Journal of Discourses Volume 15

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. XV

LIVERPOOL: 

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY ALBERT 
CARRINGTON, 42, ISLINGTON. 

LONDON: 

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

1873.[p.iii] 

Preface

Vol. 15,  p.iii
WE take great pleasure in presenting to the Saints and the world the
Fifteenth Volume of the JOURNAL of DISCOURSES, which they will find
contains rich treasures of information concerning the glorious
principles of Eternal Life, as revealed through God's anointed
servants in these last days.

Vol. 15,  p.iii
All who read the discourses contained in this Volume are earnestly
recommended to adapt them to their lives by practice, and we can
confidently assure them that, in doing so, they are laying up a store
of knowledge that will save and exalt them in the Celestial kingdom.

THE PUBLISHER.[p.1] 

Brigham Young, April 28, 1872

The Lord's Supper—Progression—Co-Operation—Independence

Remarks By President Brigham Young, Delivered in the New 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday Afternoon, April 28th, 1872.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.1
I am very happy for the privilege of meeting with the Latter-day
Saints, and I have reason to be thankful that I am able to speak a
little to them. It brings many things to our reflections and causes
many thoughts to arise. When we look over the human family what a
variety we see and especially upon the subject of religion. We take
Christianity, for instance, and as nations, as people, we believe in
and on the Lord Jesus Christ. Most of Christian professors believe in
the ordinances, or some potions of the ordinances of the house of God.
Most of Christians believe in the breaking of bread, in blessing it
and partaking of it in remembrance of the broken body of our Savior;
also in taking the cup, consecrating it and then partaking of it, in
remembrance of his blood that was shed for the sins of the world. And
then take up the hundreds of different denominations and what a motley
mass we present in our faith, feelings, sympathies, judgment, passions
and conduct; man against man, priest against priest, people against
people. Now let the Christian denominations come here: "Yes, the
Latter-day Saints believe in taking the Sacrament, it is true, but
what a pity," say they. "They profess to believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ. Oh dear! I wish they did! Yes, they seem to manifest great
confidence in the atonement, in the ordinances and commandments. I
wish they were a better people! What a pity it is that they are such
an outlawed, sin fill race of beings as they are! What a pity!!" "How
we Christians do pity the Latter-day Saints." Then again, how we
Latter-day Saints do pity the Christians! What a spectacle! And see
us, as Christians, warring with each other! What for? For our pure
faith, for our holy desires, for our great charity to each other, for
the love of Christ, for the salvation of the souls of the children of
men.

Vol. 15,  p.4
Now is not this a spectacle to present to angels? Why if the Lord
Almighty [p.2] was not beyond the conception of humanity in charity
and love, in mercy and longsuffering, in patience and kindness to his
creatures, where would we have been ere this? We would have been
weltering in his wrath, we would have been drinking his hot
displeasure. But he is more merciful than we are. I have thought a
great many times I was very thankful I was not the Lord Almighty. I
should be consuming my enemies. How I should contend against those who
hate me. I am glad Ism not the Lord. And to see the Latter-day Saints
here following the example of the Savior when he took his disciples
into an upper room, and bade some of them go and prepare to partake
supper with him the last time before his crucifixion. He took the
bread and blessed and brake. "Take and eat ye all of this, for this is
my body in the New Testament." He took the cup and blessed it; "Drink
ye all of this, for this is my blood in the New Testament." Here we
are doing the same to-day. What more? Do this until I come, for I will
neither eat nor drink any more with you in this capacity until I drink
anew with you in my father's kingdom on this earth. Will he do it?
Certainly he will. "Do this in remembrance of me until I come." We are
doing this to-day. Do not other Christians do the same? They do. How
do we Latter-day Saints feet towards them? Were we to yield to the
carnal passions of the natural man and we had the power of the
Almighty we would spew our enemies out of our mouths, yes, we would
hiss them from the face of human society for their evils, their
malice, for the revenge and wrath they have towards us. But we are not
the Almighty. I am glad of it. I am happy in the reflection that I
have not the power, and I hope and pray I may never possess it until I
can use it like a God, until I can wield it as our Father in heaven
wields it, with all that eternity of majesty, glory, charity, with his
judgment, discretion, and with every faculty of compassion. I am happy
in the reflection that I do not possess the power. I am glad you
elders do not, I am really glad you do not. Will he ever grant power
to his Saints on the earth? Yes, they will take the kingdom, and
possess it for ever and ever; but in the capacity they arc now, in the
condition that they now present themselves before God, before the
world and before each other? Never, never! until we are sanctified,
until we are filled with the wisdom of God, with the knowledge of God,
will he bequeath the power that be has in reserve for his Saints;
never will the Saints possess it until they are prepared to wield it
with all that judgment, discretion, wisdom and forbearance that the
Lord Almighty wields in his own capacity, and uses at his pleasure?
How do you feel about it, brethren? Do not you wish sometimes you had
power to pinch their ears? Do not you wish you had power to stop them
in their mad career? Let the Lord Almighty do this. You think his eve
is upon the work of his hands? It is. His ears are open to the prayers
of his children, he will hear their prayers, he will answer their
desires; and when we as a people possess the abundance of that
patience, that longsuffering and forbearance that we need, to possess
the privileges and the power that the Lord has in reserve for his
people, we will receive to our utmost satisfaction. We shall not have
it now. The Lord says, "I can not give it to you now." This church has
now been traveling over forty-two years—forty-two years the sixth day
of this month since it was organized with six members. What have we
[p.3] learned? We assembled in Missouri, at the place of gathering on
the borders of the Lamanites, and there we bought our farms and built
our houses; but could we stay there? Were we prepared then to enter
into Zion, to build up the Zion of God and possess it? We were not, we
must suffer. "You Latter-day Saints, you, my children," says the Lord,
"are not prepared to receive Zion." Why, we have heard detailed by
Elder Cartington the conduct of Elders at the present time, dishonest
in the matter of a few shillings or dollars. Dishonest, covetous,
selfish, grasping for that which is not our own; borrowing and not
paying; taking that which does not belong to us; dishonest in our
deal; oppressing each other. Are we fit for Zion? I say nothing to the
Christian world with regard to this. Let them bite and devour as much
as they please, it does not belong to the Latter-day Saints at least.
Could we stay in Independence? No, we could not. What was the reason?
Here are some hearing me talk who were there—some who are aged, some
here who were then children and infants, some who were born there. But
we stayed a very few years—two or three—and we must get up and march.
Why did we leave? Why the enemy is upon us, our enemies are gathered
around us, our foes are besetting us on every hand. There goes a house
burned up; there is a man that is whipped; there is a family turned
out of doors! What is the matter with all you Latter-day Saints? Can
the would see? No. Can the Saints see? No, or few of them can; and we
can say that the light of the Spirit upon the hearts and
understandings of some Latter-day Saints is like the peeping of the
stars through the broken shingles of the roof over our heads, when we
are watching through the silent watches of the night and behold the
glimmer of a twinkling star. "Oh yes, I see, I see, that we are not
prepared to receive the kingdom." Another one says, "Yes, I can see,
we were too selfish." Another one says, "I see, the wicked must be
prepared for their doom as well as the Saints for their exaltation,
and that the wicked are a rod in the hands of God to chasten the
Saints." Here are the two classes—the righteous and the unrighteous,
and the righteous must be prepared by suffering and by rendering
strict obedience to the commandments of heaven. It seems to be
absolutely necessary in the providence of Him who created us, and who
organized and fashioned all things according to his wisdom, that man
must descend below all things. It is written of the Savior in the
Bible that he descended below all things that he might ascend above
all. Is it not so with every man? Certainly it is. It is fit then that
we should descend below all things and come up gradually, and learn a
little now, and again, receive "line upon line, precept upon precept,
here a little and there a little." But hark, do the people hear it? Do
the people understand it? Scarcely! scarcely! Do the Latter-day Saints
understand these principles, and are we prepared to receive Zion? Are,
we prepared to receive the Kingdom and are we prepared for the
blessings that God has in reserve for his children? Stop, think,
consider, look around us! How is it? Are not the sordid things of this
life before our eyes, and have they not thrown a mist before them so
that we can not see? Are we not of the earth, and still earthy?
Certainly we areal the earth and still earthy. What do we know of
heavenly things? It is very true we have the Bible; but when we come
to our elders, men of limited education and moderate reading, [p.4]
they are able to teach the whole Christian world theology. Take them
from the anvil, from the plow, from the carpenter's bench, or from any
occupation, if they possess good common ability and the spirit of our
holy religion that God has revealed in these latter days, they
understand more of the Bible and the building lap of the Kingdom of
God than all the world besides that are destitute of the priesthood of
the Son of God. And yet what do we know? Comparatively we have hardly
learned the first lesson.

Vol. 15,  p.4
Could our brethren stay in Jackson County, Missouri? No, no. Why? They
had not learned "a" concerning Zion; and we have been traveling now
forty-two years, and have we learned our a, b, c? "Oh," say a good
many, "I think we have." Have we learned our a b ab? Have we got as
far as b a k e r, baker? Have we got through our first speller? Have
we learned multiplication? Do we understand anything with regard to
the building up of the kingdom? I will say, scarcely. Have we seen it
as a people? How long shall we travel, how long shall we live, how
long shall God wait; for us to sanctify ourselves and become one in
the Lord, in our actions and in our ways for the building up of the
kingdom of God that he can bless us? He defends us, it is very true,
and fights our battles. When we were driven from Missouri and had to
leave the State I recollect very well, Gov. Boggs said, "You must
leave;" Gen. Clark said, "You must leave;" the mob said, "You must
leave," and we had to leave. And after we had signed away our
property, I'd see a widow send up her little boy to brother
Such-a-one, "Will you let me go to your timber land and get a load of
wood for my mother?" "Tell your mother that I have got no more timber
than I shall want, I do not think I can spare her a load of wood." I
recollect very well of telling the Latter-day Saints, there and then,
"I hope to God that we never will have the privilege of stopping and
making ourselves rich while we grind the face of the poor; but let us
be driven from State to State until we can take what we have got and
dispose of it according to the dictation of the spirit of revelation
from the Lord. Said I, "You will not stay here;" but long faces would
come down, you know, with a gentle, mild scrowl, "I can't spare you a
load of wood." Excuse me. When are the Latter-day Saints going to be
prepared to receive the kingdom? Are we now? Not at all! We are
prepared for some things, and we receive just as fast as we prepare
ourselves. Well, what can we do, what more can we do? We can do just
what we please to do. It is in our power to do just what we please to
do with regard to sanctifying ourselves before the Lord, and preparing
ourselves to build up his kingdom: Have we not the liberty to build
this Temple here? We have, although earth and hell are opposed to it,
and arrayed against it. Have we not the privilege of preaching the
Gospel to the nations? We have. Have we not the privilege of uniting
our faith and our efforts for the benefit of the whole community? Yes,
we have.

Vol. 15,  p.4
Now come down, for example, to our present circumstances and
condition. Year after year, I labored with our merchants to unite
their efforts together to supply the wants of the people without
taking from them everything they had got; and when I assembled these
merchants some years before we entered into our present co-operative
institution in this mercantile trade, said I, "Will you unite your
efforts and your [p.5] means, and start a business here that we can
put goods into the hands of the people that we will not take their
last sixpence? Have a calico dress at forty cents a yard when it
should be only eighteen, twenty or twenty-two, and so on and so
forth." After a long conference one of the gentlemen present got up,
walked the room back and forward, and finally said, "President Young,
if you will furnish the money we will do as you say," as much as to
say, "it is none of your business what we do with the means that we
have." I dropped the conversation and said to myself. "Well then, gull
the people, take what they have got."

Vol. 15,  p.5
You recollect, a man here in the time of the Buchanan war by the name
of A. B. Miller. He was a merchant here for Russell and Majors. Our
people were not merchandising much then. Well, the merchants met
together and wanted to put up their goods to a certain notch, a dollar
a pound for sugar, for instance. This A. B. Miller—a gambler, though
there were a great really good things about him, he just turned in and
damned them. Says he, "Gentlemen, to turn in and cut the throats of
these 'Mormons,' and take what they have got, we might do, but for
being so damned mean as to ask a dollar a pound for sugar, I will not
do it."

Vol. 15,  p.5
Now then, is this co-operative institution one step towards bringing
the people to a union? Yes, but it is a very small one, and there is
danger of it growing into a condition that will cease to be one step
in the right direction. Let men say, "Here is what God has given me,
do what you please with it," and we shall be in the path of progress.
But how is it now? "Brother, have you paid any tithing? You have made
fifty thousand, ten thousand, a hundred thousand, one thousand or five
hundred dollars as the case may be, have you paid any tithing?" "Well,
no I have not yet, but I think perhaps, I will by and by;" and this is
said with stammering tongue, faltering voice, and covetous heart. Wife
gave you your money and possessions? Who owns this earth? Does the
Devil? No, he does not, he pretended to own it when the Savior was
here, and promised it all to him if he would fall down and worship
him; but he did not own a foot of land, he only had possessed of it.
He was an intruder, and is still: this earth belongs to him that
framed and organized it, and it is expressly for his glory and the
possession of those who love and serve him and keep his commandments;
but the enemy has possession of it.

Vol. 15,  p.5
Now then, a few other items, brethren and sisters. Can you do anything
for the poor? "Well I do not know, but I can give you filly cents to
gather the poor." "Brother, can you pay that debt? You recollect you
borrowed some money of a widow woman in England. Do you recollect you
borrowed a little money of such a brother? Can you pay that?" "Well
yes, I am going to." You heard what Brother Carrington said about it,
what fellowship does the Lord Almighty have for such men? I think not
the least. What fellowship do angels have for such men? I should think
not much. What fellowship do I have for them? Not, one particle. What
ought to be done with them? I will answer the question—they ought to
be disfellowshipped by the Saints: they are not fellowshipped in the
heavens, and they ought not to be here.

Vol. 15,  p.5
"Well, now then, Brother Brigham, what are you at, what do you want?"
I want you to do just that which will displease the enemies of the
kingdom of God, and that which will please [p.6] the Lord Almighty and
the heavenly host to perfection. What is that? Do as you are counseled
to do by the spirit of revelation from the Lord. What is the cry
against us? "Brigham Young has too much influence! All the people
hearken to Brigham Young! All these poor deluded Latter-day Saints
take his counsel!" I wish it was so. If this were the fact you would
see Zion prosper upon the hills and upon the plains, in the valleys
and in the kanyons, and upon the mountains. Go to with your might,
seek unto the Lord your God until you have the revelations of the Lord
Jesus Christ upon you, until your minds are open, and the visions of
heaven are plain to you. Then follow the dictations of the spirit, and
watch Brother Brigham, and see if he counsels you wrong. I hope to see
the time when I can say to the Latter-day Saints, if I preside over
them, go and do this or that, and not ask a sixpence of this man or a
dollar from that, or a hundred dollars from another. "Here is what I
have, it is the Lord's. He has given me all that I possess, it is only
committed to my charge to see what I will do with it. The heavens are
his, the earth is his; the gold and silver are his, the wheat and fine
flour are his, the wine and the oil are his; the cattle upon a
thousand hills are his. I am his, I am his servant, let the Lord say
what the wants. Here I am, with all thou hast given me." How
displeasing this is to the devil is it not? I can not help it, this is
the true track and path for the Latter-day Saints to walk in. Walk up,
O ye Latter-day Saints, and wake up! Come to the Lord, forsake your
covetousness, your back-slidings, forsake the spirit of the world, and
return to the Lord with full purpose of heart until you get the spirit
of Christ within you, that you, like others, can cry," Abba Father,
the Lord he is God and I am his servant."

Vol. 15,  p.6
Do you think it would be difficult then for us to accomplish anything
we undertook? No. Very true the enemy, this potent foe that we have to
contend with, we know but little about him, very little; but he is
watching every avenue of the heart, rapping at every door and every
window, and if there is a crevice between the clapboards, through the
roof, or the brick or adobie wall, he throws a dart into the feelings
of each and every individual. "Take care, think for yourselves, judge
for yourselves; do not be led astray, do not you wander off after
these deluded people, and their delusion. Be careful, there is danger
in believing in the Lord, there is danger in being a Saint; there is
great danger in you yielding your judgment in another man." Oh, what a
pity! Where do you get your judgment? Where did it come from? What is
your judgment? I tell you that the judgment of the world now is pretty
much for all to do just as they please if they possibly can, to the
injury of their neighbors, for their own aggrandizement.

Vol. 15,  p.6
Can I not use my judgment in doing well just as much as in doing evil?
Am I not just as independent in performing a deed of charity as a deed
of cruelty? I contend that I am, what do you say? Have I not got my
liberty just as much, and exercise it just as freely, in feeding the
poor and clothing the naked as I have in turning them out of doors, or
in lifting myself up against God and his anointed? Has a man got to
apostatize from this kingdom, from the faith of Christ, to be
independent? Am I not as independent in believing in the Lord Jesus
Christ as I am in denying him? Am I not as independent in believing
the Gospel as I am in believing in the whisperings [p.7] and
mutterings of these spirits that are floating through the air, rapping
at everybody's door, sometimes tearing the clothes off their beds,
rapping, thundering and telling this, that and the other? You hearken
to that still small voice that whispers eternal truth, that opens the
visions of eternity to you that you can discern, understand and
follow, and the foul spirits that throng the air, and that fill our
houses if we let them in, will not have power over you.

Vol. 15,  p.7
Be just as independent as a God to do good. Love mercy, eschew evil,
be a savior to yourselves and to your families, and to your fellow
beings just as much as you possibly can, and go on with your
independence and do not yield yourselves servants to obey an evil
principle or an evil being.

Vol. 15,  p.7
God bless you. Amen.

Wilford Woodruff, April 6, 1872

His Testimony—the Fulfilling of Prophecy—Advice to Mothers

Discourse By Elder Wilford Woodruff, Delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, April 6, 1872. 

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.7
Through the mercy and loving kindness of our Father in the heavens we
are again permitted to meet in a general conference of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Forty-two years ago this day this
church was organized with six members, by a prophet of the living God,
raised up in these last days by the administration of angels from God,
and ordained unto all the keys and powers of the Melchizedec
priesthood and apostleship, and of the kingdom of God on the earth.
According to the best knowledge we have, 1842 years ago to-day, the
Lord Jesus was crucified on Mount Calvary for the sins of the world.
The 6th day of April is a very important day in many respects. It has
certainly been very interesting to the Latter-day Saints to watch the
history and progress of this Church and kingdom during the last
forty-two years. This is one of the most important generations that
men, or God, or angels have ever seen on the earth: it is a
dispensation and generation when the whole flood of prophecy and
revelation and vision given through inspired men for the last six
thousand years is to have its fulfillment, and especially in relation
to the establishment of the great kingdom and Zion of God on the
earth. Joseph Smith was one of the greatest prophets God ever raised
up on the earth, and the Lord has had his eye upon him from the
foundation of the world. Any man who has ever read the book of Isaiah,
which we frequently have quoted to us, can see that he, with other
prophets, had his eye upon the latter-day Zion of God. He says in one
place, "Sing O heavens, rejoice O earth, break forth into singing, O
ye mountains,[p.8] for the Lord hath comforted his people, he will
have mercy upon his afflicted. But Zion said: The Lord hath forsaken
me, and my Lord hath forgotten me;" "Ah," says the Lord, "Can a woman
forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the
son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will not I forget thee.
Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are
continually before me."

Vol. 15,  p.8
The Lord never created this world at random; he has never done any of
his work at random. The earth was created for certain purposes; and
one of these purposes was its final redemption, and the establishment
of his government and kingdom upon it in the latter days, to prepare
it for the reign of the lord Jesus Christ, whose right it is to reign.
That set time has come, that dispensation is before us, we are living
in the midst of it. It is before the Latter-day Saints, it is before
the world; whether or not the people have more faith in the promises
of God now than they had in the days of Noah makes no difference, the
unbelief of men will not make the truth of God without effect. The
great and mighty events that the Lord Almighty has decreed from before
the foundation of the world, to be performed in the latter days are
resting upon us, and they will follow each other in quick succession,
whether men believe or net, for no prophecy of Scripture is of any
private interpretation, but holy men of God spake as they were moved
upon by the Holy Ghost, and what they said will come to pass; though
the heaven and the earth pass away net one jot or tittle of the word
of the Lord will go unfulfilled.

Vol. 15,  p.8
Some of us have lived in and been intimately acquainted with this
church for the last forty years, a very few more than that, and some
less; but where is the Latter-day Saint or any other person who has
ever seen this church or kingdom go backward? No matter what position
we were in, whether exterminated by the order of Governor Boggs of
Missouri, or whether we lay, sick and afflicted, on the muddy banks of
the Missouri river; whether it was Zion's Camp going up for her
redemption; whether it was the pioneers coming to these mountains,
making the roads, building the bridges, killing the snakes and opening
the way for the gathering of the people, no matter what our
circumstances may have been, this kingdom has been onward and upward
all the day long until the present hour. Will it ever go backward? No,
it will not. This Zion of the Lord, in all its beauty, power and glory
is engraven upon the hands of Almighty God, and it is before his face
continually; his decrees are set and no man can turn them aside.

Vol. 15,  p.8
There never was a dispensation on the earth when prophets and
apostles, the inspiration, revelation and power of God, the holy
priesthood and the keys of the kingdom were needed more than they are
in this generation. There never has been a dispensation when the
friends of God and righteousness are among the children of men needed
more faith in the promises and prophecies than they do to-day; and
there certainly never has been a generation of people on the earth
that has had a greater work to perform than the inhabitants of the
earth in the latter days. That is one reason why this church and
kingdom has progressed from its commencement until to-day, in the
midst of all the opposition, oppression and warfare which have been
waged against it by men inspired by the evil one. If this had not been
the dispensation of the fulness of times—the dispensation [p.9] in
which God has declared that he will establish his kingdom on the earth
never more to be thrown down, the inhabitants of the earth would have
been enabled to overcome the kingdom and Zion of God in this as well
as in any former dispensation. But the set time has come to favor
Zion, and the Lord Almighty has decreed in the heavens that every
weapon formed against her shall be broken. And if we take the history
of any man, from the days Joseph Smith received the plates from the
hill Cumorah, and translated the Book of Mormon by the Urim and
Thummim, until to-day, whoever has raised his hand against this work
has tell the chastening hand of Almighty God upon him; and I am at the
defiance of the world to show me a president, governor, judge, ruler,
priest or anybody else on the earth who has taken a stand against this
kingdom who is an exception, and you may search their whole history.
We have outlived several generations of our persecutors. Where are the
men who tarred and leathered Joseph Smith in Portage County, Ohio?
Where are the men who drove this people from Kirtland? Where are the
men who drove the Church and kingdom from Jackson County, Missouri?
Where are the men who undertook to kidnap the prophet while in
Illinois? Where are they who drove the Latter-day Saints from Illinois
into these mountains? Trace their whole history and see for
yourselves. The fact is many of them are in their graves, awaiting
their final judgment. And in the whole history of this people and
their remarkable preservation, the invisible hand of God is as plainly
to be seen as it has been in the history of the Jews from the days of
Christ until now; and it will continue until this scene is wound up.

Vol. 15,  p.9
We are led by men who are filled with inspiration. Joseph Smith was a
man of God, through the loins of the ancient Joseph who, through the
wisdom which God gave him, redeemed his father's house after having
been sold by his brethren into Egypt. All the blessings that old
father Jacob pronounced upon Joseph and upon the sons of Ephraim, his
son and grandsons have rested upon them until this day. Joseph Smith
was through that lineage. In his youth he was inspired of God, and was
administered to by angels. Under their guidance and counsel he laid
the foundation of this work, and lived long enough to receive all the
keys necessary for bearing off this dispensation. He lived long enough
to have these individuals administer unto him—John the Baptist, Peter,
James and John the Apostles, Elisha and Elijah, who held the keys of
turning the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of
the children to the fathers; and Moroni, who held the keys of the
stick of Joseph in the hands of Ephraim to come forth in the latter
day, administered in person to Joseph Smith, and gave him these
records and instructed him in the things of God from time to time
until he was qualified and prepared to lay the foundation of this
work. The Prophet Joseph lived to see the Church organized with
apostles and prophets, patriarchs, pastors, teachers, helps,
governments, and all the gifts and graces of the spirit of God; to
give the Twelve Apostles their endowments and to seal upon their heads
all the authority and power that were necessary to enable them to
fulfil their missions. Why did the Lord take him away? He laid down
his life, and sealed his testimony with his blood that it might be in
three upon the heads of this generation, and that he might be [p.10]
crowned with crowns of glory, immortality and eternal life; that he
might go to the other side of the vail, and there organize the Church
and kingdom in this last dispensation. He and his two brothers were
taken away into the spirit world, and they are at work there, while
Brigham Young and the quorum of the Twelve were preserved on the earth
for a special purpose in the hands of God. These things are true, and
the hand of the Lord has been over Brigham Young, although now he is
under bonds and a prisoner, and has his privileges curtailed for the
word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Yet in the midst of all this
he is calm and composed before the Lord, and has his mind open to the
things of God. He still lives in the midst of this people and will
live as long as the Lord wishes him to remain in the flesh to guide
the affairs of Zion.

Vol. 15,  p.10
I will say to the Latter-day Saints that we have been more blessed in
this land than has any other dispensation or generation of men. The
Lord has been at work for the last three hundred years preparing this
land, with a government and constitution which would guarantee equal
rights and privileges to the inhabitants thereof, in the midst of
which he could establish his kingdom. The kingdom is established, the
work of God is manifest in the earth, the Saints have come up here
into the valleys of the mountains, and they are erecting the house of
God in the tops thereof, for the nations to flow unto. A standard of
truth has been lifted up to the people, and from the commencement of
this work the Latter-day Saints have been fulfilling that flood of
revelation and prophecy which was given formerly concerning this great
work in the last days. I rejoice in this, and also because we have
every reason to expect a continuation of these blessings unto Zion. We
have always had a vail over us, we have had to walk by faith all the
day long until the present time: this is the decree of God. When we
were driven from Jackson County, Clay County, Caldwell County,
Kirtland, and finally from Nauvoo into these mountains, we did not see
and understand what lay before us: there was a vail over our faces, in
a measure. It has been the same with the people of God in all ages. At
that time we could not see this tabernacle, and the five hundred miles
of villages, towns, cities, gardens, orchards, fields, or the desert
blossoming as the rose as we see them to-day. We came here and found a
barren desert: we were led hither by inspiration, by a law-giver, by a
man of God; the Lord was with him, he was with the pioneers. If we had
not come here we could not have fulfilled the prophecies which the
prophets have left on record in the stick of Judah as well as in the
stick of Ephraim—the Bible and the Book of Mormon. We have done that,
and we can look back twenty-four years and see the change that has
been effected since our arrival; but who can see the change that will
be effected in the next twenty-four years? No man can see it unless
the vision of his mind is opened by the power of God. The Lord told
Joseph Smith to lay the foundation of this work; he told him that the
day had come when the harvest was ready, and to thrust in the sickle
and reap; and every man who would do so was called of God and had this
privilege.

Vol. 15,  p.10
The Lord has sent forth the Gospel, and it is offered to the children
of men as it was in ancient days; men are required to have faith in
Jesus Christ, repent of their sins, and to be baptized for the
remission of them, and the promise is that they shall receive the Holy
Ghost, which [p.11] shall teach them the things of God, bring things
past to their remembrance, and show them things to come.

Vol. 15,  p.11
What principle has sustained the Elders of Israel for the last forty
years in their travels? They have gone forth without purse or scrip,
preached without money or price; they have swam rivers, waded swamps,
and traveled hundreds of thousands of miles on foot to bear record of
this work to the nations of the earth. What has sustained them? It has
been this power of God, this Holy Ghost, the spirit of inspiration
from the God of Israel that has been given to his friends on the earth
in these latter days. The blood of Israel has flowed in the veins of
the children of men, mixed among the Gentile nations, and when they
have heard the sound of the Gospel of Christ it has been like vivid
lightning to them; it has opened their understandings, enlarged their
minds, and enabled them to see the things of God. They have been born
of the Spirit, and then they could behold the kingdom of God; they
have been baptized in water and had hands laid upon them for the
reception of the Holy Ghost, and they have received that Holy Ghost
among every Gentile nation under heaven wherever the Gospel has been
permitted to be preached; and here they are to-day, from all those
nations, gathered in the valleys of the mountains. And this is but the
beginning; it is like a mustard seed, it is very small; but the little
one is to become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation. The
Lord will hasten it in his own time. Zion shall be called a "City
sought out." The Lord is watching over us.

Vol. 15,  p.11
I wish to say to the Latter-day Saints, we must not forget our
position, nor the blessings that we hope for. All that we expect, we
have got to inquire of the Lord for. Some of our brethren, as has been
said here, have suffered a little through the spirit of bigotry and
persecution that is in the world. I wonder many times there is not a
great deal more of it. the Lord Almighty is going to make a short work
in the earth; lest no flesh should be saved he will cut his work short
in righteousness. The Lord is putting his hook into the jaws of the
nations. He holds Great Babylon in his hands as well as Zion. He will
control the children of men; and, as the Lord God lives, if the
Latter-day Saints do their duty—live their religion and keep their
covenants, Zion will arise, put on her beautiful garments, be clothed
with the glory of God, have power in the earth, and the law will go
forth from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Then let our
prayers ascend into the ears of the Lord God of Sabbaoth, for he will
hear them, that the wisdom of the wise may perish and the
understanding of the prudent be hid. Our weapons are faith, prayer,
and confidence in God, for he is our friend if we have any, and we are
his if he has any on the face of the earth. The Lord will work with
us, and we should work with him; therefore, brethren, let us live by
faith, walk by faith, overcome by faith, so that we may enjoy the Holy
Spirit to guide and direct us. All the institutions pertaining to the
work of God in these latter days are going to progress, Zion is bound
to arise, and to arrive at that position in our great future that the
Prophets have seen by prophecy and revelation.

Vol. 15,  p.11
I want to say a few words to the sisters, who have been referred to
this morning—the Female Relief Societies. Our mothers, sisters, wives
and daughters occupy a very important position in this generation, far
[p.12] more so than they realize or understand. You are raising up
your sons and daughters as plants of renown in the house of Israel in
these latter-days. Upon the shoulders of you mothers rests, in a great
measure, the responsibility of correctly developing the mental and
moral powers of the rising generation, whether in infancy, childhood,
or still riper years. Your husbands—the fathers of your children, are
messengers to the nations of the earth, or they are engaged in
business, and can not be at home to attend to the children. No mother
in Israel should let a day pass over her head without teaching her
children to pray. You should pray yourselves, and teach your children
to do the same, and you should bring them up in this way, that when
you have passed away and they take your places in bearing off the
great work of God, they may have principles instilled into their minds
that will sustain them in time and in eternity. I have often said it
is the mother who forms the mind of the child. Take men anywhere, at
sea, sinking with their ship, dying in battle, lying down in death
almost under any circumstances, and the last thing they think of, the
last word they say, is "mother." Such is the influence of woman. Our
children should not be neglected; they should receive a proper
education in both spiritual and temporal things. That is the best
legacy any parents can leave to their children. We should teach them
to pray, find instil into their minds while young every correct
principle. Ninety-nine out of every hundred children who are taught by
their parents the principles of honesty and integrity, truth and
virtue, will observe them through life. Such principles will exalt any
people or nation who make them the rule of their conduct. Show me a
mother who prays, who has passed through the trials of life by prayer,
who has trusted in the Lord God of Israel in her trials and
difficulties, and her children will follow in the same path. These
things will not forsake them when they come to act in the kingdom of
God.

Vol. 15,  p.12
I want to say to our mothers in Israel, your children are approaching
a very important day and age of the world. In a few more years their
parents will pass away. We will go where our brethren have gone—to the
other side of the vail. Our children will remain and will possess this
kingdom when God's judgments await the nations of the earth, when war,
calamity, sword, fire, famine, pestilence and earthquake will stalk
abroad and distress the people. Our children should be prepared to
build up the kingdom of God. Then qualify them in the days of
childhood for the great duties they will be called upon to perform;
and that God may enable us to do so is my prayer for Christ's sake.
Amen.[p.13] 

George A. Smith, April, 7, 1872

Persecution—Missionaries—Emigration

Remarks By President George A. Smith, Delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday Morning, April 7, 1872.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.13
We are again assembled this morning to continue the duties and
services of our Conference, and I am requested by President Young to
state that he is in the enjoyment of comfortable health and in
excellent spirits. He regrets very much the circumstances which render
it inexpedient for him to meet with you this morning, and hopes the
time may soon come when he will again enjoy theft privilege, also the
privilege of bearing testimony to the glorious work of the last days,
in the public congregation. He desires and appreciates the prayers and
faith of the Saints; he thinks that it is quite proper that any man
before he is thoroughly qualified to rule shall learn to be
ruled—that, he shall learn to obey before he learns to command. All
these lessons in their time and in their season are proper for us to
learn.

Vol. 15,  p.13
When we realize the malignity of the spirit of persecution which is
aimed at the Latter-day Saints in these valleys, we need not wonder
that we have to contend with vexatious lawsuits and with illegal and
unjustifiable prosecutions, for the influence of the pulpit and the
press when controlled by the spirit of lying is very great for evil,
but God is greater—his power is more omnipotent; and although
thousands of prophets, priests and wise men in the earth have been
compelled to lay down their lives for the cause of Zion, and for the
sake of the principles of the gospel of peace, and in doing so they
have acquired honors that could not be attained in any other way;
their reward is certain, eternal and sure.

Vol. 15,  p.13
I wish to call the attention of the elders who have been in years
past, on missions, to one important item of duty. It is well known
that our emigration annually brings some thousands of persons among
whom our missionaries have labored and with whom they are acquainted,
and among whom are many who still look to them for fatherly advice and
encouragement, but many of the elders who return immediately forget
that they have been missionaries. When they reach home they perhaps
find their affairs a little deranged, business having stopped in their
absence, money making or procuring the means of living having gone
rather behind hand, they drop right into a groove as it were to catch
up, and they forget their duties, and the people whom they have been
acquainted with and who have treated them with kindness and generosity
are also frequently forgotten and neglected. The emigrants come into
these valleys and fall perhaps under influences that are wrong and
wicked, for men inspired with a spirit of hostility to the [p.14] work
of God will take more pains to poison their minds than those who feel
all right do to give them correct information. I wish to say to all
such elders and to all the brethren, that when they get home their
mission is not consummated, and that when new comers arrive we should
take pains to look after their welfare, give them counsel and
instruction, aid and comfort, and realize that we are missionaries all
our lives, and that it is our duty to instruct such in the things of
the kingdom, to encourage them and set before them principles of
intelligence, such as will be for their benefit.

Vol. 15,  p.14
I wish further to say to the Elders and to the brethren who have
emigrated, that they should remember their friends they visited before
they came here, or when they were on missions in the old world.
Remember the poor family that went without their provision, perhaps,
to give you a feast, or the family that to make you warm and
comfortable gave up their beds to you, themselves enduring cold,
discomfort and inconvenience to do so; or the family that opened their
doors to shelter you from the storm when their neighbors hooted and
scouted them, as it were, for entertaining a stranger. You
missionaries in your experience have all met with such families, and
many of them are there yet without the means to get here. Perhaps they
have said to you, "Will you help me when you get home?" and you may
have given them a look of encouragement, a half promise, or expressed
a hope that you might be able to do so. Have you forgotten it? Perhaps
a little effort on your part and on the part of your neighbors might
bring these families to this country and place them in a position to
acquire lots, farms, and homes of their own, redeem them from thraldom
and bondage worse than slavery, and place them in a position of
independence on their own soil, enjoy the fruits of their own labors
and help to build up and develop the rising, spreading glory of Zion.

Vol. 15,  p.14
I have heard there is an Elder who, when on a mission borrowed some
money of a widow that had not means enough to get away, but had a
little she could spare until she could acquire enough to bring her
family here; and that Elder, peradventure, has forgotten to pay it. I
have heard there is such an Elder in Utah. Shame on him if there is!
Under such circumstances we should not only pay punctually and
faithfully what we owe, with good and reasonable interest, but all of
us European missionaries should be prepared to do something handsome
annually to help those from the bondage and thraldom in which we found
them, and where they must remain until means are obtained to deliver
them. I am calling now for the donation to the Perpetual Emigration
Fund. A hundred thousand Latter-day Saints in Utah, and can we riot
help a few thousand that yet remain in the old missions, and bring
them here? "Well," some may say, "they will apostatize if they come."
That is all right, they must have the privilege. I understand that we
have brought some men here with the Fund that have apostatized,
betrayed the Saints and done all in their power to stain their
garments in the blood of the prophets; but that is not our fault, it
is theirs. We should gather the Saints and they themselves are
responsible for the use they make of the blessings which God bestows
upon them, even if they come through our hands and exertions. Look at
the tens of thousands of families now in Utah in comfortable
circumstances with houses, farms, wagons, cattle [p.15] and horses of
their own, many of them with carriages, and these families taken by
the contributions of the Latter-day Saints from the most abject
servitude and poverty from the bowels of the earth, from within the
walls of factories, where but for this fund they must have remained
for their lives; but now they are in comparative independence and
enjoying the blessings of freemen.

Vol. 15,  p.15
After President Young returned from St. George for the purpose of
voluntarily placing himself in the custody of United States Officers,
as is well known, I received a letter from an eminent gentleman in the
State of Massachusetts, who said that the prosecution against him
could be nothing more nor less than a put-up job, and that the people
of the country understood it as such; "and the fact is," said he,
"Brigham Young has done more for the benefit of large bodies of people
than any other living man on the earth." That is true. By the
inspiration of Almighty God through his servant Brigham Young, this
Fund was organized, and he has been the President of it, and through
his energy and enterprise and the aid of the Latter-day Saints—his
friends—he has gathered tens of thousands that could never have owned
a rod of ground or a house as long as they lived, but would have been
at the mercy of employers who looked upon them only as a portion of
their property, and the question with them has been how much of this
man's labor can I get for the smallest pittance; but through the
exertions and counsels of President Young and his brethren they have
been delivered from this bondage and placed in comparative
independence. I say God bless such a man, (Congregation said Amen) and
God bless every man and every woman who will contribute to carry out
this glorious purpose.

Vol. 15,  p.15
I am very anxious to wake up the Elders to labor at home, to keep
alive in the hearts of the Saints the spirit of truth. While all those
who so desire are free to apostatize, it should not be for the want of
proper information, care and instruction, or in consequence of the
neglect of the Elders to do their duty. I exhort the Latter-day Saints
to unite in carrying on the work of gathering. A few years ago we
thought that we would gather them all. When we had raised what means
we could, and had expended it, we found the Elders were baptizing
about as fast as we were bringing the Saints away. That is all right.
Let us get the old and faithful Latter-day Saints away, and keep
baptizing all that desire to be baptized. In the Scandinavian Mission
the number of baptisms keep up, and some years a little more than keep
up, with the emigration. There are families from year to year that can
be brought away by a little assistance; they have part means, and only
need a little more to emigrate. I do think that the history of the
Perpetual Emigration Fund is a wonderful one. The Latter-day Saints in
Utah sent from here two hundred wagons one year, three hundred another
year, four hundred the next, arm for two years five hundred wagons
each year, each wagon having four yoke of oxen, or their equivalent in
mules and horses, and bore all the expenses consequent upon bringing
people across the Plains, bringing from one to four thousand persons a
season. This is certainly creditable, and it has been done through the
influence of Brigham Young and the united efforts of a free-hearted
and noble people. We have got a railroad now and do not have to send
the wagons; the business assumes another shape. The emigration is
brought here with less [p.16] labor and in less time, but with more
outlay.

Vol. 15,  p.16
I have now laid before you my views on the emigration of the poor
Saints from abroad. Consider upon and think about them. Make your
calculations, and feel in your pockets and contribute to help on the
work, and carry with you to all the settlements of the Saints a spirit
that shall bring home to Zion the brethren and sisters from abroad. In
that way the work can continue. May God bless all who aid in this
glorious work is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Brigham Young, April 28, 1872

His Imprisonment—Emigrating the Poor—the 
Use of Riches—Tithing

Remarks By President Brigham Young, Delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday Morning, April 28, 1872.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.16
A word to the Latter-day Saints. Good morning. (Congregation
responded, "Good morning.") How do you do? (Congregation replied,
"Very well.") How is your faith this morning? ("Strong in the Lord,"
was the response.) How do you think I look after my long confinement?
(Congregation replied, "First rate.") I do not rise expecting to
preach a discourse or sermon, or to lengthen out remarks. I spoke a
few minutes yesterday in the school, but I found that it exhausted me
very soon. I will say a few words to you. The Gospel of the Son of God
is most precious. My faith is not weakened in the Gospel in the least.
I will answer a few of the questions that probably many would like to
ask of me. Many would like to know how I have felt the past winter,
and so much of the spring as is now past. I have enjoyed myself
exceedingly well. I have been blessed with an opportunity to rest; and
you who are acquainted with me and my public speaking can discern at
once, if you listen closely to my voice, it is weak to what it used to
be, and I required rest. I feel well in body and better in mind. I
have no complaint to make, no fault to find, no reflections to cast,
for all that has been done has been directed and overruled by the
wisdom of Him who knows all things.

Vol. 15,  p.16
As to my treatment through the winter, it has been very agreeable,
very kind. My associate, my companion in tribulation, I will say, has
acted the gentleman as much as any man could. I have not one word, one
lisp or beat of the heart to complain of him. He has been full of
kindness, thoughtful, never intruding, always ready to hearken and, I
think, in the future, will be perfectly willing to take the counsel of
his prisoner.[p.17] So much for Captain Isaac Evans. I will say this
to you, ladies and gentlemen, you who profess to understand true
etiquette, I have not seen a gentleman in my acquaintance that
possesses more of the real spirit of gentility, caution and of true
etiquette than Captain Evans. He has passed the window where I have
lodged through the winter every morning to his breakfast and every
afternoon; he has walked in the street in front of my office and on
the opposite side, and he has never yet been seen gazing and looking
at my buildings, or to see who was at the window, or even look at my
window. He has never looked into the second room in my office unless
invited there—never. Can you say that for other gentlemen? They are
very scarce; there are very few of them.

Vol. 15,  p.17
I have no reflections to cast upon these courts. How much power,
ability or opportunity would I have to possess, do you think, if all
were combined, to disgrace them as they have disgraced themselves? I
have neither the power nor the ability, consequently I have nothing to
say with regard to their conduct. It is before the world; it is before
the Heavens continually. The Lord has known the thoughts of the hearts
of the children of men, and he has overruled all for his glory, and
for the benefit of those who believe and obey the truth in Christ. I
will say this: when they started out with a writ for your humble
servant, and I had news of it before it was served, I told my brethren
that all their efforts would avail them nothing, and that they would
end in a grand fizzle. Do you think we have come to it? I think we
have.

Vol. 15,  p.17
Have you nothing to say, brother Brigham concerning the Supreme Court
of the United States? A few words. I am happy to learn that there are
yet men in our government who are too high-minded, too pure in their
thoughts and feelings to bow down to a sectarian prejudice, and to
hearken to the whinings and complaints of prejudiced priests, or those
who are wrapped up in the nutshell of sectarianism; men of honor,
nobility, judgment and discretion; men who look at things as they are
and judge according to the nature thereof without any discrimination
as to parties or people. I am thankful that this fact does exist. Have
they decided in favor of the Latter-day Saints? Yes. Why? Because the
Latter-day Saints are on the track of truth; they are for law, for
right, for justice, for mercy, for judgment and equity, consequently
they are for God. Would I admire the conduct of a jurist on the bench
who would decide for a Latter-day Saint if he were guilty? If he would
justify a Latter-day Saint and condemn a Methodist? No, I would
despise hint in my heart. I might look upon him with pity, it is very
true, and without malice, anger or bitterness, and pity him in his
ignorance; but if he was a man of knowledge and understanding I would
condemn him as quickly for justifying a Latter-day Saint, or one
called a Latter-day Saint, in evil, as I would a Methodist. And a man
who sits as President of the United States; as a Governor of a State
or Territory, or as a judge upon the bench, or a member of a
legislative assembly, who would reduce himself to the feelings, and
narrow contracted views of partyism, is not fit for the place. As I
said before a gentleman here, I think it was last summer, who was
stamp-speeching through the country and proclaiming his right to the
Presidency "He that most desires an office is the least fit for it."
Perhaps I made a mistake in that declaration, for though on general
principles it is true, it may not be true in every case. Some may
[p.18] desire an office for the sake of the good work that they
perform, seeing that others have abused it. This is as much as I wish
to say upon these subjects.

Vol. 15,  p.18
As I shall probably desire to speak a little in the afternoon, I shall
soon bring my remarks to a close. I will say a few words with regard
to the Perpetual Emigration Fund. Perhaps you have bad a good deal
said to you in the course of this Conference concerning gathering the
poor, but if you have I have not learned it. I have not heard of any
man coming forward and putting down his name for a thousand or two
thousand dollars. At the commencement of the Conference I donated two
thousand dollars for the gathering of the poor, but I have not heard
of anybody adding another figure to mine or placing one under it. How
is it? It is very true we gather the Saints; and when they get here
and gather around them the comforts of life, and become the possessors
of a little wealth, the spirit of the world enters into a few of them
to that degree that it crowds out the Spirit of the Gospel. They
forget their God and their covenants, and turn to the beggarly
elements of the world, seek for its riches and finally leave the
faith. But we had better gather nine that are unworthy than to neglect
the tenth if he is worthy. If they come here, apostatize and turn our
enemies, they are in the hands of God, and what they do will be to
them everlasting life or everlasting condemnation. For the good, for
the wise, or for the froward and the ungodly, it is our duty to do all
we can. It is our duty to preach the Gospel to the nations of the
earth, to gather up the pure in heart, and to lend a helping hand to
the poor and needy; to instruct, guide and direct them, and when they
are gathered together to teach them how to live, how to serve their
God, how to gather around them the comforts of lifes, and glorify
their Father in heaven in the enjoyment of the same.

Vol. 15,  p.18
When I cast my eyes upon the inhabitants of the earth and see the
weakness, inability, the shortsightedness, and I may say, the height
of folly in the hearts of the kings, rulers, and the great, and those
who should be wise and good and noble; when I see them grovelling in
the dust; longing, craving, desiring, contending for the things of
this life, I think, O foolish men, to set your hearts on the things of
this life! To-day they are seeking after the honors and glories of the
world, and by the time the sun is hidden by the western mountains the
breath is gone out of their nostrils, they sink to their mother earth.
Where are their riches then? Gone for ever. As Job says, "Naked I came
into the world." Destitute and forlorn, they have to travel a path
that is untried and unknown to them, and wend their way into the
spirit world. They know not where they are going nor for what. The
designs of the Creater are hidden from their eyes; darkness,
ignorance, mourning and groaning take hold of them and they pass into
eternity. And this is the end of them concerning this life as far as
they know. A man or a woman who places the wealth of this world and
the things of time in the scales against the things of God and the
wisdom of eternity, has no eyes to see, no ears to hear, no heart to
understand. What are riches for? For blessings, to do good. Then let
us dispense that which the Lord gives us to the best possible use for
the building up of his kingdom, for the promotion of the truth on the
earth, that we may see and enjoy the blessings of the Zion of God here
upon this earth. I look around among the world of mankind and see them
grabbing, scrambling, contending, and every one seeking to [p.19]
aggrandize himself, and to accomplish his own individual purposes,
passing the community by, walking upon the heads of his neighbors—all
are seeking, planning, contriving in their wakeful hours, and when
asleep dreaming," How can I get the advantage of my neighbor? How can
I spoil him, that I may ascend the ladder of fame?" That is entirely a
mistaken idea. You see that nobleman seeking the benefit of all around
him, trying to bring, we will say, his servants, if you please, his
tenants, to his knowledge, to like blessings that he enjoys, to
dispense his wisdom and talents among them and to make them equal with
himself. As they ascend and increase, so does he, and he is in the
advance. All eyes are upon that king or that nobleman, and the
feelings of those around him are: "God bless him! How I love him! How
I delight in him! He seeks to bless and to fill me with joy, to crown
my labors with success, to give me comfort, that I may enjoy the world
as well as himself." But the man who seeks honor and glory at the
expense of his fellow-men is not worthy of the society of the
intelligent.

Vol. 15,  p.19
Now, a few words to my friends here—my colleagues the lawyers, and
others. I gave a little counsel here, I think it is a year ago this
last sixth of April, for the people of this Territory and through
these mountains not to go to law, but to arbitrate their cases. I will
ask if they do not think they would have saved a good deal of money in
their pockets if they had taken this counsel? And to see our streets
lined with lawyers as they are! Why they are as thick as grogshops
used to be in California. What is the business of a lawyer? It is the
case with too many to keep what they have got, and to gatheraround
them wealth, to heap it up, but to do as little as possible for it; to
give a little counsel here, and a little counsel there. What for? To
keep their victims in bondage. Say they: "Let us stick to him as long
as he has a dollar in his pocket."

Vol. 15,  p.19
I will tell you a story. A man was going to market, a pretty wicked
swearing man, with his cart full of apples. He was going up hill, and
the hindbeard as the Yankees call it—the Westerners call it the
hindgate, slipped out of his cart, and his apples rolled down the
hill. He stopped his team and looked at the apples as they rolled down
the hill, and said he, "I would swear if I could do justice to the
case, but as I can not I will not swear a word." I will not say a word
more than to class dishonorable lawyers with other dishonest men.

Vol. 15,  p.19
Now what are the facts? Why this world is before us. The gold, silver
and precious stones are in the mountains, in the rivers, in the
plains, in the sands and in the waters, they all belong to this world,
and you and I belong to this world. Is there enough to make each of us
a finger ring? Certainly there is. Is there enough to make us a breast
pin? Certainly there is. Is there enough to make jewelry for the
ladies to set their diamonds and precious stones in? Certainly there
is. Is there enough to make the silver plate, the spoons, platters,
plates and knives and forks? There is. Is there enough to make the
goblets to drink out of? There is. There is plenty if we want to make
the wine casks of gold, there is plenty of it in the earth for all
these purposes. Then what on earth are you and I quarrelling about it
for? Go to work systematically and take it from the mountains, and put
it to the use that we want it, without contending against each other,
and filching the pockets of each other. The world is full of it. If it
goes from my pocket it is still in the world, it still belongs to this
little ball, this little speck in God's creation, so small that from
the sun I expect you would [p.20] have to have a telescope that would
magnify millions of times almost to see it; and from any of the fixed
stars I do not expect that it has ever been seen only by the
celestials—mortals could not see this earth at that distance. And here
people are contending, quarrelling, seeking how to get the advantage
of each other, and how to get all the wealth there is in the world;
wanting to rule nations, wanting to be president, king or ruler. What
would they do if they were? Most of them would make everybody around
them miserable, that is what they would do. There are very few men on
the earth who try to make people happy. Occasionally there have been
emperors and monarchs who have made their people happy but they have
been very rare. But suppose we go to work to gather up all that there
is in the bosom and upon the surface of our mother earth and bring it
into use, is there any lack? There is not, there is enough for all.
Then do look at these things as they are, Latter-day Saints, and you
who are not Latter-day Saints, look at things as they are. And I do
hope and pray for your sakes, outsiders, and for the sakes of those
who profess to be Latter-day Saints, that we shall have good peace for
a time here, so that we can build our furnaces, open our mines, make
our railroads, till the soil, follow our mercantile business
uninterrupted; that we may attend to the business of beautifying the
earth. I see around me a few of my neighbors who are beautifying their
gardens. How beautiful! There is one herein the Seventh Ward—Mr.
Hussey's, I never drive out but I want to drive by it. How much better
that looks than it would Be for him to quarrel with his neighbors!
Beautify your gardens, your houses, your farms; beautify the city.
This will make us happy, and produce plenty. The earth is a good
earth, the elements are good if we will use them for our own benefit,
in truth and righteousness. Then let us be content, and go to with our
mights to make ourselves healthy, wealthy, and beautiful, and preserve
ourselves in the best possible manner, and live just as long as we
can, and do all the good we can.

