and God has blessed us and our labors.
But after all, what we have done is very little.

Vol. 14,  p.27
I have told you what has been remarked here, time and time again,
probably you have heard it, respecting our insignificance. I feel most
sensibly that, so far as numbers are [p.28] concerned, we are a very
insignificant people. But I will tell you a remark, which I believe is
credited alike to the late Mr. Stephen Girard and to Commodore
Vanderbilt, both great financiers, that the hardest money they ever
earned was the first five hundred dollars they saved. Now the hardest
thing in building up a people is to gain a foothold. We have gained
this; we have gained and organized the first hundred thousand people.
We have achieved a position that will render our future progress more
rapid than in years past and gone. I fully expect to see the progress
of this work in the future much more rapid than it has been in the
past. I see the providence of God laboring to bring this about. Not to
build up a people distinct from all the rest of the earth; not to
build up some little, narrow sect or denomination; but this work and
Gospel is to embrace within its fold all Earth's children, every son
and daughter of God on the earth. That is its mission, and it will
accomplish it. But it will spread with increased rapidity from this
time forth. The foundation and corner-stones have been laid in tears,
blood, and in much sorrow, but they are laid firmly, cemented by the
sufferings, toils, faith and endurance of this people for the past
forty years; and I trust that they are laid so deep that they will
never be torn up, shaken or disturbed; and that upon them will a
superstructure be reared of such strength, beauty and symmetry that it
will be the joy and pride of the whole earth.

Vol. 14,  p.28
The labors of the Elders of this Church have not been confined to this
land, but they have extended to England, Scandinavia, some little in
France, a very little in Prussia, some in Switzerland; but vast fields
yet lie before us that we have not touched, and to which this message
must go. The throes of revolution which Europe is now undergoing I
look upon as the premonitory signs of that freedom that shall soon
dawn on that continent. Then the Elders, of this Church will go
through Germany, France, Italy and Spain, and through every land in
Europe; for the "sick man" will yet open his doors to hear the Elders
of Israel, and Russia will unfold her gates and give them free
entrance, and they will go forth declaring the glad tidings which God
has given unto us to the oppressed of all nations, proclaiming unto
them that God has established a government which will be the means of
restoring to the earth the blessings for which mankind have sighed,
panted and labored for ages in vain.

Vol. 14,  p.28
When the mind, inspired by the Spirit of God, contemplates the future,
and sees the immense field which is widening before the Elders of this
Church, I, for one, feel that it ought to stir up every one of us to
the most energetic and resolute preparation for the great labor that
is fast devolving upon us, and that we live to discharge. Our own land
will yet be convulsed with revolution, for it contains within itself
the seeds of dire misfortunes, which will yet come upon the unhappy
Republic. We may deplore, mourn over and regret that such things do
exist; but they do nevertheless, and we should be blind indeed did we
shut our eyes to the fact, and fail to prepare ourselves for their
accomplishment. There is before this people, connected with our own
country, a destiny that is so glorious when we contemplate it in the
future, that it is enough to dazzle and oppress the mind of man at the
immensity of the labor that lies before us.

Vol. 14,  p.29
It may be said that this is all very foolish to think of or to talk
about;[p.29] but it is no more foolish than it would have been, when
driven, peeled and scattered, we were coming out of Illinois, to have
said we should yet lay the foundation of a great State, such as we now
behold in these mountains. I tell you, my brethren and sisters, that
God has given to this people qualities which, in the contest of races,
must tell. There are qualities connected with the Latter-day Saints,
and principles connected with their system that, persecute and crush
them out as you may, as long as the men live who bear the authority,
and so long as the principles have a believer and practicer in the
world, must live, survive, and have influence in the midst of the
earth and upon the populations thereof. There is no disguising this
fact! Little plotters, such, for instance, as the "ring" in this city,
may fix snares and nets, and arrange toils, and think they are going
to stop the work of God, ensnare the feet of the servants of God, and
do wonderful things! Puny drivellers! they would raise their impious
hands and tear down the throne of Jehovah, and attempt to impede the
progress of his work; but, like others who have preceded them, they
will be covered with shame and confusion and go down to dishonored
graves, while the people whom they seek to oppress will continue to
rise and increase in strength and power by the practice of those
qualities which God has given unto us through revelation, until their
influence will be felt, not only in Utah Territory, but from sea to
sea, and give them time enough, and it will be felt throughout the
length and breadth of the earth, and thus will the sayings of the
prophets be fulfilled.