Vol. 15,  p.20
Now, brethren and sisters and friends, I have said a few words about
lawyers; but; I could pick up other classes of men just as bad, and we
can find fault with all. Let us be honest, let us be upright, full of
charity one toward another; and live as agreeably as we possibly can
here on this earth that the Lord has given to man to cultivate and
improve for his own benefit, and to prepare it for an everlasting
inheritance. There is a great deal before us, and it is for us to live
so that we will be able to perform our part well in this great work.
And I say to the Latter-day Saints, it is for you to put forth your
hands this season in emigrating the poor. We will receive any amount.
If it is not more than a hundred dollars or so, we will be willing to
receive it. Talk about this people being poor, why we will get so rich
by and by that we will refuse to pay our taxes; we have got so rich
now that we cannot pay our tithing. The rich do not pretend to pay any
tithing, or but very few of them. I think I have mentioned one fact
with regard to our merchants. A few years ago in the other tabernacle,
I said that our merchants who lived on the business part of East
Temple street and professed to be Latter-day Saints, if they were not
very careful, would deny the faith and be damned, and it would be by
the skin of their teeth if they ever got into heaven. How is it with
the rest of us? About the same. No matter about this. But here is one
of our merchants—William Jennings—about whom a great many have remarks
[p.21] to make. Well, it is no matter about his trade. I want to say
to the rest of the merchants that he has paid a good many thousand
dollars tithing, more than all the rest of them put together. That is
for William Jennings. We are paying our tithing in the Co-operative, I
would not consent to go into the business on any other terms only that
the tithing should be paid on all we made. But the other merchants, if
they pay tithing on what they make it has to come hereafter, for they
have never done it yet; and I think the more they make the less
tithing they pay. But you are welcome to give something to the poor;
if you will help us a little with regard to the emigration we will be
very much obliged to you, but you will have to trust in God for the
future blessings.

Vol. 15,  p.21
God bless you, Amen.

John Taylor, April 7, 1872

Revelation—Former and Latter-Day Dispensations—the 
Sure Triumph of the Cause of Zion

Discourse By Elder John Taylor, Delivered in the New 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday Morning, April 7, 1872.

(Reported by David W. Evans.)

Vol. 15,  p.21
We are again met, in our Annual Conference, for the purpose of hearing
the words of life, and of being instructed in the various duties and
responsibilities that rest upon us, and that we, as Latter-day Saints,
may be taught principles pertaining to our holy faith, and be
instructed in the duties devolving upon us in the various positions
that we occupy; that by a unity of faith, purpose and action, we may
be able to accomplish something that will promote truth, advance the
interests of Zion and the establishment of the kingdom of God upon the
earth.

Vol. 15,  p.21
We are told that it is not in man to direct his steps, and we stand
here in a peculiar position under the guidance and direction of the
Almighty. The Lord has seen fit to reveal unto us the everlasting
Gospel, and we have been enabled, by the grace of God, to appreciate
that message of life which he has communicated unto us, and we have
been gathered from the nations of the earth under the influences and
auspices of that Gospel. We are gathered here for the accomplishment
of certain objects relative both to ourselves and others, the great
leading principle of which is—to help to fulfil the designs that
existed in the mind of the Almighty before the world was, relative to
the earth and humanity; and I presume that that exhortation which was
made eighteen hundred years ago to certain Saints, would be just as
applicable to us to-day as it was to them. They [p.22] were exhorted
to "contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints."
That, no doubt, sounded very strange to them in that day and age of
the world; they had had Jesus among them, he had preached his Gospel
unto them; the light of eternal truth had been made manifest, and they
had participated in the blessings of the Gospel; and yet, under these
peculiar circumstances, blessed, as it were, with the light of
revelation, with Apostles in their midst, with a complete Church
organization, with everything that was calculated to enlighten,
instruct and lead them on in the path of righteousness, they were told
to contend earnestly for that faith once delivered to the Saints.

Vol. 15,  p.22
It seems that in the different ages of the world in the past, there
has existed, as there does to-day, a species of self-righteousness,
self-complacence, a reliance upon the wisdom, intelligence and virtue
of man. In that day the Scribes and Pharisees, the lawyers and
doctors, the great Sanhedrim, the pious men, thought they were the
peculiar elect of God, and that wisdom would die with them. Jesus came
among them and told them very many unpalatable truths; among others,
that they were "whited walls and painted sepulchres; that they
appeared fair on the outside, but inwardly there was nothing but
rottenness and dead men's bones." He told them that for a pretence
they made long prayers; not that they had any reference to God at all,
for God had very little to do with them. They did it, he told them, in
order that "they might be heard of men." They made broad their
philacteries, (that is a species of writing which they bound on all
their garments,) with certain passages of Scripture. They made them
very broad, that they might he considered extra pure, virtuous and
holy. Jesus called these very pure, holy, virtuous people, painted
sepulchres.

Vol. 15,  p.22
But there is something else associated with these matters very
peculiar. Jesus taught the principles of life and salvation—the
everlasting Gospel. He introduced men into the kingdom of God; he
organized a pure Church, based upon correct principles, according to
the order of God. Men were baptized into that Church; they had hands
laid upon them for the reception of the Holy Ghost, and they received
it. They had among them Apostles and Prophets, Pastors and Teachers,
Evangelists and inspired men. The Church enjoyed among themselves the
gift of tongues, visions, prophecy; the sick were healed, the blind
received their sight, the deaf heard, and the lame leaped for joy; the
visions of heaven were unfolded to their view, and they had a
knowledge of many things pertaining to eternity; and yet, with all
their light, intelligence and blessings, with all their Apostles, with
the fulness of the Gospel in their midst, they were advised to contend
earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints. The Lord has
revealed to us many blessings, and I sometimes think that we hardly
appreciate the light of truth which has been developed, the glory that
is connected with the Gospel which has been restored, the light of
revelation which has been communicated, the position that we occupy in
relation to God, angels, our posterity and our progenitors, the hope
that the Gospel has implanted in the bosom of every faithful
Latter-day Saint, which blooms with immortality and eternal life; and
sometimes, when exposed to the various trials with which we are
encompassed, to the opprobrium and reproach frequently heaped upon us
by ignorant and evil disposed persons, [p.23] some of us, perhaps,
think that our religion is something like that with which we are
surrounded. We sometimes forget our prayers, responsibilities, duties
and covenants, and we give way in many instances to things which have
a tendency to darken the mind, becloud the understanding, weaken our
faith, and deprive us of the Spirit of God. We forget the pit whence
we were dug, and the rock from which we were hewn, and it is necessary
that we should reflect on the position that we occupy, upon the
relationship we sustain to God, to each other and to our families,
that our minds may be drawn back again to the God who made us—our
Father in the heavens, who hears our prayers, and who is ready at all
times to supply the wants of his faithful Saints. And it is sometimes
necessary that we should reflect upon the position we hold in relation
to the earth on which we live, to the existence that we had before we
came here, and to the eternities to come. We should not be sluggish
and dull and careless and indifferent; but as the ancient Saints were
exhorted, so let us exhort you to-day—contend earnestly for the faith
once delivered to the Saints.

Vol. 15,  p.23
The religion of the everlasting gospel did not originate with any man
or any set of men. It is wide as the world and originated with the
Great Eloheim. It is a plan ordained by him before the world was for
the salvation and redemption of the human family. It is a thing that
men, in various dispensations, under the influence and inspiration of
the Almighty, have possessed more or less; and it is to that that we
are indebted for all the knowledge, and the light, and all the
intelligence in relation to eternity. The gospel which you have
received you received not of man, neither by man, but on the same
principle as they received it in former days—by the revelation of
Jesus Christ, by the communication of God to man, and any religion
that has not this for its foundation amounts to nothing, and any
superstructure built upon any other foundation will fade and vanish
away like the baseless fabric of a vision, and leave not a wreck
behind.

Vol. 15,  p.23
One of old in speaking of these things said: If any man build with
wood, or hay, or stubble, or anything perishable, the day would come
when it would be burned up and there would be left neither root nor
branch. But we, as eternal beings, associated with an eternal God,
having a religion that leads to that God, are desirous, as the
ancients were, to know something about him, to be brought into
communication with him, to fulfil the measure of our creation and our
destiny on the earth, and to help the Lord to bring to pass those
things that he designed from before the foundation of the world, in
regard to the human family. God has designed to redeem the earth
whereon we live. Mankind were placed on this earth for a certain
purpose, and however erratic, foolish and visionary the course of man
may have been, the Almighty has never altered his purpose, never
changed his designs nor abrogated his laws; but with one steady,
undeviating course from the time the morning stars first sang together
for joy, until the earth shall be redeemed from under the curse and
every creature in heaven and on the earth shall be heard to say:
"Blessing and glory, honor and power, might, majesty and dominion be
ascribed unto Him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb for ever;"
and throughout all the successive ages that have been and that will
be, his course is one eternal round. He has had one object in view,
and that [p.24] object will be accomplished in regard to man and tide
earth whereon he lives. The only question with us is whether we will
co-operate with God, or whether we will individually work out our own
salvation or not; whether we will individually fulfil the various
responsibilities that devolve upon us or not; whether we will attend
to the ordinances that God has introduced or not; for ourselves to
begin with, for our families, for the living and for the dead. Whether
we will co-operate in building temples and administering in them;
whether we will unite with the Almighty, under the direction of his
holy priesthood, in bringing to pass things that have been spoken of
by the holy prophets since the world was; whether we will contend
earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints. These things
rest with us to a certain extent. God has communicated to the
Latter-day Saints principles that the world are ignorant of, and being
ignorant of them they know not how to appreciate our feelings. They
call good evil, light darkness, error truth, and truth error, because
they have not the means of seeing the difference between one and the
other. "But you are a chosen people, a royal generation, a holy
priesthood," separate and set apart by the Almighty for the
accomplishment of his purposes. God has ordained among you presidents,
apostles, prophets, high priests, seventies, bishops and other
authorities; they are of his appointment, empowered and directed by
him, under his influence, teaching his law, unfolding the principles
of life, and are organized and ordained expressly to lead the people
in the path of exaltation and eternal glory. The world know nothing
about these things—we are not talking to them to-day, they can not
comprehend them. Their religion teaches them nothing about any such
things—they are simply a phantasm to them. They have not any
revelation, they do not profess it. All that they have is their Bible
given by ancient men of God, who spoke as they were moved upon by the
Holy Ghost. They repudiate the Holy Ghost, not in name, but in
reality. Many of them are very sincere; we give them credit for that.
That is all right, but they do not understand our principles, views,
or ideas. They could not do as we have done; they could not trust in
God as our Elders do. Their ideas are more material. Ask any of them
to go to the ends of the earth, as these Elders have done, without
purse or scrip, trusting in God, would they do it? No, they would not,
they would see the gospel damned first, and then they would not. They
do not understand the principle by which we are actuated, we have done
it and we will do it again, and we will keep doing it; we believe in a
living God, in a living religion, in the living, vital, eternal
principles which God has communicated; this is the reason why we act
as we do, why we talk and believe as we do. Men are not supposed to
understand our principles. The Scripture says that no man knows the
things of God but by the Spirit of God. And how are they to get that?
Just as you got it. And how was that? By repenting of your sins, being
baptized in the name of Jesus for their remission; by having hands
laid upon you by those having authority for the reception of the Holy
Ghost. This is the way God appointed in former days, this is the way
he has appointed in our day.

Vol. 15,  p.24
And what brought you here? Why the light of revelation—the light of
truth, the gift of the Holy Ghost, the power of God. That is what
brought you here. The Gospel you [p.25] received you received not of
men, but by the revelations of Jesus Christ; and consequently how can
men outside comprehend these things? They can not do it, it is beyond
their reach. They can reason on natural principles; they have their
own peculiar ideas, but they cannot comprehend the Latter-day Saints.
"Mormonism" is an enigma to the world. Why, the United States have
been trying to solve the problem of "Mormonism" for years and years;
but with all their sagacity and intelligence they have not made it out
yet; and they never will. Philosophy can not comprehend it; it is
beyond the reach of natural philosophy. It is the philosophy of
heaven, it is the revelation of God to man. It is philosophical, but
it is heavenly philosophy, and beyond the ken of human judgment,
beyond the reach of human intelligence. They cannot grasp it, it is as
high as heaven, what can they know about it? It is deeper than hell,
they cannot fathom it. It is as wide as the universe, it extends over
all creation. it goes back into eternity and forward into eternity. It
associates with the past, present and future; it is connected with
time and eternity, with men, angels, and Gods, with beings that were,
that are and that are to come.

Vol. 15,  p.25
The Saints of God in all ages had the kind of faith that we have
to-day. You Latter-day Saints know it, but other men do not. They will
talk about their nonsence, their ideas and theories, and call it the
religion of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Well, I am quite
willing they should enjoy their notions. It is all right; we would not
interfere with them if we could. Our feelings in regard to that are
just the same as the Lord's. And what are his? His ideas are not bound
in a nutshell, there is nothing contracted about the Almighty. He
makes his sun shine on the evil and on the good; he sends his rain on
the just and on the unjust. He is liberal, free, generous,
philanthropic, full of benevolence and kindness to the human family,
and he hopes and desires that all men may be saved, and he will save
them all as far as they are capable of being saved. But he desires
that his people shall contend earnestly for the faith once delivered
to the Saints, that as immortal beings they may act in unison with the
Almighty, that they may be inspired by the principle of revelation;
that they should comprehend something of their dignity and manhood; of
their relationship to eternity, to the world that we live in as it is
and as it will be, and to the worlds that are to come. The Lord has no
such idea as some of these narrow, contracted sectarian people have
that we read of. They remind me of a prayer of a man I once heard of,
who in his prayer said: "Lord bless me and my wife, my son John and
his wife, us four and no more, amen." I do not believe in any such
thing as that. I think the world on which we live was organized for a
certain purpose. I think that man was made for a certain purpose, and
so do you as Latter-day Saints. We think that the spirit of man,
possessing a body, will through the medium of the everlasting Gospel,
be exalted; and that man, inasmuch as he is faithful, will, by and by,
be associated with the Gods in the eternal worlds; and while we plant
and sow and reap, and pursue the common avocations of life, as other
men do, our main object is eternal lives and exaltations; our main
object is to prepare ourselves, our posterity and our progenitors for
thrones, principalities and powers in the eternal worlds.

Vol. 15,  p.26
This is what we are after, and what the ancient Saints were after.
This [p.26] is what Adam, Noah, Enoch, Abraham and the Prophets were
after, that they might fulfil their destiny on the earth, and, as one
of the old Prophets said, "stand in their lot in the end of days,"
when the books should be opened, when the great white throne should
appear and he who sits upon it, before whose face the heavens and the
earth fled away; that we and they, and they and we might be prepared,
having fulfilled the measure of our creation on the earth, to
associate with the intelligences that exist in the eternal worlds; be
admitted again to the presence of our Father, whence we came, and
participate in those eternal realities which mankind, without
revelation, know nothing about. We are here for that purpose; we left
our homes for that purpose; we came here for that purpose; we are
building temples for that purpose; we are receiving endowments for
that purpose; we are making covenants for that purpose; we are
administering for the living and the dead for that purpose, and all
our objects, and all our aims, like the object and aim of inspired men
in former days, are altogether with reference to eternal realities as
well as to time. We have a Zion to build up, and we shall build it. We
shall build it. WE SHALL BUILD IT. No power can stop it. God has
established his kingdom, it is in his hands, and no influence, no
power, no combination of whatever kind it may be can stop the progress
of the work of God. You Latter-day Saints know very well that you have
not received a cunningly devised fable, concocted by the wisdom,
ingenuity, talent or caprice of man. All of you who comprehend the
Gospel comprehend this; you all, male and female, if you are living
your religion, know this. Men of old knew it as well as you; and by
and by we expect to live and associate with them, with Patriarchs,
Prophets and men of God, who had faith in him, the accomplishment of
his purposes in former times, and we are contending for the faith
which they possessed. For instance old Moses and Elias, you know, came
to Peter, James, John and Jesus while they were on the mount. They did
not think they were very old fogies that it was not worth while to
listen to; but said they, "Let us make three tabernacles, one for
thee, one for Moses and and one for Elias. It is good to be here, why
here is old Moses, and old Elias." Who was Moses? A man who had the
ancient Gospel in former times. Who was Elias? A man who had the
ancient Gospel in former times. They came and administered unto Jesus,
and his Apostles would have liked to stay with them for ever. But they
could not do it at that time.

Vol. 15,  p.26
Then again we read of John on the Isle of Patmos. You know he was in
vision, and the Lord revealed unto him many great things, and there
was a personage appeared, one of the old Prophets that used to be led
around probably by a marshal. John thought he was an angel, and he was
about to fall down and worship him after he had unfolded to him the
glories of eternity. "But," says he, "do not do it." "Why?" "Because I
am one of thy fellow-servants, the Prophets; I am one of those old
fellows that used to have to wander about in my day in sheepskins and
goatskins. The priests, hypocrites, &c., of that day persecuted me;
but now I am exalted, and have come to minister unto you John."

Vol. 15,  p.26
While the world was wrapped in superstition, ignorance and darkness,
the angels of God came and ministered to Joseph Smith, and unfolded to
him the purposes of God and made [p.27] known his designs. Joseph told
it to the people, and through this means you are gathered together as
you are to-day. What did men, the best of them, know about the Gospel,
or about Apostles or Prophets, when the Prophet Joseph made his
appearance? Nothing at all, and yet there have been good men. Old John
Wesley, for instance, in his day, was very anxious to see something of
this kind, but he could not see it. Says he—

Vol. 15,  p.27
"From chosen Abraham's seed,
The old apostles choose,
O'er isles and continents to spread
The dead reviving news."

Vol. 15,  p.27
He would have been glad to see something of that kind, but he could
not. It was reserved for Joseph Smith and the Latter-day Saints; it
was reserved for our day. Well, then, what will we do? Fulfil the
measure of our creation; go to work and redeem those men who had not
the Gospel, be baptized for them, as the Scriptures fell us, and bring
them up, for they without us can not be made perfect, neither can we
be made perfect without them. And we will fulfil and accomplish the
purposes of God, and bring to pass the things which were spoken of by
the Prophets.

Vol. 15,  p.27
This is what we are after, and we shall accomplish it, and no man can
stop it, no organization, no power, no authority, for God is at the
helm, and his kingdom is onward, onward, onward, and it will continue,
and grow and increase until the kingdoms of this world shall become
the kingdoms of our God and his Christ.

Vol. 15,  p.27
May God help us to be faithful, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

George A. Smith, May 19, 1872

Patriarchal Marriage—the Settlement of Utah

Discourse By President George A. Smith, Delivered in the New 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday, May 19, 1872.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.27
And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We
will eat our own bread and wear our own apparel: only let us be called
by thy name to take away our reproach.

Vol. 15,  p.27
In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious,
and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that
are escaped of Israel.

Vol. 15,  p.27
And it shall come to pass that he that is left in Zion, and he that
remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is
written among the living in Jerusalem.

Vol. 15,  p.27
The portion of the prophecy of Isaiah which I have read indicates that
at a certain day and under certain circumstances, spoken of by the
Prophet as being holy, seven women would claim to be called by the
name of one man. Most of us have a different opinion with regard to
the application of this prophecy. God inspired the Prophet, and it
might be necessary, peradventure, to inquire what it all means. Seven
women [p.28] are to lay hold of one man, saying, "We will eat our own
bread and wear our own apparel; only let us be called by thy name, to
take away our reproach." What is the meaning of this last sentiment?
We will let the Bible explain it. You remember that when Rachel, the
second wife of Jacob, the father of the tribes of Israel, found
herself barren, while the other wives of her husband were bearing
children, she prayed to the Lord that he, in his abundant mercy, would
give her children, and when God heard her prayer and worked a miracle
in her favor, causing her who was barren to become fruitful and bring
forth a child, she said, God had taken away her reproach. This
illustrates the meaning of the text. I did not make the prophecy,
neither had I anything to do with making the history of Rachel, or
even chronicling the event named.

Vol. 15,  p.28
In relation to Father Jacob, it is true he had four wives, and they
bore him twelve sons, and their descendants are the twelve tribes of
Israel. We are told by the Apostle John that the names of Jacob's
twelve sons—the sons of a polygamist and his four wives—will be
written upon the gates of the holy Jerusalem; and there are none of us
who expect to enter in through those gates but will have to
acknowledge the truth of that doctrine. It is true that the principle
of plurality of wives was adopted by the Church of Latter-day Saints
in consequence of the revelation and commandment which God gave to
Joseph Smith, and which, through him, were laid upon the heads of this
people; and we quote the passages that we do quote, in relation to the
principle of celestial marriage from the Old and New Testament, to
prove that God is consistent with himself; that if he revealed to his
Saints in the last days, the doctrine of plurality of wives, it was in
fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah and others of the Prophets, and
in accordance with the example which was set by Abraham, Jacob, Moses,
and by holy men of ancient days.

Vol. 15,  p.28
In relation to the word "reproach" in our text, I will make another
reference. In the first chapter of Luke's Gospel, verses 23 and 24, we
find Elizabeth rejoicing because God had taken away her reproach. She
though she had been barren, became the mother of John the Baptist.

Vol. 15,  p.28
These passages tell in so many plain words why it was that seven women
wished to be called by the name of one man—it was that they might have
the privilege of bearing children.

Vol. 15,  p.28
Now, if God brings to pass this prophecy in the glorious day which our
text speaks of, when holiness and righteousness are to rule, and when
truth is to have dominion, and peace dwell in the earth, although all
the world may have been opposed to it, we can not be responsible.
Until some person can find a passage in the Old or New Testament that
definitely forbids a plurality of wives, with the many incidents of
history, items of law, and declarations of Prophets in relation to the
practice by the ancient Saints of that doctrine, we are able to assert
that the Bible is a polygamous book, and that no man can believe it
without believing plurality of wives, under some circumstances to be
correct. I know it has been said that the Old Testament permitted
plurality of wives, but the New forbids it. The Savior said he came
not to destroy the law but to fulfil it, and that not a jot or tittle
of the law or Prophets should pass away, but all should be fulfilled.
The new dispensation did not annihilate the principles of law and
right, as revealed in the Old. Both John the [p.29] Baptist and the
Savior denounced all sins with an unsparing hand, and especially
adultery, fornication and divorce; and not a sentence is found in the
New Testament which prohibits plurality of wives, though the Savior
and his Apostles lived in a country where it was practised; and it is
impossible to believe that if it were a sin it would have escaped
definite rebuke and absolute condemnation.

Vol. 15,  p.29
The petition to Congress which has been read here to-day is a perfect
wonder, I presume, to those who have heard it. It is astonishing to
me, and doubtless to all who listened to it, and especially those who
reside here, that such a statement could be got up by any individual
whatever, that any imagination could be so tortured as to manufacture
so unmitigated a tissue of utter and absolute falsehoods; and much
more that persons could be found who would think so little of their
reputation as to sign such a statement. We understand, however, that
many of the persons whose names are on that petition did not see the
original. Many of them thought they were simply signing a petition
against the admission of Utah as a State, without bringing personal
charges against a people among whom they have lived in perfect safety,
and in a country where peace and order have prevailed, and where all
have enjoyed the uniform protection which our Territorial laws and the
general organization of society give. I regret exceedingly that such a
document should be made public; but as it is, with the list of names
attached to it, was published by order of the United States Senate, it
was thought proper to read it to the congregation that all might have
a chance to know what it was and judge for themselves.

Vol. 15,  p.29
I came to this valley in 1847, being one of the 143 pioneers who
searched out and made the roads from the Missouri river here. The
ample property we possessed in Illinois we had left there; and we made
the roads, about 300 miles, or nearly across the State of Iowa,
bridging about thirty streams, and passing through a wilderness
totally uninhabited save by a few scattered Indians. That was as far
as we could get the first year. The second year—1847—we made the roads
from what we termed Winter Quarters, about five miles above where
Omaha is now situated. We traveled on the north side of the river,
established our ferry across the Elkhorn, and made our road, striking
the old Oregon trail, as it was called, at the mouth of Ash Hollow;
that is, we went up on the north side of the Platte to the north fork;
while Independence road went up on the south side, and struck the
north fork at Ash Hollow, probably a hundred and eighty miles below
Fort Laramie. We thought some of crossing the river and taking the
trapper's trail, but we found it difficult, so we continued making a
new road on the north side until we reached Fort Laramie. There we
crossed and made a road a portion of the way, and followed the old
trail a portion of the way through to Fort Bridger. On this route we
encountered some companies who were going to Oregon, and being unable
to get across the Platte and Green Rivers we got up the means of
ferrying, and ferried them across both these rivers, and they
proceeded on the route to Oregon, while we worked our way across this
Wasatch range into this valley.

Vol. 15,  p.29
When we reached here we found the place very barren; but it was the
best prospect we had seen for five hundred miles. The creek we now
call City Creek came out of the mountains, and divided into
branches,[p.30] and finally sank down into the ground, apparently
without reaching Jordan river. It had about its sinks some green spots
of rushes and grass, but except that the country was very naked and
barren. The city plot here did not even bear good sage; and there was
a little grass, but it was very dry. Along the stream were a dozen or
so of serubby cottonwoods and a few willows. The rest of the ground
was naked, except being nearly covered with immense numbers of large,
black crickets, which had devoured most of the leaves of the
cottonwoods and willows; and when we went to work to cut a ditch to
carry the water down to the place known as Old Fort block, where we
first built our fort, so dry was the soil of the ditch that it took
the whole stream two and a half days to reach the desired point.

Vol. 15,  p.30
It was in this desolate place—1034 miles from the Missouri river, and
thirteen or fourteen hundred from Nauvoo—the place whence we had been
expelled, that we commenced our location. It was understood that a
party had undertaken to cross west here, some year or two before, and
had perished. The name of the man who led the party was Hastings, and
the route west is called Hastings' cut off. It is said that John C.
Fremont had been in this valley the fall previous, but we had no
report of his explorations. We had an account of him visiting the
north end of Great Salt Lake, and the south end of Utah Lake; but so
ignorant was he at the time of the country between the two lakes that
his map, published after his return from his exploration, shows Salt
Lake and Utah Lake to be one body of water, whereas there is a river
about fifty miles long between them.

Vol. 15,  p.30
In a few days after we reached here another party arrived, increasing
our numbers to about four hundred. We had but very little provisions,
which we had brought with us. The country was destitute of game, and
the most rigid economy was necessary in order to subsist. We remained
about a month, when a portion of the pioneers, myself among the
number, started back for our families, who were still encamped at
Winter Quarters, on the Missouri river; and on our way back we met
about seven hundred wagons with families moving on for this place.
These families came in late, and enclosed themselves in the Old Fort
block, and the two blocks south of it, where they lived in security
from the Indians, and during the winter they succeeded, partially, in
enclosing a field, making preparations for irrigation, and sowing
several thousand acres of grain. They found it necessary to ration
themselves on account of the scarcity of their provisions, and I
believe that almost every family allowanced themselves to half a pound
of flour a day, that is, if they had it, many to less; and they went
over these hills digging the sego—a wild, bulbous root, sometimes
eaten by the Indians, and everything that they could get that had any
nutriment in it. In those days the animals that were killed, having
crossed the plains, were generally very poor; but they were used with
the greatest economy, hides, feet and tail, all being eaten. I believe
they tell a story of a certain rule among the Mahomedans, in relation
to eating swine's flesh. Some of them refuse it, but as a general
thing the various classes of them only refuse certain portions—some
reject the snout, some the ear, others the feet, others the tail, and
so on; but among the whole Mussulman race they "go the whole hog."
Among the earliest settlers in this valley there was no rejection; and
[p.31] there are some, who lived here the first two years after our
arrival, who will now say that they never tasted any food so sweet as
boiled rawhide. About the time our first crop began to head out, the
crickets made their appearance, and devoured the greater portion of
it. This was awfully discouraging. Our nurserymen had collected their
seeds, and planted them, and some twenty or thirty thousand trees had
got up, may be five or six inches high, and one day, while the
nurserymen had gone to dinner, a swarm of crickets came down and
destroyed all the trees but three. That was the commencement of our
nursery business in this city. It is believed, fully, by the
Latter-day Saints of that time, that God delivered them from utter
starvation by sending flocks of gulls from the lake, which ate up the
crickets, and saved a portion of their crop. The crickets have not
troubled the agriculturists in the valley, materially, since, but the
flying grasshoppers have come in immense numbers, and in 1855 reduced
all the families in the Territory to half the allowance of food they
needed; and for several years back this plague has probably destroyed
from one-third to one-half the fruits of the farmer's labors. These
are very material drawbacks to our prosperity with which we have had
to contend here in Utah. Persons unacquainted with the manner and
difficulties of irrigation can not realize the immense labor, care and
attention that are necessary to commence this work. Friends come in
and look over our city, and say, "Why, how nice this water is that
runs through all the streets? But the fact is, there is not a tree,
bush, or spear of grass grows in these low valleys without being
irrigated naturally or artificially, and there is only very few and
very small spots where natural irrigation is attainable. By natural
irrigation I mean that the water is so near the surface of the ground
as to moisten it sufficiently to make it produce vegetation, and these
places are only found about the sinks of creeks. Just turn the water
that passes through these streets back into the original channel, and
next fall would see most of the trees dead. All the results you see
here, in the way of agriculture, were made, are held by main strength
and constraint and continued diligence.

Vol. 15,  p.31
During the days of our early settlement, it was necessary that
measures be taken to supply the wants of those who were without food,
and for years a fast was held every month, and sometimes every week.
The amount of food that would have been consumed by a family during
that fast was presented to the needy, and in this way, struggling for
three years in succession, the people were sustained, and nobody
perished. When we did finally succeed in raising the necessaries of
life, thousands of strangers came pouring in here, a great many of
them destitute of bread. They had started for the gold mines without
knowing how far it was, what outfit to take, or how to take care of
themselves; and great numbers of them, when they reached here, had to
be assisted on their journey, and there were thousands who went to
California during the early days of the gold excitement there, who
must have perished had it not been for the assistance they obtained
from the settlements of these valleys.

Vol. 15,  p.31
We came here full of enterprise, and our only hope for subsistence was
in agriculture. We found mines of lead, and minerals of various kinds;
but we could do nothing with them. The Legislative Assembly
memorialized Congress for a railroad and a [p.32] telegraph line
across the continent, and they set forth in that petition, in 1852,
that the mineral resources of these mountains could never be developed
without a railroad; and that if they would build a railroad, or make
the necessary arrangement for one, the trade of China and the East
Indies would pass through the heart of the American States. We have
lived to see these predictions fulfilled.

Vol. 15,  p.32
You may pass, friends, over the Territory at your leisure; go from the
north to the south, and you will find the inhabitants, generally,
industrious, temperate, moral, straightforward, diligent and honest,
very few spending their time about gambling hells or drinking saloons;
in fact very few villages support such establishments, and wherever
you find them you may be sure that modern civilization has made
inroads there. When you see a gang of men standing round, loafing
about a place, smoking cigars, drinking whisky, and looking for
something to turn up, you may generally set it down there is no
Latter-day Saint there, or if there is a "Mormon" mixed up with them
he is becoming demoralized. If the faith of the Latter-day Saints be
adhered to as it should be, men would be temperate and moral, and they
would avoid using profane language; and one of the injunctions of
their religion is that the idler shall not eat the bread of the
laborer.

Vol. 15,  p.32
We have fed thousands and tens of thousands of strangers who have
passed through here without means, and no person has been permitted to
go hungry in our midst if we knew it, admitting at the same time that
our means of subsistence were limited, and all that we have wrenched
from the soil has been by main strength.

Vol. 15,  p.32
I would like to draw a little comparison: I moved my family in '49. I
came out in '47, and went back again and made arrangements to get back
with my family, the earliest possible, which was in '49. I brought in
two hundred pounds of flour a head for the family, which I ran out in
short allowances to each one of them, and I divided some to the
neighbors, there being numbers of them around who had got out of food,
and we eked it out little by little, little by little. If a friend
called and had his dinner with us, why, we had to shorten our
allowance of bread. There was no place we could go and buy a little
flour or a little beef, for nobody had any but what they wanted
themselves, and what they must have themselves, and if we divided our
little out we, ourselves, must go hungry. If we lived fast to-day, we
must starve to-morrow, and in this way we stretched the matter along.
God, in his mercy, blessed us with good health; we had good health,
hard work and short allowance of food. There was one thing we were
very thankful for: We had been mobbed a number of times—five times
driven from our homes. We had left our inheritances in Missouri and
Illinois, and had got nothing for them, and here, whatever other
things we lacked, we had the privilege of worshiping God according to
the dictates of our consciences, and we could go to meeting, and
preach and pray without anybody interrupting us; for although there
were thousands and thousands of strangers constantly passing through
our territory, they generally treated us with kindness and
consideration. How is it now with us with regard to the necessaries of
life? If a man is out of bread he can hardly find a house but what, if
he enters and says, "I am hungry, give me something to eat," the reply
will be, "Yes, we have plenty." And there are thousands of men and
women who have [p.33] come from the States and from Europe. We have
contributed immense sums, and sent our teams by the hundred to the
Missouri river to bring them here; and when they got here, their
labor, industry and economy would enable them at once to obtain food
and the necessaries of life, plain, to be sure, but an abundance of
such as the country afforded. No one that is hungry can go to a house
or a family and ask for bread and not obtain it. Look at the contrast;
and it has been effected by years of fasting and united industry,
poverty and toil, by the pioneers of this country. To be sure we have
had plenty of. the sayings of the Savior upon our heads to satisfy us
that we were right in one particular. He says: "Blessed are ye when
men shall persecute you, and say all manner of evil concerning you,
falsely, for my sake."

Vol. 15,  p.33
We bid welcome to our friends. The fields are wide and open, and the
mountains are, no doubt, fall of mineral. At any rate, every man has
his chance, if he will dig for it. Dig for the treasures, and open the
fields and the farms, but do not trespass on the rights of your
neighbors. Worship God according to the dictates of your conscience,
observe the law of heaven, but never, under any circumstances, intrude
upon the rights of others. These are the principles which rule here.
Look at these things, and realize that it is to the efforts of the
inhabitants of this country, their labors, toils and sacrifices, that
we owe our present comfort. We commenced by hauling carding machines
and printing offices across the mountains; we built factories, and
undertook to raise wool; we labored to produce flax and hemp, not very
successfully, but we did all we could. Thousands of our brethren did
not believe it possible ever to raise fruit; but God tempered the
climate, and, although in the tops of the mountains, we have raised
abundance of fruit in many of our settlements. Our sheep have become
productive, our herds have increased, and we have laid a foundation
for plenty; and any pilgrim who comes along, who wishes to obtain food
and raiment, can obtain it, for it is here; and he can go into the
mountains, and if fortune favor him he may strike something which he
may desire, though I must honestly confess that, so far as I am
concerned, I believe the plan for any man to pursue who wishes to lay
a foundation for future independence, is to procure a piece of land
and make a farm. He might, peradventure, strike an "Emma" mine; but I
think that kind of luck will be the exception instead of the rule;
but, as a general thing, the man who labors industriously to make
himself a farm, creates around him a good, comfortable home in a few
years. Of course, if men go prospecting for minerals, they know it is
a good deal like a lottery. Our railroad is going south, and as it
progresses, new mines and new mining interests will, without doubt, be
opened and developed; and as a result of the labors of developing the
resources of the Territory, I realize that millions will be
benefitted.

Vol. 15,  p.33
There is one thing that our friends do not realize. When they come
here they make up their minds that "Mormonism" is a humbug, and their
mistake is, it is true. Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, and the
plan of salvation revealed through him is the Gospel of Jesus Christ;
and every man and every woman who rejects it, rejects the truth, and
will be responsible for it; and every man and every woman who walks in
obedience to its precepts will receive [p.34] glory, honor,
immortality and endless lives. I am not talking something I guess, I
know these things are true; and it is the wisdom and prudence, the
light and the intelligence of the Almighty, revealed through his
servants to the Latter-day Saints, that have gathered a hundred
thousand people from the four quarters of the earth and planted them
down in comfortable homes in Utah, and it is only the inspiration of
the father of lies that circulates the false reports and the abuse
concerning them.

Vol. 15,  p.34
May God bless you my friends. You are welcome in this land. Go and be
blessed; and as you go to your homes, to the four winds of heaven,
tell the truth about the Latter-day Saints. May God enable us to
overcome and be faithful in all things, that we may finally inherit
his kingdom, through Jesus our Redeemer. Amen.

Brigham Young, May 26, 1872

Riches—Hurry—Fashion—Helping Tide Poor—Mysteries

Discourse By President Brigham Young, Delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Ogden City, Sunday Afternoon, May 26th, 1872.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.34
I am happy for the privilege of standing before this congregation and
speaking to them. I am thankful to see the spirit that is manifested
by the people to inquire after the truth, to learn the way of life. I
rejoice to see the disposition manifested by the Latter-day Saints to
attend places of worship. But this is a small part of our faith. I
wish to say to the Latter-day Saints that the Gospel of life and
salvation is the best institution that we, as mortal beings, can
invest in. Go into the financial circles of the world, and you will
find men gather and project their plans for business, for railroads,
for ship companies, for merchandizing, and various other pursuits. You
will see those engaged in these companies associate together, confer
with each other, lay their plans before each other, investigate them,
scan every branch, and every part and particle of their business. We
are engaged in a higher-toned branch of business than any merchants or
railroad men, or any institution of an earthly nature, and it is
pleasing to see the Latter-day Saints meet together to talk over this
matter, and to learn the course they should pursue to gain the object
of their pursuit. If an inquiry arises in any of your minds with
regard to this, I will answer it by saying that we are in pursuit of
all there is before us—life, light, wealth, intelligence, all that can
be possessed on the earth by mortal man, and then in a higher state,
[p.35] where there will be a more perfect development of the
smattering of knowledge than we received here, and all that can be
enjoyed by intelligent beings in the celestial kingdoms of our God. Is
this our object? Certainly it is. We are not in the same attitude that
the people were a few thousand years ago—they were depending on the
Prophet or Prophets, or on having immediate revelation for themselves
to know the will of the Lord, without the record of their
predecessors, while we have the records of those who have lived before
us, also the testimony of the Holy Spirit; and, to the satisfaction of
all who desire a testimony, we can turn to this book and read that
which we believe, learn the object of our pursuit, the end that we
expect to accomplish—the end of the race as far as mortality is
concerned—and the fullness of the glory that is beyond this vale of
tears; consequently we have the advantage of those who lived before
us. We are in pursuit of knowledge; and when you meet together, if you
have a word of prophecy, a dream, a vision, or a word of wisdom,
impart the same to the people.

Vol. 15,  p.35
Let me ask you, my brethren and sisters, Do you want wealth? If you
do, do not be in a hurry. Do you want the riches pertaining to this
world? Yes, we acknowledge we do. Then, be calm, contented, composed;
keep your pulses correct, do not let them get up to a hundred and
twenty, but keep them as nigh as you can, ranging from seventy to
seventy-six; and when there is an appointment for a meeting be sure to
attend that meeting. If there is to be a two-days' meeting in Ogden,
come to it; spend the time here and learn what is going on. Watch
closely, hear every word that is spoken, let every heart be lifted to
God for wisdom, and know and understand every word of prophecy, every
revelation that may be given, every counsel that may be presented to
the people, that you may be able to weigh, measure, comprehend and
decide between that which is of God and that which is not of God.
Refuse the evil, learn wisdom, and grow in grace and in the knowledge
of the truth. If there is a meeting appointed for the Seventies, let
them come together, and let no man say "I am in a hurry in my work,
and have not time to attend." Every man that belongs to these quorums
should be on hand at the time appointed, and not say, "I will work to
the last minute, before I start for the meeting." Take time, prepare
yourselves, be at the place of gathering promptly, to the minute, that
you may hear the first word, then you will hear every word that is
spoken and every counsel that is given.

Vol. 15,  p.35
If there is a Bishop's meeting, let every Bishop, Priest, Teacher and
Deacon attend, and no man among them say, "I must go and water my
grain," "cut my hay," or "gather my harvest;" but attend the meeting,
sit until it is out and hear every word. If you have to speak, speak;
if you are to hear only, hear every word that is said. If there is a
prayer meeting appointed, go to that prayer meeting; go to the ward
meetings, attend every meeting that is appointed. I am telling you
this, so that you can get rich.

Vol. 15,  p.35
I will say to the Latter-day Saints, there can not that community be
found on the face of the whole earth that, as a community, is as well
off as we are here in these mountains. There are more women and
children, with their husbands and fathers, sleep under their own roof
in the midst of the Latter-day Saints than in any other community; on
the face [p.36] of this earth, in civilization; and less women and
children go without food and clothing than in any other community in
Christendom. Looking around among the Latter-day Saints I will ask,
How many are there who have been taken from cellars, from pits under
ground, or from their little rooms, where one pound, or five dollars,
would buy everything they possessed on the face of the earth, and
brought to this country and taught how to plant their potatoes, beans,
beets, carrots, how to raise their cucumbers and squashes, their corn
and their wheat, how to milk a cow; feed a calf, take care of the
chickens; how to build a pig-pen and put a pig in it; to take the
offals of the house and give to the pig, and how to raise a calf or a
colt, experience they never had before in their lives? Yet they have
learned this economy, and some of them, I am sorry to say, lift their
heel against the Almighty and his anointed. I am happy to say,
however, that the large per-centage of those who have been thus
rescued from poverty, and placed in circumstances of comfort and
independence, are still in the faith. How many are there here today
who never owned a chicken or a pig, and could not keep a eat because
they had nothing to feed one on, who now ride in their wagons, have
their carriages, horses, fine harness, fine stock of cows, and have
butter, milk, cheese and wool at their command, and granaries full of
wheat, and their barns, if they have them, full of hay? Do not the
facts which present themselves before us, prove that this very
desirable change has taken place in the circumstances of many? Then
come to meeting. Appoint your meetings, Elders, and call the Saints
together and instruct them in the things of the kingdom of God. We
have missionaries that are traveling through our settlements, and no
people need preaching more than the Latter-day Saints. They know the
way, but they are forgetful, and they want somebody or other to come
along and holloa to them, and say, comparatively, "I will warm your
ears, my lady;" "Brother, I will warm your ears." "Wake up!" "What are
you doing? Are you after this mine? Are you after that job? Are you
after that piece of work? Did you pray in your family this morning?"
"No." "Why?" "I was in too much of a hurry." Stop! Wait! When you get
up in the morning, before you suffer yourselves to eat one mouthful of
food, call your wives and children together, bow down before the Lord,
ask him to forgive your sins, and protect you through the day, to
preserve you from temptation and all evil, to guide your steps aright,
that you may do something that day that shall be beneficial to the
kingdom of God on the earth. Have you time to do this? Elders,
sisters, have you time to pray? This is the counsel I have for the
Latter-day Saints to-day. Stop, do not be in a hurry. I do not know
that I could find a man in our community but what wishes wealth, would
like to nave everything in his possession that would conduce to his
comfort and convenience. Do you know how to get it? "Well," replies
one, "if I do not, I wish I did; but I do not seem to be exactly
fortunate—fortune is somewhat against me." I will tell you the reason
of this—you are in too much of a hurry; you do not go to meeting
enough, you do not pray enough, you do not read the Scriptures enough,
you do not meditate enough, you are all the time on the wing, and in
such a hurry that you do not know what to do first. This is not the
way to get rich. I merely use [p.37] the term "rich" to lead the mind
along, until we obtain eternal riches in the celestial kingdom of God.
Here we wish for riches in a comparative sense, we wish for the
comforts of life. If we desire them let us take a course to get them.
Let me reduce this to a simple saying—one of the most simple and
homely that can be used—"Keep your dish right side up," so that when
the shower of porridge does come, you can catch your dish full.

Vol. 15,  p.37
I am not going into the details, to instruct my brethren particularly
how to get wealth; but in the first place, do not be in a hurry. I
make that as a general remark. Do you want your house neat and clean?
Do you want to keep your children neat and clean? Do you wish to see
every portion of your dwelling, from the cellar to the garret, from
the wood-house to the parlor, neat and clean? Certainly, every sister
wishes this; then do not be in a hurry. I shall tell you a little
circumstance that occurred some eighteen years ago, when we had been
on a visit to the Indians. We had reached Farmington, on our way home,
and stopped at a certain house. I think there were twelve of us in
company. Our teams were taken care of. When I alighted from my
carriage I looked at my watch and we went in, sat down, and chatted
with the master of the house, while his wife prepared dinner for us. I
noticed this lady. She whispered to a little girl to take her baby out
of doors and amuse it; then, when her baby was out of the way, she
moved about without the least noise—not a word was heard from her. She
brought everything she needed from the buttery and cellar to the
kitchen where she spread her table, and she mixed and baked her bread,
cooked her fruit and meat, and from the time we alighted from the
carriage until she came and whispered in the ear of her husband,
"Dinner is ready," it was just fifty-five minutes. Said I to myself,
"There is a housekeeper." I could not help but see this; every time
she walked back and forth she accomplished a certain amount of
business. I saw this and was gratified. Now, sisters, you may do
likewise, if you are not in too big a hurry. Instead of shouting,
"Sally, where's the dish-cloth?" "Susan, where's the broom?" or,
"Nancy, have you seen the holder? I want the holder," be calm and
composed; you are in too much of a hurry. Hold on, be easy, never let
your nervous system rise above your judgment and the collection of
your thoughts, and have a place for everything, and every thing in its
place. Let your judgment be master, and when you start to do a thing
you will know exactly what you want to do. I have seen hundreds of
ladies fly to the cupboard, and then say, "Well, now, I declare I
don't know what I came for." They were in too much of a hurry. It is
just so with men. I see them through the world, I have watched their
progress for many years, and I see that many of them are too much in a
hurry. If we are not in too much of a hurry we can attend these
two-days' meetings, and talk to each other. Are you full of faith? You
can tell whether I am or not by looking at me. You can tell whether
the brethren who have been speaking to you are full of faith in the
Gospel by the look of their countenances. You can see this if there is
not a word spoken; we can tell by our feelings when we look at a
congregation whether they have faith or not. I see there is a great
amount of faith in the midst of the Latter-day Saints, and I wish
there was a little more patience and obedience.[p.38] Perhaps I have
said enough with regard to these meetings. Elders, appoint your
meetings, and invite the people to come to them. I want now to go to
other matters.

Vol. 15,  p.38
I will tell you, my brethren, my own feelings with regard to the
conduct of the Latter-day Saints. In the first place I will say that
we are governed and controlled too much by the feelings and fashions
of the world. We lust after the leeks and onions; we yield ourselves
to the spirit of the world too much. You will excuse me, for I must
say a few words with regard to this. It is true we are bound, and it
seems that men's bounds are set by each other, more or less. If I, for
instance, were to have a coat made to suit my own taste, I do not know
any of my family and perhaps my friends, and especially the tailors,
merchants and business men, but what would say, "You are an oddity,"
and they would think, "You are not fit for society, because you do not
fashion and pattern after others." I commence here, you know, at
myself. Well, I will say that I am bound, I can not accomplish my own
wishes in these things altogether. Perhaps others can not. I go to a
tailor and say, "I have a piece of cloth, and I want you to make me a
coat." He cuts that coat to suit himself. I do not see a fashion that
suits me. What use or comeliness is there in putting the legs of the
pantaloons on my coat?" Well, perhaps the tailor will be a little
moderate, and will cut it down considerably; but if I were my own
tailor I certainly should leave off—what shall we call them?
"Bustles," "Grecian Bends," or what shall we call them? Though these
coat sleeves and not exactly like the sleeves of the frocks or dresses
worn by the ladies forty or fifty years ago, which they used to call
mutton-legged sleeves, shaped just like the ham of a mutton. I
recollect there used to be considerable said about them. Sometimes a
paper would come out and tell of the wreck of a ship, on board of
which were a hundred and fifty passengers; but, they would say,
"Thanks be to kind Providence, the ladies took all the male passengers
into the sleeves of their dresses, and went ashore." Such narrations
as these, you know, were only meant as a satire upon the fashions of
the day. Now I am corning right to the point, and I wish to say to
some of my sisters, not to all, that if I were my own tailor I should
cut my own coat to suit myself. "What would be your fashion" says one?
I will tell you. I have a coat here which you can see—if I were to
take hold of a swill-pail, this part of the skirt must drop in; and if
I took hold of a milk-pail I must take the coat around by the other
end; and hold it, or else it is in the milk. I see no convenience or
beauty in it. That which is convenient should be beautiful; and I want
my coat cut so that when I lift a pail of water, or a milk or swill
pail the skirts shall not fall into it; and so with the pockets, I
would have them convenient. If I were a lady and had a piece of cloth
to make me a dress, I would cut it so as to cover my person handsomely
and neatly; and whether it was cut according to the fashion or not,
custom would soon make it beautiful. I would not have eighteen or
twenty yards to drag behind me, so that if I had to turn around I
would have to pick up my dress and throw it after me, or, just, as a
cow does when she kicks over the milk pail, throw out one foot to kick
the dress out of the way. That is not becoming, beautiful or
convenient—all such fashions are inconvenient. Take that cloth and cut
you a skirt that will be [p.39] modest and neat, that does not drag in
the dirt nor show your garters, but cut it so that it will clear the
ground when you walk, when you are passing over the floor it will not
drag everything on the floor, or in the street as you pass along. Put
enough into the skirt to look well, and if we are to go into
particulars, of course, we would have to say, we must use enough to
cover the person. I do not expect mother Eve even did this. We could
relate some little incidents of our past experience, that perhaps
would not entertain the people, and still, perhaps, they might learn
something from them. For instance, in some circles it has been
fashionable for a lady to wear, perhaps, twelve yards in the skirt of
her dress, but when it came to the waist, I guess three-quarters of a
yard would have been enough. I will relate a circumstance of which I
heard, that took place in the metropolis of our country. A gentleman,
a stranger, was invited to a grand dinner party there. The ladies of
course were dressed in the height of fashion, their trails dragging
behind them, and their—well, I suppose there was a band over the
shoulder to the waist, but I do not recollect whether the gentleman
said there was or not; but one gentleman present, who knew this
gentleman was a stranger, said to him, with all the loveliness and
elegance in his heart that one could imagine—"Is not this beautiful?
Did you ever see the like of this?" "No sir," said the party
questioned, "never since I was weaned." Well, all this, you know, is
custom and fashion.

Vol. 15,  p.39
Now, I wish to say to my sisters, If you will be just a little more
moderate, I should like it very much. Some of you, and especially the
young sisters, may say, "Why, Brother Brigham, how do your daughters
dress?" I will say, to my shame, many of them, and many do not. Then I
must have a great many, for if I have many that do and many that do
not, that will amount to a great many. But I guess I will let it go.
Some of them are modest, delicate, neat, and look beautiful, and do
not want twenty-four yards for a dress, nor seventeen. But this is
uncomely, uncouth and ill-looking. What shall I call it? A camel's
back? You will say they go from the lady to the camel, and from the
camel to the lady, and so on and so forth. They are called, I believe,
"Grecian Bends," but I do not think this term is exactly proper. Are
they comely in appearance? No, they are not. Then I should like my
daughters and my sisters to lay them aside, They should dress neatly
and comely, and to suit themselves, but not to suit anybody else. We
have the ability to tell what looks well, just as well as anybody
else. We need not go to New York, London, or Paris to tell whether a
coat looks well if it has a collar half an inch wide. Do you recollect
when collars were not more than that? I do, and I recollect when they
were about six or seven inches in width. Now we need not go to Paris
to ask them Whether a coat looks just right with a half inch or a
five-inch collar; we are the judges, and can decide that just as well
as anybody elsa on the face of the earth. I would not swap my eyes
with any living person for beauty and comeliness. I would rather trust
to my eyes for beauty, excellency and comeliness in dress, than any
other person's eyes I know of. We should be our own judges. This, I
say, to my sisters. Pause, reflect, look at the facts in the case as
regards the folly and expense of fashion. Take the people of this
city, and if you can form a correct estimate at the [p.40] cost of the
useless articles they wear. (I think I brought this subject up a year
ago this summer, when here.) Just take these useless articles that do
no good to the body of the persons who use them, and we would find
that the means expended in their purchase would enable us to relieve
many poor, suffering, distressed creatures abroad in the nations of
the earth, and bring them here and put them in a situation in which
they would be healthy, wealthy and happy. If we make a calculation on
this subject we shall find that the waste of the Latter-day Saints is
immense. There is a little town, south of here, the ladies of
which—the F. R. Society, took it into their minds, along in the latter
part of the winter, when we commenced calling upon the people to
assist the emigration of the poor this summer, to give the eggs that
their hens laid on Sunday. If they did not serve the Lord themselves
they resolved to make their hens do it one-seventh of the time; and
over a month ago I heard they had raised by this method about eight
hundred dollars. Would they miss this? No, they could do without these
eggs very well. Suppose the ladies of Ogden, who, on account of the
many ribbons and needless articles they require, are unable to give
anything else they have, should give one-seventh part of the services
of their fowls to the bringing of the poor here! If Ogden had
commenced this last January, thousands and thousands of dollars might
have been raised by this time. Can you think of such a trifling thing
as this? Suppose that every man who practices the disgusting habit,
says to himself, "I will stop eating tobacco, and the means i spend in
buying it I will give to emigrate the poor;" or, that, "what I pay out
for liquor I will give to emigrate the poor;" and each of the ladies
says, "What money I pay out for my tea or coffee" (and tobacco,
liquor, tea and coffee are four very useless articles) "I will give to
emigrate the poor," how much could be saved, do you think, in this
little community? Go to the stores, and ask them how much tobacco they
have sold for twelve months past. Take these little retail stores, and
then go into the retail departments of the wholesale stores, and we
should find in this little town, I will ensure, that within the twelve
months past, more than twelve, yes twenty, thousand dollars have been
paid for tobacco, and I will say ten or twelve, and perhaps twenty,
thousand more for liquor; and then I will say twenty-five or thirty
thousand more for tea or coffee, and I guess I could go up to forty
thousand dollars, right here in Ogden. It is immense, the people have
no idea of it, unless they go and look for themselves. Get the
statistics, and then you will know with regard to the facts in the
case.

Vol. 15,  p.40
Now suppose we say we will take the means we are spending for tea and
coffee, liquor and tobacco, and useless articles in dressing, and we
will give this to the poor; we would soon have a wealthy purse. Who
has given anything this season? How many of you have given the first
five dollars this season to bring the poor to Zion? If there is a man
or woman in this house that has given anything for this purpose, do me
the favor to hold up your hand? (One or two hands were held up.) I
have given a very little, just a trifle. Sometimes I give a thousand,
sometimes two thousand, mostly two thousand, and that is but a trifle.
I suppose many would say, "Why, that is no more for you than five
dollars for me." Well, perhaps it is not. I have nothing but what the
[p.41] Lord gave me, that is certain; and if he wanted the whole of
it, for the gathering of the poor this year, he is just as welcome to
it as I am to eat with you when you invite me to your houses. But one
thing I can say of a truth, I have not been in a hurry, I have taken
things mode rarely, kindly, calmly, and have "kept my dish right side
up."

Vol. 15,  p.41
Well now, you who want to give a little to help the poor, please hand
it over to Bishop Herrick. Bishop Herrick, will you please get the
bishops together, and request them to ask every ward in this county to
give something for the gathering of the poor, and see who will assist
in this good work?

Vol. 15,  p.41
If we will not be in a hurry, and will pray in our families, pray in
secret, attend our meetings, be patient and live so that the Spirit of
the Lord will dwell within us, and witness to God every day of our
lives, by faithful obedience to his requirements, that we are his, I
will say we are bound to get the wealth of the world. We read in this
good book (the Bible) that "the earth is the Lord's and the fulness
thereof." Everything belongs to him, and he is going to give it to his
Saints; and all our concern and care should be, to be sure that we are
Saints. Then it is all right, it is by a deed of warranty—a warranty
deed, and he will warrant and defend it, if we will serve him, and be
satisfied with his providences, turning neither to the right nor to
the left, but serving him with an undivided heart all the days of our
lives. If it pleases him, and he wishes us to travel and preach, go to
the right or to the left, to the east or to the west, to the north or
to the south, to live here or live there, to do this or to do that, to
have little or much and be perfectly satisfied and contented, his
blessings will be secured to us by a warranty deed, and he will
warrant and defend it.

Vol. 15,  p.41
If we are not Saints it is a great pity. We have the experience of
those who lived before us, we have the testimony of the fathers, we
have the sayings of Jesus and his Apostles, and we can peruse them and
can exercise faith in the name of Jesus, and be guided by the Spirit
of the Lord by which these testimonies were given; and we can know
whether we are Saints or whether we are not. It has been proclaimed
that there is a great difference between us and the Christian world.
There is. Is the difference because we believe in another religion? By
no means. The difference arises from the fact that we believe this
Bible, wide open, from Genesis to Revelations. They believe it, sealed
up, never to be opened again to the human family. They believe it
shut, we believe it open; they believe it in silence, we believe it
proclaimed on the house top; and when we scan the Bible and the
feelings of the Christian world, we find that it is, as has been
proclaimed here—there probably never was a day on the face of the
earth when infidelity reigned more completely in the hearts of the
children of men than it does now. We, as Christians, believe in God,
in Christ and in his atonement, in repentance and obedience, and in
receiving the Spirit; but what are the facts in the case? We are
persecuted, our names are cast out as evil, we have the world arrayed
against us. And who are at the head of this? The Christians. You go to
a real infidel—one brought up to disbelieve in, and pay no attention
to, this book as the word of God, and we receive little persecution
from him; none whatever in comparison with what we receive from those
who profess to believe it. Where are [p.42] their witness and
testimony that they are right and that we are wrong P We have the
Scriptures to testify to the right and righteousness of the cause we
have espoused. They shut up the Bible, say they are Christians, and
cry, "False prophets, false teachers, delusion, delusion, heresy,
outcasts, kill them if you can not get rid of them without, they must
leave, we cannot endure them any longer!"

Vol. 15,  p.42
Where is their proof, where is our proof? What criterion shall we go
by? We have the Scriptures, we have the Prophets, Jesus and the
Apostles; we have the revelations of the Spirit of God to ourselves;
we have the truth within our hearts, and all this is proof to us of
the validity of the faith that we have embraced; and if it is correct,
and the Bible is correct; if it is true, and the Lord has spoken
through his servants, they must be wrong, and their own mouths shall
judge them in the latter days; and if they are to be judged by the
Saints or by the Almighty you will find the secret, and that will be
out of their own mouths they will be judged. We have the testimony of
all this for ourselves.

Vol. 15,  p.42
How are you going to know whether this work is true, whether the Bible
is true, whether Joseph was a Prophet, whether Jesus was the Savior,
and his Apostles were correct in their teachings? There is no way for
you and me to know these things but by the Spirit of Gild; and if we
live so as to enjoy the light of that Spirit, the light of revelation,
it will be in us like a well of water springing up to everlasting
life. If we do not live thus, we are in the dark as well as they.

Vol. 15,  p.42
All religion is a mystery. Do we know this? Certainly. I have an
experience in this, and so have the elder members of this community:
we have lived with the Christians. What have been the declaration and
the sayings of the wisest of the wise among them? Is God a personage
of tabernacle? "I know not." Does God dwell anywhere, is he a local
being, or is he a traveling being? "I know not." Does he possess a
body, parts and passions? "I know not." What of his Son Jesus? What of
the evil? Acknowledge there is evil in the world—that character that
fell from heaven—the Son of the Morning, has he a located place where
he dwells? "I know not." That is the answer. What do you understand by
the Scriptures? "We do not know what to understand, they are a
mystery, and beyond our comprehension, we can not comprehend them. We
are students of divinity, but the Scriptures are a mystery to us." I
recollect once, in my early career, well nigh forty years ago,
conversing about two hours with a cousin of mine, who had finished his
studies to be a priest. As I left him he said to me, "Cousin Brigham,
I have learned more divinity from your mouth to-day than I have
learned in my four years' study. You have told me things that I know
are in the Scriptures, and I know they are correct, for I feel in my
heart and can testify to the truth of them; but," said he, "they are
not in the books, neither in the mouths and hearts of our teachers;
our preceptors do not understand them, and I have learned more
divinity from you in two hours than in all my life before." This is
their experience. Have they knowledge? Go after it, and you will find
an aching void, a shadow instead of a substance, words which are wind,
instead of realities.

Vol. 15,  p.42
We would take the world of mankind by the hand and lead them to life
and salvation, if they would let us. It was said in my office, a few
[p.43] days ago, by a party of railroad men, while conversing with me
about us as a people, "President Young, you are not known, your people
are not known; we shall know you better hereafter, and they need not
publish about you as they have, or, if they do, we shall know better
than to believe them. Why do they publish such things? We are glad to
become acquainted with you." I replied, "For over forty years I have
been striving with all my might, in my weak capacity, and with my
limited knowledge, to make the world acquainted with us and our
doctrines. There are also thousands and thousands of Elders who have
traversed this earth over, without purse or scrip, trying to get
people to learn who the Latter-day Saints are, and what they believe
in, and why have you not known us? The Bible, Book of Mormon, and the
Book of Doctrine and Covenants, are published to the world with other
works, giving to the whole reading world the principles we are
proclaiming. Why are we not known? I will tell you why: the liars are
industrious, and, according to the old saying, a lie will creep
through a keyhole and travel leagues and leagues while truth is
getting up, wiping her eyes and putting her shoes on. That is the
reason, and you believe lies instead of truth. And," said I, "from
this time henceforth, when you read an article about the people of
Utah, read it candidly and honestly, and the Spirit will tell you
whether it is true or a lie, and believe the truth about us."

Vol. 15,  p.43
I will say again, brethren and sisters, do not be in a hurry.
Brethren, if you want to get rich, live so as to enjoy the Spirit of
the Lord. You will then know exactly what to do in all matters. You
want the spirit of wisdom in all your business transactions, and just
as much in farming as anything else. We want the Spirit of the Lord
from the least chore of labor that we perform, to the highest
spiritual duty devolving upon the highest man in the kingdom of God.
We want the Spirit of the Lord to guide and direct us through this
world, to teach us in spiritual things and in temporal things, that we
may learn how to gain to ourselves the riches of eternity, and secure
to ourselves eternal lives.

Vol. 15,  p.44
God bless you. Amen.[p.44] 

Orson Pratt, April 7, 1872

The Latter-Day Kingdom—the Present 
Fulfilment of Ancient Prophecy

Discourse By Elder Orson Pratt, Delivered in the New 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, April 7, 1872.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.44
When I look over this vast congregation, assembled in the body of this
house as well as in the gallery, it seems to be an impossibility to
make all hear; and to give all an opportunity to do so it will be
necessary that the closest attention be given and that shuffling of
feet and whispering cease. I suppose there must be congregated here
something in the neighborhood of twelve thousand persons, and there
are but very few voices or lungs that are able to reach such a
multitude, and edify and instruct them. I know from former experience
in speaking from this stand, that it requires a great exertion of the
lungs and body to speak so as to be understood, and this great
exertion of the physical system is calculated in a very short time to
weary also the mind, therefore I may not be able to address you for
any great length of time.

Vol. 15,  p.44
It is now forty-two years since the organization of the Church of
Jesus Christ on the earth. Forty-two years ago, on the 6th day of
April, the Prophet Joseph Smith was commanded by the Lord Almighty to
organize the Kingdom of God on the earth for the last time—to set up
and make a beginning—to form the nucleus of a Government that never
should be destroyed from the earth, or, in other words, that should
stand forever. The founding of governments, of whatsoever nature they
may be, may be considered in the estimation of some, very honorable;
but there is no special honor attached to a man who is called upon by
the Almighty to found a Government on the earth, for it is the Lord
who works by him as an instrument, using him for that purpose. That,
of course, is honorable. Perhaps there never was a work accomplished
among men of so great and important a nature as that of the foundation
of a kingdom that never is to be destroyed. About six thousand years
have passed away since the Government established by the Patriarchs,
or by the first man, was commenced here on the earth. From that time
until the present vast numbers and descriptions of Governments, some
Patriarchal in their nature, others taking the form of kingdoms,
others of empires and so forth, have been organized here on the earth.
During that long interval of time whenever a man has founded a
Government he has been greatly honored, not only by the generation
among whom he lived, and in which he formed the Government, but he has
been honored generally by after generations. But nearly all the
Governments that have [p.45] been established have been thrown
down—they have been only temporary in their nature—existing for a few
centuries perhaps, and then overthrown. It is not my intention this
afternoon to examine the nature and forms of these various human
Governments, but to state in a few words that there is now organized
on the earth a Government which never will be broken as former
Governments have been. This will stand for ever. It began very
small—only six members were organized in this Government on Tuesday
the 6th day of April, 1830, that is according to the vulgar era;
according to the true era it was some two or three years longer. The
Christian era, that is in common use now among the human family is
called the vulgar era, because it is incorrect. Jesus, it is
acknowledged by the most learned men at the present day, was born two
or three years before the period that is now commonly called the
vulgar Christian era. It is also acknowledged by the greater portion
of the learned men of the day, who have carefully examined the
subject, that Jesus was crucified on the 6th day of April; and
according to the true Christian era it was precisely eighteen hundred
years from the day of his crucifixion until the day that this Church
was organized. Why the Lord chose this particular period—the
anniversary of the day of his crucifixion for the organization of his
kingdom on the earth I do not know. I do know that he has a set time
in his own mind for accomplishing his great purposes; but why he
should purpose in his own mind that precisely eighteen hundred years
should elapse from the day of the crucifixion until the day of the
organization of his church, we do not know. Suffice it to say that
this is the interval that elapsed. The Book of Mormon gives the exact
interval from the day of his birth to the day of the crucifixion, and
by putting these two periods together we can ascertain the true
Christian era. There is a great dispute, however, among chronologists
in regard to this matter; many of them say Jesus was born one year
before the vulgar era, others that he was born two years before that.
Four different chronologists, mentioned by name in Smith's Bible
Dictionary, place the period three years before the vulgar era; others
place it at four years before, some five, and some have placed it
seven years before the present vulgar era. If we take a medium between
these combined with the testimony of a great many who have written
upon the subject, we find, as I said before, that it makes precisely
eighteen hundred years between the two great events that took place,
namely the crucifixion and the building up of his kingdom in these
latter days.

Vol. 15,  p.45
God has seen proper in the progress of this kingdom to restore to his
servants holding the priesthood every key and power pertaining to the
restitution of all things spoken of by the mouth of all the Holy
Prophets since the world began. One of the first things that he
condescended to restore was the fullness of the everlasting Gospel,
just according to the prediction of the ancient Prophets—by the coming
of an angel from heaven. Mr. Smith fulfilled that prediction, or
rather it was fulfilled to him. He declares, in language most plain
and positive, that God did send an angel from heaven and committed to
him the everlasting Gospel on plates of gold; or in other words, he
had it revealed to him by this angel, where the plates of gold were
deposited containing the everlasting Gospel, as it was preached to the
ancient inhabitants of this [p.46] American continent, by the personal
ministry of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This was the restoration
predicted by John in the 14th chapter of Revelations, where it is
declared that such an event should take place. John says that he saw,
in vision, an angel come from heaven to earth, to restore the
everlasting Gospel. No people on earth, prior to the advent of the
Prophet Joseph Smith, ever testified to the fulfilment of John's
prediction. If you make the inquiry of the various Christian
denominations, whether Catholic, Greek or Dissenters, they will tell
you unitedly that no such event characterized the rise of their
churches; we have therefore their testimony, proving that God never
fulfilled this portion of his word through them; but on the contrary
the united voice and testimony of all these Christians, from one end
of the earth to the other is that the Bible contains the Gospel, "And
we have preached the Gospel," say they, "as we found it recorded in
the Bible," and no angel to restore the authority to preach the
Gospel, to baptize, to confirm by the laying on of hands, to
administer the Lord's Supper, or to restore or give authority to
organize the kingdom of God on the earth, was necessary." To this we
reply, the history of the Gospel is one thing, and the authority to
preach it and administer its ordinances is another. We can read its
history in the New Testament; and we can also read there how the
ancient servants of God organized the Church in their day; we can read
what ordinances they performed or administered among the children of
men; we can read what was needful for the organization of the
Christian Church eighteen hundred years ago. We have the history of
all these things in the Scriptures, but for some seventeen centuries
past prior to the coming of this angel, there has been no authority to
preach it; no Apostles, no Prophets, no Revelators, no visions from
heaven, no inspiration from heaven; no voice of the Lord has been
heard among the nations during the long interval that has elapsed
since the putting to death of the ancient servants of God, and the
destruction of the ancient Christian Church. Joseph Smith came to this
generation testifying to the fulfillment of that which God predicted
in the Revelations of Saint John—the restoration of the Gospel. But
says John the Revelator, "when it is restored it shall be preached to
every nation, kindred, tongue and people."

Vol. 15,  p.46
Is there any prospect of this Gospel being thus extensively preached
among the inhabitants of the earth in this generation? We need not
refer you to the missions that have been taken by the Elders of this
Church. Their works speak for themselves. Behold this vast
congregation of people assembled here, and nearly all who inhabit this
Territory. Why are they here? Because the angel has brought the
everlasting Gospel, and because the servants of God have been
commissioned and sent forth with the sound of the Gospel among the
various nations and kingdoms of the earth; and because they have
succeeded in preaching it among vast numbers of people, and gathering
them out from the midst of the nations. But it has not yet gone to all
nations, kindreds, tongues and people; but wait a little longer, it
will shortly go, for just as sure as it has already been preached to
nearly all the nations of Christendom, so will it go to every other
people—heathen, Mahomedan, and every class, whether in Europe, Asia,
Africa, or the uttermost parts of [p.47] South America, the frozen
regions in the north, or the numerous islands in the great western and
eastern oceans. Every people must be warned that the great day of the
Lord is close at hand; every people must know that the Lord God has
spoken in these latter times; every people must know something
concerning the purposes of the Great Jehovah in fulfilling and
accomplishing the great preparatory work for the second advent of the
Son of God from the heavens. Here then is the fufilment of one
prophecy. Let us now come to another.

Vol. 15,  p.47
John, who saw this angel restore the everlasting Gospel to be preached
to all the nations, declares that another proclamation was closely
connected with the preaching of the Gospel. What was it? "The hour of
his judgment has come"—the eleventh hour, the last time that God will
warn the nations of the earth. "The hour of God's judgment has come,"
and that is the reason why the Gospel is to be so extensively preached
among all people, nations and tongues, because the Lord intends
through this warning to prepare them, if they will, to escape the hour
of his judgment, which must come upon all people who will refuse to
receive the divine message of the everlasting Gospel.

Vol. 15,  p.47
We will now pass on to another prophecy. Another angel followed. What
was his proclamation? Another angel followed, and he cried with a loud
voice, saying: "Babylon is fallen, is fallen. She has made all nations
drink of the wine of the Wrath of her fornication," &c. Spiritual
Babylon the Great, "the mother of harlots and abominations of the
earth." "Mystery Babylon"—that great power that has held sway over the
nations of the earth—that great ecclesiastical power which has ruled
over the consciences of the children of men, she is to fall and is to
be destroyed from the face of the earth. Will the righteous fall with
her? No. Why not? Because there is a way for their escape.

Vol. 15,  p.47
Now mark another prophecy. "I heard a great voice," says John, "from
heaven, saying, 'Come out of her, O my people!'" Out of where?
"Mystery Babylon, the Great"—out of this great confusion that exists
throughout all the nations and multitudes of Christendom. "Come out;
of her, O my people, that ye partake not of her sins, that ye receive
not of her plagues; for her sins have reached to the heavens, and God
hath remembered her iniquities!" Is this being fulfilled? Do you see
any indications of the people of God coming out from "Mystery Babylon
the Great?" Yes, for forty-two years, and upwards, God has commanded
his people, not by something devised by a congregation of divines, or
by human ingenuity, but by a voice from heaven which has been
published and printed, requiring all who receive the everlasting
Gospel to come out from the midst of great Babylon. One hundred
thousand Latter-day Saints, approximately speaking, now inherit these
mountain regions. They are here because of this prediction of John,
because of its being fulfilled, because of the voice that has come
from heaven—the proclamation of the Almighty for his people to flee
from amongst the nations of the earth. I need not say any more in
regard to this prophecy; it is in the Bible, and is being fulfilled
before the eyes of all people.

Vol. 15,  p.47
Let me refer now to another prophecy. Daniel the Prophet has told us
that in the latter days after the great image that was seen in dream
by Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, representing the various
[p.48] kingdoms of the world, should be destroyed, and those nations
should pass away and become like the chaff of the summer threshing
floor, the Lord would establish an everlasting Government here upon
the earth. The Lord God saw proper to reveal to his servant Daniel the
nature of this Government. He represented it as having a very small
beginning—as a stone cut out of the mountain without hands, which
stone should fail upon the feet of the image, and they should be
broken in pieces. After the destruction of the feet all the image
should fall—the legs of iron, the belly and thighs of brass, the
breast and arms of silver, the head of gold—representing the remnants
of all those ancient nations—the Babylonians, Medes and Persians, and
the Greeks; also the remnants of those that once constituted the great
Roman empire—those now in Europe and those of European origin which
have come across the great ocean and established themselves here on
the vast continent of the west, all, all were to be destroyed by the
force of this little kingdom to be established by the power of truth,
and by the authority that should characterize the nature of the stone
cut Out of the mountains. "In the days of these kings," says the
Prophet, "shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom that shall never be
destroyed, neither shall it be left to any other people, but it shall
stand for ever," etc. The Prophet Daniel uttered the prophecy; Joseph
Smith, by authority of the Almighty, fulfilled it, so far as the
organization or setting up of the kingdom was concerned.

Vol. 15,  p.48
Let me refer now to some other prophecies. I do not want to dwell long
upon any of them. We are told in the prophecies of Isaiah that before
the time of the second advent, when the glory of the Lord should be
revealed and all flesh should see it together, there should be a Zion
built up on the earth. The Prophet gives the following exhortation to
that Zion—"O Zion, thou that bringest good tidings, get thee up into
the high mountain." Here then is a prophecy that, in the latter days,
God would have a Zion on the earth before he should reveal himself
from heaven and manifest his glory to all people; and the people
called Zion are exhorted, in the 40th chapter of Isaiah, to get up
into the high mountain. Here we are in this great mountain region, in
a Territory called the mountain Territory. Here we are on the great
backbone, as it were, of the western hemisphere, located among the
valleys of this great ridge of mountains, which extends for thousands
of miles—from the frozen regions in the north, almost to the southern
extremity of South America. Here are the people called Zion, gone up
into the high mountain, according to the prediction of the Prophet
Isaiah. Isaiah uttered the prophecy; Joseph Smith also prophecied the
same thing, but died without seeing it fulfilled. His successor,
Brigham Young, lived to be the favored instrument in the hands of God,
of taking the people from those countries down in the States, those
countries upon the low elevations of our globe, and bringing them up
here into this vast moutain region. Thus the prophecy was uttered—thus
it has been fulfilled.

Vol. 15,  p.48
We will pass on to some other prophecies. In the eighteenth chapter of
the prophecies of Isaiah we have a prediction about a time when the
Lord should make a great destruction upon a certain portion of the
earth. The Prophet begins the chapter by saying, "woe to the land
shadowing with wings, which is beyond [p.49] the rivers of Ethiopia.
Recollect where the Prophet dwelt when he uttered this prophecy—in
Palestine, east of the Mediterranean Sea. Where was Ethiopia?
South-west from Palestine. Where was there a land located beyond the
rivers of Ethiopia. Every person acquainted with the geography of our
globe knows that this American continent was beyond the rivers of
Ethiopia from the land of Palestine, where the prophecy was uttered. A
woe was pronounced upon that land, and that woe is this: "For afore
the harvest, when the bud is perfect and the sour grape is ripening in
the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning-hooks, and
take away and cut down the branches. They shall be left together unto
the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth. And the
fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall
winter upon them." But first, before this destruction, there is a
remarkable prophecy. Says the Prophet: "All ye inhabitants of the
world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye when he lifteth up an ensign
on the mountains, and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye." From this
we learn that, before this great destruction, there is to be an ensign
lifted up on the mountains, and this, too, beyond the rivers of
Ethiopia, from Palestine. This is the reason why Zion in the latter
days goes up into the mountains, in order that an ensign might be
lifted up on the mountains. This prophecy was uttered some twenty-five
hundred years ago, and has been fulfilled before the eyes of the
people in our day.

Vol. 15,  p.49
But more in regard to this ensign; we find that it was not an ensign
to be lifted up in Palestine, for in the fifth chapter of his
prophecies, Isaiah, speaking of it says—"The Lord shall lift up an
ensign for the nations from afar." What does this mean? It means a
land far distant from where the Prophet Isaiah lived—the land of
Palestine. Now there is no land of magnitude or greatness that is far
off from Palestine that would answer the description of this prophecy
any better than this great western hemisphere; it is located almost on
the opposite side of the globe from Palestine. The Lord, then, was to
lift the ensign on a land that was far off from where the Prophet
lived; and that ensign, we are told, should be set up on the
mountains, and that, too, on a land shadowing with wings. When looking
on the map of North and South America it has oftentimes suggested to
my own mind the two wings of a great bird. No doubt the Prophet Isaiah
saw this great western continent in vision, and recognized the
resemblance to the wings of a bird in the general outline of the two
branches of the continent. On such a land, on the mountains afar off
from Palestine, an ensign was to be raised. But remember another thing
in connection with this ensign—See how extensive the proclamation was
to be—"All ye inhabitants of the world and dwellers on the earth, see
ye when he lifts up an ensign on the mountains." It was to be a work
that was to attract the attention of all people, unto the ends of the
world.

Vol. 15,  p.49
"But," enquires one, "what do you call an ensign?" Webster gives the
definition of an ensign or standard—"Something to which the people
gather; a notice for the people to assemble." In other words it is the
great standard of the Almighty—the great ensign that he is lifting up
in the shape of his Church and kingdom, on the mountains in the latter
days, with all the order and form of his ancient system of church
government, with its inspired Apostles [p.50] and Prophets and with
all the gifts, powers and blessings characterizing the Christian
Church in ancient days. That is an ensign that should attract the
people unto the very ends of the world.

Vol. 15,  p.50
With the establishment of this ensign God has not only restored the
Gospel, but the keys of gathering the people together and building up
Zion, and he has also restored other keys and blessings that were to
characterize the great and last dispensation of the fullness of times.
What are they? The same as predicted in the last chapter of the
prophecy of Malachi. That Prophet, speaking of the great day of
burning says, "Behold the day shall come that shall burn as an oven,
and all the proud and they that do wickedly shall become as stubble,
and the day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord of Hosts,
that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." This is something
that has never been fulfilled yet. But mark! Before the Lord burns all
the proud and those who do wickedly, he has told us be would send
Elijah the Prophet. He says, "Behold, I will send unto you Elijah the
Prophet, he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and
the hearts of the children to the fathers, lest I come and smite the
earth with a curse." Recollect, this is to be just before the day of
burning, before the great and notable day of the Lord should come.

Vol. 15,  p.50
Elijah, the Prophet, then, must come from heaven—that same man who was
translated in a chariot of fire, and who had such power while on the
earth that he could fight, as it were, all the enemies of Israel that
came against him; he could call down fire from heaven and consume the
fifties as they came by companies to take him. That same man was to be
sent in the last days, before the great and notable day of the Lord.
What for? To restore a very important principle—a principle which will
turn the hearts of the children to the fathers, and the hearts of the
fathers to the children. Has that Prophet been sent to the earth,
according to the prediction? Yes. When did he come, and to whom did he
come? He came to that despised young man, Joseph Smith. According to
the testimony of Joseph Smith, the Prophet Elijah stood before him, in
the presence of Oliver Cowdery, and gave them these keys. What is
included in this turning of the hearts of the children to the fathers
and the hearts of the fathers to the children? There is included in it
a principle for the salvation of the fathers that are dead, as well as
for the children who are living. You have heard, Latter-day Saints,
for years and years, that God has given keys, by which the living in
this Church might do, not only the works necessary for their own
salvation, but also certain works necessary to the salvation of their
ancestors as far back as they could obtain their genealogies. What can
be done by us for our fathers who have lived and died during the last
seventeen hundred years, without hearing the Gospel in its fullness
and power? Hundreds and thousands, and millions of them were sincere
and honest, and served the Lord the best they knew; but they lived in
the midst of apostate Christendom, and never heard the Gospel preached
by inspired men, neither had they the chance of having its ordinances
administered to them by men having authority from God. Must they be
shut out from the kingdom of God, and be deprived of the glory, joys
and blessings of celestial life because [p.51] of this? No, God is an
impartial being, and when he sent Elijah the Prophet to confer the
keys I have referred to upon Joseph Smith, he intended that this
people should work for the generations of the dead, as well as for the
generations of the living; that these ordinances which pertain to men
here in the flesh might be administered in their behalf by those of
their kindred living in this day and generation. In this way the
Latter-day Saints will be baptized and receive the various ordinances
of the Gospel of the Son of God for their forefathers, as far as they
can trace them; and when we have traced them as far back as we can
possibly go, the Lord God has promised that he will reveal our
ancestry back until it shall Connect with the ancient priesthood, so
that there will be no link wanting in the great chain of redemption.

Vol. 15,  p.51
Here then was a restoration in fulfillment of the prediction of
Malachi, and for this reason Temples are being built. The Temple, of
which the foundation is laid on this block, is intended for that
purpose among others. It is not intended for the assembling of vast
congregations of the Saints, but it is intended to be for the
administration of sacred and holy ordinances. There will be a font for
baptism, in its proper place, built according to the pattern that God
shall give unto his servants. It is intended that, in these sacred and
holy places, appointed, set apart and dedicated by the command of the
Almighty, genealogies shall be revealed, and that the living shall
officiate for the dead, that those who have not bad the opportunity
while in the flesh in past generations to obey the Gospel, might have
their friends now living, officiate for them. This does not destroy
their agency, for although they laid down their bodies and went to
their graves in a day of darkness, and they are now mingled with the
hosts of spirits in the eternal worlds, their agency still continues,
and that agency gives them power to believe in Jesus Christ there,
just as well as we can who are here. Those spirits on the other side
of the veil can repent just the same as we, in the flesh, can repent.
Faith in God and in his son Jesus Christ, and repentance are acts of
the mind—mental operations—but when it comes to baptism for the
remission of sins they cannot perform that, we act for them, that
having been ordained to be performed in the flesh. They can receive
the benefit of whatever is done for them here, and whatever the Lord
God commands his people here in the flesh to do for them will be
published to them there by those holding the everlasting Priesthood of
the Son of God. If, when the Gospel is preached to them there, they
will believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, they will receive the benefits
of the ordinances performed on their behalf here, and they will be
partakers, with their kindred, of all the blessings of the fullness of
the Gospel of the Son of God; but if they will not do this they will
be bound over in chains of darkness until the judgment of the great
day, when they will be judged according to men in the flesh. We are
here in the flesh, and the same Gospel that condemns the disobedient
and the sinner here, will, by the same law, condemn those who are on
the other side of the veil.

Vol. 15,  p.51
We have an account of baptism for the dead, as it was administered
among the ancient Saints. Paul refers to it in his epistle to the
Corinthians, to prove to them that the resurrection was a reality,
"else," says he, "what shall they do who are baptized for the dead? If
the [p.52] dead rise not at all, why then are they baptized for the
dead?" It was a strong argument that Paul brought forward, and one
that the Corinthians well understood. It was a practice among them to
be baptized for their dead, and Paul, knowing that they understood
this principle, uses an argument to show that the dead would have a
resurrection, and that baptism or immersion in water, a being buried
in and the coming forth out of the water, was a simile of the
resurrection from the dead. The same doctrine is taught in one of
Peter's epistles. About preaching to those who are dead, Peter says
that "Jesus was put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the
Spirit, by which also he went and preached to the spirits in prison,
which sometimes were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God
waited in the days of Noah while the ark was preparing?" Indeed! Jesus
himself go to the dead and preach to them? Yes. Go to the old
antediluvian spirits, and preach to them? Yes, preach to spirits who
had lain in prison over two thousand years, shut up and deprived of
entering into the fulness of the kingdom of God because of their
disobedience. Jesus went and preached to them. "What did he preach?"
He did not preach eternal damnation, for that would have been re use.
He did not go and say to them, "You ante-diluvian spirits, I have come
here to torment you." He did not declare that "I have opened your
prison doors to tell you there is no hope for you, your case is past
recovery, you must be damned to everlasting despair." This was not his
preaching. He went there to declare glad tidings. When he entered the
prison of those antediluvians, Peter says he preached the Gospel.
"For, for this cause was the Gospel preached to them that are dead,
that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, and live
according to God in the spirit." Yes, the inhabitants of the spirit
world—far more numerous than those in the flesh—must hear the glad
tidings of the Gospel of the Son of God, that all may be judged by the
same Gospel and the same law; and if they will receive it be blessed,
exalted from their prison house, and brought into the presence of the
Father and the Son, and inherit celestial glory.

Vol. 15,  p.52
This, therefore, is among the greatest of all the keys that God has
revealed in the last dispensation—the saving of the generations of the
dead, as well as the generations of the living, inasmuch as they will
repent. Shall we stop here? Perhaps I have spoken sufficiently long.
There are other principles, just as important in their nature, that
must be restored in the latter-days, but I have not time to dwell upon
them. I have reference now to the restoration of that eternal
principle—the marriage covenant, which once was on the earth in the
days of our first parents, the eternal union of husband and wife,
according to the law of God, in the first pattern of marriage that is
given to the children of men. That must also be restored, and
everything in its time and in its season must be restored, in order
that all things spoken of by the mouth of all the holy Prophets since
the world began may be fulfilled. But we will leave this subject for
some future time. There must, however, be a restoration of the eternal
covenant of marriage, and also of that order of marriage which existed
among the old Patriarchs, before the prophecies can be fulfilled,
wherein seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, "we will eat
our own bread, and wear our own apparel, only let us be called by thy
name to take away our [p.53] reproach." That must be restored, or the
prophecies of Isaiah never can be fulfilled. A great many other things
might be named which must be restored in the dispensation of the
fulness of times. It is a dispensation to restore all things, it is
the dispensation of the spirit and power of Elias or Elijah, "to seal
all things unto the end of all things" preparatory to the coming of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Vol. 15,  p.53
The wicked as well as the righteous will feel the power of these keys.
The wicked as well as the righteous must be sealed to that end for
which they have lived. The wicked, who have disobeyed the law of God,
must be sealed over unto darkness, until they have been punished and
beaten with many stripes, until the last resurrection, until the last
trump shall sound. But the righteous, in the flesh and behind the
veil, will come forth in the first resurrection, but prior to that
great event they will co-operate in their labors for the consummation
of the purposes of the Almighty so far as necessary to prepare the way
for the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to reign here,
personally, on the earth for the space of one thousand years. Amen.

Orson Pratt, December 18, 1870

Second Coming of Christ—Preparatory Work Thereto

Discourse By Elder Orson Pratt, Delivered in 
the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, December 18, 1870.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.53
I will read a few passages of Scripture, which will be found in the
50th Psalm—

Vol. 15,  p.53
"The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from
the rising of the sun to the going down thereof.

Vol. 15,  p.53
"Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.

Vol. 15,  p.53
"Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence a fire shall devour
before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.

Vol. 15,  p.53
"He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he
may judge his people.

Vol. 15,  p.53
"Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant
with me by sacrifice."

Vol. 15,  p.53
This congregation, the members of which are generally speaking Bible
believers, have no doubt in their minds but the ancient servants of
God were inspired by the gift of the Holy Ghost to utter many things
concerning the future, to deliver many predictions concerning events
which should take place among mankind down to the latest generations.
David, in a peculiar manner, was inspired, and composed his psalms by
the spirit of prophecy; he foresaw, by that spirit that knows all
things, some of the grand events of the future, pertaining to the
inhabitants of this world, and the [p.54] purposes of God in relation
to this creation. These passages which I have read have reference to
some of these great events, a portion of which have already, in a
measure, been fulfilled; but the greater portion remains yet to be
accomplished. "The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken," has
literally been fulfilled so far as this present generation is
concerned. It has been fulfilled also in relation to past generations;
but it is very evident from the meaning of the context, that the
speaking of the Lord here referred to was a work of latter times when
God should again speak to the inhabitants of the earth; when he should
again call upon all people, far and near, "from the rising of the
sun," as he expresses here, "to the going down thereof." To show more
fully that this was a latter-day work, he speaks or predicts that the
"Lord our God shall come and not keep silence." This bad no reference
to his first coming; for though he did then come and utter forth his
doctrine and did not keep silence, yet you will see by reading a
little further, that the Psalmist had reference to another coming of
the Son of God, very different in its character from his first advent.
"Our God shall come and shall not keep silence." Now mark, in an
especial manner, the following sentence, and you will see that it has
no reference to his first coming—"A fire shall devour before him, and
it shall be very tempestuous round about him." This was not a
characteristic of his first coming; there was nothing specially
connected with that event that would excite the attention of mankind
generally. He came in a very meek and humble manner; his birth and
advent into this world were in the most humble position. Born, as it
were, in a stable, laid down in a manger. Not born in king's
palace—not born among the great and noble, but in a very obscure
manner. He grew up from infancy to manhood engaged in the carpenter's
business. Some thirty years of his life were spent at home with his
reputed father, and with his mother Mary, dwelling comparatively in
obscurity, occasionally breaking forth and arguing with the wise and
the great. Nothing characterizing him as the Great Creator of this
world, or as its Redeemer, only to those who were well acquainted with
the predictions of the Prophets. But this last coming, or the coming
here spoken of by the Psalmist, represents him as coming with power—"A
fire shall devour before him and it shall be very tempestuous round
about him. He shall call to the heavens from above," says the next
passage, "and to the earth from beneath." What object had he in view,
in calling upon the heavens above and upon the earth beneath? What end
had he in view in again speaking and breaking the silence of ages, and
in giving a revelation to the heavens and then to the earth? It was in
order to bring about a preparatory work before the face of his coming
the second time, when he should come in flaming fire. A preparation
was needed, and this preparation is mentioned in part in the last
verse which I read, which declares that he should call to the heavens
from above and to the earth from beneath.

Vol. 15,  p.54
He gives us some insight into the nature of that call. His call to his
servants was, "Gather ye my Saints together unto me, they that have
made a covenant with me by sacrifice."

Vol. 15,  p.54
This seems, then, to be a work preparatory to the coming of the Lord
in flaming fire. The nature of the fire that will be exhibited at his
[p.55] second coming in the clouds of heaven will be such that it will
consume the wicked ann ungodly, and those who repent not and who do
not sanctify themselves before the Lord. Our God in that day will be a
consuming fire; the intensity of this fire will be so great that the
very hills, the Psalmist David informs us in another place, "will melt
like wax before his presence." The Prophet Isaiah, in speaking of the
fire or heat that would accompany the second advent of the Son of God,
declares that the mountains shall flow down at his presence. The
elements that now constitute these rugged mountains which we see here
on this continent and in all parts of the earth where we travel will
melt with fervent heat, and will flow down before the presence of the
Lord. The brightness of this fire will be greater than that of the sun
in its glory. I mean our temporal, literal sun, from which we receive
light and heat, as you will find recorded in the last verse of the
24th chapter of Isaiah, which says that "when the Lord of Hosts shall
come to reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients
gloriously, the sun shall hide his face in shame and the moon shall be
confounded." With all the brightness of that luminary which lights
this creation it will hide its face in shame; and the bright
luminaries of heaven will be confounded as it were, so great will be
the glory of his presence—a fire devouring before him, and all nature
feeling the power of the Almighty, which will be exerted on that grand
occasion.

Vol. 15,  p.55
Will the wicked be able to endure this intense heat and not be
consumed? I now have reference to their physical tabernacles, their
temporal bodies. Hear what prophecy has declared in relation to this.
Read the last chapter contained in the Old Testament; that will answer
the question.

Vol. 15,  p.55
"For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the
proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day
that cometh shall burn them up, saith the, Lord of Hosts, that it
shall leave them neither root nor branch."

Vol. 15,  p.55
Notice, now, how completely it will sweep the proud and those who do
wickedly from the face of this creation. The fire that proceeds forth
from the presence of God at his second coming shall burn as an oven,
and shall not only affect the mountains and the elements so as to melt
them, but it will also consume the proud and them that do wickedly
from the face of the globe. What effect will this intense heat have
upon the righteous? No more than the heated furnace of Nebuchadnezzar
had upon the Hebrews who were cast therein; and though it was heated
seven times hotter than it was wont to be heated and slew those who
east their fellows into it, yet they who were thrown into it received
no harm, not even the smell of fire on their garments. They were
protected by a miracle, and the fire that slew their enemies was their
preservation. So likewise when the Son of God shall burn up the wicked
and consume their bodies to ashes, both root and branch, leaving no
remnants of them among all people, nations and tongues, the righteous
will be prepared to enter into the midst of this flaming fire without
receiving any harm; indeed they will be caught up into the very
presence of God, and they will be surrounded with a pillar of fire as
Moses was when he came down from Mount Sinai, only to a far greater
extent; but it will have no power over them, in fact it will be their
protection and salvation, their glory, happiness and joy.[p.56] 

Vol. 15,  p.56
To prepare the people for that great day it is necessary that the
Saints should be gathered together, as predicted in the 5th verse,
when he should give this great and grand revelation in the last days,
when the mighty God, even the Lord, shall speak. He will call to the
heavens to assist in the great latter-day work; and all the angels and
the heavenly host, who do his bidding, will go forth as swift
messengers to execute his decrees and fulfil his purposes in bringing
about this grand gathering of his elect from the four quarters of the
earth. Who will they be? Those who have made a covenant with him by
sacrifice. What kind of a sacrifice? The sacrifice of every earthly
thing required, their native countries, their fathers and mothers, for
in many instances these who obey the Gospel are compelled to sever the
nearest earthly ties—parents from their children, children from their
parents and kindred from their kin, in order that they may come forth
and be gathered into one grand body preparatory to the coming of the
Son of God in flaming fire.

Vol. 15,  p.56
There are many people who have believed that the coming of our Lord
was near at hand. We might refer to many persons by name who have even
set times for his coming—certain particular days, months and years in
which the Lord would be revealed from heaven. But they have entirely
overlooked the prophecies of the great preparatory work for his
coming. If they had read closely, and instead of studying for dates
had carefully looked for the great purposes to be fulfilled before he
comes they would have known that their predictions were false. There
is to be a grand gathering of all his people from the four quarters of
the earth into one body, one family as it were; one people
consolidated in one region of country, before he shall come.

Vol. 15,  p.56
Let me refer to this great gathering of the Saints from every land and
nation; we find it predicted in various portions of the prophetic
writings. I will first refer you to the prediction recorded, if I
recollect aright, in the 43d chapter of Isaiah. There is a prediction
that before the great day of rest the Lord will again speak and will
say to the north give up, to the south keep not back! Bring my sons
from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—the same thing
that David has reference to.

Vol. 15,  p.56
This is not a work to be accomplished by the wisdom of man or by a
combination of the wisest men that are uninspired, among the nations;
but the Lord is to speak, and will say to the north give up. A new
revelation is to be given: he will say to the south keep not back, and
he will command that his sons and his daughters be brought from the
ends of the earth.

Vol. 15,  p.56
Has any such thing happened in our days? Has the mighty God, even the
Lord, spoken in our days? Yes, and connected with this proclamation we
are informed that the elect of God are to be gathered from the four
winds of heaven; and we have been called upon to perform this work.
How much have we accomplished during the forty years that have
intervened since the Lord spoke? In the year 1827, '28, '29 and '30
the Lord spoke and gave many revelations, among which was this record
called the Book of Mormon, unfolding to us not only the everlasting
Gospel in all its plainness, simplicity and ancient purity, as it was
taught to the inhabitants of this continent eighteen hundred years
ago; but also many sacred predictions relating to the great work which
God would accomplish when [p.57] he should bring this record forth in
the latter days. This book was translated by a mighty Prophet who was
inspired of God for the purpose; and since it came forth—in the short
space of forty years—it has been published in many of the languages of
the earth. It has gone forth in the German, Italian, French, Welsh and
Scandinavian languages, and also in the tongue spoken by the Sandwich
Islanders; and it has been proclaimed, as it were, on the housetops,
in the streets and highways, upon the hills and mountains and in all
public places, so far as the Missionaries and Elders of this Church
could find access and liberty to proclaim it; and wherever the people
have repented and turned from their sins and have desired to receive
the everlasting Gospel, they have continued to gather together in one.
This gathering has been going on for nearly forty years, until the
effects can now be seen in this Territory, by any person who will
travel through it in the towns and cities which have been built, the
settlements which have been formed, the meeting-houses and
school-houses and public halls that have been erected; and in the
fencing of farms, and the opening of water canals and ditches for
irrigating the soil. I say those who will travel through this
Territory may see some of the effects of the gathering out of the
Saints who hay made a covenant with the Lord by sacrifice. If we had
gathered together into a country that was well timbered, where we
could go out and get a lead of fence poles or firewood before
breakfast; if we had settled in a country that was not, comparatively
a desert, and that was blessed with the rains of heaven, we could no
doubt have accomplished far more than we now see. But the Lord
purposely led us into this desert to fulfil prophecy. A great many
people, perhaps, reflect upon and wonder at our coming into a sterile,
barren district of country, inhabited by hostile savages, and which,
to all natural appearance, would not sustain a farming or agricultural
population. But the Lord brought us into a country of this description
in order that he might fulfil prophecies that must come to pass before
"our God shall come in flaming fire."

Vol. 15,  p.57
In proof of this let me refer you to the nature of the country, the
redemption of the desert and so forth, that is to take place before
the Lord comes. I will refer you now to some of the sayings of the
Prophet Isaiah. In the last two verses of his 34th chapter he says:

Vol. 15,  p.57
"Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read; no one of these shall
fail, none shall want her mate; for my mouth it hath commanded, and
his spirit it hath gathered them.

Vol. 15,  p.57
"And he hath cast the lot for them, and his hand hath divided it unto
them by line; they shall possess it for ever, from generation to
generation shall they dwell therein."

Vol. 15,  p.57
In the 35th chapter, first and second verses, you will find these
words:

Vol. 15,  p.57
"The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the
desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.

Vol. 15,  p.57
"It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing;
the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel
and Sharon; they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency
of our God."

Vol. 15,  p.57
Notice now that the Lord, by his Spirit, is to have a great gathering
in the latter days of his people, and we are advised to seek out of
the book of the Lord and learn of this gathering, and how his Saints
should inhabit the land. It should be divided unto them by lot, the
same as marry people received their inheritances when they came into
this desert. They cast lots, and drew their lots and inheritances.
"And the wilderness and the solitary places shall be glad for them."
If you can find a country that answers better [p.58] the description
here given anywhere in the four quarters of the earth, I should like
to know it. When we came here, the country to all natural appearance
was so barren that it seemed impossible to locate a people upon it.
But you see what we have accomplished. Not by our own wisdom nor by
our own strength, but by being gathered by the voice of the Lord and
by his commandment, and being guided and directed by the spirit of
inspiration.

Vol. 15,  p.58
After we are gathered, the desert is to rejoice and blossom as the
rose. How often I have thought of this in the spring time, when all of
this city, covering some four, or perhaps five square miles with
orchards and gardens, is in bloom! Then is the time to realize how
literally this prophecy has been fulfilled. Every one knows that
fruitful as it now is, when we came here it was called a desert. If
you do not believe me, go to the old maps, and you will find this
section of the country laid down as "The Great American Desert." That
is the name that was given to it then. People, when banded together in
a numerous company, and well armed would hardly venture to pass
through this desert country, it was so unpropitious and forbidding,
the rains of heaven never having been, apparently, shed forth upon it.
When we came we could dig down some eighteen inches or two feet, and
in other places there was no moisture at all, and it looked as though
there never had been any rain here. But "the wilderness and the
solitary place shall be made glad for them, and the desert shall
blossom abundantly, ever with joy and singing."