Vol. 14,  p.29
How else could they be fulfilled? Can you imagine any better plan than
this that you begin to see unfold before us? Can you think of any
other way by which these predictions will be fulfilled? I can not. It
is simple, natural and scriptural, and perfectly Godlike in my sight,
and according to my limited ideas.

Vol. 14,  p.29
But as a people, we should endeavor, in the midst of all our troubles,
difficulties, trials and temptations, to remember that we are God's
people; that he has called us to be his, and we should put our firm
faith and trust in him and leave him to work out the results. And, my
brethren and sisters, if we are faithful to the truth which he has
revealed to us, he will bring to us greater salvation than we ever
conceived of, and will work out ways of deliverance of which we have
never dreamed; for his word, which cannot be recalled, has gone forth
through his ancient servants; and he is pledged to his servants in the
days in which we live; and he is pledged to us, to sustain this work
and to give it power and influence, and a foothold in the earth. And
there never was a people who prayed with greater unanimity for any one
thing, than do the Latter-day Saints that God will deliver his people
from the hands of their enemies and give them the victory. These
prayers will be heard and answered upon our heads, and, as I have
said, we will see deliverance and salvation such as we never dreamed
of.

Vol. 14,  p.29
I recollect very well the feelings that were manifested here, I think
it was last summer but one, by a scientific gentleman, who came into
our city, and for the first time was brought into contact with us. He
had known up when he was a boy in Illinois; now himself a professor in
one of the Illinois colleges, and a man of some note in the scientific
world. He had seen or heard something of our persecutions, and while
in conversation with me he remarked, "Mr. Cannon, when I looked upon
this [p.30] beautiful valley and saw these pleasant homes, and your
people dwelling in contentment and peace, my heart was filled with
inexpressible sadness; I could not repass my emotions, my eyes
suffused with tears, and I wished from the bottom of my heart that you
were somewhere else rather than within the confines of the United
States, somewhere where you would not be subject to persecution; for I
know the intense bigotry and hatred of feeling that are entertained
towards you, and I know that it only awaits a fitting opportunity to
re-enact the scenes that you have endured in the past." I appreciated
the kindness of feeling which prompted the remarks, but told him that
I viewed things differently from him. I was fully aware of the feeling
of which he spoke, and knew that it existed in certain quarters; but I
was also aware of one thing, which he (being an infidel) probably did
not understand, and that was—there was a God in heaven who ruled,
over-ruled and controlled all circumstances for the accomplishment of
his own designs. I further remarked, "Suppose we were away from here,
outside the confines of the United States, do you think we could live
in any spot on the earth without attracting attention? Do you think
that a people such as we are could go to any land, or into the
greatest desert on the earth, and live there any length of time
without attracting the attention of the world as much as we do now?
Why, the thing is impossible. When we came to this region it was as
much out of the way as any place on the earth could be. But after
coming here we demonstrated that the soil of these valleys, by being
watered artificially, would produce crops; and the result of our
experiment, for experiment it may be called, is that all this interior
basin, formerly looked upon as an irreclaimable desert, is a choice
land. The world once convinced of this, and population came to us, and
the railroad came across the continent, and we find ourselves right in
the centre of the great transcontinental highway. If we were to go
into any other land it would be the same—we should attract population
and wealth, and the eyes of mankind would be directed towards us; and
were we to leave here we could not find a place where we should be
more secluded than we have been here; but," said I, "we don't
calculate to leave here; we think we have got to the right spot, and
we calculate to remain, and the Lord will deal with those who seek to
deal with us." He felt that there might be some destiny about it, but,
being an unbeliever in God, he did not know anything about it, and did
not allow himself to have any faith concerning it. Still he saw that
we were a remarkable people, and said there might be a great future in
store for us, some destiny; of which he and others, who merely looked
on, might be very ignorant.