Vol. 15,  p.58
"But," says one, "perhaps this had reference to some other period and
not to the preparatory work for the coming of the Lord." Let us read a
few verses further in this 35th chapter of Isaiah's prophecies. The
third and fourth verses read:

Vol. 15,  p.58
"Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.

Vol. 15,  p.58
"Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not; behold,
your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will
come and save you."

Vol. 15,  p.58
Now notice, this is not the first coming. He did not come with
vengeance then; he came to be spit upon, to be meek and lowly, to be
ridiculed by the mob if they felt disposed, and finally to be lifted
up upon the cross and crucified for the sins of the world. But the
people who are to be gathered together, and for whom the desert is to
rejoice, are called upon not to fear—"Don't be faint-hearted, don't be
discouraged." Says the Prophet, "Be strong, fear not, for behold your
God will come with vengeance; he will come with a recompence and he
will save you," that is, you who are in the desert. Then there will be
splendid miracles wrought again, as in ancient days. Then the eyes of
the blind are to be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be
unstopped; then "shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of
the dumb shall sing, for in the wilderness shall waters break out and
streams in the desert."

Vol. 15,  p.58
Latter-day Saints, and what I ask of you I might ask of the whole
people of the Territory, have you seen a fulfilment of this saying of
the Prophet Isaiah since you have been located here in the desert? Has
there been any such things as springs breaking out in the wilderness
and rivulets of water in the desert? Yes, not in one or two isolated
instances, but in almost every settlement throughout this Territory.
Many places in which, in early days, there was not water enough for a
settlement, of twenty individuals, now support their hundreds. In what
way? By the great increase of water. How [p.59] was Salt Lake when we
first came here? We, that is, a few of the Pioneers, went over in July
1847, to the banks of Salt Lake, to what is called the Black Rock.
Some of us went in bathing, and we could walk out to Black Rock, and
look down on the water on each side. But how is it now? The waters are
some ten feet above that land that we trod upon then. What is the
matter? Ought not the waters of the Lake to have decreased, seeing
that the waters of the various streams that, before our arrival,
emptied their contents into it, are turned broadcast over thousands
and tens of thousands of acres of land? Certainly one would think so,
for when all this water is turned on the land it evaporates instead of
going to increase the volume of the Great Salt Lake; but instead of
diminishing, the waters of the Lake have risen some ten or twelve feet
above the surface as it existed in 1847, when I first saw it. Hence
streams have broken out in the desert, and waters in the wilderness,
as it is prophecied, not only in this chapter, but also in various
portions of the Psalms.

Vol. 15,  p.59
When speaking of the great day of the coming of the Lord, how often do
Isaiah and David speak of the desert, and the waters, rivers and
springs that should break out to water the barren, thirsty land! "The
parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of
water."

Vol. 15,  p.59
We might go on and speak about the highway that the Lord would have
there, that has also been thrown up since we came here. It is even
called a highway by the world, that know nothing of these prophecies.
I believe I will say, as I pass along, something about the highway,
for the same Prophet that predicts about this alteration in the
desert, also says there shall be a highway there. Let me refer to
another prophecy about this highway, by the same Prophet. It reads
thus: "And the Lord shall proclaim to the ends of the world, say ye to
the daughter of Zion, beheld thy salvation cometh; behold his reward
is with him and his work before him." But in the sentence preceding
this the Prophet says: "Cast up, cast up a highway, gather out the
stones, prepare ye the way of the people, lift up a standard for the
people." Then come in the words I have quoted. How was the great
highway that crosses this continent constructed? You ought to know,
for you were the ones who constructed it through these mountains; you
were the ones who built some four hundred miles of this railroad, you
therefore know how it was done. Did you gather out the stones? Did you
prepare the level places for this great highway that the Prophet had
predicted? Did you cast it up where there were hollows? Did you fill
up the hollows and gather out the stones in order to make it level and
convenient? O, yes. Did you make any tunnels and gateways? I don't
suppose that the ancient Prophet knew what a tunnel was, hence he
says, "go through, go through the gates, cast up, cast up a highway."
No doubt he saw in vision how the railroad looked, saw the carriages
driving along with almost lightning speed, darting into the mountains
on one side, and by and by saw them coming out on the other side; and
he did not know how to represent it any better than to speak of it as
a gate—"go through, go through the gates," &c. "Prepare ye the way of
the people, cast up, cast up a highway, and lift up a standard for the
people;" and then come in those notable words, showing that it was a
highway to be cast up before the coming of the Son of God. "The [p.60]
Lord has proclaimed to the ends of the world, say ye to the daughters
of Zion, behold thy salvation cometh, behold his reward is with him
and his work before him."

Vol. 15,  p.60
Don't you see from these passages that this is a latter-day work? That
there is a proclamation connected with the casting up of this highway?
And that it is a proclamation which has reference to every nation,
kindred, tongue and people? God was to speak, deliver a message, send
forth his servants as missionaries; they were to publish that message
to the ends of the world, and to declare to all people that the Lord
Was to come, "behold thy salvation cometh, and his reward is with him,
and his work is before him." The Prophet further says "They shall call
them," for whom this highway was built that their way might be
prepared, and for whom a standard should be raised, "the redeemed of
the Lord, a holy people; they shall be called, sought out, a city not
forsaken," Oh, how different from old Jerusalem, a city that has been
forsaken! It is almost two thousand years since the Lord forsook it,
and the Jews have been forsaken, and scattered among all people.

Vol. 15,  p.60
But when the Lord lifts up this highway, gathers out the stones, sends
forth his proclamation and gathers out his Saints who have made a
covenant by sacrifice, they will build a city, one that shall be
sought out. Old Jerusalem was not sought out; it was built before the
Jews went to inhabit it. It was one of the early cities of the ancient
nations of Canaan. But this latter-day city, that is called Zion, is
to be sought out, and the people that were to search it out were to be
a very good people. "They shall call them the Redeemed of the Lord;
they shall be called, sought out, a city not forsaken."

Vol. 15,  p.60
Now, with all the difficulties we have encountered here, and with all
the imaginations of our enemies in regard to us, I humbly trust and
hope that the time has come for this prophecy to be literally
fulfilled; when this city of the Lord, which is built up according to
this prophecy will not be forsaken. I hope that the Lord our God will
protect his people and guarantee to them the rights already guaranteed
by the Constitution of our Country to every religious denomination in
the land.

Vol. 15,  p.60
There are some other prophecies about the gathering of the Saints. I
think I will read one that has reference to our coming to this place.
You will find it in the 107th Psalm, and it is very applicable to the
journey which we performed when we came here.

Vol. 15,  p.60
"O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endureth
for ever. 

Vol. 15,  p.60
"Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He hath redeemed from the
hand of the enemy;

Vol. 15,  p.60
"And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west,
from the north, and from the south.

Vol. 15,  p.60
"They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city
to dwell in.

Vol. 15,  p.60
"Hungry and thirsty their soul fainted in them.

Vol. 15,  p.60
"Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them
out of their distresses.

Vol. 15,  p.60
"And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city
of habitation.

Vol. 15,  p.60
"Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His
wonderful works to the children of men."

Vol. 15,  p.60
This has been fulfilled since the day that David uttered it. "Let the
redeemed of the Lord say so!" What redeemed of the Lord? Not those who
were gathered out of the land of Egypt before the days of David, but
those who are gathered out of all lands, says the Prophet, "'from the
East and from the West, [p.61] and from the North and from the South."
From the four points of the compass, from every nation and every
clime. "Let them praise the Lord and give thanks to his holy name,
because of his mercy and his goodness to them." They were not to find
it at first all to their satisfaction; their journey was to be in a
solitary way; they were to find no city to dwell in. I can bear
testimony to this, for I was among the pioneers, and when we came here
we didn't find any great city, with houses already built to go into.
We had to live in our wagons, and had to build a little fort to defend
ourselves against the half-naked Indians. And thus we located in the
midst of a dried-up and thirsty land—a desert; and here in this
region, where the solitude was so great that it was only broken by the
yells of savages and the howling of wild beasts, we had to go to Work
to prepare a city for habitation. We had some afflictions—hunger and
thirst; "and their souls fainted within them," says David, "but they
cried unto the Lord in their afflictions, and he had mercy upon them
and delivered them out of their distresses."

Vol. 15,  p.61
In the 31st and 32d verses the Psalmist says—

Vol. 15,  p.61
"Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his
wonderful works to the children of men!"

Vol. 15,  p.61
"Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise
him in the assembly of the Elders."

Vol. 15,  p.61
Why should they be so glad to praise him? He tells us in the next
verses—

Vol. 15,  p.61
"He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the water springs into dry
ground."

Vol. 15,  p.61
"A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that
dwell therein."

Vol. 15,  p.61
This has reference to what will take place in the fruitful lands of
the Gentiles by and by; but he is going to reverse this so far as his
people in the desert are concerned, for he turns the wilderness into
standing water, and the dry ground into water springs; and "there he
makes the hungry to dwell that they may prepare a city for
habitations." Just as you did, brethren and sisters. "'And sow the
fields and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. He
blesseth them also so that they are multiplied greatly, and suffereth
not their cattle to decrease."

Vol. 15,  p.61
Has this been fulfilled? I have been away a great many years, and I do
not know so much about it as some of these old farmers; but I think if
we will traverse this Territory, we will find that our cattle have not
decreased since we came here.

Vol. 15,  p.61
There is another prophecy in this Psalm to which I will call your
attention, connected with this people that was to be gathered out from
all lands into a wilderness and solitary place. The Prophet says—"Yet
setteth he the poor on high from affliction and maketh him families
like a flock." Now, is that true? I would ask some of my brethren
here, as I have been gone so much, Is there any man here who has
families like a flock? If you have, you are fulfilling this prophecy
of the Psalmist. I think I heard of and saw in my travels in the
Territory quite a number of such men, quite poor men, just such men as
David refers to. What wonderful things take place in the last days, in
order to fulfil prophecy! "The righteous shall see it and rejoice, and
all iniquity shall stop her mouth." This latter clause has yet to be
fulfilled, it has not yet come to pass. "Whoso is wise, and will
observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness
of the Lord." Amen.[p.62] 

Brigham Young, June 9, 1872

Continued Teaching Necessary—Ignorance of Professors 
of Modern Christianity—Prayer, Etc.

Remarks By President Brigham Young, Delivered 
in the Bowery, Brigham City, June 9, 1872.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.62
If I can speak so as to be heard, I will talk to the brethren and
sisters a few minutes. It requires stillness and close attention to
hear those who speak in this bowery. A great deal has been said with
regard to the salvation of the human family. I might say that more
should be done, then we could talk less. Of necessity, through the
weakness of human nature, a great deal has to be said; but if the
people could understand the principles of life and salvation, and
would act accordingly, it would require a great deal less talking.
Words are wind, they go into the ear and are forgotten; still there is
a certain portion that will be retained by a few, and they will be
profited thereby. The work in which we are engaged is not magnified in
the least by talking about it; it is only in the weak capacity of man
that these principles become exalted through the hearing of the ear.
The principles we preach are the gospel of life and salvation; and we
have entered into covenant with God to observe the rules, ordinances
and laws pertaining to this life and salvation. The question arises,
Do we perform this labor, in keeping the sayings of the Lord as
strictly as we should? No, we do not.

Vol. 15,  p.62
Suppose that we name a few of the rules and regulations by which we
are to live. If I attempt to classify them, perhaps I shall get them
imperfectly in the science of the law of God. But first, to me, after
hearing and believing that there is such a character as the Savior of
mankind, who has acted his part well and performed his duty in
purchasing redemption for the human family, and is now pleading for
his brethren, I at once inquired what he requires of me. This is the
inquiry of my reflections, and I learn that faith is the starting
point. If I believe sincerely and honestly, I must obey, and the next
step in the plan of salvation, as laid down by Jesus and his
disciples, is for me to be baptized for the remission of my sins. To
the Christian world, to the heathen world and the infidel world, we
can say that all things are spiritual, all things are temporal, all
things are natural; all things are natural, all things are temporal,
all things are spiritual; and there is not that being on the earth,
and never was, that I have any knowledge of, that can divide them. But
in the act, and in the performance of the duty of those who believe in
this plan of salvation, we can define our faith in our secret closet
by exercising faith in the name of Jesus, and seeking unto the Father
secretly in our hearts. Here we find a difference and a distinction
[p.63] between this and the actual performance of rising up from my
seat, going down into the water and being baptized for the remission
of my sins. Still the work is the same, consequently it is spiritual,
it is temporal, it is natural; it is natural, it is temporal, it is
spiritual.

Vol. 15,  p.63
Well, now, this is the work that we have before us; not that I am
going to have time to preach on these points, or delineate them to any
length; but these are the facts. If we believe, we obey, we are
baptized for the remission of our sins, which is the commencement of
the labor, the outward performance and manifestation of obedience to
God, through faith in the name of his son Jesus Christ. Then comes the
blessing by the imposition of hands upon the head of the individual
who has received baptism for the remission of sins, and he receives
the Holy Ghost. This is the blessing and the consolation of believing
in the truth; and this stimulates the individual to still exercise
faith and to continue in obedience to the commandments of the Lord, to
pray always, without ceasing, and in everything to give thanks; his
heart uplifted to God, day by day, from morning until evening, and
from evening until morning, for the blessings of heaven to be with
him, for his feet to be guided in the path of rectitude, and that he
may be preserved from speaking, thinking, and doing in anywise, that
which is wrong. This is simple and plain, and can be understood by all
classes of the children of men who are endowed with the common sense
and ability that are given to man.

Vol. 15,  p.63
The duty of the Latter-day Saints is to pray without ceasing, and in
everything to give thanks, to acknowledge the hand of the Lord in all
things, and to be subject to his requirements. We, as Latter-day
Saints, can say that our duty is laid before us. We can read it, not
only in the faith and feelings of the individuals of the community;
but it is actually printed, it lies upon the pages of our history, and
we can read at our pleasure. We meet together for the express purpose
of having somebody or other tell us that which we know and have known
all the time. We have read it over and over; we have thought of it and
meditated upon it, yet we meet together and hear our brethren speak to
force these things into the affections of the people; and if we can
persuade them to hearken to every requirement of heaven, then we are
not under the necessity of talking so much. We are freed from this
task and toil.

Vol. 15,  p.63
What is our duty? To pray. Pray always? Yes. To pray in our families?
Yes. Let no man be in a hurry, but what he can get up in a morning and
pray with his family before he permits himself to partake of
refreshment. Let every man and every woman call upon the name of the
Lord, and that too, from a pure heart, while they are at work as well
as in their closet; while they are in public as well as while they are
in private, asking the Father in the name of Jesus, to bless them, and
to preserve and guide in, and to teach them, the way of life and
salvation, and to enable them so to live that they will obtain this
eternal salvation that we are after.

Vol. 15,  p.63
Now, besides being our duty to pray, it is our duty to live in peace
one with another. It is also our duty to love the Gospel and the
spirit of the Gospel, so that we can become one in the Lord, not out
of him, that our faith, our affections for the truth, the kingdom of
heaven, our acts, all our labor will be concentrated in the salvation
of the children [p.64] of men, and the establishment of the kingdom of
God on the earth. This is co-operation on a very large scale. This is
the work of redemption that is entered into by the Latter-day Saints.
Unitedly we perform these duties, we stand, we endure, we increase and
multiply, we strengthen and spread abroad, and shall continue so to do
until the kingdoms of this world are the kingdoms of our God and his
Christ.

Vol. 15,  p.64
We can read that these are our duties in the Bible, Book of Mormon,
Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other sayings that we have
from the Elders, which are just as true as any in these three books;
and all combined are a way-mark pointing us to life and salvation, and
we can read for ourselves.

Vol. 15,  p.64
We might say, if one man has a difficulty with another, let him, in
the first place, go to him privately and talk with him, and see if he
will be reconciled, or take another, and so on. We can say of a truth,
that if there be hard feelings in the midst of the Saints, they should
be eradicated from our bosoms by taking the proper course to enjoy the
Spirit of the Lord instead of the spirit of animosity and strife. All
these things you can define and enlarge upon at your leisure. It is
our duty to observe our sacraments, to observe our fast-days and
offerings; it is our duty to observe our tithings and to pay them.
There is a great deal said by our enemies with regard to the members
of this Church paying tithing. We are as free from taxation as any
other church on the earth, right or wrong, true or untrue, and we pay
as little as any other people, and if my tithing is required let it be
paid. That is the way to get rich. We have entered upon a great system
of co-operation for the building up of the kingdom of God, and, when
it is built up, it is ours, we own it. If we are Saints of God, and
sanctify ourselves through his Gospel, then we shall be worthy to
possess all things. The kingdoms of this world will be ours, all will
be ours, the heavens and the earth, and the fulness thereof will be
ours, and we are the Lord's, we are his servants, and we possess all
things in common with him. That word "all," perhaps, conveys too much
to the minds of some; but that is no matter. With regard to the
Latter-day Saints, in the performance of their duties, we could tell
them what to do to be saved. The path is as clear and plain as this
highway is here for the travel of teams and the people. But when we
inquire about the character of our Father, there are some things
connected therewith that men do not understand, neither should they
understand them. It is not in accordance with the mind and will of him
we worship as our God, that the inhabitants of the earth, in their
weak and wicked capacity, and in ignorance, should understand them. It
was mentioned here yesterday, and is frequently mentioned by myself
and others, that those who profess Christianity are in the dark, and
why? They mystify everything; they read the Bible as a sealed book,
and they believe it when it is closed and laid upon the shelf. They do
not know how to read it any other way, they do not know how to believe
it any other way, and it is right and reasonable that they should not;
but as for detailing the reasons why this is so, we have not time.
Suffice it, to say, all things are done in the wisdom of him who knows
all things. It is not right, I will say, for people to know the truth
and live in disobedience to it; it is not right for them to understand
the ways and providences of God as they are dealt [p.65] out to the
people on the earth, when they live and are determined to live in
violation of every commandment and law of God; and because they do so
live, ignorance covers them as with a mantle, shuts out the light of
truth from them, and keeps them in darkness; and if the light were to
shine upon them, as it does now and as it did in the days of the
Apostles, would they receive it? No they would not. Light has come
into the world, but the wicked choose darkness rather than light? Why?
It was told in days of old that their deeds were evil. That is the
fact to-day—"they choose darkness rather than light, because their
deeds are evil," and their hearts are fully set in them to do evil;
and here I might venture to say to all the inhabitants of the earth,
high and low, rich and poor, to the king upon his throne and to the
beggar in the street, if they had the truth and loved it they would
rejoice in it. But they will not receive it. Is not this lamentable?
It is; but we can not help it. We can declare the truth to the people,
but we can not force them to receive it. If the inhabitants of the
earth were honest, they would receive the truth; and there is not a
man or woman now living on the earth, or ever did live on it, who
would speak, write, think or act against the Gospel of life and
salvation as they do, were they not in darkness; but they are kept in
ignorance through their own wickedness and unbelief, and they nourish
and cherish the spirit of evil, and that prompts them to reject the
words of life. We can say this to all the human family; but to the
Latter-day Saints, you believe, now obey; and if we obey, all will be
right, and we shall gain the salvation that we are after.

Vol. 15,  p.65
I am happy, brethren, for the privilege of being in your midst. I
frequently shake hands with my brethren and sisters, and they rejoice,
they congratulate me on my freedom. I have been free. I do not feel,
and have not felt, that I was bound in the least. The question can be
asked, Were you not a prisoner for some five months through the
indiscreet, unmanly, inhuman, disloyal and rebellious decision and
doings of our officials? It seemed so; it had the appearance that I
was confined, and had not my liberty, through the ill-treatment,
mistaken ideas, selfishness and prejudice of the ungodly. But I did
not feel that I was in prison, or that I was confined. I will say to
the Latter-day Saints, my heart has rejoiced for the privilege of
resting. I have rejoiced for the privilege, as it was observed here,
by Elder Hyde, yesterday, of entering into my closet, that is, I
entered into my closet just as he did into his. He kept himself where
he had a mind to, and I did the same. We entered his closet, and I
into mine, or into my house, and there I abode, and continued to
abide, for a time, and was thankful for the privilege. Now I have the
privilege of going here and there without having anyone to accompany
me only those I invite. I was very happy for the privilege of being
quiet, still and retired in my own house last winter. My companion,
not my sleeping companion, but my companion in tribulation and
confinement, for the gentleman who was with me, I really think was, in
his feelings, confined more than I, a great deal, and felt so, would
urge me to ride, or to go to this party or that, or to the theater. I
kindly declined and thanked him for his kindness in offering to
accompany me; and I would say, "You go and enjoy yourself, and I will
stay here," and I got him to go occasionally.

Vol. 15,  p.66
I say this with regard to myself,[p.66] that you may know my own
feelings. But I can say still more—the Lord Almighty has guided and
directed the ship of state in our behalf and for the deliverance and
protection of the innocent and the honest. Victory has perched on
Zion's banner. We have obtained that that we could not have obtained
had it not been for the persecuting spirit that has followed on the
heels of the Latter-day Saints within the two years that are past. How
could we, without this very conduct of our enemies, have ever
approached the highest tribunal in this government to have it give its
decision with regard to right and wrong, law, legality, that that is
equitable and according to the spirit of our government, and that
which is contrary thereto? How could we have approached that body? How
could we have had our cause before it, had it not been for the acts of
our enemies, with which they designed to bring us to death? for there
is no question that, in their own feelings, the knot was tied around
the neck of your humble servant, and he hung dangling in the air. But
God designed this for good, for the deliverance of the humble and the
meek. What have we to say? We acknowledge his hand in these things as
well as everything else, and say, God be praised!

Vol. 15,  p.66
I will not occupy more time, I want others to talk. I will close by
saying a few things to you with regard to your duties. Attend to your
meetings, attend to your prayers; attend to your daily labor. Be
honest and upright with one another; be punctual, keep your word,
preserve yourselves inviolate in all things. Be chaste, preserve your
faith before God, do not demoralize or prostitute yourselves, and all
will be right. I can say that when a man comes along and turns his
cattle into his neighbor's field without liberty, he prostitutes his
own feelings—his virtue, truthfulness, honesty and uprightness before
God and angels. If we will preserve ourselves in purity, in the
integrity of our hearts, it will be well with us.

Vol. 15,  p.66
We have quite a number of the people present from the settlements of
this county generally, and from Cache Valley. I see you have a little
railroad here, and the people are building it. I am thankful to see
this enterprise. Go ahead, brethren, build this road and own it, and
do what you please with it. It will be a fine piece of improvement; it
will open up this northern country, and give you facilities that you
could not otherwise enjoy here. How beautiful that is! How
comfortable, yes, that is the word—how comfortable and easy it is for
me to get into a coach, or a good carriage, and run over this
railroad, from Salt Lake City to this place in less than three hours,
as we did yesterday morning. In less than three hours from the time we
left the depot of the Utah Central in Salt Lake City, we were in this
bowery; and, this evening, we expect, in less than three hours from
the time we leave this bowery, to be in Salt Lake City—a distance of
over sixty miles. It is very comfortable, very consoling! And if we
can see these things as they are, they open up a field for the
contemplation of the wise to improve upon, that we may shape our lives
for the benefit of ourselves and the human family and to promote truth
and righteousness upon the earth.

Vol. 15,  p.67
God bless you. Amen.[p.67] 

Orson Pratt, February 4, 1872

The Setting Up of God's Kingdom in These Latter Days

Discourse By Elder Orson Pratt, Delivered in the Tabernacle, 
Salt Lake City, Sunday Afternoon, February 4, 1872.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.67
I will call the attention of this congregation to a portion of
prophecy which will be found in the 4tth and 45th verses of the 2nd
chapter of the book of Daniel:

Vol. 15,  p.67
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a
kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be
left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all
these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

Vol. 15,  p.67
Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain
without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the
clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the
king what shall come to pass hereafter; and the dream is certain, and
the interpretation thereof sure.

Vol. 15,  p.67
I have often, in my remarks in former times, addressed the Latter-day
Saints upon these passages; but as there are some strangers in our
midst who have not, perhaps, heard our views in regard to setting up
the kingdom of God in the latter times, it may not be amiss for us to
set forth before them the views of the Latter-day Saints in regard to
this prediction. We have, during the last six thousand years, or
nearly so, had a very great variety of human governments established
on the earth. Governments began to be established in the days of our
first parents. As they lived to be very aged—or almost a thousand
years before they were taken from the earth, they saw their children
multiplying around them in vast numbers, and governments began to be
established. Among those governments, however, was maintained also the
government of God—a patriarchal government, that continued with the
righteous from the days of Adam down till the days of Enoch, and for a
short period after his days. This government was patriarchal in its
nature, or, in other words, directed and dictated by the Creator of
man—the great Lawgiver. He directed and counseled his servants, and
they obeyed his counsels. In other words, a divine government existed
on the earth in those ancient times; but at length, about the period
of the death of Adam, or a little after, human governments rooted out
of the earth the government of God, mankind apostatized from the great
principles which were revealed from heaven, and all flesh corrupted
its way in the sight of God to that degree, that the just anger of
their Creator was kindled against them, and he decreed that they
should be swept off from the face of the earth by a flood of waters.
Again, after this great destruction, a divine government was organized
on the earth, Noah being the great Patriarch, Revelator, and Prophet,
to whom was given laws and institutions for the government of his
posterity. [p.68] This order, however, continued only for a short
period of time, and human governments again prevailed. The Lord
sought, from time to time, in the midst of these human governments, to
select a people who would give heed to his law and be governed by him
as the Being who had the right to govern; inasmuch as he had created
the earth and the inhabitants thereof, he had the right to give laws
and institutions for the government of man. But few, indeed, there
were that gave heed to these divine institutions. The Lord, at length,
called out a people from Egypt, and took upon himself the power, and
gave revelation to them in a very conspicuous and wonderful manner. He
came down in the sight of some twenty-five hundred thousand people,
and gave them laws; they heard those laws proclaimed from Mount Sinai.
Male and female, old and young, throughout all the hosts of Israel,
had the opportunity of learning something in regard to the laws of
heaven. However, they quickly corrupted themselves in the sight of
God, and while Moses yet tarried in the mount, not being satisfied
with the laws which God had revealed, and which he intended to give
unto them, they devised institutions of their own. They gathered
together their jewels, their gold and their silver, and so forth, and
began to make gods of their own for the people to worship, among which
we have an account of two calves that were made by Aaron, while Moses
was yet in the mount talking with the Lord and receiving oracles and
laws for the government of that people. Having received these laws,
written upon tables of stone, Moses departed out of the mount, by the
command of God, to go down and visit the people. The Lord had told
Moses that they had corrupted themselves, and he went down, being
filled with the justice of the Almighty, or, as it is written, his
auger was kindled against the people, which I interpret as a spirit of
justice. He found that they had made gods and bowed down before them,
and said—"These be the gods, oh Israel, that brought thee up out of
the land of Egypt." However, a revolution was performed in the midst
of the people, and Moses succeeded in bringing most of the people to
their senses again, that they were willing to receive the divine law.
Their sin however was so great, that the first law which the Lord
intended to bestow upon them, namely, the law of the Gospel, was
withheld.

Vol. 15,  p.68
Now here is something, perhaps, that may be a little new to strangers,
to hear the Latter-day Saints say that the Gospel of the Son of God
was withheld from the people of Israel. But in proof of my assertion,
I will refer you to Paul's declaration to the Hebrews, wherein he
says—"The Gospel was preached unto them in the wilderness as well as
unto us; but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed
with faith in them that heard it." From this we learn that the
children of Israel, at first, were not placed under the law of carnal
commandments. They were not placed under the law which exacts an eye
for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and if a man smite thee on the cheek,
turn and resist the evil. This was not the first law that was given to
Israel. The law of the Gospel, the same Gospel that was taught in the
days of Christ, was given to them first, with this one exception—the
children of Israel were required to look forward to the coming of
their Messiah, and to the atonement that he should make upon the
cross, that they, by faith in the future atonement that was to be
made, [p.69] might be partakers of the blessings of the Gospel. But
having hardened their hearts against Moses and against God, the Lord
determined to take away this higher law from the midst of the children
of Israel, and give them a law which is termed by the Apostles the law
of carnal commandments—a law by which they should not live. They could
have lived by the law of the Gospel; they could have entered into the
Lord's rest by that law, even into the fulness of his glory; but
having transgressed the higher law, God gave them an inferior law
adapted to their carnal capacity. This law is mentioned in the 20th
chapter of Ezekiel: in these words—"Wherefore I gave them also
statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not
live." Why is it that the Lord gave to Israel statutes, and judgments,
and laws that were not good? Because they were incapable of receiving
anything greater or higher. He gave them this law as a schoolmaster,
to school them and bring them to the higher law, namely, the law of
Christ, and they continued under this law, under this condemnation for
a long time, and the Lord swore in his wrath that they should not
enter into his rest in consequence of having broken the higher law.

Vol. 15,  p.69
Moses again went up into Mount Sinai, and was gone a second time forty
days and forty nights, without eating and drinking, and received this
law, this carnal law that is generally denominated the law of Moses,
upon second tables of stone, the first covenant having been dashed to
pieces, or in other words the first law, the higher law of the Gospel
contained on the first tables, was destroyed and the covenant broken,
and a new law was introduced. Incorporated on the second tables of
stone were the Ten Commandments, which pertain to the Gospel, which
were also on the first tables. In addition to these Ten Commandments
which pertain to the Gospel, were many of those carnal laws that I
have been speaking of. By this second code of laws it was impossible
for Israel to enter into the fulness of celestial glory, in other
words, they could not be redeemed and brought into the presence of the
Father and the Son; they could not enter into the fulness of that rest
that was intended to be given to such only as obeyed the higher law of
the Gospel.

Vol. 15,  p.69
After the days of Moses the children of Israel, from time to time,
corrupted themselves before the Most High; they would not abide even
in the lower law; but there were a few individuals in the various
generations of Israel, such as Prophets, Schools of Prophets, &c.,
which received the higher law, and obtained the higher priesthood, and
were blessed of the Lord, and had the privilege of entering into his
rest, being filled with the spirit of prophecy and revelation, having
the power not only to prophecy and to obtain revelation, but to come
up by virtue of the higher law, into near communion with the Father
and the Son, having the privilege to behold, by vision, the face of
the Lord.

Vol. 15,  p.69
About six hundred years before Christ the children of Israel, or
rather the house of Judah, that was still left remaining in the land
of Palestine, had again so far apostatized from the Lord their God,
that the Lord threatened, by the mouth of the Prophets, that he would
destroy that great city Jerusalem, and that the people should be led
away captive into great Babylon. We find this was fulfilled. But
eleven years previous to this great captivity, the Lord led one of the
Prophets, whose name was Lehi and his sons,[p.70] and one or two,
other families from the land of Jerusalem to this American continent.
That was about six hundred years before Christ; of these families the
American Indians are the descendants. But we will leave this branch of
Israel on the American continent and return again to the house of
Judah. While they were in captivity in Babylon the Lord raised up
Daniel, the Prophet, from whose words I have taken my text. Daniel had
the great privilege given unto him of knowing concerning the rise and
fall of kingdoms and empires, of beholding the kingdoms of the earth,
from his day, down until that universal kingdom of God should be
established on the earth never more to be destroyed.

Vol. 15,  p.70
First, Nebuchadnezzar, the heathen king, was visited by the Almighty
in a heavenly dream, but his dream was taken from him, and he could
not remember it when he awoke. He called for the wise men of
Babylon—the astrologers, soothsayers, magicians and the wisest men
that could be found, requesting them to tell him his dream, and then
give him the interpretation of it. The dream left a deep impression on
the mind of this great heathen king, and he believed that it was
something of great importance, but still it could not be remembered.

Vol. 15,  p.70
I will here remark, by the way, that the heathen nations in those days
were not so far corrupted, and had not so far apostatized from the
religion of heaven but what they believed in dreams and in
revelations, and thought there might be something contained within,
them that related to the future that would be advantageous to
understand. What man, at this day, at this enlightened era, among the
Christian nations, is so near to the Lord as to acknowledge new
revelation, as did Nebuchadnezzar? Far have they fallen beneath the
standard of heathen idolators!

Vol. 15,  p.70
King Nebuchadnezzar was so earnest in regard to this matter that he
sent forth a decree that unless the wise men of Babylon would
interpret to him his dream and also tell the dream itself, he would
destroy the whole of them. I suppose he had not much confidence in
them, and consequently concluded that if they could not tell the dream
he could not put confidence in their interpretations. When Daniel
heard of the decree of the king, to destroy all the wise men, he sent
in a request that the king would not be quite so hasty in his
measures, but give him a little time, during which he and his fellows
besought the God of heaven that they might know concerning the dream
and the interpretation thereof. The Lord heard the prayers of his
servants and revealed to Daniel concerning the dream, and also gave
him the interpretation. Daniel requested to he brought before his
majesty the king, and he promised to give the dream and the
interpretation. He was brought in before him, and addressed him in
language something like the following—"The wise men, astrologers,
soothsayers, magicians, &c., can not interpret the dream, O king,
neither is there any wisdom in me that I can; but there is a God in
heaven who is able to give the interpretation thereof. Thou, O king,
art a king of kings, and the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom,
and dominion over all the nations. Thou art a part and portion of the
dream; or, in other words, you represent a portion of the dream you
had. Thou, O king, sawest and beheld a great image. This image's head
was of fine gold, the breast and the arms of silver, the belly and the
thighs of brass, the legs were of iron, [p.71] the feet were part of
iron and part of potter's clay. Thou sawest until that a stone was cut
out of the mountain without hands, which smote the image upon the feet
that was part of iron and part of clay, and brake them to pieces, then
was the iron, the clay, the silver, the brass and the gold all broken
to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing
floor, and the wind carried them away, and there was no place found
for them, but the stone that smote the image became a great mountain
and filled the whole earth. This was the dream—he then gives the
interpretation. "Thou, O king, art this head of gold." That is, the
kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar, that bore rule over all the earth, was
considered the head of gold. "After thee shall come another kingdom
represented by the breast and the arms of silver." That is the
Medo-Persian kingdom. After that another kingdom still inferior,
called the kingdom of brass, forasmuch as gold is better than silver,
silver more precious than brass, so these kingdoms, that were to
arise, to succeed each other, were to be inferior as time should pass
along. The third kingdom, of brass, represented the Macedonian empire;
then after that another kingdom, great and terrible, whose legs were
of iron, strong and powerful. The fourth kingdom bore rule over the
earth; that is admitted, by all commentators, to be the great Roman
Empire, and by the division of the Roman empire into two divisions,
representing the legs, and afterwards into the feet and toes. I shall
not go through and bring up historical facts to show the particular
divisions that grew out of the Roman empire, but will merely state
that the present modern kingdoms of Europe that have grown out from
the Roman empire represent the last vestiges of that great and
powerful empire of Rome; that is, it fills up and makes the image
complete. First the head of gold—the Babylonian empire; second, the
breast and arms of silver—the Medo-Persian empire; third, the belly
and thighs of brass, the Macedonian kingdom; fourth, the great Roman
empire represented by the two legs of iron, the eastern and the
western empires of Rome. Afterwards a division of the Roman empire
into feet and toes, constituting all the modern European governments
and those, governments that have grown out of the European governments
located in North and South America.

Vol. 15,  p.71
Do we wish to understand the geographical position of the great image?
If we do, we must consider the head located in Asia; the breast and
the arms of silver a little west of the great Babylonian Empire, the
belly and thighs of brass still westward; the legs of iron and the
modern kingdoms composing the feet and toes, part of iron and part of
clay, as extending throughout Europe and branching across the Atlantic
Ocean, and extending from the East Sea even to the West, from the
Atlantic unto the Pacific. This will constitute the location of the
great image, running westward.

Vol. 15,  p.71
The image being now complete, all that we need now is to find
something that will represent the stone cut out of the mountain
without hands, something distinct entirely from the, image, having no
fellowship with it, that has not grown out of it, and that has no
authority that comes from it, but a distiller and entirely separate
government that should be established in some mountain. "Thou sawest
until that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands." What
shall that stone do? It shall smite the image upon the [p.72] feet and
toes. Not upon the head at first, not upon the breast and arms of
silver, not upon the belly and thighs of brass, not upon the modern
kingdoms of Europe that have grown out of the legs of iron, but shall
smite upon the feet and toes of the great image; there is where it is
to commence its attack.

Vol. 15,  p.72
Now let us inquire, for a few moments, how or in what manner this
kingdom, called the stone cut out of the mountain, commences this
severe attack. Is it to be with weapons of a carnal nature, with sword
in hand and weapons of warfare to wage a war against the kingdoms or
governments of the earth? No, indeed! Connected with the kingdom or
stone cut out of the mountain without hands is a power superior to
that of carnal weapons—the power of truth, for the kingdom of God
cannot be organized on the earth without truth being sent down from
heaven, without authority being given from the Most High; without men
again being called to the holy Priesthood and Apostleship, and sent
forth to publish the truth in its naked simplicity and plainness to
the inhabitants of the earth. This truth will be the weapon of
warfare, this authority and power sent down from heaven will go forth
and will proclaim the message of the everlasting Gospel, the Gospel of
the latter-day kingdom, publishing it first among the nations that
compose the feet and toes of the great image. Will they be broken to
pieces? Yes, when this message is published to them. When they are
sufficiently warned, when the servants of God have gone forth in
obedience to his commandments, and published in their towns, villages,
cities, States and governments these sacred and holy principles that
God Almighty has sent down from heaven in the latter times, it will
leave all people, nations and tongues that hear the Gospel, and the
principles wad message pertaining to that kingdom, without any excuse.
It will be a warning that will be everlasting on the one hand, or on
the other, either to the bringing of the people to repentance,
reformation and obedience to the Gospel of the kingdom, or the
judgments which are predicted in this prophecy of Daniel will be
poured out upon the heads of those nations and kingdoms, and they will
become like the chaff of the summer threshing floor, even all those
kingdoms that compose the great image; for be it known that the
remnants of the Babylonish kingdom, represented by the head of gold,
still exist in Asia; the remnants of the silver kingdom, of the brass
kingdom, and the kingdom of iron still have their existence; but when
the Lord Almighty shall fulfil this prophecy, the toes and feet and
legs of iron of that great image, or all these kingdoms, will be
broken in pieces, and they will become like the chaff of the summer
threshing floor; the wind will carry them away and no place will be
found for them.

Vol. 15,  p.72
This prophecy of Daniel will give a true understanding of the matter
to our wise men and statesmen, and all who desire to know the future
destiny of the American government, the European governments, and all
the kingdoms of the earth. Their destiny is total destruction from our
earth, no matter how great or powerful they may become. Though our
nation may grasp on the right hand and on the left; though it may
annex the British possessions, and extend its dominions to the south
and grasp the whole of this great western hemisphere, and although our
nation shall become as powerful in population as in extent of
territory; its destiny is foretold in the saying of the [p.73] Prophet
Daniel, "They shall become like the chaff of the summer threshing
floor, the wind shall carry them away and no place shall be found for
them." So with the kingdoms of Europe, so with the kingdoms of Western
Asia and Eastern Europe.

Vol. 15,  p.73
Let us now say a few words in regard to this stone which shall be cut
out of the mountain without hands. Now there must be something very
peculiar in regard to the organization of the latter-day kingdom that
is never to be destroyed. All these other governments that I have
named have been the production of human hands, that is, of human
ingenuity, human wisdom; the power of uninspired men has been exerted
to the uttermost in the establishment of human governments,
consequently all has been done by human ingenuity and power. Not so
with the little stone. Man has nothing to do with the organization of
that kingdom. Hear what the Prophet has said: "In the days of these
kings the God of heaven shall set up a kingdom." It is not to be done
by human means or power, or by the wisdom of man, neither by mighty
conquests by the sword; but it is to be done by him that rules on
high, who is King of kings and Lord of lords; by him that suffered and
died upon the cross that we might live; by him whose right it is to
reign and govern the nations of the earth. He it is that will give
laws; he it is that will give commandment; he it is that will organize
that kingdom, and it will be done according to the pattern in all
things. Has there been any such kingdom organized since the day that
the Prophet Daniel delivered this prophecy? I know that there are some
who believe that the kingdom spoken of under the name of the "little
stone" was organized 1800 years ago by our Savior and his Apostles. I
do not know why they believe this, unless because it is fashionable.
There is no evidence to prove any such thing. Indeed that kingdom that
was organized 1800 years ago was organized altogether too soon to
accomplish the prophecies that are here given. The two legs of iron,
and the feet and toes were not yet formed, and remember that the stone
is not cut out of the mountain without hands, until this great image
is complete, not only the head, breast, arms and the legs, but the
feet and the toes also; they all become complete .before the kingdom
called the "stone" is made manifest. Now the feet did not exist, and
did not begin to exist until many centuries after the days of Christ.
What did that kingdom do that was built up by our Savior and his
Apostles? Did it break in pieces any part of that great image? No.
What, did that image do to that kingdom? It accomplished the
prophecies of Daniel—made war with the Saints and overcame them. Very
different from the latter-day kingdom! The powers of this world, under
the name of the great image, made war with Jesus, with the Apostles,
with the former-day Saints, with the kingdom that was then established
and overcame them, not only in fulfilment of what is declared by the
Prophet Daniel, but also what is declared by John the Revelator; and
those powers obtained dominion over all people, nations and tongues,
and made them drink of the wine of the wrath of the fornication of
Great Babylon, and they became drunken with her abominations. Instead
of the kingdom of God then being built up in fulfilment of the
prophecy of Daniel 1800 years ago, the nations of the earth overcame
it and rooted it out of the earth. But mark the words of the text:
"And in the days [p.74] of these kings shall the God of heaven set up
a kingdom that shall never be destroyed." Very different from the
former-day kingdom; "and the kingdom shall not be left to other
people." All these human governments have been changing hands, and
have been left to some other people. The Babylonish kingdom was left
to the Medes and Persians, the Medo-Persian kingdom to the Macedonian,
the Macedonian to the Roman; but the latter-day kingdom shall not be
left to another people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all
these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. "Forasmuch as thou sawest
that the stone was cut out of the mountains without hands, and that it
brake in pieces the iron, the brass, fire clay, the silver and the
gold; and the great God hath made known unto thee what shall come to
pass hereafter; and the dream is certain and the interpretation
thereof sure."

Vol. 15,  p.74
Having learned, then, that the kingdom built up by our Savior and his
Apostles did not fulfil this prophecy; that that kingdom itself was
rooted out of the earth, and every vestige of its authority destroyed,
and that nothing in the shape or appearance of the kingdom of God has
existed for some sixteen or seventeen centuries past, inasmuch as this
is the case and all nations without any such Church, without any such
kingdom, without any authority to baptize or lay on hands for the gift
of the Holy Ghost; without authority to administer the Lord's supper;
without the authority to build up the kingdom of God; without
Prophets, without Revelators, without inspired Apostles, without
angels, without visions, without the revelations and prophecies of
heaven, which always characterize the kingdom of God; I say inasmuch
as this is the case, and darkness has covered the earth and gross
darkness the people for so many generations, no wonder that, in the
wisdom of God, the time should at length arrive to send another
messenger from heaven. No wonder that an angel should be commissioned
from the eternal heavens from the throne of the Almighty with another
message to the inhabitants of our globe! For do you suppose that this
latter-day kingdom that is to be set tip without hands will be set up
without any communication from heaven, without any new revelation,
without any Prophets, without any Apostles, or inspired men? Do you
suppose that God will accomplish a work of this nature and yet the
heavens be veiled over ore; heads like brass? Oh no. When the glad
time shall come for God Almighty to organize and set up the latter-day
kingdom on the earth, he will make it known by sending an angel—and in
no other way, for that is the way pointed out in prophecy.

Vol. 15,  p.74
If a man rises up, like John Wesley, Martin Luther, John Calvin, or
Henry the Eighth, and undertakes to organize a new church and new
creeds, &c., without receiving the ministration of an angel, you may
know that the eeclesiastical governments that they may form on the
earth, are not the kingdom of God. But when a people shall rise on our
earth, testifying that the Lord God has sent an angel from heaven,
with the everlasting Gospel to be preached to every people, kindred,
nation and tongue, on our globe, with the proclamation that the hour
of God's judgment is at hand, that people are worthy of being listened
to, at least it should call forth the most careful investigation of
all people, nations and kindreds under the whole heaven. But when they
do not come in this way, they are not even worthy of [p.75] being
listened to, for we know that they are not the kingdom of God.

Vol. 15,  p.75
John the Revelator tells us that when the kingdom of God is to be
established on the earth, before the coming of the Son of man, before
be should unveil his face in the clouds of heaven, he would send an
angel with that Gospel. Now, query, has he done so? Go make the
enquiry if you are not satisfied. Ask the Roman Catholics if God has
sent that angel predicted in the 14th chapter of the revelations of
St. John to re-establish his kingdom on the earth, and they will tell
you no; they will tell you that the kingdom of God has continued on
the earth, that it needs no re-establishing, that they have maintained
in unbroken succession the authority of the apostleship from the days
of Peter down until the present time, and that they will retain it
while the earth shall stand; that there will be no angel sent with the
everlasting Gospel to organize the kingdom anew. Well, then, we have
their testimony that they are not the kingdom of God, for they have
denied many of the great characteristics belonging to the kingdom,
such as the gift of new revelation, the gift of prophecy, which was
always in the kingdom of God, and have bound up a few books and called
them the full canon of Scripture. And if a Prophet should arise among
them and undertake to give more Scripture, they would exclude his
Scripture and him with it, as being a heretic and fanatic. They are
not the kingdom of God then.

Vol. 15,  p.75
Go then to the Greek Church and make the same inquiry of them. Has God
sent an angel to you Greeks? I mean the millions in Russia who profess
the Greek religion, and they will tell you about the same thing as the
Catholics—that God has said nothing since the days of the Apostles.

Vol. 15,  p.75
No inspired men among them and no additional Scriptures by Prophets
and Revelators.

Vol. 15,  p.75
Then go to the 666 different Protestant denominations that have come
out from these ecclesiastical powers and inquire of them if God did
send an angel to those who founded their several denominations, and
they will tell you nay. Most of them will say that God does not send
angels in the latter times, that he has no Prophets, no Revelators,
and that there is no need of any further light from heaven. Go through
all the ranks of Christendom and make diligent inquiry for a people
that answer the description of John's prophecy, namely a people that
bear testimony that an angel has come with the everlasting Gospel. By
and by, in your inquiry you will get away up here into the heights of
the Rocky Mountains, or as some term it the backbone of the American
continent; inquire of the people you find here, ask of them at their
great headquarters, Salt Lake City, whether they believe that God has
established his kingdom by sending an angel in fulfillment of the
revelations of St. John, and you will hear one united voice throughout
all this city among the Latter-day Saints, saying that God has sent an
Angel from heaven with the everlasting Gospel to be preached to every
nation, kindred, tongue and people. Make the same inquiry in the
hundred towns, cities and villages throughout this Territory, and
there will be a united voice of all the Latter-day Saints to this one
same great fact. We therefore contend, and rightfully too, that we are
the only people in America, in Europe, in Asia, in Africa and in the
islands of the sea that are testifying to the fulfillment of the
prophecy that was [p.76] uttered by John the Revelator. We have no
need, then, to inquire whether all these contending sects are the
kingdom of God or not, for this is the only people that bear a
testimony, to the coming of the angel with the Gospel. Consequently
this is the only people that need engage our attention or
investigations in regard to setting up the latter-day kingdom; and if
we, by our investigation, find that this people answer the
description, not only of John's prophecy, but of Daniel's prophecy and
all the prophecies throughout the Old Testament in regard to the
establishment of the kingdom of God, then certainly the doctrines and
principles of this kingdom are worthy the attention and obedience
every good person.

Vol. 15,  p.76
If we had the time we would examine the doctrines of the kingdom, to
see whether, the doctrines that were brought by the angel in these
latter times agree with the doctrines that were taught 1800 years ago;
but we have not time to do that on this occasion. Suffice it to say
that if the former-day Saints taught faith in God, repentance, baptism
for the remission of sins, the reception of the Holy Ghost by the
laying on of hands; if they taught these things in former days, be it
known unto all people, nations, and tongues that the angel has
commissioned his servants to preach the same things in these days. If
the former-day Saints taught the necessity of having the various gifts
of the Gospel, such as the gifts of vision, the ministration of
angels, prophecy, revelation, healing the sick, speaking with tongues,
the interpretation of tongues, and all the various gifts mentioned in
the New Testament; if they taught these things in former days, the
Latter-day Saints have been commissioned to teach the same things in
our day, consequently there is no difference so far as doctrines,
ordinances and the gifts are concerned.

Vol. 15,  p.76
Did the Prophets in ancient times testify that when the kingdom of God
should be organized, the Saints should be gathered from the four
quarters of the earth, that all that were called by the name of the
Lord should be brought out from the north and from the South, and from
the east and from the west, even the sons and daughters of God should
be brought from all nations? The Latter-day Saints teach that the same
angel which brought the Gospel, the same God that has set up his
kingdom on. the earth in the latter days has commanded his servants
that go forth with these doctrines, to gather out his elect from the
four winds of heaven. Did the ancient Prophets testify that another
book should come forth, another revelation to accomplish the great
preparatory work to build up the kingdom of God in the last days? The
Latter-day Saints testify that the angel that has brought the Gospel
has delivered to them another book containing that Gospel in all its
fullness and plainness, fulfilling these prophecies.

Vol. 15,  p.77
May God bless you. Amen.[p.77] 

Wilford Woodruff, April 8, 1872

Comprehensiveness of the Latter-Day Work

Remarks By Elder Wilford Woodruff, Delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, April 8, 1872.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.77
We have had a very good Conference; we have heard a great deal of
testimony from the servants of the Lord, and that testimony has been
true. The building up of the Zion of God in these latter days
includes, I may say of a truth, every branch of business, both
temporal and spiritual, in which we are engaged. We can not touch upon
any subject which is lawful in the sight of God and man, that is not
embraced in our religion. The Gospel of Jesus Christ which we have
embraced, and which we preach, includes all truth, and every lawful
calling and occupation of man. One subject that we are deeply
interested in I wish to say a few words upon. In the first place I
wish to give notice in this stage of my remarks to the members of the
Deseret Agricultural and Manufacturing Society, that they are
requested to meet, at the close of this meeting, at the Historian's
Office, to appoint their president and board of directors for the
coming season, for the times demand that we should hold a State fair
in this city this fall.