Vol. 14,  p.30
It is a truth, my brethren and sisters, there is a great destiny in
store for the Latter-day Saints. Men may fight this work and persecute
the people who sustain it; they killed Joseph, and thought they had
destroyed the corner stones, as it were, of the fabric; and like the
men mentioned in the parable, having killed the heir, they thought
they could possess the vineyard, but they soon found out their
mistake; and so it will be with every move that is made against the
work of God—those with whom they originate will find they have made a
great mistake. They will be disappointed in the results of their
labors and operations, for God has spoken and his word will be
fulfilled and this work will increase and progress. And the day will
come, [p.31] though, as I have said, we may regret and deplore it, yet
the day will come, and I would like the thought to be fastened, if
possible, so deeply in every heart that when persecution and annoyance
come upon us, you will not forget it—when the Latter-day Saints will
be the only well-governed people on this continent, and in their midst
will be found the only place where constitutional government will be
preserved in its old purity and integrity. I know that this sounds
strange, because the idea is that the "Mormons" are the most
despotically governed people on the face of the land. But I know that
there is not another people to-day under the light of the sun, from
the Atlantic to the Pacific, or from the Gulf of Mexico to the
Canadas, who are so free in every sense of the word, men and women, as
the Latter-day Saints, and who have greater liberty to do that which
is right in their own eyes.

Vol. 14,  p.31
I see the clock, and I am reminded that it is time to quit. May God
bless you, my brethren and sisters, and let his peace and preserving
care be over you, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Wilford Woodruff, May 6, 1870

The Work of God—Authority of President 
Young—Keeping the Commandments of God

Discourse By Elder Wilford Woodruff, Delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, May 6, 1870. 

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 14,  p.31
I believe this is the largest assembly of Saints or sinners, Jew or
Gentile, that ever I saw together under one roof. There are very few
of us capable of making such an assembly hear, unless it is very
still; and when persons have come from twenty to two hundred and fifty
miles to attend Conference, it certainly is important that we give
them a chance to hear what is said.

Vol. 14,  p.31
It is true that God has set his hand in these latter days to bring to
pass his act, his strange act, and to accomplish his work, his strange
work—that truth should spring out of the earth, and righteousness look
down from heaven; and it certainly would be strange if these things
were not performed. The Supreme Ruler would not be like a God who had
created a world like this and peopled it it he let it go at random,
without any purpose or plan for the benefit and salvation of the
children of men.

Vol. 14,  p.31
I want to say a few words on this subject. I consider that the work we
now see taking place in these mountains, and which has been going on
from the time this Church was organized, is but carrying out the great
plan of our Father in heaven—that plan which was ordained from before
the foundation of the world. In fact there is no dispensation that has
been looked upon with as much [p.32] interest by all the prophets of
God and inspired men, from the day of Joseph Smith, as that in which
we live, in which the Zion of God is being built up, and the earth is
being prepared for the coming of the Son of Man.

Vol. 14,  p.32
Isaiah, in looking by prophetic vision to this day, makes use of very
strong language in endeavoring to express his feelings in relation to
it. In one instance he says, "Sing, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth!
Break forth into singing, O ye mountains, for the Lord has comforted
his people, and will have mercy on his afflicted yet." Zion says, "The
Lord has forsaken me, my God has forgotten me." "Can a woman forget
her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of
her womb?" "Yea," the Lord says, "a woman may do that," but he will
not forget Zion. Says he, "Zion is engraven on the palms of my hands,
her walls are continually before me."

Vol. 14,  p.32
Now this Zion of God has been before his face from before the
foundation of the world, and it is no more going to fail in the latter
days than any of the purposes of God are going to fail, hence I look
upon this work as the work of God, and it makes no difference to the
Lord Almighty, nor to his Saints, what the world may think or do about
it, or what course they may pursue with regard to it; they cannot stop
its progress, because it is the work of God. If it were the work of
man it would not exist as it does to-day. If God had no hand in this
work, we should not have seen this assembly here to-day in this
Tabernacle, nor this Territory filled with cities and towns. But being
the work of God, he asks no odds of any nation, kindred, tongue or
people under the whole heavens, any further than they are willing to
keep his commandments and do his will; for as the Lord God Almighty
lives, so true will the work, the foundation of which has been laid in
these latter days, increase and continue until its consummation is
effected, and the great Zion of God is established in beauty, power
and glory, and the dominion of the kingdom of our God extends over the
whole earth.

Vol. 14,  p.32
Joseph Smith laid the foundation of this work; he was chosen by the
Lord for that purpose, and was ordained by prophets and inspired men
who formerly held the keys of the kingdom of God upon the earth. They
laid their hands upon his head and ordained him to the Priesthood, and
gave him power to unlock the heavens and to administer the ordinances
of the house of God upon the earth. This work he performed in the face
of difficulty, persecution, opposition and oppression; but the hand of
God sustained him. He knew what few men or people on the whole face of
the earth know—that God lives, and he also knew that the work whose
foundations he laid was the work of God.

Vol. 14,  p.32
This is what has sustained President Young through all his labors.
Many men have looked upon him, and, in consequence of outside
pressure, have expected him to say this, that, and the other; but all
the time he has taken a straightforward course, walking in the path
pointed out by the God of heaven; and that same hand has sustained him
and you and me and every good and virtuous man and woman on the face
of the earth who has listened to the commandments of God.

Vol. 14,  p.32
Isaiah and other prophets saw in vision much concerning the building
up and establishment of the latter-day Zion of God upon the earth.
They saw the people gathering from [p.33] the nations of the earth to
the mountains of Israel; they speak of a great company coming up to
Zion, the women with child and her that travailed with child together;
and a great many other things in relation to the internal workings of
the inhabitants of Zion in building up the kingdom of God they do not
mention, whether they ever saw them or not. Isaiah has not written
concerning many of these things, neither has anybody yet that we know
of. Perhaps when the remainder of the plates, which were delivered to
the Prophet Joseph, and which he was commanded not to translate, come
forth, we may learn many more things pertaining to our labor on the
earth which we do not know now. But be this as it may, all this
internal work is left for the Holy Ghost to reveal to the living
oracles, as they guide, lead, dictate and direct; the people day by
day. This is one thing I want to say to my friends and to the Saints
of God, that without the Holy Ghost, without direct revelation and the
inspiration of God continually, Brigham Young could not lead this
people twenty-four hours. He could not lead them at all. Joseph could
not have done it, neither could any man. This power is in the bosom of
Almighty God, and he imparts it to his servants the prophets as they
stand in need of it day by day to build up Zion.

Vol. 14,  p.33
I want to say to my brethren and sisters that President Young is our
leader; he is our lawgiver in the Church and kingdom of God. He is
called to this office; it is his prerogative to tell this people what
to do, and it is our duty to obey the counsel that he has given to-day
to the sisters and the brethren. We, as a people, should not treat
lightly this counsel, for I will tell you in the name of the Lord—and
I have watched it from the time I became a member of this Church—there
is no man who undertakes to run counter to the counsel of the legally
authorized leader of this people that ever prospers, and no such man
ever will prosper. Many things I might name, if it were wisdom to do
so, to prove the truth of this statement, but you may watch for
yourselves, and you will find that all persons who take a stand
against this counsel will never prosper.