Vol. 15,  p.77
Strangers may think this a very strange subject to present in a
religious meeting, but we are building up the literal kingdom of God
on the earth, and we have temporal duties to perform. We inhabit
temporal bodies, we eat temporal food, we build temporal houses, we
raise temporal cattle and temporal wheat; we contend with temporal
weeds, and with temporal enemies in our soil, and these things
naturally give rise to the necessity of attending to and performing
many duties of a temporal and arduous nature, and they, of course, are
embraced in our religion. In building up the Zion and kingdom of God
in these latter days, our agricultural and manufacturing interests are
of the most vital importance; in fact manufacturing and agricultural
pursuits are of vital importance to any nation under heaven. Show me a
nation whose people cultivate the earth, and manufacture what they
need, and I will show you a rich and independent nation. Show me a
nation that lives entirely by mining and I will show you a poor
nation—one that is, ready to run out and become obsolete. You see this
manifest in the history of all nations under heaven. What gives
England her wealth to-day? Her coal, iron, and the products of her
soil, in connection with her prodigious manufactures; and it is so
with all the nations of the earth. What makes the United States what
she is to-day? Her products and the cultivation of her soil, and the
constant efforts she has made to supply the wants of her people. Not
but what [p.78] mining is all right, there is no fault with the
development of the resources of the earth under favorable
circumstances. When we came here our position demanded that the very
first thing we did was to plant our potatoes and sow our wheat, or we
had starvation before us; and I will here say that the Saints and the
Elders of Israel have gone before the Lord day after day and week
after week, and prayed the Almighty to hide up the treasures of these
mountains, lest even the Latter-day Saints, with all the faith they
had, should be tempted to turn away from the cultivation of the earth
and the manufacture of what they needed; and the Lord heard our
prayers, and we dwelt here many years and filled these valleys for six
hundred miles with cities, towns, villages, gardens, orchards, fields,
vineyards, hundreds of school-houses, and places of worship, until we
made the desert blossom as the rose, and had a supply of wheat, bread
and clothing upon our hands. Then, I do not know but the Elders ceased
praying for the Lord to hide up the treasures of the earth—I guess
they did, for very soon after mines began to be opened, and now silver
mines are being worked in many parts of the Territory. A few years ago
General Connor and others, who dwelt here, with soldiers under them,
spent very many days in prospecting these mountains from one end to
the other for gold and silver, but they could find none; to-day you
may go over the same places, and if you dig into the earth you may
find plenty of silver, and you may find it almost anywhere in these
mountains. I suppose this is all right, I have no fault to find with
it; but I still say that the interest of the Latter-day Saints in
these mountains is to cultivate the soil and to manufacture what they
use.

Vol. 15,  p.78
Through the influence of President Young We have many manufactories
for wool and cotton already established in this Territory. He has done
more than any man living in these last days, according to the means he
has had at his command, to establish these branches of business in the
midst of these mountains. We have now many large factories in this
Territory that have to stand still for want of wool. I want to say a
few words on this subject to the wool growers of Deseret. Instead of
sending our wool out of the Territory, to eastern States to be
manufactured into cloth, and purchasing it and paying eastern
manufacturers a large per centage for it when brought here by
railroad, I feel that it is our duty, and it would be far wiser for
us, to sell our wool to those who own factories in this Territory, and
to sustain ourselves by sustaining home manufactures.

Vol. 15,  p.78
One of the first commands given to Adam, after being placed in Eden,
was to dress the garden; and he was permitted to eat of the fruit of
every tree except one. After a while Adam and his wife, Eve, partook
of the fruit of this tree, and the history of the Fall is before us
and the world. After Adam was cast out of the garden the Lord told him
that there should be a curse on the earth, and instead of bringing
forth beautiful flowers, fruit and grain spontaneously, as before the
Fall, it should bring forth thorns, briers, thistles and noxious
weeds, and that man should earn his bread by the sweat of his brow;
and from that time to the present mankind has had this curse to
contend with in the cultivation of the earth. In consequence of this
the inhabitants of Utah, in their agricultural operations have to
fight against the cockle burr, the black seed and sunflower, as well
as thorns [p.79] and thistles and many other noxious weeds, which, if
not eradicated, speedily take advantage of us, and to a great extent,
mar the result of our labors. It will pay us to pay attention to these
things; it will pay us to dress the earth, to till it, to take care of
and spend time and means in manuring and feeding it; it will pay us to
gather out these noxious weeds, for the earth will then have a chance
to bring forth in its strength. This, with the blessing of God upon
our labors, has made the soil of Utah as productive as it is to-day. I
wish to see this interest increase in our midst; and I hope, in
addition to this, that those who are raising sheep—our wool
growers—will pay attention to and carry on that branch of business
systematically, and that we will sell our wool to those who
manufacture it at home, instead of sending it out of the Territory to
be manufactured. I feel that this is our duty, and the course which
will promote our best interests, and it is a principle which is true,
independent of religion, in any community or nation; it is a
self-sustaining principle.

Vol. 15,  p.79
God has blessed us, he has blessed the earth, and our labors in the
tilling of the soil have been greatly prospered. As has been said by
some of our brethren in their remarks, when the pioneers came here, no
mark of civilization or of the white man, was found. If those who are
now so anxious to obtain the homes we have made, had seen Utah as we
saw it, they would never have desired a habitation here, but they
would have got out of it as soon as they could. It was barren,
desolate, abounding with grasshoppers, crickets and kiote wolves, and
these things seemed to be the only natural productions of the soil. We
went to work by faith, not much by sight, to cultivate the earth. We
broke almost all the plows we had the first day. We had to let streams
of water out to moisten the earth, and by experience we had to learn
to raise anything. The stranger comes into Salt Lake City and sees our
orchards, and the trees in our streets, and he thinks, what a fruitful
and delightful place it is. He does not think that, for twenty or
twenty-four years, almost every tree he beholds, according to its age,
has had to be watered twice a week through the whole summer season, or
they would all have been dead long since. We have had to unite upon
these things, the Lord has blessed our labors, and his mercies have
been over this people.

Vol. 15,  p.79
If we had not cultivated the earth, but had turned our attention to
mining, we should not only have starved to death ourselves, but
thousands of strangers, who have passed through, would have shared the
same fate. Utah Territory has been the great highway to California,
Nevada, and all the western States and Territories, and they have all
looked, in a measure, to Utah for their bread. Nobody but Latter-day
Saints would have lived here, and endured the trials and afflictions
that we endured in the beginning; none others would have stayed and
fought the crickets one year, as we had to do year after year. Any
people but the Latter-day Saints would have left this country long
ago. Not only so, on account of the things I have already named, but I
will here say that no other people could have lived here—no, they
would have knocked each others brains out on account of the little
water they would have had in their irrigating operations. When men saw
their crops and trees withering and perishing for the want of water,
the selfishness so general in the world would have worked up to [p.80]
such an extent, that they would have killed one another, and hence I
say that none but Latter-day Saints would have stood it; but they, by
the training and experience they had before received, were prepared
for the hardships and trials they had to encounter in this country.

Vol. 15,  p.80
Brethren and sisters, let us continue our efforts in cultivating the
earth, and in manufacturing what we want. And I still urge upon our
Female Relief Societies, in this city and throughout the Territory, to
carry out the counsel President Young gave us years and years ago, and
try, as far as possible, within ourselves, to make our own bonnets,
hats and clothing, and to let the beauty of what we wear be the
workmanship of our own hands. It is true that our religion is not in
our coat or bonnet, or it should not be. If a man's religion is there
it is not generally very deep anywhere else. But God has blessed us
with the products of earth and the blessings of heaven, and his Spirit
has been with us; we have been preserved, and the Lord has turned away
the edge of the sword, and he has protected us during many years past
and gone, and we all have to acknowledge his hand in these things.

Vol. 15,  p.80
I do not wish to detain this Conference. I felt as though I wanted to
make a few remarks on these subjects. I hope, brethren, that we will
not slacken our hands with regard to the cultivation of the earth. In
the prosecution of our labors in that respect we have everything to
contend with that man has been cursed with for five thousand years. We
should clean our fields, as far as we can, of the noxious weeds, and
our streets of sunflowers. These things encumber the earth. We have
one difficulty to contend with, unknown save in those portions of the
earth where irrigation is practiced. It is true that a man may clean
his fields of sunflowers, cockle burrs, blackseed and every other
noxious weed that grows, and the very first time he waters his land
here will come a peck or a bushel of foul seed from the mountains, and
fill every field through which the stream flows. These difficulties we
have to fight against, but we must do the best we can. As farmers, we
should clean our seed, and not sow the foul along with the good. One
man, in a few hours, with a good wire sieve, can sift enough seed for
ten acres of land, and perhaps for twenty; while, to pull that bad
seed out when grown will cost from one to five hundred dollars, for it
will take a score of men days to do it. We should use our time,
judgment and the wisdom God has given us to the best advantage in all
these things.

Vol. 15,  p.80
I want the brethren to come together this afternoon and elect their
officers, for we desire to hold a fair this fall, in which the
agricultural and manufacturing interests of the Territory may be
represented and interested. Let us not be weary in well doing; let us
not slacken our hands, either in cultivating the earth or in the
manufacturing of what we deed. Co-operate in agricultural and
mercantile matters, also in our tanneries, and in the making of butter
and cheese. One man may engage in these branches of business with
advantage if he have skill and experience to guide him; but in
co-operation the wisdom of all is combined for the general good. This
plan has been adopted with advantage in other communities, cities,
States, Territories and countries, and it can be in this more
extensively than it has been hitherto.[p.81] 

Vol. 15,  p.81
I pray that God will bless us, and bless this whole people; and I pray
that the testimony which we have received here during this Conference,
which is true, may not be forgotten by us. I can bear the same
testimony. I know this work is of God. I know Joseph Smith was a
Prophet of God. I have heard two or three of the brethren testify
about brother Young in Nauvoo. Every man and every Woman in that
assembly, which perhaps might number thousands, could bear the same
testimony. I was there, the Twelve were there, and a good many others,
and all can bear the same testimony. The question might be asked, why
was the appearance of Joseph Smith given to Brigham Young? Because
here was Sidney Rigdon and other men rising up and claiming to be the
leaders of the Church, and men stood, as it were, on a pivot, not
knowing which way to turn. But just as quick as Brigham Young rose in
that assembly, his face was that of Joseph Smith—the mantle of Joseph
had fallen upon him, the power of God that was upon Joseph Smith was
upon him, he had the voice of Joseph, and it was the voice of the
shepherd. There was not a person in that assembly, Rigdon, himself,
not excepted, but was satisfied in his own mind that Brigham was the
proper leader of the people, for he would not have his name presented,
by hid own consent, after that sermon was delivered. There was a
reason for this in the mind of God; it convinced the people. They saw
and heard for themselves, and it was by the power of God.

Vol. 15,  p.81
May God bless you. May he give us wisdom to direct us in all things,
and promote all the interests of Zion for Jesus' sake. Amen.

Brigham Young, June 2, 1872

Observe the Sabbath Day

Remarks By President Brigham Young, Delivered in the New 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday, June 2, 1872.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.81
I have a request to make of the Bishops and Elders, of fathers and
mothers, and of the brethren and sisters in general. There are a few
points upon which I feel that I should like the people to receive a
little counsel. One is, I would be very much pleased, and I do not
think I would be any mare satisfied than the Spirit of the Lord would,
to have the Latter-day Saints pay a little more attention to the
Sabbath day, instead of riding about, visiting, and going on
excursions. There has been a great deal said upon this subject. We are
continually teaching the people how to be saved, but they seem to
forget the responsibilities [p.82] that are upon them. I am as liberal
in my feelings with regard to using the Sabbath for anything and
everything, where duty demands it, as any person living, and believe
that the sabbath was made for man, instead of man for the Sabbath. But
it is a day of rest. The Lord has directed his people to rest
one-seventh part of the time, and we take the first day of the week,
and call it our Sabbath. This is according to the order of the
Christians. We should observe this for our own temporal good and
spiritual welfare. When we see a farmer in such a hurry, that he has
to attend to his harvest, and to haying, fence-making, or to gathering
his cattle on the Sabbath day, as far as I am concerned, I count him
weak in the faith. He has lost the spirit of his religion, more or
less. Six days are enough foe us to work, and if we wish to play, play
within the six days; if we wish to go on excursions, take one of those
six days, but on the seventh day, come to the place of worship, attend
to the Sacrament, confess your faults one to another and to our God,
and pay attention to the ordinances of the house of God.

Vol. 15,  p.82
How many ears will hear this, and how many hearts will receive it and
treasure it up? That is the question. Words go into the ear and are
forgotten; but I say to you, Latter-day Saints, it is your duty and my
duty to pay attention to the Sabbath day. When my brethren, my
friends, and my family have business on hand, and manage to start it
on a Sunday morning, I head them off if I possibly can, by throwing
some obstacle or other in the way, or by persuasion get them to omit
it on that day. As far as I car, I also persuade my own family to
observe the hours of meeting. Not that I can say that my family is as
fond of meeting as I am myself. I like to meet with the brethren, and
I like to go to a place of worship; I like to hear, and learn and pay,
attention to the ordinances of the house of God. I teach my family in
these respects, and I do not know that I have any more fault to find
with my own family than others have with theirs; perhaps there may be
some credit due to them. But I say to the brethren and sisters, in the
name of the Lord, it is our duty and it is required of us by our
father in heaven, by the spirit of our religion, by our covenants with
God and each other, that we observe the ordinances of the house of
God, and especially on the Sabbath day, to attend to the Sacrament of
the Lord's Supper. Then attend the Ward meetings and the quorum
meetings.

Vol. 15,  p.82
Another thing: I do wish that parents would urge upon their children
to cease playing in the streets as much as they do. There are
sufficient places of resort in various parts of the city without the
boys being compelled to play in the middle of the streets, Every time
I travel through the streets I see children playing in them. And will
they turn out of the way for a carriage? No, they will not, and some
of them will sometimes even dare you to drive over them; and sometimes
people have to stop their carriages to save the lives of children. We
have been more fortunate, here, I presume than in any other city in
Christendom where they drive as many carriages as we drive in our
city, in having so few accidents; but this I attribute to the kind
hand of Providence. But we see children in the street, daring
teamsters to run over them, and whether they are in a carriage, wagon,
buggy, or cart it is no matter, they will not give the road for a
horse team. I will say this to all Israel, to every man that carries
himself discreetly—as a gentleman, [p.83] if one of my boys attempts
to obstruct the highway, so that you cannot drive along and attend to
your business, leave your carriage, take your whip and give him a good
sound horse-whipping, and tell him you will do it every time you find
him in the street trying to obstruct the highway. I will not complain
of you, although I can say this, I think, of a truth, that a boy of
mine never did this, never. I have no knowledge of it at least. Look
upon a community like ours, see the conduct of the youth in this
respect, it is a disgrace to civilization; it is a disgrace to any
people that profess good morals. Well, I wish to say this to the
Saints, keep your boys from the streets, and from playing ball there.
There are plenty of grounds for them to play upon and use at their
pleasure, without going into the streets; and when we are so numerous
that we have no place of resort for our boys to pitch quoits and play
ball, there is plenty of ground on the earth, and we will thin out a
little here and go where we can have a little more room. But we have
plenty here at present.

Vol. 15,  p.83
Now, remember, my brethren, those who go skating, buggy riding or on
excursions on the Sabbath day —and there is a great deal of this
practiced—are weak in the faith. Gradually, little by little, little
by little, the spirit of their religion leaks out of their hearts and
their affections, and by and by they begin to see faults in their
brethren, faults in the doctrines of the Church, faults in the
organization, and at last they leave the kingdom of God and go to
destruction. I really wish you would remember this, and tell it to
your neighbors.

Vol. 15,  p.83
And furthermore, Low many Latter-day Saints, who live in this city,
and are perfectly able to go to meeting, are away to-day? We have
people enough in this city to fill this small building to overflowing
every Sabbath, if they liked to hear the words of life. In the
morning, it is true, there are many in the Sunday school, and that we
recommend; but in the afterpart of the day, where are these school
children? Are they playing in the streets, or are they visiting? In
going to Sunday school they have done their duty so far; but they
ought to be here. In their youth they ought to learn the principles
and doctrines of their faith, the arguments for truth, and the
advantages of truth, for we can say with one of old, "Bring up a child
in the way it should go, and when it is old it will not depart from
it." If we are capable of bringing up a child in the way it should go,
I will assure you that it will never depart from that way. Many
persons think they do bring up their children in the way they should
go, but in my lifetime I have seen very few, if any, parents,
perfectly capable of bringing up a child in the way it should go;
still most of us know better than we do, and if we will bring up our
children according to the best of our knowledge, very few of them will
ever forsake the truth.

Vol. 15,  p.83
Now, I beseech you, my brethren and sisters, old and young, parents
and children, all of you, try and observe good, wholesome rules! Be
moral, be upright, be honest in your deal. I do not wish to find fault
with the Latter-day Saints, but I assure you, my brethren and sisters,
we take too much liberty with each other; we do not observe the strict
order of right and honesty in many instances, as much as we should,
and we have got to improve in these things. We have been hearing,
today, how the kingdom of God is going to prosper on the earth. So it
is, that is very true. Do we think [p.84] that we will prosper and
abide in it, in unholiness and unrighteousness? If we do, we are
mistaken. If we do not sanctify the Lord God in our hearts and live by
every word that proceeds out of his mouth, and shape our lives
according to the rules laid down in Holy Writ, and by what the Lord
has revealed in latter days, we will come short of being members of
this kingdom, and we will be cast out and others will take our place.
We need not flatter ourselves that we are going to prosper in anything
that is evil, and have the Lord still own us. It is very true that he
is merciful to us and bears with us. "Wait another day," he says;
"Wait another year, wait a little longer, and see if my people will
not be righteous;" and those who will not, will be gathered to their
own place; but those who will sanctify themselves before the Lord will
inherit everlasting life. God bless you, Amen.

Daniel H. Wells, June 8, 1872

The Gospel Plan—It Must Be Obeyed If Its Blessings 
Be Secured—God's Kingdom Has Come

Discourse By President Daniel H. Wells, Delivered in the 
Bowery, Brigham City, Saturday, June 8, 1872. 

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.84
I feel glad of the opportunity of bearing my testimony once again to
the principles of salvation that have been revealed in the day in
which we live, to the children of men. There is an impression resting
upon the people of every nation on the face of the earth, that some
great events in human history are about to take place. In the
Christian world there is a general belief that the time is approaching
when the God of heaven will assume the reins of power. They, talk
about the reign of Christ, the great millennial day, when the kingdoms
of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lard and his Christ.

Vol. 15,  p.84
It is hardly possible for any person to live to the years of maturity
without having some impression, some anxiety concerning his future
state; all persons, at some period of their existence, have such
impressions. They come from the Lord, and their effect on the mind is
as plain as the mark of the type on the paper; and the reason we
experience them is because we are the children of God. There is a link
existing between God and his children here on the earth, and that
draws them towards him, and enables all who listen to the promptings
of his good Spirit to increase in good, and to overcome that which is
evil. This is natural, and exists to a greater or less extent in the
hearts of all the children of men.

Vol. 15,  p.85
There is evil in the world—evil [p.85] influences that strive against
and destroy that which is good. Men's names are written in the Book of
Life, and will forever remain written there unless they do something
to cut the thread and to blot them out. Men are naturally religious in
their feelings, and it is a perversion of their nature to go into
wicked and by and forbidden paths. The practice of evil brings with it
no peace or true happiness. It destroys the vital thread of life that
reaches into the eternal bowers of peace and salvation. The Lord our
God has never given a commandment to the children of men but that
would, if observed, be for their happiness and well-being here on the
earth, and it is for ourselves that we serve God and keep his
commandments. All that he has done, all the commandments he has given,
are for our benefit, not for his. It would be well for us, as the
President has just observed, if we would walk in the channels of truth
and virtue, and in strict obedience to the commands of God, for
thereby we promote our own welfare and secure to ourselves an eternal
inheritance in the realms of joy and happiness. The kingdom is ours if
we will live for it. We may come to an inheritance of all that is
worth desiring or possessing, of all that will be of any benefit to us
either here or hereafter, if we will live for it.

Vol. 15,  p.85
God, our heavenly Father, has restored the authority of the Holy
Priesthood, through the channel of which a communication has been
opened up between the heavens and the earth; and through that channel
we can learn to know God, whom to know is life eternal. The way to
this is opened to all the children of men, and the invitation has gone
forth unto all people to repent of their sins, and return to God and
receive the blessings. There is no true enjoyment but what can be
obtained through this channel, and it is within the purview of the
kingdom of God here upon the earth. The people should not be afraid of
the government of God; it is only calculated for their benefit, and it
will be a blessed day when it can take the place of the wicked
governments that now exist on the face of the earth, and its
establishment should be hailed as the grandest and best event that
could take place among the children of men. In the kingdom and
government of God is every blessing that is enduring, and it will
confer upon those who abide its laws all the peace, joy and happiness
they can conceive of. Outside of it there is nothing worth having; all
real true happiness, all that can serve our best interests comes
within its purview.

Vol. 15,  p.85
Are we obliged, in order to secure present happiness and enjoyment, to
go outside the kingdom of God? By no manner of means, although it is
so esteemed in the religious world. A great many so-called religious
people feel that they are restrained of their liberty and enjoyment by
being members of their churches. This is a wrong view. Our Father in
heaven does not wish to restrain his children in anything that is
right, and it is right for people to enjoy themselves, and the very
acme of happiness is to be obtained by obeying the behests and
commands or our Father in heaven. Men may indulge in things they call
happiness, but there is often no real happiness in them, for they
bring punishment along in the sting they leave behind. It is not so
with proper enjoyments—enjoyments within the scope of reason and
right, where there is no infringement upon each other. The great law
of demarcation between that which is wrong and that which is right is
not to infringe upon the [p.86] rights of another. No man has a right
to infringe upon another. We serve ourselves, then, by serving God and
keeping his commandments, and the way is so plain that no person can
err therein. Our boys who have been properly raised and tutored in the
Church and kingdom of God, who have attended Sunday school, learned
the catechism and become conversant with the principles set forth in
the Scriptures, in the Book of Mormon, and in the book of Doctrine and
Covenants, and have been endowed with the authority of the Holy
Priesthood, can teach men the way of life and salvation; and if they
will follow their teachings they will bring them back into the
celestial kingdom of God, they are so simple and so easy to be
comprehended.

Vol. 15,  p.86
There are a good many ways pointed out by the children of men, which
they call the ways of life and salvation, but the end thereof is
death. The Lord is not the author of the confusion that exists in the
religious world. Satan stands there, ready, and has religion at his
fingers' ends, already manufactured, to suit the notions of men. Men
get notions and ideas foreign to the truth, and they find religion
manufactured to their order, and can get any kind that they have a
mind to order, just as one who goes to a huckster's shop can purchase
anything he has a mind to pay for. They have their manufactured
religion to pay for, for Satan does not work for nothing.

Vol. 15,  p.86
There is but one way, one faith, one baptism, one God, one Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ, the mediator between God and man; he has made it
manifest unto the children of men in the day and age in which we live.
It has been told to us here, to-day, and is frequently reiterated in
our hearing, that God is full of mercy, and would rather that all men
should turn from evil and live. He begs people to turn from their evil
ways. He says "Take upon you my yoke, for it is easy, and my burden,
for it is light; and come, partake of the waters of life freely,
without money and without price." These words, are sounded in our ears
continually, for the Lord would rather that all men would turn and
live end come to him. Why so? He is merciful, and the invitation is as
widespread as the vast domains of the world: it reaches every human
being, every son and daughter of Adam upon the face of the whole
earth. Holy messengers of salvation are sent forth by the direction of
the God of heaven, through the channel of the holy priesthood that he
has revealed and instituted again among men, warning the people to
turn from their evil ways, and to become partakers of this great
happiness and glory and to sustain his government upon the earth. It
is true the impression has gone forth in the midst of the nations, and
it is a true impression, that he Will establish his government upon
the earth. This earth belongs to God, he has a right to rule and
govern it, and it is his intention to do so. Prophets, in ages gone
by~ have disclosed this, and modern prophets have done the same in our
day through the channel of the Holy Priesthood. That Priesthood has
been organized according to the ancient pattern, for God set in his
Church, first Apostles, second Prophets, and so on. It has been
reorganized according to this pattern, and the proclamation has gone
forth—"Repent and give glory to God." The Gospel has been restored by
the angel which John saw flying through the midst of heaven having the
everlasting Gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth, saying,
"Fear God and give glory to him, for the [p.87] hour of his judgment
is come." This message has been sounded in the midst of the nations,
and the greater portion of the people who have gathered to these
valleys have listened to this proclamation. It reached their ears and
made an impression upon them, and they gathered up from the midst of
the nations of the earth to these valleys of the mountains to be
taught in the ways of the Lord, that they might walk in his paths,
instead of walking in the vain imaginations of their own hearts and in
ways of error, because, as the ancient prophet says, "They have
inherited error and lies from their fathers." Behold, this has been
fulfilled in the day in which the angel has brought forth and revealed
the Gospel. Now we can see wherein we and our fathers have been in
error. We have been taught the precepts of men instead of the
commandments of God; but in our day we have been leached with the
light of truth and with the Spirit of the living God, through
obedience to the principles of the Gospel. The Saints of the Most
High, having heard these principles proclaimed in their ears, had
faith in them and in God, and they repented of their sins and went
forth into the waters of baptism, according to the words of our
Savior—"Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot
enter into the kingdom of God."

Vol. 15,  p.87
Having been obedient to these principles and having had hands laid
upon them for the reception of the Holy Ghost, it has been given unto
us, and we know, ourselves, concerning these things, and hear
testimony this day that they are true. It has come from God, it is not
any "guess so;" it is not a hope within a hope, that we have a hope,
but we bear testimony that we verily do know that God has spoken, and
we warn all people to repent and turn to God, and partake of the
waters of life freely, without money and without price.

Vol. 15,  p.87
This is what has brought this people together in the valleys of the
mountains; and they are laboring now to bring forth and establish the
Zion of God upon the earth, according to the words of his Holy
Prophets, whose prophecies have been and are being fulfilled in the
history of this people. The kingdom of God is actually transpiring
right before our face and eyes, but the world cannot see it, because
they are not born again. They can not enter this kingdom, because they
are not born of the water and of the Spirit, and because they do not
comply with the requirements of the Gospel and render obedience to the
great plan of salvation devised in the heavens before the foundation
of the world This plan was understood and was in the programme before
the morning stars together sang for joy, and who can better it? Puny
men undertake to do so, but their efforts are vain, and they only
betray their own folly and presumption. Our Father in heaven knew
better than any of us what was for our best interests, and he has
condescended to make it manifest to his children here, and if they
would walk in accordance therewith they would lay the foundation for
eternal power, dominion and glory.

Vol. 15,  p.87
It is the duty of the Latter-day Saints to live by every word
proceeding from the mouth of God.

Vol. 15,  p.87
He has told us to keep the words of wisdom, and has said that they are
adapted to the capacity of all who can be called Saints, even the
weakest. But, see the frailty of humanity! We think we know and
understand better than the Lord, what is best for us. We say this by
[p.88] our acts a great many times; but we might as well learn, first
as last, that the Lord knows best, and that his way is better than
ours, as much so as the heavens are higher than the earth. He has
trodden the path, and has had the experience that we have not had, and
has kindly condescended to make known a little of his experience in
regard to these things. He has told us that it is not good for us to
take spirituous liquors; but a great many of us think a little will do
us no harm, and it is better for us to have it than not to have it. He
has told us not to swear, not to take the name of the Lord in vain,
not to give way to our evil passions. Our passions are good, and
planted within us for a good and wise purpose, to give us strength and
energy of character; but they should be governed and controlled by
that heaven-inspired intellect and reason with which every person is
endowed; in other words, our passions should be our servants and not
our masters.

Vol. 15,  p.88
If we are thus governed and influenced kindness, love and charity will
fill every heart; but depart from that, let passion bear sway, then
the evil influences. that attend us take possession and cause us to go
astray into by and forbidden paths. When passion rules it dethrones
reason and intellect, and makes a beast of a man; and he who has no
more command of himself than to be governed by passion has fallen far
beneath the dignity of true manhood, and the end of such a course is
death.

Vol. 15,  p.88
These are some of the things that we have to be told of so often,
because we are so forgetful, and we oftentimes let the cares of the
world choke the word of life. The latter is sown in the hearts of the
children of men, and sometimes it takes root and grows fairly for a
little while, and then withers and dries up. Sometimes it falls into
good ground, takes root downward and bears fruit upward; and where it
does not do this it is owing to the frailties of human nature, and to
its proneness to wander from the way of life and to disregard the
truths of heaven.

Vol. 15,  p.88
One of the greatest boons that could be conferred upon the children of
men would be to have the government of God established on the earth.
Can they see it? No, they stand in fear of it. What makes men fear it?
What makes them afraid of the Lord, or of his government being
established on the earth? Is it not because their deeds are evil, and
because they are afraid of receiving the punishment due for the same?
The word has gone, forth, and most men believe it, that every man wild
be judged according to the deeds done in the body, whether they be
good or evil. And when men are conscious of evil deeds, and know they
do not pay allegiance to the kingdom and government of God, they have
reason to fear and dread the future; and let me say here, the time
will come when they will call upon the rocks and mountains to fall
upon them to hide them from his presence. But it should not be so. We
need not be afraid of the rule and government of God, it is only
calculated to benefit the children of men, and it will be a glorious
happy day when it shall be established on the earth in its fulness.
Men should fear to do wrong, to commit iniquity; they should do
themselves the kindness to honor the principles that pertain to their
well-being, and to eternal life and exaltation. Such principles should
be hailed with joy, gladness and delight by all the children of men.
The time will come when the government of God will prevail over the
whole face of the earth, notwithstanding all that mankind, and all
[p.89] that the powers of evil can do against it. The principles which
underlie the kingdom and government of God are those of truth and
virtue, and they will endure; while sin, iniquity, disobedience and
unbelief will be swept away, and the man who builds his house or
castle on such a foundation will find that it will not stand in the
day of the Lord Almighty. When the storms come and the winds beat upon
that house it will be swept away; in that day too, men will be
stripped of all their hypocrisy and iniquity, and they will stand
forth in all their naked deformity, then they will call upon the rocks
to fall upon and hide them from the presence of the Lord. Men should
live so that they can bear the scrutinizing eye of the Almighty.
Persons may think they can commit this or that evil, and no one will
know it; they may be very secretive in doing wrong, and think they
will never be found out. But if I commit evil I know it, and when I
know it, one too many knows it; and the Lord knows it as well as I
know it. We can not hide it from him, and we had better not commit
ourselves in any such a way, for in the great day of the Lord these
things will be revealed; man will stand forth in his naked deformity,
and the wickedness of wicked men will be made to appear, and it will
be written where it can be read by all people when the vail shall be
taken from before the eyes. Then let us repent and turn to God with
fall purpose of heart, and the promise to every one who will do this
in sincerity is that their sins shall be forgiven, and that they shall
receive the testimony which we bear this day—namely that the Gospel we
preach, is the Gospel of the Son of God and has been revealed for the
salvation of the human family.

Vol. 15,  p.89
This promise is certain and sure, there need be no doubt about it; it
will be fulfilled to all whom the Lord our God shall call—to every one
who repents of his evil ways and renders obedience to its mandates.
The minister in the pulpit needs it as much as anybody else. Why?
Because he has taught error; he has assumed to himself the authority
of high heaven, which has never been given to him. He has run before
he was sent, and has taught the traditions of the fathers instead of
the commandments of God. He needs to repent of his evil ways, and not
only to repent of but to turn from them.

Vol. 15,  p.89
No man can get a greater testimony of the forgiveness of his sins by
the Lord, than a knowledge within himself that he has turned away from
his evil deeds. He knows it then, for God has promised to forgive
every one who will comply with the requirements of the Gospel and turn
from evil; and the man who forsakes evil knows it, and if he has no
other testimony of his forgiveness, this is as great a one as he can
possess.

Vol. 15,  p.89
I know that this is different kind of preaching from what people get
in the world, but that makes no difference. We are a different people
from any other, God has made us so by the instructions that he has
imparted unto us through his servants. He has taught us another and a
better way—the true way, the way that leads back to him, the way of
life, truth and salvation. The Scriptures—the history of God's
dealings with his children in past ages when the authority of the Holy
Priesthood was on the earth, also bear testimony that this is the work
of God, and that all who receive it, and remain true and faithtful,
may become coworkers with our heavenly Father in bringing to pass his
purposes and establishing his kingdom upon the earth, if we will only
let him work [p.90] with us; but we must do this. He will establish
his work any how, independent of us, if we do not see proper to aid
him in this great enterprise. If we do not do it, he will find
somebody who will, for the day of redemption, the set time has come
for the commencement of this great work. An impression has gone forth
among all the children of men that the time is rapidly approaching to
prepare the way for the coming of the Lord, and the establishment of
his kingdom on the earth. No matter whether it be Gentile, Jew, bond
or free, heathen or Christian, this impression has been made on the
minds of all classes of the children of men in all the nations of the
earth, and it is true. The set the time has come when God will put
forth his hand to establish his kingdom, and every body knows it. We
proclaim in the ears of the people that the angel has come and brought
again the everlasting Gospel to preach to all the inhabitants of the
earth—to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. Let those, then,
who have not received it, make some inquiry concerning this work. It
is not a thing done up in a corner, but it is like a city set on a
hill, that can not be hid. The kingdom of God is transpiring before
the eyes of the children of men. Let them take heed and not raise
their heel against it, because if they do, it will only redound to
their own discomfiture. Then they had better not do it, they had
better receive it, or at least investigate, and then, if they do not
receive it, they had better withhold their hands instead of seeking to
destroy and overthrow the work and kingdom of God. All efforts to do
so will be futile, they will do the kingdom no harm, for nothing can
prevent its increase and triumph in the earth. God will not be
thwarted in his purposes and designs. The set time has come for him to
favor his people, and to establish his kingdom, and the puny arm of
man will be powerless to prevent it. Have they not been trying for
forty years? Are the lessons of the past of no benefit to the world?
It would seem so, indeed. They are slow to learn this lesson,
peradventure they may learn it after awhile, but not so long as evil
predominates as it does at present in the hearts of the great majority
of the children of men. We may be scattered and driven and have many
afflictions to endure, but will that stay the work of God? No. How has
it been? Let our past experience teach us and the world at the same
time. It has only increased and given greater velocity to the work of
God. Phoenix like, it has risen from its ashes and, if there is
anything about it formidable, it has presented a more formidable face
than ever before, notwithstanding the most strenuous exertions of its
adversaries. My testimony is that the experience of the past will be
renewed in the future, if the enemies of Zion work for its overthrow.
They may succeed in taking the lives of some of the servants of God;
they have done that in the past, but it never obstructed the work, and
all their efforts in the future will he as powerless as in the past.

Vol. 15,  p.90
It is for the Saints to ponder these things in their hearts, and with
renewed confidence and greater faith to press forward in their high
calling. Their past observation and experience have proved to them the
necessity of continual diligence. Many who have borne faithful
testimonies to the truth of this work have apostatized and forsaken
the truth because they have neglected some duty and have gradually
given way to evil, and the counsels of their mind have become [p.91]
darkened to the principles of truth, and they have finally forgotten
that they ever knew them to be true.

Vol. 15,  p.91
Then let us take heed to our steps. "Let him who standeth take heed
lest he fall," is a very good exhortation. We are none of us
independent, and none have got so far along but we find it necessary
to live humbly before the Lord. We should pray without ceasing, and
let our hearts be drawn towards the Lord continually, never forgetting
him, or the principles that he has revealed unto us; but we should be
actuated by them in all we say and all we do. If we do this, the
Spirit of the Lord will be within us like a well of water springing up
unto everlasting life. It is necessary that every one should live thus
humbly before the Lord, in order to have full possession of this
Spirit. This will bring peace, joy and comfort under all difficulties
that may assail us and seek to prevent our progress in the kingdom of
God.

Vol. 15,  p.91
What is a man good for who flies the track the very moment obstruction
or difficulty presents itself before him? Nothing. He has not proven
his integrity, and he cannot prove it in this way. We have undertaken
to follow the Lord through evil as well as good report; and the Lord,
and his ways, his teachings and government are in evil report in the
world; and he who has independence and courage enough to strip himself
of his surroundings in the world, and seeks to establish the kingdom
of God, has to meet these difficulties which present themselves before
him. He has to stem his ear to the popular stream. It is easy to float
with the stream; but it requires more courage, and independence of
character and greater nerve to stem the tide of corruption in the
World than to go down with the current; and the man who takes this
course is far more independent than he who has not the courage to do
so.

Vol. 15,  p.91
Then let us take courage and press onward if we have received the
truth, as we know we have; if we have received the testimony of
Jesus—the spirit of prophecy, as we know we have, let us take heed to
our steps and continue faithful, never swerving to the right hand or
to the left, for of all people in the world, the Latter-day Saints are
the people who cannot afford to lay off the armor of righteousness for
a moment. The tempter the evil one, is at our elbow, ready to enter in
and take possession and blind our understandings and cause us to make
shipwreck of our faith if possible.

Vol. 15,  p.91
The Saints should live humble, be courteous, be civil and live for God
and his kingdom. That is the only job we have on hand. Let us work on
that job as long as we live on the earth. Our religion is not a matter
of enthusiasm, to last a day or a week, and then evaporate into thin
air, like the religions of the world; but every hour, every day, every
week, every gear, as long as we live on the earth, it should be first
with us, for it is only he who endures faithful and true to the end
that will be saved, and will inherit everlasting habitations. We need
not lay to our souls the flattering unction that we can go hand in
hand with the devil all our lives and inherit celestial glory. That is
not in the programme. We can do as we please about receiving or
rejecting the principles Of life and salvation as they have been
revealed. We have this power, because we are free agents, to act as we
please in this matter; but we can not go back into celestial abodes
and inherit celestial glory unless we keep the law pertaining to that
kingdom. And so with every other kingdom, even a telestial kingdom; we
must abide a telestial [p.92] law or we can not participate in the
glory appertaining to it.

Vol. 15,  p.92
I do not wish to continue. I feel thankful for the privilege of
bearing my testimony, although I do yet count myself a preacher. But
the principles of the Gospel make preachers of us all, for they make
us bear testimony of the same to the children of men. They impel every
heart to say something, to bear testimony, if nothing more, to the
truth of the principles we have received. This life-giving power, the
Holy Ghost, I say, impels every person who has received it to bear
this testimony according to the sphere and position he fills, and the
duties he is called upon to perform. A person may be called to plough,
sow, reap, build a railroad, work in thee canyon or to go and preach
to the nations of the earth, and one calling is as legitimate as
another, inasmuch as he who is filling it is working in the legitimate
channel, and aiding to build up the kingdom of God.

Vol. 15,  p.92
Every person who has obeyed the Gospel has a share of responsibility
to bring forth and establish this work upon the earth. None can shirk
this responsibility, but it is shared by all according to their
spheres and positions. Those engaged in raising families are doing
their part to establish the Zion of God, just as much as in the
performance of any other labor.

Vol. 15,  p.92
Let us ponder these things in our hearts, receive the impressions made
from the heavens above. This will exalt us above the grovelling things
of earth and cause us to attain those which are before us with
cheerful hearts and willing minds.

Vol. 15,  p.92
May God preserve us in the purity of our most holy faith, and enable
us to endure to the end, that we may inherit everlasting habitations
prepared for the righteous, is my prayer for Jesus' sake. Amen.

George A. Smith, July 7, 1872

Sacrament—Self-Examination—Recollections of Early 
Life—Re-Flections on Scenes of Childhood, 
After An Absence of Forty Years

Remarks By President George A. Smith, Delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday, July 7, 1872.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.92
The administration of the Sacrament is an occasion which calls us, one
and all, to reflection, to inquire of ourselves in relation to our
course of conduct in life—whether the journey we have pursued, the
paths that we are traveling, are in accordance with the holy
principles of that religion [p.93] which has been revealed for our
salvation, and which we have received. While I have visited the cities
of the East, I have observed that a great amount of means has been
expended in the construction and ornamenting of churches and edifices
for public worship. Every city, every village is beautified with
magnificent buildings, stately domes, elegant spires, erected in honor
and for the purpose of religion, and I have reflected upon the
influence of this religion upon the minds of a community. In visiting
friends I found many who are professors of religion, who seem to have
an utter disregard for any forms of worship whatever, and who totally
neglect prayer in the family and grace at the table. I am not aware,
of course, whether or not this is general among Christians; but I
notice among the Latter-day Saints, that it seems to be very natural
to be slothful and negligent and careless in relation to our
every-day, simple duties. We may build temples, erect stately domes,
magnificent spires, grand towers, in honor of our religion, but if we
fail to live the principles of that religion at home, and to
acknowledge God in all our thoughts, we shall fall short of the
blessings which its practical exercise would ensure.

Vol. 15,  p.93
While the Sacrament is passed around, and we take the emblems of our
Savior's death and suffering, and realize the sacrifice which he made
for our salvation, we should ask ourselves, Do we remember him in all
things? Do we acknowledge his hand in the providences with which we
are surrounded? Do we call upon him in our families and in secret? Or
do we neglect our duties, do we miss praying with our families in the
morning, and have not time to do so in the evening, and are in such a
hurry that we cannot even ask his blessing upon our food, and cannot
take time to attend meeting on the Sabbath, nor afford to devote the
day to rest, meditation and study? Let us also ask these questions of
ourselves, Are we honorable in our relations with each other? Do We do
by our neighbor as we would that he should do unto us? Are we just in
our dealings? Are we honoring those principles of morality which alone
can prepare us to inherit celestial glory? Brethren and sisters, if we
ask ourselves these questions, and, after examining our conduct and
career, can answer them honestly and truthfully in the affirmative,
then we may partake of the bread and water in the presence of our
heavenly Father worthily. If, on the other hand, we have been
negligent and careless, we should repent, for repentance is our first
duty.

Vol. 15,  p.93
Since I last saw you, I have visited the scenes of my childhood, and
the place of my birth, after an absence of about forty years. My ideas
of right and wrong were formed there; my associations with the people,
up to fifteen years of age, were such as to give deep and strong
impressions of their character, and of the principles by which they
were governed. I cannot say that my visit yeas without its painful
character. Forty years sweep from the face of the earth more than a
generation. I understand statisticians to estimate that thirty-three
years carry as many souls from the earth as dwell on it at one time. I
went into my native town after forty years' absence, and inquired for
those who were the business men in my boyhood, for the magistrates,
ministers, merchants, farmers and mechanics with whom I was acquainted
then. Where were they? Nearly all dead; a very few of the old faces,
like ancient oaks [p.94] remain. On my father's farm there was a
beautiful grove of maple—some two hundred trees, standing when I was
there before, with no other timber among them, the ground sown with
white clover—it was one of the most beautiful lawns I ever saw when I
left it. I drove up before the house in which I was born, and said to
the man who was residing there, "Is that grove standing?" "Not a maple
tree on the farm," was the reply. "Not a single one?" said I. "No,"
said he, "not a maple on the farm." I had not even the curiosity to
drive across the farm, for in my mind that grove was the feature of
all others, it was the place of my dreams.

Vol. 15,  p.94
Many of you know that in 1853 we had difficulty with the Indians in
Southern Utah. At that time I was military commander of the Southern
Department. Previous to every attack on the settlement, my dreams
would carry me back to that grove, and there I would see, or get some
intimation of, the coming trouble with the Indians. Now there is not a
tree left. It would have been about so with the people if I had staid
away a few years longer.

Vol. 15,  p.94
I went into the school district where I had resided some six years,
and visited Mr. Porter Patterson, with whom I was well acquainted in
my boyhood, and began inquiring for the neighbors. "Why," said he,
"they are all gone but four: myself and wife, and Mr. John Stafford
and Mrs. Garfield are all the married people that remain that lived
here when you went away, thirty-nine years and two months ago."
"Then," said I, "I must go to the graveyard."

Vol. 15,  p.94
These reflections would bring to my mind the sermons that I had heard
in my youth. I went to the cemetery, and saw the graves of a great
many of my old comrades. There were headstones with inscriptions to
many whom I had known, and some whose funerals I had attended, and I
could recite texts, and a portion of the sermons preached at those
funerals. They were generally passages like this—"Be ye also ready,
for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh." Passages
of this kind were generally selected as warnings to all to be ready
for death.

Vol. 15,  p.94
From the monuments in the graveyard I found that a good many had been
summoned in their youth, for there were the graves of boys and girls
with whom I had associated, some of them my relatives. I visited three
cemeteries with a like result—the one in our own neighborhood, one in
Colton and the other in Potsdam village, in all of which I had been
more or less acquainted.

Vol. 15,  p.94
Latter-day Saints, in their preaching, call on men and women to
prepare to live, and they teach them how to live, believing that if
any person is prepared to live as he ought to, he will certainly be
prepared to die whenever the summons shall come. It was never a part
or portion of our teaching to attempt to scare men to heaven. I went
to the meeting house, or rather to the site of the meeting house, for
the old frame building had been replaced by another of bricks, and it
converted into a lecture room for the normal school. In that old frame
building I had been most solemnly sentenced to eternal damnation, nine
times, by a Congregationalist minister forty years ago. He had gone to
his grave, and nearly all the persons present in the congregation at
the time, had followed, or preceded, him. The object of this sentence,
in the eloquent and Solemn language in which it was pronounced, and so
oft-re-peated, was, no doubt, to stir in the minds of impenitent
sinners, and of [p.95] me particularly, a conviction that would secure
conversion to Christianity, as I was considered impenitent; and I do
not know but the proper phrase would be, to scare me to heaven. But it
did not have that effect with me, I never could understand nor realize
certain portions of the teachings which I there heard. That I must
become so thoroughly in love with the justice of God as to be
perfectly willing to be damned to all eternity for his glory, and
suffer all the miseries which they so eloquently described, was to me
an impossibility, I could see no justice in such doctrines· But those
were times of great religious excitement, when revivals and protracted
meetings were common all over the country, and the souls of many were
stirred to the very core, as it were, by the idea, then so strongly
advocated, of the punishment and misery which were to be eternally
inflicted upon all those who were finally impenitent. Those sermons
divided, the Christian world into two classes, one was made celestial,
inheriting all the blessings and glory which a God could bestow; the
other was banished to eternal misery.

Vol. 15,  p.95
When the doctrines of the Latter-day Saints were preached to me I
could understand them. I could believe in faith and repentance, in the
principle of obedience, and in the doctrines of baptism for the
remission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy
Ghost, and that God had provided for all beings that he ever created,
a glory, honor and immortality in accordance with their works, whether
good or evil, giving, as a matter of course, to the faithful
Latter-day Saints, the reserved seats; or to use the language of the
Apostle Paul, I could believe that there was a glory of the sun, a
glory of the moon, and a glory of the stars, and that the glory of the
stars differed as much as the stars differ in brilliancy; and that all
sects, denominations and classes of people would receive punishments
and rewards in accordance with his divine justice. Every Latter-day
Saint that abides in the truth, faithful, to the end, may expect the
glory of the sun; and every man that acts in accordance with the light
that he possesses lays a foundation for greater glory and honor than
eye has seen, or than it has entered into the heart of mortal man to
conceive.

Vol. 15,  p.95
I did not visit these graves with the feeling that some of the
ministers of orthodox churches sought to impress upon my mind in my
youth—I did not believe that they were consigned to eternal punishment
because they believed differently from what I did. I went there
feeling a confidence that honorable men and women would receive
honorable treatment from a just God. In speaking on this subject, I
designed simply to wake up the hearts of my brethren and sisters to
the necessity of maintaining this honor, and to the fact that, as we
advance in the flyings of the kingdom, greater sacrifices and more
faith and diligence are required on our part.

Vol. 15,  p.95
I visited, in the course of my journey, the place where Joseph Smith's
father was born—Topsfield, Massachusetts. I was in the house he was
born in, and upon the farm where the family had resided three
generations previous, they having resided in that county—Essex—as
early as 1666. One object of my visit was to obtain some historical
information in relation to the family of Joseph Smith. It was about
eighty-one years since my grandfather moved away from that place, at
which time my father was eleven years old, and Joseph's father
twenty-one, they being brothers. [p.96] It would seem strange that,
after the lapse of eighty-one years, I should find any one who knew my
grandfather, yet I saw several persons who stated that they were
personally acquainted with him, although they could not remember when
he moved away; but after doing so, he returned to that neighborhood,
and visited his relatives and acquaintances, and they had distinct
recollections of him, and gave me reminiscences of his history.

Vol. 15,  p.96
The graveyard at Topsfield contained no monuments over about eighty
years old. I do not recollect the exact date. Among the oldest were
the names of my great aunts and other relatives. Being a firm believer
in the doctrine of baptism for the dead, I was anxious to procure the
names of those departed persons wherever our records might be
deficient, and I have, I believe, a prospect of obtaining the names of
about nine hundred of the kindred of my great grandmother—Priscilla
Gould.

Vol. 15,  p.96
The old portion of the burying ground at Topsfield, used by the early
inhabitants, is totally without monuments—no gravestones whatever, so
that I presume they simply used headboards or monuments of wood; and
the place is now reserved as a sacred precinct in which, we were told
that any of the kindred of those ancient worthies of the town might
plant gravestones if they choose, but no person is allowed to be
buried there. The cemetery had been enlarged, and from eighty years
ago down to the present time there had been placed there many
gravestones and handsome obelisks, some manifesting the pride and
aristocracy of those who placed them there. I noticed one
particularly, on which was inscribed a notice to the effect that the
person buried there was a millionaire. It did not say whether he
obtained money honestly or by some other means.

Vol. 15,  p.96
In visiting the office of the town clerk, I examined the record kept
by my great grandfather in 1776-8, at which time he was the clerk of
that town. I also found, by examining the records ten years before
then, that he had represented the town in the Legislature of the
Colony of Massachusetts, and was a very firm supporter of the
Revolution. Just as I was about leaving the office to go to the
railway station, I was told by the clerk that he had a list of the
names of the children of Robert Smith in the town record. Robert Smith
was supposed by us to be the first of our family who settled in
Massachusetts, sometime previous to the year 1665. I there ascertained
what our family records fail to show. Our records show that he had a
son Samuel, and that Samuel had a son Samuel, and that Samuel had a
son Samuel and a son Asael, and Asael was our grandfather; but I
ascertained that this Robert Smith had a large family, and their names
are contained in that old town record.

Vol. 15,  p.96
The Genealogical Society of Massachusetts has got out books containing
the records of some hundreds of the families of the oldest settlers of
the colony. If our friends here, whose ancestors were buried in New
England, would unite in purchasing an entire set of these works, they
would be enabled to find collateral, if not direct, branches of their
kindred; and so obtain a key to help them in making the necessary
records to attend to the ordinances for their dead. But our faith is,
brethren and sisters, that when we have exhausted all the powers
within our natural reason and reach to obtain a knowledge of our dead,
and the Lord is satisfied with us, revelations will be opened to our
understandings by [p.97] which we will be able to trace back our
genealogy to the time when men were within the pale of the principles
and laws of the Priesthood, before these ordinances were changed and
the everlasting covenant broken. 