Vol. 14,  p.33
A great deal has been said with regard to guiding this people in
temporal matters. I ask you in the name of the Lord, who is called to
guide the temporal affairs of this Church and kingdom, for its
advantage, redemption and exaltation, as pure as a bride adorned for
her husband, if it be not that man who is placed as the lawgiver and
leader of Israel? There is no man on the footstool of God who has this
authority but him who stands at the head; and his Counsellors and the
Apostles, Bishops and Elders ought to be coworkers with him, and they
should work together in carrying out his counsel. And when counsel
comes we should not treat it lightly, no matter to what subject it
pertains, for if we do it will work evil unto us. Co-operation, it is
well known to every Saint who has his eyes and ears open, has brought
much good to Israel, yet from the very commencement of it there has
been more or less discontent and dissatisfaction felt and manifested
towards it; but there is not an individual who has attempted to work
against it but who has lost the Spirit of God unless he has repented.
It is so in all things, as every one of us who has had experience in
this kingdom has seen over and over again. No man has ever prospered
by this course, but if he has continued it he, by and by, has gone
downward instead of upward; no such man ever received and gained
[p.34] to himself honor by taking such a course, and no man ever will.
They may try it as often as they wish; no matter whether they are
insiders or outsiders, every man who undertakes to fight against this
work and people will, in God's own time, receive chastisement at his
hand. Many who have done so, have been cut off, and others will
follow. This is true, whether it is in regard to following counsel or
not. We cannot treat lightly the counsel of God without incurring his
displeasure.

Vol. 14,  p.34
Does any man or woman wonder that President Young leads out, and calls
upon us to follow, in directing temporal affairs? What would become of
us and Zion if there were no one to give counsel in temporal matters?
We could not advance if such were the case; but we have been guided so
far by the servants of God and the Spirit of God. We have been dull
scholars perhaps in a great many things, but I thank God that it is as
well as it is with us to-day. The organization of this Church took
place forty years ago with six members, and here is a congregation
that would make two thousand branches of the Church as large as the
first branch that was established, and this is only one congregation,
while we have 600 miles of towns, villages and settlements in this
Territory. It is progress all the time. Why? Because it is the work of
God. No one can stand in the way of the work of God in safety. The
Lord is not dependant upon any man on his footstool; if one man will
not do his bidding, another will. He gives his law to all men, and
inasmuch as they reject it they ate under condemnation.

Vol. 14,  p.34
I fear not the world. We are the only people under heaven who are one,
and we are not half as much one in we ought to be; we have to improve.
We are the only people in the whole Christian world who make any
pretensions to oneness in building up the Zion of God on the earth. We
profess to be one in the Gospel, and we have to become so in temporal
matters. We have to become of one heart and mind in giving attention
and obedience to the counsel of God in all things, both spiritual and
temporal. Zion has got to advance; she has got to rise and shine and
put on her beautiful garments. She is advancing and has been from the
time of the organization of this Church, and she will continue to do
so until the winding up scene.

Vol. 14,  p.34
When I look at the blessing of the Gospel of Christ, and at the
blessings which we as a people enjoy; when I look at the glorious
principles which God has revealed for the exaltation and glory of man,
I rejoice in them, and ask who will obey them? I feel that we ought to
be thankful to God day and night; we should be humble and always ready
to listen to counsel. Let us go to and carry out these principles. "If
ye love me, keep my commandments," says the Lord Jesus. President
Young preached on that subject a few Sabbaths ago, showing that
however great our professions as Saints may be, they are vain unless
we keep the commandments and counsels of the Lord given unto us. What
are they? We have the moral law and we have the Gospel in the
Scriptures; but there are commandments and ordinances, and there is
counsel which we have to observe which are not contained in the Bible,
in the Book of Mormon, or in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. In
fact there is very little there in regard to our work and labors here
as a people.

Vol. 14,  p.34
The Lord has put into our hands the power to build up this great Zion,
which all the ancient prophets rejoiced [p.35] in and prophecied
about. What manner of people ought we to be who are called to carry
out this work? We ought to be the Saints and children of God in very
deed. Our hearts ought to be open and prepared to receive instruction,
light and truth, and to carry out, all principles which may be
communicated unto us by the servants of the Lord. The counsels we have
had to-day are of great value to the Latter-day Saints. By and by
Babylon will fall; in a little while "no man will buy her
merchandise," and the sooner we are prepared for the changes which are
about to take place in our nation and in the nations of the earth the
better for us. We are all interested in the welfare of Zion. Our
wives, daughters and sons are interested in the welfare of the
husbands and fathers, and the children in that of the parents; and we
all should be interested in each other's temporal and spiritual
labors, and there should not be a selfish feeling on the part of any
portion of a family—"I do not care what becomes of this, that or the
other, if I can only get what I want myself." This is selfishness, it
produces disunion and is inconsistent with the profession of a Saint
of God. We should labor, each and every one of us to put such feelings
from our hearts, and then we, in our family organizations, should
strive to promote the general interest of the members thereof; but the
interest of Zion and the kingdom of God should be first with us all
the time, for we are all members of that kingdom and its welfare is
ours.

Vol. 14,  p.35
I consider that we are in a position in which we have every chance to
do a great deal of good in our day and generation, we have every
chance to work with the Lord, every chance to fulfil our mission and
calling here on the earth. We have every chance to build up the Zion
of God. I rejoice in the faith that has been manifested by those who
have charge of the affairs of the kingdom of God, in the revelations
of God. By their works they have manifested their determination
continually to carry out the commands of God. "Who am I," saith the
Lord, "that I command and am not obeyed?" "Who am I," saith the Lord,
"that I promise and do not fulfil?" The Lord has never made a promise
to the children of men but what he has fulfilled it; and all the
promises that the Lord has made and all the revelations that have been
given by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, will have their
fulfilment, and we have nothing to fear. As President Young said a few
Sabbaths ago, the only thing we need fear is that we shall not keep
the commandments of the Lord. Let us keep the commandments of God and
then we shall have power with him; the word of the Lord will sustain
us and he will fight our battles. "Vengeance is mine, I will repay,"
saith the Lord. We need have no fears with regard to the future. The
Zion of God is before his face continually. He has laid a foundation
and He will build upon it, and his Saints will build upon it; and
thousands and tens of thousands of the meek of the earth will yet take
hold and become co-workers in the great work of God. I feel, myself,
as though we should lay these counsels that we receive to heart; we
should not treat them lightly. We have been called upon by the Lord
and his servants to keep the Word of Wisdom; it is time we did it.
Wherein we have failed in these things in the past we should try to
improve.

Vol. 14,  p.35
I rejoice in this work, I rejoice in the Gospel of Christ. I rejoice
that we live in a day when we have inspiration, when we have prophets,
Apostles and inspired men to lead us,[p.36] and when we are made
partakers of the blessings of the kingdom of God upon the earth. It is
safe for us to pursue that course wherein we can walk in the light,
and we need not find fault with the principles of the Gospel because
any brother does that which we cannot endorse. It is for us, each of
us, individually, to see to our own conduct, and never follow the
errors of others. It is not difficult to find them in our own conduct.
We should all bring this home to ourselves.

Vol. 14,  p.36
I do hope that the sisters, generally, and the Female Relief Societies
in particular, will listen to the counsel that has been given to-day,
and that they will go to and establish braiding schools in all their
societies, where the young ladies may be taught to braid straw.
President Young has called upon them to do it from time to time. It is
true that he has not always commanded them, in the name of the Lord,
to do thus and so, and this has been a great blessing to Israel. We
have been governed by counsel instead of commandment in many things,
which has been a blessing to the Saints, for "he that is commanded in
all things" and obeyeth it with slothfulness and not a willing mind,
is not qualified before the Lord as that man is who, having the power
within him, bringeth to pass much righteousness without being
commanded in all that he does.