Vol. 15,  p.97
In conversing with Mr. Zaccheus Gould and his wife, of Topsfield, over
eighty years old, and Dr. Humphrey Gould, of Rowe, who were cousins,
of my father, I was enabled to pick up many very satisfactory items of
information. I am also under obligation to Mr. John H. Gould, of
Topsfield, and to the town clerk of that place, Mr. Towne, for
valuable letters and papers relating to the history of our family, all
of which, as they relate to the ancestry of Joseph Smith, will form an
interesting page in connection with his history when it shall be
published.

Vol. 15,  p.97
I do not design, in conversing with you at the present time, to
enumerate the visits I made, though they remind me of a remark made
concerning me by my grandfather on the last day of his life. He died
in his eighty-eighth year, I being then in my fourteenth year. Said
he, "George A. is a rather singular boy. When he comes here, instead
of going to play as the rest of my grandchildren do, he comes into my
room and asks me questions about what occurred seventy or eighty years
ago." It seemed to me, while I was absent that I was pursuing the same
course yet, for although I had got pretty well along in years, I still
wanted to talk with the old folks.

Vol. 15,  p.97
At Woonsocket, R. I., I visited Mrs. Tryphena Lyman, a cousin of my
mother, in her 94th year, who was living with her unmarmarried
daughter, an agreeable young lady in her 70th year. I had a very
pleasant visit with them, and from them I learned some interesting
incidents of my mother's ancestors. From my cousins, Mr. and Mrs.
Simon D. Butler, of South Colton, N.Y., I obtained a copy of the
family record of my great-grandfather, Deacon John Lyman, written by
his own hand in his family Bible—now 200 years old. Mrs. Butler has
been my most faithful correspondent among all my relatives, and my
meeting with her and her husband was more like meeting a brother and
sister than cousins.

Vol. 15,  p.97
It is very well known that, by the election of a convention of
delegates from all the counties of this Territory, held in this city,
Ex-Governor Fuller and myself went to attend the Republican Convention
at Philadelphia. Persons appeared there and objected to me because, I
was a "Mormon," and the committee on credentials did not think proper
to allow the representatives of the people of Utah a seat in that
convention, consequently we retired, believing, fully, that the time
would come in our country when men will not be questioned in relation
to their religious faith or practice, when called upon to perform the
duties of citizens, but that if they are firm and upright supporters
of the Constitution and laws of their country, that will be all that
will be required of them. I then took the opportunity to make these
visits, which I had designed doing years before, and which I believe
will result in good. I did not seek to be publicly known; I made no
attempts to preach, though invited at different times to do so; and I
must say for the credit of New England, that I had the offer of a
Christian church to preach in. I say this to show that New England is
improving in its religious faith, that is, there is less bigotry there
now than there has been at certain periods. I could have had numerous
opportunities to preach, but I wished [p.98] to make my journey one of
rest, and addressed but one public congregation, and that was last
Sabbath in the Latter-day Saints' Hall, Brooklyn.

Vol. 15,  p.98
While at Philadelphia I met Mr. E. W. Foster, Supervisor of Potsdam,
my native town, he being a member of the convention, and one of the
committee on credentials before whom our claim to a seat was
contested. After leaving Philadelphia I visited Potsdam, and an
incident occurred there which I will name. On landing at the railway
station, Mr. Foster happened to be there, and recognizing me, he
called me by name, and bid me welcome to the town. A very
respectable-looking aged lady, hearing the name, stepped up to him and
inquired if I was George A. Smith, and being answered in the
affirmative, she seized my hand and said, "I want to thank you, your
father saved my life." "Why, when?" "A good many years ago." "How?"
"We were broken through the ice into the lake, and at the risk of his
own life he saved mine." The cars were about starting, and she rushed
from me and said, "My name was Eliza Courier." I really thought the
incident worth naming, as occurring in the place of my birth, and from
which I had gone nearly forty years before.

Vol. 15,  p.98
By the courtesy of General N. S. Elderkin, I had the privilege of
visiting the State Normal School at Potsdam, and was very much pleased
with the institution. The vast improvements which have been made in
buildings, machinery, roads, transportation, and telegraphs, have
certainly not been altogether inapplicable to the progress of
education. When I received my education, an ordinary school master
received nine dollars a month, and twelve if he was a first class
teacher; and he could cut blue beech switches enough in a day, and
perhaps less, to thrash the scholars the entire winter, and they were
applied very freely. I used to think I got more than my share. I
thought I could not watch the schoolmaster as well as some others, my
eyes were not quite so good. But I noticed on my visit a very
desirable change in their school government; the cultivation of the
mind is the object sought now, and the teacher has become the friend
as well us the preceptor of the pupil. The blue beech seems to be
pretty well banished, and there is a marked improvement in the whole
system of education, as well as in telegraphing, railroading,
machinery, and architectural works generally.

Vol. 15,  p.98
I met several of my old school-fellows, who were glad to see me, and
treated me with courtesy. Among these I should mention General
Elderkin, a man of influence and who never, in the darkest hour of our
persecutions, has failed to recognize me as an old schoolfellow and
friend, notwithstanding he had high religious notions. I met other
gentlemen of this kind.

Vol. 15,  p.98
We are all passing to the tomb, and we want to leave a good record,
that is, one that will be pleasing to the Lord. It is not a very lofty
ambition for a man to spend his life so as to have it recorded on his
tombstone that he died worth a million dollars; but if he spend his
life in doing good, that will be a record that will be to his
everlasting honor, and will prove to him treasure in heaven. People
say, "You Mormons believe all will be damned except yourselves." We
know for ourselves that this is the work of God, and we know that
every Latter-day Saint that is faithful to his profession and calling
will attain to celestial glory. We also further know [p.99]  that God
has extended, in his order, to all the human race, glory, honor,
immortality and blessings in accordance with their works, whether good
or evil. Read the vision in the Book of Covenants, and the 13th
chapter of Paul's epistle to the Corinthians. and judge for
yourselves; and while we should struggle to obtain the greater
blessings, we should never disparage those who may fall short of
attaining the highest glory. There is a glory of the sun, the Apostle
informs us, also a glory of the moon, and a glory of the stars, and as
one star differeth from another, so do these different degrees of
glory differ. But in these various glories will be found all
denominations and all honorable men—every one in accordance with those
things which he has done in this life; and, says the Savior, "Suffer
little children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of
heaven."

Vol. 15,  p.99
As I passed by the site of the old academy, I said to General
Elderkin, "There I received my Presbyterian baptism." "So did I," said
he I did not wish to raise a question in relation to the subject with
him at all. He is now, I believe, a member of the Episcopal Church,
and I, of course, am a Latter-day Saint; but the man who sprinkled the
water on our foreheads, taught that hell was full of infants not a
span long. The idea was horrible to me from the time I first heard it.
"Suffer little children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of
heaven," says the Savior; and if we live in the sight of God as
innocent, pure and holy as little children, we shall attain to the
glory of the sun. May God enable us to do so through Jesus our
Redeemer. Amen.

Orson Pratt, August 4, 1872

Revelation From Heaven and Its Continuance Necessary

Discourse By Eldeer Orson Pratt, Delivered in the 
Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday Afternoon, August 4, 1872.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.99
Sometimes I am in the habit of taking a text, but at present there is
no passage of Scripture which presents itself to my mind; I therefore,
commence speaking and, through your faith and prayers before the Lord,
I trust that something may be given to me that will edify, and benefit
the congregation. The subjects pertaining to the kingdom of God are so
numerous that, sometimes the great difficulty in the mind of a servant
of God who attempts to address the people is to know the mind and will
of the Spirit in regard to what shall be said. If I know my [p.100]
own heart, I have no desire to speak my own words or to impart unto
you my own natural wisdom; but it is the earnest desire of my heart
that I may impart instruction according to the mind and the will of
the living God. This I can not do unless God shall grant unto me the
inspiration of his Spirit at the very moment, and this will depend in
a great measure upon the hearers as well as upon the speaker. If the
people have faith in God, and pray unto him, exercising that faith, he
may give them something that will be instructive to their minds; but
if they have not faith the Lord may not see proper thus to impart.

Vol. 15,  p.100
We are permitted, Latter-day Saints, to live in a very peculiar age of
the world. It is called by us, the dispensation of the fulness of
times. Many dispensations have been revealed to the inhabitants of the
earth in past ages, and God has given, from time to time, since the
creation, much instruction to the people. What I mean by a
dispensation, is power, authority and revelation given from Heaven to
direct and counsel men here on the earth. This has been given at
different ages of the world, and the instruction which God has given
has been in accordance with the circumstances of the people, the
revelations and instructions which he has given being different at one
period from those given at another. When I say different, do not
misunderstand me. Many of the revelations of God are unchangeable in
their nature, and are adapted to all dispensations; but many
commandments have been given that were adapted only to the
dispensations in which they were revealed. I will name some of these.

Vol. 15,  p.100
For instance, when some sixteen hundred or two thousand years had
passed away, from the creation, the world had become very much
corrupted in the sight of God, so much so that what little history we
have on the subject informs us that all flesh had corrupted its way
upon the face of the earth. God gave a new commandment in that period,
differing entirely from all former commandments. It was not adapted to
any dispensation that had preceded it, neither would it be suitable
for any future dispensation: it was intended for that particular
period only. The Lord commanded his servant Noah to build an ark,
according to certain rules and dimensions that he gave unto him, for,
said the Lord, "I intend to destroy all flesh with a flood, except
those who shall gather together into the ark which you shall build."

Vol. 15,  p.100
This was a new commandment. If there had been any sectarian preachers
who then lived, and perhaps there were—for preachers who have not been
sent of God seem to have been numerous in all dispensations-they would
perhaps have reasoned with Noah in relation to this new revelation and
commandment, and said to him, "What is the use now, of getting new
revelation from God? You will not dispute, Noah, but what Enoch was
saved and translated to heaven. He had enough revelation to save him,
and can not we be saved in the same manner that he was, without having
any new revelation communicated to us?" I mention this, because such
arguments are used at the present day in reference to the new
revelations which the Latter-day Saints carry forth to the world. The
people say, "You believe in the Book of Mormon as a new revelation,
and that God has given new commandments. Have we not enough? Were not
the people who lived in the days of Enoch, Abraham, Moses and the
[p.101] Prophets, in the days of Jesus and the Apostles, saved? and if
they had enough to save them, if we follow the instructions which they
received, what is the use of obtaining another book, called the Book
of Mormon, or new commandments and revelations?" This has been brought
forth as an argument ever since my youth to my certain knowledge, in
all countries where I have traveled and attempted to communicate to
the world our ideas about new revelation. The same arguments might
have been used in the days of the flood—"Enough has been given; Enoch
has been saved and translated, and if we follow the revelations given
to him, why may we not be saved without having any thing new?" But
Noah would have answered, and very properly too, "God designs to
accomplish something now that he did not accomplish in the days of
Enoch, nor in the days of Abel and Seth, nor in the days of any of
those ancient worthies—he intends to bring destruction on all flesh
that will not repent, by overwhelming this world of ours in a flood of
water. He intends to pour out his indignation and just wrath upon
those who corrupt themselves in his sight; and he has provided a
particular way of escape therefrom, by which you may, if you will, be
saved from this judgment, and that way has to be made known by new
revelation." We will pass on, however.

Vol. 15,  p.101
Soon after the days of Noah, we find that certain men lived upon the
earth, whose names are recorded in this sacred history (the Bible),
who were called to be the chosen servants of God, and whom the Lord
blessed in a peculiar manner. I refer now to the Patriarchs, and more
especially to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, three very worthy men, so
worthy that the Lord chose them as representatives of the faithful in
all future ages, and declared that all who should be saved in future
ages should became their seed, either springing directly front their
loins, or being adopted, through the Gospel, into the family of
Abraham, who was to be called the father of the faithful: that is the
father not only of the faithful who lived from his day until the
coming of Christ, but of all who should live after Christ who followed
in the footsteps of this ancient Patriarch and embraced the same
Gospel that he taught, and they should have a claim on the promises
that were made to him.

Vol. 15,  p.101
Now, did the Patriarch Abraham receive anything new from God, or was
there enough already given? Perhaps many may cry, "Enough to save
Noah, Enoch, Abel, and all persons who would walk before the Lord
according to ancient revelation, without anything new." But there was
not enough adapted to the circumstances by which Abraham was
surrounded. Why? Because the Lord designed to call Abraham out from
his father's house, from his friends and country, and to lead him into
a strange land. Abraham might have searched all former records, and
revelations, but here was a duty he never could have learned
therefrom—"Depart from thy father's house!" It could not be found
written in former revelations, hence the circumstances required new
revelation, and God gave it by commanding this great man—the father of
the faithful—to leave the land of Chaldea and to go forth into a
country where he never had been. Abraham was obedient, he went forth
and traveled to the country that we call Palestine—a small territory
east of the Mediterranean Sea. And having arrived in that land, he
might have searched all former revelations in vain to have [p.102]
learned what his duty was then, for there were certain duties required
of him then in regard to which the revelation given to him in his
native land did not enlighten him. One of these duties was to go forth
upon a certain eminence or mountain in Canaan. He did as he was
taught. It was a peculiar commandment. I have never been commanded to
do so, neither has any other person in this congregation; neither was
any person who lived before Abraham but he, and he alone needed new
revelation to find out that he was to go to the top of a certain
mountain. When he got there another new revelation was given to him,
commanding him to look to the east then to the west; and then to cast
his eyes to the north, and to the south, and then, behold, a great
promise was made to him by new revelation, namely, "All the land which
thou seest shall be given to thee and thy seed after thee for an
everlasting possession." No such promise could he have found in any
former revelation: this promise was adapted to that peculiar
individual, and to the circumstances in which he was placed.

Vol. 15,  p.102
We would imagine that Isaac, having his father's revelations right
before his eyes, and knowing all about them, would say in his heart,
"I need not trouble myself About inquiring from God and receiving
anything new from the heavens. My father was a good man; he was saved,
and I shall content myself by giving heed to the old revelations." But
Isaac did not reason in this way; and the Lord had some new
revelations to communicate to the son of Abraham, and one of them was
to confirm the promise that had been marie to his father. One might
naturally suppose that the revelation made to his father was broad
enough and covered the case without being confirmed, for it declared
that the land promised to Abraham should be given to him and to his
seed after him, and we might suppose that that included Isaac, and
that there was no need of a new revelation to him on the subject; but
if it did include him, Isaac was not fully satisfied, he would not
place his dependence on something that had been said to some other
man, but wanted to know for himself whether God intended him to
possess that land, and there was no way for him to obtain this
knowledge except by direct communication with the heavens. He obtained
it, God renewing the promise to him that he had made to his father
Abraham.

Vol. 15,  p.102
By and by comes along the grandson of Abraham—Jacob, who, not
satisfied with the promises made to his grandfather and his
father—Abraham and Isaac, and not considering himself safe to depend
on promises made to somebody else, came before the Lord and plead with
him, and the angels of God came and visited this lad, and he saw a
ladder reaching from the ground on which he slept to the very heavens,
upon which the angels were ascending and descending; and he, on that
occasion, obtained a confirmation of the promise made to his father
and grandfather.

Vol. 15,  p.102
It is unnecessary for me to trace the history of these patriarchs, or
to mention the various times when God thought fit to communicate a new
revelation unto them, according to the circumstances in which they
were placed. We might relate the revelations given to Jacob after he
went down into the country of Laban, where he married his four wives.
We might relate to you the various revelations God gave to him during
his sojourn in that land. We might [p.103] also relate to you the
revelations he received after he left that country with his four wives
and his children. When he came to the brook Jabbok, sending over all
his family before him, he stopped back, and the Lord condescended to
give him a new revelation. An angel came down, and Jacob and this
person laid hold of each other, the same as allen do occasionally now,
to try each other's strength, in what is termed wrestling. These two
persons wrestled together all night long. The angel did not see proper
to take any advantage of Jacob by miracle, but he wrestled with him as
one man would another; and it seems that neither of them overcame the
other. The angel did not succeed in throwing Jacob to the ground,
neither did Jacob succeed in throwing the angel to the ground; but
after contending together all night, the angel at last put forth his
finger and touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh and lamed him a little,
and by this means was enabled to overcome him. After being thus lamed,
Jacob found that he had been wrestling with an angel of God, and, said
he, "I will not let let thee go unless thou bless me;" and God,
through the mouth of that angel, gave to him the same great and
glorious promises than he had given to his father, and also blessed
him as a prince, because he had power to wrestle with an angel all
night and prevailed with him.

Vol. 15,  p.103
Some suppose that this was the first conversion of Jacob; but, be this
as it may, Jacob, prior to this time, had many great revelations from
God. After wrestling in this manner on one side of the brook Jabbok,
he started the next day to overtake his family, and he placed his four
wives and their children in a certain order, preparatory to meeting
his brother Esau. By and by Esau comes along with quite an army of
men, and he meets the forward company, consisting of Bilhah and Zilpah
and their children—two of Jacob's wives and their polygamous
offspring. He continues on until he meets Jacob's third wife, and
finally he comes to the fourth and her children, with whom Jacob was,
and turning to Jacob he says, "Who are all these women and children?"
Jacob answered, "These are they whom God hath given thy servant."
What! God give to Jacob more than one wife, and a number of polygamous
children! Is that so? Well, Jacob says so, and we are informed that he
was then converted, that this meeting between Jacob and Esau took
place, and this declaration of Jacob was made after his conversion at
the brook Jabbok. Now, would you suppose that a converted man would
make such a declaration, about his wives and children as Jacob made to
Esau, if it had not been true? If a man now-a-days declares that God
has given him more wives than one, and a host of polygamous children,
he is accused of blasphemy, yet Jacob, after wrestling with an angel,
declared that such was the case with him: he knew it was so and he
acknowledged the hand of God. After he reached the land of Canaan we
find that God continued to give to this man revelation after
revelation, suited to the circumstances; and thus we may trace the
history of the dispensations of God to man.

Vol. 15,  p.103
I will now touch, in short, upon the history of Moses, who lived
several hundred years after Jacob—at a period when circumstances
called for commandments and revelations different to any that had ever
been given before. After having slain the Egyptian, Moses fled from
the house of Pharaoh, and went down into the land of Midian, and dwelt
there forty years. At a certain time, when he [p.104] was herding the
flocks of his father-in-law, Jethro, he saw a bush burning with a very
brilliant flame. This excited his curiosity, and he drew near, and saw
the bush apparently burning, and yet not consumed. As he drew nearer
God spoke to him out of the burning bush, and told him to take the
shoes from his feet for the place on which he stood was holy ground.
He never could have found out by former revelation that the ground
whereon he stood was holy. This God, who appeared in the burning bush,
or the angel, as the case may be, had something for Moses to do that
he could not possibly learn tram former revelation, and that something
was to arise and go down into Egypt and deliver God's people—the
descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—from the hands of their
enemies. Do you not see that it required new revelation to inform him
of this fact? He was obedient to the commandment, for taking Aaron
with him, he went down into Egypt and stood before the king, and then
commenced a series of new revelations that were wonderful and
marvelous in their nature. The revelations of to-day, however, would
not suit to-morrow, and those of to-morrow would not suit the next
day. Why? Because God had something new to perform every day, and that
which was given yesterday would not be adapted to the work God saw fit
to perform to-day or to-morrow, hence, as often as the day rolled
round new revelation had to be given to Moses to make known to him
what the Lord required at his hand, what his mission was, what he was
to do in the house of Pharaoh and before all the Egyptians. Having
accomplished these wonders, by new revelation, Moses and the whole
house of Israel, some twenty-five hundred thousand in number, left the
land of Egypt and came forth to the eastern border of the Red Sea.

Vol. 15,  p.104
If there had been sectarians in that large company, they would
doubtless have reasoned with Moses on this wise: "Moses, what an
abundance of revelation God has given in former times, and have we not
enough for our guidance now?" I say if there bad been Baptists,
Methodists, Presbyterians, members of the Church of England, or of any
of the several hundred different sects into which Christendom is now
separated, this would have been their argument, for their argument now
is—"We have enough, and do not need any more." But Moses and the
children of Israel were not influenced by such considerations, for
they were placed in circumstances that required something new. The Red
Sea was before them, and there were mountains on the south and on the
north, and on the west the Egyptians were pursuing them, and the
inquiry with them was "What shall we do?" God gave them revelation. He
did not tell them to search previous revelations for that was all that
was necessary, but he gave them revelation telling them what to do,
and that revelation was, "Stand still, and see the salvation of God?"
If they had not got this new revelation they might have been so
confused that, instead of standing still, some would have run for one
mountain, and some for another, some this way and some that; but a new
revelation made them understand that their duty, instead of fleeing,
was to stand still and see the salvation that God would work out for
them. Moses was commanded to smite the waters of the Red Sea, and he
did so, and they were parted asunder by the power of the Almighty and,
as we are informed in another place, they stood up like [p.105] walls
on either side of the path on which the children of Israel traveled
through the midst of the sea We would naturally suppose that water
would not do this, but it was a miracle wrought by the power of the
Almighty. He placed the waters, like solid walls on each side of his
people, and they walked through dry shod, while the Egyptian army, in
trying to pursue them, were overthrown in the midst of the sea.

Vol. 15,  p.105
Then comes another new revelation—given by inspiration—to sing how the
Lord had overthrown the enemies of his people, how the Lord had
magnified his great power and preserved his people from the Egyptian
nation, and delivered them from bondage. The hosts of Israel traveled
along from the shores of the Red Sea until they came to the foot of
Mount Sinai, where, by new revelation, they camped; and at a certain
time, the Lord, by new revelation, called Moses up into the mount; and
when he got there the Lord saw fit to write a certain code of laws on
tables of stone, and, after keeping Moses in the mount forty days and
forty nights, he sent him down, and when he got down he found that the
children of Israel had corrupted themselves in the sight of the Most
High, for they had made unto themselves gods, certain golden calves,
and they were worshipping them. Aaron had caused the people to strip
themselves naked, and they were dancing around the calves. Moses was
very angry, not with that kind of anger which fills the bosoms of
foolish men and women; but that principle of justice which burns in
the bosom of the Almighty, burned in the bosom of Moses, and he threw
down the tables of the covenant which he had brought from Mount Sinai,
and they were smashed to pieces. He called for those on the Lord's
side to come out from the midst of that company and stand with him, at
the same time commanding them to gird on their swords and put to death
those who were not for the Lord. That was a new revelation, and a
curious one, was it not? After all this had taken place, the Lord
called Moses a second time up into the mount by new revelation, and
again gave him tables of stone and laws written thereon. He kept him
there the second time forty days and forty nights, without eating or
drinking anything. One would suppose that he could not have stood so
long a period of fasting—eighty days and eighty nights, forty each
time. When he had obtained the tables the second time he came down and
stood before the children of Israel, and his countenance shone with
such brightness that they were filled with fear, and fled from before
the presence of Moses. They could not endure the glory of his
countenance, and they besought Moses that the presence of the Lord
might not he made manifest in their midst. "Do you, Moses, go and talk
with the Lord. You can converse with him, and let us know what the
Lord says, but do not let the Lord come and converse with us, lest we
be destroyed." We find that they had so corrupted themselves in the
sight at God that he, who would have delighted to converse with all
the people, as one man talks with another, was obliged to hide his
presence from them, and to send Moses to teach them. Moreover their
corruptions had become so great that the Lord, in his wrath, swore
that they should not enter into his rest. This was made known to them
by new revelation while in the wilderness, or they never could have
learned it. The Lord also informed them that he would not go up in the
midst [p.106] of their camps. Said he, "I will not go up in the midst
of this people, because they have corrupted themselves in my sight,
lest I break forth and consume them in a moment;" "but," said he, "I
will send an angel before you, and you must hearken to his voice, but
my presence shall not go with you, you are too corrupt." By and by we
find that an angel was left with them, and a cloud by day, and the
shining of a flaming fire by night, guided all their camps. The voice
and presence of the Lord were made manifest to Moses, and Moses
conversed with the Lord as one man talks with another, and during
forty years in the wilderness he from time to time received
revelations and communications to guide the people. Do you not see
that under these circumstances, during the whole of that forty years,
there was not one year—probably not one month, and it may be, not one
day but what new revelation was necessary? The code of laws given on
Mount Sinai was not sufficient without new revelation.

Vol. 15,  p.106
We might trace the history of the people of God, if we had time, but I
see we have not, from the days of Moses to the days of Joshua, Gideon,
Samuel, Barak and various other ancient worthies, all of whom received
revelation. If we route to the days of Gideon we find that he was a
man who had seventy sons, and how many daughters, I do not know. The
Lord conversed With Gideon and sent an angel to him to tell him that
he would raise him up as a mighty man of valor, to go forth in his
might and in his strength to deliver his people Israel from bondage.
We might relate all these things to show forth that, the bondage of
the children of Israel called forth new revelation from heaven, and
that because of it the Lord spoke to and commanded his servants what
to do for the deliverance of that people; and if he called upon a man
who had so many wives and children, he did not consider that that man
was a criminal and unworthy of receiving communication from him, but
on the contrary, it is clear that the Lord considered him the most
worthy man in all Israel, and on that account he sent his angel to
him. And this noted polygamist, of all the thousands of Israel was
entrusted with the mission of delivering that people from their
enemies. God wrought special miracles by his hand in order to
accomplish this great work, though he was a polygamist.

Vol. 15,  p.106
But we will pass on, and come down for some two thousand years to the
days of our Savior. One would naturally suppose that when the Son of
God himself came from his father's glory to dwell here on the earth in
the flesh, and began to teach by the power of the Holy Ghost, the
things of his Father, that during the three and a half years of his
ministry among the people, they, of course, could say, "Now we do not
need any more revelation, we have enough; the Son of God, of whom our
law, its ordinances and sacrifices were typical, has at last come and
has offered himself on the cross, and having finished the work given
him to do, is there any more need for new revelation?" The conduct of
the Apostles is the best answer that can be given to this, for we find
them, like all their predecessors, from the days of Adam until their
day, seeking from time to time for guidance by new revelation. We read
of Philip going to the city of Samaria, preaching there awhile and
baptizing men and women; but not having the authority to administer in
the higher ordinance of the laying on of hands, the Christians at
Jerusalem, [p.107] hearing that Samaria had received the Word of God,
sent Peter and John to administer the ordinance of the laying on of
hands for the higher baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost. When Peter
and John reached Samaria they found there was great icy among the
people, for many of them had been converted; but their joy was not
because of the baptism of the Holy Ghost, for the next verse says,
"For as yet he was fallen on none of them," only they had been
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, but neither man nor woman had
received the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost. But the Apostles laid
their hands on them and the Holy Ghost tell on them.

Vol. 15,  p.107
Now, here was Philip in the city of Samaria. He had preached the
Gospel there, where should he go next? He had probably fulfilled all
the duties required of him there. He was not hired to preach in that
city for so much a year, and to stay there to the end of his days. No,
he needed a new revelation. All the revelations that Jesus had given
were not sufficient to guide Philip in regard to his next duty, the
Lord, therefore sent an angel to him to tell him to go down into the
south country. He never would have learned this fact by any former
revelation. While Philip was on his way to the south he saw a chariot
before him and here again a new revelation was given to him—"Draw
thyself near to that chariot." He did so, and having taught the Gospel
to its occupant, as they rode along, they came to some water and, the
man having believed what Philip had said, wanted to be baptized. The
chariot stood still, and Philip and the eunuch both went down into the
water, and the eunuch was baptized, and they came forth out of the
water. Now then, how could Philip know but what it was his duty on
that occasion to still speak with the eunuch, get into the carriage
and ride along with him and give him farther instructions? But no, the
Lord had something else for him to do, and the Spirit of the Lord
caught away Philip, and he found himself at Azotus. I do not know
whether or not this Spirit actually caught up Philip, body and spirit,
and wafted him quickly from the place where the eunuch was baptized to
the city of Azotus. I should not be surprised, however, if this was
the case, for we have something very similar in the Old Testament
Scriptures, and the promise is that they who wait on the Lord shall
mount as it were on eagle's wings, and they shall run and not be
weary, and walk and not faint. I do not know but this was the case
with Philip. At any rate, the Spirit of the Lord carries people, by
new revelation, whithersoever he will.

Vol. 15,  p.107
On another occasion we find that Barnabas and Saul, not having
inquired of the Lord concerning their duties, but they probably had
been reading the Old Scriptures, which were sufficient for instruction
for righteousness, and to make the man of God throughly perfect to
every good work. I say that probably Barnabas and Saul had been
reading these, and having failed to inquire of the Lord, and to get
new revelation, they started out with the design of going to a certain
city, but the Lord checked them. Said he, "Do not go there!" How
important it was to get new revelation! "Do not you go to that city, I
have another work for you to perform;" and they were then told where
to go. Talk to the Christian ministers to-day, or to any that have
lived for centuries past, and if they had made up their minds to go to
any place, they would never [p.108] think of the Lord checking them,
or forbidding them to go, by new revelation, for they all say that the
canon of Scripture is full, and that no more new revelation is needed.

Vol. 15,  p.108
Many other instances of a similar character might be named, but time
will not permit. We find, however, that, after all that God revealed
through Jesus, and to the Apostles, for ninety-six years in the first
century of the Christian era, they had not enough, and the Lord then
gave the book of John's prophecy on the Isle of Patmos. John was
commanded to write it on parchment, and in this book a great many new
revelations were promised to be given in the latter times. One of
these was that an angel should come from heaven having the everlasting
Gospel to preach to all people, nations, kindreds and tongues,
declaring that the hour of God's judgment had come. Here was a promise
or prediction that a new revelation should be given by an angel from
heaven, and so important should it be that it should be proclaimed to
every creature under heaven. A great many people say, "We have the
everlasting Gospel in this book—the Bible—called the canon of
Scripture, collected together by the monks, cardinals, bishops and
great men of the Roman Catholic Church, some four centuries after
Christ. They bound together in this volume all the books they had that
they did not condemn, and they declared that this was enough, and
there was no need of the Lord saying anything more. But these very
Scriptures themselves contradict their compilers—those wicked men who
sat in judgment on the word of God, setting aside this book and that
book, this manuscript and that manuscript, and binding the remainder
together. I say that they put some things into this very book, which
prove that God would again make known his will to the children of men
in latter times; that he would again give new revelation, not for the
benefit of one or two individuals, but for the benefit of his
creatures universally.

Vol. 15,  p.108
Notwithstanding we have the Gospel written here in this book, yet that
Gospel, without the power and authority to administer its ordinances,
is a dead letter. We might believe the Gospel, we might believe that
Jesus is the Christ by reading this book, we could repent of our sins
by reading the proclamation of repentance here recorded; but we could
not be baptized for the remission of our sins, neither could we have
hands laid upon us for the baptism of the Holy Ghost by reading, and
that is part and portion of the Gospel of the Son of God, just as much
as the written word that proclaims these things to the children of
men. Take away the power and authority to administer that word, and
you at once leave the dead letter of the Gospel, and it would benefit
none of the children of men, so far as obeying it is concerned. They
might be benefited by repenting and believing, and so on, but they
could not embrace the Gospel, they could not get into the kingdom of
God, for "except a man is born of the water and of the Spirit, he
cannot enter the kingdom of God." You could not be born of the water
unless there was a man authorized by new revelation to administer the
baptism of water, neither Could you receive the baptism of the Holy
Ghost only by the ordinance God has instituted; hence the necessity of
the restoration of the authority to administer the ordinances of the
Gospel, and this is why God has restored it after the earth has been
without it for seventeen hundred years. No man among all [p.109] the
nations, kindreds and tongues of the earth, during that time, has had
this authority, neither the authority to administer the Lord's supper,
which is a part of the Gospel, neither in any other ordinance.

Vol. 15,  p.109
God having foreseen this long period of darkness, foretold by the
mouth of the Revelator, St. John, that he would send an angel from
heaven with the everlasting Gospel, and when that angel came and
committed that Gospel to man on the earth, it should be proclaimed to
all people under heaven, the same as the Elders of this Church are now
doing it. The Book of Mormon, containing the everlasting Gospel as it
was published to the ancient inhabitants of America, has been brought
forth by the power of God, and his servants have been sent forth to
preach it, and, not only to preach it, but, having authority to
administer its ordinances; yet the world tell us we need no more
revelation, we have enough if we only follow the Scriptures, which
Paul said to Timothy were sufficient to save him. But in the Christian
world you can not be saved by following the Scriptures, from the fact
that you cannot follow them without authority from God to administer
the ordinances. You be baptized by a man having no authority by new
revelation from heaven, and your baptism is illegal, and your
pretended adoption into the kingdom of God is not acknowledged in
heaven, for God has not authorized the administrator, and what he has
done in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, cannot be sealed
and recorded in heaven for your benefit. No wonder, then, that the
world has dwelt in darkness for so many centuries, for the earth has
become so corrupt, and the heavens have apparently become as brass
over the heads of the nations. No Prophet, no angel, no inspiration,
no Revelator, no man of God to say, "Thus saith the Lord God" unto the
people. No wonder, then, that the Lord, before the great day of the
coming of his beloved Son from the heavens, should send an angel to
prepare the way before his face! This he has done, and the
proclamation is going forth, saying to all people, nations and
tongues, "God has sent an angel, and he has sent him to prepare you
and us for the great day of the coming of the Son of Man, wherein
there will be more revelations given than have ever been given in all
former dispensations."

Vol. 15,  p.109
Tell about the canon of Scripture being complete, what nonsense! What
absurdity! Where is there any proof of any such thing? God has yet to
give revelation enough to fill the earth with his knowledge as the
waters cover the great deep. He has yet to pour out his spirit upon
all flesh that dwells on the face of the earth, and make a revelator,
prophet, or prophetess of every man and woman living, and if all their
revelations are written, this book, the Bible, will be like a primer
compared with them. "In the last days," saith God, by the mouth of the
Prophet Joel, "I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh. Your sons and
your daughters shall prophecy, and upon my servants and my hand
maidens in those days will I pour out of my Spirit, and they shall
prophecy. Your old men shall dream dreams and your young men shall see
visions." Supposing they write their dreams as Daniel wrote his, and
suppose they write their visions as Isaiah wrote his, and suppose they
write their prophecies as all the Prophets have written theirs, would
they not be just as sacred as this canon of Scripture? I say they
would. I would be bound just as much to [p.110] receive the
revelations of each man and woman among all flesh as I would those of
a person who lived two or three thousand years ago. A revelation given
to a living man in my day is just as sacred as one given to a man who
has been dead some three thousand years. God is a consistent being,
and he reveals himself according to his own mind and will, and in the
last, dispensation he will continue to reveal line upon line, precept
upon precept, here a little and there a little, bringing forth a
record here, unfolding the history of another people there, bringing
to light, the bible of the ten tribes who have been absent from the
land of Canaan for almost three thousand years. Their bible has got to
be brought to light, and when they return they will bring their
written revelations, prophecies, visions and dreams with them, and we
shall have the bible of the ten tribes, as well as the bible of the
ancient Israelites who lived on this continent, and the bible of the
Jews on the eastern continent, and these bibles will be united in one,
and even then the people will not have enough revelation. No, every
man and every woman will have to be a revelator and prophet, and the
knowledge and glory of God will cover the earth as the waters cover
the bosom of the great deep. And by and by, as a kind of climax to all
this, the revelation of the Lord Jesus himself will take place from
heaven in flaming fire, to take vengeance on them that know not God,
and that obey not the Gospel. That will be a revelation that the
wicked can not abide, a revelation too great for them, and that will
pierce them to their inmost soul. That will be a revelation that will
consume them in their wickedness, as stubble is consumed before the
devouring flame, and he will reign here, king of kings and lord of
lords for a thousand years.

Vol. 15,  p.110
Do you suppose that he will give no new revelation during that time,
but that he will sit on his throne like the idols in some of the
heathen nations? Do you suppose that the Lord Jesus, that intelligent
being, by whom the Father made the worlds, is coming here to reign
king of kings, and to sit down on his throne in the temple at
Jerusalem, and upon his throne in his temple in Zion, and abide there
as a statue from generation to generation, for a thousand years, and
when the people come up to ask him a question that he will not say a
word, only to tell them they have enough? Do you suppose this will be
the case? Oh no, my friends, the Lord Jesus will converse the whole
thousand years with his people, and give them instruction. He will
reign over the house of David, over the children of Israel, over the
twelve tribes, over Zion and over all the inhabitants of the earth,
that is over all who are spared in that day, giving counsel here,
instructions yonder, revealing something there, and so on, and the
amount of revelation that will be given during the thousand years will
no doubt be ten thousand times more than is contained in this Bible,
and yet say the world "No more revelation!"[p.111] 

George Q. Cannon, July 14, 1872

Those Who Hear the Gospel Must Obey It, or 
They Cannot Be Saved By It

Discourse By Elder George Q. Cannon, Delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday Afternoon July 14, 1872.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.111
I will read a portion of the 3rd chapter of St. John:—

Vol. 15,  p.111
"There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the
Jews:

Vol. 15,  p.111
The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know
that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these
miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

Vol. 15,  p.111
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Vol. 15,  p.111
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he
enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

Vol. 15,  p.111
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born
of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Vol. 15,  p.111
That which is born of the flesh is fresh; and that which is born of
the Spirit is spirit.

Vol. 15,  p.111
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Vol. 15,  p.111
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof,
but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth: so is every
one that is born of the Spirit.

Vol. 15,  p.111
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

Vol. 15,  p.111
Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and
knowest not these things?

Vol. 15,  p.111
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify
that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

Vol. 15,  p.111
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye
believe if I tell you of heavenly things?"

Vol. 15,  p.111
In listening this morning to the remarks of Elder Schonfeldt, on the
everlasting Gospel as preached by the Elders of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, he stated in substance that none could
receive salvation outside this Church, and outside the Priesthood
which God had restored to the Church. He did not explain—had not time,
probably, or his mind was carried away on some other points, how, or
why it is that salvation can only be obtained in the way that God, our
heavenly Father, has prescribed. Many, doubtless, who listen to the
Elders of this Church, when speaking upon the principles of life and
salvation, have come to the conclusion, when they have not thoroughly
understood the principles and the system as they are set forth, that
we are an exceedingly exclusive and uncharitable people for believing
that only a very few out of the large mass of human beings who have
peopled the earth will be saved, while the great majority—those who
are outside the pale of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints—will go down to an endless hell.

Vol. 15,  p.111
The reason, probably, that these ideas are entertained by many who
have heard our Elders preach, is because they have drawn deductions
from the preaching they have heard, imagining that our views of the
sayings of the Scriptures corresponded with theirs, and that it
necessarily followed that all who failed to render [p.112] obedience
to the ordinances of the Gospel, as we preach them, would go down to
that endless hell in which so many of the sects believe. But any
person entertaining such ideas does us, or rather the Gospel that we
preach, great injustice. We believe that God, our heavenly Father, is
a God of perfect justice, a God of mercy, a God filled with
long-sufferlng and tender compassion towards all the works of his
hands. We could not, with our views respecting the character of God,
believe as our friends imagine with regard to the destiny of those who
die outside of this Church, for that would be incompatible with and
contrary to all that we understand concerning the character of our
God—the God who is revealed in the Bible, and the Father of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ.

Vol. 15,  p.112
We believe, as Jesus said, that "this is condemnation, that light has
come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light because
their deeds are evil." This is the condemnation under which mankind
will suffer—the condemnation will follow the rejection of light by
those to whom it may be sent in every nation and age of the world in
other words, we believe that where there is no law, there is no
transgression—where men and women have not had the Gospel, or the
principles of salvation, communicated unto them, they cannot be held
accountable for disobeying the same. It is a truth that has been
enforced by all who have understood the Gospel, that those to whom the
Gospel is revealed, must obey it, or condemnation follows.
Condemnation did not fall upon the inhabitants of the antediluvian
world until Noah had taught unto them the will of God. Noah, commanded
of God, went forth as a preacher, of righteousness, declaring to the
people the judgments that were about to come upon them; and God so
inspired, directed and strengthened him that he was enabled to warn
the people to such an extent that they were left without excuse, so
much so that God felt justified in sending the flood upon the earth.

Vol. 15,  p.112
This has been the course the Almighty has pursued in every age when
his judgments have been poured out upon the people—he has sent
Prophets to warn them and to tell them how they might escape the
calamities threatened. This was so with the Jews, unto whom the Son of
God came. He proclaimed the Gospel unto them, and warned them of
coming judgments, and he sent his disciples through all Jewry, doing
the same. You all remember the Savior's pathetic lament over
Jerusalem, when he said he would have gathered her people as a hen
gathereth her chickens under her wing, but they would not receive him
as a messenger of salvation, as the heir and Son of God, empowered to
impart unto them principles, obedience to which would have secured
them life here and hereafter. He also pronounced a woe upon many
cities of that land, and said that if the mighty works which had been
done in them had been done in Sodom and Gomorrah, their people would
have repented. But the Jews hardened their hearts, and not only
rejected his testimony, but they shed his blood, and invoked
condemnation on their own heads for doing so. History tells us that
the judgments which Christ and his Apostles had declared did descend
upon the Jewish nation. Jerusalem was taken, the temple thrown down,
and the people carried into captivity, and the desolation and dreadful
woes that had been predicted by the Son of God [p.113] were all
fulfilled upon that generation of Jews.

Vol. 15,  p.113
In these instances we see that God sent messengers to warn the people
before his judgments were poured out upon them; and we also learn that
when the Gospel is proclaimed by those having authority, if the people
reject it they are held to a strict accountability therefor, and
condemnation inevitably follows—there is no escape from it, but it
falls in all its severity upon those who reject the message of life
and salvation when proclaimed by those having authority to proclaim
it. A perusal of this book (the Bible) will convince all who believe
in it, that it is a most dangerous thing, and attended with the most
terrible consequences, to reject the message that God gives to his
authorized servants to proclaim to their fellow-creatures. There is no
instance of which we read, from the beginning of the book to the close
thereof, where judgments did not fall upon a people if they did not
repent of their sins and obey the message sent unto them by God. When
I say repent, I mean a complete forsaking of sin, and turning from it
truly and sincerely; in no other way can mankind escape the judgments
and calamities threatened, and of which they are warned.

Vol. 15,  p.113
In the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ there were certain conditions
revealed. Mankind were required to obey a certain form of doctrine
declared unto them, and when they did obey they received the
blessings. But I have often thought when traveling abroad in the
nations, how different it is in our day from what it was anciently. In
our day we see countless numbers of elegant spires pointing to heaven,
and legions of men preaching what they call the Gospel, but the
wickedness of the people is unchecked. Anciently, when God sent his
authorized servants to proclaim his Gospel to the people, salvation,
on the one hand, followed obedience, or, on the other, condemnation
followed rejection. And these effects did not linger, they were not
deferred for centuries, but if the people did not repent after hearing
the message of the servants of God, great calamities quickly followed.
They could not listen to the authorized servants of God for any length
of time, and harden their hearts against their testimony and warnings,
without speedy judgment following. This was the case from the days of
Noah to the days of John the Revelator, and it will be the case in
every generation when the Gospel of the Son of God, in its purity and
fullness, is proclaimed to the people, and when God has a Church and
Priesthood upon the earth which he recognizes, He is the King of the
earth, he is the Creator of all its inhabitants, and when he calls
upon the people, and requires them to do anything, they must promptly
comply, or suffer the terrible consequences of their disobedience.

Vol. 15,  p.113
In the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as I have already remarked, there are
certain conditions with which the people are expected to comply; if
they do they receive the blessings, if they do not they receive
condemnation. Jesus and his Apostles taught that it was essential that
mankind should believe in him as the Son of God—as the only name given
under heaven by which men could be saved. All mankind were therefore
required to believe and to have faith in him, and to approach the
Father in his name. That was the first condition of the Gospel as
taught by Jesus and his Apostles.

Vol. 15,  p.113
The next condition was repentance. All who had committed sin and were
guilty of wrong of any kind, were [p.114] required to repent of that
wrong and to live pure and holy lives. They were not only required to
be sorry—to have compunctions of conscience for the commission of
evil, but they were required to forsake it entirely and to become new
creatures. If they had been dishonest, untruthful, unvirtuous,
profane; if they had taken advantage of their neighbor, borne false
witness against him, or encroached upon his rights; if, in fact, they
had done anything contrary to the dictates of the Holy Spirit, or of
their consciences when enlightened by that Spirit, they were required
to repent of and forsake the same.

Vol. 15,  p.114
The third condition of the Gospel was, that parties who had believed
in Jesus, and had repented of their sins, should take some step for
the remission of them. Now the penalty of the sin that our father Adam
committed was death—"In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt
surely die" was the proclamation of the Creator; and when Adam sinned
he paid the penalty and died, and entailed death upon every generation
of his posterity, and that sleep of death would have been eternal had
it not been for the death of the Son of God. He came as the Redeemer
of the world, he died for the sin that had been committed by Adam, he
stoned for it, and thus ensured to all the family of man redemption
from the grave or a resurrection of their mortal bodies. But he gave
unto his disciples a commandment that they should preach remission of
sins, and that they should administer an ordinance by which all
obedient believers could obtain remission of sins, and that ordinance
was baptism. "Not the putting away," as the Apostle Paul says, "of the
filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God."
They were required to submit to this ordinance. Jesus taught it, and
he, himself, although admittedly a pure being, set the example of
obedience to it. When John was baptizing in the river Jordan, Jesus
went to him and requested baptism at his hand. John remonstrated with
him, saying, "I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to
me?" But Jesus said, "Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us
to fulfil all righteousness," and he went down into the water and was
baptized by John, and the first evidence that we have in the
Scriptures of his recognition by the Father was on that occasion, for
after he had been baptized the Holy Spirit descended upon him, and a
voice was heard bearing testimony to the assembled multitude that
Jesus was the beloved Son of the Father. He therefore set the example
himself, so that it could not be said, though sinless, that he had not
complied with the ordinance which he required all the inhabitants of
the earth to submit to, and which the disciples administered to all
repentant believers.

Vol. 15,  p.114
This prepared them for another ordinance which, we find in the
Scriptures, was administered to all who had complied with the
conditions of the Gospel which I have named—namely, the laying on of
hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. I have been told repeatedly that
this ordinance was to be administered only to those who were intended
for the ministry—it was not designed for the members of the Church
called laymen. A careful perusal of the Scriptures, however, does not
sustain this idea; but on the contrary, it very clearly sustains the
idea that this ordinance had to be administered to every one who
joined the Church, and that without it the Holy Ghost was not bestowed
as a gift. To prove that this is correct, you have only to [p.115]
read the 8th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, where you will find
an account of the labors of Philip in the city of Samaria. It seems
that Philip had power and authority to preach the Gospel and to
baptize men and women, but not to administer all the ordinances. I
have the idea that he had the same authority as John the Baptist—the
authority to baptize, but not to confer the Holy Ghost. We find that
when John was preaching, he said that there would one come after him,
whose shoes he was not worthy to bear, who would baptize them with the
Holy Ghost and with fire. John baptized with water, but he did not
confer any further gift or blessing—he had not the authority so to do.
Philip seemed to have the same authority, for the sacred writer says
that when the Apostles of Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received
the Gospel at the hands of Philip, they sent unto them two Apostles,
for as yet, although the Samaritans had been baptized with water, the
Holy Ghost had not decended upon any of them; and we are told that
when the Apostles came unto them, they prayed with them, and laid
their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Ghost. Nothing is
said about the hands of the Apostles being laid upon those only who
were intended for the ministry, but the ordinance was administered to
all who had received baptism at the hands of Philip, without
distinction of sex or station.

Vol. 15,  p.115
Another instance in support of this view we find in the 19th of the
Acts. We read there that when Paul was passing through the upper
coasts he came to Ephesus and he found there certain disciples who
said they had been baptized unto John's baptism, but when he asked
them if they had received the Holy Ghost they said they had not so
much as heard of it. Then, we are informed, they were baptized in the
name of the Lord, and when Paul, who had the necessary authority, had
laid his hands upon them they received the Holy Ghost, and spake with
tongues and prophesied. Many other proofs on this point might be
adduced, but these are sufficient. From what has been said we learn
that the first principle of the Gospel is belief in Jesus Christ; the
second principle is repentance of sin, and the third, baptism for the
remission of sins.

Vol. 15,  p.115
"Ah!" says one, "Cannot I come to the foot of the cross and, through
the atoning blood of Jesus, have my sins washed away without baptism?"
I doubt not that hundreds, in various nations and generations, who
have been in ignorance of the true Gospel, and far removed from those
who had authority to administer its ordinances, have had their sins
blotted out. God has looked in mercy upon them, and on account of
their sincerity has witnessed unto them that he accepted the broken
spirits and contrite hearts which they offered unto him. I cannot
doubt this; but wherever the Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached in its
fullness, none can obtain the remission of sins only in the way that
God has pointed out, and that is by baptism by one having the
authority from God to administer that ordinance.

Vol. 15,  p.115
Supposing that I, with the views which I have of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ, were to-day outside of the church of God, and I were to say,
"I will not be baptized for the remissions of sins. My father or my
grandfather was a good Methodist, or a good Presbyterian or Baptist,
or a good sectarian of some other denomination, and he told me that he
had experienced a change of heart and I believe that he had his sins
washed away through the atoning [p.116] blood of Jesus Christ, and on
this account I will not submit to the ordinance of baptism which is
preached to me as necessary to salvation, but I will seek for the
remission of my sins the way my father or grandfather did," how do you
think it would be with me? Should I obtain the remission of my sins at
the hands of God? There would be no remission of sins for such an
individual in this life. Light has come into the world, God has
revealed to men the true principle by which remission of sins can be
obtained, namely, baptism, and when that is taught to them and they
refuse to obey it, condemnation follows, and the blessings will be
withheld which were granted in days when, in ignorance, men taught the
Lord in faith and humility and with broken and contrite spirits.

Vol. 15,  p.116
We now come to the fourth and last initiatory principle of the Gospel
of Jesus Christ—the laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy
Ghost. "Is it not possible," says one, "for a man to receive the Holy
Ghost without being baptized for the remission of sins, and having
hands laid upon him?" Says the reader of Scripture, "I recollect that
Cornelius, the history of whose conversion is contained in the 10th
chapter of the Acts, received the Holy Ghost, and yet he was not
baptized; and if he did, is it not possible for others to do the
same?" Let those who think so read the history very carefully, and
they will find that in bestowing the Holy Ghost upon Cornelius without
baptism, God had a purpose in view. Cornelius was the first Gentile
unto whom the Gospel was preached. The prevalent belief among the
disciples, and one which they, being Jews, had inherited through the
traditions of their fathers, was that the Gentiles were not to have
the privilege of enjoying the blessings of the Gospel, they were not
for them, and the disciples were not disposed to administer its
ordinances to them. You recollect what Peter said when the Holy Ghost
descended upon Cornelius—this uncircumcised man—and his house, whom
they had supposed were without the pale of the Gospel—"Who can forbid
water, seeing that they have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?"
Peter cited this bestowal of the Holy Ghost upon Cornelius and his
house, as a proof that the ordinance of baptism should be administered
to them, and to all believing repentant Gentiles as well as to the
house of Israel. This, in connection with the vision which Peter had,
you recollect it, wherein he saw a sheet let down from heaven,
containing all manner of beasts, clean and unclean, he being commanded
to arise, kill and eat thereof, had dispossessed his mind of the
prejudice which he had entertained, in common with his fellow
believers, that the Gospel was for the Jews only. And when line saw
Cornelius and his house thus blessed, he inquired of his brethren what
there was to prevent the ordinance of baptism being administered to
them, and they were baptized by Peter.

Vol. 15,  p.116
Cornelius did not say, as many, doubtless, would say to-day, "We have
received the Holy Ghost, and having obtained this evidence of our
acceptance with God, what is the use of our being baptized? Is it
likely that God would have given us the Holy Ghost if he had not
forgiven our sins? These inquiries, I think, would be made by hundreds
in our day under such circumstances. But not so with Cornelius: he had
heard the Gospel preached to him by Peter, and though he had received
the Holy Ghost, he believed it was still necessary [p.117] for him to
be baptized in water for the remission of his sins, and he complied
with that ordinance, and then doubtless the hands of the servants of
God were laid upon him to confirm him a member of the Church and to
seal upon him the blessing of the Holy Ghost, that he might be led and
guided by it into all truth.

Vol. 15,  p.117
This, my brethren and sisters, is the only plan of salvation taught in
the Scriptures. There is no other way given by which men can be saved.
It is the way that Jesus trod, the way that his Apostles walked in, it
is the doctrine they taught, and when it is taught by those having
authority from God to teach it, the Holy Ghost will follow the
administration of these ordinances. The ancient gifts and blessings
will be bestowed, and men will be led into all truth, the power of God
will be with them, and they will know God for themselves, for he is
the same God now that lie was yesterday, the same in the year 1872
that he was in the year 33, or fifteen or eighteen hundred years
before the birth of Christ, and if we obey the same form of doctrine
obeyed by those who lived anciently, and it is administered by those
who hold authority from God, the gifts and powers will most assuredly
follow, for God loves his children now as much as he loved them in any
past age of the world.

Vol. 15,  p.117
Says Jesus, when speaking to Nicodemus, in the words I have quoted,
"Except a man he born again he can not see the kingdom of God." This
puzzled Nicodemus, he could not understand it, and he asked the Savior
another question, to which Jesus answered, "Verily, verily I say unto
thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter
into the kingdom of God." Now, my brethren and sisters, how can a man
be born of water? We know a birth to be a passage from one element
into another; hence if he be born of the water he must be completely
immersed therein, and pass from that element into another. The same
with the birth of the Spirit—he or she who is born of it must be
completely enveloped in it. Jesus says a man can not see the kingdom
of God unless he is born again, and he further says, a man cannot
enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of the water and of the
Spirit, not only of the Spirit, but also of the water.

Vol. 15,  p.117
What does this birth of the water and of the Spirit consist of? Of
that which I have been endeavoring to describe to you—baptism for the
remission of sins, being buried with Christ by baptism, whereby we are
resurrected, as it were, from the dead, in the likeness of his burial
and resurrection, entombed in the water, and being born of, or coming
forth from the bosom of the water; and then receiving the Holy Ghost
by the laying on of hands, which is the birth of the Spirit. And let
me say unto you, as Brother Schonfeldt said this morning, that unless
a man does obey this form of doctrine he can not enter into the
kingdom of God.

Vol. 15,  p.117
This is strong language, and men may say it is uncharitable. I can not
help that. These words are the words of the Savior—the Son of God.
They are the words of truth and righteousness, they can not fail. I
have not the right to say that a man can enter into the kingdom of God
by any other means than this; on the contrary, I must affirm and
reaffirm, and I must bear testimony to the words of Jesus, when he
says, "Except a man be born of the water and of the Spirit he can not
enter into the kingdom of God."

Vol. 15,  p.119
The inquiry then arises in the [p.118] mind, What is to become of the
millions who have died without ever hearing the name of Christ? Says
one, "What is to become of my ancestors and ancestresses who have not
been born of the water and of the Spirit?" I know how this inquiry
enters the hearts of men and women, and when they become acquainted
with this Gospel, how strongly it appeals to their affections. They
think, then, of beloved relatives and friends who have died without a
knowledge of the Gospel, and they would do a great deal for their
salvation; in fact it would embitter all their lives to think that
they could not be saved. Could we be happy, my brethren and sisters,
in thinking that we bad received a form of doctrine which would exalt
us into the presence of God and the Lamb, there to bask for ever in
happiness and bliss so great that the Apostle says, "Eye hath not
seen, ear hath not heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of
man to conceive?" Do you think we could be happy in the contemplation
and assurance of such a future, if no means were provided whereby our
parents and relatives, who had died in ignorance of the Gospel, could
be made partakers of the same blessing and glory, but because they had
not had the privilege of being born of the water and of the Spirit
they must be consigned to endless perdition? I could not be happy
under such circumstances. I would rather, it seems to me, have much
less happiness and have them share it with me, than to be eternally
separated, and them condemned to that never-ending hell about which
the sectarian world preach so much. But we are happy in the knowledge
that this is no part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That teaches that
all will be judged according to the law that has been taught unto
them. As I have already said, I again repeat, "This is condemnation,
that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than
light." "Where there is no law," the Apostle says, "there is no
transgression." Men cannot be held accountable for that which they
never knew. God will never consign his creatures to a never-ending
misery for not obeying the Gospel of his Son, when they never had it
taught unto them, and it is as great a fallacy, and as great a libel
on our God, as ever was propagated about any being to make such an
assertion. To say that these heathen, who roamed over these mountains
and through these valleys, before we came here, who never heard the
name of Jesus Christ, and countless myriads of heathen in other lands
who have died in ignorance of the Gospel, will be consigned to eternal
damnation, to a never-ending hell, there to welter in and to suffer
unspeakable and indescribable misery throughout the countless ages of
eternity, because they did not obey the Gospel they never heard, is
one of the greatest libels on the character of our God that ever was
enunciated by man. I do not believe in such a God; he is not the God
of the Bible; he is not the God I worship. I worship a God of mercy
and of love, whose heart is full of compassion. The Bible teaches that
God is love, and I can not conceive that a God would be possessed of
the attributes of love and mercy who would take such a course with his
own ignorant offspring. No, there is something different from this
taught in the Gospel. We are taught there that God's salvation is not
confined to this brief space which we call time, but that, as he is
eternal, so are his mercy, love and compassion eternal towards his
creatures. I have not time this [p.119] afternoon to explain our views
on this point. Suffice it to say that, in the Scriptures is found,
plainly written, the plan of salvation which God has devised.

Vol. 15,  p.119
Who are they who are under condemnation, and who need fear at the
prospect of the same? Men and women who, living in the day when the
Gospel is preached in its fullness and purity, hear it and reject it.
Against such the anger of God is enkindled, and they are in a far
worse condition than those who die and never hear it. Says Jesus, "It
would be better for a man to have a millstone tied to his neck, and
for him to be thrown into the depths of the sea," than to do such and
such things; and in another place he says, "It would be better for a
man never to be born." Why? Because light having been presented to
him, and truth proclaimed in his hearing, he rejects the same.

Vol. 15,  p.119
The Latter-day Saints, I hold, will be held to stricter accountability
than any other people on the face of the earth. Men wonder why we have
suffered and been persecuted so much in the past. I think it was
partly because of our hardness of heart. Not that the men who
persecuted us were justified in so doing. They were tested and tried,
the Lord left them their agency and they brought themselves under
condemnation because of their conduct. But we never had anything
descend upon us as a persecution or scourge that has not been intended
for our good; and we are held to a stricter accountability than any
other people because we have the Gospel taught unto us. The thousands
who live throughout these valleys testify that they have received the
Holy Ghost; they testify that they received it in the lands where they
embraced the Gospel; they say that this love which they have for one
another, and the disposition they have to dwell together in peace and
unity are the fruits of this Holy Spirit that they have received. They
testify that the Lord has revealed unto them that this is the Gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ. I do not know but there are thousands here
to-day who, if they had time and opportunity, would arise and testify
that this is the truth, and that God has taught it unto them, and they
know it by the power of the Holy Ghost. When a people reach this
condition they are held to stricter accountability than they are who
have not this knowledge. On this account we must walk circumspectly,
with the fear of God before our eyes. We must be a pure people or we
will be scourged; we must be a holy people, or God's anger will be
kindled against us. We must not be guilty of dishonesty or take
advantage one of another; we must not bear false witness; we must not
neglect our duties one to another or towards God, for we can not do
these things with impunity, for God's anger will be kindled against
us; and in proportion to the light which men have will they be judged,
and God will reward them according to the deeds done in the body. An
enlightened American will be held to stricter accountability than an
ignorant Indian; and the man who has heard the sound of the
everlasting Gospel and the testimony of the servants of God is held to
stricter accountability than he who has never heard them.

Vol. 15,  p.119
I said that time would not permit me to dwell on points connected with
the salvation of the ignorant dead; but there is a way provided in the
Gospel of the Son of God by which even they can have its ordinances
administered unto them. I will just refer to one passage, which you
can read at your leisure. In the 15th [p.120] chapter of the first of
Corinthians, Paul, in reasoning upon the resurrection of the dead,
says, among other things, "Else what shall they do who are baptized
for the dead? If the dead rise not at all, why then are they baptized
for the dead?" This is a little key given to a very important
principle. Paul evidently understood a principle by which vicarious
baptism could be performed, that is, one person could be baptized for
another, the same as Jesus made a vicarious offering for us. He died
on the cross for us—he was our Savior. Paul, substantiating the idea
that there is a resurrection, referred to this ordinance, which seemed
to exist in the Church and to be understood by the Saints in ancient
days. There would have been no need to be baptized for the dead if the
dead rise not at all. This is the gist of his argument; and there are
other passages which go to prove that the Gospel of Jesus is all
sufficient to reach and save those who have died without hearing and
obeying it. Peter says, referring to Jesus, "He went to preach to the
spirits in prison who were disobedient when once the long-suffering of
God waited in the days of Noah." I will give you another passage to
show that be did not go direct to his Father after his death on the
cross. You Latter-day Saints understand, or ought to understand, that
he did not go immediately to his Father, as many suppose, because,
after his resurrection, when Mary had been seeking for the body of her
Lord, and supposed that somebody had stolen it, she saw a personage in
the garden who she imagined was the gardener. She went to him and
asked who had taken away the body of her Lord. This personage spoke to
her, calling her by name. She immediately recognized the Lord Jesus,
and in her eagerness, anxiety and love she rushed forward as if to
grasp him. But he forbade her, told her not to do so, saying, "Touch
me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father, but go to my brethren
and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my
God and your God." This was on the Sunday, after his body had lain in
the tomb from the preceding Friday—the third day, and he said he had
not yet ascended to his Father. This is explained by Peter, in the
passage I have already quoted, wherein the Apostle says, "By which
also he went to preach to the spirits in prison, who were disobedient
when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah." There
is another passage in Peter, which goes to prove the same thing, but I
will not touch upon it. I have said sufficient to relieve, or it ought
to relieve, us Latter-day Saints from any fears for those who have
died in ignorance of the Gospel. But we can say, truly, that salvation
can only be obtained in the way God has prescribed—by obeying the
Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; and this is the way that he marked
and the way we must walk in to obtain it.

Vol. 15,  p.120
That God may help us to be faithful and to cleave to the truth all our
days, regardless of all consequences, and eventually save us in his
kingdom, is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.[p.121] 

Brigham Young, August 11, 1872

The Fullness of the Gospel—Its Power to Unite—
Its Comprehensiveness—Definition of Its 
Priesthood—Condition of Apostates

Discourse By President Brigham Young, Delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday Afternoon, August 11, 1872.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.121
I have an anxiety to bear testimony to the truth, though it is well
known to many of my friends and acquaintances that it is not prudent
for me to exercise myself in this large hall, as I have in days past.
But I feel very anxious to speak to my brethren and sisters and to
their families, to my friends and neighbors, and the inhabitants of
the earth, concerning the Christian religion. I feel thus many times
when I am not able to do so, but I desire at this time to bear
testimony to the Gospel—the plan of salvation, to the holy Priesthood,
that the Lord has revealed in the latter days. I admit at once,
without any argument at all, that the whole human family are possessed
more or less of truth; they have a great many very excellent and pure
ideas, beliefs, faiths and sentiments, the adoption of which in their
lives would promote truth and overcome error, sin and iniquity in
their midst, and cause joy and peace to fill the hearts of
individuals, families, neighborhoods, cities and nations. 

Vol. 15,  p.121
Sometimes we take the liberty of defining the religions of the day,
known under the general name of Christianity. We have heard some,
thing of this, this afternoon; and with regard to the philosophy of
that religion, we admit the truth of it. All have truth, all have good
desires—that is to say, as people and as communities. There may be
individuals who do not possess these principles, but there are many in
all communities of the earth professing Christianity who wish, in
reality, to know the truth, and to embrace it in their creeds, and
most of them desire most fervently that the professors of this
Christianity should live according to pure and holy principles. This
we admit, and a few of this number have received the Gospel.

Vol. 15,  p.121
When I speak of the Gospel in this sense, I mean the fullness of the
Gospel of the Son of God as it has been revealed in our day. I do not
refer to the Gospel as a mere historical knowledge of the Savior and
his Apostles, and their doings upon the earth, but of the power of God
unto salvation. And when I contemplate the human family in their
present condition, and especially Christendom, I think what a pity it
is that we Christians cannot see far enough and understand enough to
be willing that every truth should take effect on the minds of the
people, for every truth that is taught, believed and [p.122]
practiced, is good For mankind. It is good for the living, good for
the dying, good for the dead; and if we Christians would accept and
embrace all truth in our lives, instead of contending so much about
what are called "non-essentials," it would be much more to our
advantage, and would vastly increase peace and union in our midst.

Vol. 15,  p.122
When we take up the religion that has been revealed—the Gospel in its
fullness, we find that it is simply a code of laws, ordinances, gifts
and graces which are the power of God unto salvation. The laws and
ordinances which the Lord has revealed in these latter days, are
calculated to save all the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve who have
not sinned against the Holy Ghost, for all will be saved in a kingdom
of glory, though it may not be in the celestial kingdom, for there are
many mansions. These ordinances reach after every one of the children
of our Father in heaven, and not only them, but after all the earth,
the fullness of the earth, all things that dwell upon it, to bring
them back into the presence of God, or into some kingdom or place
prepared for them, that they may be exalted to a higher state of
intelligence than they now dwell in.

Vol. 15,  p.122
This may seem strange to many, but these are the ordinances and laws
that the Lord has instituted for the salvation of the children of men;
and when we compare the doctrines that we have preached to the
Christian world, with the doctrines of the Christian world, we find
that ours incorporate every truth, no matter what it is. If it belong
to the arts and sciences of the day, all the same for every truth in
existence is embraced in that system of laws and ordinances taught by
the Latter-day Saints—the Gospel that God has revealed for the
salvation of the human family.

Vol. 15,  p.122
We want a little proof, a little evidence, a little testimony. This is
the testimony that we are in possession of this Gospel. Our witness is
upon the stand, before God and the people, testifying that the
Latter-day Saints have got something that no other people on earth
have. What is it? The oneness which we possess, according to the
prayer of the Savior.

Vol. 15,  p.122
We send an Elder from here to the East Indies; we send one or two to
Africa, and to the Asiatic continent, and distribute them to the
different nations, to Japan, to China, and so on. They preach the
Gospel to the Pagans, say to the Chinese. We will suppose that these
Elders learn the Chinese language so far as to be able to make
themselves understood by the people, and they preach to them the same
doctrines as are believed in by the Latter-day Saints, and they are
received into the hearts of honest Chinese—God reveals and manifests
to them that these doctrines and principles, this plan of salvation,
is true, and these Chinese would not differ with us on any point of
doctrine. They would say, "The proper mode of baptism is by immersion,
the Scriptures are plain upon this point." Here let me take the
liberty of saying, that if the whole Christian world were to adopt the
method of baptism by immersion, you would never hear a person raise an
argument about sprinkling or pouring. But leaving my witness, I say
these latter ideas are the cisterns which men hew out to themselves,
which will hold no water, for somebody or other is eternally scuttling
their vessels, and they are sinking. If every Christian denomination
would come to the house of worship on the Sabbath, and break bread and
[p.123] partake of the bread and wine in testimony of their faith in
Jesus Christ, there would be no differences, contentions or arguments,
and no person could sink their vessel; but now, comparatively
speaking, they are sinking each other's vessels continually. But again
to my testimony, to my witness.

Vol. 15,  p.123
When the Chinese receives the Gospel he is one with us. He does not
want six months' teaching or trial; he does not need to go to an
academy or a seminary five or seven years to learn that this mode of
baptism is correct; but taking the Bible he reads it, and, says he,
"The Holy Ghost bears witness to me that baptism by immersion is the
correct mode, and that it is right to break bread and drink wine in
remembrance of, and to testify our faith in him whose body was broken
and whose blood was shed for the salvation of the human family." There
is no contention, and though only one Elder may have gone there, and
he has baptized but one, or ten, a hundred, a thousand, or thousands,
they are all of one heart and one mind; and if we were to charge this
Elder not to tell these Chinese that they must gather to America, for
that was the land of Zion—and America is the land of Zion—the first
this Elder would know, somebody or other would be up in a meeting and
telling that Zion was in America, and they had got to emigrate there.
The Elder might inquire why, and he would be told, "It is revealed to
me, and I do know by the manifestations of the Spirit within me,
through your preaching, that we are to assemble on the continent of
America, for that is the land of Zion." And if they come here, they
will not ask how many methods of baptism we have, or how many of
administering the Sacrament, or of dispensing the ordinances of the
house of God, for the Spirit makes them of one heart and one mind with
those on this continent, and from whatever nation they come, they all
see alike in reference to the ordinances of the house of God.

Vol. 15,  p.123
From China let us go directly to the Cape of Good Hope, and there an
Elder is preaching and baptizing people into the kingdom of God, and
when they get into this kingdom they begin to read and understand, and
to prophesy, and if they are not checked in the gifts, you will hear
them speak in tongues. Let me say here, to the Latter-day Saints, it
is frequently asked by our brethren, "Why do not the people speak with
tongues?" We do, and we speak with tongues that you can understand,
and Paul says he would rather speak five or ten words in a language
that can be understood, than many in a language that can not be. This
is what he conveyed. We speak with tongues that can be understood; but
the reason that we do not encourage this little, particular, peculiar
gift, which is for the edifying of some few in the Church, I have not
time to explain. But to my witness again, who is on the stand.

Vol. 15,  p.123
You take men, women and families from the Cape of Good Hope, from the
northern seas, China, the East Indies, or the islands of the sea, and
let them receive the Gospel and come here, and, just as long as they
live so as to enjoy the Spirit of the holy Gospel they have obeyed,
there are no questions asked with regard to doctrine. We will now go a
step further.

Vol. 15,  p.123
Here is a great bone of contention with regard to political affairs.
The world say, "Why do not these Latter-day Saints get up their mass
meetings, and sustain this, that or the other one, and be like other
people [p.124] in a political point of view?" Why do we not sustain
these advocates who are now in the field, and join, and be one with,
some one or other of the political parties of the country? We have no
desire to do so, that is the reason. If we had the privilege of voting
in, independent of all other people on this land of America, or in the
United States, the man who should serve as president, we should east
about to find the most suitable man, and he would be the nominee, and
when his name came before the people, every man and woman who had the
privilege of putting their vote in the ballot box would vote for that
man, asking no questions. Our friends in the political world say, "We
do not like this oneness." The ministers in the pulpit, the
politicians in the bar room, on the steam boat, in the rail cars, in
the halls of Congress or in the legislatures, say, "We do not like
this oneness," and still the priest and the deacon are praying
continually, according to the Scripture testimony, that the Saints may
be one. Well, where will you have them one? Just name those particular
points wherein and how this people who profess to believe in the Lord
Jesus Christ shall be one. How far shall we go? If we had the
privilege of voting for the presidential nominees to-day, General
Grant would solicit the vote of every "Mormon" man and woman, and the
cry would be, "Vote for me. Be one and vote unitedly. Do not be
divided in your votes, but vote for me." Mr, Greeley would preach the
same doctrine"Do not vote for Grant, vote for me." And when a
governor, member of Congress, or any other officer was in the field
they would all contend for this oneness, but each one would say, "I
want you should be one with me." "Well, but your neighbor, your
competitor, is perhaps quite as good a man as you are." "That is no
difference, he is my enemy, my opponent, and I wish to beat him if I
possibly can, I want this place." But when you come to the Latter-day
Saints, if they can get the right man, the best man they can find,
they unitedly cast their ballots into the ballot-box to make that man
president, governor, representative, or any other officer; and if we
learn that he is not as talented as some other man, perhaps not so
capable of filling the office as his neighbor, better be united on and
with him, and give him your faith and your prayers, and he will answer
every purpose, and will fulfil his mission to your satisfaction, and
far better than if you were to quarrel, contend and argue over the
matter, for where they do this the inhabitants of the earth, if they
did but know it, have an internal influence to contend against. Take
for instance, the financial circles, the commerce of the world, those
business men, where they have their opponents they have an internal
influence to contend against, whether they know it or not; and that
power, with all the secrecy of the grave, I might say, will seek to
carry out their schemes unknown to their opponents, in order that they
may win. Like the man at the table with the cards in his hands, unseen
by any but himself, he will take the advantage as far as he can. So
says the politician. So say the world of Christendom, so say the world
of the heathens, and it is party upon party, sect after sect, division
upon division, and we are all for ourselves, and each one is willing
that we should be one in our faith, feelings and actions, if we will
be one with him.

Vol. 15,  p.124
Well, this witness that is on the stand can not be set aside or
overcome; it is a witness that the world [p.125] of mankind can not
impeach, neither the testimony which it imparts. Take people flora
China, India, Africa, Europe, the North Pole or the South Pole, give
them the Gospel and they are one. It was not Joseph Smith, neither is
it Brigham Young that makes them one; it is neither the high council
nor the First Presidency that makes them one, but it is the power of
God unto salvation that makes the Latter-day Saints one in heart, in
spirit, in action, in their religious faith and ordinances, and in
their dealings, where they are honest and live their religion. That
makes them one, no matter who they are, where they are, or upon what
subject, if it be a subject worthy the attention of the people. Our
religion descends to the whole life of man, although some, sometimes,
say, there is divine law, there is human law, and there are principles
which pertain to our religion and there are principles which pertain
to the philosophy of the world· But let me here say to you, that the
philosophy of the religion of heaven incorporates every truth that
there is in heaven, on earth, or in hell.

Vol. 15,  p.125
Now, we wish to be one and to understand the Gospel. Receive the
Gospel and the spirit of it and we will be one. All Christendom would
say, "Come go with us, come go with us and we will do you good." We
can say the same—"Come go with us, and we will do you good." We will
tell you how to be saved. How far does the Christian religion go? Let
every man look at it, read, pray, meditate, call upon the Lord, and
judge for himself. I say that that which is commonly called the
Christian religion is far from civilizing the world, and far from
making the Christian world one, far from bringing the disciples to be
of one heart and one mind. They say that there are a great many of
these nonessentials that we differ about. Very true, they are
non-essentials, and they are pretty much all of them non-essentials.
Believing in the Lord Jesus Christ is very essential; believing in
God, his Father, and our Father, is very essential; having faith in
the name of Jesus is very essential. On these points they all agree,
and we agree with them, and they with us; but it is very different
when we come to the laws and ordinances of the kingdom of God.

Vol. 15,  p.125
It has been read to you here what Jesus said to his disciples—"I will
drink no more with you of this wine—the juice of the vine—until I
drink with you anew in my Father's kingdom." Jesus undertook to
establish the kingdom of God upon the earth. He introduced the laws
and ordinances of the kingdom. What was the result? After killing the
Son of God, they could not even let the Apostles live; they could not
let Paul live, who was not a believer in the days of Jesus, but an
opposer, and who, after the death of the Savior, hunted and sought all
who believed on him, for the purpose of imprisoning and punishing
them, and he was the very man who held the clothes of the young men
who stoned Stephen to death.

Vol. 15,  p.125
What did they do with the rest of them? Crucified them, stoned them,
mangled them, and so on, with the exception, I suppose, of John. As
long as any of the disciples of the Savior was on the earth they were
hunted and persecuted, and the cry of their enemies was, "Do not leave
their track until they are exterminated," just as it is now with
regard to the Latter-day Saints—"Do not leave their track, go where
they go, introduce every iniquity you can, and do as they did in
ancient days." How did they do then? You can [p.126] read the account
given of our first parents. Along came a certain character and said to
Eve—you know women are of tender heart, and he could operate on this
tender heart—"The Lord knows that in the day thou eatest thereof thou
shalt not surely die, but if thou wilt take of this fruit and eat
thereof thine eyes will be opened and thou wilt see as the Gods see;"
and he worked upon the tender heart of mother Eve until she partook of
the fruit, and her eyes were opened. He told the truth. And they say
now, "Do this that your eyes may be opened, that you may see; do this
that you may know thus and so." In the days of Jesus and his Apostles
the same power was operating, and, actuated by that, men hunted them
until the last one was banished from human society, and until the
Christian religion was so perverted that the people received it with
open hands, arms, mouth and heart. It was adulterated until it was
congenial to the wicked heart, and they received the Gospel as they
supposed. But that was the time they commenced little by little to
transgress the laws, change the ordinances, and break the everlasting
covenant, and the Gospel of the kingdom that Jesus undertook to
establish in his day and the priesthood were taken from the earth. But
the Lord has again set his band to gather Israel, to redeem his people
and to establish his kingdom on the earth, and the enemy of all
righteousness says, "We have got plenty of religion, we have got
plenty of followers, we have plenty of money, we have plenty of
influence, never leave the track of the Latter-day Saints until they
are used up." Well, it is God and them for it, as far as that is
concerned; that is not for me to say anything about. We are here, and
the Gospel we have got makes us of one heart and mind in all the
affairs of life; and the philosophy of our religion embraces all the
true philosophy, every art and every science there is on the face of
the whole earth, and when they step outside the pale of the Christian
religion, the power of God and the priesthood of the Son of God, they
step out of the kingdom of heaven, and they then have cisterns that
will hold no water, systems that will not bear scrutinizing. I know
that a great many of the scientific men of the world philosophize upon
this, that and the other thing. Geologists will tell us the earth has
stood so many millions of years. Why? Because the Valley of the
Mississippi could not have washed out under about so many years, or so
long a time. The Valley of Western Colorado, here, could not have
washed out without taking such a length of time. What do they know
about it? Nothing in comparison. They also reason about the age of the
world by the marvelous specimens of petrifaction that are sometimes
discovered. Now we can show them plenty of places where there are
trees, perfect stone, running into the solid rock, and perhaps the
rock is forty, fifty, or a hundred feet above the tree. Yet it is a
perfect tree. There is the bark, there is the heart, and there is the
outer-coating between the heart and the bark, all perfect rock. How
long did it take to make this tree into rock? We do not know. I can
tell them, simply this—when the Lord Almighty brings forth the power
of his chemistry, he can combine the elements and make a tree into
rock in one night or one day, if he chooses, or he can let it lie
until it pulverises and blows to the four winds, without petrifying,
just as be pleases. He brings together these elements as he sees
proper, for he is the greatest [p.127] chemist there is. He knows more
about chemistry and about the formation of the earth and about
dividing the earth, and more about the mountains, valleys, rocks,
hills, plains, and the sands than all the scientific men that we have.
This we can say of a truth. Well, if it takes a million years to make
a perfect rock of one kind of a tree, say a cedar tree, how long would
it take to make a perfect rock of a cottonwood tree? Let the chemists
tell this, if they can, but they can not tell it.

Vol. 15,  p.127
Our religion embraces chemistry; it embraces all the knowledge of the
geologist, and then it goes a little further than their systems of
argument, for the Lord Almighty, its author, is the greatest chemist
there is. Will any of the chemists tell us what the Lord did with the
elements in Wisconsin, and in Chicago, Illinois, last Fall? They made
a flaming fire of the heavens, the elements were melted with fervent
heat. This was a chemical process, but can any of our chemists tell
how it was brought about? I think not. But there were certain elements
which lost their cohesive properties, and a change occurred, and the
result was this terrible fire. So it will be when, as the Scriptures
foretell, "the elements shall melt with fervent heat." The Lord
Almighty will send forth his angels, who are well instructed in
chemistry, and they will separate the elements and make new
combinations thereof, and the whole heavens will be a sheet of fire.
Well, our religion embraces this; and we know of no laws, no
ordinances, no gifts, no principles, no arts, no sciences that are
true, but what are embraced in the religion of Jesus Christ, in this
Priesthood, which is a perfect system of government.

Vol. 15,  p.127
If anybody wants to know what the priesthood of the Son of God is, it
is the law by which the worlds are, were, and will continue for ever
and ever. It is that system which brings worlds into existence and
peoples them, gives them their revolutions—their days, weeks, months,
years, their seasons and times and by which they are rolled up as a
scroll, as it were, and go into a higher state of existence; and they
who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ—the maker, framer, governor,
dictator and controller of this earth—they who live according to his
law and priesthood will be prepared to dwell on this earth when it is
brought into the presence of the Father and the Son. This is the
habitation of the Saints; this is the earth that will be given to the
Saints, when they and it are sanctified and glorified, and brought
back into the presence of the Father and the Son. This is our
religion, and I bear testimony to it; and this oneness which the
Latter-day Saints possess, which is now so much contended against and
hated by the Christian world, in a political, financial,
philosophical, and every other respect and capacity, is the power of
God unto salvation, and is not produced by the influence or power of
man, and this witness cannot be impeached—it is impossible to impeach
it. This is our testimony, and this is one witness, one testimony that
the Gospel which we preach is the Gospel that God has revealed for the
salvation of the children of men, and it will bring all the sons and
daughters of Adam and Eve into a state of glory and happiness that is
far beyond their conception, or any ideas that thy have ever received
while in this wicked world; and this glory the Lord has prepared in
his mansion for his children.[p.128] 

Vol. 15,  p.128
"Well," says one, if I am pretty sure to get a state of glory better
than this, I guess I will not take the trouble to inherit anything
more." Well, run the risk of it, every man on the earth has that
privilege. The Gospel is preached, sin revives, some die and some
contend against it—some receive it and some do not; but this is the
sin of the people—truth is told them and they reject it. This is the
sin of the world, "Light has come into the world, but men love
darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil." So said
Jesus in his day. We say, Here is the Gospel of life and salvation,
and every one that will receive it, glory, honor, immortality and
eternal life are theirs; if they reject it, they take their chance. I
hope and pray that we may all be wise and receive the good part, that
we may have the benefit thereof.

Vol. 15,  p.128
I say to the Latter-day Saints, Will you live your religion? You can
see people apostatizing from the Church, but what is the result? Ask
every apostate who ever received the spirit of this work, "Can you go
and enjoy any other religion?" Not one of them. Have you never known
persons leave the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and
join any other church? Certainly I have, and pretty good people. I
recollect one old lady that we left in the States. She said she was
too old to gather up with the Saints. Her friends were Baptists, she
lived in the midst of them and joined their church. Sit down and talk
with her—"Sister, how do you feel?" "Just as I have always felt." "Are
you satisfied with this religion you have joined?" "I believe in the
work I embraced years ago. 'Mormonism' is true, and I believe it just
as I always have. But here are my home and my friends, and I
fellowship them as far as they do right—as far as they believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ. They want I should be a member of their church and
I do not know that it hurts me to be so." "Are you satisfied to accept
their religion and none else?" Says she, "I care no more about it than
I did while in the midst of the Latter-day Saints; but here are my
friends and home. By and by I shall sleep in the grave;" and there she
is today, sleeping with those who have laid their bodies down to rest.
This is one instance. But you take men and women with youth and vigor,
who apostatize from the truth, and are they satisfied with anything
else? No, and they are not satisfied with themselves. They are not
beloved by God nor by Angels, nor by their families. Are they beloved
by the enemy of all righteousness and his fellow associates? No. They
say to the apostate, "You are a hypocrite, a traitor, a deceiver, and
if you are not a false witness we ask who is, for you have testified
hundreds and thousands of times, that, by the power of God and the
revelations of Jesus Christ, you knew Joseph Smith was a Prophet, and
that this latter-day work was true, and now you say it is not true."
"When did you tell the truth?" says Mr. Devil, "then or now?" Says he,
"I despise you;" and they hate themselves and everybody else. They
have no fellowship for their neighbors, for the Latter-day Saints nor
for any Christian denomination, and I do not know where in the world
they can be placed. This is the condition of an apostate. But while
this is the condition of those who apostatize from our Church, how is
it with those who leave any of the sectarian churches, after having
been a Methodist, Presbyterian, [p.129] Baptist, or Congregationalist?
Why they go from church to church, and feel just the same as before?
Is not this true? Yes, I know it is; not that I have passed from one
to another myself, but I have been acquainted with those who have. Did
I fellowship them? I fellowshipped them no more than I do now. I
fellowship everything that is good and virtuous, everything that is
truthful and good; but sin I do not fellowship in them, nor in a
Latter-day Saint, or one who professes to be so. I fellowship all
good, and we have it. It is all right, and if we have error, it is
because we do not live according to the Gospel that we have embraced.
If we have embraced error in our faith, it is because we do not
understand our own doctrine; if we have error in our lives, it is
because we deviate from the path of rectitude that God has marked out
for us to walk in.

Vol. 15,  p.129
May the Lord help us to do right. Amen.

Brigham Young, August 18, 1872

Fault Finding—Advice—Wholesale Co-Operative Store for 
Logan—Dress—Marital Relation—Establishing Zion

Remarks By President Brigham Young, Delivered in 
the Bowery, Logan City, Sunday Morning, August 18, 1872.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.129
There is just about time for a ten minutes' sermon. I have several
little sermons for the people, and I will begin by taking up the case
of brother Samuel Roskelly, Bishop up here in Smithfield. I have been
hearing for a year or two about brother Roskelly being wonderfully
dishonest, oppressing the people, overbearing with his brethren,
treating them with contempt and abusing them, taking their means and
so on. Last Friday, about five o'clock, we assembled in this hall,
that is, all who were disposed to come together, to have these matters
brought before us. We sat and heard them as patiently as we could. We
had not time to hear all speak and say all they wanted to. We found,
as we generally find these complaints—they have their origin in
selfishness, in greediness, in a complaining heart, destitute of the
Spirit of the Lord, imagining to themselves that they know just what
is right, and they want to get everybody in the world to feel as they
feel. But we find that almost all complaints that arise are sown by
the enemy; they grow in this soil, they take root, spring up and bear
seed, and when the stalk is shaken then the seed makes its appearance.
We examined these matters [p.130] far enough. I think there were eight
complaints against Bishop Roskelly, and when we had got through I did
not stop to ask the brethren how they felt, for I did not see anything
to talk about. I did not learn that there was anything of sufficient
importance to spend time about, or to ask my counselor, or to ask any
of the Twelve, any of the Bishops, or any of the brethren present, to
give their opinion on the subject. I did not see that there was any
opinion to be formed. I learned nothing, only that these little
roots—this seed of bitterness—had grown up and borne fruit.

Vol. 15,  p.130
Just about the same complaints came to me year after year against
brother Maughan and brother Benson, and of other Bishops in this
valley very few have been excused. If we were to hear them all and
trace them to their origin, we would find they all are the fruits of
jealousy, covetousness—which is idolatry, discontent and greediness.
Those with whom they originate are very anxious to have everybody look
through the glasses they look through, to feel as they feel, and to be
dictated by them. I want to say this to the brethren and to the
sisters, that they may know how we feel about this matter. We did not
chasten Bishop Roskelly nor any of the brethren of his ward, but we
talked to them a little, and gave them some good counsel; and we do
not feel like chastening them, but just say to them, Try and live so
that the Spirit of the Lord will live within you, and you will do well
enough.

Vol. 15,  p.130
I gave brother Roskelly some counsel with regard to keeping accounts.
I learned, years and years ago, the benefit of having my business
transactions well written out in black and white, and when I have any
dealings with a man, put that down. If I have paid him, say I have
paid him, how much and what for, which makes a proper account and
history. I learned this by experience, and I got this little item when
I first started in business in my youth. We were building up a little
town. A few merchants, a few mechanics, and a few others had come in,
and we were together one evening talking about keeping account books,
and bringing up the different authors. One gentleman in the company,
named David Smith, said—"Gentlemen, I have studied every author in
America on bookkeeping, and some of the European issues, and I have
learned that there is no rule or method so good as to write down facts
just as they occur. That is the best book-keeping I have learned yet."
This I have observed in my life; I adopted this principle as soon as I
heard it. I say, then, to brother Roskelly, instead of keeping his own
books, have somebody or other that will know his accounts and
understand his dealings to keep a faithful record of the same; and I
say this to all the Bishops and to men of business, not only to those
in the tithing department, but merchants, mechanics and farmers. Most
of our farmers that I have been acquainted with never keep any books
at all; they depend on memory, and I have known some men to do quite a
business in this way. We have a considerable number of tradesmen in
our community, some of whom never keep any books or accounts. This
class are liable at any time to be imposed upon. A person comes up,
and, says he, "You owe me, and I want my pay." The man knows he has
paid him, but he forgets when, where and how, but it is settled in his
feelings that he does not owe him anything. This brings contention,
discord and strife, even among pretty [p.131] good Elders; but, if we
keep a strict account of everything, we can tell a man then whether we
have paid him or not, or whether we owe him or not. this is the way
for brother Samuel Roskelly and all the Bishops to do. I wanted to say
this, and also that there is no particular fault to be found with
brother Roskelly, and no particular fault to be found with the people,
only they do not live their religion quite as they should, and the
spirit of contention creeps in instead of the spirit of prayer. My
counsel, brethren and sisters, is to pray, keep the law of God,
observe the Sabbath day, partake of the Sacrament, observe your tithes
and offerings, and fill up your lives with doing good. This
accomplishes my ten minutes, and now I leave the ground. We will close
our meeting until 2 o'clock, then I have a few other discourses to
deliver.

Vol. 15,  p.131
[When the congregation re-assembled, after singing and prayer,
President Young again took the stand, and spoke as follows:—]

Vol. 15,  p.131
Now for my second lecture. This is upon financial affairs entirely. It
is merely a question I am going to propound to the people, and I
desire an answer from them. Suppose that the Wholesale Co-operative
Store in Salt Lake City should be pleased to extend its operations to
this valley and establish a wholesale store here, I want to know what
the disposition and action of the people would be with regard to
sustaining it? I see there is a necessity for it, for there are a good
many settlements in this valley and Bear Lake Valley that now go to
Salt Lake City to do their trading. We have proposed placing a
wholesale store here, and whatever is kept in Salt Lake City in the
wholesale department, duplicate the same for this place, and keep a
perfect assortment here the same as is done in the city—farming
implements wagons, carriages and everything necessary to supply the
wants of the people. This will be a short lecture. Suppose that we
undertake this, what will be the action of the people? I expect every
settlement is represented here to-day, probably by the Bishops and
leading men, who know the feelings of the people and who, more or
less, control the business portions of their settlements. Perhaps a
good many have not thought of it, then again a good many have, and
they have matured this pretty well in their feelings and
understandings. If we do this, our plan will be to supply the people
with everything they want, and all their products that can be disposed
of to buy them. We will take the products of the country that we can
sell, ship them off and dispose of them, and in return supply you with
goods. Will the Bishops, High Priests, Seventies, Elders, Priests,
Teachers, Deacons, and their fathers, mothers, sons, daughters and the
brothers sustain this institution if we place one here? We shall give
you the goods just about as cheap as we can sell them in Salt Lake
City, very little difference, so little you would not know; for the
additional expense in bringing them from Ogden to this place, over
conveying them from there to Salt Lake City, would be very trifling.
If this would be the feelings of the different settlements, I would
like to have you manifest it by showing your right hands. (Hands up.)
Now let us have the opposition vote. (No opposition.)

Vol. 15,  p.131
While I am on this subject let me say a few words with regard to
dress, though I have not as much reason to do so here as I have in
Salt Lake City and Ogden. You know that we are creatures subject to
all the vanities of the world, and very subject to admiring its
fashions. We [p.132] have left Babylon, and instead of introducing it
here we want it to stay yonder, and just as much as we can, no, that
is the wrong word—just as much as we will, we want to make our own
head dresses here, especially for the ladies, and for the gentlemen
through the summer season. We would like to see all through our
country what we see here in a measure—a decent dress on a lady.
Instead of having four, five or six yards of cloth drawing through the
street to raise dust on the people, that she can go along decently and
you would not think there was a six horse team traveling there, with a
dozen dogs under the wagon. This is what we would like, but when we
come to the ornaments, I feel like blackguarding. I am going to speak
about a little ornament they get up, I believe it is called a
"bender," and I do not know but there is a Grecian or a Greek to it—a
"Grecian bend." You have seen this ridiculed enough without my doing
it. I want to say to you, ladies, just take off this ornament. If my
sisters will take the hint, they will leave off these little articles.
Some of them, after they have got half a dozen yards on it are not
satisfied until they go and get a dozen yards of ribbon several inches
wide too make bows to put on the top of that. It is ridiculous! I do
not see much of it in this place, to what I do in some others. I would
really like to see the ladies dress decent and comely. This will do on
this subject, for a hint to the wise is sufficient, and enough has
been said if the sisters will take counsel.

Vol. 15,  p.132
I will now say a little with regard to our young people—a subject
introduced here yesterday, very modestly and very nicely. Suppose the
Latter-day Saints and the world at large were to carry out the
principles that are received in the faith of a society called the
Shaking Quakers, how long do you suppose it would be before there
would not be a human being left on the earth, unless there was some
necromancy or stealthful conduct going on? About one hundred and
twenty years would take the last man and woman from the earth. But
this is not what is required of us, it was not required of Adam and
Eve. They were required to multiply and replenish the earth, and I
will here say a word to the ladies—Do not marvel, do not wonder at it,
do not complain at Providence, do not find fault with mother Eve
because your desire is to your husbands. Bear this with patience and
fortitude! Be reconciled to it, meet your afflictions and these
little,—well, we might say, not very trifling, but still they are
wants, for if we desire only that that is necessary, and can govern
and control ourselves to he satisfied with that, it is a great deal
better than to want a thousand things that are unnecessary, and
especially to the female portion of the inhabitants of the earth. But
there is a curse upon them, and I can not take it off, can you? No,
you can not—it never will be taken from the human family until the
mission is fulfilled, and our Master and our Lord is perfectly
satisfied with our work. It will then be taken from this portion of
the community, and will afflict them no more; but for the present it
will afflict them. And almost every lady I ever saw in my life is just
as bad as a certain lady lecturer who, after lecturing and extolling
her sex, and trying to impress upon them the idea that it would have
been much better for the world if there had never been a man upon the
earth, said, "Yet you know our weakness is such that we turn round and
grab the first man we come to." How natural it is![p.133] Well,
ladies, just be reconciled to your condition, and if there is a
principle here or elsewhere that wishes to override the principle of
celestial marriage, take heed to yourselves, for I can promise you one
thing—If you ever had any faith in the Gospel and in celestial
marriage, and you renounce or disbelieve and deny this doctrine, you
will be damned. I promise you that, no matter who it is. Now take heed
to yourselves! Look at the world. We might show up this matter here,
but we do not wish to do so. Those who travel through the world can
understand these things, and see the millions of the human family who
are trodden under foot. I will refer you to the great cities of the
world. Get their statistics and see how many young females perish in
them yearly. Why? Because some good men have taken them and made
second wives of them? No. It is because wicked men have seduced and
ruined them, and have made them so reekless in their feelings that
rather than see father, mother, brother, sister or friends again, they
would die in a ditch. Those who are acquainted with the world know
these things are true, and they are trying to introduce this practice
into Salt Lake City. I will say no more on this subject, but let this
little lecture or sermon suffice.

Vol. 15,  p.133
I will now ask a question of the Latter-day Saints, and I can ask it
of the aged, middle-aged and the youth, for it is a matter that comes
within the range of the understanding of the entire community, even
the children—How long will it take us to establish Zion, the way we
are going on now? You can answer this question, as the girl did the
schoolmaster, I suppose, and say, "If forty years has brought a large
percentage of Babylon into the midst of this people, how long will it
take to get Babylon out and actually to establish Zion? The
schoolmaster boasted of his aptness at figures and told the girl that
no question in mathematics could be asked hint that he Could not
readily answer. Said the girl, "I think I can ask you a question you
cannot answer?" "Well," said he, "let's have it." "Well," said she,
"if by eating one apple Mother Eve ruined the whole human family, what
would an orchard full of apples do?" You will be as puzzled to answer
my question as the schoolmaster was his pupil's question. You can say,
"I do not know," and it is true, you do not know; but I can inform you
on that subject—Until the father, the mother, the son and the daughter
take the counsel that is given them by those who lead and direct them
in building up the kingdom of God, they will never establish Zion, no
never, worlds without end. When they learn to do this, I do not think
there will be much complaining or grumbling, or much of what we have
heard about to-day—improper language to man or beast. I do not think
there will be much pilfering, purloining, bad dealing, covetousness or
anything of the kind; not much of this unruly spirit that wants
everybody to sustain its possessor and let him get rich, whether
anybody else does or not. I think when we have learned that lesson, we
will be willing to take the counsel of those who are set to direct us,
the officers who are over us; and if they are not just, true, truly,
upright and men of God in every respect, just have faith enough so
that the Lord Almighty will remove them out of the way a and do not
undertake to remove them yourselves. This is the way we should live.
There should be faith enough in the midst of this people that if your
[p.134] humble servants were to attempt to guide them in the ways of
error, false doctrine, wickedness or corruption of any kind, he would
be stopped in his career in twenty-four hours so that he would not be
able to speak to them, and if he were not laid in the grave, he would
have no power nor influence whatever. There ought to faith enough in a
Ward, if the Bishop is wicked, if he is doing wrong and serving
himself and the enemy instead of the Lord and his kingdom, to stop him
in his career, so that the Lord would remove him out of the way. This
has been the case in some few instances, and it ought to be every time
and in every place.

Vol. 15,  p.134
When shall we establish the principles of Zion? You can say, "I do not
know." If we had power to do it, we should do it; but we are just in
the position and condition, and upon precisely the same ground that
God our Father is—He cannot force his children to do this, that or the
other against their will—the eternal laws by which he and all others
exist in the eternities of the Gods, decree that the consent of the
creature must be obtained before the Creator can rule perfectly. It is
just as impossible for the principles of heaven to rule in the hearts
of the wicked and ungodly as anything you can well imagine; you might
as well throw powder into a flaming fire and say it should not burn,
or burst a cask of water in the air and say it should not fall to the
ground. The consent of the creature must be had in these things, and
until you and I do consent in our feelings and understand that it is a
necessity that we establish Zion, we shall have Babylon mixed with us.

Vol. 15,  p.134
I know the faith of the people, in a great measure, is, "We would like
to see Zion." "Would you?" "Yes, but I would like to see it enjoyed by
others. I do not want to be there myself, I want to see how it looks."
This is the feeling, these are the ideas that pass through the minds
of many. "We would just like to see the people live according to the
principles of heaven, to see how they would look and act, to learn
their ways; but we would not be bound to live there until we had seen
enough to be able to judge whether we would like it or not. Maybe we
would like it, maybe not; it might deprive us of some little
privileges we have now. We might not be permitted to wear what we wear
now, or to act, think and feel as we do now. We might be crippled or
curtailed in our views or operations, consequently we do not want to
enter into this order ourselves, but we would like some others to do
so that we may see how it looks." This is the way they feel about
Zion.

Vol. 15,  p.134
Well, brethren, I have talked all I ought to, and perhaps more. I say,
as I always do, God bless you! Peace be with you, and love be
multipiled upon the people. I pray for the good all over the earth. My
desire is to see the kingdom of God prosper. We are prospering in many
things, but we are not prospering in the grace of God and in the
spirit of our holy religion as much as we should. Herein we come
short. But if we will try and improve our minds, school and train
ourselves to overcome every evil within us, every passion, every
unruly thought, I do know by experience, by a close application of any
individual to himself in schooling and training his mind, he can cease
to think evil thoughts and he will be able to think good, that is, his
mind will be filled with pleasant reflections. This I know by
experience. I heard Brother Taylor preach a sermon once on the
principle of revelation, which contained [p.135] the most pleasant
ideas. Still it is in the Bible—all this is taught there—but he
illustrated the principle of living for God perfectly day by day,
showing that we could do so until God lived within us, and until we,
ourselves, became a fountain of revelation; instead of having to ask,
plead and pray the Lord to give us a vision and to open our minds, we
could live for God until a fountain of light and intelligence was
within us, from morning until evening, and from evening until morning,
week after week, month after month and year after year. This is the
fact. Then let us live so that the spirit of our religion will live
within us, then we have peace, joy, happiness and contentment, which
makes such pleasant fathers, pleasant mothers, pleasant children,
pleasant households, neighbors, communities and cities. That is worth
living for, and I do think that the Latter-day Saints ought to strive
for this.

Vol. 15,  p.135
May God help us!

Brigham Young, August 24, 1872

Increase of Saints Since Joseph Smith's Death—Joseph 
Smith's Sons—Resurrection and Millennial Work

Remarks By President Brigham Young, Delivered at 
Farmington, Saturday Afternoon, Aug. 24, 1872.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.135
There are a few minutes to spare before we dismiss, and there are
quite a number of items that could be talked about that would be very
interesting to the people, especially in regard to the first
experience of the Church. When I hear brethren relate their experience
of those days it brings to my mind many things pertaining to the
establishment of the kingdom in the beginning. Not that I was a member
of the Church at its organization, but I was near by and knew
something of the doings of the Saints. I recollect very well the night
that Joseph found the plates: the recollection of that event is as
vividly impressed on my mind as though it were last night. But, to
change my remarks to another subject referred to, let me ask you,
brethren and sisters, How many do you suppose there are in the Church
now who were in twenty-eight years ago? Some are disposed to imagine
that the people we now call Latter-day Saints have been brought into
the Church through the labors of the Prophet Joseph Smith. If we were
to ask this congregation how many of them were in the Church
twenty-eight years ago, we should find only a small portion of them. I
will say that, probably, two-thirds, yes, three-fourths, and even more
than that, have come into the Church through the administration of
what is called the First Presidency at the present [p.136] time;
consequently our work shows for itself. We need not ask persons to
give their opinion about the theory that we have placed before them,
but what do you think of the work itself? What do you think of this
great kingdom, this little empire, we might say, as it now appears to
the world? It is twenty-eight years since Brother Joseph was killed,
and the work has gone forth steadily and rapidly, and through the
providences of God we have apparently advanced faster since then, than
in the fourteen years before, so far as bringing the people into note,
and giving them a name and fame in the eyes of the world. The work is
still onward and it is upward.