Vol. 14,  p.36
I feel thankful for the blessings that we enjoy. The Prophet Joseph
was called an idler and a gold digger. We have been called a great
many things—such as lazy, indolent, and many other things
discreditable. Why, every man possessing reason and judgment, who
knows anything about the Territory of Utah, will at once pronounce
such assertions nonsensical, for this city and every portion of the
Territory bear witness to the untiring labor and industry of the
Latter-day Saints, and the people, as a general thing outside, are
beginning to give up the idea that we are an idle people. They
formerly found a great deal of fault with Joseph Smith, because they
said he was a gold digger; but since then nearly all the Christian
world have turned gold diggers. Hundreds of thousands of them have run
into this western country to dig gold; and, while they formerly found
fault with us for digging gold they have latterly found fault because
we do not dig it. I hope and trust that all the accusations of wrong
brought against us in the future will be as groundless as those of the
past. Let us show our faith by our works, let us show to the Lord our
God that we have faith and confidence in his word and works.

Vol. 14,  p.36
We have to become united as a people in all our labors—in our
agriculture, manufactures; and every branch of our temporal labors. It
is of great importance to the Latter-day Saints that they should unite
together on the principle of co-operation. Where this is not done we
still ought to try individually to manufacture all we can. I was
pleased, a few days ago, while paying a visit; to Jenning's shoe
factory, to see the large number of home-made boots and shoes, many of
which were made with machinery which had been imported for the
purpose. This should be done wherever it is possible; the people
should co-operate and import labor-saving machinery, so as to be able
to compete with foreign manufacturers of goods of all kinds. President
Young has set an example in introducing carding machines and in
establishing factories here. He has done all he could in this
direction, and we should follow in the wake as far as we can. I know
that God will bless the people by doing this.[p.37] 

Vol. 14,  p.37
I do not wish to occupy any more time. I feel to say God bless you.
Lay these things to heart. Let us lay hold and build up Zion. Let us
realize that we are the children of God, that he is at work with us
and that we are at work with him. It has been said that the Lord and a
good man are a great majority. He has got a great many good men on the
earth, and he is gathering them together to build up Zion, to carry
out his work and to do his will. He will also control the course of
human events so as to forward his purposes. He holds the destinies of
the nations in his hands. He holds Zion in his hands and he will carry
out his work and do all he has promised. Those who fight against Zion
fight against God, and he will break every weapon formed against his
kingdom, and will bring his people triumphant over every obstacle, and
finally give them eternal life, which is the greatest of all the gifts
of God. May God grant that it may be bestowed upon us by our faith,
works, and labors, through his mercy and goodness, for Jesus' sake.
Amen.

Brigham Young, May 8, 1870

Character and Condition of the Latter-Day Saints—
Infidelity—the Atonement—Celestial Marriage

Discourse By President Brigham Young, Delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, May 8, 1870.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 14,  p.37
We have now been together in a Conference capacity for four days. It
seems a very short time; we would like to stay a little longer, if it
were prudent. This is the place to give general instruction to the
Latter-day Saints. It is good when the Saints meet together to look at
each other, to hear the brethren bear testimony of the truth and to
feel the fellowship of the Holy Ghost. This makes our hearts joyful
and glad. It will be prudent for us now to bring our Conference to a
close, and, after I have spent a few minutes in speaking, we shall
adjourn until the 6th of next October, at ten o'clock in the morning,
at this place.