Vol. 15,  p.136
I simply ask the question about what the people think of these things,
I do not wish to dwell on the principle of parties denying the faith,
or remaining in the faith, they can do just as they please about that;
but while Brother Levi Hancock was talking about sticking to the
Church, and declaring that he meant to hang on to it, I thought, and
say now, what in the name of common sense is there to hang on to, if
he does not hang on to the Church? I do not know of anything. You
might as well take a lone straw in the midst of the ocean to save
yourselves as to think of doing so by the knowledge, power, authority,
faith and priesthood of the Christian world, and the heathen world
into the bargain. There is nothing but the Gospel to hang on to! Those
who leave the Church are like a feather blown to and fro in the air.
They know not whither they are going; they do not understand anything
about their own existence; their faith, judgment and the operations of
their minds are as unstable as the movements of the feather floating
in the air. We have not anything to cling to only faith in the Gospel.

Vol. 15,  p.136
As for the doctrine that is promulgated by the sons of Joseph, it is
nothing more than any other false religion. We would be very glad to
have the privilege of saying that the children of Joseph Smith,
Junior, the Prophet of God, were firm in the faith of the Gospel, and
following in the footsteps of their father. But what are they doing?
Trying to blot out every vestige of the work their father performed on
the earth. Their mission is to endeavor to obliterate every particle
of his doctrine, his faith and doings. These boys are not following
Joseph Smith, but Emma Bideman. Every person who hearkens to what they
say, hearkens to the will and wishes of Emma Bideman. The boys,
themselves, have no will, no mind, no judgment independent of their
mother. I do not want to talk about them. I am sorry for them, and I
have my own faith in regard to them. I think the Lord will find them
by and by—not Joseph, I have told the people times enough, they never
may depend on Joseph Smith who is now living; but David, who was born
after the death of his father, I still look for the day to come when
the Lord will touch his eyes. But I do not look for it while his
mother lives. The Lord would do it now if David were willing; but he
is not, he places his mother first and foremost, and would take her
counsel sooner than he would the counsel of the Almighty, consequently
he can do nothing, he knows nothing, he has no faith, and we have to
let the matter rest in the hands of God for the present.

Vol. 15,  p.136
Now a few words to the brethren and sisters upon the doctrine and
ordinances of the house of God. All who have lived on the earth
according to the best light they had, and would have received the
fullness of [p.137] the Gospel had it been preached to them, are
worthy of a glorious resurrection, and will attain to this by being
administered for in the flesh by those who have the authority. All
others will have a resurrection, and receive a glory, except those who
have sinned against the Holy Ghost. It is supposed by this people that
we have all the ordinances in our possession for life and salvation,
and exaltation, and that we are administering in these ordinances.
This is not the case. We are in possession of all the ordinances that
can be administered in the flesh; but there are other ordinances and
administrations that must be administered beyond this world. I know
you would ask what they are. I will mention one. We have not, neither
can we receive here, the ordinance and the keys of the resurrection.
They will be giver to those who have passed off this stage of action
and have received their bodies again, as many have already done and
many more will. They will be ordained, by those who hold the keys of
the resurrection, to go forth and resurrect the Saints, just as we
receive the ordinance of baptism, then the keys of authority to
baptize others for the remission of their sins. This is one of the
ordinances we can not receive here, and there are many more. We hold
the authority to dispose of, alter and change the elements; but we
have not received authority to organize native element to even make a
spear of grass grow. We have no such ordinance here. We organize
according to men in the flesh. By combining the elements and planting
the seed, we cause vegetables, trees, grains, &c., to come forth. We
are organizing a kingdom here according to the pattern that the Lord
has given for people in the flesh, but not for those who have received
the resurrection, although it is a similitude. Another item: We have
not the power in the flesh to create and bring forth or produce a
spirit; but we have the power to produce a temporal body. The germ of
this, God has placed within us. And when our spirits receive our
bodies, and through our faithfulness we are worthy to be crowned, we
will then receive authority to produce both spirit and body. But these
keys we cannot receive in the flesh. Herein, brethren, you can
perceive that we have not finished, and cannot finish our work, while
we live here, no more than Jesus did while he was in the flesh.

Vol. 15,  p.137
We can not receive, while in the flesh, the keys to form and fashion
kingdoms and to organize matter, for they are beyond our capacity and
calling, beyond this world. In the resurrection, men who have been
faithful and diligent in all things in the flesh, have kept their
first and second estate, and worthy to be crowned Gods, even the sons
of God, will be ordained to organize matter. How much matter do you
suppose there is between here and some of the fixed stars which we can
see? Enough to frame many, very many millions of such earths as this,
yet it is now so diffused, clear and pure, that we look through it and
behold the stars. Yet the matter is there. Can you form any conception
of this? Can you form any idea of the minuteness of matter? Let me
give you a comparison, for instance, with regard to mathematics. You
take a child that is born to-day, say at twelve o'clock, precisely at
high noon. One year from to-day there is another child born. The one
born to-day will be just one year older than the other. The second one
is perhaps not a minute old, it has just commenced to breathe the
vital air. Now the one born first [p.138] is a great many times older
than the second, we would have to get some of these mathematicians to
tell how many times. It would be over 31 millions of seconds, a great
many minutes, many hours, three hundred and sixty-five days, and one
year. When these two children have lived just one year longer the
elder of the two is two years old, the other one, the former, being
just as old again as the latter. In one year more the first one will
be only one-third older, the fourth year be will be one-fourth older,
and so on. Now then, how long must these two children live to be
exactly of an age? They never will be; never, no never, through all
the eternities there are, and that is for ever and ever. They will
always differ in age, and when countless millions and myriads of ages
have passed away there is still, do you not see, a difference, these
children are not yet of the same age. It is just so with matter. Take,
for instance, a grain of sand. You can not divide it so small that it
can not be divided again—it is capable of infinite division. We know
nothing about how many times it can be divided, and it is just so with
regard to the lives in us, in animals, in vegetation, in shrubbery.
They are countless. To illustrate, you take a perfectly ripe kernel of
corn—you will have some here perhaps in a few days—and if you get a
glass, it does not require a very powerful one, and you take the chit
of this corn and open it, you behold distinctly a stalk of corn, in
that chit, a perfectly grown stalk of corn, with ears and leaves on
it, matured, out in blossom,—there is the tassel, there are the ears
and there is the corn! Well, you get a stronger glass and divide
again, and you can see that this very chit is the grandfather of corn!
We take the scientific world for this. Well, how many lives are there
in this grain of corn? They are innumerable, and this same infinity is
manifest through all the creations of God.

Vol. 15,  p.138
We will operate here, in all the ordinances of the house of God which
pertain to this side the vail, and those who pass beyond and secure to
themselves a resurrection pertaining to the lives will go on and
receive more and more, more and more, and will receive one after
another until they are crowned Gods, even the sons of God. This idea
is very consoling. We are now baptizing for the dead, and we are
sealing for the dead, and if we had a temple prepared we should be
giving endowments for the dead—for our fathers, mothers, grandfathers,
grandmothers, uncles, aunts, relatives, friends and old associates,
the history of whom we are now getting from our friends in the east.
The Lord is stirring up the hearts of many there, and there is a
perfect mania with some to trace their genealogies and to get up
printed records of their ancestors. They do not know what they are
doing it for, but the Lord is prompting them; and it will continue and
run on from father to father, father to father, until they get the
genealogy of their forefathers as far as they possibly can.

Vol. 15,  p.138
I am going to stop my talking by saying that, in the millennium, when
the kingdom of God is established on the earth in power, glory and
perfection, and the reign of wickedness that has so long prevailed is
subdued, the Saints of God will have the privilege of building their
temples, and of entering into them, becoming, as it were, pillars in
the temples of God, and they will officiate for their dead. Then we
will see our friends come up, and perhaps some that we have been
acquainted with here. If we [p.139] ask who will stand at the head of
the resurrection in this last dispensation, the answer is—Joseph
Smith, Junior, the Prophet of God. He is the man who will be
resurrected and receive the keys of the resurrection, and he will seal
this authority upon others, and they will hunt up their friends and
resurrect them when they shall have been officiated for, and bring
them up. And we will have revelations to know our forefathers clear
hack to Father Adam and Mother Eve, and we will enter into the temples
of God and officiate for them. Then man will be sealed to man until
the chain is made perfect back to Adam, so that there will be a
perfect chain of priesthood from Adam to the winding-up scene.

Vol. 15,  p.139
This will be the work of the Latter-day Saints in the millennium. How
much time do you suppose we have to attend to and foster Babylon? I
leave this question for you to answer at your pleasure. I have no time
at all for that, I say, and stop my sayings.

Brigham Young, August 25, 1872

God's Ways not As Man's Ways

Remarks By Brigham Young, Jun., Delivered at 
Farmington, Sunday Morning, August 25th, 1872. 

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.139
I have a testimony, brethren and sisters, as to the truth of the work
of God, that it is a pleasure to me to bear to you, and to strangers
when opportunity offers. I have no particular text to speak upon at
the present time, save the one that should be at all times in the mind
of every Latter-day Saint, and that is, the kingdom of God, and its
growth and development upon the earth. This is a subject that should
be ever present with us; and when an individual whose interests are
professedly identified with that kingdom, forgets the duties devolving
upon him in connection with it, we may infer that he has ceased to be
useful therein.

Vol. 15,  p.139
We know, brethren, that it is impossible to please the Lord by
following the counsels of our own minds, unless they are enlightened
by the Spirit of the Almighty. The wisdom of man is not the wisdom of
God, and to be successful in extending and strengthening the cause of
God on the earth, we must have his Spirit to guide us. If our ways
were as God's ways, we would do as he would have us do; but it is
evident to all who are acquainted with the actions of the human
family, not excluding the Latter-day Saints, that the mind of man is
not as Gods mind. A verse of Scripture, which now occurs to my mind,
will illustrate [p.140] this. It will be found in the 11th verse of
the 2nd chapter of the 1st epistle to the Corinthians:—"For what man
knoweth the things of man, save the spirit of man which is in him?
even so the things of God knoweth no man, but, the Spirit of God."

Vol. 15,  p.140
The experience that the Latter-day Saints have had has taught them
that this is true, and we know that when a man deems himself capable
of acting solely on his own intelligence, and neglects to seek for the
wisdom of Heaven to guide him, he is very apt to go astray. This
feeling of independence of the Almighty has caused the apostacy of
some, whom we, perhaps, have thought it would be almost impossible to
blind to the truths they once advocated so well; but it is the case.
Men do not look at things as God looks at them, therefore it is
indispensably necessary for each individual Latter-day Saint to have
the Spirit of God within him, that he may do His will and not carry
out his own views.

Vol. 15,  p.140
Look over the nations of the earth, and where is there a government
established on correct principles, that is, in accordance with the
commandments of God? There is not one, for they are all established by
the wisdom of men, and men's ways are so different from the ways of
God that it is impossible, with all their intelligence and
knowledge—and we know they possess a great deal—for men to establish a
government after the order of God. In some minor particulars such a
government might not be far out of the way, but in all the essentials
it would be dissimilar. It is the same with us, the Latter-day Saints,
without the inspiration and wisdom of Heaven to guide us, we can not
hope to carry out and accomplish God's purposes. Many of us have not
had the educational advantages enjoyed by the wealthy in the outside
world, having belonged to the laboring classes—to what is termed the
down-trodden portions of the population of Europe and America, and I
say thank God for it, for as a general thing the educated classes are
fast becoming unbelievers in the Old and New Testament. We, having
been taken from the lowly walks of life, have not, according to the
ideas of the world, the intelligence necessary to establish a form of
government equal to that which other men have established who have
been more learned, better educated than we are, and who have had more
wisdom than we seem to have, in a temporal point of view. But God, in
his infinite mercy, has inspired our leaders, he has endowed them with
wisdom and understanding to take the course and perform the work that
he desired. I have heard men of the world point out to President Young
and other leading men in this Church the course they should pursue
under certain circumstances, to ensure the approval and friendship of,
and to give satisfaction to, the leading men of our nation and the
nations abroad; and to my certain knowledge their counsel was
diametrically opposed to the course taken under those circumstances. I
have noticed these things, and I know it is true that God's ways are
not as men's ways; and for a man to undertake to be a Latter-day Saint
while groping in the dark by trusting wholly to the intelligence of
his own mind, is the hardest work imaginable; it is the most laborious
task that can be, for any individual on the earth to try to be what he
ought to be before his God without the Holy Spirit to assist and guide
him. We know that naturally our hearts are far removed from God; and,
speaking to the ancient Saints, one of the [p.141] Apostles told them
they were blinded in part, and saw through a glass darkly. This is our
condition, then how necessary it is for us to seek continually for
that Spirit which will enable us to live as Saints of the Most High
should live, and to labor so that we may establish a kingdom on the
earth which God will delight in, and which, when the great men of the
earth see, they will be willing to acknowledge the wisdom manifested
therein, and to glorify God for the same. To-day, if a stranger were
to come into this congregation, for instance, he would be very likely
to think, "These are the Latter-day Saints—the people who have
gathered out from the nations of the earth to worship God! Well, I do
not see a great amount of intellect manifested, there is no great
intellectual ability, not so much as among the people of other
congregations where I have been." That may be true, and hence the
proof is more striking that the work we have done has been directed
and dictated by the wisdom of the Almighty, and in its accomplishment
the very spirit, energy and determination which our leaders have
exhibited were required. You might have ransacked the world from one
end to the other, and you could not have found educated men—men
brought up in colleges—who would have come out and taken the axe and
the plow, driven the teams, made the roads, led the people and located
them as our leaders have done. They might have done these things if
they had been willing to bow in obedience to God; but they are too
highly educated, they are too full of the wisdom of the world to seek
unto God, in lowliness of heart, for his Spirit to guide them, as our
leaders have done. Such men as those I am referring to, could not have
trusted implicitly in the arm of Jehovah, when on the plains, to
protect them from the savages, the storms, and all the dangers
incident to such a journey; they could not understand and comprehend
the necessity of faith in God under such circumstances, their
education and worldly wisdom would have rendered it next to
impossible, and it required the very men who have been our leaders to
do the work that has been done, and it needs them still. They are
perfectly willing that God should guide this great ship Zion, they are
willing to act under his direction; and no matter who the man is, nor
where he comes from, if he identifies himself with this people, he
must be willing that God should lead and guide him, and to obey every
word that proceeds from His mouth, or he is not the man to help to
carry on this work.

Vol. 15,  p.141
To say that we are a perfect people, I can not do it, neither can I
say that I am a perfect man. I am just as full of weaknesses as any
other man, and so are my brethren with whom I associate; but the Elder
of Israel, no matter how great his weaknesses, who humbly trusts in
God and continually strives to overcome evil and to do only that which
is right, will be enabled to triumph and be faithful to the end. What
matters it if a man likes whisky, if he does not drink it? I do not
care how much a man in this Church likes it, if he does not drink it,
it makes no difference. I do not care how much he loves tobacco, or
this, that or the other, that is not good, if he brings his actions
and feelings into subjection to the dictates of the Spirit of God. I
do not care how much a man loves property, it will not harm him if he
does not set his heart upon it so that he could not sacrifice it, if
required to do so, to promote the interests of God's kingdom upon the
earth. I remember once, when a [p.142] boy, Jedediah M. Grant saw me
chewing tobacco, and said be, "You chew tobacco, do you?" "Yes, sir."
"Well, I never had any taste for it; it is no virtue in me that I do
not use it, I tried hard enough, but it made me sick." The virtue,
brethren, is in putting away or overcoming habits which you know would
impede your progress in the kingdom of God. It was not a virtue in
Bro. Grant that he did not chew tobacco, he tried to learn how, but
could not do it. I tried, and succeeded. But, brethren and sisters,
the idea is, to bring our actions, thoughts and feelings into complete
subjection to the dictates of the Holy Spirit, and to be on hand at
all times to labor as we are directed for the building up of the
kingdom of God upon the earth; that should be the object with us. It
is no use for a man to say, "I am a Latter-day Saint, and they have
not cut me off yet. I have almost feared it sometimes, because I did
not do that which I knew to be right; but I am still within the pale
of the kingdom, and I hope to slip along with the balance." This is
just as great folly as for a man to claim the right to go a journey by
railway when he has no ticket and no means to pay his fare. He may
hang around, and declare that he is one of the crowd, and that he is
going along with them on that train; but, ignorant of the time it
starts, and destitute of the means to pay his way, he strays off for a
short time, and in the meanwhile the train starts and leaves him
behind. It is just so with an unfaithful Elder in this kingdom—he is
not prepared for events as they transpire, and, lacking the spirit of
the Gospel, is liable to be left behind.

Vol. 15,  p.142
I am talking to people who understand me, to people who have the word
of God. The Elders testify that God has spoken from the heavens, and,
that he revealed principles to the Prophet Joseph Smith and others,
for the salvation of the human family; they declare that the
principles revealed to them will save the people if they will practice
them in their lives. I am talking to people who have received a
testimony of these things for themselves, who have stood before, and
lifted up their voices to, the nations of the earth, and declared that
they knew Jesus was the Christ, that he had established his kingdom on
the earth, that he had revealed principles which would save us and
return us back into the presence of God, if we would practice them.
These are the men and women I am talking to; you know as well as I do
that the Gospel is true, and my talk is to inspire your hearts and my
heart to be more faithful to that which we know to be true. It is not
anything new to you and to me to be told that the kingdom of God is on
the earth, or to hear the principles of salvation proclaimed by the
Elders; but it is good to have our hearts warmed and inspired, and our
desires to be diligent and faithful renewed and strengthened. I do not
want the train to start without me, I want to be on board the good
ship Zion, with my brethren. So does every soul present, I have no
doubt of it. I believe that the atheist—the man who has no belief in
God, or faith in any religion, would like the best berth to be had,
either on a sailing vessel or steamer, if he saw any chance to obtain
it. The Latter-day Saints have good berths in view. You can testify
with me that the Spirit of God has enlightened our minds; you can
testify with me that the power of God led us to these valleys; that
prophecies have been uttered in our hearing, and we have [p.143] seen
them fulfilled, and we know that God has spoken in our day.

Vol. 15,  p.143
Brethren and sisters, let us be faithful, let us be true to the
covenants we have made, for if we are, we insure to ourselves life and
salvation; but, on the other hand, if we are recreant, we shall go to
destruction. This is the testimony of modern as well as ancient
revelation; and we need not take our own works to convince the people
of the error of their ways; there is principle enough bound within the
lids of this book—the Bible—to convince all mankind of the error of
their ways, and to lead them from darkness to the Lord Almighty, if
they felt as humble before God as I suppose my brethren and sisters do
to-day. But it seems that, in the providence of God, things have been
ordered as they are, that is, he has suffered the wickedness of men to
transpire in the nations of the earth, and he has suffered priests to
be raised up to blind the minds of men. Why? Because men have their
agency to do as their hearts prompt them, and there is no power that
can prevent them doing this, that or the other; but their acts will be
over-ruled by a superior power. We have our free agency, to think and
act just as men think and act, independent of the promptings of the
Spirit of God; but that is not our object, our aim is to do the will
of God; and brethren, if we could only see the labor and toil that we
have to perform before we accomplish our salvation, we would bow in
humility before God and pray him to give us strength as our day.

Vol. 15,  p.143
Look at the immense number of people who have lived on the earth since
its creation! In what relationship do we stand to them? Who are they?
Our progenitors, and millions of them have died without the Gospel.
What an immense labor opens up before us when we think of these
things! Millions and hundreds of millions of men and women, just as
good as we are, according to the knowledge they had, must be
administered for by us, and we have to build temples in which the work
for their redemption may be performed. We have not only to build
temples, but cities; we have to redeem the earth, and we have a vast
amount of physical labor to do, that our progenitors did not have the
privilege of doing, it was never offered to them, but it has been laid
before us in plainness and simplicity. We can understand the principle
of baptism for the dead, it has been made plain to us, and
administering it, and performing the various duties that will arise in
building up the kingdom of God, will give us labor for centuries. Can
we, in view of these duties and responsibilities, be idle? Can we fail
to seek after the Spirit of God to guide us, that we may accomplish
these labors? If we do, we shall not only deprive ourselves of a great
privilege and of great glory, but we shall deprive others, perhaps, to
some extent, of receiving that which is theirs by right; they have
lived for it, and they are entitled to it at our hands.

Vol. 15,  p.143
What can injure the Latter-day Saints? I will ask Brother Hulse here.
Does it injure a man to be tarred and feathered? I understand that
while he was east he was tarred and leathered, or ducked, or something
of that kind, and I have no doubt he feels glad of the persecution.
Still, I would not like it just now. Our Elders have been tarred and
leathered, and they have suffered a good deal in their efforts to
spread the Gospel of the kingdom; but what have they suffered in
comparison with the blessings they have received? What is there that
would [p.144] induce a man to sacrifice that feeling of joy which he
experiences when preaching the Gospel in the nations? I have heard
Elders testify, and it is their general experience, that when abroad
preaching, depending for their food upon strangers, unsustained and
unsupported, save as the providences of God opened the way before them
that they have had a feeling of peace and joy such as they never
experienced before in their lives, and which they would not lose for
all the wealth on the face of the earth. What is that feeling and
where does it come from? It is the peace of God, and when a man
possesses it, his thoughts are not as man's thoughts, and, inspired
from on high, he goes forth freely, ready to endure any trial and to
make any sacrifice to declare the principles of life and salvation to
the people. This is the way that all Latter-day Saints should always
feel, and they who take this course are continually in possession of
the spirit of peace; they are worthy the name of Saints, and the
Scriptures inform us, that from such no good thing will be withheld,
and if a man wants anything that is bad he is not a Saint, he does not
belong to that catalogue.

Vol. 15,  p.144
My exhortation to you is to be faithful. You know the truth, honor it
by walking uprightly; serve God and you will be the most independent
men and women on the face of the earth People come amongst us
sometimes and declare that there is no independence of character
amongst the Latter-day Saints, because they do the bidding of one
man—do just as one man says; but I heard a remark made last night,
that the Latter-day Saints are the most independent people on earth,
and I believe it. If it does not manifest independence of character
for men and women, who have been honest and upright all their days, to
leave their relatives, neighbors, friends and associates, by whom they
have always been respected, to join the Latter-day Saints and be
called everything that is mean, where will you find it on the face of
the earth. Such men have joined the Church in the States, and Bishop
Hunter is an instance. He was respected and honored by his neighbors,
and was known to have been an honest, upright, God-fearing man all his
days; and when such men have joined the Church they have been talked
of in the most scandalous manner. Vituperation has been heaped upon
them, the papers have slandered them, their neighbors have turned
against them, and called them thieves, robbers, murderers, and
everything mean, contemptible and bad. But this treatment never
changed the character of Bishop Hunter. He came to Nauvoo, and was a
good Latter-day Saint, a good, honest man, faithful and true to his
covenants, and he has proved so up to the present day. This has been
the treatment and the course of very many of the members of this
Church, and in enduring and pursuing it, they have shown an
independence of character that is rarely equalled. They have also
shown themselves possessed of inspiration from the Almighty, and when
men enjoy this, their ways are not as men's ways, but as God's ways
and they are willing to come out and acknowledge God, and to enter
into covenant to do his will as he makes it known to them. This is the
position of the Latter-day Saints—when God's will is made known to
them, the spirit within them testifies to the truth thereof, and they
know it is their business to perform their part of the contract. Who
can blame them for doing it?

Vol. 15,  p.145
As far as independence is concerned, we are a little too independent
[p.145] of God, sometimes. I know that this is the feeling I have to
contend with. Brethren, let our hearts be uplifted to the Almighty!
Remember the covenants you have made; they are pure. Keep them so.
They are holy; keep them so! Do not disgrace them! Brethren and
sisters, if we value our salvation, temporal and spiritual, let us be
true to our covenants, and to the God we have engaged to serve.

Vol. 15,  p.145
May God bless you. Amen.

George Q. Cannon, September 8, 1872

Tithing

Discourse By Elder George Q. Cannon, Delivered in the 
New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Sunday Afternoon, Sept. 8, 1872.

(Reported by David W. Evans)

Vol. 15,  p.145
"Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the
portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged
in the law of the Lord.

Vol. 15,  p.145
"And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel
brought in abundance the first fruits of corn, wine, and oil, and
honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all
things brought they in abundantly.

Vol. 15,  p.145
"And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the
cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and
the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the Lord their
God, and laid them by heaps.

Vol. 15,  p.145
"In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and
finished them in the seventh month.

Vol. 15,  p.145
"And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they
blessed the Lord, and his people Israel.

Vol. 15,  p.145
"Then Hezekiah questioned with the priets and the Levites concerning
the heaps.

Vol. 15,  p.145
"And Azariah, the chief priest of the house of Zadok, answered him,
and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house
of the Lord, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the
Lord hath blessed His people; and that which is left is this great
store."

Vol. 15,  p.145
I have read this portion of Scripture, it having suggested itself to
my mind in view of our condition, and the circumstances which surround
us as a people. The law of tithing is of very ancient origin. How
early it was observed by the people of God is not clearly set forth in
the Scriptures, but we have an account of its observance as early as
the days of Abraham and Melchizedec. We have also, anterior to that,
an account given us in the Scriptures of the bringing forward of
offerings by Cain and Abel, one bringing the first fruits of the
earth, and the other the first fruits of his flocks, as offerings unto
the Lord their God. From the days of Abraham down to the days of Jesus
the law of tithing was observed by the people of God. It was made a
perpetual ordinance; in fact, the Lord promised unto Aaron and his
children that it should be an [p.146] ordinance forever. And there is
this remarkable fact connected with this law—whenever it was strictly
observed, the blessings of God rested upon the people, and when it was
neglected the anger of God was kindled against them; and a careful
perusal of the Bible reveals to us that neglect on the part of the
children of Israel to pay tithing was one of the most fruitful causes
of unbelief, darkness of mind, departure from the ways of God, and
falling into idolatrous practices.

Vol. 15,  p.146
I may be asked, why was this the case? Had the Lord need of the fruits
of the earth? Had he need of the cattle? Had he need of the first-born
children? Had he need of a tenth of their gold and silver? Was there
any necessity for these things to be devoted to him because of any
want on his part? Of course not. The fruits of the earth ore his, the
cattle on a thousand hills are his and the gold and silver are his, he
created them, and he can cover or uncover them at his will. The heaven
of heavens is his dwelling place, and he has no need of a temple built
with hands; yet in the economy of heaven, in the dealings of God with
his children, he reveals unto them laws, ordinances and institutions
which he requires them to observe, and which, when observed, bring
blessings, but a disregard of which brings down his anger and
indignation upon them. There is nothing plainer in Scripture than
this.

Vol. 15,  p.146
God commands his children to believe in him, and to render obedience
to his laws; he commands them to call upon his Son Jesus Christ, or
rather, to call upon him in the name of his Son Jesus Christ. He
commands them to pray unto him; he commands them to repent of their
sins and to be baptized for their remission, to have hands laid upon
them for the reception of the Holy Ghost, and to observe other
ordinances that he has revealed. What for? Does prayer to him advance
him? Does belief in him contribute particularly to his happiness? Does
repentance of sin on the part of the creature add anything
particularly to God's glory? Does baptism for the remission of sins
have any saving effect upon him? Does the laying on of hands for the
reception of the Holy Ghost have the effect to increase his light,
knowledge, wisdom or power? We all recognize the fact that these
commandments are given for man's benefit, to increase his happiness,
and to prepare him for salvation and exaltation in God's kingdom. So
also with the law of tithing: it does not, when obeyed by man, add to
God's comfort, contribute to his wealth, increase his happiness, or
furnish him with that of which he would be destitute if it were not
obeyed; but it is given to man and he is required to obey it that he
may receive the reward, and that be may acknowledge by this act—by
this payment of the tenth of his increase—that all he obtains is the
gift, and comes from the beneficent hand of God, and that he is
dependent upon God. Hence Abraham, after returning from the conquest
of the kings, when be was met by Melchisedec, paid to him the tithes
of all, acknowledging by this act the divinity of the law, and the
necessity of obedience thereunto. So strict was the Lord upon this
point in his dealings with the children of Israel in the wilderness,
that he gave very strict commandment unto Moses and Aaron, and to
those who presided over and officiated among the people that they were
to be very careful to collect, and the people were to be very careful
to pay their tithing.

Vol. 15,  p.147
One object of enforcing this law [p.147] among Israel in ancient days
was to sustain the service of the house of God. The tribe of Levi was
selected from amongst all the other tribes—as the Lord's peculiar
inheritance. In the division of the land of Canaan among the different
tribes, the tribe of Levi was left without an inheritance. The eleven
tribes had their portions of Canaan set apart to them under the
direction of the servant of God, but the tribe of Levi had no
inheritance given unto them. They were told by the Lord that they were
his inheritance, and that which they should have as an inheritance
should be the tenth of the product of all Israel: the tenth of the
labor, the tenth of the cattle, the tenth of the gold and silver, the
tenth of the fruits of the earth, and of everything that was produced
in the land. And so strict was this law, that when an animal passed
under the rod, to use the expression of Scripture, and thereby became
a proper animal to be devoted to the service of God, though it were a
choice animal, and one which the owner of it desired to retain, the
law provided that it could not be retained: it was devoted to the
Lord, and was holy on that account. And if the owner of it were to
substitute another animal instead of it, they both became holy unto
the Lord, and both became tithing animals and had to be dedicated unto
him, so strict was the Lord in enforcing this law of tithing upon
Israel. I often think of the practice which prevails among us in this
respect, how differently we act to what ancient Israel did, and how it
would pinch some of us if the law of tithing were enforced among us as
strictly as it was among them. Not only was this the law of tithing,
as I have rehearsed it, with regard to substitution; but if a man
wanted to redeem that which was devoted for tithing, a certain
valuation was put upon it, and in addition to this valuation a certain
sum of money had to be paid before it could be redeemed. in other
words tithing had to be paid in kind, and if a man wanted to redeem
his tithing he had to pay not only the money valuation of it, but an
additional sum besides, before the redemption could be effected.

Vol. 15,  p.147
You can readily see, with a little reflection, the object the Lord had
in being thus strict with his people: it was to prevent violations of
that law, and to enforce the strictness in observing it which was
necessary to secure the promised blessings.

Vol. 15,  p.147
I have said that a tenth of all the produce of Israel went to the
tribe of Levi; the Levites also had to pay a tenth of that which they
received, and that tenth was given to the priests, those who
ministered in the priesthood in the midst of the people, so that there
was in Israel a standing ministry—a tribe chosen from all the tribes
of Israel, whose office it was to minister in the things of God,
having been called specially by God to this service.

Vol. 15,  p.147
You doubtless recollect that the Lord also required his children—the
people of Israel—to set apart the first-born male in every family to
be his. They had been redeemed in Egypt, or rather they had been saved
from the scourge which fell upon all the families of Egypt. When God
plead with Pharaoh, through Moses, to let the people go, destruction
fell on all the households of Egypt, the firstborn in every one being
slain. But among the children of Israel the firstborn were spared, and
the Lord claimed them as his; but it was inconvenient for them to be
used in the service of the Lord and he, therefore, after Israel had
left Egypt, commanded that all their first born should be numbered;
and after all of a certain [p.148] age had been numbered, he commanded
that the tribe of Levi should be numbered, and upon numbering them it
was found that the firstborn of Israel outnumbered the Levites by two
hundred and seventy-three, if I remember aright. The Lord had already
stated that it was his intention to take the tribe of Levi instead of
the firstborn of Israel, and when it was found that the firstborn
outnumbered the Levites by two hundred and seventy-three he commanded
that they should be redeemed, and that the redemption money should be
banded over to the tribe of Levi.

Vol. 15,  p.148
These were very singular laws and ordinances, but God had a design in
view in enforcing them. Everything he does is dictated by infinite
wisdom, and when the people strictly complied with these laws and
ordinances I have mentioned the Lord blessed them in all things, so
much so that it became a proverb in the midst of Israel—"Honor the
Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of thy increase, so
shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses burst forth
with new wine." When the people honored the Lord with their substance
his blessings rested upon them and they were prospered. The palmer
worm, blight, grasshopper and other evils which afflicted the land
under some circumstances, were removed far from them. Their trees did
not cast their fruit untimely, and they produced in abundance, and
Israel prospered and waxed fat in the land. They spread abroad on the
right, hand and on the left, and the land teemed with fertility. There
were times when israel neglected this law, when they fell into
idolatry, became careless and indifferent concerning the requirements
of the Lord; when the tribe of Levi forsook the service of God and
became idolaters; when the priests quit the service of Jehovah, and
the temples became desecrated and filled with rubbish. It was daring
one of these periods that Hezekiah came to the throne of his father
Ahaz, who had allowed the ordinances of God to fall into disuse. He
put aside the service of God and instituted in its stead idolatrous
service. Tithing had been neglected, and when Hezekiah came to the
throne, his heart being set in him to do right, he commenced to
cleanse the temple, and to restore the ordinances of the house of God,
and the ministers who had been set apart to this service he called
back to its performance, and the people brought in their cattle, wine,
oil, honey, and in fact a tithe of all their substance as well as
freewill offerings unto the Lord; and when the king looked upon it, we
are told, in the words which I have read, that he blessed the Lord and
his people Israel, and upon inquiry of the chief priest he was told
that "since the people began to bring in the offerings into the house
of the Lord, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty, for the
Lord hath blessed his people." The Lord blessed them because they had
complied with his requirements, and they were prospered. The land
prospered under their cultivation, and it yielded its strength in
abundance.

Vol. 15,  p.148
In connection with this I would like to read to you, my brethren and
sisters, the remarks of Malachi. You are doubtless familiar with them,
but they are words which can be read and pondered on time and time
again, without any loss of interest in the subject. Says Malachi—

Vol. 15,  p.148
"Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine
ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return
unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, wherein shall we
return?[p.149] 

Vol. 15,  p.149
"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have
we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

Vol. 15,  p.149
"Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole
nation.

Vol. 15,  p.149
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat
in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if
I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a
blessing, that there will not be room enough to receive them.

Vol. 15,  p.149
"And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not
destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine cast her
fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.

Vol. 15,  p.149
"And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome
land, saith the Lord of hosts."

Vol. 15,  p.149
We see here portrayed, in the most graphic and striking language, the
blessings that God promised unto his people Israel when they observed
this law, which he had given them in the beginning; and we can also
understand from the statements of Malachi, the curses that would
descend upon Israel if they did not observe this law. "Ye are cursed
with a curse," says he, "for ye have robbed me, even this whole
people." Strange language for God to use to his people, it may be
thought, that they should be accused of robbery, that he should look
upon them as thieves, as appropriating that which was not theirs,
because they did not render unto him that which he had commanded them.
They had refused their tithes, they had withheld their offerings, and
consequently they were cursed. "But," says he "bring in your tithes
into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house and prove me
now, herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the
windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not
be room enough to receive it," etc. What great promises are herein
conveyed to God's people!

Vol. 15,  p.149
I have drawn your attention to this law, my brethren and sisters, to
show you what it was in the days of Israel, when God communicated his
mind and will unto His people. I wish to impress upon you this fact,
which you can all realize and understand for yourselves if you will
read, that when Israel served God, and were strict in observing this
law, he blessed and prospered them, and his favor was shown towards
them; but when they neglected this law, his anger and indignation were
kindled against them, and one of the most fruitful causes of disaster
to Israel was their neglect in this particular. There were two things
connected with Israel's disasters: one was neglecting to observe the
laws of God, prominent among which was the law of tithing; and the
other was their intermarriages with the heathen nations—those who were
idolaters. This proved the destruction of the wisest king that ever
reigned in Israel. It proved the destruction of the nation itself, for
it brought disaster and ruin upon it.

Vol. 15,  p.149
There is something connected with the law of tithing that, when men do
not have faith in God, appeals to their selfishness; and for a people
to be wholehearted in its observance, they need faith in God. When
Israel began to decline in faith in God, their selfishness increased,
and their determination became stronger and stronger to grasp
everything within their reach and to retain everything they gained
possession of; and as this feeling grew, tithing and freewill
offerings were withheld from the house of God, and in consequence
[p.150] of this the blessing of God was also withheld. There is a
passage in the book of Amos on this subject, which shows the Lord
pleading with Israel, to bring them back to the consideration of this
law, as well as others that he had given them. The Lord says through
the Prophet Amos—

Vol. 15,  p.150
"And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet
three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city and
caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon,
and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.

Vol. 15,  p.150
"So two or three cities wandered into one city, to drink water; but
they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the
Lord.

Vol. 15,  p.150
"I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and
your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the
palmer-worm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the
Lord."

Vol. 15,  p.150
These are the calamities which God sent upon Israel with the intention
to have them return to him; but notwithstanding they were poured out
and pestilence visited the land, the people hardened their hearts
against him, broke his laws and violated his ordinances, and his anger
was enkindled against them, and they were driven out from the face of
the land.

Vol. 15,  p.150
This law of tithing has been revealed to the Latter-day Saints. If I
remember aright, the last revelation in the Book of Doctrine and
Covenants, given as a revelation, is one in which this people are
commanded to observe this law of tithing for ever. With the
restoration of the Gospel in its fullness and purity there has also
been restored this law, and I am thankful to God for its revelation. I
am thankful for the restoration of every principle of truth, of every
law that pertains unto salvation, for they are all for the benefit of
the human family; and as long as the Latter-day Saints have observed
this law they have been blessed; and we know by our own experience
with grass-hoppers—the Lord's great army—how easily he could collect
his dues from ancient Israel if they robbed him by neglecting or
refusing to pay their tithes.

Vol. 15,  p.150
When men have come to this desert land and have seen the changes that
have been wrought in such a brief space of time, they have wondered
what has been the reason of it. The promise of God has been given to
this people as it was to ancient Israel upon this point, and when the
Latter-day Saints have observed the law of tithing they have been
favored of God, and his Spirit has rested upon them, and not only upon
them but also upon the land, and where it was once so barren,
unfruitful and forbidding that it looked as though no human being
could live by cultivating it, it has been converted into a fruitful
field. Men say, "What wonderful results water has produced!" "What a
great system this irrigation is which you practice!" True, it is a
wonderful system, it is productive of wonderful results; but to my way
of thinking, or according to my views, these results are due to the
blessing of God on the labors of the Latter-day Saints, because they
have honored him by observing the law of tithing. We have looked upon
this land as the Lord's, and have viewed ourselves as his tenants. He
could not come down here in person and receive from us the first
fruits of the soil, or take our cattle, our gold and silver, or any of
our manufactures. Hence there must be somebody to do it for him. In
ancient days the children of Levi acted in this capacity: they
received the [p.151] tithes and offerings, but in these last days,
there being none of the descendents of Aaron that we know of in the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to act in this capacity,
we have been under the necessity of choosing other men to hold the
authority which his seed would hold if they were here in our midst,
and they have been set apart for the purpose of looking after temporal
things, and to take or collect the tithing, and see that it is
properly managed and appropriated to the uses for which it is
designed.

Vol. 15,  p.151
I know how quickly men, in looking at "Mormonism," come to the
conclusion that it is a system by which a certain class will be
benefited and built up. I have heard men say that the "Mormon" Elders
had a pretty good thing of it; that Brigham Young, as President of the
Church, had a very nice arrangement, and that those who were leaders
in the Church had every reason for desiring to retain their position,
imagining, of course—though I do not know why such an imagination
should be prompted unless it was because they judged us as they judged
one another—that all the means that is devoted by the people for the
payment of tithing is appropriated by President Young and those
associated with him in conducting the affairs of the Church.

Vol. 15,  p.151
Now I would not, as a speculation, endure for one month, that which
President Young has to pass through—the care, responsibility, obloquy,
and the weight that rests upon him continually, for the sake of the
tithing alone, if I could have it all. He would not, no other man who
is connected with this people would. Why do they endure that which
they pass through? Because, by the revelations of God, they know that
God has established his Church once more in its fullness upon the
earth, because they know that angels have come from heaven to earth,
because they know that the holy priesthood has been again bestowed
upon man, with the authority to administer in the ordinances of God's
house, as in ancient days; and because this work is established by the
commandment of tied, and they are called by his command to labor in
it. But there is one advantage which this unbelieving generation have
over those which have preceded us, and I think, in view of the
selfishness which prevails to-day in the midst of mankind, it is a
wise provision. If there had been a tribe set apart in this generation
to receive the tithing, I do not know but what the people, universally
almost, would have rebelled against it. If there had been a privileged
class to receive the tithing, the unbelief and selfishness of man
would have prompted them to find great fault with it. But there is
this peculiarity about the work in these days—not only do the people
pay their tithing, but the ministers of life and salvation pay
theirs—if they do not they should do, and I believe they degas
punctually as the humblest member of the Church, from President Young
down—his Counsellors, the Quorum of the Twelve, the Bishops of the
Church, every faithful man pays his tithing, the highest in the Church
as well as he whose name is scarcely known beyond the narrow circle in
which he moves; and, instead of the tithing going to sustain a class,
as it did in ancient days the tribe of Levi, or the priests, it goes
to build up the work of God—to erect temples and in various other
ways. Thousands and thousands of dollars have been spent in sustaining
the poor, and there is no class of men sustained in the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by the [p.152] tithing. There is
this difference between ministers in this Church and ministers in
other churches; ministers in this church have to labor for their own
support; but in other churches they are supported wholly by the
people. On this account—in Massachusetts, if I remember
aright—ministers are not allowed to be elected to the legislature;
they are regarded as men unfit for the practical duties of life. Men
who devote themselves exclusively to the service of their churches go
into their studies, read and fix up their sermons, and, on the Sabbath
day, they deliver their written, prepared discourses to their
congregations, and they are the most impractical men connected with
their churches. the ministry of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints is in direct and striking contrast with this. The
leaders of this Church are the most practical men in it. The President
of this Church is the most practical man connected with the body. His
Counselors, the Twelve Apostles and the leading Elders and Bishops are
all distinguished for being practical men—men perfectly capable of
doing everything connected with a life in these mountains—men who are
able to sustain themselves and to help to sustain others. Our theory
is that a man who can not sustain himself and also teach others how to
sustain themselves is unfit for a leading position, and he becomes a
drone in the great hive. On that account we compel or require every
minister in this Church to sustain himself. Jesus said that he who is
greatest among you let him be the servant of all, and we have carried
this into effect—the servant of the whole people is the President of
the Church. The man who is the greatest servant in a settlement is the
President of the settlement, or the Bishop of a ward. He lives for the
people, his time is devoted to their service, looking after their
interests, that is, if he does right and magnifies his calling. Is
there a helpless man in a ward? He becomes the object of the Bishop's
solicitude and care. Is there a family in indigenece? Then they are
the wards of the Bishop, and he looks after them, and visits them or
sees that his teachers do, and that their wants are supplied. By this
means the ministry in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
is an active one, carrying the blessings of spiritual and temporal
salvation into the midst of the people.

Vol. 15,  p.152
It has been by the labors of such men that this community has been
founded, and this once barren desert changed into a fruitful field and
made to blossom as the rose. Through the labors of the Apostles,
Elders and Bishops of this Church, settlements have been extended to
the remotest bounds of the Territory, north, south, east and west.
They have been the pioneers in all great labors, not saying to the
people, "Give us of your wealth and substance, we want to be sustained
in idleness, that we may rule over you;" but on the contrary they have
said, "Come, brethren, let us go and accomplish this labor that God
has laid upon us." They have been the pioneers in all these
labors—these Apostles, Presidents, Bishops, Dignitaries, these men who
are supposed to fatten on the labors of the people. Instead of doing
that, they have been the creators of the wealth that the people now
enjoy; they have been the fathers of the people, the people have been
the objects of their paternal care from the beginning until to-day. I
would not give a fig for a leading man who would not act in this
capacity; he is worth nothing, [p.153] and deserves no place in the
midst of the people of God. Men to save their fellow-men and to be
ministers of Jesus Christ must have the spirit of Jesus. His spirit
was one of self sacrifice, one that prompted him to go forth and save
the people, not to be a burden upon them, not to crush them. That is
priestcraft; and wherever that system prevails a system of despicable
priestcraft prevails, and God is angry with it and with those who
practice it.

Vol. 15,  p.153
I have said that I thank God for the revelation of this principle. I
do, for this reason—it appeals directly to man's selfishness. It makes
men sacrifice their selfish feelings, and causes them to show faith in
God. If a man has not faith in God he is not very likely to pay
tithing, or make many offerings. To use a common expression, he looks
after "number one," and self-interest rules him. Such a man is an
unworthy member of the Church of Christ. But when every man pays his
tithing and witnesses unto God that that law is honorable in his
sight, what is the result? Is anybody impoverished by it? No. Are we
as Latter-day Saints any poorer because of the tithing we have paid?
Not one cent. When that tithing is properly appropriated it is
expended in works which add to the wealth of the entire community. It
contributes to the erection of public edifices; it adorns those
edifices, and creates a fund that is exclusively devoted to the work
of God, and that helps to build up and to make the community
prosperous and respectable in the earth. It is a mighty engine, or
would be if properly wielded, in establishing righteousness and truth
in the earth, for let me say, brethren and sisters, that a warfare has
been commenced in the earth, and it has been waged for a long series
of years, speaking according to the length of a man's life; and that
warfare or contest is for this earth, and it is between God and Satan.

Vol. 15,  p.153
Men wonder why it is that the "Mormon" community, with their good
qualities, their love of temperance and good order, and whose members
conduct themselves with such propriety, are so hated. it has been
frequently remarked to our Elders—"You are a pretty good man, I would
not take you to be a 'Mormon,' I would think you are a man of too much
intelligence to be a Latter-day Saint," as though, to be a member of
this Church a man must be an ignoramus, stupid blockhead, knave or
feel in the estimation of those not of our faith. God has not chosen
that kind of a people, he has chosen intelligent people, and he will
give them greater intelligence. But, the reason we are hated is
this—and it is the same reason that Jesus and his Apostles were
hated—we have the truth, because we have received the revelations of
God, and because, in singleness of purpose, we are endeavoring to
build up the kingdom of God. Let any other people do what we have done
and they would be lauded to the skies. Let any other man do what our
leader has done and his fame, as a benefactor of his race, would be
worldwide. But our labors are only an additional reason for hating us
and for warring against us. It is, as I have said, because there is a
warfare in the world, and it will not end until God is victorious and
the earth is redeemed from sin.

Vol. 15,  p.153
I will revert now to the contrast there is between our desert land and
the lands from which we came. Our people were organized in the State
of New York—a most fruitful State. From New York they moved to Ohio,
another most fruitful State. From Ohio they moved to Missouri,[p.154]
the garden, it might be said, of the United States; and from Missouri
to Illinois—all rich and productive States. What is the result of our
removals? We came to a land that was a barren, uninviting desert, and
what are the remarks of visitors who come here now from the lands we
formerly lived in? They wonder how it is that our fruit trees are so
healthy, and that our land is so inviting. I honestly believe, if the
people of the United States would observe this law of tithing,
devoting a tenth of their substance to the service of the Most High,
that instead of this land being in many respects so superior, the
fertility which formerly prevailed there would be restored. And when
the day shall come, as come it will, when we shall go back—and we
expect to go back to Jackson County, Missouri, and to lay the
foundation of a temple, and to build a great city to be called the
centre stake of Zion, as much as we expect to see the sun rise
to-morrow; I say when that day shall come it will be found that that
country will have its old fertility restored, and that and all the
lands that the people of God will occupy will be healthy and fruitful;
and the land of any people who will honor God by obeying this law of
tithing will be made fruitful to them, God will bless their industry,
and they will rejoice and prosper therein.

Vol. 15,  p.154
There are many things connected with this subject that might be
touched upon. One thing I will mention before I sit down, and that is
the growing tendency among this people to look after their own
interests and to neglect the interests of the work of God. This remark
has often been made to us: "When you Latter-day Saints increase in
wealth, are surrounded by the fashions of the world, and the waves of
civilization surge against your walls of barbarism, all your
peculiarities will recede and melt away, and you will become like
other people. Your plural system will disappear, for no man can
sustain half a dozen wives if they are fashionable women, and no more
than one." I have heard this time and time again; and it is true that
young men in the east will not marry because of the expense, they do
not want to take a wife because they can not sustain her according to
the requirements of modern society. Now, there is a good deal of truth
in this statement. If I thought we would become subject to the follies
that now prevail I would have fears concerning the work of God and its
perpetuity on the earth. If I thought that this people would lust
after wealth, and that they would allow their feelings and their
hearts to become set on the accumulation of money, and that they would
think more of that than they do of God and his work, I would fear for
its perpetuity. But God has said this work shall stand for ever, and
that it shall not be given into the hands of another people, and on
that account I do not entertain any fears as to the result. But there
are individuals in this community who have given way to these feelings
about tithing. When men are poor, it is noticed that they are punctual
in paying it, but when they increase in wealth it is less so. For
instance, when a man has ten thousand dollars it looks a big pile to
give one thousand as tithing. If a man's tithing amounted to no more
than five, ten, twenty, or even a hundred dollars, says he, "I can
give that, but a thousand is a great amount," and when called upon to
give a thousand, no, I will not say "called upon," the difficulty is
we ate not called upon enough, there has been neglect in calling upon
us; but when it comes [p.155] to this, why a thousand dollars looks
like a very large sum, and the party whose duty it is to pay it is apt
to hesitate and feel reluctance, and he perhaps says, "I can invest
this thousand dollars in such and such a way, and it will produce so
much interest, and I will pay it then;" and he allows himself to be
satisfied with this course.

Vol. 15,  p.155
There is this remarkable fact connected with tithing in our midst. You
are all familiar with the apostacy of some of our leading
merchants—men who dealt in merchandize and who, for years, by their
exorbitant prices literally fleeced the people of their means. This
was before the construction of the railroads. Well, it was predicted
yeats before, that sooner or later they would deny the faith and leave
the Church. It was easily understood that no man could remain in the
Church, if it was a pure Church, and practice a system of extortion on
his brethren, and the prediction was made, and strange as it may
seem—though it is not strange to those who understand the working of
these things—it was fullfilled to the very letter, and those men did
deny the faith, and they are now opponents of that work which they
once testified they knew to be true; and an examination of the tithing
records would show this remarkable fact—that some of them did not pay
their tithing as they should have done. Those who have prospered most
are they who paid their tithing honestly. And I have noticed it, as an
individual, that when men clos