Vol. 14,  p.37
There are many things which we would like to talk about; I would like
to do a great deal of talking if I had the opportunity and were able
to do so. There are many little items pertaining to what are called
temporal matters, which it would be well for the people to understand
in order to promote their happiness here on the earth and to aid them
in securing eternal salvation. It is not those who are bearers of the
word only who are blessed and who secure to themselves the blessings
of eternal life; they who secure eternal life are doers of the word as
well as hearers. If we hear the word and do not perform the labors
indicated by it, it will [p.38] profit us noticing. To hear the word,
as the Latter-day Saints do, and then to perform the labor devolving
upon them, requires a great deal of wisdom; and to bring the people up
to this standard much labor and instruction from the Elders is
necessary.

Vol. 14,  p.38
If we can remember what we have heard at this Conference, and carry it
out in our lives, it will profit us. I hope and trust that we may. Let
us apply our hearts to the wisdom that has been exhibited before, the
Conference, and observe the little duties of every-day life, that we
may be prepared to receive more. It is not possible for a person to
learn all the will of God in an hour, a day, or a week; it requires
much time and attention to do this. The Lord gives a little here and a
little there, a precept now and a precept again, and by close
observance of these things in our lives we grow in grace and in a
knowledge of the truth.

Vol. 14,  p.38
We are thankful for the privilege of talking a little. We ought all to
be very thankful that we have the privilege of the Gospel and of the
ordinances of the house of God, for by applying them to the duties of
life we can increase in knowledge, wisdom and understanding. We are
thankful to see the increase that there is in the midst of the people.

Vol. 14,  p.38
You very well know that it is said by many of those who wish to
traduce the character of the Latter-day Saints that we are a poor,
miserable, ignorant people. If we are, there is a great chance for
improvement. We will acknowledge that we are very ignorant, and that
the Lord has taken the weak things of the world to confound the wisdom
of the wise. He has picked up the poor of the earth and brought them
together, because they seek after him; while the hearts of the rich
and the proud, the high and the noble, are lifted up, and they cannot
hearken to the principles of the Gospel and receive them and obey
them. They feel themselves too good; they know too much; while the
poor and needy, those who suffer from hunger and nakedness, and from
hard labor and taskmasters, are the ones who naturally seek after the
Lord. The Lord is just as willing to Hess and to pour out his Spirit
upon the king on the throne as upon the beggar in the street; but the
king has sufficient—he does not feel after the Lord; but the beggar
cries unto the Lord for his daily bread. Hence the Lord gathers the
poor. When we are gathered together, if we will improve ourselves by
and by we will be filled with wisdom.

Vol. 14,  p.38
When we look at the Latter-day Saints and remember that they have been
taken from the coal pits, from the ironworks, from the streets, from
the kitchens and from the barns and factories and from hard service in
the countries where they formerly lived, we cannot wonder at their
ignorance. But when they are brought together they soon become
scholars. Many of them become farmers and merchants, and they soon
learn to procure a sustenance for themselves and families, and gather
around them the necessaries and comforts of life. They also learn the
object of their being, of the creation of the earth, and how to
organize the elements so as to subserve their own wants and
necessities. This is a blessing, and we are proud to see the industry
of the Latter-day Saints, and also their improvements and
faithfulness. If we are ignorant, let us become wise; if we are poor,
let us gather around us the comforts of life. I look around among my
brethren and I see scholars. The world say we are ignorant; we
acknowledge it, but we are not as ignorant as they are, although they
have had opportunities [p.39] of education perhaps that many of our
brethren have not had. We study from the great book of nature. We are
driven to this of necessity Where is there another people who have
done what this people have done in these mountains, by way of making
improvements in their own midst—upon the soil and in their cities and
towns. They are not to be found on the face of the earth. If this is
not intelligence—if this is not good, hard, sound sense, I wish
somebody would come and teach us a little. If we are taken from the
poor, ignorant, low and degraded, and make ourselves wise and happy,
it is a credit to us.

Vol. 14,  p.39
There are causes for this which some may not have thought about. I
often think of them. You take, for instance, a father, who has, say,
four, ten or twelve sons. He may have abundance to dispose of to each
and every one; but he dislikes some particular one, and perhap